Help , Wire Wheel Rims

P

Pauly

GSX250S Rider
Hi Guys,

All the best for the New Year,

I may have a lead on some wire wheels for a 1982 1100 katana.
The Question I have is How can I tell they are original.
Would any one know what the correct sizes were and any markings or branding?
Apparently these were on a 82 750, Would they be the same size?

Thanks Pauly
 
Hi Pauly,

according to the service manual, rims are aluminum alloy and made by Takasago. The front size is 1.85x19 and rear is MT2.50x18. The rims have stamps of TAKASAGO and sizes. The hubs are common with GS750 or 1000. Darryl has also talked about it before.
I don't know whether wire wheel 750 kats existed or not. Does anyone know about it?
Cheers, Takahiro.
 
Hi Pauly, the original W.W are the size and manufacturer as stated by Takahiro San. There will also be a month and year stamp after the 'JAPAN" stamp on the rim, eg 2/82. Factory W.W. were only fitted to SXZ 1100 Kats (1981 and 1982) however, W.W. were retro fitted to many machines and having a set on a 7-Fiddy is not unusual, just not original to the 7-Fiddy. As long as the rims are ally and have the correct markings for the SZ period Kat you should be good to go.

Cheers
 
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1000SZ Kats (limited number) were sold with wire wheels here in South Africa but I have no further info as to specs
 
melwain said:
1000SZ Kats (limited number) were sold with wire wheels here in South Africa but I have no further info as to specs
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I know W.W.1000SZ Kats in Europe by hearsay. But I didn't know that they existed in South Africa too. I do not doubt about it, but South Africa was slow to adopt the 1000 Class as the upper limit in Production Bike Classes, wasn't it? If so, for what purpose were 1000SZ Kats released to South Africa despite the existence of 1100SXZs? Well, there might be for no particular reason.
 
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GSX1100SXZ.JP said:
I don't know whether wire wheel 750 kats existed or not.
Click to expand...

Known as the Blayney (not quite Bathurst) Exceptionals, as well as fencing wire wheels, they featured smooth cams, triple chrome holley mirrors, drain pipe exhausts, and not so knobby tyres.
Winner of multiple chook raffles their legendary status at the racetrack carpark, was only surpassed by their touring potential, some making it as far as the back paddock...



:)
 
darkside said:
Known as the Blayney (not quite Bathurst) Exceptionals, as well as fencing wire wheels, they featured smooth cams, triple chrome holley mirrors, drain pipe exhausts, and not so knobby tyres.
Winner of multiple chook raffles their legendary status at the racetrack carpark, was only surpassed by their touring potential, some making it as far as the back paddock...



:)
Click to expand...
Amen brother. Didn't every 1100 come with wire wheels and run at Bathurst?

PS When are you free to recommence rectifying my electrical maladies?
 
Wires, not sure if they're exactly the same as the SXZ wires as such, were available as an optional extra on a lot of alloy-wheeled Suzuki roadbikes at the time.


I know of at least one GSX1100EX that was dealer-fitted with wires from new.
AFAIK, they were just ordered from the parts catalogue and fitted before the buyer took delivery.

My guess is they would have been pricey.
 
The rare as rocking horse dropping E27 1100T "Black Piper" were fitted with wires too. There is no documemtation these unicorns that I've ever seen. But Carl Coleman says 5 units were built.
 
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Kiwialfa said:
The rare as rocking horse dropping E27 1100T "Black Piper" were fitted with wires too. There is no documemtation these unicorns that I've ever seen. But Carl Coleman says 5 units were built.
Click to expand...

Any idea of frame or engine numbers?
 
GSX1100SXZ.JP said:
I know W.W.1000SZ Kats in Europe by hearsay. But I didn't know that they existed in South Africa too. I do not doubt about it, but South Africa was slow to adopt the 1000 Class as the upper limit in Production Bike Classes, wasn't it? If so, for what purpose were 1000SZ Kats released to South Africa despite the existence of 1100SXZs? Well, there might be for no particular reason.
Click to expand...

Here in SA some 1000's were dealer painted and called the Striker. Strikers came with 2 sets of wheels, wires and 3 spoke mags. The Strikers had slide carbs on and came with oil coolers. The wire rear apparently on the 1000 was a 17inch. I do not know how many came to South Africa or for what purpose other than to sell to the public at large.
 
melwain said:
Here in SA some 1000's were dealer painted and called the Striker. Strikers came with 2 sets of wheels, wires and 3 spoke mags. The Strikers had slide carbs on and came with oil coolers. The wire rear apparently on the 1000 was a 17inch. I do not know how many came to South Africa or for what purpose other than to sell to the public at large.
Click to expand...

The 17inch rear wire spoke wheel for Katana is fascinating.
 
Shin-Ken 1074 said:
Hi Pauly, the original W.W are the size and manufacturer as stated by Takahiro San. There will also be a month and year stamp after the 'JAPAN" stamp on the rim, eg 2/82. Factory W.W. were only fitted to SXZ 1100 Kats (1981 and 1982) however, W.W. were retro fitted to many machines and having a set on a 7-Fiddy is not unusual, just not original to the 7-Fiddy. As long as the rims are ally and have the correct markings for the SZ period Kat you should be good to go.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information.

The Kat I have is a 5/82 GSX1100SX vin GS110X-101266. I purchased this about 3 years ago but haven't had the money for the restoration.
From the Vin I believe this is number 266 of the first 500 built to be able to production race the 1100.
The previous owner had it for 15 years, didn't really look after it and sat for the last 9 of those years under a cover in a shed.
When I purchased it it had alloy rims and not wires.

The Question I'm trying to work out is did someone take off the wires and make some money or did the unit come std with alloy rims?
I'm just wanting to restore it back to original. Which ever way that may be.

Pauly
 
Pauly said:
Thanks for the information.

The Kat I have is a 5/82 GSX1100SX vin GS110X-101266. I purchased this about 3 years ago but haven't had the money for the restoration.
From the Vin I believe this is number 266 of the first 500 built to be able to production race the 1100.
The previous owner had it for 15 years, didn't really look after it and sat for the last 9 of those years under a cover in a shed.
When I purchased it it had alloy rims and not wires.

The Question I'm trying to work out is did someone take off the wires and make some money or did the unit come std with alloy rims?
I'm just wanting to restore it back to original. Which ever way that may be.

Pauly
Click to expand...

Hi Pauly, Glen here, we meet a few years ago just after you bought this Kat. Thanks for providing the V.I.N. however, 101266 isn't 266 of the first 500 Proddie 1100 for racing. 101266 is towards the end of the SXZ W.W. Kats with the first of the Australian delivered SXZ W.W. being built from May 1981 and V.I.N. starting with 100_ _ _.

To answer your question. Yes, your GS110X 101266 100% would have been delivered with alloy W.W. 19" x 1.85" front and 18" x 2.50" rear. Maybe the W.W. were swapped or sold or stolen? Also W.W. are not as robust as cast wheels and are easily damaged and are expensive to repair or replace. Cast wheels were and still are pretty cheap and so at some stage the original W.W. from your Kat were replaced with cast wheels that will most likely be 19" front and 17" rear.

Cheers,
Glen.
 
Shin-Ken 1074 said:
Hi Pauly, Glen here, we meet a few years ago just after you bought this Kat. Thanks for providing the V.I.N. however, 101266 isn't 266 of the first 500 Proddie 1100 for racing. 101266 is towards the end of the SXZ W.W. Kats with the first of the Australian delivered SXZ W.W. being built from May 1981 and V.I.N. starting with 100_ _ _.

To answer your question. Yes, your GS110X 101266 100% would have been delivered with alloy W.W. 19" x 1.85" front and 18" x 2.50" rear. Maybe the W.W. were swapped or sold or stolen? Also W.W. are not as robust as cast wheels and are easily damaged and are expensive to repair or replace. Cast wheels were and still are pretty cheap and so at some stage the original W.W. from your Kat were replaced with cast wheels that will most likely be 19" front and 17" rear.

Cheers,
Glen.
Click to expand...

It is an interesting commentary about the frame numbers of the E24 SXZ.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the 1100s were never meant for racing, nor actually raced?


I thought the rules were 1000 cc max by the time '81/'82 had rolled around?

In other words, if you reckon your GSX1100SXZ is a 'race' bike, you're a bit off the mark...
 
gtboy said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the 1100s were never meant for racing, nor actually raced?


I thought the rules were 1000 cc max by the time '81/'82 had rolled around?

In other words, if you reckon your GSX1100SXZ is a 'race' bike, you're a bit off the mark...
Click to expand...

Hi Paul, the 1000cc limit was introduced in 1983. The SZ Kat 1100 (W.W. and cast wheel models) and the SZ Kat 7- Fiddy were raced in the Australian Production Series prior to the change in max capacity for Proddies. The 7-Fiddy did pretty well, the first Kat to win a Production Race in Australia was a 7-Fiddy. The SD 1000 Kat was released to meet the 1983 season new 1000 cc capacity limit for Production Race Series.

https://amcn.com.au/editorial/easter-racing-at-bathurst/

Cheers.
 
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Shin-Ken 1074 said:
Hi Paul, the 1000cc limit was introduced in 1983. The SZ Kat 1100 (W.W. and cast wheel models) and the SZ Kat 7- Fiddy were raced in the Australian Production Series prior to the change in max capacity for Proddies. The 7-Fiddy did pretty well, the first Kat to win a Production Race in Australia was a 7-Fiddy. The SD 1000 Kat was released to meet the 1983 season new 1000 cc capacity limit for Production Race Series.

https://amcn.com.au/editorial/easter-racing-at-bathurst/

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Cool, ta mate.
 
Shin-Ken 1074 said:
Hi Pauly, Glen here, we meet a few years ago just after you bought this Kat. Thanks for providing the V.I.N. however, 101266 isn't 266 of the first 500 Proddie 1100 for racing. 101266 is towards the end of the SXZ W.W. Kats with the first of the Australian delivered SXZ W.W. being built from May 1981 and V.I.N. starting with 100_ _ _.

To answer your question. Yes, your GS110X 101266 100% would have been delivered with alloy W.W. 19" x 1.85" front and 18" x 2.50" rear. Maybe the W.W. were swapped or sold or stolen? Also W.W. are not as robust as cast wheels and are easily damaged and are expensive to repair or replace. Cast wheels were and still are pretty cheap and so at some stage the original W.W. from your Kat were replaced with cast wheels that will most likely be 19" front and 17" rear.

Cheers,
Glen.
Click to expand...

Hi Glen Yes I remember, we met in Bris and went for a ride with Pete and Nick on his Bussa when he came up on holidays.

Thanks for the info on the vin its great to be able to correct information.
At some point this bike had been dropped by the previous owner when giving a squirt with Paul from Hinterland Motor Cycles who has a Kat 1000 wire. Paul Sold this bike to the Previous owner and gave me the heads up when he was going to sell it.
It may have been then.

Pauly
 
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