[james71]

look great! is that a 190 or 180 tire? mine looks a little wider.

I know, I think your's looks wider due to being lowered, and mine is taller. I suppose, since they are the same size tire.

[reconstyle]

Ok, is it me, or does that just look like a 180 or 190 tire squeezed onto the stock rim?

Was the swingarm modified at all? It looks to be the stock one, the rim looks to be stock as well, and so does all the brake hardware.

That's not the 4.5" rim is it?

[james71]

No way. Not the stock rim at all. (see pic ending in 4 jpg)
It's a 2003 GSXR1000 rim.
The swingarm was widened. Not replaced. That reduced my cost by $400, so I was able to spend it elsewhere...on the bike.

[crazymofo]

congrats james... looks stock, nice one, just remember... want to speed up that turn in.. go for a 180/55 mate.

cheers.joe.

[james71]

On the 30 mile, backroad, semi-twisty ride home from the shop yesterday I dabbled with the cornering going lower each time I came upon a curve and noticed no difference whatsoever. I wanted to give it a better, more thourough test last night but my little boy wanted to swim all evening. I will take it out Saturday morning and lay into more.

The idea of swapping with a 03' GSXR1000 was to match up with the front rim. It looks exactly like the stock, only wider. 2003 was the rim he wanted most since the GSXR1000 had a black rim that year with the same design as the Kat in 2006.

reconstyle, I started to take a pic of my bike with the stock rim sitting beside it to show the width difference, but stopped myself thinking "what the f** am I doing? " That 190 would be hanging off the sides of a stock rim like ten pounds of jello in a shot glass Surely no one really thinks that, and if they do...I just can't get into that mind-set and play along.

I took more pics last night but will have to post later. I have maxed out my upload privledges.

[Mat0302]

The tire swap turned out great. Yuor mech. did a good job. how did he widen the swingarm. Just heating up and pulling it or did he cut it? I still think the tire is to big for a Kat because of the hp difference of a ss bike, but the appearance is excellent. keep us updated on the hp mods.

[james71]

I didn't even ask how he did that, but from looking closely at it last night it was just heated and bent into the wider shape. There's a pic in my ride profile that really shows how it all looks together now.
I like it. I must say it is what I consider the perfect bike now. It balances out the visual expression nicely to have that wide, corbin saddle resting above that 190. I LOVE IT! I sat in the garage last night for an hour and had a few brewskies. I couldn't quit looking at it.

[katanapr3]

yeah I know that feeling

[Mat0302]

yeah I know that feeling

After doing my mods, I still go out to the garage and stare at it. I'm usually cleaning it though. I put Boat wash and water in an old squirt bottle and I have microfiber rags. I clean it for hours. boat wash has wax in it. Another thing is the grease on the swingarm. I take a hair dryer and heat it up, the use a dry paper towel and wipe it off. works very well.

[james71]

After doing my mods, I still go out to the garage and stare at it.

I just checked out your ride. Sweeet bike!

[james71]

Sucks that I'm maxed on uploading...

Not a scratch on her, and lookin good.

[brooder]

Delete old uploads or use a photo hosting service.

[HS2020]

Sucks that I'm maxed on uploading...

Not a scratch on her, and lookin good.

You can use picturetrail.com imageshack.com plenty of free ones out there. You can send them to me and I can host them for you.

[james71]

For me, it's the perfect bike now. Many would say I should have just bought a bike with the qualities I wanted, but the Kat provided the desired canvas for my dream bike.


Mods are as follows"

D&D full system exhaust (loudest SOB on the block! )
Corbin "Gunfighter" seat w/ removable passenger backrest.
New fairings, w/out decals
Zero gravity windscreen "black"
Rear swingarm Modified, widened
03 GSXR1k rear rim, hub
Dunlop Qualifier 190 rear tire
ELKA performance suspension
Mr. Turbo kit
Frame sliders from Matthew here at KR (not pictured)
Smoke rear tail light w/ integrated signals (not pictured)

Total investment including buying brand new bike and modifying it into something no one except me wants....I'd rather not say

[Luckybasturd]

DAMN JAMES71 ! That is one badarse Katana! I have never seen nobody with a Katana like that and there are lots of them where I live. Congrats on building a wicked bike dude!
Dont let the haters get you down. When I showed up on my Gix there were guys who wouldnt speak to me any more, but thats okay. You got a tough f-in ride dude!