New and needing knowledge...

K

Katatonic

Hi guys,
I have just joined the site and am about to be the very excited owner of two Katanas,well maybe?
They are both in bits but am looking forward to rebuilding and restoring if things go ok.
I would be very appreciative if someone could answer a few pre purchase questions for me.
I am a bit concerned I maybe buying two plain old GSX's(nothing wrong with that though)
so would be great to get some info from you guys the more learned.
Here's the questions.Many thanks in advance.

1/ Are GSX frames and Katana frames the same thing?In other words could a Katana be made out of a normal 1980 GSX frame and vice versa?

2/The 1100 I am looking at was complianced 8/80. It has a black frame.Shouldnt it be Silver? Weren't they all silver?

3/ Compliance plate has the stamps- GSX 1100 plus below that GS 110K - 5*****
Would these numbers be the same on a standard GSX?

Cheers guys,
Shane.
 
Hi Shane, and welcome.
The rest of the forum has more experience in 1100's than I do, but the numbers look a little strange to me.
They prober lay ask for the frame and engine numbers if you can get them.
Also, check out the specification pages, that should give a bit of a history lesson also.

Hope all works out well.
Stuart
 
Gday Shane welcome.
You beat me and Franky to those two bikes as we were heading over to purchase them today.
I am glad it has gone to someone we may get to know.
But unfortunately the bloke had no idea as what he was selling and sadly you have not purchased Kats.
But you have got two great bikes/projects to enjoy.
Are you in Sydney ?
If you need a hand with anything let us know and someone on here should have an answer.

Nige
 
Welcome to the group mate.
That ad has been the topic of some discussion. They aren't Kats and the owner obviously has no idea which is reinforced by the reasonable price.
The only way I can pick a GSX (E or similar) frame or a GSX (S Katana) frame, is the Katana has a triangle shaped section on the frame near the swing arm pivot that is the mounts for the rider and pillion pegs and the exhaust whereas the GSX E has a bolt on plate/assembly.
His addition of a Katana in pic #2 is odd because he includes another pic that is not a Kat.

Otherwise, great purchase (Suzuki) and welcome aboard.
 
Hi again guys.
Thanks so much for clearing some of this up.Nige sorry to get in there before you but you may be a bit bummed out like me.
The guy selling them seems pretty nice.Gotta say no silver frames made me start wondering.
No matter what I think I am still getting a bargain having 2 GSX's to do up.The 1100 will be done pretty much original except for a nice 4 into 1 and
the 750 will get the café racer treatment methinks.
Guess I will get out of the restoring a bit cheaper but a bit of a shame.
Oh and Nige I am in our one horse town of Adelaide(although we do have an updated oval and a pretty ok car race:D)
Will keep you posted on developments guys but looks like I may not be in the club for real.
Any more info or thoughts please feel free to add them,
Kind regards,
Shane.
 
Welcome Shane, great pick up on the GSX's.

Mate, a lot of members here have multiple bikes and GSX's would feature strongly among them, I'd hang about for a bit...you already have one of the big ticks covered "Suzuki". :)

Cheers
 
Katatonic said:
Hi again guys.
Thanks so much for clearing some of this up.Nige sorry to get in there before you but you may be a bit bummed out like me.
The guy selling them seems pretty nice.Gotta say no silver frames made me start wondering.
No matter what I think I am still getting a bargain having 2 GSX's to do up.The 1100 will be done pretty much original except for a nice 4 into 1 and
the 750 will get the café racer treatment methinks.
Guess I will get out of the restoring a bit cheaper but a bit of a shame.
Oh and Nige I am in our one horse town of Adelaide(although we do have an updated oval and a pretty ok car race:D)
Will keep you posted on developments guys but looks like I may not be in the club for real.
Any more info or thoughts please feel free to add them,
Kind regards,
Shane.
Click to expand...
All good Shane. Enjoy the bikes and build and dont give up on them. Bring em back to life.

Nige
 
Hey again guys.
Well now starting to worry if the bikes are coming my way.It seems to have gotten a bit quiet at the sellers end after I asked for a photo of his drivers licence
and some copies of any paperwork,Vin no.s etc so I can send him a deposit.Unless he thinks I am scamming,not sure.
He did send me his bank details straight away for the deposit but I need some security backup obviously.
Nige I would be interested if he seemed to not want you guys to show up or genuinely said they were sold?hmmm.
Cheers,
Shane.
 
Hi Shane. I still have the guys number and he does work night shift.He said he had an offer he could not refuse so I am assuming that was you. He seemed fine and even gave me an address.
I will keep his details. If there is any problems just PM me and I can see what I can come up with. He is only a handfull of suburbs away.
I would not be depositing a cent into any account until I have received any info I needed.
But I think is all OK he is just a shift worker and they are usually hard to track down.
The reason I didnt commit to buying before looking though was worried about the 11's chassis and engine numbers and wanted to have a sticky beak as he had stripped it and sold off most of the parts but kept the rest (track bike perhaps?)
Any way keep us all posted so we can help.

Nige
 
Cheers for that Nige.
He actually contacted me today and seems he has been crook fro a few days.
He has sent me all the ID I asked for plus a copy of the last rego papers for the 750.so all good methinks.
I also have a photo of the compliance plate for the 1100.I really hope I can resurrect that one.
Now I am trying to find a decent company and quote to pick up the pieces and get them to our one horse town.
Trying to avoid the drive over with trailer if I can.
Fegussons haven't got back to me yet.One of those motorbike only transport mobs.
Any suggestions on the transport front would be greatly appreciated too.
Cheers,
Shane.
 
Welcome to the Kat house Shane and if you come over this again please post all details on this forum and the members will have a look and get back to you. In saying that you have got two good bikes.
Nick
 
Katatonic said:
Cheers for that Nige.
He actually contacted me today and seems he has been crook fro a few days.
He has sent me all the ID I asked for plus a copy of the last rego papers for the 750.so all good methinks.
I also have a photo of the compliance plate for the 1100.I really hope I can resurrect that one.
Now I am trying to find a decent company and quote to pick up the pieces and get them to our one horse town.
Trying to avoid the drive over with trailer if I can.
Fegussons haven't got back to me yet.One of those motorbike only transport mobs.
Any suggestions on the transport front would be greatly appreciated too.
Cheers,
Shane.
Click to expand...
Shane, Fergussons do a good job and they use other transport companies to moved some of there bikes interstate. They will crate the bike and bring it over to you and they can be a bit slow getting back to you.
Nick
 
Thanks for that Nick.Will try Fergussons again.Hope they are ok with pretty much frames,motors wheels and bolts.
Would also like to thank again all the guys for their help.
Hope you guys are ok with a member who only has plain ol' GSX's:):( Will keep you all posted on the rebuilds and will probably need a fair bit of help from you great bunch here.
Cheers,
Shane.
 
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