650 big end bearings

[katscott]

I'm currently rebuilding my 650 kats motor as a bearing in the secondary gear set broke up. I've got virtually everything for the build but I'm having a slight problem with the big end bearings the original ones have holes in them but the superseded ones don't. I have 3 sets of green with holes and one set of black without. I have been told by my mate Steve at Friends Motorcycles that they don't need the holes due to improvements in material technology but neither He or I are entirely happy with that and are both trying to find a set of them with holes. Original part no is 12164-34201-020 superseded no is 12164-17E01-OBO Black coded and just to add to the confusion two of the sets I have with holes have the superseded no's on them. Any advice would be greatly appriciated. Apologies as well for not being on site for a long time and not posting pictures of my Kat

[FBJ]

Hi Scott. How u doing. I ain't never built a 650 motor. But if they have holes its to lube the crank. Don't take chances. Is one half of the shell holes an one not? How have u sized the shells? Plastigage

[katscott]

Shells are correctly sized. The holes line up with a hole in the con rod . The pairs both have holes but only needs the one that lines up with the con rod. If this motor has gone almost 30 years with almost no visible wear on these type of bearings if I fit the same it should do another 30

[Russbusa]

Just checked the suzuki cross reference and the second number you give shows up as the 650 katana, gs650, 1996 600 bandit, 1986 - 1999 gsxr 750, gsx600f and gs650 1981 - 1983 various models. (30 models in total)

The first number shows only for gs650 (4 models) and not the katana.