AirCooledSuzuki

Is there much difference between '81 1100EX and 1100 Katana frames? Could the Kat bodywork be made to fit?

Most obvious difference is the pillion peg subbies. I would not expect any difficulties in making a Kat bodywork fit with welding the right lugs in the right places.

I agree with Pedda. The front tank mounting holes are there. Need a fitting making. I think its just a case of welding on lugs. Kat frames are getting rare and expensive. If your doing a modified bike its the right way to go

Id agree with the last comment about certain frames becoming expensive and rare. This was typed by a person fitting z1 panels to a Gpz750 frame...cos he cant afford a z1 frame.
I used to have GS1000 panels on a GS750 as well as at a later date gsx et panels. The only tool i owned in those far back days was a hammer.
Go for it!

currently building my own "fake" Katana using a GSX750EX frame.. and figuring out the right position of the lugs to fit the Katana bodywork has been quite time consuming and sometimes frustrating process..
the problem is that you have very little reference to go on as all of the lugs are on different positions on EX/ET frames compared to the Kat ones.. also as there's no front fairing on an EX/ET you have to base the position of the faring frame and its lugs on the position you found for the tank..
in the end the only reference I used was the cross tube under the seat that corresponds with the rubber underneath the Kat seat.. that is, I assumed this tube would be in the same position on both types of frames..
so after getting the seat positioned I worked forward to place the tank and eventually the fairing..

another big difference on the frames EX/ET vs. Kat is the angle of the subframe.. on Katana's this swept up, on EX/ET's it is not so the horizontal frame tubes run staright on towards the rear..
so, to avoid the end of the subframe poking out below the future Kat tail piece I "pie-cut" the tubes on top and bent and welded them up again..
also the tail section of the frame holding the seat lock is different (locks also differ: 3 bolt vs. 4-bolt type) and needs to modifying to suit a Kat seat and tail..

upswept tubes..


new tail section to reuse old seat lock (altered to cable operation)..


I'm not sure but I suspect EZ/ESD frames bear a closer resemblance to the Kat frames regarding the positon of the bodywork lugs.. if indeed so, this would make it a much better candidate for recreating a Katana I think..

oh.. to make life a bit easier I made separate lugs for the side panels that will attach to the tubes using hose clamps.. this way I can fine tune the final position of the panels..

Thanks for the replies, lads!
I think this needs a 'good coat of looking at'! Will let you know what transpires.
Mo