And the next contender is...............another Katana

I had a feeling, always go with your gut instinct, I bought the manifold and it fits nicely, perfectly actually.
So if anyone else is doing a Katana and you have the standard metal manifold and you want to change it so you can fit a multitude of rubber mounting carbs, get the manifold off an SR50 Ditech.

 

Thank you, but not necessary, they are much the same as any scooter out there. The first one was totally FUBAR as seen but worked out well until the kid crashed and wrote it off within 10 days of having it. Which reminds me, i must give the old frame to the scrapman and send the papers off to dvla. Tried selling it on fleabay but no joy, so off it goes to bike heaven. This one has been a labour of hatred and its come so far that i'm not going to give up on it now. It will be on the road, soon, i hope, been in the garage too long now, and had practically, no actually, everything done to it.
Gonna start a new thread later today on the vx125 that got bought in, laying down in the back of a zafira. Now thats gonna be interesting. More than likely got a few new residents of the eight legged variety in the garage from it, been out in the garden for years.
Talking of the current katana, when it runs, engine is really quiet, surprisingly so that it had me listening to it and thinking 'thats nice and quiet'.

 

IT'S ALIVE!
New reed block, gaskets, and a new plug.
Just gotta get the jetting right for the standard airbox.....................
I'm gonna call it Gordon...............because IT'S ALIVE

 

Got the jetting close i think, wont really know until i take it round the cul de sac, see how it performs on take off and straight to full throttle. Itching now to go and try, but wont be able to until maybe sunday, still have to make up a new throttle cable and find the quickshift throttle i've put down somewhere safe for it.

 

Them safe places you always forget about

 

Made up the new throttle cable, made it an inch too long, typical of me, had to re-position the small nipple carb end.
Stayed with the standard throttle tube, it's only got a 1/3 pull from idle to fully open so that'll do nicely thank you; can't stand sloppy throttles or ones that you have to wring your wrist on.
Stuck a belt on that i thought would suit, it didn't, too long, so dug out a malossi belt that is the right one and put that on instead.
Put a battery on, checked the charging circuit, working nicely, proper voltage coming up to the battery so thats a blessing.
Checked all the bolts were tight, cleaned the threads for the seat bucket, fixed a couple of bolts through that, took it for a spin around the cul de sac.
It goes.
Not as good as i want, it's not getting into the powerband straight away, but i know the rollers are a little heavy for it at the moment, so off i go to the suppliers tomorrow, need some filters and another 21mm carb anyway so will pick up some different weight rollers while i'm there.
If it carries on like this, it may be in for MOT on saturday.
Only time will tell.

 

Well, the rollers i bought and thought would be right.........aren't.
Still too heavy, at 5.8grams.
Ordered some 3.9 and 4.5gr sets today, along with more stuff, they will be here tomorrow so will have another little play then. The good thing about the Katana, I can leave the belt cover off and still start it safely, without the bendix flying out because it is held in place by a bridge. If i remember i'll stick a piccie up later.
Might even get to putting the body back on later, we'll see.

 

I don't really believe i've done it, but i know i have
A few months ago i had a clear out of old panels, cut them up and bagged them, put them out for the recycling collection.
Was putting the panels back on the katana tonight and i've got one missing. The right hand seat lower. Can't find it anywhere so the only conclusion i can come to is i must have cut it up with the other stuff inadvertantly.
How friggin stupid.

 

Got a panel off fleabay, hopefully be here by monday, still got to make an exhaust support bracket, and need to correct the front brake clamp so the shroud fits properly and the clock surround fits nice and snug into it. Wont make the mot this weekend but stands a chance for next weekend. Then i'll have to blow it over with fresh paint, because it fell off the ramp didn't it, do the wheels, put the decals on, and then enjoy it for a while.

I changed the rollers to 4.5gr and its made all the difference, takes off now like it should, straight into the powerband and pulls nicely. Going to try a slightly wider belt tomorrow i think, just to see.

 

WOW! Mucho pleased with fleabay seller, sussex motorcycles, panel arrived today at 11:45am. Wasn't expecting it til monday at the earliest.
Its now on the bike, as are the rest of the panels and lights. It all works. Starts well, goes well enough, have yet to see the proof of the pudding but with no mot or tax yet wont push my luck.
Fitted the clock surround properly, nice and snug, just got to make an exhaust support bracket tomorrow and it's ready for the mot tester.
I'm happy

 

any pics of it all done ?

 

It's not all done yet alex, still got to flash it over with paint again because it fell of the ramp, then strip the wheels to paint those gold, and some other small bits like the fork ends and caliper. Then the decals can go on and it'll get laquered to seal them in. It's nearly there. Not quite but nearly.

 

carnt wait to see it love a project come good

 

Been having a little play tonight, strangely it was emptying the fuel filter at full revs and not refilling. Suspected the fuel tap at first, then maybe the vacuum, changed the tap, didn't work so must be the vacuum, couldn't concoct a solution due to lack of fittings and pipe sizes, so went for a direct supply and capped the vacuum pipes. Now the fuel filter stays full, where it wasn't before.
Also got myself thinking about the oil supply. The oil pump supplies feed to both the crank bearings and then onto the piston, but with the manifold conversion, using the ditech manifold, it has an oil pipe feed in it right on top of where the reed block is, you can see it in the photo earlier above. I'm toying with the idea of splitting the oil feed pipe and putting a feed to the manifold pipe as well. A little oil feed closer to the piston cant be a bad thing in my opinion, especially with an upgraded cylinder.

 

Put some new mirrors on it, had to change the front master cylinder because the mirror thread had stripped so forcing a bleed session on the front brake. Checked it all over, everything works, everything secure, booked in for MOT at 12:20 tomorrow.

 

It passed with no advisories
Last time this bike was MOT'd was 2011

 

It getting there.............whipped the panels off tonight and rubbed them down with 400 grit wet n dry, gave them a flash over with my new toy.



125ml detail spray gun. Tidy little piece of kit.