[Mojoe]

But stopping it at 300kph.... what's the point? What are they trying to salvage? ID by dental records? Even the difference between 186mph and 250mph wouldn't seem to matter. There's only one degree of dead.

it was a mutual agreement between Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawa. partly due to that some countries have limits in their laws, and secondly, in the name of fair competition. It was more or less a "gentleman's agreement", and not written in stone.

[roadblock409]

lol they wasnt kiddin i got a twin and his name is mojoe!!! LMFAO

[JokerZwild]

I dont care what anyone says, mine is fast enough to make me happy.

[Petagunz]

to me man its all about the rider i have a 83 gs1100 dragbike that more than holds it own on the strip and most people where i live are on new bikes and i turned a lot of heads and changed there thinking when an 83 started outrunning them... i also have a 06 kat 600 with some mods nothing great but most my friends ride R6, R1, and gsxr 750 and 1000 and kawi 600 and i have never been on a ride i couldn't hang i mean top speed i may fall behind but everyday riding and twisty im up at the front holding my own man.. so to me its not always the bike but the rider that matters...

[mak68]

I'd say around 80% of the riders up my way are Harley guys and moped riders.. they're not much into dragging.
Although once in awhile I'll get guys in pick-up trucks making a challenge at the lights.
It's odd, because the sportbikers I come across on the street usually nod, or say "nice bike". Doesn't matter what they're riding either.

[bigat06]

I love my Kat.. plus It's fun running off and leaving my friends on their SS bikes. Skill outweighs sheer power MOST of the time.

[Smokinapankake]

I will always think that First gen kats are the coolest ****ing bike I have ever seen.

Now you're talking sense! They ARE the coolest ****ing bikes ever made! The 84-86 pop ups are, technically, the 2nd Generation, and in my mind, the absolute sexiest motorcycle of all time ever, with the 1st gen coming in a very very close second.

Who cares if it can hang? Its the absolute porn star of the motorcycle world! As for me, I'd rather ride a porn star any day over ANY super sport GSXR/CBR/YZF/ZX-whatever.
Good thing I've got one of each in my garage - hey I just realized; I'm living with not one but TWO porn stars!

[Freebird01]

is it just me or with the tubular exposed rear frame looks like a predecessor to the ducati monster?

[Icecold]

Most of the guys riding all the "ss" bikes are either young snot nose kids that are going to end up road pizza or guys making up for something! (no offense I know we have some ss riders in here) The Kat may not be the fastest on the block but it holds it's own... And it does what it was built to do perfect. Nuff said!

[DClark]

Most of the guys riding all the "ss" bikes are either young snot nose kids that are going to end up road pizza or guys making up for something! (no offense I know we have some ss riders in here) The Kat may not be the fastest on the block but it holds it's own... And it does what it was built to do perfect. Nuff said!

Or they are older guys going through a mid life crisis. In fact, the previous owner of my Kat 1100 was in his mid 40's, bought the bike new in late 90, and over a total of 8 years, put a whopping 4100 miles on it.

[EODA]

It isn't that they lack the balls, they lack the skill. I've been riding for 30+ years and bikes have changed tremendously over the years. Guys that ride these newer bikes may not have as much success with an older bike (Honda CB, Kawasaki KZ, Suzuki GS, and Yamaha XS). Those are the bikes I and a few others on this site cut our teeth on and they aren't as forgiving as the newer bikes. Unless you did a bunch of frame mods and suspension mods, high speed cruising was enjoyable until you got to around 125 then handling changed. Brakes were nowhere near what they are today and tire technology was very different then. Another thing is the weight of the older bikes. Some of those bikes weigh as much as 100-150 kg more than the newer superbikes produced today and as you know that extra weight does make a difference. Imagine Freddie Spencer shaggin' a 500-600 lb motorcycle around Daytona or Laguna Seca or Yvonne Duhamel shaggin' that big KZ around on any road course. Those were big heavy bikes but were also pretty strong. The bikes now weigh about as much as a fat guy. I've seen riders that weigh more than their bikes.

All this to say that it's not just balls, although they do help, pilot skill will always be the main factor then HP.

Wouldn't that be more of a Yamaha XJ? Nothing against the triples, but their rate of acceleration is nothing like the inline four of the XJs.

[DClark]

My first multi cylinder bike was a '80 GS550E. Today, on the way back from the liquor store, saw a nice looking '83 ish 550E. What struck me was how dinky the tires were, skinny like a moped.
My old GS 550 was a heavy tank of a bike and above 80mph, didn't feel too stable. This despite progressive suspension fork springs and shocks (one on each side!)
The Kat 1100 felt light years ahead even though it was only one design cycle ahead. Even compared to a GS1100E, it is amazing.
If anything, a new bike should be easier to drive fast than old metal like the Kat 1100.
I have my eye on the Concours 14 -linked brakes, abs, traction control, that should be even easier to ride than my kitty.

[expvet]

Yeah, if you live on the Daytona racetrack a Kat would usually trail the pack. But in the real world, where real riding happens, it not only holds it's own, but has some plusses most bikes don't. A comfortable ride, dependable engine, unique looks, excellent storage space and usable mirrors outweigh the "I can go faster than you" B.S. that honestly most sport bikers can't live up to (or you don't want to be there when they decide to try to!). It is a great cross between sport bike fun and ergonomic practicality. Nuff said.

[WickedKatweazle]

I have no idea, but Cateye makes a bicycle computer that reads to a max mph of... 186.


http://www.cateye.com/en/products/58

186?! The fastest I've ever gone on a bicycle was about 30mph, downhill, on a five speed beach cruiser! I had to counter-steer at the bottom of the hill to make my turn and I thought it was going to shake apart!

[HexKrak]

This question seems to come up once a year. Bottom line = skill > power in the twisties, but good luck in the strait aways.