Bumble Bee Katana

Article by Michael Whitey

I PURCHASED A BOX OF PARTS AND PANELS AND A FRAME A FEW YEARS AGO FOR A 750 KATANA AND DECIDED TO TRY AND TURN IT INTO SOMETHING NICE FOR OUR UP AND COMING NATIONAL RALLY IN DUBBO, TO CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF THE KATANA.

Well, Covid killed that plan, so we decided to do a state by state rally instead. We in South Australia held it on the banks of the River Murray in a town called Mannum, about an hour from Adelaide. Its a beautiful little country town.

I had the frame stripped and powder coated to kick start my enthusiasm toward a new project. I pulled the engine down to see what I had. As soon as the head was removed I could see pistons had been hitting the head. So luckily I had a couple spare engines.

Second engine looked promising till the barrel came off and the pistons and bores were badly worn. Third one wasn’t too bad so continued to strip it down. Everything checked out fine in the bottom end. So freshened the top end up as best I could since valves and seats were pitted and useless.

I grabbed best parts from all 3 engines and put it back together with new stem seals and a valve and seat grind. Set up cams and was ready to fit into frame. Old pistons and rings were used as the wait for a wiseco kit was going to exceed the rally date.

I stripped and cleaned carburettors and had to make a needle jet using number drills and a needle jet from a different model Suzuki, as 750 ones for Katanas specific jetting are no longer available from Suzuki or Mikuni. Meanwhile I had decided to raid my best spares and use the 17” wire wheels I had saved for a rainy day project. Garry Meers from NSW was selling a 750 original exhaust system. I simply had to have that and he kindly packed and shipped it to me.

Front and rear brake masters and callipers were worn and rusted and elongated mountings I machined and re bushed in my little workshop. The forks also got a

good check over and tubes cleaned up in the lathe.

Everything on the running gear was worn and rusty and needed repairs and plenty of new parts thanks to Justin at Mick Hone.

The original wiring loom was a mess and most connector blocks wires were barely hanging on. That took quite some time for me to thoroughly check over and repair.

The paint was inspired by the Katana JCW race bikes of the era, with their yellow and black body work. I had always loved the Holden HSV Devil Yellow, so that was the paint I purchased along with all the 2K hardeners and thinners and primers

etc and was sprayed by my best mate Michael Brenton at his river shack.

The decals were a custom scan and cut by Andy Read as the original side cover emblems had silver background for silver bikes. So he made a new style without the silver.

Then the process of assembly and tuning began. Mixture screws set to 3 turns out got the little 750 to idle. Might need to find larger pilot jets if I can. Then I mercury balanced carburettors.

Setting up chain run with the wider 4.5” rear required machining a spacer behind the sprocket and a shimmed front sprocket. I fitted longer than standard shocks, as I had a set custom made years ago for my GSX1100 racer.

The bike was finally finished and test ridden for the first time, only

the day before we all headed off on the 40th Anniversary Rally in Mannum. The bike ran really well, so my wife Beck and I decided itd be safe to head off on the rally Friday morning. Her on her new Yellow Katana. And me on my Black Katana I built 25yrs ago.

We had a bike display on the rivers edge at Mannum on the Saturday and plenty of people came for a look and a chat and we had a peoples choice of public votes on which Katana they liked the most.

We were very proud when the Yellow Katana (now nick named Bumble Bee) won best Katana for Peoples Choice award.

We all stayed at Mannum caravan park Friday and Saturday night before all riding to the annual Maccelsfield Bike Show in the Adelaide Hills on Sunday morning.

Thousands of bikes turn up at this event every year. Its a great day out. Then off we went home Sunday afternoon, after having a fantastic weekend away with great mates and perfect weather.