What have I bought?

[harrye]

Hi. I am new to this forum. I am expecting to take delivery of my new 2004 Katana 600 this week. Its my first new bike in 22 years. In 1982 and 1983 I bought a Yamaha XS400 and a DT175. I still have them and ride them each summer.

In 1983 I remember seeing a picture of a Katana 600 in Cycle World magazine and then seeing one at the dealers. I was attracted to the bike, mainly because of the price, I think. But nothing happened and 22 years went by.

A few years ago my job ended due to a corporate merger, and I never rejoined the work force. I am 54 with no responsibilities, and realize that now is the time to enjoy myself. Last year my nephew bought a Yamaha YZF600R and I got to drive it. To me it felt like a jet plane with its power, and like a 10-speed bike with its handling. I had to get a sportbike of my own.

Being a former accountant, I instinctively look at price first. So I focused on the Katana in short time. The bike looks so much like all the other sport bikes that I doubt most non-bikers could tell any of them apart.

The Katana seems to have quite a following, judging from the websites. The bike seems to be popular with young people. Maybe thats because of the price? Yet in its style/design, the Katana seems to be a bit more of a work of art than the other sportbikes. The way the front of the seat starts to climb up against the back of the gas tank. And the gas tank isn't just a simple oval shape, but instead is narrow at the riders knees and wider toward the front. Like the older European bikes, Ducati maybe?

Does anyone know if there is any special design/styling history to this bike?

Also, people on the forum acknowledge that the Katana is heavy. Is that because it is air/oil cooled? A liquid cooled engine can have the cylinders closer together, and doesn't need fins to radiate the heat into the air? An air cooled engine has to be bigger and weigh more, and thus needs a heavier frame and stronger forks, etc., and weight begets weight?

Is Suzuki the only manufacturer that has an air cooled sportbike? Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki all have liquid cooled only? I wonder why that is?
Did Suzuki realize that they alone have a special niche with the Katana? Sort of like Ford keeping the Mustang GT going in an often decade old design because it has fans. The Mustang with its rear drive and solid rear axel is outdated when compared to the Corvette or a Porsche, but it serves a different customer base. The Harley doesn't strike me as being modern at all, but their customer loyalty is a phenomenon.

So I am hoping that I will get some responses back from Kat riders about why they like their bikes. Is it the style, and/or the power/price combination?

[WildKat]

To sum up your question.. yes we all love the kat for various reasons.. including its reliability, comfort, price, cheap insurance, easy to mod, bullet proof, and just plain fun to ride.

Its oil/air cooled yes, and unfortunately, in the sport bike world, that's pretty much a thing of the past alot of times. But, no matter whether your riding in 10 degrees or 100 degrees, the Kat will treat you well on the twisties as well as the open road!

[The CyberPoet]

Re: What have I bought?

Does anyone know if there is any special design/styling history to this bike?

Although the original Katana models were revolutionary (in every sense of the word), the work of Hans Muth and the design team at Target Design on the ED1 + ED2, the current generation carries very little forward from that original design and is only marketed under the Katana name in North America (GSXF everywhere else). The history of the platform is a very rich, vibrant history, but it came in various generations, and each generation moves further from the original inspired work. Someone is selling an original on eBay right now that's worth looking at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&rd=1&tc=photo.

Also, people on the forum acknowledge that the Katana is heavy. Is that because it is air/oil cooled?

No, it is primarily because of the long wheelbase and steel-frame construction, along with heavy-duty engine components (rather than light, cutting edge parts). Being a sports-tourer rather than a pure "sports" bike, emphasis of design is different, and this plays into both the technology incorporated and the final weight of the bike.

Is Suzuki the only manufacturer that has an air cooled sportbike?

No, Suzuki is by no means the only manufacturer with air-oil cooled bikes (as verses to just air-cooled, which do not utilize an oil radiator to cool the oil). BMW, Harley Davidson, Honda, and a variety of others have both air-cooled and air-oil cooled motorcycles in a variety of displacements. Not all of the Japanese oil-air and air-cooled models are necessarily available in the USA for marketing reasons.
The primary reason for use of water-cooling is thermal efficiency; the faster the heat can be carried away, the higher the compression ratio, the larger the displacement and the higher the RPM limit can be without heat-related component failures.

So I am hoping that I will get some responses back from Kat riders about why they like their bikes. Is it the style, and/or the power/price combination?

I can't speak for everyone, so I'll only speak for myself on this one:
(A) Comfort, ergonomics, and reliability played critical roles in the purchase of my Kat. I wanted a bike that could cruise at 120 - 125 mph all day on the interstate and still let me walk afterwards, rather than something that could do 170 mph but left me bent like a prezel after a few hours. Full fairings (against wind & rain) and dual-headlights (for visibility and safety in terms of my visibility to others) played into the decision heavily.
(B) Price-point. I walked into the dealership with a specific amount in my pocket, with intentions to buy a specific Honda model (used). The dealer pointed out with their sale, I could have a brand new Katana or Bandit for the same $$, and I decided that the Kat was a better choice for my own uses.

You can find more on why I think the Kat is a great bike (and not just a reasonable choice at the price-point) here:
The Forward of CyberPoet's 10 Key Katana Upgrades...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[QuickKat]

Your hooked!!! I recomend you check in here daily.
Oh yeah, enjoy your new bike. It now owns you.

[zleviticus]

well speaking for myself i bought mine becuase it just "Fit" well. I say on a LOT of bikes.. i shyed away from the typical "sport bikes" because of the lean over factor. I like mine... and will be with me for a long time if I have my way.

[Court93kat]

My first introduction to the "sportbike" arena was a roommate I had in the Army that owned a 1992 Katana. I fell in love with it from riding on the back of his. I loved the looks of the fairings, that black with purple jagged line design it had, and how well it handled. After moving to a new base, and deploying to Somalia, I promptly went to the local Suzuki dealer and paid cash for a new 1993 600. Kept that bike for a few years, ended up selling it and trying a cruiser for a while. But, here I am 10 or so years later with another 93 600 and enjoying every second I am on her.

The fact the Kat has a steel frame is just one of the reasons I like it. For some reason if we go down... the frame is less likely to get tweaked and the bike totalled. The upright body position is much more comfortable than on the super sport bikes. And with the right mods nobody will believe what you can do on a Kat.

[SweetLou]

I am in love with my kat. The ergo's fit me perfect, espcially with a bum knee. Lately though, I have found myself wanting more power, but not giving up my comfy ride.... The answer to that was a engine upgrade to a early model GSXR 1100 oil cooled engine!

Kats may be heavy, but the sure are comfortable for the long rides, and hit the twisties with ease.

[Katgirl]

Kats rock! Got my baby because I had seen one around town and thought it was sharp. Went to the dealer, looked on the price and actually got on one and I was sold!

Welcome to Katriders and the Katana addiction.

[WildKat]

Did Suzuki realize that they alone have a special niche with the Katana?

Im not sure suzuki could have even predicted the somewhat cult following bikes like the Kat have gotten over the years. they hit the jackpot, so to speak, in terms of an all around bike that has better bang for the buck or atleast just as good, as anything else out there.

Its not quite as popular as it once was... simply becuz technology of building motorcycles has incresed so much in the last decade even that people now want more and more cutting edge...but still, there are plenty of people like us, who have a Kat and love it, and plenty of people like you, who are just getting into it.. and once your hooked, there's just no cure!!

[1BlueKat]

Welcome to the club! Glad to have you aboard. I purchased my Katana because I remember when they first came out, I was in high school and living in California. I have had "sport" bikes now for many years, and the Katana is the best I have yet to own. I have always wanted one, and now, last year I purchased a 2000 model, 600cc, in the fastest color you can get. Insurance is cheap, it gets great mileage, and I have all these wonderful people here to help me with it if I have a problem. No joke, you will enjoy the Katana, and come back as often as you can.

[harrye]

I greatly appreciate all the responses and welcomes I've received so far. There certainly is a wealth of information and knowledge available through this forum. The internet makes it possible. In the physical world it wouldn't be possible to communicate with so many people who have this interest and knowledge.

A special thanks to The Cyberpoet for the info he provided.

I am surprized to learn that the Katana is a comfortable touring bike. Suzuki's owns ad says it is, but the bike just didn't look like one, with its low narrow handlebars (side clips, I think they are called). I would have expected a tourer to have wider raised handlebars. There's a reason for everything, and I love to find out things.

Well, I've got to free up my phone line now, so my Suzuki dealer can call and tell me he is going to send my bike over. There is snow here in Upper Michigan, so I can't drive it yet. But its time to put the snowmobile into storage.

[The CyberPoet]

I am surprized to learn that the Katana is a comfortable touring bike. Suzuki's owns ad says it is, but the bike just didn't look like one, with its low narrow handlebars (side clips, I think they are called). I would have expected a tourer to have wider raised handlebars. There's a reason for everything, and I love to find out things.

The handlebars aren't quite as narrow as you might suspect (the wide fairings belie the fact that they're wider than many race bikes), and the touring aspect is really a matter of the placement of the seat in relationship to the handlebars (you sit more upright than on the race-reps by a long shot; with the added windblast to your chest at speed, this is enough to unload the weight from your wrists on longer rides).

Enjoy it

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Mojoe]

I am in love with my kat. The ergo's fit me perfect, espcially with a bum knee. Lately though, I have found myself wanting more power, but not giving up my comfy ride.... The answer to that was a engine upgrade to a early model GSXR 1100 oil cooled engine!

Sorry Lou, but I have to ask this....why did you not keep your bike original and just buy an 1100 Kat? I am just curious.

And Harrye....welcome to the board. Where ya from?

[Breeze]

Welcome to the addiction harrye..

I acquired my 94 600 by chance. At 47 i've grown to love what i always thought was an ugly bike. For the simple fact that, I can sit upon her and ride near as long as i can and the bones don't ack or crack when i get up off her..

I must admit though, she is one of the best bikes i've ever owned...

[1BlueKat]

Welcome to the addiction harrye..

I acquired my 94 600 by chance. At 47 i've grown to love what i always thought was an ugly bike. For the simple fact that, I can sit upon her and ride near as long as i can and the bones don't ack or crack when i get up off her..

I must admit though, she is one of the best bikes i've ever owned...

Are you talking "ugly", as in any color other than BLUE? :smt042