Latest Kat 1000 project

[FBJ admin]

Hi all, decided to log this build. It's going to be mint and original. I intend to over restore this bike. When you see the engine cases, fork alloy etc all polished it's because I don't rate the "from the factory" finish. I don't think the frame has primer or undercoat under the original paint.
I was looking through a facebook group over an evening, just a normal one, maybe performance bikes. Someone mentioned they were after a motorcycle project, a guy quietly responded and mentioned he had a Kat project he might let go. I gave it a day or two, no one replied to him so I messaged him. So pleased I did. It was a Kat 1000, only 7000 miles, he purchased it new, parked it up in 1985. 100s of hi res pics later I was on my way to Edinburgh

[FBJ admin]

The chap in the above picture is the chap that bought it new. He told me stories about him being stopped by the police for doing 140mph. Hardly any cameras then

[FBJ admin]

This is where the chap parked it in 1985. In the his parents garage. The garage was pretty damp hence the corrosion. The bike was also used on the road between 1981 and 1985. Metal was so poor in them days, somewhere between those dates the stock system had to be patched up.
I'm going to be needed a mint stock system if anyone comes across one.

[FBJ admin]

This shows the old tax disc and a break around the indicator fairing mount. It's massively common on the Katana. I could replace the fairing for a plastic one, however this is the original one. The very early ones were fibre glass, which is what this is.
Note the 1985 tax disc.

[FBJ admin]

I really hoped I could keep this in original condition, It's just to rough. I'm a fussy bugger

[FBJ admin]

you can see the grim on the reg / rect

[FBJ admin]

When I got it home

[FBJ admin]

another

[FBJ admin]

within 4 years of new it had to have the exhaust welded

[FBJ admin]

another