Is the GSX1000S Katana a bit too niche? Inspection: Fork oil and engine oil change

Yes, yes! I’m not sure if it’s because of the typhoon, but the humidity outside is like a public bath, right?
I hope you kind of get what I mean—that bathhouse vibe.
We’re bringing you high discomfort levels (*´ω｀*)

So, since the content is pretty light, let’s wrap this up quickly.

Let’s change the front fork oil

A common thing with fork oil changes:
Removing and installing the front fork is always the harder part.

Especially on older motorcycles, there’s an endless number of bolts and nuts to tighten.
The front fork is also thin, so it’s important to carefully check its movement while installing it.

The fork oil was really dirty, like something from the dark continent.

Since the clip-on handlebars flop around, making a convex collar from scrap material improves work efficiency

Clean the inner tube and the inside of the dust seal, then make sure to bleed all the air before assembling.

Using a vacuum pump gives you peace of mind and certainty, so I’d recommend it.
Since it’s battery-powered rather than 100V, it’s really nice.
An 18V Makita works great—it bleeds the air out perfectly

Let’s change the engine oil.

I realized the oil filter wouldn’t come out as is.
Since I basically prefer not to remove parts unless necessary, I’m keeping it minimal.

By partially sliding the #2 exhaust pipe, I was able to remove it cleanly.

The idling is a bit rough, so let’s adjust it

Opening the pilot screw helped reduce it, so let’s see how it goes for now.
Since it’s been a while, a full overhaul would probably clean things up nicely.

I hate milky white resin washers

This is a bit tedious, so I can’t do it every time.
I thought it was good timing to include it, so I assembled it.

The base of M6 bolts is slightly thin, so you can actually fit an M5 washer in crosswise.
By assembling washers this way, you reduce the number of parts by one and improve workability.

It’s more fun when you can reduce hassle and still be able to work on the machine yourself.

These days, materials like this are easy to get from EC sites, which is really nice.
Back in the day, you’d have to go to places like Akihabara
and buy whatever was available there at that time and place.

Simply put, there wasn’t as much freedom of choice as there is now,
so you’d buy something that roughly fit your needs and use it.
Nowadays, the more you research, the more options you find, which can actually be overwhelming.

After that, a quick test ride and we’re done.