Katana (old) Prototype

[xwhatsit]

I was at uni the other day and walking down Alfred St where everybody parks their bikes... and suddenly noticed a Katana parked among the scooters and GN250s (GN125s too, lol)! It's a more recent model, with aluminium wheels, but I mean... come on... commuting on a Katana? To uni? It seems a little harsh! It is a fearsome looking bike -- that's the first time I've seen one in the flesh and it is still very handsome, even today. Even the choke lever looks space age.

[acewheelie]

i had a popup... wicked bike for its day

I was going to trade in my VF750F on a Pop up, but it was slow compared to the Honda. The bike shop kept trying to get the Honda off me!

[acewheelie]

I worked as a young boy during the school holidays in a Suzuki bikeshop in Auckland at the same time the Kat's were released.
I remember there being such a fuss as they were nothing like anything you'd seen before.

Yes, at the same time, they released the GS550M and GS650G these being virtually identical save for the 650's capacity and shaft drive. They weren't quite in the same league as the 750 & 11 though.
Also a 400 came out but was "soft Katana" styled.

I remember being on the back of my Dad's 1100 and hanging onto that strap for dear life as he'd "open 'er up a little" on the motorway onramp !!!

Oh the memories ....

I had a GS650G, was probably the best tourer around, excellent mid range, just wouldn'y go above 180k,s.

Used to ride down the Coatesville Highway against a guy on an RZ350 (he was good to, much better than me) and he wouldn't get far away from the Katana.

[Dadpole]

but I mean... come on... commuting on a Katana?

The mate that had the wire wheel Katana used it for years as a commuter too. Wainuiomata to Petone rain or shine.
Just to show how "different" he was, he would ride in a cotton jacket, overalls and steel capped boots.

[xwhatsit]

Those are open roads though, innit? My geography isn't the best, bear in mind.

This guy is riding around Auckland -- the CBD no less. I suppose it's a relatively modern vehicle and not like driving a clutch-grabbing, transmission-snatching, backfiring 1970s Ferrari supercar around town... but I'm sure a bike like that would like to stretch its legs...

[Dadpole]

Nice hill road, then 50km industrial areas & bulk traffic. Damned if I would do it on a wire wheel Kat, but he said that it was a do-anything bike