1981 GSX1100 Katana Based Project

[Lorenzo]

If a may suggest a lile improvement on detracting from the weight tally:

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Same thing for the tail light, swapped OEM unit for a lighter unit. The replacement tail light is brighter (a later design), and is lighter.

OEM tail light.

OEM tail light by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


DW tail light.

DW tail light by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

A combination of an aluminium cowl frame to replace the OEM steel frame and swapping the OEM headlight for a brighter, lighter headlight worked out pretty well weight wise. Here are a few pics that show the difference.


OEM headlight.

OEM a3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


DW headlight.

DW a4 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


OEM headlight bracket

OEM a5 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


DW headlight bracket

DW a5 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

HEL brake lines installed today. Front brakes have a line each direct from the master to each caliper, light and easy to bleed.

DW front lines by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

3 x HEL lines = 300 grams.

3 x sets HEL banjo bolts and crush washers = 77 grams.


Running tally = 184,234 grams.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Aluminium rear indicator brackets in Gloss Black.


indicator brackets 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

A Million Little Fibers...

You didn't give us the stats on the glass packing. Did you weigh it in one shot, or each strand individually?

Oops, here ya go. Fibreglass packing (in one shot) and used micro mesh aluminium to keep it inside the can.


packing by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


micro mesh by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Rob S.]

Repacked it with high density fibreglass packing, it will be nice and mellow, soothing even.

A Million Little Fibers...

You didn't give us the stats on the glass packing. Did you weigh it in one shot, or each strand individually?

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Uuuummm....that muffler is gonna be loud!

Repacked it with high density fibreglass packing, it will be nice and mellow, soothing even.

[steve murdoch]

Uuuummm....that muffler is gonna be loud!

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Fuel tap and cables for the tally today.


tap by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

Running tally = 183,857grams.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Will be fitting the cables over the weekend, fresh minty new ones. I am surprised they weigh this much, 636 grams is more than I expected, I had estimated they would be around 450 grams.

Throttle cable.
cable 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Speedo cable.
cable 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Clutch cable.
cable 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Total exhaust system weight = 3,328 grams.


Zorst 4 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Zorst 7 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr




Bracket trimmed to fit behind the footpeg mounting plate.
bracket trimmed by Max Mutarn, on Flickr




The yellow zinc finish on the bracket blends in well with the titanium pipe.

Zorst 8 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Zorst 6 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr





Muffler fit is nice and tidy and hugs the swing-arm like it was designed for the build. I bought the muffler used and it had been damaged in a prang with road rash and cracked carbon at both ends of the can. Trimmed the carbon and reshaped the damaged titanium end caps and put it back together with aluminium rivets and straps.

Zorst 5 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Running tally = 182,995 grams.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Pipes are on and look O.K. So the important news now is the weight of the total system.


Headers/collector and frame bracket.
Zorst 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


OEM gaskets, header bolts and washers, aluminium flange clamps.
Zorst 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Carbon/Titanium muffler and clamp.
Zorst 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Found just the thing! A thin yellow zinc steel strap with pre-punched holes, perfect.


Ex bracket 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Ex bracket 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


For the bracket gasket I'll make one from a wood fireplace chimney silicone boot.

Ex bracket 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Ex bracket 4 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Ex bracket 5 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Ex bracket 6 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Ex bracket 7 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


With the silicone gasket in place, used a bar to align the bolt holes. To much tension on the bracket to try this by hand. Makes for a very secure bracket around the pipe doing it this way.

Ex bracket 8 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Ex bracket 9 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr






To keep it light and tidy will mount the pipe bracket to the frame using one of the footpeg bolts, no extra hardware needed.

Ex bracket 10 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

While the primer and Satin dry, time to make the exhaust to frame bracket so it's back into the off-cuts pile of goodies. Must be something in there I can use?

offcuts1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


offcuts2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


offcuts3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr