my precious, precious.......

[avgas]

I dont have much time anymore..... but on a quick weekly look at trademe, what do i spy - a lovely popup-Katana......the one bike i still dream of owning.
And its absolutely mint (http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/auction_detail.asp?id=27456884)
but alas it is $2K....my account: -one front tyre for the zed
why does life torture me so.
i would much rather have this classic streeter than my SP.......
we hates studylink we does....if only i had an allowence
so how is everyone elses lives going

[Coyote]

Very nice lookin bike. Reserve hasn't been met, you'll hopefully have another 2 weeks to get $2000

[Virago]

...you'll hopefully have another 2 weeks to get $2000...
...and prostitution is now legal! :D

Hey but seriously, if you don't get this one, another (perhaps better) one will turn up later. Good luck!

[gamgee]

high km's it's cheap but thats the reason for it

[inlinefour]

Its an extremely awesome bike (for a Suzuki) and if its what you really want it, grab it quick! As they are becoming fewer and further in between. If there was ever a non Honda bike out there that I'd like, then the old Katana would definitely be the one at the top. I reckon that you could well regret not grabbing this opportunity with both hands :msn-wink:

[F5 Dave]

Well don’t feel so bad, I remember when the came out, they were a dime a dozen & heavily based on the GSX750ESD, a very pedestrian bike at the best of times. They combined the worst of the 16” front wheel handling quirks with an engine that was actually detuned & not as fast as the original 750 katana. True story.

Besides which the original Han Muth penned bike was the classic Katana & definitely the looker of the pair.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Well don’t feel so bad, I remember when the came out, they were a dime a dozen & heavily based on the GSX750ESD, a very pedestrian bike at the best of times. They combined the worst of the 16” front wheel handling quirks with an engine that was actually detuned & not as fast as the original 750 katana. True story.

Besides which the original Han Muth penned bike was the classic Katana & definitely the looker of the pair.

Amen to that!

and those poxy gold bits ecccch.

I desperately wanted a silver Kat back in the day. Would have been happy with a 750 but wanted (of course) a wire wheel 1100....

Until I rode one. because I am short, it was an absolute torture rack! soooooo looooooonnnnnggggg in the front from seat to bars.

If I had one in the collection (what collection?) it would be just there to look at, not ride. (That sounds like a reason to get one!)

[notme]

Try and bargain the seller down based on the km's if you really want it.....I had one that had done almost 60,000km's and it was still running sweetly (had been maintained of course!) and that cost about $2k so bargain bargain bargain with the seller! :msn-wink:

[notme]

.....Until I rode one. because I am short, it was an absolute torture rack! soooooo looooooonnnnnggggg in the front from seat to bars......

Oh hell yes! I'm not a giant either.....never had huge reach issues, but on long rides I'd feel it in the shoulders for sure! Must be where these looooong monkey-arms of mine came from....

[Krusti]

One of my mates..(yes I do have the odd one!)...refused to sell me his Katana as he said I'd kill myself late braking into corners...said they have a tendancy to stand up on ya. The bastard!

One of my favourite old timer bikes. He rode back from Cold Duck with us to Taupo and I remember thinking that it still looks good coming down the road. Had trouble keeping up with Her With Money on her trike tho.

[avgas]

:killingme actually i have the opposite - usually i hunch over things.....and the 400 is starting to feel like a toy now (esp to the 955 i was riding :whistle: ).
Its preety scary when u start to get the limits of your bike - last ride i did from tauranga to auckland i think i averaged 160 all the way.
Anyone know how good the Kat motors are?

[Yarg]

Looked like a nice bike.

[F5 Dave]

Depends on what you call good. Suzukis of that era had reliable engines & crap electrics (+ rusting fuel tanks which produced silt in the carbs). Not too powerful by today’s std but my original model Kat (Oops) was enough to scare my arse after a couple of years on a GS550.

My engine did kill the cams & rockers when an aftermarket oil filter disintegrated & blocked the galleries feeding them.

[avgas]

yeh i know about suzi's killing the motors.
My RG turned all the bearings to a fine powder, warped the crank, conrod and Gudeon pin, and cracked the piston.....cos the oil pump suddenly failed......coincendentally when the water pump failed. But i have a bad habit of wrecking somethings so i learnt my lesson.
On the pop-up headlight, what is the problem with it (i.e. why does it sometimes fail) anyone know?

[gav]

Probably out of your budget, but thought this was pretty cheap!! http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports-tourer/auction-27947587.htm
Mind you, not sure what the running costs would be.....

[F5 Dave]

The engines in the 4 cylinder suzi’s of that era were bullet proof if fed decent oil. The charging cct wasn’t. Basically the rectifier regulator burned out taking the battery & alternator with it. The high voltage allowed when the regulator burnt out popped headlight bulbs & if you were unlucky CDI box as well. Old battery & low oil level would overheat the alternator starting the vicious cycle as well.

With good parts you should have no problems. Aftermarket regulator is a good idea. ear in mind these bikes are, urrm, 20 years old.

As for the headlight itself, it’s just a servo motor.

[Oscar]

I dont have much time anymore..... but on a quick weekly look at trademe, what do i spy - a lovely popup-Katana......the one bike i still dream of owning.
And its absolutely mint (http://www.trademe.co.nz/structure/auction_detail.asp?id=27456884)
but alas it is $2K....my account: -one front tyre for the zed
why does life torture me so.
i would much rather have this classic streeter than my SP.......
we hates studylink we does....if only i had an allowence
so how is everyone elses lives going


I know where there's one festering in shed. Ain't been ridden in a decade, and the bstid won't sell it to me... :no:

[avgas]

I know where there's one festering in shed. Ain't been ridden in a decade, and the bstid won't sell it to me... :no:
Yeh that the annoying thing about bikes like this, is you have to wonder why the person is selling it in the first place :weird: :rofl:
Oh well looks like i still have my ZXR for a little while.