1981 GSX1100 Katana Based Project

[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]

Fuel tap and cables for the tally today.


tap by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

Running tally = 183,857grams.

[steve murdoch]

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

[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.

[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]

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

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Aluminium rear indicator brackets in Gloss Black.


indicator brackets 1 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]

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]

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

[Lorenzo]

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

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Modified horn bracket is finished, went with silver so it blends in with the frame instead of the factory black.


H 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

H 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Aluminium rear indicator brackets are finished.


OEM indicator and bracket.

RI 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr



DW indicator and bracket.

RI 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


RI 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


RI 4 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Running tally = 184,704 grams.

[Shin-Ken 1074]

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

Hi Lorenzo, thanks for the suggestion on the rear res, they are a great product. I have installed a similar product on the DW rear master.

RR 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


RR 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Most of these light parts are lots better looking too IMO. Nice work!

Thanks Big Block, much appreciated.