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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: hopelessmechanic on November 10, 2006, 11:32:15 AM

Title: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: hopelessmechanic on November 10, 2006, 11:32:15 AM
Hello everybody,
I bought an 89 gs last winter and drove it all year with no problems.  The time has come to replace the rear tire.  If your an everyday commute that likes to play hard on the twisties every now and then is it worth upgrading to the katana rim/tire combo?  If so how does it effect mileage?
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Turd Ferguson on November 10, 2006, 12:53:54 PM
Eh...if you can find the rear wheel at a good price and its time for new tires anyways, yes.  Otherwise...stick some Pirelli Sport Demons on the stock wheel and go crazy.

-Turd.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Alphamazing on November 10, 2006, 12:54:59 PM
Quote from: Turd Ferguson on November 10, 2006, 12:53:54 PM
Eh...if you can find the rear wheel at a good price and its time for new tires anyways, yes.  Otherwise...stick some Pirelli Sport Demons on the stock wheel and go crazy.

-Turd.

+1
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: brett on November 10, 2006, 01:55:20 PM
Tragic will have to confirm which rim it is, but he went to a bigger rim/tire and the tire was rubbing against the swingarm. He had to cut a little piece of the swingarm out so it would fit right. Just a word to the wise.

Sport Demons are great. I would recommend trying a 140 Sport Demon the stock rim and then seeing if you still want to go bigger.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: blue05twin on November 10, 2006, 02:29:11 PM
He had bend his tourge bar arm, I don't think he cut anything out of his swingarm.  You also have to trim the chain guard a bit. 

:laugh:  I have a 04 kat wheel sitting in my living room with rotor and no GS to put it on.

Oh +1 to what Turd said

And incase you have not seen it here's the link to a how to on the kat rim

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=25426.0
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: NiceGuysFinishLast on November 10, 2006, 02:42:29 PM
I believe he cut a piece out of his CHAIN GUARD... not his swingarm.

And Dave... well... ya know, that was my first thought, as I laid there.. "Dave just bought a new rim for this thing.. SH*T"  :laugh:
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: blue05twin on November 10, 2006, 02:49:16 PM
Quote from: NiceGuysFinishLast on November 10, 2006, 02:42:29 PM
I believe he cut a piece out of his CHAIN GUARD... not his swingarm.

And Dave... well... ya know, that was my first thought, as I laid there.. "Dave just bought a new rim for this thing.. SH*T"  :laugh:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

If they total the bike I'm going up there to take my Carbs, spring, kat shock, and break tourque arm bar, and and my 5th throttle and and my K&N Filter.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: NiceGuysFinishLast on November 10, 2006, 03:00:12 PM
Don't forget the exhaust.. it's scraped, but functional.. and can I keep the bars? :laugh: :laugh:

I told the shop to write an estimate, and to see if the frame was straight.. I know that's the most important part..
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: blue05twin on November 10, 2006, 03:49:03 PM
Let me know if they contact you before they do me.  What state farm told me was that they will go by the estimate the shop does.  And just take some pic's if  the estimate is about what the pic's show then they are done.  And the repair process starts or I get a check for  the bike.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Turd Ferguson on November 10, 2006, 04:27:09 PM
Quote from: brett on November 10, 2006, 01:55:20 PM
Tragic will have to confirm which rim it is, but he went to a bigger rim/tire and the tire was rubbing against the swingarm. He had to cut a little piece of the swingarm out so it would fit right. Just a word to the wise.

Yeah, there are a few modifications that are neccessary, but the swing arm itself would fit a 190 no problem.  The chain-line is the only thing holding one back from doing so.  See my FAQ for descriptions and pictures.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=25426.0

-Turd.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: blue05twin on November 10, 2006, 05:10:24 PM
Hey Turd I posted a link to your faq a few post ago, scroll up  :laugh:
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: TragicImage on November 10, 2006, 07:33:12 PM
Quote from: blue05twin on November 10, 2006, 02:29:11 PM
He had bend his tourge bar arm, I don't think he cut anything out of his swingarm.  You also have to trim the chain guard a bit. 



no, I really did have a notch cut out.  Brett saw it at SkillzDays


I have some Continental RoadAttacks.  Very Grippy, Very Fun... but I did have to have a notch cut out.  Just cause I'm a poon, and I hate bent shaZam!.  But beating the hell out of it with a hammer is completely exceptable too.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Turd Ferguson on November 10, 2006, 09:36:11 PM
Understood, but you are talking about the brake torque rod, not the swing arm.  That was the confusion.

-Turd.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: TragicImage on November 10, 2006, 10:08:38 PM
Quote from: Turd Ferguson on November 10, 2006, 09:36:11 PM
Understood, but you are talking about the brake torque rod, not the swing arm.  That was the confusion.

-Turd.


right no... it was the Torque Rod....



swingarm... puuuuh-shaw!
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: rangerbrown on November 11, 2006, 01:37:39 PM
a 190 will fit :o





just wont turn
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Turd Ferguson on November 11, 2006, 05:38:56 PM
The swing arm itself is plenty wide and could accomodate a big tire.  The only real problem with fitting a wide wheel/tire combo is the chain line.  The engine would have to be moved way left for the chain to clear anything wider than a 160.

Then again...there is no benefit for the GS to go wider with the rear tire.  The only benefit to upgrading to a Katana wheel is that you open up many options for good sticky tires.

-Turd.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: rangerbrown on November 11, 2006, 06:19:53 PM
how far can the CS sprocket be shifted
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Turd Ferguson on November 11, 2006, 09:39:30 PM
It can't.  You have to move the motor over.

-Turd.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: average on November 12, 2006, 03:54:35 PM
Quote from: Turd Ferguson on November 10, 2006, 04:27:09 PM
Quote from: brett on November 10, 2006, 01:55:20 PM
Tragic will have to confirm which rim it is, but he went to a bigger rim/tire and the tire was rubbing against the swingarm. He had to cut a little piece of the swingarm out so it would fit right. Just a word to the wise.

Yeah, there are a few modifications that are neccessary, but the swing arm itself would fit a 190 no problem.  The chain-line is the only thing holding one back from doing so.  See my FAQ for descriptions and pictures.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=25426.0

-Turd.
hmmm, my kat wheel came with a 190. To me thats just too damn big. Hell, the 160 that Dan is running "looks" big also. One of these days Ill have to get up with Ken and grab a few things from him  O0
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Turd Ferguson on November 12, 2006, 04:40:57 PM
Wow, what aspect ratio does that 190 have, average?  190 is WAY too big for a 4.5" rim!

My 160 Sportect M-1 gets pretty steep near the edges.  If I could do it all over again, I'd have put a different tire on my Kat rim.

(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/KSUDanimal/160tire2.jpg)

Check out the profile of that tire!  The Sportec M-1 is a great tire, but the profile is just crazy and the edges are much too steep for me.

-Turd.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: average on November 12, 2006, 04:57:14 PM
I know; if I had a camera I'd take a pic so you could see it but it looks HUGE!!!!
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: hopelessmechanic on November 12, 2006, 09:53:07 PM
Quote from: Turd Ferguson on November 12, 2006, 04:40:57 PM
Wow, what aspect ratio does that 190 have, average?  190 is WAY too big for a 4.5" rim!

My 160 Sportect M-1 gets pretty steep near the edges.  If I could do it all over again, I'd have put a different tire on my Kat rim.

(http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/KSUDanimal/160tire2.jpg)

Check out the profile of that tire!  The Sportec M-1 is a great tire, but the profile is just crazy and the edges are much too steep for me.

-Turd.

I really like the look of a wider tire but, is there a noticeable difference in performance?
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Turd Ferguson on November 12, 2006, 10:00:16 PM
For me, no.  I ride the local twisties a few times a week, and thats it.  Remember, its not "wider" rubber that you're after, its stickier rubber.  Most tire manufacturers don't offer good rubber in 130 sizes.  Upon swapping to a 4.5" wheel you've opened the door to many different kinds of sticky rubber.

The Katana wheel swap has a practical purpose, but it is wasted on me and I'm not afraid to admit that.

-Turd.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: dgyver on November 13, 2006, 06:04:22 AM
sigh....the things I start....
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: average on November 14, 2006, 01:05:37 AM
Yeah, Dan (Turd's name is Dan too  O0) the things you start  :cheers:
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: werase643 on November 14, 2006, 06:38:30 AM
really wide is actually a bad thing
ever seen one of them 350+ tire swaps on a busa
the tire contact patch....the actual square inch(s) touching the ground is so large
when the effective weight of the bike is transferred to the rear tire it spins all day long
due to there is low weight/square inch
and the tire is not gum ball sticky

I saw a used set up(8000 new) at a shop for sale for 5000
owner hated it and went back to a 6 inch with a stretch
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: werase643 on November 14, 2006, 06:41:34 AM
kat wheel, is it worth it?
for me, YES
I can find and  buy used SV race take offs

GS sized take offs....are hard to find

so it is cheaper to run better tars, for me
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: hopelessmechanic on November 16, 2006, 12:08:18 PM
I went with the 140 pirelli.  It just came in today so I'll be putting that baby on tonight when I get out of class. 
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: Alphamazing on November 16, 2006, 12:17:02 PM
I recently swapped back to my stock rims and Sport Demons, rather than the Kat rim with Pilot Powers.

Holy crap what a difference. These Sport Demons feel as slick as snot compared to my Pilot Powers.

Is it worth it? Oh hell yes.
Title: Re: katana rear wheel. Is it worth it?
Post by: hopelessmechanic on November 18, 2006, 01:41:58 AM
Crap.  Well the 140 is going to have to do for know but my next tire will definitley be a katana swap, if not for performance, than just for looks.  Thanks for everyones opinions/help.  Hopefully this 140 holds up.  My expectations are low so it should meet them.  Thanks again to everyone who commented