Meet Sinister, a 1982 Suzuki Katana Restomod Drenched in High-End Equipment

Besides this, it probably didn’t hurt that Darren had once worked for a local tuning shop, where he was able to acquire a wealth of knowledge about mechanics. Having taken his experience into account, you shouldn’t find it too hard to understand how dB’s work manages to be so entrancing. In the following paragraphs, we’ll be taking a closer look at Sinister – a menacing Suzuki Katana built earlier this year.

It’s somewhere in between custom and restomod, refining the Katana’s original appearance while dialing its performance to eleven. Darren kicked things off with a GSX1100S from the model-year 1982, and what he turned it into is nothing short of an absolute monster! We’ve got a lot to cover here, so let’s dive straight in.

Once the customary teardown had been performed, dB’s attention went straight to the powertrain department. With just over 100 hp coming from its air-cooled 1,074cc inline-four, the Katana already had plenty of grunt in stock form, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy a performance-oriented individual like Darren. As such, a complete engine overhaul was mandatory.

The bike's rebuilt four-cylinder mill is now equipped with a Wiseco big-bore kit, which takes its displacement all the way up to 1,216cc. On top of the increased capacity, the powerhouse also benefits from larger stainless-steel valves and high-performance camshafts, along with new connecting rods originally suited for the Hayabusa. But of course, airflow had to be amplified in order to make the most of these upgrades.

A premium set of Yoshimura TMR-MJN carburetors handle intake duties, while the exhaust gases get expelled via four-into-one Racefit pipework made of titanium. Keeping temperatures in check is a modern oil cooler from Setrab’s catalog, and there’s a fresh NWT Electronics control unit running the entire show. Accel wires, a Dynatek ignition system, and youthful wires ensure a potent spark.

Darren’s work is already pretty dazzling, but there’s still a hell of a lot for us to talk about aside from the upgraded powerplant. This beastly Katana makes use of a reinforced frame, as well, linking it to the repurposed swingarm of a Bandit 1200. Unsprung territory is home to a pair of seven-spoke aluminum Dymag wheels, whose rims are hugged by grippy Spirit ST tires from Avon.

Sinister’s increased power output called for beefed-up brakes, so dB Customs fitted a full suite of Brembo goodies on both ends. Twin floating discs bring the front wheel to a stop when needed, and there are braided stainless-steel brake lines all-round. As you might expect, the suspension side of things hasn’t been neglected, either.

Instead of the GSX1100’s dated telescopic forks and OEM shocks, we now find top-shelf componentry supplied by Ohlins. At the front, suspension duties are taken good care of by inverted forks, while the rear end sits on dual piggyback shock absorbers complete with progressive springs. When it came to the cosmetics, Sir Begg wanted to keep the quintessential Katana spirit alive.

He retained the iconic fuel tank, topping it off with an aftermarket filler cap sourced from Newton Equipment. The damaged front fairing and side panels got ditched to make way for pristine (but otherwise identical) replacements found online. In addition, the fairing bears tiny carbon fiber winglets and a titanium-treated windshield, while a light CFRP fender rounds out the specimen’s attire at twelve o’clock.

Moving on to the rear portion, one may spot an all-new tail section obtained from Unicorn Japan, and it supports a sporty blacked-out seat co-developed by AC Sanctuary and Daytona. Darren added a subtle license plate bracket, too, installing it right below that retro-looking taillight. The latter is also a Unicorn part, and so is the bright headlamp you’ll see at the front.

Then there’s the machine’s cockpit area, where dB Customs’ treatment brought state-of-the-art Koso RX-2 instrumentation and raised ABM clip-ons. In turn, the handlebars received Brembo control levers, compact switches, and Driven Racing grips, along with a pair of Rizoma bar-end mirrors. No matter where you look, the parts used on this GSX1100S are top-notch!

LED turn signals and Sato Racing rearsets comprise the final touches applied by Darren, while the stealthy colorway and accompanying graphics came courtesy of Sketchs Ink (no, we haven’t missed an apostrophe). Although we’re unsure how much this project ended up costing, you can be certain that dB’s client was completely blown away by the result. To be honest, we’re just a little jealous imagining how much fun he’ll be having on the twisties.