Difference between '00 and '02 Katana shocks?

[AR5ENAL]

Having just ordered my Progressive springs...I figure it's time to take care of the squishy ass on my GS.

I've been monitoring these two Kat shocks on Ebay:

'02 Katana shock
'00 Katana shock

The second shock has this little nipple thing on the upper mount.  What is going on here?  I'm going to bid on one of these...but I'd like to make sure that I'm bidding on something that will fit my bike.  Thanks in advance for the help here!

[The Buddha]

OK the banjo bolt (nipple thing in your post) is a line to a reservoir. That reservoir has high pressure nitrogen...~2 oz and suspension fluid... Without that the shock has lost some of its functionality and some of its adjustability, and the reservoir needs to be sealed tight with a short plain bolt... OK how vital is the adjustability and functionality... I am not sure how much... but I can snag one of these for $50-60 from a local dude who doesn't know what it is. I talked to him earlier and told him the small remote reservoir ones are not as good as the big remote reservoir ones... which he sold me for $75. I also have one of those GSXR 750 ones I got for $75 from him which I was going to return to him. The banjo being removed and the reservoir being removed in this shock IMHO makes it a huge gamble. BTW a complete katana 600 shock is better than a B6 shock which is really what is in the top pic I think. Cos the adjustment dial in the eyelet piece is not there... or on the other side. The remote reservoir shock should have never had their reservoirs un screwed. if un screwed... their value and useability drops.
Cool.
Srinath.

[AR5ENAL]

So all Kat 600 shocks came with remote reservoirs?

I took a look at Pablo's rear shock swap page, and it looks like the first pic is a Kat 600 shock (all the way on the right, on Pablo's page), but i see what you're talking about with the adjustment dial.

When did Kat 600 shocks go to remote reservoirs?  

I agree that the B6 shock is junk.  I'm not buying a shock with the remote reservoir missing either.  I don't think I want to attempt the Gix 750 shock swap.  So what does this leave me with?  The Kat 600, and now I don't know what they look like. :dunno:

[luke1645]

the gix 750 swap is the same as the katana swap only the 750 shock is a little longer and there for more of a Buddha Loves You to get in . i recently did it and WOW does it make a world of difference.

[TheGoodGuy]

i have a katana shock..now only if i can remember what year. Its probably a 2000 or 2001 shock.

[AR5ENAL]

Which of the two Ebay shocks does it look like?

[TheGoodGuy]

Which of the two Ebay shocks does it look like?

the 2002.. the one without that small spigot on top. it was a direct bolt in..

[gitarman]

so the top shock isn't a Katana shock? I bought one that looked exactly like that a few weeks ago that was advertised as a "Katana Shock" did I get ripped off? I think I paid $25-30 for it.

[The Buddha]

OK guys slow down there...
The katana shock is the one that looks like the one that doesn't have the banjo... however I suspect that also has the banjo but the seller has put it on the under side so we cant see it... The kat shocks or old... 2000- or is that 98- were non remote reservoir. They looked like the one that doesn't have the banjo and they had a adjustment dial on the top clevise. The 750 Kats had threaded collars and the 600's had the multi position clicking collar. If the shock has either of these 2 setups for preload and the little black plastic dial for rebound... you are fine... its a lovely upgrade and $20 is what I sold them for a few years ago.
The newer style katana shocks have the remote reservoir and no rebound dial. They I believe have a rebound knob on the reservoir... Dont remember. these probably work like the old Kat shocks or maybe not... but junkyards typically think a remote reservoir shock is worth more... so they pretty much try to get GSXR shock prices out of it. I dont know how these are in comparison to the GSXR ones. So simply put... Non remote katana shocks are fine, katana shocks with remote may be OK... just dont get katana shocks with remote that have the remote removed or missing. GSXR shocks are wonderful, the bike leans over a bit more especially if you have 140 tires, but other than that and some chain issues its good if you are heavy enough or want to have a aggressive strak on the streets or for the race track. I believe that its a bit much for the street... but hey too many guys use it on the street, and not one has complained... so I guess to each his own. Old kat shock good for the street... if you want that lets say feather bed feel..., new kat... prolly just like old kat, only a bit better... not sure. Ok My fingers hurt... but there you have it...
Cool.
Srinath.

[gitarman]

Srinath to the rescue again...thanks for the clarification

[AR5ENAL]

Ah...this is all so much clearer....

[TheGoodGuy]

this is weird..

in my repair log it says 99 katana shock.. but i distinctly remember the packaging it was shipped in was 2000..

i dont have the spigot, but i got a knob / dial (goes left to right) on top and a slotted adjustment on the bottom.
Dont know what the dial does, but i havent seen much effect so i put it it on center.. works fine.

[The Buddha]

Well wreckers think newer is better so they sell 99's as 2000's etc etc... rebound know is hard to guage the effect... but it controls how quick the bike will jump back up when the shock is compressed and released. Lower that setting... the quicker it jumps back. If you have a road that is full of small ripples close together... the shock will start ripple 2 a little lower than it started ripple 1, and so on... and in the end it will be much lower... and in that position it will act very very hard and still bouncy cos preload is now high and damping is non existant... to avoid that... the rebound should be pretty low... so the shock expands most all the way before the next ripple... however in real life you dont have ripples in roads at a high enough rate to warrant that light a rebound. So higher rebounds will make the bike come back up slower and you will be more comfortable... unless you come to the famous ripple road. Somehting like that.
Cool.
Srinath.