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
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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.90% of motorcycle forum members do not have a service manual for their bike.
Originally posted by BadfaerieI 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 pooOriginally posted by soulless kaosbut 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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Originally posted by scottynoface View PostThe 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.
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Just remember though, it's easy to rely on power instead of proper cornering technique, so you WILL learn more bad habits starting on a bigger bike instead of something light and small like a ninja 250.
A few months till you get on it? We're talking about Katanas90% of motorcycle forum members do not have a service manual for their bike.
Originally posted by BadfaerieI 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 pooOriginally posted by soulless kaosbut 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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Originally posted by scottynoface View PostThe 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.
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Well, nobody else's said it so I will. Get yourself into a MSF riders course. Riding a bike is different from driving your car or even an ATV. The Basic Riders Course will get you used to the clutch (it's not the same kind of clutch as your car has) and teach you how to corner, start and stop properly. Look for a class where they provide the bikes. That way if you spill (and you may. They have you pushing yourself and the bike pretty hard.) then it's their bike, not yours getting scratched up. Talk to the instructors about the Kat and what adjustments you'll need to make with it. If they're any good they'll probably suggest you bring it (on a trailer or with a licensed rider on it) on the last day of class so they can help you out with that.
You'll be fine with a 600 Kat as your first bike. It's a nice, easy handling bike with enough power to get you on the highway without too much strain (unlike most 250s). You'll learn to deal with the weight pretty quickly. Normally, I recommend a new rider find a 250 or 500 to start with but if you've got a 600 Kat being offered then that'll do just fine.
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You're 18/19 ish? (just guessing based on graduating H.S.) Not that I have years of experience or anything, but I am one of those boring types who will tell you that even as "mild" as a katana is, I really don't think it's a very good starter bike.
Comparing my Kat to my Ascot (35 hp, 500 cc single) and I'm very very glad I learned to ride on the Ascot. It's lighter (<400 lbs). Slower (with the current gearing it MAXES at 80 mph) and I would say more stable at lower speeds (fork rake is just a little bit steeper).
I rode the two back to back and the Kat just feels HUGE compared to the Ascot. And the difference in power delivery was very surprising to me for some reason.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Katanas are bad bikes, just maybe not the best idea for a beginner.
I would argue that something in the 25-50 hp range would be better for a beginner (250 Ninja, up to like a 750 twin cruiser. 750 cruiser is typically WAY less power than a 750 Kat, or even a 600 Kat for that matter). It's not about the displacement, it's about the horsepower, and to start with, less horsepower is more likely to teach you good habits and not let you get into as much trouble.Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. --
H. L. Mencken
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I would say a Katana 600 is a pretty good bike to start out with if you're looking for a long-term bike, which I was. Ideally, I think spending your first season on a 250 would be a better choice and then upgrading to a 600, but if you want a bike you'll fully enjoy for at least a few years, I would say the Katana 600 is a great choice. However, be ready to accept the fact that you're going to drop it. I thought for sure that I could be more careful than everyone else and I would do anything to keep myself from dropping it, but it went down a couple times when I first started.
I also highly recommend the MSF course. I want to take the intermediate and/or advanced course sometime in the next year or two.Last edited by Jcates888; 03-04-2012, 08:37 PM.
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A 600cc Kat is not a rocket ship, but it will probably be the quickest thing you have ever had control of. Why not (if you can) get a Ninja 250 or a gs500 or something similar and learn on that. Patience and the right bike and you will learn the basics properly and stay in control... you don't need to fall off.
Anyway what ever you decide enjoy the pleasure that two wheels offers, keep it rubber side down1984 750 and a 1991 600
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I just bought a kat 600 in November for my first bike. I don't find the bike heavy at all but I am also 6'6 and 295#. I love the bike. I will upgrade in the future but for now I know I made the perfect choice. Take the other guys advice. Take the riders coarse. It's worth every penny to get comfortable.
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