My GS650GX Katana - description & story

My Katana

My fabulous Suzuki GS 650 GX. (1981 AD)

Please Note: This type of bike is also known as type "GS650GM". The Dutch importer used this identification and on my vehicle license, the bike is also defined as such. Suzuki in Hamamatsu (Japan), however, refers to the bike as being a "GS650GX". Since they built it, they'll probably know best how to call it, right? So, I'm sticking to the type GS650GX as well... ;-)

Click here to see more pictures of my Suzuki and it's travels...

Various links page - surf to other interesting websites

You are also invited to access our Link page, where links to various other motorcycling sites can be found (among which a site, totally dedicated to the Suzuki Katana motorcycles).

The Suzuki Katana GS 650 GX

Bike Specifiations:

Chassis	Front suspension: telescopic, oil dampened, with 2-way adjustable spring. Stroke = 150mm. Rear suspension: 2 off oil dampened, damper 4-way / spring 5-way adjustable. (standard exec.). Travel = 113mm. Steering angle = 40°, Caster = 62°15". Brakes: hydraulic disc brakes, front = dual, rear = single. Tyres: front = 3.25H19 4PR, rear = 4.25H17 4PR.
Engine:	Aircooled, 4 cylinder, 4 stroke engine, 673,8 cc, 73 hp (54 Kw). Uses 4 Mikuni 32mm CV carburettors. Lubrication is a wet-sump system for engine, gearbox and shaftdrive (partial). The lubrication system includes an air based oilcooler. Electronic ignition. Compression ratio is 9.4 : 1.
Dimensions:	(Measurements in mm). Overall length: 2130. Overall width: 730. Overall height: 1120. Seat height: 780. Wheelbase: 1445. Ground clearance: 160. Dry mass: 215 kg. Real mass: 234kg. Tank capacity: 23 Litres, incl. 5 litres spare.
Modifications:	Exhaust system: when worn, originals (black anodised Suzuki 4-in-2's) weren't available anymore, so I choose a BSM "Classic" 4-in-1 instead. Rear shocks: when 1 side appeared worn, I replaced them both with a set of KONI type 7610 shocks.

! On june 11th 1999, while travelling south to France, this motorcycle passed the 100.000 km (in the Black Forest in Germany). Some pictures of this trip can be found on the "more pictures" page.

Readers of the Dutch magazine Moto 73 choose this bike in 1981 as "Motorcycle of the year".

This particular motorcycle is officially registered as being a true "Nippon Classic",
in the Nippon Classics Register (NCR).

My "Kat" is really a fine machine, with which I've been driving for some 16 years and more than a 100.000 km now. Absolutely favorite are the longer trips, lasting a week or so. Among other things, we've done the French & Austrian Alps and the Pyrenees together. You may find some pictures of these trips on the "Touring pictures" pages.

We also occasionally participate in group touring events. Amongst these is, for example the KNMV "Herfstnachtrit" ("Autumn night ride"), during which you ride through an autumn night from sun set to sun rise. A second major touring event is the FMC "Elfstedentocht" ("Tour of the eleven cities"), held in Friesland, a province in the north of the Netherlands.

Apart from the first few years, I am doing all maintenance to the Suzuki myself. So far, I haven't encountered any serious problems, the "kat" is performing flawlessly. Last summer, while on our way for a trip to the Pyrenees in june, the bike passed the 100.000 km total driving distance since it's release. After we returned, I decided to spend the rest of the summer inspecting various engine parts, to see in what state the engine was after such a distance. After measurements were done on the pistons and cilinders, it appeared that these weren't even at 30% of their life cycle (based on wear). While I was at it, I decided to thouroughly clean the valve head, freshen up the valve seats and replace the piston rings and the other soft parts in the valve head. Now, the bike runs as smooth as ... always. Despite her age of 20 years, it seems like me and my kat still have a long way to go... ;-D.