02 KAT becoming a Streetfighter!

[Tricked02]

This past week has been a bit crazy, taking my fairly stock 02 Katana 750 toward the streetfighter look. I've always been jealous of other street bikes and there super exposed rear tires, so thats where it started. Eventually I thought its all or nothing, so all the plastics came off. I'm debating whether to go solid black with the whole bike or leave the tank and front fender the way they are. What do you guys think? I also need to either make a new seat or get this old one recovered. I'm also going to try and work on cleaning up a lot of the wiring. It really feels like I just got a new bike!

[BlackKatnWV]

I say..........

Cut that front fender, looks like a big ugly nose on the front.......

I would use some kind of tail fairing on the back...R6 tails kind of fit for the most part, but since you are wanting a fighter you can mod it a little where it needs to be.....

Maybe extend the exhaust, either high mount, maybe just angled up kinda like the SV's run..

Figure out something for the gauges, it looks wierd with that gauge housing hovering over the headlights

[MidLifer]

Like he said... rear definitely needs something extending just a bit further out for visual balance.

[Black_peter]

Actually I like the exhaust.
I think this is not a streetfighter persay.
I think it is a neo-bobber IMO..

Maybe there is a catagory for this.. maybe we need to invent one.

[bigbike-r]

my views......
fill in the tank where the fairing used to slot in and i rekon a nice flat black would look spectacular
like blackkat said cut that front fender....beaky
i rekon a leo vince sbk end can would look trick as f**k (you know the small superbike type like on the new gixers)
deffo sort the clocks out
USD forks
chrome oil cooler cover
some sort of plastics round the seat
and a set of chrome or silver engine bolts
stainless steel downpipes
thats what id do (just what popped in my head looking)
looks sweet already
i like the rear too i dont think it needs extending personally.

[bcsean]

The other thing a lot of streetfighters do is a custom seat. Don't necessarily need a tail as you want the super exposed tire. Do some internet searches for pics on streetfighters to see what others have done. THen find a taillight to suit. Otherwise, bob that front fender, and maybe look into digital gauges.

I'd have to say I love the super short tail too, just haven't had the guts to pull out the sawsall yet.

[Demon Hunter]

I think it is a good start. Do whta you want to it. That is the most important thing. I have the fighter bud also, I picked up my black 01 B12 streetfighter yesterday.

[zukibud600]

Maybe a little bit longer seat! I agree with Black_Peter, reminds of new age bobber!!!!

[BlackKatnWV]

Doesnt the 600 version have a seperate rear tail frame also or is it all one piece? Im pretty sure all he did was remove the taillight cage, no cutting involved

[Tricked02]

Thanks for all the ideas I deffinitly heard some stuff that got the gears turning again. For those wondering most of this project was pretty easy as far as rigging up a new taillight/ turn signals/ headlight/ and gauge brackets, etc. The hardest part for me was first deciding to do something to a stock bike that could never be undone! The hardest physical parts were modifying the exhaust by taking about three inches out of the header and finding a way to get rid of that rediculously long midpipe. The other part that took a while was when after I had the rear fairings off I noticed the lower support bar for the passenger part of the seat really blocked the side view of the tire, so I decided to cut that bar out and weld a new 3/4in square bar up directly under the drivers seat. That took the most time but really made the biggest difference on appearance of the tail section. Oh yeah before I relized I could use my old D&D I took my stock Suzuki muffler and chopped about 8 inches out and welded it back together. I never got a chance to see what it would sound like but I'm sure it probably would be loud! Thanks for the info and suggestions and I'll keep updating the pics as I go.

[bigbike-r]

i would have thought cutting your stock can would affect performance????

[bcsean]

Doesnt the 600 version have a seperate rear tail frame also or is it all one piece? Im pretty sure all he did was remove the taillight cage, no cutting involved

Frame is still all one piece, we just have a 2 piece seat on the 600

[Tricked02]

I didn't end up using the cut Suzuki Muffler. I used a D&D exhaust that I had previously used on the bike. Suprisingly though I thought by eliminating the mid-pipe it would have really affected the way the bike runs but it hasn't. Go figure?? If anyone is curious and wants to try that little stumpy can I welded back together on their bike then their welcome to it. My guess though is it probably sounds like a nightmare and will probably jack up your performance.

[CH600]

Definately a good start...