Kat in a Box and a Prototype Kat

peteGSX

peteGSX

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Thought this might be a little interesting... some fellas over on the GS Resources just paid a fella they call "Katana Ken" a visit over in Cleveland, Ohio. I have no idea who he is but he popped up a while back and made an open invitation to visit his Kat collection.

Some of the guys went the weekend just gone and shared two photos... one of what's supposed to be the prototype Kat (this would be the ED2?) which has balsa wood seat and tail, and the other photo shows what they call a GS1000Z in its box, never been opened apparently.

Here's what they posted, pretty cool!

Prototype by starpoint73, on Flickr

CrateKat by starpoint73, on Flickr
 
Thanks for the pics Pete. Ken Edgar is known in the Katana world and has been involved in Katana Clubs and other Katana activities for many years in the USA but not here in Australia. That is "The" ED2 Ken won at auction a few years ago when the Austrian museum that held the ED2 sold off it's motorcycle collection. He paid US $8,500 plus commission. Prior to the auction the ED2 was sent back to Target Design for a freshen up which is why it looks soo good today.

Cheers.
 
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Ah cheers Glen! I had a feeling if anyone on here knew whether this was ridgy didge stuff or not it would be you :)

I'd never heard of him before, but there are many ways of the Kat I'm unedumacated in, so that's not surprising.

All I can say is he's a lucky bugger and I'm rather jealous of the guys who got to go visit his shrine to the mighty Kat.
 
Nice work Glen, and thanks for the post Pete.

Yes, Ken and the ED-2 made it to page 60 of the AMCN mag back in April 2016 as part of the 35yrs editorial.

One of the major companies my firm deals with is in Mentor just outside Cleveland ( think Brisbane to Ipswich or Sydney to Penrith ) and I use to go once a year until recently.

Me thinks I have to work some work related O/S travel in near future.

He certainly does have an enviable collection.

Actually, and it may be early in the night, but surprised the Revit counters haven't jumped on;
~ fuel cap on wrong side,
~ incorrect brake master,
~ and no ANDS or presence of an cover cap :o
 
Tomcat said:
Nice work Glen, and thanks for the post Pete.

Yes, Ken and the ED-2 made it to page 60 of the AMCN mag back in April 2016 as part of the 35yrs editorial.

One of the major companies my firm deals with is in Mentor just outside Cleveland ( think Brisbane to Ipswich or Sydney to Penrith ) and I use to go once a year until recently.

Me thinks I have to work some work related O/S travel in near future.

He certainly does have an enviable collection.

Actually, and it may be early in the night, but surprised the Revit counters haven't jumped on;
~ fuel cap on wrong side,
~ incorrect brake master,
~ and no ANDS or presence of an cover cap :o
Click to expand...

Hi Tom, good idea to put the weights on the company to slip over to Cleveland and have a day at Ken's place.

No need for rivet counters to pile on to the ED2. It is a non running non functioning mock up and the Suzi parts used were sourced from what was available from the 1979 Suzi parts bin hence the dodgy front master at an unworkable angle along with the Fat Lady switch blocks even though it has no indicators and no bar weights. Yes, as you mentioned the fuel cap on the left side. There was no anti dive fitted because they hadn't been manufactured yet, mock up clocks that didn't function. The biggest disappointment was Suzuki didn't adopt the 4-1 system Target Design had made for the ED2. Two factors killed the 4-1 pipes. It was considered an expense that couldn't be justified at the time and the exhaust jigs for the Fat Lady 4-2 system were in place so time and money was saved by using the Fat Lady 4-2 pipes and just tweeking a few things like the outlet design and using black chrome to make us think it was all new for the Kat. There are other things to point out but as it was only ever a mock up prototype it doesn't really matter.

Cheers.
 
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That'd be awesome if you can pull that off and get a visit in!

I really like the pipe on the prototype, I was admiring that in the AMCN centrefold when it was released...
 
Tomcat said:
Yes Glen.

It was however, sarcasm regarding the 'rivet counters'.

Cheers
Click to expand...

All good Tom. My post was intended as info for those not aware of the ED2 and why it is not a running Kat in road worthy condition. If it was any other Kat I'd have been counting rivets all day long however, there is no way I would have anything but praise for the "Father Of All Kats".

Cheers.
 
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