Why do Katana's get ripped on?

[Sidney5101]

Like every where i go, I tend to get a sarcastic "Nice bike", From other Sports riders... And none will give me a straight answer, as to why they said that.. Claiming it wasn't sarcasm... I'm not dumb, i use it all the time, and these guys were layin' it on thick... I just tell my self that they are jealous, and i spend the next few minutes checking how they ride... Chicken strips 2 inches wide on some I'm just confused, any one wish to show this newbie a light in the dark?

[jdm5770]

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=90946&highlight=hate+katana

maybe this will help

[CenCalKat]

People give it a bad time cause it is 20 year old tech, heavy, slow (relatively speaking), ugly, etc.

But, it does what it is designed to - be a comfy, do-it-all bike that will last a long time if well taken care of for a low/decent price point.

It just comes with owning a Kat. Do like most, take the little SS posers out to the twisties and see if they can keep up...I am more impressed with someone who can ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow in the curves.

Otherwise, tell them if they disapprove, they can feel free to buy you the bike you "should" be riding. If they aren't paying your bills, they have no say in what you ride.

[HemiKat]

I like to point out the fact that I can ride 300 miles without my butt hurting and still blow most away at the drag strip, 12 seconds is fast no matter what you ride.

[moscar45]

I think the Katana will someday get the widespread respect it deserves. It is one of if not the bike that brought affordable sport biking to the masses, took advantage of an extremely solid, low maintenance non liquid cooled engine and managed to market and sell itself effectively long after liquid cooled bikes were flooding the market. I guess the extra couple pounds the kat 750 has on the gsxr 750 makes it a dog........or it could be negligible given some larger fellas like myself choose a kat for the more upright touring riding position. I think some of the bashers are just uninformed, or just plain stupid. A bike is a bike, there will always be a faster one than the one you're on, jut respect what you have. I could ride whatever I want, and almost bought a brand new b-king which I'm sure hauls As#.......but I respect the ktana I own and will ride that this year, and maybe next because I doubt I would find a gsxr or ninja of the same year in this condition. People that choose to ride kats not based on price alone tend to take care of them and give them the respect this iconic bike deserves.

[xloc]

Take it from an ex GSXR rider. The Katana is fine. Riding my GSXR back in the day I pulled up at the convenience store where a BMW and Ducati rider were talking. Got off the bike. Waved at them before getting off the bike to go in. The look they gave me was like I just crawled out from under a log. I smiled and went on my way. That is their problem.

[Electrical_Tech]

It all comes down to "little man" syndrome. Some people have to go out and buy "the best" so they can feel superior in some way to others. I think when it comes to the Kat, you have to ride/own one to appreciate the machine that it is.

I have not been riding long, but I was off the bikes for about 3 weeks, got home and had to try the wife's new ZZR. My first reaction after a few km was how light and tossable the ZZr was .. then I got back on my Kat and found that once moving .. hey .. I can flick this just as easily!!! Granted this is with my limited skill.

At the end of the day, if you like what you are riding, who really gives a sh!t what anyone else says!

Enjoy it bro

[Rangerx52]

Think of a katana as a 15 inch long d*ck.

stay with me on this..

Other guys will tease you that there's too much meat, and you'll never pump enough blood to get it to full mast, and that you'll never fit into a normal receptacle all the way, or that you'll always be the freak that doesnt fit in at the locker room.
but at the end of the day, you're still the man when it comes to the ladies, and your bike will still pull more tail than a 2 year old in a kennel.

[CenCalKat]

Dude...what's wrong with you???

If you wanna think of the Kat as that I have one thing to remind you of...

YOU are sitting on it!

[jono237]

sarcasm or not i smile and say thanx right back and now they think i took there sarcasm as a serious compliment now the jokes on them.

[Rangerx52]

Dude...what's wrong with you???

If you wanna think of the Kat as that I have one thing to remind you of...

YOU are sitting on it!

presumably it would be your OWN piece, not someone elses.

if you routinely ride another man's gear, i could see that point of view, but in my mind, i alone own this world's one (outstanding) and only underwear scud. All other males are born eunichs unless proven otherwise- and as such, no opportunities to prove such will be provided.

[bigbike-r]

i had a 600 kat about 3/4 years ago - ive had gsxr slabsides since 3 in total - all 750's, after having the lsat one stolen i have just recently bought another 600 kat - suprisingly for a stock bike - comparing it to my gsxr's its still every bit as nippy - acceleration as you go over 7,000 rpm is good and it has a good top speed - the 750's were said to have a top speed of 145 when they released them in 85 - my first proper ride on the kat yesterday saw 120 on the clock and still some throttle left very good for having a steel heavy frame and been so heavy compared with the ultra lightweight gsxr's alloy frames - dont knock them till you try them i say - they do EXACTLY what they were designed to do and they do it well - ive had power rangers looking at me on there new ducati 998's r1 gsxr1000 ninjas whatever fitted with there matching leathers and colour co-ordinated helmet gloves and boots - you know the sort - the guys that pull there bike out on a sunday provided the weather is good, think theyre valentino on the straights and slam on the breaks and get confused as to why the road seems to have bent - at the end of the day i just smile - theyre not bikers theyre wannabes- a bunch of twats that bought the latest model thinking it makes theyre cocks bigger not knowing what to do with it or how it works - i really feel you have to laugh at this type of "biker"

next time one makes a comment about your bike just think - you know how to ride yours - your probably confident enough not to have to take it to the stealership if it ever broke down because you are at least enogh mechanically inclined - ( something any seriouse biker should be) - you are aware that rain will not melt you or your bike and so you CAN ride it in the rain - sundaay is NOT a time to get your bike out - everyday is, and when you come upto a corner you know that roads bend and you know how to direct the bike through without getting overly confused and looking at the handlebars and wondering if you need to take it back to the dealership to gt the forks turned so youcan go back and take that corner

[JokerZwild]

I have 3 prime examples to offer! I bought my Kat 750 and the first thing my buddies did was laughed and asked "WHY?" They all went out and bought brand spankin new rides! One bought a Gixxer 1K, First wheelie attempt..TOTALED! The second Bought an R1 wound up wrecking it on our 3rd ride out. The 3rd bought a Zx10 and never made it home from the dealer b-4 needing a sh!t load of replacement parts. Point is they all had to buy the fastest things they could to out do eachother. I just laugh and say. "THATS WHY!" DUMB AZZES !! The Kat is fast enought to git outta its own way and still be extreemly forgiving when you make those minor slip ups! The engines are meat and potatoes nothing fancy. Very robust and easy to work on. And as far as all the bikes i've owned (short of my Night Hawk) It's the most comfy sport bike I've ever ridin! I just tell thoses posers I hope they enjoy there payments as much as I enjoy mine!!! Wait.....ITS PAID FOR SUCKAS!!!!!!!

[40something]

Ditto to all of the above. Been riding for over 3 decades and have ridden just about every type of bike made. When I went to purchase another new one a couple of years back I bought a left over 2006 Kat. Why? Simple answer is bulletproof almost, reliable, easy to work on, no liquid system to worry about, handles as well as almost all other sport type bikes in the twisty stuff (better than some), can make a touring plaform with easy mods on the post models, better comfort than anything but a purpose built touring bike, low cost insurance and finally ...... like others have said take the others into the twisty stuff and when you have to pull over and wait on them catch up just look at them with that "Oh you are only straight line fast" look and measure their chicken strips compared to yours..... that says it all right there.

Kat owners typically are real riders and use the Kat as an all weather, all purpose (other than dirt) bike. As we are a breed of our own we really could care less what others think. So ride your ride and find riding friends that think like you do. Remember that it really doesn't matter what you ride as long as you ride. I even wave a scooters which freaks a lot of those guys out.....

[scottynoface]

Oh god...not just one thread for it but now two?

Look, who gives half a flying **** if people make jokes, let em crack wise. Who cares?!? Arsenic rips on my Kawi all day but will that ever make me love my bike one iota less? No, so who cares?