Hobie's new Katana (Or: We need a montage!)

[Aerik]

Apparently, my friends have to buy sportbikes when they sign up for OR. Oh well.

Anyway, on Sunday Hobie went and bought this gawdawful hideous pink '92 Katana GSX 600F for $400. Incidentally, it came with V & H pipes, good tires, and (as we'd later discover) a K & N air filter, all in perfectly serviceable condition. Seller claimed that it needed 'some carb work' and that the front brake master cylinder was fuckered. No big deal.

^^Meet Miss Piggy (since Lloyd already has Kermit-- apparently the muppet theme has taken hold). Here we are acting like poseurs, a couple of minutes before bodily wrestling this thing into the back of my truck.

Anyway, the previous owner (hereafter referred to as "that fucking moron who deserves to be sodomized with pinecones in hell") claimed that it had been running about 8 months ago, but died mysteriously. He then had it towed to Hinds in Delaware for carb work, twice, before giving up on it. So, he put a tarp over it and left it on his porch.

Oh yeah, and he added Sta-bil to it. An entire bottle. And he left the petcock open.

But he hadn't told us that part. He claimed that the gas cap's key lock was just a bit seized.

So, after getting it back to the lab, we decided to open the tank first, since being unable to open a tank seems like a generally bad strategy for lifelong success.

After, unscrewing, spraying, and eventually prying with screwdrivers, we removed the cap assembly to be assaulted by a putrescence that these words cannot convey. Inside the tank was a viscous, blood-red, ghastly-smelling sludge, with about a half-inch of solid shit caked on the bottom.

Turns out that the keyhole wasn't seized-- somehow it got infiltrated by this vile stuff. I ended up pulling the entire assembly down to its smallest parts and rebuilding it.

Since the moron was kind enough to allow the petcock to seize open with this terrible awful nastiness in its veins, the shit ran down into the carbs.

Here, we still didn't know what the carbs would look like:

Seriously, nothing moved. Oh goddamn, I can not tell you just how solid these carbs were.

The consternation on Hobie's face doesn't do justice to the fucked-uppedness we were encountering.

Yes.

And the stench. The fucking stench.

Lloyd (Raincheck) even dug out some mask things we had bought for bondo work.

Of course, three guys who chainsmoke can't really keep a mask on for long. And they didn't help much anyway.

So, as we sit right now, Hobie's going to hunt for a tank, a rack o' carbs (or 4 carb rebuild kits), a battery, and a master cylinder.

The wonderful service people at Hinds were nice enough to strip the ever-loving shit out of one of the pilot jets, so barring a miracle with some kind of bolt extractor, we're going to have to replace at least one of the bodies.

The Sta-bil had somehow begun to eat the carb needles, leaving them with a hard, bubbled, crusty finish that 24 hours soaking in PB Blaster couldn't touch.

On the bright side, by borrowing my Shadow's battery and spraying starter fluid into the holes (where the carbs connect-- I'm not a mechanic, my terminology is what it is), we discovered that it actually fires right the fuck up, sounding pretty nice and making good compression.

Fun shit. We'll see how it goes as we chase down parts.

Anyone with a lead on any dead Katanas we can cannibalize, let me or Hobie know.

Edited August 25, 2009 by Aerik

[jagr]

Respect. You guys are bringing the dead to life.

I have some flat black sitting around if you want to murder that pink.

[dmagicglock]

I can't believe you got that for 400 bones, what a friggin deal. Good luck, sounds like it shouldn't take too much work to get it back into good shape! Nice writeup as always

[Aerik]

Good call on the murder-paint: That was already the plan. We actually have a little bit of flat black around already, and Lloyd's going to get some for Kermit as well. We're also going to use this high-heat black paint we found somewhere on the pipes.

I tried to convince Hobie to leave it pink and put curb feelers on it, but he just accused me of trying to turn everything into a '70s Cadillac. Oh well.

EDIT: Yeah, Glock, those pipes, tires, and the K&N filter are probably worth about $400 by themselves. I think he got a decent deal. We're projecting that we can get it riding for under a grand altogether.

[NinjaNick]

Sounds fun. Wish I was nearby to introduce myself and get my hands dirty and hangout.

Good-luck with the rebuild.

[jagr]

Good call on the murder-paint: That was already the plan. We actually have a little bit of flat black around already, and Lloyd's going to get some for Kermit as well. We're also going to use this high-heat black paint we found somewhere on the pipes.

I got 2 cans of it. Flat and Gloss. Want it?

[Aerik]

Sure, if you're not using it, we definitely could. How much?

[MidgetTodd]

id throw 4down on that in a heartbeat

[jagr]

Sure, if you're not using it, we definitely could. How much?

Nada. ill bring it Thursday.

[Aerik]

That's cool of ya, man. I'll get you a beer or something, instead, if ya want.

[Fonzie]

Ehhhhh...... At least there's a group of you doin' it, and apparently at least one of you is knowledgeable. $hit like that's always more fun as a group activity

Good excuse to hang out with buds, drink some beer, have some laughs, and bring an old bike back to life as an added bonus.

I can think of worse ways to spend my time

[Aerik]

Ehhhhh...... At least there's a group of you doin' it, and apparently at least one of you is knowledgeable. $hit like that's always more fun as a group activity

Good excuse to hang out with buds, drink some beer, have some laughs, and bring an old bike back to life as an added bonus.

I can think of worse ways to spend my time

Yup. Hobie's dad has been building and restoring bikes for 30-some years, so he's picked up a lot. I started late, but I've learned a fair amount over the years as well. Lloyd's the newest to this kind of stuff, but he's a fast learner too.

And you're right, it's a lot of fun. Beats playing video games or sitting in some bar full of people I don't know.

And the drinks are cheaper.

[jporter12]

Might check out the Rice Paddy, or Ebay for some carbs. They might need cleaned, but it sounds like the ones you have need more than just a regular cleaning, more like a complete overhaul, replacing about any parts that are in there, and re-drilling about all the holes..... Ugh...

I bet you can have it on the road for cheap, still!

[Aerik]

Yup, I think he's planning to hit up the rice paddy on payday. Ebay's a bit dry on these specific carbs at the moment, but we'll keep checking it regularly.

Grrr, damned old bikes and their vanishing parts!

[jporter12]

Yup, I think he's planning to hit up the rice paddy on payday. Ebay's a bit dry on these specific carbs at the moment, but we'll keep checking it regularly.

Grrr, damned old bikes and their vanishing parts!

Try finding parts for a 24 year old bike that was only made for 3 years! Keep on the lookout, and you'll find what you need!

[Fonzie]

Try finding parts for a 24 year old bike that was only made for 3 years! Keep on the lookout, and you'll find what you need!

I went through that crap with my old Yamaha Vision

Only sold for 2 years here in the States, and you needed an electrician's degree upon receiving titleship to it

[Aerik]

Yeah, this thing wasn't the most popular model, but we're lucky that they did make a fair number of them.

[jporter12]

I went through that crap with my old Yamaha Vision

Only sold for 2 years here in the States, and you needed an electrician's degree upon receiving titleship to it

I just ran across one of those on Craigslist!

http://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/1339473155.html

[Mr Anderson]

Cool sounds like fun as I played motogp tonight you guys were creating life.

[NightRider]

Cool sounds like fun as I played motogp tonight you guys were creating life.

Dude...is that a gay sex joke...?

Bike looks good. Like mentioned, definitely repaint it. Get that bike, and dude on the road and have fun!

[jporter12]

My wife would LOVE the paint job! Too bad I'm not gonna think of putting her anything bigger than the 250 for a while, or I could find her one of those!

[Fonzie]

My wife would LOVE the paint job! Too bad I'm not gonna think of putting her anything bigger than the 250 for a while, or I could find her one of those!

It's a '92 Kanatuna........

Today's 250's are probably faster

[Fonzie]

I just ran across one of those on Craigslist!

http://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/1339473155.html

Yup...... That's her

'Cept mine was in WAY nicer shape, and all black

She was a pretty damn sharp bike for her day...... Ahead of her time. Very similar in looks to the Honda Sabre

Monochromatic paint

Shaft drive

Water cooled

Monoshock

V-twin w/ a nice little rumble for a 550

I just got tired of wrenchin' instead of ridin'....... So I got smart & bought a Honda

Edited August 25, 2009 by Fonzie

[Aerik]

It's a '92 Kanatuna........

Today's 250's are probably faster

SSSSSHHHHH!!!!! Don't tell Hobie that!

Although, once we get that one fixed and Lloyd's had some more time to learn, they'll probably find out eventually on their own.

[wfrpalm]

Check out KatRiders.com for parts or info