750 Katana...

[Michael]

Here in Oz these things are called GSX750F and seem to be a fairly common intermediate step from a 250 to a 1000 or bigger.  Do any of you have any experience or strong opinions on them?

[JamesG]

Besides ugly, heavy, and dumb?  

nope...

[Michael]

Besides ugly, heavy, and dumb?  

nope...

OK, that's strong.  Ugly- yup.  Heavy- not excessively so.  Dumb- that's what I'm hoping to find out.

[gsJack]

Here in Oz these things are called GSX750F and seem to be a fairly common intermediate step from a 250 to a 1000 or bigger.  Do any of you have any experience or strong opinions on them?

Katanas have centerstands, screw adjusted valves, and are amongst the most comfortable ergonomically of all the sportbikes.  Puts them near the top of my pratical sportbikes list.

[ghettorigged]

I know several people who ride them and love them.
Try lurking around on //www.katanaplanet.com  

[john]

Katanas have centerstands, screw adjusted valves, and are amongst the most comfortable ergonomically of all the sportbikes.  Puts them near the top of my pratical sportbikes list.

Yea, what Jack said.  If I had to cross country on a bike I'd pick a Kat 750.

[davipu]

ok everyone  the correct way to say it is can-of-tuna.   lets say it together can of tuna  .

[vtlion]

Kats are heavy and ugly, and they haven't had any serious R&D thrown into them in over a decade.  For similar $$$ you could by any one of a number of bikes that would thrash the Kat into oblivion in any riding conditions.  Suzuki is just pumping the Kat mill for all the $ they can before they kill that horrid, old beast  :lol:   Seems kind of lazy to me, to continue cranking out bikes that are not improved upon from year-to-year.  My money would be on an SV, YZF600R (another dinosaur supersport, but a better performer than the Kat in nearly every catagory), FZ6, etc....

All of that being said, the people who own them typically LOVE them, and they know more about what its like to own a Kat than I do...  :dunno:

I suppose if simplicity is what you are after and you like to rack up the miles on the highway that the Kat 750 could be just the ticket.

[JamesG]

YZF600R (another dinosaur supersport, but a better performer than the Kat in nearly every catagory), .

hey now.  

The YZF600R came out in 1996, and is only a generation (ok two) behind the latest, greatest, cutting edge repli-racer. While its sold in the same niche as the Kan-o-tuna, it no-where near in the same league. Fully adjustable suspension, good wheels & brakes, an bodywork that didn't fall out of the ugly tree, etc...

In a choice between the Yamaha and ANY GSF I would pick a YZF hands down.  

[gsJack]

Kats are heavy and ugly, and they haven't had any serious R&D thrown into them in over a decade.  

Total heresy!!!  This is a GS500 forum and riding a bike that has had no serious R&D in over a decade is mandatory to participate here.   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[vtlion]

^^  haha...you'll note that I no longer own a GS, Jack.  I'm not sure if that qualifies me to cast stones more, or less... but when I moved on, it was to Fuel Injection ... I considered the Kat originally, but ultimately ruled it out  

hey now.

The YZF600R came out in 1996, and is only a generation (ok two) behind the latest, greatest, cutting edge repli-racer. While its sold in the same niche as the Kan-o-tuna, it no-where near in the same league. Fully adjustable suspension, good wheels & brakes, an bodywork that didn't fall out of the ugly tree, etc...

Whoa... calm down, JamesG... You'll note that I paid the 600R its props in my original post... that bike ROCKS... and for the price of  Kat750, as I said before, it will shred the Katana in practically every category of performance.  That was exactly my point... If you want a non-razor's edge bike for that kind of money, go with the 600R... I certainly would have it on the short list if I were going to spend 7,000 US.

[Blueknyt]

well, my 82 gs750E had an 83 Kat engine in it, ran good, heavy but lots of power for its size,   afer that i got an 88 Kat 600,  lighter then GS, didnt reach 140 like the 750 did, but didnt take long to reach 130, nimble, better stoping then the 750, narrower rear rim thogh.(88 only) i must say the power was alittle bit smoother and had a few more ponies then the 500, but the 500 just seems to handle better. 500 seemed to have alittle more torque then the 600.  the 500 was ALOT cheaper though.   the trick to the 750 Kats was to bolt in the early GSXR oil/air cooled engines and hunt down ZX's. the ergos wernt that bad on the 600, and the 750 ergos arent much diff.

[Alias]

Here in Oz these things are called GSX750F and seem to be a fairly common intermediate step from a 250 to a 1000 or bigger.  Do any of you have any experience or strong opinions on them?

I had a 600 with a 750 engine. 4 cylinders rule. It was heavy, and ugly, but powerfull. You'll love it if your coming from a GS. It was comfy had pretty good brakes. Did I mention powerful? Drill a hole on each exhaust pipe, just before the can and it will sound great.

[500rider]

I have an 89 Kat 750 that I am fixing up.  It was running but it was neglected and needs some fixing.

I haven't had the pleasure of riding it yet but I'm looking forward too it.  Sitting on it, it seems very ergo-friendly.  It is 461 lbs dry with the 4 cyl mill pumping out 106hp.  Add an aftermarket 4-1 pipe and you prolly lose 5 lbs and add another 10 hp.  I don't know the specs on the 98+ Kats.

Of course it cannot compare to a modern sportbike but do you want to spend $400 (just a guess) to get the valves adjusted on a CBR?  I have read they cannot be adjusted by the average home mechanic.  I suppose you could put yourself on a SV650 for about the same price but after about 5 minutes of riding one of those I would be asking for my Katana back.  I have ridden the SV1000 and I was in pain for about 20 of the 25 minute ride.

The newer Kats I see in the show room are going for less than $8000 Canadian.  That's only like $1500 more than the GS500F.  What's a new CBR worth $11-12000?

I say if you have a sportbike that works and fills a niche then why spend R&D dollars and raise the price?  Does a Kat need to be cutting edge?  Although, I suppose they could use one of the last 10 models of GSXR's they've built in the last 15 years and detune it for daily riding use.

[werase643]

katana 600/750 is nothing more than a GS with 2 more cylinders
steel frame
crap suspension
better brake due to more weight
as also stated.... very comfy to ride all day!!!!!!
they use the okd GSXR750 engine from....86-87 era

the wheels will swap.... unless you are talking 98-up then they swap with a SV...

[Blueknyt]

they use the okd GSXR750 engine from....86-87 era

Same basic powerplant, but de tuned, much milder top end of the engine,(cams,carbs,valves, etc) they dont produce Near the ponies the GSXR engines do.