[H-2 CHARLIE]

most people think the katana is slow as a snail but unless you ride it we know differant .. yes its the slowest -600 made , even my old gpz-zx-600 from 1985 would wup butt on the kat =96 mph in 4th gear and the kat is well close but just behind that ... but it looks good and maybe even great , and its ok for my ridding .. we all have one for the price its no dream bike but my yellow gets them stairing most of the time

[md86]

Someone was talking trash about my katana to my face just yesterday.

He's never ridden a motorcycle in his life.

I LOVE those twerps . Lady I used to work with was the same way . I stopped talking to her when I realized she was THAT stupid , and TOLD her so .

[hinmo]

I still want a Blackbird REAL bad .

My buddy bought a 97 Blackbird a couple months ago. First, it looks fantastic, sounds great (twin yoshies). IT has great low end torque, and we havent even dented the top end on it. BUT, it does not handle as good as my Kat....it seems heavier (might not be), and has a longer wheelbase which makes it combersome to turn around town. It is uncomfortable ergo wise....you get shoved against the tank and the bars are much lower.

I wouldnt mind having one, but the Kat has some better features.

[md86]

Well ,the weight is actually about the same as the Kat . When I sat on one , it felt like it was balanced a little better . Shocks .... well , there's always room for improvement on MOST bikes . Helps if they're set up to match your weight first , though . I still want one . Specifically , I want a 2000 . They went FI in 99 , but supposedly the bottom wasn't tuned right , so it was a little soft on the low end . In 2000 it was supposedly tuned GREAT , and pulled like mad from ANY rpm . And in '01 they went to a digital dash . I like analog . Not that I've looked into it or anything ....

[bigbike-r]

nothing wrong with a gsxf - i have a gsxr and a gsxr - i dont like modern bikes anyway
my gsxr is the slabside model - the first gsxr - and its comfy but not for good mileage - the arse up face down position takes its toll on back and your wrists feel like jelly at the end of the day so i use my gixxer mainly for good hot days ( a rareity here in the uk) for a bit of fun - bike meets - rides to the coast etc - my gsxf is good for all weathers rain sleet sun or snow the riding position is good as not to make you feel like you need a zimmerframe when your done and is powerfull enough for what you need - the roads arent there to be doing 150 up and down on - thats track stuff and as such if i wanted to be doing that id be taken the gsxr to the track - it may be fun doing that on a public road but you can never underestimate other drivers - it takes a mili second for the driver in front to slam on or swerve out and at that speed your a dead man - i see idiots on the latest models dressed in there matching attire going through residential areas at these speeds and cant help but think - if my son stepped out in the street he would have no chance of survival - and thats what i think when i ride - its always whhat if - what if a child steps out in front can i stop in time - what if that car door suddenly opens - at 150 the answer is NO
gsxf are cool for what they were designed for - sports touring theyre sporty enough and good for a long ride - perfect gsxr's are good for racing what they were designed for period
my bike is my bike it serves me well and if someone thinks different - so what - makes no difference to me - i have fun on them so why should i care somebody else thinks its not upto scratch

come to think of it my friend has a gsxr and a blackbird - i expect for the same reasons

[jedney]

I have loved my Kat from day one! Like everyone else has said its comfy on long rides and I think it has plenty of power. I do not and never will need to pull a wheelie. I am not a squid. I like to get out on the road and ride. I do not need to do 150 to have a good time on a bike (however twisting it up to 100 is nice every now and then ) The Kat does this VERY well. So forget what all those people have to say and enjoy your ride. I do every single time I go out!

[tnvatdreamland]

I dont need need to to prove how big my D!%& is by going 150 mph, or doing wheelies on the street, watching out for cages is hard enough just riding, anyhoo, im just wondering why the katana is so looked down on.

This is the bottom line, it is a medical/mental condition called SPS....Small Penile Syndrome.

The Kat "is what it is", and nothing more. It performs exactly the way it was designed to. Sporty yet comfortable and inexpensive to own and operate. An excellent commuter made for street and open road operation.
The SS bikes are TRACK bikes, which are made legal to ride on the street, but not specifically "designed" to do so.

If ya want a SS track bike, then buy one. If ya ride a SS bike, and been around long enough, ya should know that it was the Kat design that started it all way back yester year. And, to know what the Kat evolved into, and that evolution can't be touched in a staight line today.

[Sandman]

Wow...I can't believe this thread is till going strong???? LMFAO...what is this thread about again??

[BUCKJFLOWERS]

Why people make fun of the kat haha. I think this may reach 500 replies at this rate haha

[scottynoface]

Postwhore +1

[Trackerrrr]

I like my Kat and don't look down on others for what they ride. Must be a personal problem on their end.

[Rocketman88]

I just read this tread and I laughed my butt off. I understand why this thread is so long. This is a timeless question all Kat riders ask. "why do people react so wierd when they discover your bike is a Katana and not a Gixxer"

I use to ride in a big group. Some had Gixxers, some had Ninja's, and lots of R6 and R1's

Halfway through the rides these guys would pull over. And they looked like death warmed over. Complaining about their backs and butts. My girlfriend and I would just laugh at them all and tease them that they all looked like old men walking around.

After a full day of riding we had a good time, and had nothing to compain about.

I think that really says it all. I ride to enjoy it. And to be on the road with a good bike that treats me well. I don't need the flashy new bike that does a wheelie with a roll of the throttle, or has me all cramped up like a taco on two wheels.

I love my Kat.

[exc911ence]

You Kat guys should try riding an RF... no one makes fun of it because no one knows what the heck it is!

[Psycho1]

I've only seen one RF on the road, and that was 2 weeks ago when I was stopped in front of a store taking a break as it went by. Guy was loaded up like he was doing a cross country ride or something.

[exc911ence]

The RF900 is a popular tourer over in Europe it seems. Pretty rare machine here in Canada although there is one for sale currently in Quebec that's fully outfitted with hard saddle bags and a tail bag. I find the 2 piece RF600 seat very comfortable so I bet the RF900's one piece is even better.