Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

'Baby' Kats - info needed please.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #16
    Just found this on suzukicycles.org -

    "Suzuki presented a whole new lineup in 1981 with Katana styled bikes where fuel tank, seat, side covers and tail were blended together, in some cases with a cockpit fairing. Initially there were three of them, GSX1100S, GS550M and GS650G. Later came the GSX1000S Katana and the GSX400F, a model with a four-cylinder, 16-valve engine."


    Very interesting. I'm not sure they were released down here.

    Comment


      #17

      The GSX400S 4cyl katana


      The GSX400E katana (mine is this exact bike, but no where near as nice...

      Comment


        #18
        Both the 650 and 550 have 8 valve motors. The 550 is the engine that was fitted into the normal GS550's.
        The 650 has the engine with shell main bearings.

        Seeing the comments about other Kats. Suzuki actually produced a GSX250 Kat in the early 90's for the home market which is styled the same as the 1100, and 1000 Kats. (like the GSX400S in the previous post).

        I have seen one in the flesh, so to speak and as the picture shows they are just a mini sized version.

        Have a look here :-
        Click Here
        GS1000G

        Comment


          #19
          Yeah they released those little tiddlers here in the 90's as well. By the late 80's they weren't really Kats anymore though (IMHO). They just kept rehashing the name.

          Comment


            #20
            Yeah the 250 is lumped in my manual, I have no idea why though, different frame, motor everything, but I guess its "similar" (hey I gotta look down on SOMETHING when I ride a 400cc)

            not to threadjack, but what bars are on the red gsx? I want my bike to look exactly like that one.

            one day

            Comment


              #21
              Can't help but stare at the beautiful kats, but really kinda interested to know if the bodywork of the 550 will fit on the 650 kat. In my small town, I came across a 650 kat that is in about 60 percent condition, would like to approach owner about purchasing it but not sure if I want to track down unobtanium bodywork.

              Comment


                #22
                I thought I read when they came out that all the shaft drive 650 had shell bearings, and all the chain drive motors had the roller crank.

                I think I was corrected here that 650G had a roller crank.

                What is the scoop?

                Originally posted by waltfen View Post
                Both the 650 and 550 have 8 valve motors. The 550 is the engine that was fitted into the normal GS550's.
                The 650 has the engine with shell main bearings.

                Seeing the comments about other Kats. Suzuki actually produced a GSX250 Kat in the early 90's for the home market which is styled the same as the 1100, and 1000 Kats. (like the GSX400S in the previous post).

                I have seen one in the flesh, so to speak and as the picture shows they are just a mini sized version.

                Have a look here :-
                Click Here
                Last edited by 850 Combat; 04-02-2009, 02:54 PM. Reason: Typo
                sigpic Too old, too many bikes, too many cars, too many things

                Comment


                  #23
                  The shaft drive 650s (g, gl, and m) are plain bearing while the chain drive 650E were roller bearing, from my understanding. I think the e model shares a few engine parts with the 550, at least some of the gaskets are interchangeable (oilpan, clutch).

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Walt, those are a superb pair of Katanas you have there -

                    Waterman, I had always been under the impression that the GS550M and GS650G had the side plastic panels in common, but in eyeballing them side by side, I see they are not The panels are almost the same size, but the plastic mounting pins (the ones that break!) are in different locations to match up with the frame.

                    As for compatibility of parts, I have used the following link lots to find matching parts :

                    www.flatoutmotorcycles.com

                    I then sometimes google the part number as there are a few other sites hosting compatibility listings. The above site will also give a guide as to parts that have been upgraded ... in which case, repeat said search with new part number!

                    To respond to Zook's original question, most of the GS650G's I've seen over the years had silver bodywork - at least for the '81 model. Later models which were released in the US then had 2-tone tanks and mini fairings. Those without the silver bodywork were clearly not original.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      The petrol tank is interchangeable between the 2 models, unfortunately the side panels are different and seats are different.
                      Rear end is the same, the forks at least on mine are different, 37mm and 35mm.
                      Exhausts are not the same as the 650 has a smaller diameter pipe at the engine end.
                      GS1000G

                      Comment


                        #26
                        going back to the Black 550M, There were some katanas that did receive a special black paint job, but with the standard seat colour. calipers and disks were also generally black.
                        The lettering was usually orange on those that appeared in north america, but varients have appeared labelled as original with red or even yellow lettering, and various degrees of accenting such as brakes and shocks, and even frame colour.

                        The black is not the STOCK colour, but is was around in 1982.

                        Comment


                          #27
                          BentRod,

                          when you say 'received' a black paint job, do you mean that the dealers did this themselves after the bikes were imported into Nth America? Are we talking US or Canada, or both?

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Originally posted by Zooks View Post
                            BentRod,

                            when you say 'received' a black paint job, do you mean that the dealers did this themselves after the bikes were imported into Nth America? Are we talking US or Canada, or both?
                            I'm really interested in what the black ones looked like myself. I also noticed that Waltfen's bikes have white wheels while my 550M and others I've seen from the US have red Enkei wheels. Those white ones look pretty slick.

                            a PO painted over the orange calipers on mine, but that will be remedied when I start fixing the cosmetic issues.

                            Waltfen, your bikes look amazing. I was just happy to have mostly original parts when i got my 550M.

                            Comment


                              #29
                              Originally posted by bmt View Post
                              I'm really interested in what the black ones looked like myself.
                              This is similar to what my 550 looked like (before I pulled it apart) except that mine had red lettering and Katana logos. The headlight bracket on mine is black also.



                              I think this is a Brit pic, but I'm not sure. The cars are parked on the right so it may be Europe (continent) somewhere. There are two cars parked nose to nose, just to confuse the issue.

                              I always presumed that someone had painted my 550 black because I've never seen another one down here like it.

                              Comment


                                #30
                                I vaguely recall seeing a black baby Kat sometime in the early 90's. I was living in Colorado Springs, riding my first Katana 1000, this dude parked next to me in the parking lot. I don't know if it was a 550 or 650 but it was definitely black. Looked to have the original paint, but then again, who knows?
                                Red/orange calipers and Katana emblem on the side, red/orange Suzuki lettering on the tank that appeared to be original. The bike was kind of tatty and in my "real Kat" snobbishness, combined with my ignorance and youth, I did'nt give it a second look.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X