Katana Questions

[slap-dash]

I'd like to ask a few questions about the Katana 750 and 600.

1. Is the stock bike comfortable? How many hours before things start to hurt? What starts to hurt first, wrists, shoulders, back, butt ?

2. What is the most comfortable cruising speed on the highway for each?

3. How many miles do you get per tankfull for each?

4. What are you using to carry luggage for a 3-7 day trip?

5. Is the bike easy to maintain or a difficult/expensive because of all the plastic?

6. How well does the fairing protect during rain?

I saw the 750 in a showroom and it looks beautiful. I am interested because it looks like a lot of bike for the money.

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No Sig

[thecynic]

Re: Katana Questions

I'd like to ask a few questions about the Katana 750 and 600.

1. Is the stock bike comfortable? How many hours before things start to hurt? What starts to hurt first, wrists, shoulders, back, butt ?

Depends on the weak part of your body. My back will get tight after about an hour of riding. The grips are high enough up that you can alternate between being 'aerodynamic' and riding more upright while feeling pretty comfortable.

2. What is the most comfortable cruising speed on the highway for each?

Lol, depends on how busy your highways are and how many patrolmen are on the highway. I think the bike is VERY stable and comfortable into triple digit speeds (of course, I only know this because people take their Kat's to the track).

3. How many miles do you get per tankfull for each? 150, may vary based on how you ride

4. What are you using to carry luggage for a 3-7 day trip? You can get a tank bag, there are also some nice fiberglass (or ABS I can't remember) side cases.

5. Is the bike easy to maintain or a difficult/expensive because of all the plastic? Carbs, an older, bulletproof engine, an 8 year production run and no finnicky electronics that stop doing their job 100 miles from home make it a great bike to ride hard and often. If you have a couple of sets of allen head wrenches/3/8in drive, 8mm/10mm/12mm sockets and a haynes manual will get you through almost anything on the bike. parts are ALWAYS available on ebay.

6. How well does the fairing protect during rain? Visibility is good, you're going to want to wear rain gear, I personally don't mind getting a bit wet, and the kat would look dumb with a 22inch windshield bolted to the front.

[The CyberPoet]

Re: Katana Questions

I'll take a stab at the same questions:

BTW, most of those questions and more are covered in the first part of the write-up here:
Katana Upgrades

1. Is the stock bike comfortable? How many hours before things start to hurt? What starts to hurt first, wrists, shoulders, back, butt ?

I don't like the stock seat and it was only an hour or two before it proved a pain-in-the... I changed seats to the Corbin saddle and now do 12 hour days again.

2. What is the most comfortable cruising speed on the highway for each?

I find, if seated properly, any speed above about 45 is comfy (up to around 120). The idea here is that the wind spilling over the top of the windshield hits you in the upper-chest, lifting the weight off your wrists as you lean "against the wind", with your torso & arms supported by a pillow of air pressure (at least in my case, and in many other Kat rider's cases). Naturally, if you are particularly short or particularly tall, this might not work out that way for you...

3. How many miles do you get per tankfull for each?

Interstate touring at a solid 70 mph on flat ground with no headwind will get you about 180 to reserve in stock form. Crank it up to 80 - 85, that number drops to around 145. Crank it up further, and it drops further... I tend to stop for gas every 130 miles or so, because that's when my needles is firmly in the red (but still before I get anywhere close to reserve).

4. What are you using to carry luggage for a 3-7 day trip?

I have Givi hardsided luggage that I use, and yes, it will carry a seven day clothing load for two. To give you a real accurate idea of what they will hold - each bag will hold 2 paper grocery bags stuffed to the gills, plus a gallon of milk and a 2 liter bottle of soda.

The Givi's & support rack set-up are not cheap, but are worth every penny in my opinion. They lock onto the motorcycle (no worrying about anyone walking away with them), and disconnect with the key and a button push (simple to release and walk into a house/hotel/etc with them). Bags themselves are made of ABS with steel locks.

Picture of my first Kat, with Givi Bags & Corbin Saddle:

5. Is the bike easy to maintain or a difficult/expensive because of all the plastic?

It takes extra time to remove the plastics, but once they are out of the way, it is as simple or simpler than any other 4-cylinder motorcycle to work on. Maintenance intervals are major (every 7500 miles, valve adjustment/oil change/etc) + minor (every 3k - 3750 miles, oil change). Many people here do all their own mechanics work on their bikes (I do almost everything on it, choosing to farm out certain things like mounting tires).

6. How well does the fairing protect during rain?

As long as you can keep a forward speed of above 30 mph and the rain isn't driving sideways (nor are you riding in the sideways spew from others' tires), it does an increadible job. Normally only the outside of my knees and the tips of my shoulders get wet, and I'm not even hunkered down (fairly upright riding position). The place any bike sucks remains the same: getting caught at redlights in the rain.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[WildKat]

They gave some pretty solid answers so I'll just add that the Kat is a very good all around bike. You ride all day or just down the street and have fun. You can carve the canyons or commute on the highway and Kat can do it all in more than an adequate fashion.

Some upgrades from the stock tires, suspension, seat, and keep the oil changed and carbs nice and clean and she'll be every better. Treat her well and she'll treat you well with many years and countless satisfying miles.

[Bigbody45]

good input guys. wow i learned alot..CP how much does your seat cost?

[The CyberPoet]

good input guys. wow i learned alot..CP how much does your seat cost?

In flat black leather with vinyl sides & welts (the rolled part over the seams), I think it goes $219 + S&H. I paid about $280 for mine delivered with the custom leather colors.

KNOW THIS:
I made the mistake of getting leather welts last time. Never again. Vinyl welts is definitely the way to go (the leather welting has abraided right behind the driver's seat from me getting on/off the bike).
Pre-98 models need a spare seat pan to send them; they make their own 98+ pans that are stiffer than OEM (so you don't have to mail anything to them).
I also have a template that I made up for the 98+ Kats so you photoshop savvy guys can color/texture the seat as desired using the sample swatches listed on their website.
If you live somewhere where it rains regularly, avoid extra stitching in the saddle (logo's, etc), and avoid textured surfaces that can hold water. Flat leather is best, IMHO.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[slayergsxf1]

1. Doesnt
2.81.5mph
3.140 or so....
4. backpac
5.easy to maintain, but must keep clean!!
6.nothing protects you from rain....rain no matter what just sucks....got caught in a good storm on tues..still bitter...