The Katana hits the roads too!

All sorted and sat on a trailer ready for the RTA test. I took it there the first time some weeks back, confident of a fail, but hoping for the best. It turned out they hadn’t seen one before, so the first job was to get it added to the Dubai Police/RTA database. Some picture off the internet, a visual inspection of the bike and the request was sent off, a couple of days later I received confirmation it was now on there and could take it back for the test. Life got in the way and it is still sat on the trailer waiting for that day.

I was confident of the fail for two reasons, one now addressed and the other in hand. First the exhaust, it was very, very loud. Now, I hear some loud Harleys around town, but this was something else – more of an ear-splitting race bike sound. I popped into Duseja, the guys that sorted my CBX1000 all those years ago and they kindly dug out some old end cans for me to try before I bought. I’m not sure where they one I favoured came from, but part of a pair the bore and length seemed good, even if the look is slightly odd. A bit of cutting and welding and it a perfect fit. I’ll see how the test goes and if I bond with the looks, but the loud one will slip straight back on to.

The second concern is the graphics – conventional wisdom is that the RTA won’t like the Rizla bits – so I had some close matching blue vinyl to cover them up if it comes to that.

It turns out I was worrying over nothing – she passed, first time. Now just to refresh the chain and sprockets – maybe go 525 or even 520 to help with clearances, we’ll see