Sharpening the Blade! GSX1100S (Katana) Meticulously Refreshed One Component at a Time via “Deco-mainte” ②

If you look at it, you can understand the situation—that’s maintenance.
“Prepare and equip”—it’s a fitting phrase indeed (*´ω｀*)

If you maintain things before they break, before they fail, then in case of emergency, “troubleshooting becomes faster,”don’t you think?

Axle Shaft Bend Check

There are standard values for bend and runout.
Basically, it’s not zero. Interestingly, even new ones from some manufacturers have considerable runout.
Check the manual to see if it’s within spec.

The rear gets pulled hard and sometimes has a bit of runout—it happens occasionally.

Compression: Knowing That Morning Freshness

Checked compression cold.
It’s quite solid. Warm compression would show even higher numbers, so we’re in really good shape.
Good cold compression means excellent cold-start performance.

With this confirmed, if morning starts are sluggish, we can “rule out the engine”
and focus on the carb or electrical system.

The spark plugs were pristine.
After the carb overhaul this time, the feel became much more solid.

Ignition Coil/Plug Cap Reconfiguration

When the plug cap spins loose, “trim and reconfigure.”
*Image shows already trimmed
In most cases, the wire and cap aren’t making proper contact for spark.

To avoid guesswork, “check the cap depth”and roughly mark the wire side.

Like a scribe mark, push straight into the center to create a pilot hole for accuracy.
Screwing in without marking “likely means it won’t be centered.”

Screw in to the marked depth and you’re done.
Without depth marking, you risk “under-threading”or “over-threading and collapsing the wire side,”leaving it loose.
Just screw to the necessary depth.
Ideally we’d replace the whole wire, “but Suzuki uses non-separable Denso,”
and while disassembly is possible, the clips might break, so we avoid it.

Excellent Product! Advantage Throttle Wire & Clutch Wire

Oil and use forever—that’s not how it works.
New is smoothest and most responsive (*´ω｀*)

We replaced the throttle wire with the carb overhaul.
The routing looks the same as stock.
The clutch wire is completely different. *Left: AD *Right: Unicorn
Being new helps, but it’s incredibly smooth and satisfying.
Control systems really do make riding more enjoyable when they move smoothly.

Personally, I don’t oil new cables.
I don’t want unnecessary stuff inside when it’s new. The idea is to lubricate and flush debris once the cable and inner sleeve wear and create particles.
Everyone has their own approach, so feel free to reference this.

For ETC, This is the Only Choice! MSC-BE700S

There was an old ETC already installed, but “after years of use, it needed refreshing.”
Recently, “new units and setup”became available.

No more buying elsewhere, installing, then removing—that hassle is gone.
Fewer redundant steps and wasted labor means faster, smoother service.

I Just Want One USB Port

Even one USB port has surprising depth.
First, Type A or Type C?
Type A is easier to insert; Type C feels cleaner.

Next, what charging current?
Daytona 99502: 1 port, MAX 5V/2.4AFast charging is preferable for peace of mind.

Smaller is better for the voltage converter
We convert 12V to 5V for USB, so a voltage converter (small black box) must exist somewhere on the harness.
A compact one “really helps us out.”
It makes the work easier.

For one location, D-UNIT isn’t needed.
Suzuki makes it easy to tap 12V and ground in parallel.
When pulling power and ground from the chassis, “keep them parallel as much as possible”for a clean look.
Think of it like an outlet!

After ten rounds of connectors, 110-series is the strongest. Cheap, easy to connect and install.
Label connectors with P-TOUCH and future work becomes easier.
Always use P-TOUCH! Tepra will definitely disappoint you. *Spoken from experience.
I basically use 9mm.

Once installation is complete, verify the output with a tester.

All neatly bundled and done!
Lately, I only use Amazon rubber bands and reusable ties.

I really dislike disposable cable ties—they feel wasteful and cut into things.
Gentle bundling with lower contact pressure seems to prevent problems.

On old, over-used harnesses, “internal wire breaks at tight binding points”happen surprisingly often.
Bikes age like people.
Adjusting your approach to the situation reduces trouble.

And that’s the finished product!