Frame and fairing question

[fulcrum]

Hi everyone,

I'm talking to a company who are looking at making frame sliders for the Kats which will have a mounting bracket provided so no frame drilling is required.

They are working the design from a 93 Kat 750 and they have a question which I hope can be answered here.

Are all pre 97 Kats the same with fairings - including the 600s? I'm presuming the 98+ Kats will be different to the 97 due to the new fairings, but once again are the 600s and the 750s the same?

This is what they are looking at doing:

We have a 93 Katana 750 here in our shop and have made the initial designs which will incorporate the use of a bracket that mounts on the upper engine cradle bolts(2 bolts on each side).

Actually having someone interested in doing this as a commercial product is a great thing, but I'd like to help them as much as possible. Oh, and they are in the US, not over here in Australia

[Spedee]

98 to present the front fairings on both 600 and 750 are the same.
Good work if it all pans out.

[fulcrum]

Thanks Spedee - good to know that bit at least.

It hasn't been much work really. I just stumbled across them and sent them an email saying it'd be a good niche and I knew of a captive market I could mention them to.

I really want sliders to protect my plastics from any stationary or slow drops, but I don't like the idea of drilling the frame.

[SweetLou]

Do you have a website and or email to the company? I would be interested in contacting them, see if they have any plans for a bracked for a 98+ Katana, although maybe I could fab something up in the shop..... hmmm

The fairings are the same size on the 98+'s also, aren't they?

[fulcrum]

SweetLou - they are looking at a bracket for a 98+ 750, because that is what I am after and asked about. That is why I'm trying to find out if the pre-97's and the 98+ bikes are the same of different. As soon as I get the info together I'll let them know.

They are working on the pre-97s because that is what they have available at the moment.

If they need a later model Kat to measure up I'll find out and let the board know so that someone who is interested and nearby can hopefully help out by running their bike down there to be measured (they are near the Gap, so I'm sure someone will make the trip).

I don't think millions of emails would help just yet. I'll pass on all feedback I get.

To check them out their website is http://www.oesaccessories.com/

And I am in no way affiliated with them. I just asked a simple question and they repsonded quickly and positively. Hopefully it all comes out right at the end

[The CyberPoet]

SweetLou - they are looking at a bracket for a 98+ 750, because that is what I am after and asked about. That is why I'm trying to find out if the pre-97's and the 98+ bikes are the same of different. As soon as I get the info together I'll let them know.

You might want to inquire about a group-purchase price. Basically, you get a quote at tier quantity, and a reference code, and we all put in our orders at the same time. Either that, or one of us collects the $$ and redistributes them, if the manufacturer isn't willing to. If the discount at quantity 20 (?) is worthwhile, it may spark their interest harder and simulateneously get a lot of us sliders...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[kwebbel]

Enginecradles are all identical, so that won't be a problem, but you can't see the upper engine cradle in the openings of the fairings like you can looking at the pre-98's, so I'm afraid it won't fit on the post 98 models, without modding the fairings..

[fulcrum]

Cool, so am I correct with these statements to them?

1) Pre 98 600s and 750s are identical for fairings and frames
2) 98+ 600s and 750s are identical for fairings and frames, but different from the pre-98s
3) We want a group purchase rate

Also, what age to the pre-98s generally go back to. I know there are the original Katanas, but the ones called pre-98 are what date range?

EDIT: I've sent them another email with the above info in it. I'll let you know in another 15 hours what their response is (I'm emailing them from work, so I get the response during my work hours here in Australia).

[The CyberPoet]

Also, what age to the pre-98s generally go back to. I know there are the original Katanas, but the ones called pre-98 are what date range?

When we say "pre-98", we mean 1988 - 1997 Katana 600 & 750. I'm not sure about the 88 & 89 models, but the 90 - 97 are the same. There were even earlier Katana's, such as a 550 and an 1100 (and in the modern era, there is a 50cc scooter marketed by Suzuki Europe under the Katana name as well)

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[HS2020]

Yes the 88 and 89 models Kats are the same as well Cyber. Remeber my bike is a 89 and looks just like a 90-97. The only thing that changed during those years was the paint scheme on the 600 and 750's. The 600's rear tail fairings are different because of the taillight. Other than that the front plastics are the same for both the 600 and 750 of the pre98 era.

[fulcrum]

Update time.

I let them know the similarities and differences and they are getting either a 99 or 2000 model in their shortly to measure it up.

They think with the 88-97 models there will need to be cutting of the plastics to fit the sliders. I'm hoping that is not the case on the newer ones as I don't like the idea of cutting up my bike.

They do however have some sort of alignment tool for $2 that makes sure the hole is perfectly positioned and placed - it is used on a lot of the Honda models.

I'll keep you notified.

[The CyberPoet]

They think with the 88-97 models there will need to be cutting of the plastics to fit the sliders....

Depending on what the brackets are made of & how they are made (molded or powder-melt rather than simply bent stock), there should be no problem in having an offset to clear the fairings even if the frame pass under the fairing at the spot for mounting... If they are fabricating brackets from stock steel bar, then it's a different tale.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[ghelper]

took the plastic off my 2000 tonight to see what there was to build a bracket it will also cover the top hole in the plastic that you see the motor through i'm not sure if the bolt could handle the stress they are only 5 or 6 mm two at the bottem and two at the top

[Special K]

Fulcrum:

A lot of this may be a recap of previous info, but should add a little:

89-97 Kats:
600's and 750's have same MAIN fairings, different tail fairings. The engine cradle mounting points are BEHIND the leading edges of the fairings.

98+ Kats:
600's and 750's have same plastics. The engine cradle mounting points are BEHIND the leading edges of the fairings.


CAUTION:

I've gotten a couple of 98+ Kats in here this year that had frame sliders mounted directly into holes in the side of the frame where sliders could be added thru the holes without modifying the plastics. EVERY BIKE was totalled due to frames being BENT at the point of impact of the slider! If there were no sliders on those bikes they would NOT have been totalled! If you install sliders, be aware that if they mount to the frame and the bike goes down your frame will more than likely get bent! These frames have NOT been designed to withstand the force of a POINT impact..........


I'm not trying to put a damper on good ideas, just adding what I've seen on the 20-30 Kats I've had through here this year!

[ghelper]

Fulcrum:



98+ Kats:
600's and 750's have same plastics. The engine cradle mounting points are BEHIND the leading edges of the fairings.


CAUTION:

I've gotten a couple of 98+ Kats in here this year that had frame sliders mounted directly into holes in the side of the frame where sliders could be added thru the holes without modifying the plastics. EVERY BIKE was totalled due to frames being BENT at the point of impact of the slider! If there were no sliders on those bikes they would NOT have been totalled! If you install sliders, be aware that if they mount to the frame and the bike goes down your frame will more than likely get bent! These frames have NOT been designed to withstand the force of a POINT impact..........


I'm not trying to put a damper on good ideas, just adding what I've seen on the 20-30 Kats I've had through here this year!

looking at my 2000 you have said that the frame are bent now if you take a 1 inch round bar and cut it to length between the two frames and drill and tap the hole it will reinforce the frame and should stop the twisting

the other thing that i though of was 1/4 inch peice of steel on each side of the frame and a peice going from the right side to the left frame and have them welded together mounting throught the frame and the 1/2 inch of steel on each side you could even square in the front of the two inner peice to help stengten it


do you think this could help with the bent frames?
do you have any pictures of the frames i would like to see the stress and how it bent the frame to have more input on fixing this prolem
thanks