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Your Kats - GS650G
Ross Bond
Australia |
Eric Schefer
Geneva, Switzerland |
Michael B
Germany
Confessions of a KATAMANIAC:
My name is Michael and I'm suffering from a special kind of SUZUKI desease, called KATAMANIA. It seems it's without cure, it hurts, its catching and its sooooo good. When I say
KATANA I'm not talking about any modern, perfect, mph screaming rice-burner but about the ones from the early 80's, about the genuine ones, the bad and ugly ones, the ones certain
"normal" riders will tend to vomit on. Strangely enough, I enjoy the flaming from bikers with regular iron! To me it provides a strange, (maybe somewhat perverted), but
deeply satisfying sensation in those parts of my deranged brain where the SUZI-virus is located. Why can anybody love old and imperfect Japanese blades?
After 20 years with old SUZIs I'm convinced: CHARISMA COMES WITH AGE .... AND UUUH THEY DO HAVE PERSONALITY. After working on my Kat babies in the evening it will take about 30
minutes before I can dim the lights in my garage because I keep staring at my maidens with a beer in my hand and a foolish grin on my face. Maybe it is because of my disturbed mind
but my beauties will start to talk to me ... and usually with a very feminine voice. Some of you people out there will think that I'm carried away, some will propose to take a
freezing shower and some will call a psychiatrist. But judge for yourself:
GS650G Katana, 82 - the moody one. She's in original condition, nervous, delicate and suffers from an oil-drinking problem. Being in love with her for 10 years I usually
can cope with her moods. For example in the morning, trying to start she will mumble sleepfully, "Oh no not again, Michael... wanna sleep ... leave me alone ... have a
headache ....brrr poof brmmm". A little bit later in the twists: "Brrrrmmmm...well this is kinda fun ... but better be careful, dear ... hey shame on you, you bastard
scratched my pipes again!"
See the 750 page for my other Kat... |
Leon Esrehuizen
Cape Town, South Africa |
Donovan Williams
Cape Town, South Africa |
Bert Hogenbirk
Halfweg, Netherlands |
Phil
Tregaron, Wales
I bought the Suzuki the day after after passing my test in 1992 after working my socks off at Kays and Sawyers during the summer to raise the
cash. When I bought her she was immaculate, still in the original red and silver colour scheme and only about 20K on the clock - how things were to change.
I saw another GS650 about and got annoyed that my bike was the same so I had to got about changing her. Firstly I got my Dad to spray her gloss black, which he did extremely well,
and fitted drag bars, a twin headlight fairing and a belly pan. Looked very good and got lots of admiring glances until the fateful day in 1993 when I decided to throw her down the
road.
I trashed the fairing, belly pan, clocks and ripped off the exhaust and right hand engine casing. The front forks were also doing their best banana impression and I put some
massive dents in the tank.
Slowly I managed to scrape the cash together and get her rebuilt. She was too battered to make a 'show' bike so ratting her was the only option! Lots of Matt Black paint, gaffer
tape, a seat rake and exhaust by my mate Del and a couple of Halfords spot lights and she was ready.
She stayed like this for a while, while I moved to Colchester. While there I suffered a complete electrical breakdown so started another rebuild. With the help of my mate Kai, we
fitted some rear sets, put some smaller headlights on the front and some Renthal bars. I then purchased some Dyna Coils, Taylor Leads, Splitfire plugs and a Piranha electronic
ignition system and had this fitted by Steve Byrnes along with a new loom. This was shortly followed by a Harris Works exhaust with race baffle, and a stage 3 Dynojet kit.
Since moving to Wales she's had a single seat fitted and I'm planning an attractive yellow stripe down the middle. |
Manie Van Niekerk
Germiston, South Africa
I obtained this bike as scrap. Running but no joy! I stripped it down completely and rebuild from scratch. Gearbox needed undercutting. After
only 8 months it looked like a bike again. As this is my first attempt and my first real bike, I feel extremely proud to brag a little bit. For those who haven't realise it yet, it
is a 650 shaft. Love the site and keep up the good work! |
Jens Lundgaard
Denmark |
Peter Heath
Staffordshire, England
Just a piccy of how my 650 used to look, it's now in mid-rebuild and is now painted in R1 Yamaha blue. Had it for ten years. Ex wife said
get rid of it, that's why she's an ex wife! Will send updated pic when ready, great site. Keep it up. |
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