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Katana 600 as a first bike?

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  • #16
    Katana 600 as first bike

    Mine was a Ninja 250 which I felt was ideal for me. Then bought a Suzuki
    500...big mistake...not much different from the 250. Now have a 2003
    Katana 600 and am staying with it. BTW bought if from a guy who bought it
    new for his wife. They have a short and somewhat steep driveway...she rode it 2X, dropped it 2X and quit riding. I think a 250 is a better way to start but
    if you have it already may as well go for it after the MSF course.
    LMT

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    • #17
      Originally posted by scottynoface View Post
      The only thing that would make a Katana a bad starter bike is that it's pretty heavy. Other than that it's a great starter, def better than a GSXR.
      yea it is a heavy bike, I'm 5'4 125, had the bike for about 2 months and I'm slowly getting use to the weight

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      • #18
        ya shes a little daunting at first... a bit heavy. But once you trust it and get into the lean...she actually handles pretty good imo

        front shox arent so hot tho

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        • #19
          Anything like a used rebel 250, ninja 250, would be better given a choice. Buy it now and before the end of the summer you could move up and actually sell it if you wanted to. You can start on anything of course, but lighter and smaller is a better way to go, and there will always be a line of new riders to sell them to.
          My YouTube Videos
          My motorcyle map!

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          • #20
            My wife has a 2004 Kat 600 for her first bike. Then again, she's 34 years old, and isn't much into throwing a knee right off. She's very responsible, so instead of going with a 250, I put her on the 600.

            Myself, I started on a Ninja 250, because I -KNEW- I was going to be riding like a moron, this kept me honest. I was also 25 at the time. My next bike was roughly ten years later...Kat 600. I grew up. I was out to ride, not impress. The NEXT bike, is my current project, GSXR-600. Because that's what I could afford. I would have gone bigger, but my wallet said differently. The reasoning for this one...Midlife crisis.
            sigpic

            "* JayBell notes that this appears to be a UNscheduled hazing of Mike "Looseplugs McStabbyfoot" Fitzpatrick"

            2004 Katana 600 - Bought 01/06/2017

            1993 Katana 600 - Traded for a truck.
            2004 Katana 600 - Gone
            2002 GSX-R600. - Gone

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Scott L View Post
              ya shes a little daunting at first... a bit heavy. But once you trust it and get into the lean...she actually handles pretty good imo

              front shox arent so hot tho
              damn straightttttttttt.... front shocks succcckkkkkk.... i even went to a shop and asked if i needed them redone... nope.. "thats just how they are on those bikes.. but for $300 we can"... no i didn't let them finish that sentence

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              • #22
                Originally posted by remykimes View Post
                damn straightttttttttt.... front shocks succcckkkkkk.... i even went to a shop and asked if i needed them redone... nope.. "thats just how they are on those bikes.. but for $300 we can"... no i didn't let them finish that sentence
                If you're even CONSIDERING having your shocks done, ask T-mod to do them. You won't find anyone near as good as him.
                sigpic

                "* JayBell notes that this appears to be a UNscheduled hazing of Mike "Looseplugs McStabbyfoot" Fitzpatrick"

                2004 Katana 600 - Bought 01/06/2017

                1993 Katana 600 - Traded for a truck.
                2004 Katana 600 - Gone
                2002 GSX-R600. - Gone

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                • #23
                  My current katana was my first bike, and I didn't think it was heavy at all... until the first time I dropped it. I was just lucky that it was at 0mph from coming to a rapid halt after skidding. Through spilled fuel. To avoid a jackass that cut me off FLYING around the pumps in a sheetz parking lot. I stopped on an angled surface where the lot almost meets the road, and the handlebars were cranked to the right. I felt the bike start to go and my left leg was too far out; I couldnt get my knee under it. I felt like Cleveland from Family Guy in the bathtub. "No no NO NO NOOOOOO!"

                  It could have been much, much worse. As soon as I realized my knee wasn't under the tank I got it out of the way as well. I was nervous for the first 1000 miles when I was doing under 25 mph. I thought all of my actions through 5-6 seconds ahead of time. That's a great idea until something urgent happens between when you plan your action and when you can actually do it. I still am more cautious in gas stations than any other place on the road, lol.

                  Personally I think a 600 kat is a decent starter bike for some one who is going to respect the bike, understand just how much it weighs, and takes their time. I learned on a Buell Blast and to this day wish I had that thing to actually ride for the first year. I am actually still looking at getting one, they're awesome little bikes! PLUS you get to own a piece of Buell history. And confuse people with the inside of your fuel tank.
                  sigpic
                  "Why do I ride a bike? Aside from the feeling of freedom, excitement, and adrenaline... probably the 90 million miles of headroom."
                  "Katrina" 2001 750 Black/Anthracite

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by AustinF19 View Post
                    Okay i am new to this. im just finishing up high school and am looking to buy a toy, i have never tried riding a motorcycle but i have rode many different things like manual atv's jet skis,snowmobiles and i drive a manual car so the manual aspect of riding a bike would not be hard for me to learn and i pick up pretty quickly how to ride many different things. But so to my point, i have a uncle who is willing to sell me his 94 katana 600 and i am just wondering how easy or hard it would be to learn to ride on a bike like this, and if anyone would recommend getting it, or looking for something different. By the way i am 5'11 and 168 lbs if that changes anything
                    Awesome to hear I just bought one myself!!! I love it and am still working on it haha. Can't wait until its finished.

                    Originally posted by AnthonyMartello
                    Hello friends,

                    It was my first, good bike had no problems out of it at all. Everyone told me to get a smaller bike to learn on, but I'm glad I went with my gut and got the Katana 600. Rode a few other bikes. And I will say that the Katana is smooth and has a little more power than most 600.

                    Best regards
                    Anthony
                    That's great to hear.
                    Last edited by XyleRin; 04-26-2012, 11:35 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
                    At first I was like

                    Now I'm like

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                    • #25
                      I didn't ride much before I got the Kat, and generally speaking it's a very civil and easy bike to learn on - about the only thing that really makes it dangerous to a beginner is going past about 7k and the fact that it's HEAVY.

                      I think the Kat's heaviness may have a lot to do with why I've dropped it when I have.
                      Black & Blue - Kludge Fixed Katana - 1990 Katana GSX-600F [out of service - engine swap started 9/8/12; ETA 9/30/12]
                      Beaten and bruised, clawing its way back from the dead for the 3rd time. 2-up tourer
                      2001 Buell Blast 515cc, V&H Exh, Buell Pro-Series Intake, Stage IV Jetting, Raptor II Streetfighter Front Headlight/Fairing Assembly, Dual HIDs -- "The Misfit"

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                      • #26
                        Kats arent much more dangerous above 7k than they are below.
                        1992- project katfighter
                        2005- GSXR750
                        2001- TL1000R
                        http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=111130
                        www.lunchtimecigar.com



                        KATRIDERS RALLY 2014 - cintidude04
                        KATRIDERS RALLY 2015 - cintidude04
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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by cintidude04 View Post
                          Kats arent much more dangerous above 7k than they are below.
                          90% of motorcycle forum members do not have a service manual for their bike.

                          Originally posted by Badfaerie
                          I love how the most ignorant people I have met are the ones that fling the word "ignorant" around like it's an insult, or poo. Maybe they think it means poo
                          Originally posted by soulless kaos
                          but personaly I dont see a point in a 1000 you can get the same power from a properly tuned 600 with less weight and better handeling.

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by cintidude04 View Post
                            Kats arent much more dangerous above 7k than they are below.
                            i think he means the ridiculously week power band (above 7K), but i agree, not all that dangerous, less your in some wildly slick pavement or gravel. every bike has a power band that you have to "watch out for" just some are weaker than other (aka our bikes )
                            if all else fails......... Get a hammer

                            parting out my 89 Kat 750

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by cintidude04 View Post
                              Kats arent much more dangerous above 7k than they are below.
                              you're really gonna go there when we're talking about a new rider's experience on one? I never said they were dangerous, I said it's a good idea to stay out of it for a while.

                              Power has always been adequate for my needs. :

                              The last thing a new rider needs is an R1, and the kat's relatively moderate-for-its-class power level is reasonable to cope with but the sharp increase in RPM above 7 is a little tricky for a new rider to get used to.
                              Black & Blue - Kludge Fixed Katana - 1990 Katana GSX-600F [out of service - engine swap started 9/8/12; ETA 9/30/12]
                              Beaten and bruised, clawing its way back from the dead for the 3rd time. 2-up tourer
                              2001 Buell Blast 515cc, V&H Exh, Buell Pro-Series Intake, Stage IV Jetting, Raptor II Streetfighter Front Headlight/Fairing Assembly, Dual HIDs -- "The Misfit"

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                              • #30
                                Power Baaaaand!
                                Oh Yeah!
                                Daddy Like me my Power Band!
                                http://www.wickedelements.com



                                ^^^^^^

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