Is it me or my Katana?

[michelm]

Went out on a 450km ride in Quebec's Laurentian mountains with two guys on FZ-09s We took very twisty roads around lakes and in backroads riding well, well above speed limits! and leaning to the tire's edge.


I kept with them and even overtook them but I felt I was working too hard. Is it me or the Kat?

Michel

[92xjunker]

Have you upgraded the suspension yet?
The katana barely has an acceptable suspension in stock form.

[michelm]

No it is stock. But I think the bike is too heavy and too long. Stable but not nimble. How do you upgrade, can you preload front or rear stock suspension?

Michel

[92xjunker]

Race tech can set you up. Do a search for rear shock up grades.

[michelm]

Would that change the handling much?

Michel

[IanDMacDonald]

Went out on a 450km ride in Quebec's Laurentian mountains with two guys on FZ-09s We took very twisty roads around lakes and in backroads riding well, well above speed limits! and leaning to the tire's edge.


I kept with them and even overtook them but I felt I was working too hard. Is it me or the Kat?

Michel

I hope you did your research on the Katana prior to purchasing it. Just because it looks like a sport bike, does not mean it acts like a sport bike. FZ-09's are modern Yamaha versions of what the Katana was back then. In no way are they on the same level of technology in any form. I have a '78 Yamaha with gold cartridge emulators, R6 calipers, Brembo rotors, and Ohlin's rear air shocks. Bike can hold it's own with the mods I've done. But, not in a million years would I question it's riding ability compared to an imported Yamaha XJR. You're comparing apples to oranges. Katana's will never receive the respect as a true sports bike in the crotch rocket world, no more than a Honda Rebel 250 getting a nod as a cruiser. Facts of life.

[michelm]

I did my research and I decided to go with the Kat as I did not know what to expect from ridding in Canada (long distance, scratching, two up, etc...) I used to ride a 2007 R1 and I was surprised by how well the Kat was in comparison when riding in a spirited but "normal" pace. Today was crazy. The Kat did hold it's own but I was tired at the end of the day.

I guess I just wanted to hear it was the Kat and not me

Michel

[92xjunker]

I hope you did your research on the Katana prior to purchasing it. Just because it looks like a sport bike, does not mean it acts like a sport bike. FZ-09's are modern Yamaha versions of what the Katana was back then. In no way are they on the same level of technology in any form. I have a '78 Yamaha with gold cartridge emulators, R6 calipers, Brembo rotors, and Ohlin's rear air shocks. Bike can hold it's own with the mods I've done. But, not in a million years would I question it's riding ability compared to an imported Yamaha XJR. You're comparing apples to oranges. Katana's will never receive the respect as a true sports bike in the crotch rocket world, no more than a Honda Rebel 250 getting a nod as a cruiser. Facts of life.

Agreed, this is only due to people thinking it is a sport bike. The kat can hang, it's up to the rider get it do so. An upgraded suspension helps greatly. Some mods to the motor will get you a little more pep.

[maniac1886]

+1 Kats are pigs. I have cartidge emulators, racetech springs, and a busa shock. I also have the front lowered 3/4 in and the rear is up like 2 1/2 in from the shock. Lets just say, I've had this bike for 4 years and this summer (first summer with a completely upgraded suspension) the chicken strips came off real quick. If your gunna stay in the twisties you may want to regear your rear sprocket from more low end get up and go. A timing advance helps, and a stage 1 jet kit always helps too. Dont get me wrong, its not gunna wake her up like a modern bike but outside of major modifications, you can squeeze a bit more out of it. I ride with sportbikes alot and you can definitely tell the difference... lol I got a '90 750 motor im about to pimp out and see what it does, (gsxr 750 trans, gsxr 1100 cams, ported/polished head, timing advance, custom exhaust, and jetted the efff out, but after a year or two of the engine upgrade, I will be getting a true sportbike, prefferably fuel injected. lol

[arsenic]

Would that change the handling much?

Michel

Simple answer - yes

[Scout]

If you're riding to the edge of the tire, you're doing it wrong.
To much lean angle on the bike, and either horrible or no body position, whatsoever.
You're asking for a low side, friend.

[michelm]

Stripes are gone already!

The Kat as is can do it but it's not what it's supposed to do. I am not going to pump money into it + it's an 2006 with only 5000km on it (bought it with 3500km!) so it makes sense to keep it stock.

I enjoy riding with these guys, I will keep on doing it, but without pushing them or me that far. If they have to wait a minute for me at every stage, them let it be. I was at 110%. I will ride with them at 90% and then next summer, I will decide what to do. Maybe get an FZ 09, specially if the new model will have a sorted suspension.


Michel

[michelm]

If you're riding to the edge of the tire, you're doing it wrong.
To much lean angle on the bike, and either horrible or no body position, whatsoever.
You're asking for a low side, friend.

I ride pretty well. I do not hang out on the Kat as I did on the R1, but I shift my weight properly. The Kat was very, very stable, even at extreme lean angles!

Maybe it was the Michelin Pilot Road 4 (one of the FZ 09 had them on too) but the bike did not budge, no slip, nothing. Even when I had to break hard in the turn at the sight of gravel! Just a bit difficult to flick from one corner to the other, (these tires have a lazy profile).

For info, the brakes did not fade! They worked fine even in panic braking.

Real issues:

- I could not turn as tight as they did. So I had to push more and lean more going in faster to keep momentum. That was scary (in fact I had to put music on in my helmet because the howling of my Yoshi was scaring me off!)

- I had to push the engine into the red all the time and had to double and triple down shit most of the time to get good control into the turn and enough power out to keep up with their superior acceleration. Sometimes I down shifted too much and it impacted my speed in and out. that was in fact my first real experience with riding the Kat that fast. I am sure I will get to know it better with time.

- I was exhausted at the end of the day. The Kat is very heavy!

Anyway, it was a great ride, a bit scary after the fact, proved the Kat could scratch. I will go to New York this summer to experience the long haul experience on it and justify the "Jack of all trades" characteristics of a marvellous (heavy, did I say that already?) bike.

Michel

[skjeflo]

No one should be riding at 10/10 on the street. If you are riding that hard it's only a matter of time till you come upon something that the Kat can't pull you out of, either due to its weight, lower performance suspension, lack of power or some combination of all of them. The damage you cause may not be just to yourself or your bike....

Look up track days in your area, where you can ride that hard in a proper environment.

[arsenic]

I am not going to pump money into it.

I've never heard that before.