Building a KiwiKat

[Hoomgar]

Guys, this is not Katman, it's Katanakid. They live on the opposite side of the planet from each other 8)

[hungryman]

Guys, this is not Katman, it's Katanakid. They live on the opposite side of the planet from each other 8)

Ooops! Well, I still like it. I'm not that bright so many thans hoomie.

[Hoomgar]

Guys, this is not Katman, it's Katanakid. They live on the opposite side of the planet from each other 8)

Ooops! Well, I still like it. I'm not that bright so many thans hoomie.

No challenge from here buddy I like it too. Sweet ride man.

[solo suzuki]

katanakid, that's a beauty!

very nice, modern yet you've kept all the elements that make it interesting in the first place. great upgrade, Bravo!

[8trackmind]

Very nice! 8)

[pan]

That has to be the BESTkAT I've ever seen 8O WELL DONE!

[katanakid]

Hi Guys. Many thanks for the encouraging responses, I appreciate the constructive comments. The front seat still needs proper shaping and recovering. I am still deciding what to do about the gap between the tail piece and the bottom of the side covers, I think it would look better filled in and mated up too, but I really wanted to retain the visibility of the rear master cylinder reservoir. I will be running pods on the carbs, as an airbox is out of the question due to lack of space. I agree that the headers definately need a birthday as does the rear hanger bracket. I have got a Harris system on my other bike and will try that on to see what it looks like. The paint is temporary, I just tried it out with some cheap aerosols to see what it would look like, but must admit I quite like it. It certainly gets a few looks when I take it out. The frame still needs painting too. It's probably going to take me a few more months to complete this bike though, as I am still super busy at work.

[isleoman]

KatanaKid,

Great build!! Well done.... Gotta question for you relative to rear sets. Saw your comments on Pg 2. When your side stand is up does it get in the way of your left foot when your up shifting?

I'm mocking up some ZX12 rearsets on my 82 1100ez and I realize that the Katana and GS are different in their original peg placements. It looks like in one of your pictures on the fourth page (side stand down) that it might be close. Didn't you shorten or re-angle your side stand?

The brake side on the GS would look pretty much like you have it but the shifter side puts the ZX12 shift lever close to the bottom of the side stand.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

[katanakid]

Hi Isleoman, no the stand is out of the way, just! The reason that I went away from the gsx 400 pegs that I had mounted initially, was because when the mounting assembly was mounted at a different angle, as it was on the Kat frame downtubes, the pegs were not properly horizontal and kept swinging backwards when any weight was put on them. e.g with a side on view the top of the L/hand peg was at 5 past 7 position (L/H side) instead of the quarter past 9 position as standard) and would not lock properly into the downward position. The GSXR 1000 were a much better choice because they have a central mount bolt and the pegs can rotate to where you want them regardless of the position that the mounts are bolted. I went to a lot of trouble to have the GSX 1000 pegs sitting in the exact centre position as the standard Katana pegs. I triangulated measurements from the centre of the TSCC badges on the engine, the underside of the top frame rails and the bottom rear shock bolts to take a map of the original peg centre location.
I like the original Katana peg positions and wanted to retain the same position for the upgraded pegs too. Because of this "standard" mounting position of the new pegs, the prop stand is close to my foot, but has the same clearance as it would have had with the standard pegs. Not sure if you have ridden a Kat, but the stand is very close to your left boot, especially if you ride on your heels. The prop stand on my bike is completely standard. Just a suggestion, try taping your riding boots onto the front pegs in your normal riding position on the bike to give you an idea of clearance and more importantly gear and brake lever position. Leave these in position on the front pegs when you are planning the rear peg position as well. It's very easy to stuff up the rear peg mounts and have the pillions shoes rubbing your calfs.
Good luck with your build.

[isleoman]

KatanaKid,

Thanks for the help. Great idea about using riding boot minus rider.

The standard GS peg position must be a little further forward than the standard Kat. By the time I make mounting plates and install the ZX12 rearsets it will move the pegs back about 4" but not much higher. I think 4" back on the GS should be close to the standard Kat position. I'm not too far off of the rotational position of the standard ZX12 mounting so hopefully I won't have folding problem.

[katanakid]

I have been busy moving house and have not had much time in the shed, but have managed to change the exhaust sytem on the Kat. It is basically a chromed Harris unit with the angle slanted more upward at the rear. I didn't really like the oversized look of the larger can on the bike. I still haven't finished the front seat, or married up the rear tailpiece to side panes as yet. Will update as I get time to do more work.

[isleoman]

Really like the short exhaust. Looks like the newer GSXR and R1 cans. You have great design instincts.

[Kiwibloke]

Nothin like some good old kiwi ingenuity! thats one seriously hot looking Kat you got going on there! Real class act I reckon!

[oldschoolGS]

Beautiful bike - very tastefully done.

The short can looks out of place though, it would probably look better on a shorter 54-55in wheelbase bike.

Anyway, 1st class job, Ed.

[johnnay]

Love it - any updated pics?