Tweet
Hello from Poland, Wroclaw!
I have registered here in some hope of finding some better help with finding any information about that pretty little psycho. That pretty little psycho is: GSX 400 F Katana from 1983 FD type with later model engine that has seen a lot of improvements in the bottom end(earlier types had a lot of seizures).
Story
I come from Poland and have ridden motorcycles since I was 13, mostly communist type that I own(polish WSK, Czechoslovakian Czezet 350) and BMW R66 from 1939 produced just before II WW started(in looks it is more likely similiar to Ural but it has everything written in german plus +80 years of history plus war, cannot trace any evidence - kind of mix). Currently R66 has gearbox problems and it is deep and expensive topic, CZ 350 is in rebuild, WSK is currently awaiting for rebuild. So I needed the saddle to ride. Because of current law regulations, my age I am struck up to 48 horsepower aka 35kW engines to ride so I needed something that is within that range. I was looking for GS 500 but 95% of them in Poland had at least one major crash, those are ridden by simply just noobs who fall and then they hide everything from you. Most I have encountered couldn't provide straight ride they were that bent in a crashes. A friend of mine called me about this Katana and just said: "go get it, it is a fine bike". It was cheap, in out money 2700 including insurance and paper work. We have checked it, starts like a dream and runs straight so in one evening almost a year ago I came home on my 4th saddle without any consciouness of what I have bought and how rare it is in Europe.
It has working gear indicator(yes, gear indicator in 83, priceless), fuel guage and very nice clocks on the dashboard. You know? Their lightening colours resembles for me a colour of a hooker's lingerie. They are literally all RED when turned on - nice. On July of 2016 I had stator failure. I have ditched stock R/R because it made stator work asynchronous(yes, suzuki regulated only one phase in 80s, last two weren't regulated at all which happened to burn stators very prematurely and severly overcharge the battery - more than 15,5V on 5k). I have replaced stator and fitted R/R that regulates all 3 phases on the back of the frame behind tail light fender within the airflow from riding, now it is cool and fine(stock R/R is behind the engine and wheel fender - very stupid idea, not so clever). Have ridden 11 000 kilometres since that - everything OK. Charging appears to be still 13,5 - 13,8V so that tells me that stator I bought used is in the end of it's life but I have spare waiting in much better shape and much younger.
So failures by far:
July 2016 - stator
August 2016 - snapped 33 year old throttle cable, replaced
What has been done for this season?
1. Carbys rebuild
2. Cam chain replacement
3. Valve clearance adjusted
4. New set of tires, proper size from the service manual, Michellin Pilot Activ(couldn't find any better in Poland of that weird size) + weighting wheels
5. Complete carby adjustment, synchro plus colortune to fine tune the mixture
6. Handlebar lock repaired
7. Rebuilded fuel tap, now reseve and open + prime works like they should
8. Changed oil + filter
9. Foam air filter cleaned and rinsed in filter oil
10. Completely new drivetrain(old one had I guess at least 20 years, all seals were cracked and falling out of the chain)
I try to take very good care of her, especially drivetrain which is lubed every 500 and chain slack checked/adjusted every 1000 km like manual says. I have solved most of her problems but I have only one left - engine rattle. I started with clutch basket, I have checked bronze bearing + filler and how the filler sits on the main gearbox shaft - no play. Clutch basket sprocket dampers - fine, no play. So it not a clutch, friction plates are still stock from 83. My guess is starter clutch(it works) but the rattle comes directly from left cover and I can feel it when I place my hand on that cover. I don't know how to solve this and where get new starter clutch - parts for this model are very scarce in Poland.
Here is a pic:
This is pic with old tires, funny sized completely wrong that ripped her of any stability on the road. Not modified, stock from factory. Swedish version with chrome front fender. I don't know if the rack is genuine or not - fits like it was made for her, very useful with case(I do travel a lot). I have front windshield too but I prefer naked
Naked is the best, like women(joke). I am quite tall(190 cm) and she suits me well I haven't had that much comfortable bike yet. I cannot find exact reason why she won my heart(she has a LOT of disadvantages) but one is true. She has earned herself eternity in my garage, very fun and very "alive" bike. Especially engine sound makes the wonders. Ah, just in case it has FOUR(not two) cylinders and sixteen valves.
If somebody knows anything about starter clutch in this model I would appreciate any info.
Current mileage - 90 000 km
Greetings,
Himer
I have registered here in some hope of finding some better help with finding any information about that pretty little psycho. That pretty little psycho is: GSX 400 F Katana from 1983 FD type with later model engine that has seen a lot of improvements in the bottom end(earlier types had a lot of seizures).
Story
I come from Poland and have ridden motorcycles since I was 13, mostly communist type that I own(polish WSK, Czechoslovakian Czezet 350) and BMW R66 from 1939 produced just before II WW started(in looks it is more likely similiar to Ural but it has everything written in german plus +80 years of history plus war, cannot trace any evidence - kind of mix). Currently R66 has gearbox problems and it is deep and expensive topic, CZ 350 is in rebuild, WSK is currently awaiting for rebuild. So I needed the saddle to ride. Because of current law regulations, my age I am struck up to 48 horsepower aka 35kW engines to ride so I needed something that is within that range. I was looking for GS 500 but 95% of them in Poland had at least one major crash, those are ridden by simply just noobs who fall and then they hide everything from you. Most I have encountered couldn't provide straight ride they were that bent in a crashes. A friend of mine called me about this Katana and just said: "go get it, it is a fine bike". It was cheap, in out money 2700 including insurance and paper work. We have checked it, starts like a dream and runs straight so in one evening almost a year ago I came home on my 4th saddle without any consciouness of what I have bought and how rare it is in Europe.
It has working gear indicator(yes, gear indicator in 83, priceless), fuel guage and very nice clocks on the dashboard. You know? Their lightening colours resembles for me a colour of a hooker's lingerie. They are literally all RED when turned on - nice. On July of 2016 I had stator failure. I have ditched stock R/R because it made stator work asynchronous(yes, suzuki regulated only one phase in 80s, last two weren't regulated at all which happened to burn stators very prematurely and severly overcharge the battery - more than 15,5V on 5k). I have replaced stator and fitted R/R that regulates all 3 phases on the back of the frame behind tail light fender within the airflow from riding, now it is cool and fine(stock R/R is behind the engine and wheel fender - very stupid idea, not so clever). Have ridden 11 000 kilometres since that - everything OK. Charging appears to be still 13,5 - 13,8V so that tells me that stator I bought used is in the end of it's life but I have spare waiting in much better shape and much younger.
So failures by far:
July 2016 - stator
August 2016 - snapped 33 year old throttle cable, replaced
What has been done for this season?
1. Carbys rebuild
2. Cam chain replacement
3. Valve clearance adjusted
4. New set of tires, proper size from the service manual, Michellin Pilot Activ(couldn't find any better in Poland of that weird size) + weighting wheels
5. Complete carby adjustment, synchro plus colortune to fine tune the mixture
6. Handlebar lock repaired
7. Rebuilded fuel tap, now reseve and open + prime works like they should
8. Changed oil + filter
9. Foam air filter cleaned and rinsed in filter oil
10. Completely new drivetrain(old one had I guess at least 20 years, all seals were cracked and falling out of the chain)
I try to take very good care of her, especially drivetrain which is lubed every 500 and chain slack checked/adjusted every 1000 km like manual says. I have solved most of her problems but I have only one left - engine rattle. I started with clutch basket, I have checked bronze bearing + filler and how the filler sits on the main gearbox shaft - no play. Clutch basket sprocket dampers - fine, no play. So it not a clutch, friction plates are still stock from 83. My guess is starter clutch(it works) but the rattle comes directly from left cover and I can feel it when I place my hand on that cover. I don't know how to solve this and where get new starter clutch - parts for this model are very scarce in Poland.
Here is a pic:
This is pic with old tires, funny sized completely wrong that ripped her of any stability on the road. Not modified, stock from factory. Swedish version with chrome front fender. I don't know if the rack is genuine or not - fits like it was made for her, very useful with case(I do travel a lot). I have front windshield too but I prefer naked
Naked is the best, like women(joke). I am quite tall(190 cm) and she suits me well I haven't had that much comfortable bike yet. I cannot find exact reason why she won my heart(she has a LOT of disadvantages) but one is true. She has earned herself eternity in my garage, very fun and very "alive" bike. Especially engine sound makes the wonders. Ah, just in case it has FOUR(not two) cylinders and sixteen valves.If somebody knows anything about starter clutch in this model I would appreciate any info.
Current mileage - 90 000 km
Greetings,
Himer
Comment