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anyone go for a ride today? Pics?
- Thread starter trevor
- Start date
Each year a few of us head off to a kart track for some fun and some occasional red race mist, always a good day with the mates. The bonus is the ride to the track, going the long way with mountain roads and valley twisties then a bit of Flatlander blasting its a 560km round trip leaving at 07:30 and home by 16:00.
2025 karts 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
2025 karts 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
2025 karts 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr2025 karts 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
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Wish my Kat looked as nice as those, still battered from deer incident back in 2021.
Which one is yours?
Which one is yours?
KiwiAlfa156
Forum Mentor
Pics from the 2025 Motofest at Hampton Downs, New Zealand
Rode out Sunday before last.
Rode out Sunday before last.
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Great pics, Kiwi.
Some incredible bikes on display.
Did you get to hear the Britten on the track?
Some incredible bikes on display.
Did you get to hear the Britten on the track?
Sorry to hear about the deer incident and your Kat. It never turns out well when bikes and big animals mess with each other, hope you were OK after the prang? Do you have plans to rebuild the Kat or is the damage beyond repair?
In the first pic, mine is the Kat on the right side of the line-up next to the black helmet on the ground.
Mine is this one.
Kat at Karts by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
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KiwiAlfa156
Forum Mentor
Sure did! It was part of the Legends parade laps and Andrew Stroud also raced it with the Post-Classics. Stroudy was pulling wheelies the length of the straights. There were 2 examples of the McIntosh Suzukis (GS/GSX engines in custom racing chassis built by Auckland Engineer Ken McIntosh, who was 26 years old when he built the bikes) also being raced.
Both were raced locally and in Australia. One by the late Dr. Rodger Freeth https://amcn.com.au/editorial/the-flying-doctor-rodger-freeth/
Freeth won the biggest race in Australia in the early 80s, the Arai 500 at the Mt. Panorama Circuit, Bathurst on CRC McIntosh bikes, beating RGB500s, TZ750s, you name it.
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Nice clean Kat! Looks like an 1150 motor, different carbs, forks & wheels. Is that really a Yosh pipe?
I woke up in an ambulance, 11 ribs, punctured lung, shattered collarbone (they had to put synthetic croutons in for filler), plated w/6 screws.
This was during COVID, so the road maintenance was nill. 6 feet tall grass inches from the fog line, came around a more than familiar curve, deer running beside me then turned suddenly across front tire. Think it's hind quarter locked my front brake & low sided. I think. Don't know how long I was laying there, since I was knocked out.
The wounded Kat sat in the garage for three years, while I was busy doing trackdays & spending money on them. Rode the wife's 1150ES when there was an itch to ride on the street.
The Dyna-S ignition was destroyed, along with part of the cases, but luckily outside of where oil resides. It needs paint, a couple of fairing side panels, but runs now. Had an issue with a wrong mechanical advancer, not allowing it to start, hence the long delay in riding it again. I rode it today.
20210618_171657 by Carter Turk, on Flickr
20210618_171248 by Carter Turk, on Flickr
20250228_151859 by Carter Turk, on Flickr
Wow, you took a big hit with that one, glad to hear you have recovered and are riding again. I see you have an EF engine in you Kat, the best large capacity air-cooled engine Suzuki ever made! You have leading axle forks, a rare mod for a Kat in Oz, is it a thing in the States?
I have a few injuries that make handling a stock (read heavy) weight bike less than pleasant so this Kat was my project to build a lightweight daily rider that would allow me to stay riding for a few more years. Carbs are light weight units from a GSX 750 bolted to a 1985 EF 1150 engine running warm hollow cams, 1985 GSXR 750 wheels front and rear and a made in Japan Yoshi titanium set of pipes with a carbon muffler. Forks are OEM Kat however, the forks have been re-manufactured by Performance Motorcycle Creative in Japan with all new internals and the anti-dive units replaced with adjustable damper controls.
Apart from the frame, forks and rotors there is not much in the way of steel parts on it, pretty much everything else is now titanium, aluminium or carbon. End result is a curb weight of 199.585 kg which is lighter than a 1985 GSXR 750 Slabbie. The details of the build are in the Projects/Rebuilds section here on the forum.Carbon guard MKII b by Max Mutarn, on ickr
Carbon guard MKII b by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
DW forks 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
Zorst 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
DW sump 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
Seat shell 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
Rear brake 5 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
Carb 30 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
I have a few injuries that make handling a stock (read heavy) weight bike less than pleasant so this Kat was my project to build a lightweight daily rider that would allow me to stay riding for a few more years. Carbs are light weight units from a GSX 750 bolted to a 1985 EF 1150 engine running warm hollow cams, 1985 GSXR 750 wheels front and rear and a made in Japan Yoshi titanium set of pipes with a carbon muffler. Forks are OEM Kat however, the forks have been re-manufactured by Performance Motorcycle Creative in Japan with all new internals and the anti-dive units replaced with adjustable damper controls.
Apart from the frame, forks and rotors there is not much in the way of steel parts on it, pretty much everything else is now titanium, aluminium or carbon. End result is a curb weight of 199.585 kg which is lighter than a 1985 GSXR 750 Slabbie. The details of the build are in the Projects/Rebuilds section here on the forum.Carbon guard MKII b by Max Mutarn, on ickr
Carbon guard MKII b by Max Mutarn, on FlickrDW forks 2 by Max Mutarn, on FlickrZorst 1 by Max Mutarn, on FlickrDW sump 2 by Max Mutarn, on FlickrSeat shell 1 by Max Mutarn, on FlickrRear brake 5 by Max Mutarn, on FlickrCarb 30 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
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The 1980 GS1100ET fork had better adjustments (preload ramps & dampening adj. on the bottom), than the 83 anti-dives. Stock, those forks were terrible! I even thought the ET forks were better than the stock 1994 RF 900 I owned briefly.
Guess that one had Suzuki bargain bin suspension on it. Don't think it's a "thing" in the US.
I'll have to check that project thread, I like that relocated oil pan drain hole. Or am I wrong about that, so you don't have remove the header for oil changes?
Carter Turk;n1766286 I'll have to check that project thread said:The project thread is: 1981 GSX 1100 Katana Based Project
As a Kat owner with an eye for detail I am sure you will pick up on the subtle mods that have helped achieve a weight reduction of 60.5 kg from the stock curb weight of an 1981 1100 Kat.
The project black Kat sump is a stock 1982 Katana sump modded to fit the EF with the fins shaved off to lighten the sump and using titanium bolts. Drain plug is in the OEM position so yes, pipes off to change engine oil however, I have owned Kats since 1981 so taking the pipes off is no drama, takes about six minutes.
On my other Kat (owned that one for 39 years) I have relocated the sump drain plug so no need to remove the pipes for oil changes and there is enough space between the headers and filter cover to change the filter without removing the pipes, its slow but doable.
Sump drain 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
Sump drain 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
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The Kat I have owned since 1986 and the project Kat, pretty sure one of these will become a Garage Queen and its not difficult to guess which one. She wont be pushed into a corner to rot away thats for sure, will still be fired up and have tons of TLC and ridden maybe a couple of times a month but will no longer be the "go to" Kat that she has been for the last 39 years.
Kats 1 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
Kats 2 by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
DW Clocks by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
DW front by Max Mutarn, on Flickr
Kats 1 by Max Mutarn, on FlickrKats 2 by Max Mutarn, on FlickrDW Clocks by Max Mutarn, on FlickrDW front by Max Mutarn, on FlickrA pair of beauties, Max.
Among the MANY things i like about your featherweight is the stance. Longer shocks and forks?
Among the MANY things i like about your featherweight is the stance. Longer shocks and forks?
Hi Steve, thanks for the kind words about the "featherweight", much appreciated. Many hours of tweeking over the years is how that stance came about. The stance was a bonus really, the tweeking was focused on improving handling and comfort by raising the rear with 30mm longer shocks to reduce rake and trail. Steering is positive and crisp and taking any corner at any speed is smooth, responsive and with perfect balance and feedback. The 18" front wheel, lower profile radial tyre and lowering the front guard by 30mm to suit the 18" wheel gives the impression of a longer fork. The forks are re-manufactured ( by Performance Motorcycle Creative in Japan) stock Kat forks and are not lengthened however, the fork springs are TNK springs from Japan and have improved braking and handling compared to stock springs.
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54degF today, and heavy overcast, but not raining yet.
Good enough to work in a half hour ride into a small grocery run (hense the tail trunk).
Stopped at a boat ramp park on the river. Hey, docks are in, I dont really care, but is a sign of spring.
Good thing I got out.
Rainy later in day and next couple days (including a chance of that 4 letter S word.)
Recieved a set of aftermarket intake boots for the GK. Need to clean up the garage some so can work on that.
.
Good enough to work in a half hour ride into a small grocery run (hense the tail trunk).
Stopped at a boat ramp park on the river. Hey, docks are in, I dont really care, but is a sign of spring.
Good thing I got out.
Rainy later in day and next couple days (including a chance of that 4 letter S word.)
Recieved a set of aftermarket intake boots for the GK. Need to clean up the garage some so can work on that.
.
Got some riding in the last 3 days, mid 50's or so. The ratty crashed Kat ran well, except for the throttle cable being a bit buggered.
Don't know if a 1990 GSXR 1100 cable is shorter than a stock Kat, but I recall having this one shortened about 15 + years ago, as I have those carbs on.
The fckn deer are out & I rode on roads I crashed on in 1988 (truck turning on 80 1100ET) & 2021 (83 Kat, deer) in the same day.
Kinda spooky & taxing on the eyes, scanning everywhere, constantly.
KiwI Alfa, those pics were great, but for some reason they didn't show up for a day or two. The fam drove by Hampton Downs, towards the end of February, 1st time in Kiwi-land.
Does Tony Quinn own that track? I just started reading 0-60 by him.
20250329_120031 by Carter Turk, on Flickr
Don't know if a 1990 GSXR 1100 cable is shorter than a stock Kat, but I recall having this one shortened about 15 + years ago, as I have those carbs on.
The fckn deer are out & I rode on roads I crashed on in 1988 (truck turning on 80 1100ET) & 2021 (83 Kat, deer) in the same day.
Kinda spooky & taxing on the eyes, scanning everywhere, constantly.
KiwI Alfa, those pics were great, but for some reason they didn't show up for a day or two. The fam drove by Hampton Downs, towards the end of February, 1st time in Kiwi-land.
Does Tony Quinn own that track? I just started reading 0-60 by him.
20250329_120031 by Carter Turk, on Flickr
I was able to get out Saturday for a 275 mile loop. Off and on rain and with 70? temperatures it wasn't to bad...
Some say my motorcycles don't get dirty. Here is a picture of it after riding down dirt drives and parking lots!
Time to get cleaning
Some say my motorcycles don't get dirty. Here is a picture of it after riding down dirt drives and parking lots!
Time to get cleaning
It was so nice here in PA this weekend I decided to visit 2 of my favorite mountain vistas that I can’t get to in the winter when the forest roads are snow covered. Winter is finally over (I hope)
I was able to get out Saturday for a 275 mile loop. Off and on rain and with 70? temperatures it wasn't to bad...
Some say my motorcycles don't get dirty. Here is a picture of it after riding down dirt drives and parking lots!
Time to get cleaning
It must be nice to stop off at a secluded country park and play the trumpet that you keep in that case on the side.
