[Psycho1]

My first 2 bikes were a 80 Honda CX500, then a 83 Yamaha Seca 550. I got rid of the 550 before moving to OR and was bikeless for a couple years. In 1996 I walked into a local dealership to look at used bikes, while waiting for the wife to get off work across the street. The only 2 used street bikes they had were a clean all stock Kat 1100, and a sharp looking 90 Kat 600 with a V&H SS exhaust, factory solo cowl, and sweet looking dark red metalic paint. The 1100 looked great, but the asking price was $3200, price on the 600 was only $1600 and came with some extra parts and a new helmet. The salesman told me some new rider had bought it private party, and decided it was too scarey/fast for him so he traded it in for a dirt bike or something. I decided the 600 was the better deal for me at the time and bought it within a half hour, haven't regretted it. I happened to meet the original owner a month or so later and got a lot of information about the bikes history and mods, which made me feel even better.

[Legman]

Just wanted a bike and my friend was selling one. So I bought it from him at a GREAT price (I thought he was kidding until he actually took my check). It was a 95 600F. Didn't even know what that meant at the time. Heck I didn't even know it was a Suzuki. I knew when I first sat on the seat it was going to be a beautiful relationship.

[Mojoe]

before I bought my 92 kat in 93, I had never seen a kat before (that I noticed or remembered), aside from the ol' skool's in the early 80's, which I swore I would own one day, which I do. the 92...well I wasn't shopping for a kat at all. I just happened to hear through the grapevine of a widow having one for sale after her husband died. however, I was just a bit late getting to her and she brought a dealership into it. when I saw the bike, I just fell in love with it. it had no miles on it to speak of, and was mint. true showroom condition. it was the exact same model and color you see in my avatar. it was gorgeous. I took it for a spin down the street and fell in love with it instantly....although it did scare me a bit. big difference from the 600 hurricane I had before that. went back and started dealing with the guy. for $7k out otd, I rode off on a near new 1100 kat, a brand new 2pc leather suit with armor, a pair of boots, gloves, and an arai helmet. plus the 3pc givi luggage. I could not have been happier.

I rode that bike 12 years or so, and logged a bit over 220k kms on it. It is the only model of bike I have owned since 93. I have had 4 other ones since.

while on the subject of "why you bought a kat", I am kinda curious who owned one the longest running, and still running them? you know....to get an idea who is as dedicated to the breed as I am.

[chemomche]

Didn't know what a kat was before i bought it
saw the advert for a really cheap bike (1000$) just the exact amount of money that i get from selling my Honda NSR125
call the man and a couple of hour later i was a happy owner of 750 pre Kat
the bike has no rear brake rotor, no pads, paint was aweful
but i love it
i have had so many problem with this bike, but i won't sell it!!!!

Suzuki-way of life!

[wfrpalm]

I was ready to buy a new bike in 1986 and my choice was between a new 1985 GS1150 or a GSXR750 and I ended up getting the GSXR but I didn't really like the riding position so in 1990 I bought a 1100 Katana and it is a great bike and I still have it.

[ITS_NOT_A_KNIFE]

the first kat i bought was my second bike....Got it because i only had x amount of money to spend on one at the time. (what i had after parting my first bike ('87 cbr1000 hurricane).....now i buy about two kats a year. If i actually count all the parts bikes ive bought, id say ive owned 14-15 kats, including 2 1100's.

Pros: Parts are readily avail. Easy to work on. Engines are bullet proof if you maintain them (i said engines not tranny's) Lots of parts interchange.
And an AWSOME community of other kat enthu.


Cons: There not as fast as a GSXR (and thats not why you bought it). resale value isnt the best but it hold its own. old school looks (pre's -and just my opinion) not exactly a knee dragger (but can be done)

The main reason i think i stayed with the kat for all these years is because of this forum. You will never find another forum that is more helpful and curtious to what your doing. Go on a gsxr forum once and you'll see what i mean.

ok after writing all that i still have to start my turbo kat thread

[SilentTJ]

i went looking for a kat specifically because it was within my budget, and i had learned to ride on my brother '06 kat before he got rid of it. so when i found my current '04 kat for 2k, i jumped on it right away. would i buy another one? no. i do love the kat for what it is, but currently it's not running do to reasons i'm not entirely sure, but all sources point to the carbs, although i should have it running again soon (hopefully), i refuse to ever buy a bike with carbs again, i don't have a garage to do work in, so anything that takes more than an hour or so is very difficult, and FI just makes everything simpler. now i wouldn't mind a bike similar to the kat, like the new 650f, cause in terms of handling, performance, and comfort i love the kat

[LAsunbird86]

I couldn't pass on mine for $800. It was a no brainer, and I love the styling.

[BoarderBry]

wasn't initially looking for a Kat......but I knew I'd be dong a lot of commuting with whatever bike I was buying. Sat on a few CBR's, Ninjas, and Gixxers but they lacked the ergonomics I was looking for. Just so happened that a stealership in town here had a few Kats in stock so I sat on those.
Jackpot!
A katana was what I wanted.....and bought one from a private owner a few weeks later with absolute NO regrets.
Quick, nimble, good-looking, cheap on gas and an all-out BLAST to ride.....why look anywhere else?

Though now, I'd throw another bike in there but hard to find....A VFR
Just about the same ergonomics as my Kat but with more 'UMPH' to it. No to mention the single-sided swing arm
Got one of these in my garage now (friend's). Can't wait till he fixes it up properly so I can take it out!

[Kreylyn]

I saw mine new, sitting on the showroom floor and thought it was the best looking bike I had seen.

So I walked out with it.

Krey

[first ride]

I was looking at either YZF600 or ZZR600 but the wife beat me to it and got me 750 Katana for Christmas back in 06. Turns out she new best

[jollidude]

Mojoe,

I bought my Katana 1100 new in 1988 with the optional Krauser luggage. 22 years later, I still have it. Still runs great, although I have nowhere near the mileage that you do. Mine has just under 60,000 km. I've ridden it across Canada to Victoria BC and back through the US. Last summer, my brother and I did the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton and also did a trip around the Gaspe, Quebec. I bought it because I wanted a sport tourer with hard luggage. If I remember correctly, I paid around $8800 out the door.

Cheers!

Jollidude

[Kano1017]

I was looking for an SS either a R6 or a CBR 600, and I got to decide between the CBR 600 an the Kat, and I got the Kat cause of the cheaper insurance, seems like I got a great deal cause I loved my Kat

[bruisa15]

I got mine secondhand, in 2004. After getting back home in oz in ,96 after a 4 year trip away in working around the world and selling previous bike in '92 to help finance my trip. It wasn't until 2004 that i got a bike again and the kat was a bike that i couldn't refuse and the price was too good.
It still does everything well

[Mojoe]

Mojoe,

I bought my Katana 1100 new in 1988 with the optional Krauser luggage. 22 years later, I still have it. Still runs great, although I have nowhere near the mileage that you do. Mine has just under 60,000 km. I've ridden it across Canada to Victoria BC and back through the US. Last summer, my brother and I did the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton and also did a trip around the Gaspe, Quebec. I bought it because I wanted a sport tourer with hard luggage. If I remember correctly, I paid around $8800 out the door.

Cheers!

Jollidude

way to go dude...but damn, less than 60k kms?? you need to ride that thing more..lol

I was ready to buy a new bike in 1986 and my choice was between a new 1985 GS1150 or a GSXR750 and I ended up getting the GSXR but I didn't really like the riding position so in 1990 I bought a 1100 Katana and it is a great bike and I still have it.

you too. cool to see a few 1100 guys who have stuck with it for 20 years