Bye Bye Bandit - Hello Kat :)

[Razorback]

Well I sold the Bandit. Amazingly I lost very little money on it even after a 12 month rebuild. Id say I was out of pocket less than a grand in the end which is bloody amazing considering what went into it.

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/118000648120161.JPG


And so its onto the next project. After 23 years of wanting one I finally disciplined myself to buy a Kat. So now its time to plan the destruction and resurection.

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/11800064840094.jpg


Im thinking.... RGV or GSXR front end, GSXR wheels and 6 pot brakes. Mono Shock and im not sure about the whole engine thing yet... Im kinda leaning towards another fairly heavily worked Bandit motor, probably a 99-02 vintage. But I would consider a good GSXR oily if one came up... I just love the Bandit torks though :D

Its gonna be slow going coz we just got a second mortgage... so Ill just have to put up with it for a bit. But if anyone has any suitable bits they wanna sell... just let me know [:p]

[fimpBIKES]

NICE!!!!


but take that bloody screen off [:P]

[Razorback]

Yeah thats the closest thing to a fairing ive had in years... feels like Im hiding behind a bus stop or something :p

[fimpBIKES]

yeah, they have to go

screens are just what the gays use so they still feel like they are in their closet
(like a pink fluffy security blanket)

[zx12argh]

Nah screens are what people use to hide from the oil spray when they ride behind you fimp... or so I've heard...

I'm not sure why but Kats always remind me of those bike in Battlestar Gallactica... Thats a good thing :D

[Gix11]

Bloody hell Razor. Where have you been mate? It's been months! You haven't been caught up in that computer game land have you? Good to see you have got your hand back in mate.

[Razorback]

quote:Originally posted by Gix11

Bloody hell Razor. Where have you been mate? It's been months! You haven't been caught up in that computer game land have you? Good to see you have got your hand back in mate.


Hey Si... just felt like a bit of a tosser hanging out here with no bike.

Yeah its good to be back on two wheels again. I tried to talk the guy that bought the bandit into joining the site but Im not sure if he ever did.

The Kats a long way from the bandits power... I said to my boss at work who also has a 1983 Kat 11... "its funny how your memory from 23 years ago isnt matched by the reality once you get one". The first Kat I rode scared the bejeebus out of me... and now after so many fat gixxers including my well work 02/1000 and the Bandit... I ripped the throttle open on this Kat and nearly fell asleep LOL.

Anyway we will soon fix all that [}:)]

[luke4130]

Ahh (Drool), Nice bike Razor! By the way the Bandito looks i'm sure you'll have that Kat dialed in well good. Look forward to seeing the progress shots. Btw, don't cha hate having a mortgage holdin ya back form gettin stuck into side projects!

[speeddemon]

Kats r cool but why did you get rid of the bandit mate?? u had given it so much luvin;)

[WATEVR]

mt only contribution is go the wire spoked wheels, they look bloody cool on kats

[speeddemon]

Hey all you had to do was get this conversion kit and bang you have a kat but with a good old suzuki engine instead.

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/29797073335884.jpg


They also do one for the GSX1400
http://www.k-unicorn.com/new/1200s/

[TurboKat]

Good work Razor, a stock Katana is like a blank canvas, after seeing what you did with the Bandito, I'll be watching this one with interest.
& don't listen to Fimp either - he blows goats [:0], takes it in the arse [:X] & is a devout Christian. [}:)] if you take the screen off, you'll be just like him :(

[ozzy1100]

speed how much is that the 1400 looks soooooooooooooooooo good on the site
but hate 2 think of the price but dam id swop form my kwakas to suzy for that lol

[speeddemon]

Yer teh 1400 is reall nice - but i cant read bloody japanese mate so I could'nt tell you.

[ozzy1100]

i was hopeing some 1 smarter than me but i recone its prob if you need 2 ask lol

[Razorback]

Well the Bandit was a true labour of love. What I discovered about it once it was done was 2 things.

1. I couldnt ride it sanely, I was doing monos down the main street of Mildura from every set of lights... why... because it was so damn easy [}:)] I would ride home from work and just fang it at every opportunity and it was getting pretty obvious it was only gonna end one way. Basically the same as I was with 02 GSXR1000. Once you lose the fear, you lose the respect... then you lose it...

2. I realised I enjoyed the project and the work so much that the first week after I looked at it and said, "well its basically done", I found myself wondering "so now wtf am I going to do on the weekends"?

Ive wanted a Kat for so long and I have big big plans for this one. Only Im gonna do it a little differently this time.

With the Bandit I pulled it to bits before I even rode it (thats no shit) and then spent 12 months with the anticiption building so bad I could barely stand it.

This time Im gonna slowly and deliberately find all the bits I want then hopefully just turn it all over in 2-3 months.

The basic plan is another Bandit engine and GSXR or RGV running gear. Ive considered giving the original donk the works... but the cost is about the same as an 00-03 bandit engine and I think the end result wouldnt measure up.

The other crazy notion Ive had is an 01 or 02 GSXR1000 motor. I dont think anyone has ever attempted it and apart from the disgustingly big radiator I cant see why it wouldnt be do-able. Yes there would be lots of issues with fitting in all the electronics etc, but the end result would be pretty much a wet dream. The Bandit direction is more practical though in many ways.

Im having a lot of fun riding it and the Kat is still a head turner even in crappy 100,000K standard mode. I just love it to death... my Boss at work has just imported one from Japan he liked mine so much. His is awesome, 26,000 on the claock and it looks like it just rolled out the showroom. Very unsusual colour scheme and very nice instruments and other tricky bits. Ill put up some pics when he gets it which should be in a week or two. Its getting the grey import engineering checks at the moment.

Watch this space for the developments :D

[cavey]

Love the kat raz.;) The k1-2 lump is so fukin light, a guy near me is putting 1 in a bandit, its so light. Most of the wieght in the bandit is the engine, but the bandit lump is mucho lighter than the gsx. I'd go with the bandit lump m8, looks 10 times better the k. I love larges kat, pretty perfect.

[grant]

i see you guys found the 1400 kat and the 1200 as well :-)
i contacted the guy who does the 1400 and thru a translator he told me he does about 30bikes a year, we won't sell parts outside of japan, the deal is you bring in your gsx1400, and about another $18,000 and ride out a month or so later with a 1400 kat with all kinds of upgrades.
there are a number of jap workshops that do the 1200 katana thing..they have a twin shock 1200 called an inazuma which has a different frame to our 1200 bandits and really suits the katana conversion.
i'm importing some kat bits for my 1400 and struggling with the tank buuuut it will probably be on the road towards the end of next year..im aiming for the october melb bike expo in 2008

[waltari]

Good choice on the Kat...kind of fancy them myself;) Wish I cold get enough time away from starting up my business to finish setting up my machine shop and finish it!

http://www.castordesignstudio.com/gsx1100sz/1157R%20crated%20front%20quarter.jpg

http://www.castordesignstudio.com/gsx1100sz/1157R%20crated%20rear%20quarter.jpg


http://1157katana.blogspot.com/

[fimpBIKES]

hey, i got a full manual for my kat off the dude across from the bikes at the sydney motorcycle show

i'll let u know if its any good than pass on the details
only $60 :D

[Gix11]

Hey Waltari, where have you been mate!?? I thought we'd lost you. Really wanted to get that bike of yours in next year's calendar but it's too late now. Get it sorted for next year mate, it's such a tidy example.

[waltari]

quote:Originally posted by Gix11

Hey Waltari, where have you been mate!?? I thought we'd lost you. Really wanted to get that bike of yours in next year's calendar but it's too late now. Get it sorted for next year mate, it's such a tidy example.


No...you haven't lost me. I had really hoped I'd be able to get the bike finished and get you the photos we'd spoke about this year, but our transition North has gone slower than planned and we're still behind schedule on lots of little things (one of which is earning money;) No worries...it'll be ready for the road by spring. Did I mentioning it's snowing here :D Cheers M8

[grant]

hey folks....fimp did you really pay $60 for the kat manual? i hope for that money ya got it in hardback not CD.

Waltari....nice work, i hope my kat will come up close.

[fimpBIKES]

shit yeah, its on paper

dont like taking the laptop/notebook in the shed too much ;)



was late to work friday cos i was up reading the thing til 3am!