Third Time’s the Charm: SUZUKI KATANA Custom by Team Kagayama

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Team Kagayama's KATANA

Yukio Kagayama is an active top rider in the All Japan Road Race Championship and has been competing in the Taste of Tsukuba since 2018. His TOT machine, the “KAGAYAMA KATANA 1000R (No. 1),” had an air-cooled KATANA steel pipe frame, and a modern GSX-R1000 engine(+FI) and suspension. It made its debut win at the TOT SATSUKI STAGE in the spring of 2018. In the autumn of the same year, it was upgraded to the KAGAYAMA KATANA 1000R (No. 2) and raced for the win in the KAGURAZUKI STAGE.

"I made the first machine completely by feel, and for the second I wanted to try out some new ideas, so I changed the rear suspension to a Pro Arm and the exhaust to a center high-mount. For the third model, I wanted to get closer to the origins of the TOT, so I took a step in a new direction,” says Kagayama. The KAGAYAMA KATANA 1000R (No. 3) that appeared at the KAGURAZUKI STAGE in the fall of 2020 differed from the first two in that it was carbureted with twin shocks. This was actually a first for Kagayama.

"When I first became a test rider, racers had already gone to mono suspension and FI, and it had been 20 years since I had ridden a carbureted bike. I couldn't even imagine what it would be like,” said Kagayama. The setup of the No. 3 machine was more difficult than that of No. 1 and No. 2. In particular, the twin shocks, which even Mr. Kagayama said he had no experience with, took a lot of effort to set up.

"What was difficult were things that didn't need to be done for the previous two models, since they could be solved by using a mono suspension system. The hard part about changing to a carburetor was not so much a matter of setting up the carburetor itself, but rather of having to start by analyzing the error codes of the electrical system equipped on the injection model. I learned as much as I did when I was a test rider, and I could tell that No. 3 still had a lot of room to grow!," said Kagayama.

In this third race, Kagayama took third place. Based on this result, he is now looking towards the possibility of winning the championship with his No. 3 machine as well as building a No. 4. This project will surely be quite a challenge, and we are sure that even if you aren't a KATANA fan, it will be a sight to see.

Handle

The handlebars are clip-ons and the gauges are a combination of GSX-R1000 and the AIM Multifunction Meter mounted on the top bridge. The left and right master cylinders are Brembo.

Bodyworks

An aftermarket air-cooled KATANA stock-look cowl with an air-cooled KATANA stock windshield have been installed. The number 77 was chosen because it looks like the Japanese character for "Katana" if the numbers are connected together, so the team specifically applied for this number.

Engine

The stock FI system was converted to a TDMR, a downdraft version of the Mikuni TMR carburetor, and the left-linked throttle wire rotates from the left, reminiscent of an air-cooled KATANA. Naturally, there was no easy way to convert the bike from an injection system, and the battle began with figuring out the error codes in the electrical system.

The engine is from the GSX-R1000, with original mounts and other parts. The frame is made of steel pipe to match the spirit of the TOT.

Chassis

The rear suspension uses twin shocks on this No. 3 model. The shocks are from Aragosta. You can see the painstaking effort that went into the upper mounts.

The swingarm pivot and engine mounts are originals, and the aluminum swingarm is borrowed and modified from a different model. The rear wheel is a forged magnesium JB MAGTAN.

Gallery

Specifications

Part	Details
Engine	BABYFACE (Sato Racing) Timing Hole Plug
Carb / Intake	Mikuni TDMR Carburetor
Brake	brembo Racing Radial Brake Master Cylinder (19x18) brembo CNC Radial Mount Brake Caliper Kit P4 32/32 108mm GP4 RX Left/Right Set brembo CNC Rear Brake Caliper Kit P2 84mm Nickel Coating
Wheels	GALE SPEED [TYPE-GP1S Front] Aluminum Forged Wheel JB POWER (BITO R&D) MAGTAN JB4 6.00-17 Rear Wheel
Suspension	OHLINS FGK207 Front Fork Cartridge Kit Aragosta Twin Shock PHASE2 [Model Specific]
Steps	BABYFACE (Sato Racing) One-off Performance Step Kit BABYFACE (Sato Racing) Shift Spindle Holder BAZZAZ QS4 USB Auto Shifter
Drive System	RK 520XWR2 Racing Drive Chain
Handle / Steering	BABYFACE (Sato Racing) Race Concept Handlebar Kit AIM GS-Dash Display ZETA Flight Perch RD
Bodyworks	OHNO-SPEED Racing Windshield, Stock Smoke Color

Original Source of this Article

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