Edit: 2005 Katana NOT last production year

[DotComWolf]

In a Dutch MC-mag I read that the 2005 Kat had it's last update.

I'm not sure what has been updated, but has anyone else hear/read that there won't be a 2006 Kat?

[KatanaO215]

ive also heard that. It was on one of the katana forums. I havent seen any official releases though

[irenekat]

i wouldnt doubt it. with all the newer models coming out, dont think suzuki will have room for the lovable, but 'infamous' katana

[duff daddy]

thats good though ..cuz that means we have a collecters bikes because they dont make them so ill have 2 collectors bieks...the kitty and my cavaliear ...word

[WildKat]

Yeah that was listed here, but quite some time ago..until Suzuki gives the official word.. Im not hearing it!!

They may be able to stop making the kat, but they cant take mine away !! \/

[SweetLou]

I would like to see it replaced woth new up to date stuff, and remain at a reasonable price. Something Like fuel injection, that would be nice. Other than that, keep it the same. Comfy for long rides, and ready to eat the twisties!

[jhugh]

I would like to see it replaced woth new up to date stuff, and remain at a reasonable price. Something Like fuel injection, that would be nice. Other than that, keep it the same. Comfy for long rides, and ready to eat the twisties!

I'm with SweetLou but would also like to see it loose a little weight.

[WildKat]

Thats one of the big things..put our baby on a diet, fuel injection, and boost that HP to atleast 100 stock. but then again, with the way the SV has really taken off in the new design, it doesnt look good for the Kat. But atleast she'll always have us to tilt her stand on!

[trinc]

they can't make the kat too much like a gixxer.


it's a love/hate thing with the weight. in the back roads it's a beast but on the cruise out to the coast or pounding out miles on the main slab i like the weight for the stability.

i would think that zuk would wait for sales to decline before removing it.


tim

[WildKat]

Lets hope your right trinc!! Even with the Kat being heavier, its still amazing balanced to still have fun on the twisties..yeah, zuki definately got their money's worth out of it, no matter how long it lasts yet...but thats a good point. Does anybody know the sales figures for the Kat in recent history>?

[DotComWolf]

Got some replies from the Dutch importer:

one told me there are no plans to stop production, another one told me it would still be produced in 2006.

We'll see.. I'm crossing my fingers for an all-new 2006-type.

[The CyberPoet]

i would think that zuk would wait for sales to decline before removing it.

I pretty sure it has zero to do with sales and everything to do with the European tier-3 and USA new-EPA regs for pollution control (both effective for the 2006 motorcycle model year). Although the bike can be outfitted to meet the requirements (such as the California model is in the 2005 iteration), I can't see how they could possibly guarantee the required length of compliance (5 years or 25k, whichever comes first, I think it was) using carbs. That means mandatory fuel injection, which means a major redesign, and I can see them deciding to retire it instead. It hasn't gotten good press in half a decade, virtually zero press coverage (when's the last time you saw a Kat being evaluated by a major magazine) and what press coverage it gets usually doesn't bode well.

More's the pity.
Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[StraKat]

I'm with CyberPoet on this one. The old technology that made the Kat so affordable for so long has reached the end of the road. It would bring the Katana prices up so high to update it that Suzuki
couldn't justify keeping it. I'm with the rest of you though, perhaps there is a new Kat down the pike that will appeal to the masses (US!!!).

[WildKat]

I'm with CyberPoet on this one. The old technology that made the Kat so affordable for so long has reached the end of the road. It would bring the Katana prices up so high to update it that Suzuki
couldn't justify keeping it. I'm with the rest of you though, perhaps there is a new Kat down the pike that will appeal to the masses (US!!!).

took care of that double post for ya.

[fulcrum]

I just thought I'd renew this topic.

I've been thinking about this, and I think it is possible that it will retire, but will be replaced by a new bike. I think they'll lose the name, because as Cyberpoet said it hasn't had good press in years. They could use the name Katana everywhere but North America as everyone else has had it called the GSXF since the original Katana.

But there will be a new bike I'm pretty sure. Otherwise Suzuki won't have a sports tourer (see my comments on the busa below).

I've been looking at other sports tourers lately (starting to plan for my future - when I outgrow my Kat) and have discovered these ones which look great:

Triumph Sprint ST 2005
Honda VFR 800 (possibly soon to be crossbred with a Blackbird and V5)
Yamaha FJR-1300 (a little too much towards tourer maybe).

There are also the Kwaka ZZR's and the Busa.

I don't like the Kwaka's. Don't know why. Look fine in the photos, but I don't like them in real life.

I don't consider the Busa as a sports tourer, but more as a sports bike you can tour on. I would feel comfy on the Triumph, Honda or Yam, but I'd be scared on the Busa. A quick twist of the wrist on the other 3 and you overtake the car in front. A quick twist on the Busa and you are embedded in the rear of the car in front before you can start to pull around him Maybe I'm just a wuss.

But anyway, apart from the Busa, Suzuki would have nothing for this market - one which is steadily growing here in Oz as older people are coming into riding and wanting a comfortable bike with grunt when you need it and still able to handle twisties.

The VFR and Sprint seem to be great for the dual purpose and get rave reviews. It'd be good to see something from Suzi in this range. We'd all know it was the new Kat anyway.