keep the kat modify it to what i want or buy a new bike?

[jcalvin1126]

Ok soo I have many plans for my kat but I came to a crossroads either keep the 93 kat 750 put the bandit 1200 motor un it and modify the swing ARM and etc.... or just simply buy a newer gsxr or zzr what do you think i should do.. I love the bike just not enough umph to my taste opinions would be great just can decide what to do

[HemiKat]

My 92 Kat with a B12 out ran a 2009 GSXR 1k a few weeks ago. The bike is only about 10% of the equation when it comes to riding.

[jcalvin1126]

This I understand its more or less.. cost... either would cost the same maybe a little cheaper to mod my kat... but with a newer bike obviously I get the efi and looks etccc....

[DClark]

Ok soo I have many plans for my kat but I came to a crossroads either keep the 93 kat 750 put the bandit 1200 motor un it and modify the swing ARM and etc.... or just simply buy a newer gsxr or zzr what do you think i should do.. I love the bike just not enough umph to my taste opinions would be great just can decide what to do

Sounds like you want more power.I'll give you my counterpoint opinion. In a nutshell, I say get a different bike.
Here's my example- I have a '91 Kat 1100 with corbin seat and soft bags. it is a nice long distance ride and I am sure you'd be happy with the power it has, maybe 10.8 in the 1/4.
However, like your bike, the design of it is stoneage; it was designed when Reagan was still president!
For $9999, I can get a leftover 2008 Concours 14. It has that neat electric windsheild just like my kat. However, in power, it is much better, 10.3 1/4 mile, even better if you take out the butterflies. It also gets better mpg and has an excellent shaft drive.
It also has an excellent, modern suspension, better wheels, much, much better brakes (with abs too!), better parts availablity,hard luggage bags and on top of all that- a three year warranty (which can be extended to 6 year for just an extra $400).
You can upgrade your motor all you want but in the end, you will have a nice motor in a tired, out of date chasis.
Supposing I got $2000 for my kat, that '08 C14 would be $7K. For me, $7000 tossed at my Kat 1100 wouldn't make it close to the equal of that C14.
I recommend you consider getting a different bike. I heard that there are leftover GSX1000R bikes going for under $10K, if you can't afford one of those, I am sure a used one could be had for much less (leftover bikes depress used bike prices).
I looked at the cost/benefits of trying to make my kat more competitve with modern bikes a long time ago and concluded to love it for what it is and leave it alone (I also have a jet kit and a kerker 4-1 on it, that's it for performance!).

[Wild-Bill]

Sounds like you want more power...

I'm all for modding but if it's about power then get a different bike. I'm not a big fan of new off the showroom floor-I'd rather let someone else pay the depreciation-but you're never going to get the performance out of a Kat that you could get, bone stock from a lot of other bikes. Just remember, the things you like about the Kat probably won't be there in a higher performance bike. Be sure that's what you really want before you commit.

[Unholy_m]

I have embarked on the road of modding. What's with having "the best looking bike anyhow." Even if you BOLT ON new parts there is someone somewhere that has the same combination. Give or take. With the kat you have a unique platform. Sure the parts might be from other bikes but no one will have the same combination. It will be truly yours and unique.

[jcalvin1126]

That's y I'm having trouble deciding I like the ideal for haveing a,one of a kind bike but want the pros of a newer one... by the way I wasn't going to specifically buy a brand new one just 05 or newer

[Unholy_m]

Yeah I figured that but just saying as reference. I get a lot of grief from my friends that have newer bikes. Things like when you gonna buy a mans bike, That thing is uglier then the day it was made, ect. I don't mind it because they have all been riding longer then me and on newer bikes. Yet I can hold my own on the twisties. Not keep up but enough for them to be impressed, Still no change in tone though. lol

[jcalvin1126]

Well I've allways lived by this motto... " you see a Honda civic with a beef cake motor keeping up with the fast cars.. yeah impressive.. but at the end of the day its still a honda civic ." But I love this bike haha.. I dunno ill just keep looking maybe ill find a newer bike for the cheap and keep both bikes haha

[HemiKat]

But I love this bike haha.. I dunno ill just keep looking maybe ill find a newer bike for the cheap and keep both bikes haha

Sounds like a good plan to me... Ive have and have had a few bikes, but Ive kept the Kat the whole time.

[scottynoface]

A powerful Katana is still a Katana. It has a steel frame and subpar suspension components compared to any bike that is mildly new. Like Jason said, it's 90% rider, but if you put the same rider on a Gix 1k and a Katana with B12 swap and any suspension upgrade you can think of, he will still be faster on the Gix.

Just my .02, but upgrade while you can. I loved my Katana, but high performance it's not.

[katanarider]

Of course keep the Kitty !
But my honest opinion would be buy another bike for the sake of time and effort.
If you sell it you probably will not get a whole lot for it (just my experiance and opinion ?) Save a few more pay checks, ride the Kat the whole time instead of not having a bike then have two bikes, one for rainny weather and stuff.
Then one day down the road when you get frisky take the time to build a beast of a Kat and ride the other bike the whole time.
2 cents

[Free Coffee]

As a wise man hereabouts once said- There's no replacement for displacement. The Kat won't outrun many bikes in a straight line given riders of equal skill. And it sounds like that's your interest.

Also- if you're just ****ing around town you could put a retardedly gigantic sprocket on the rear. Probably the cheapest way to get more "torque" from the Kat.

[squiggy]

....or just simply buy a newer gsxr or zzr what do you think i should do

You should also take a look at what the insurance, if it's mandatory, would be on the vehicle you think you would get. That play into a factor as well.

[loudnlow7484]

If all you want to do is accelerate fast, then keep the kat. You can make a lot of power with an 1127 or 1157.... enough to keep up with or beat most of the latest SS bikes. The downside is, the kat will never handle like the latest race-reps do, and (the important part to remember) any and all money you throw at modifying your kat will be essentially thrown away. I would guess that for every $2000 you put into modifying your bike, you might get $4-500 back on resale. That's not an absolute rule, but it's a pretty good ballpark. If you aren't particularly attached to the old oil-boiler, then I would really recommend you just get another bike. It's amazing how much faster even a dead-stock 5 year old liter+ bike is compared to the Katana.