82 Kat 1100 Resto

S

Shano

Hi Members.
I just joined and I'm technically challenged with PC's so navigating around the web site has been interesting.
I have just bought a 82 Kat 1100 black engine from the facebook Kat site.
It is a little bit sad and is going to need a major OH the bike is gold atm with a black frame so the first job is to strip it and have the frame and tank painted. The upper fairing is salvagable but the tits on the back of the side fairing are missing.
I can take the engine to the bike shop for an OH but if there is a member that wants and knows how to do the engine I'm keen to talk.
My bike has 84 rims on it so I am keen to sell/swap the rims for a 82, or another thought was turn it into an 84, would this devalue the bike?
Regards Shane
 
Hi Shane and welcome to the Forum. Glad to hear from another QLD owner and that you are saving a Kat and planning a resto project. Broken lugs from panels are not rare and although they can be repaired, if you don't have the missing lug a new or used replacement panel is most likey the best option in the long run.

Are you going off the V.I.N. Plate when you say it is an 1982 Kat? If you would like to tell me the frame number and month and year stamped on the plate attached to the steering head I will be able to help you identify the model and year. It may be stamped 1982 however, that doesn't mean it is an SZ, the SZ did not have a black engine ex-factory. If it is dated after July 1982 then it is an SD and a black engine would be correct for that model.

Swapping wheels wouldn't be something that knocks off value if you decide to turn it into an SZ,SD or SE unless a collector or someone wanting a genuine finished Kat (eg. an SZ finished as an SZ and not an SZ built as an SE) was the buyer. Snowflake pattern cast SZ wheels are available and I am sure if you decide to swap wheels you will find a set, maybe sooner than you think? ;) I have a set of SZ wheels I would swap for your SD, SE set if you decide you would like the correct wheels if yours is an SZ. If it turns out yours is an SD they had the six spoke pattern wheels and not snowflake pattern wheels.

If you are restoring the Kat to keep and ride then build it to what you would like it to be. If you convert it to an SE (1984) the paint scheme will cost you a lot more than the OEM 13L Silver for an SZ. The SD had cowl and tank decals so there is added cost there although there are some aftermarket decals that are cheaper, be careful.

If you are looking to restore the Kat and want to keep it inline with the V.I.N. Plate that is pretty straight forward and can be confirmed once the V.I.N. Plate details are known. You can P.M. (Private Message, by clicking on "Shin-Ken 1074" and follow the prompts) me the details if you would prefer. The details are not passed on to anyone.

There are no hard and fast rules for resto projects unless you are keen to try and be as close as you can get to O.E.M. as a show or collectable Kat. Going O.E.M. is expensive depending on the parts needed and how much of the work you can do yourself.

Thanks for joining in and please keep us in the loop with your project. We have a very active Kat Crew here in Brisbane and there are regular rides as well as our weekend ride to Nambucca Heads each year in September. Look forward to following your Kat project and having you along for rides once you have the Kat up and running.

Cheers,
Glen.
 
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Hi Shane, hmmmmm.... black engine '82....

I'll start...

Check compliance plate for month/year/number, let us know (no need to put last 3 numbers on here, just substitute them for x's).
Black motor is/most likely from the SD kat but could be SZ painted black.
The covers can be bought new from Mick Hone (your best parts friend!) http://www.mickhone.com.au/partFinder/fiche/suzuki#anchor_year
The motors are very robust and can take quite a lot of punishment, check compression after tappet adjust, you might be surprised how easy it is to do an oil change and tappet adust, throw in a set of plugs and that is pretty much it.
Unless you want to bring an SZ kat to absolute stock, keep the SD wheels, they are tubeless rims but by all means have a spare set of stock (very rare, everyone puts wires on... except me!) rims on hand.
Where in Brisbane are you?

Welcome and the paint code is 13L.
 
Hi Glen/Scrapeit thanks for the welcome
The comp plate says 10/82 GS110X-536xxx.
It is a proper black engine I have checked out the difference.
I know this is a long way off but if I use my upper fairing then it has had the indicator mounts smoothed off, I have noticed a lot of Kats have had smoth front indicators added does anyone know what they where off, I saw a video of the the showroom in Japan and a few Kats had the same.
The only mod I wanted to do is get wire wheels so I could put a wider tyre on the year. I know a lot of guys put 17's all round which looks good but seems like a lot of stuffing around, and after all I'm not actually Rossi.
Regards Shane Samford Valley
 
Shano said:
Hi Glen/Scrapeit thanks for the welcome
The comp plate says 10/82 GS110X-536xxx.
It is a proper black engine I have checked out the difference.
I know this is a long way off but if I use my upper fairing then it has had the indicator mounts smoothed off, I have noticed a lot of Kats have had smoth front indicators added does anyone know what they where off, I saw a video of the the showroom in Japan and a few Kats had the same.
The only mod I wanted to do is get wire wheels so I could put a wider tyre on the year. I know a lot of guys put 17's all round which looks good but seems like a lot of stuffing around, and after all I'm not actually Rossi.
Regards Shane Samford Valley
Click to expand...

Hi Shane, thanks for the numbers, 10/82 makes it an SD and as you have confirmed the black engine is what should be there. The flush mounted front indicators are to minimise cowl damage when the indicators are bumped by people trying to squeeze between bikes and if the Kat falls over. When they go over the indicator in most cases punches a hole through the cowl, nasty! Most of the flush mounted indicators are aftermarket items from Japan. There may be an Australian supplier however, I don't know of a supplier myself. Another option is to mount the front indicator under the cowl or on the frame front down tubes.

Kats with W.W. look great. If a wider rim than O.E.M. is laced up to the hubs you have the option of 17", 18" or 19" front and 17" or 18" rear with the rim width selected to suit the tyre size available. It is an expensive exercise depending on what options you take.

Cheers,
Glen.
 
Hey Glen, is that number an SZ? the plate hints to me that it is.

Hi Reg, remember back then, Suzuki model change over happened in July each year except for the SZ.

SZ June 81-Jun. 82.

SD July 82- June 83.

SE July 83- Jun 84.

SE were manufactured after Jun 84 and into 1985/86. And as we know Steve has an August 1986 KAT but it is still V.I.N. tagged as an SE.

Cheers.
 
As Glen has said, 10/82 would actually make your bike an early '83 model (SD) as the year models started the year prior, as such.


Easiest way to confirm is the passenger footpeg mounts - the SD and later models went to an alloy footpeg and the mounts changed accordingly.
They're NOT interchangeable with the SZ all-rubber affairs without a fair bit of mucking about - AMHIK.
The SDs also went to the six-spoke wheel pattern and the motors were indeed black:

5v8eu.jpg


Samford Valley, eh?
Whereabouts exactly?

I'm at Closeburn and you'd be welcome to drop by mine to discuss Kat and Suzuki stuff.
Plus, I have some spares that you may be able to use.


Cheers
Paul
 
Hi Shane
And welcome

Best thing if/ get new side fairings or covers is to be sure the rubbers that the lugs secure into are not dry and hard, or you be replacing these panos again before too long. For the cost of them I recommend Rpalcing all the rubber washers and bumpers around the seat, tank, fairing etc.

The best way to make sure that these covers come of easily when needed is to use a chap stick or petroleum jel on the lugs or the rubbers.

Essentially need to lubricate your tits!
Repeat annually or at major service time is good to keep the rubbers soft.

Cheers
Stuart
 
I use silicon grease for my rubbers, organics (e.g. petroleum jelly) and rubber do not mix, that said, if the rubbers are nitrile or viton, probably no problem, I just use silicon grease (O-ring, brake etc.) 'cause I have it for my pool filter O-rings.
 
Welcome Shane! Great to see another local pop up with a Kat, and yes if you can get along on a Saturday morning you'll get a first hand eyeball of some Kats, sometimes one or two, sometimes half a dozen or more all in various different forms from stock to... not so stock.
 
Welcome Shane, I also have a pretty original 12/82 1100 if you ever need to eyeball one but as the boys said there's plenty of Kat's and advice at the Saturday ride. John.
 
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