89 Kat fighter (work in progress)

[BlackKat Joe]

Ok, so I too am starting a Kat fighter build. I don't post on here often but I sure read a lot... my bike is an '89 750 with 38,000 at purchase, 42,500 currently.

The back story: I crashed my bike in July (hit gravel in a RH turn at like 5mph, light damage, mostly scratches and cracks to the right fairing). Three days later I broke my left hand. So, I put the bike up on blocks and did some much needed TLC. During that time I was deciding what to do about the plastic. My friend who rides a Kawi Z1000 fighter has been encouraging me to run naked for awhile. So I stripped off all the plastics and gave it a look... and kinda liked what I saw. So I've been driving around for a few days now with it as a fighter and I'm starting to like it. The bike runs completely different since i tuned it up and cleaned the carbs, and now it looks totally different too.

I really like the openess of the frame under the seat and how thin the removal of the plastics make it. I also really like the look of the CA emissions crap - a fan above the shifter and hydrolic looking chamber under left side of seat. It give the bike a Raod Warrior/MadMax feel. Industrial sculpture...
I HATE the stock headers now (especially those UGLY crossover tubes). I think I'm gonna be selling my plastics and stuff here pretty soon tpp... like the thought of my Kat making me some money. Helps pay for the repairs...

What I've done so far:
*Cut scoop/shovel behind rear tire
*Strip plastics, reflectors, and turn signals
*The removal of nearly everything deemed not necesary or "cool looking"
*Fab windscreen brackets
*Fab license plate bracket

For the future I plan to (in order, pretty much):
*Get a 4-1 header and use a slip on can (have can already, forgot brand)
*Jetkit
*New tank (current one is rusted and has big dent... any other tanks fit kats?!)
*GSXR cams
*New mirrors
*Fab new headlight housing
*New headlight? (but not those damn round ones that everyone is using now!)
*Fab new front tire fairing (or more accurately, cut up old one!)
*minimal Fab of new fairings that go more with this look
*New seat?
*New gauges?
*bar ends, grips, other peripherals


Any thoughts? Would love to hear them...


BTW, this is ontop of Ranchos Palos Verdes - that's Catalina Island behind me

[Spindrift187]

Ditch the girnormous taillight! You can remove that whole taillight "frame" by 4 bolts and toss a cheap brake light on there for next to nothin. Will clean up the rear ALOT.

[Daemontrym]

For a clean looking fender Elim I used a Simpson 4 inch adjustable joist for deck posts I got from home depot. These I think are alot better than just chopping the bottom because it looks cleaner and you can mount turn signals to it by drilling a couple of holes. They are thin but sturdy units that are made from galvanized steel.

The one on my R6 looks just like that but cost me 75 dollars less and about three hours of my time.

[BlackKat Joe]

Ditch the girnormous taillight! You can remove that whole taillight "frame" by 4 bolts and toss a cheap brake light on there for next to nothin. Will clean up the rear ALOT.

Great tip, thanks. Actually, my taillight doesn't even work (brakes do though) - so putting a new one on would help a lot and force me to do all the wiring...

For a clean looking fender Elim I used a Simpson 4 inch adjustable joist for deck posts I got from home depot. These I think are alot better than just chopping the bottom because it looks cleaner and you can mount turn signals to it by drilling a couple of holes. They are thin but sturdy units that are made from galvanized steel.

The one on my R6 looks just like that but cost me 75 dollars less and about three hours of my time.

Sorry dude but I'm not sure what you mean. Which fender? The one over the front tire? Got any pictures?!

[katman05]

Good luck with your project.

[Slofuze]

So far so good....... I kinda like the looks.

[ken123allen]

good luck with your fighter. lookin good

[XKillerEliteX]

Looking Good

[7thrifty]

if you changint the rear light then you may as well shorten the subframe, stick some higher bars on too, you will not regret it

[kain101]

Ditch the girnormous taillight! You can remove that whole taillight "frame" by 4 bolts and toss a cheap brake light on there for next to nothin. Will clean up the rear ALOT.

do u have a pic of what the tail looks like?

[chemomche]

do u have a pic of what the tail looks like?

like your helmet

[RejectionNinja]

Very nice.

I have a 1993 Katana 750 with a bent frame.

The motor will be transplanted into a 1989 Katana 600 frame and rebuilt from the ground up.

I got the 1989 frame stripped down today. Next step is preparing for repainting.

My current solution for the 750 tail light is to go with one of these LED brake lights. (Not exactly this one but almost identical.)

http://www.etrailer.com/pc-tail-led~STL53RB.htm?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=ppc

My friend (also with a 1996 Katana 600) is allegedly going to make a fiberglass rear cowl to hold the LED lights. He's doing the same thing for his bike.

Can't wait to rock the classic round, yet blazing bright LED lights.