1981 GSX1100 Katana Based Project

[Shin-Ken 1074]

The OEM side stand is drop forged steel and weighs close to 900 grams so I have been thinking about a lighter version. The lizard brain in me tells me that as sexy as aluminium is to reduce weight, the stress on an aluminium side-stand clevis for an "Old School" street bike raises a concern. The idea of using a steel clevis is lowering my heart rate so I'll start there. Found an old Suzuki dirt bike side-stand in the parts bin, going by the blue colour most likely a mid 1980's model?

Cut it down and reversed it so the spring retaining pin is positioned to the outside to mimic the OEM Kat pin position. Filed the clevis to fit the Kat side-stand lug and then cut a notch in the steel to make an angle. Next was to use some ally round tube to fit inside the steel section, this will be held in place with a bolt on the inside of the side-stand.

Sidestand 11 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Sidestand 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Then cut and shape the footplate
Sidestand 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


An aluminium footplate will wear out pretty quickly so to get around that issue I will fit a sacrificial plate to the bottom of the footplate, it wears out and is replaced when needed.
Sidestand 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Sidestand 6 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

The ally round tube slides inside the steel clevis section and as a bonus this allows the side-stand to be adjustable, winner winner chicken dinner! Using the MK I eyeball to gauge the angle and length for the ally tube and then cutting it to size. Test fitting it to check for angles, seems O.K. Monday I'll drop it in to the welder to weld up the notch in the steel and TIG the round tube to the footplate.


Sidestand 7 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Sidestand 9 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Sidestand 10 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Sidestand 12 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Sidestand 13 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Half the weight of the OEM side-stand.

Sidestand 14 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Lorenzo]

Lovely-jobly; I reckon you could claim another win-win implement, by cutting a series of diamond patterns (doable with a triangular file) on the contact part of the sidestand; that will let you skim some more alloy, and guarantee a better grip on those icy days, so frequent down-uder ya know...?

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Your gonna fill in/weld that relief cut on the angled blue part, right?

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Lovely-jobly; I reckon you could claim another win-win implement, by cutting a series of diamond patterns (doable with a triangular file) on the contact part of the sidestand; that will let you skim some more alloy, and guarantee a better grip on those icy days, so frequent down-uder ya know...?

Yeah, good idea for grip and being lighter! The footplate ally is so soft that after a few days use it will be heavily scared and offer plenty of grip and be lighter of course. However, I could drill a series of holes in it, hhmmmm?

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Your gonna fill in/weld that relief cut on the angled blue part, right?

What,and make it heavier?

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

What,and make it heavier?

Sorry, not questioning your methods. I don’t know if you’re joking or not. My question was serious. You obviously know more about what you’re doing than I do. It just looks to me like you’ve created a perfect intentional fail point. Like the crumple zones in a car frame. Carry on. Super interested in the whole process and looking forward to the end result.

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Sorry, not questioning your methods. I don’t know if you’re joking or not. My question was serious. You obviously know more about what you’re doing than I do. It just looks to me like you’ve created a perfect intentional fail point. Like the crumple zones in a car frame. Carry on. Super interested in the whole process and looking forward to the end result.

Hi Rich, I thought you were having a bit of fun about the notch welding. I was having a laugh about making it heavier and I certainly didn't mean to offend you in anyway. On the previous page I mentioned I will be taking the side-stand to the welder so he can weld the notch and TIG the ally footplate. Your reminder about the notch is appreciated, the way my memory works these days I could have missed it.

Cheers.

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Lovely-jobly; I reckon you could claim another win-win implement, by cutting a series of diamond patterns (doable with a triangular file) on the contact part of the sidestand; that will let you skim some more alloy, and guarantee a better grip on those icy days, so frequent down-uder ya know...?

Hi Lorenzo, I think your idea about having some grip on the footplate for those icy Winter days we have here in QLD is a good one, thanks for the tip. Crosshatching would work however, did this instead.

Cheers.


Footplate 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Footplate 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Footplate 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Hi Rich, I thought you were having a bit of fun about the notch welding. I was having a laugh about making it heavier and I certainly didn't mean to offend you in anyway. On the previous page I mentioned I will be taking the side-stand to the welder so he can weld the notch.

My bad. Missed that. Carry on

 

[Lorenzo]

Hi Lorenzo, I think your idea about having some grip on the footplate for those icy Winter days we have here in QLD is a good one, thanks for the tip. Crosshatching would work however, did this instead.

Cheers.


Footplate 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

You added some level of sand compliantness by removing some material... Y.A.W.W.E. [yet another win-win exploit] :-\\\

 

[dorkburger]

Speed holes for the win!

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Swapping the OEM sump for a lighter version so today is a good day, the running tally will be lowered and not added to!

OEM sump by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


DW sump 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

While the sump is off I cleaned out the oil pick-up and replaced the sump O Ring. Also swapped the screws that are made of cheese on the oil pick-up for allen head bolts.


OIl pick up by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Old crushed O-Ring on left, new on right.
sump o ring by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

DW sump 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Running tally = 171,339 grams

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

For the gear selector I have a few random parts from different bikes however, they can be cobbled together and made to work. Some of the parts are aluminium however, not a plug and play deal. Selector shaft is to long so needs to be shortened and thread cut. I have the correct die size but will have to call on a mate to see if he can turn down the aluminium selector shaft to 6.0 mm

Gear selector 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Gear selector 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Gear selector 3 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Gear selector 4 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Ally vs Steel.

Gear selector 6 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Gear seletor 5 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

Lucky day, my mate was home and he was able to turn down the ally shaft so I could extend the thread and make it the correct length.

Selector fitted, the blue will disappear later.

Gear selector9 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Gear selector 7 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Gear selector 11 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr

 

[Shin-Ken 1074]

The before and after, OEM SZ gear selector vs DW 180 gear selector.

Gear selector 10 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Gear selector8 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr


Running tally = 171,517 grams.

 

[Rob S.]

It didn't take (too) long for me to figure out that 'ally' meant alloy. Please remind me what "DW" stands for.