[maniac1886]

I agree RK. Thats part of the reason I'm so happy with my Kat. Anything over the top speed of the katana (and honestly the top speed of the katana) is just wasted horsepower. If you cant or dont take your bike to the track, then you never really get to enjoy the speeds a supersport can offer. My buddy was talking about *big chested* how we was gunna sell his gsxr 600 and upgrade to a busa. I told him to his face he was stupid. He looked at me funny so I elaborated. Where are you gunna go to use all that power you just paid for?? You gunna take it to the track I asked. He said no. I said so where do you exactly plan to ride that thing at or above 150 mph?? He couldnt anwer me. So I said, So bascially, your just buying it "cuz its a busa" then right? Cuz you wont ever be able to use all the power its got on the expressway, let alone surface streets. So your gunna pay an extra $3-5K so that it has a japanese symbol for a bird on the side of it? I overheard a conversation a few days later where he said he was going to sell the gsxr600 for 750 or 1000. Still a waste of horsies but hey, to each their own. I love my katana. I dont need to be able to brag about doing "165 mph".

[rk97]

I totally hear you. I do understand when people want a bigger engine for more torque, but I think that's better accomplished with an SV1000 than a hayabusa, or a liter sport bike.

I wish there was a market for 750-850cc liquid-cooled twins. Basically I want Ducati 848 power at an SV650 price. Ultimate street bike.

The FZ09 comes close to what I would consider ideal.

[maniac1886]

I really really like the RF600 and RF900. I almost wish they woulda dropped the Kats and kept those... (ssshhh dont tell nobody i said that.) they are sharp bikes. I want one, but I've never seen one for sale.

[BareKat]

I'm feeling a bit sheepish right about now. I've had my Kat (approaching) 9 years and in those years admit to have ridden way too fast at times.

100+ mph is easily achievable and safe on a Kat given the right road and traffic conditions. In less than 10 seconds the bike will go from legal to extremely illegal speeds.

I'm not advocating for reckless riding on public roads and I've definitely acquired a taste for more moderate speeds as I mature.

[raidinmd]

my 99 750 kat hits 140 mph after i cleaned her up

[Psycho1]

I'd like to know how steep of a hill you guys are descending down to hit 140 or 150 on a Kat. My 600 tops out at 115 on the speedo with a 160lb rider and stock gearing.

My old 1990 600 with the engine modified to early 90's race standards used ot reach 125 indicated just as it hit the rev limiter (13krpm)in 4th gear, 145mph at the limiter in 5th, 6th never made it to the limiter, but did touch the 150mark a few times. This was in thinner air at 4500-7000' elevations, at sea level it should have been capable of reaching 150mph on gps.

[GanjaGreg]

Is it just me or is the pre kat faster then the post kats? top speed wise.... maybe not bottom and mid but at the top... i raced my friend on his 99 750 katana and me on my 93 600 with 750 swap, and he pulled on me at the start then i hit about 3rd 8k+ rpms and blew by him.

There would be your first wrong assumption. The second would be the assumption that a Katana is a sports bike, not fully true like 50%. Though most newbs think that it's a gsxr, so they ride it as such on public rodes, not the most intelligent thing to do either. Most, ride just to be riding, track days are for racing. I have told many young stupid riders to slow the !!!! down.

a pre is a GSXR for us poor folk lol. Post Kats are the Can O tuna IMO... I can mod my pre into anything i want if i want it to be a sport bike minus the touring part it is... Your pre looks nothing like a sport touring bike so i assume you can understand.

[Kreylyn]

Is it just me or is the pre kat faster then the post kats?

CC to CC the Pre kats generally put out more HP than the Post engine setups.


It's not much, but... it's there.


Krey

[Psycho1]

If I remember right, the post Kats had camshaft and timing changes (lower rpm improvements at the expense of high rpm peal hp) to make the engine more rider friendly in cruising/touring type riding situations. THe post Kats are also a bit heavvier than the pre's, so even if the yhad the same power, the pre should have slightly better power/weight ratio.

[GanjaGreg]

If I remember right, the post Kats had camshaft and timing changes (lower rpm improvements at the expense of high rpm peal hp) to make the engine more rider friendly in cruising/touring type riding situations. THe post Kats are also a bit heavvier than the pre's, so even if the yhad the same power, the pre should have slightly better power/weight ratio.

That would make since seeing i blew by him once the RPMs picked up. I have no idea what has been done to the internals of my engine but soon as that sucker hits 7-8k its a beast, ive ridden Gixxers and CBRs and even a buell once and i feel my katana ranks right up there.

The guy who owned it before me was an MMI grad who had a checkered painted garage floor with neons behind his tool boxs, and he didnt tell me it had a 750 swap so im not sure if anything else has been done, IE port polish etc..

[Psycho1]

Hard to tell which 750 is actually in it. If it came from a 89-92 GSXR it could run real nice for a Kat.

[5point0guy]

my 02 runs 145ish redline at 6th...it has a slip on and 1 down front sprocket...downhill helps too

im 6'0 and 275

[5point0guy]

my 02 kat 600 hit 145 on speedo..didnt hesitate to bad getting there for a heavy bike...felt like 130 give or take...i read the speedos arnt correct anyways

[Ravelife]

The Katana is *classified* as a sport cruiser. Its a sport bike. Not a super sport, not a hyper bike, not a race bike, but a sport bike none the less. Its a bit clumsy and can feel like its stuck in glue but its riding position, lean angle and high revving engine are all characteristics closer to sport bikes and more suited for spirited riding than actual cruisers.

Nobody will ever confuse a Kat with a Sportster or Vulcan.

I have a 2000 600 with a Thrust Company sprocket set up. Stock teeth in the front, 52 rear.


I lost top end speed. So what. It still gets over 100 and I don't need to be doing that shit. What I gained was explosive acceleration and wheeliability beyond what I think most people think a Katana capable of.


I have ridden a variety of motorcycles from 50 to well over 1000 ccs. Dirt, street, scooters, bicycles.


When people down play a Katana's capability on the road compared to a GSXR or some shit my first thoughts are, "I have seen your 40hp Harley and you cant even handle it properly" or "You stretched your Hayabusa beyond 'fun to ride' and it has more shiney crap on it than a 17 year old rap phenomenon. "


I am not the best rider, but I have ridden enough crap to know that a Katana is a sport bike. It may not be a modern sport bike, but it is way more than 90 percent of riders you will ever meet are capable of maxing out the potential of and you old timers and better riders KNOW this.



I think some of you guys, maybe you don't wanna admit how fun your bike is. I will be honest and say that when I purchased this bike I downplayed it to my wife using the 'baby this is a sports TOURING model not a crotch rocket...'


Ya don't have to cover it up here, guys, if you wound up on a Katana there must be a reason...


I am capable of handling any RR bike and not dying on it from incompetence, but I like my Kat because it does everything you could ask for on the road (legally) performance wise and being safe but it is still comfortable enough to ride for more than a half hour when my herniated disc acts up.


With all respect I have learned a lot here, but really just accept that a Katana dogs anything that is NOT a 'real' sport bike.

[astevens54]

I have to agree with Ravelife. The Katana does a lot well. I just replaced my Kat after looking for something to compare it over the last 2 years. I miss it in someways. When I was looking one thing the stood out and that I looked for was comparable horsepower. Many didn't come close (other than a true sports bike) and yes I realize torque to the wheel is important too. The Kat is one great motorcycle!