Review of katana ownership...

[McDuck]

Well as some of you will know i like my katanas and about 8 months ago i got the opportunity to buy jim2s (at the time) katana. I took that chance, scraped the cash together and purchased it.


So now we jump froward to now, having just picked it up form the mechanic, i had gotten a service done early this week (lol) then decided to go with a new front tyre as the front pads had also displayed there skinny-ness. Anyway while she was up on the hoist i got about 15 comments of 'nice kat', 'love the katana man' and even a few 'wow nice bike, i had one back then' and even the token 'nice 1100 you have there'.

And then i rode her home, and i remember why i purchased her.
She is not the lightest bike (heaver than MSTRS's GSXR on paper) and not the most powerful with only around 55bhp but it SO NICE to ride, they way it handles, performs and looks.
A big part of the look for me is it is not an aggressive looking bike (IMHO) it is a very cool bike but it is not an aggressive one which means that in close to 6000kms riding her i have never even had a second look from a cop. So over all i feel it is worth singing the praise of the race rep bikes, and also a well sorted 400 is an absolute peace of magic.

Peace out :)

[McDuck]

Well as some of you will know i like my katanas and about 8 months ago i got the opportunity to buy jim2s (at the time) katana. I took that chance, scraped the cash together and purchased it.


So now we jump froward to now, having just picked it up form the mechanic, i had gotten a service done early this week (lol) then decided to go with a new front tyre as the front pads had also displayed there skinny-ness. Anyway while she was up on the hoist i got about 15 comments of 'nice kat', 'love the katana man' and even a few 'wow nice bike, i had one back then' and even the token 'nice 1100 you have there'.

And then i rode her home, and i remember why i purchased her.
She is not the lightest bike (heaver than MSTRS's GSXR on paper) and not the most powerful with only around 55bhp but it SO NICE to ride, they way it handles, performs and looks.
A big part of the look for me is it is not an aggressive looking bike (IMHO) it is a very cool bike but it is not an aggressive one which means that in close to 6000kms riding her i have never even had a second look from a cop. So over all i feel it is worth singing the praise of the race rep bikes, and also a well sorted 400 is an absolute peace of magic.

Peace out :)

[Molly]

The more time you put into a bike the closer you get to it. I rebuilt a 750 Katana (pop up headlight model) in a third floor council flat about fifteen years ago. As it came together I had to move it under a tarp out the back and would work in the rain by getting under the tarp too. God, I loved that bike.

[MSTRS]

... not the most powerful with only around 55bhp ....

And you can use all of them. A lovely bike, which I thoroughly enjoyed relocating.

[yungatart]

Yeah but, no but, yeah but, no but, yeah but, you put a scratch in her!!!!

[McDuck]

Yeah but, no but, yeah but, no but, yeah but, you put a scratch in her!!!!

No i didnt, it was my bosses falt

[Katman]

It's a sickness - with no known cure.

[Motu]

There is another guy just started a thread about his 400 katana - you should check him out,you might have other things in common too.Wow,what a coincednt!

[AD345]

I enjoyed my Katana back in the day. As far as I recall I only got overtaken once while I owned it.


I don't miss it though

[JimO]

I enjoyed my Katana back in the day. As far as I recall I only got overtaken once while I owned it.


I don't miss it though

an old lady in a morris minor??

[Hawkeye]

I certainly don't regret getting my Katana. It's one of the 'new' style rather than the style every one creams their pants at but you just have to love that low end torque.

[smoky]

Had one - I think the Bandit is a better bike by far

[James Deuce]

Had one - I think the Bandit is a better bike by far
You had a Katana 400?

There's no bike better than another. Open your mind.

[FJRider]

It's a sickness - with no known cure.

Yes there is... YAMAHA's.... feel the power...

[McDuck]

Yes there is... YAMAHA's.... feel the power...
of the suzuki as it passes you......

[FJRider]

of the suzuki as it passes you......

does your Suzuki overtake ... ???????? that has to be a rare bike you have...

[smoky]

You had a Katana 400?
In the late 80's I had a 650 then a GSX 1100 SR wide wheel, a 92 from memory
I briefly had a GSX 400 that I got running, thrashed then got rid of (too small).



There's no bike better than another. Open your mind.

Open my mind?
Surely you don't think there's no bike better than another??? If you do then i suggest you mind is so open it's spilled out!
What's all this bullshit that there aren't crap bikes around???

Anyway I loved the Katanas, but the 98 1200s bandit is a better bike to ride in my opinion. And yes i do think there are better bikes than the bandit as well.

[James Deuce]

In the late 80's I had a 650 then a GSX 1100 SR wide wheel, a 92 from memory
I briefly had a GSX 400 that I got running, thrashed then got rid of (too small).




Open my mind?
Surely you don't think there's no bike better than another??? If you do then i suggest you mind is so open it's spilled out!
What's all this bullshit that there aren't crap bikes around???

Anyway I loved the Katanas, but the 98 1200s bandit is a better bike to ride in my opinion. And yes i do think there are better bikes than the bandit as well.
I haven't ever ridden a bike I haven't enjoyed.

The Katana 400 is a decade later interpretation of the original Katana 1100. It's brakes and suspension benefitted from that extra development time. The engine isa retuned GSXR400 lump and would probably give the 750 air cooled Katana a run for its money in the right hands. There's no such thing as a "wire-wheel" Katana either. It's simply a modification confined to the Antipodes.

The Bandit 1200s and Hornet 900s are the antithesis of an exciting bike - for me. I find them bland and uninspiring without significant modification. However, I would happily spend my days pedaling one around wherever it would take me.

I get disturbed by how easy it is for others to casually dismiss someone else's cherished ride as "crap" or that dismissive egocentric my bike is "better" than yours.

Totally ludicrous. Your bike is "better" because it suits your expectations of motorcycling "better" than Joe Blogs' LS650 Savage would. Joe may be having more fun than you though.

I fixed my own attitude problem by riding as many different bikes as possible as often as possible. Irrespective of breakdowns, stationary drops, and niggling issues with finish or ergonomics, I never get off a bike without finding at least 10 good things to say about it.

[smoky]

There's no such thing as a "wire-wheel" Katana either. It's simply a modification confined to the Antipodes.

WIDE wheel - not wire wheel
It was certainly a nickname for it when I had one


The Bandit 1200s ... the antithesis of an exciting bike - for me. I find them bland and uninspiring .....

I get disturbed by how easy it is for others to casually dismiss someone else's cherished ride as "crap" or that dismissive egocentric my bike is "better" than yours.

Totally ludicrous. Your bike is "better" because it suits your expectations of motorcycling "better" than Joe Blogs' LS650 Savage would. Joe may be having more fun than you though.

climb off your high horse dude - firstly I never said his bike was crap, didn't even criticise it - I LIKE KATANAS
I made a very relevant comparison between two suzukis I have owned, that are similar in size and power - I like the bandit better
I don't give a shit if you don't like me expressing my opinion


I fixed my own attitude problem by riding as many different bikes as possible as often as possible.
So you presume I have an attitude problem because I like a bandit better than a Katana?
And that I haven't ridden enough bikes? How do you even know how many bikes I've had or ridden?

[avgas]

There's no such thing as a "wire-wheel" Katana either. It's simply a modification confined to the Antipodes.
Thats pedantic, but true.
Using that theory
- There is no Moriwaki Kawasaki
- no Yoshimura Suzuki

Personally i would rather hang onto my childhood heroes and leave them in god like status - how you live your life is up to you.

[James Deuce]

how you live your life is up to you.

No it isn't. I'm married, with kids and a job. ;)

[McDuck]

You had a Katana 400?

There's no bike better than another. Open your mind.

You mean there is no bike better than a katana 400?

[Bonez]

You mean there is no bike better than a katana 400?Nah, Jims just confused. It happens more often when you get old ;).
http://www.suzuki-katana.net/index.php?p=1_103
Glad you like your wee Kat.

Probably as much as I like my GB no dought.

I've got one bike I have a love/hate relationship with. Do you know of any therapists that can help me out?

[portokiwi]

I am still a big fan of the KATANA.

[AD345]

an old lady in a morris minor??


In the right hands a Morris Minor is a fearsome piece of automotive engineering

[Katman]

There's no such thing as a "wire-wheel" Katana either. It's simply a modification confined to the Antipodes.



We'll have to agree to disagree on that one Jim.

[Bonez]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one Jim.With good reason. See my link above ;).

[Katman]

With good reason. See my link above ;).

That link refers specifically to the Australian wire wheel Katanas which, as stated, only differed from the standard Kats in having the spoke wheels.

The NZ wire wheel had slide carbs, braided lines, different cams, different clutch, different front calipers and an exhaust with a larger diameter outlet (the mufflers are stamped with original Suzuki markings and weren't fitted on any other model in production at the time - except maybe for the 'black pipers').

Edit: Sorry Bonez - should have read the whole page on the link before posting. Just noticed the last paragraph says the same thing as I just have.

[varminter]

I have a Katana 250 does that count??

[Katman]

I have a Katana 250 does that count??

Depends how well you taught it.

[AllanB]

A nice bike very true. And I do like them very much, but I have personal issues with Suzuki and the Katana name. :mad:

Call me old school or an old fart but there were only two real KATANAS in my book - the 750 and 1100.

The rest are the equivalent of dating a coloured chick and telling your mates you've 'had' Beyonce.........:lol:

[AD345]

A nice bike very true. And I do like them very much, but I have personal issues with Suzuki and the Katana name. :mad:

Call me old school or an old fart but there were only two real KATANAS in my book - the 750 and 1100.

The rest are the equivalent of dating a coloured chick and telling your mates you've 'had' Beyonce.........:lol:

I agree

Beyonce is the one on the left, yes?

[Bonez]

REPoSt!!!!!!!!

[Headbanger]

A nice bike very true. And I do like them very much, but I have personal issues with Suzuki and the Katana name. :mad:

Call me old school or an old fart but there were only two real KATANAS in my book - the 750 and 1100.

The rest are the equivalent of dating a coloured chick and telling your mates you've 'had' Beyonce.........:lol:


Care to elaborate for us ignorant but interested ones?

[McDuck]

A nice bike very true. And I do like them very much, but I have personal issues with Suzuki and the Katana name. :mad:

Call me old school or an old fart but there were only two real KATANAS in my book - the 750 and 1100.

The rest are the equivalent of dating a coloured chick and telling your mates you've 'had' Beyonce.........:lol:

May i ask, why the 250 and 400 of the early 90s dont count in your book?

[McDuck]

And on a side note i have put another 700-800kms on her today, at boath ends of the day (read all cold weather) and i must say a few more HP would be ok on the hills but no bigie, apart from that i still love it.




And my winter gear is shite.

[Bonez]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=96421