Katana - Still a respected name for those in the know

[40something]

During my Ozark Run this weekend I met up with the these guys and two others not in pic who all respect the Kat as the first real sport bike. One of the guys had once owned a Kat 1100 and was telling me that he wished that he had it back. They spent a lot of time looking over the 06 750 even loaded with the luggage. These guys were riding ZX9R, GSXR-1K, GSXR-600, and a Blackbird.

The previous Kat owner and one of the others even said what we already know that the Kats are the most bulletproof bike made.

[GixxerJoe]

If they havent owned a kat most people are clueless about the kind of bike a katana is.

[eviilil0ne]

most people dont want to know anything about the kat .. but thats ok .. leaves more for us to get .. also helps keep the number of ss bikes being parted out after being totalled up so that we can get bits and pieces

[StevieB]

Well, that's cool, the antidote to the "A Kat's Not A Bike" thread.

Just MHO, but man, oh man, that is a lot of stuff on the back of your bike! That rack trunk just looks goofy that far back and that high.

[mx916]

I agree. I'm on my second Kat with no regrets. Maybe eventually I'll be on my third!!

[fgrejdus]

I use to get the same thing on my Sportster. The guy's that never owned one(real tough guys ) would talk trash about them. But I talked to a few old time riders that owned them and would tell me how much fun they had on them.

I knew the Kat was a great bike bike when my Buddy owned one in the mid 90's. I wish I bought it when he was selling it. I finally got one and I plan to keep it for a long time.

[allblackkat]

about the sportsters, I gave a co-worker alot of hell for buyin an 883, its a girls Harley most squid HD riders will say, but I'm sure if I ever wandered into that realm of insanity, I'd probably get an 883 too, just the dark version with blacked out everything, I think they're called Nighsters.... not that I've looked or anything....

[Mojoe]

If they havent owned a kat most people are clueless about the kind of bike a katana is.

ya....well no offense intended, but 99% of the members on here are clueless about the kind of bike the katana is, except for the "newer" 600 or 750 they happen to own.

I happen to have an 83 1100, as well as an 86 750 and 92 and 93 1100.
And I am going to tell you straight up from experience that most people on here do not have a clue what it is like to ride a "real" katana. you know....the ones that held the honor of "world's fastest bike" at the opening of two different decades. 1980 and 1990.

Once you have experienced or spent any amount of time with those bikes, then you have the right to say you know your katanas. Until that happens, you basically know squat except for the "low end" of the katana lineage. And when I say "low end", I mean when they turned the katana into a cheap over-weight, under powered machine to fill that gap between a true sport bike and a custom.

Not trying to be mean or insulting. I am just stating what I feel is a fact. I am pretty sure the "few" on here who do own an early 80's kat or a 88-93 1100 know what I am talking about.

btw....like I said, I was not bashing the bike. If anything. it was just to give those who "think" they are katana gurus a little dose of reality and let them know that the well of katana knowledge goes a lot deeper than they think. The bike itself.....still a great bike. And that pic with all the luggage clearly defines one of todays katana's best abilities......ready for the long haul.

[allblackkat]

Mojoe, I know what motorcycle forum this is, but people can't possibly consider themselves Kat gurus, based solely on the last two versions 600 and 750s? I would hope that they'd consider themselves more GSX600F guru's than anything.....


But from my, mostly uneducated (katana-wise), perspective:

the Katana Sportbike moniker, got switched back when they came out with the gsx1300r.... also known as the hayabusa, the true Katana replacement..... But suzuki couldn't keep the name alive because of what the Katana eventually became, a Bandit with fairings and clip on handle-bars.. Much like the 08 gsx650 and gsx650f...

Now the Katana name has been washed all the way down to Scooters just to make sure it won't ever come back on a 200mph sport bike...

[Mojoe]

Mojoe, I know what motorcycle forum this is, but people can't possibly consider themselves Kat gurus, based solely on the last two versions 600 and 750s? I would hope that they'd consider themselves more GSX600F guru's than anything.....


But from my, mostly uneducated (katana-wise), perspective:

the Katana Sportbike moniker, got switched back when they came out with the gsx1300r.... also known as the hayabusa, the true Katana replacement..... But suzuki couldn't keep the name alive because of what the Katana eventually became, a Bandit with fairings and clip on handle-bars.. Much like the 08 gsx650 and gsx650f...

Now the Katana name has been washed all the way down to Scooters just to make sure it won't ever come back on a 200mph sport bike...

exactly....I agree. I also believe the current katana is not a direct decendant of the original. like you said....the busa is what took it's place. by this, I mean after the 1100 kat. In the rest of the world, the 1100 kat was sold until 97.....just before the busa, or around the same time, that it came out. It filled the spot of "big cc's" sport touring.

the current kat......nothing but a gsx-f in the rest of the world. like you said...more of a bandit with fairings.

so like I said before...comparing the current katana with those before it is like comparing apples to oranges. the ONLY thing they really share in common is a sticker that says katana. and that sticker is only on the bikes in north america. reason for that is likely out of respect for the designers who are mainly from europe. you know....so thay don't have to see the streets littered with watered down versions of their creation. where as in north america it was probably more of a marketing ploy. you know....the the ol' skool bikes had a great rep, so they feed off that. who knows, really?

Don't get me wrong....I think the current katana is a practical and reputable bike, but I just can't bring myself to put it in the same boat as the ol' skool kats.

[allblackkat]

I'm glad that there's the 98+ Kats around, my Kat is a 98.

However, Kat's should be called Kat's and not Katana's until the owner goes out and puts the 1157 engine in it... to ressurect the Katana that is inside their Kat....


that's a man law... who wants to take a vote?

[tobyrox]

So the Harley guys bash their brethren for riding girls bikes if they get a Sportster AND Mojoe sits here and tells us that if you're not riding an original Katana, you're not worthy. And nobody says anything? That's a pretty piss poor attitude if you ask me.

[Genkenx2]

So the Harley guys bash their brethren for riding girls bikes if they get a Sportster AND Mojoe sits here and tells us that if you're not riding an original Katana, you're not worthy. And nobody says anything? That's a pretty piss poor attitude if you ask me.

+1

[fgrejdus]

So the Harley guys bash their brethren for riding girls bikes if they get a Sportster AND Mojoe sits here and tells us that if you're not riding an original Katana, you're not worthy. And nobody says anything? That's a pretty piss poor attitude if you ask me.

Sometimes theres no getting through to stupid.

[allblackkat]

welcome to KR newbs

and mojoe is not to be questioned.....

nor CP


they are KR prophets/apostles and what they say is gospel..........