Say Goodbye to the Katana.

[Budrick320]

Check this out:
http://www.suzukicycles.com/katana/
don't forget to cry 

[Codger]

I give the GS 2 more years before it takes the hit.

[Alphamazing]

Finally!

I like this quote:
"...performance, innovation, and revolutionary styling that has propelled it into a class all its own."

I didn't realize fugly was revolutionary.

Kinda makes you wonder... what will it be replaced with?

I give the GS 2 more years before it takes the hit.

I'm tending to agree with you, even though the F models are doing fairly well.

[Egaeus]

I give the GS 2 more years before it takes the hit.

What would they replace it with?  The SV650 doesn't really fill the same gap.  IMO, it's too powerful for a true noob.  It's less forgiving of throttle control mistakes. 

[porsche4786]

I give the GS 2 more years before it takes the hit.

I think the gs will be around for longer than 2 years. They wouldn't get rid of an entry level bike would they? Then kawasaki would get all of the 500cc sales. If anything, I bet in a couple years they just change the styling again.

[Kasumi]

I would love to see a mechanical upgrade on the GS. It's the only thing im worried about when buying one that its just mechanically based on a too old motor. . .

[Alphamazing]

I would love to see a mechanical upgrade on the GS. It's the only thing im worried about when buying one that its just mechanically based on a too old motor. . .

Too old? This engine has been proven to be rock solid and for the most part entirely indestructable (given proper maintenance of course). The old tech of it is what makes the GS such an easy bike to live with.

[Kasumi]

Yea thats an appealing factor but if they upgraded the engine whilst still keeping in mind the same indestructableness it has potential to be better in my eyes. I mean it doesn't produce as much HP as some of the other 500cc bikes and i think a few more horses and a modernisation would attract some attention for the aftermarket parts industry. Get some proper pieces which fit the GS's.

[Alphamazing]

Yea thats an appealing factor but if they upgraded the engine whilst still keeping in mind the same indestructableness it has potential to be better in my eyes. I mean it doesn't produce as much HP as some of the other 500cc bikes and i think a few more horses and a modernisation would attract some attention for the aftermarket parts industry. Get some proper pieces which fit the GS's.

The only reason the other 500cc bikes (bike?) make more power is the added tech. Liquid cooling and 4-valves-per-cylinder are what make up the difference. However, with that tech comes added bulk and maintenance. Try dealing with the radiator any time you want to do anything with the engine. Valve checks? 8 valves to check and adjust rather than 4.

The liquid cooling also means the addition of a radiator. Radiators are big, bulky, and ugly. They ruin the lines of a bike, which is why air cooled naked bikes are usually far more attractive than their liquid cooled variants. Go take a look at the Ducati Monster S2R and the Ducati Monster S4R. One is air cooled, the other isn't. The S2R just looks a lot cleaner and, in my opinion, a hell of a lot better than the S4R.

[Kasumi]

I do agree that air cooled bikes look alot nicer, my lil bike at the moment is liquid cooled and i admit its a pain but on a faired bike i don't think radiators matter too much. I love the fins and the shape. Lots of people i know though would say liquid cooled engines look nicer?!?! they're just a block. Im not trying to put down the beloved GS - i just think if they do anything modernising the engine would be a good thing to do - better than restyling again. Perhaps they could beef up the suspension and upgrade the clocks (people think they look dated?) they look good on the naked although on the faired it would be cool to have mounted clocks in the fairings.

[Dwn4whadever]

I hope they take that money and used it to make a FI GS with better forks and stuff.

[yamahonkawazuki]

nice ideas but imo fi and modernization, and engine redesign would put the price into tha area of its larger and more powerful counterparts

[Codger]

All of the significant "improvements"  LC, 4V become the "new" GS.  It would have little in common with the current.
Air cooling now falls into two classes of bikes cheap or fashion.  Yeah, Yeah I know that some Buells raced at Daytona, but it was because there were rules written around giving them discplacement advantages.
With ongoing US and European Emissions issues, an LC FI engine solves most of the problems.
The Kawa has the advantage that the engine is shared with one of the cruisers to increase production volumes. 
From a marketing standpoint, you want a low end bike to get new people onto your bikes and keep them as customers as they upgrade.
Of all of the new riders, at least in the US, how many go to a starter bike.  I see a lot of them going direct to large bikes.
If any company has a strong entry bike path, it would be Kawa with the 250 & 500 in both sport and cruiser configurations.

Fact of life, any major upgrade from the current GS will no longer be the GS we know and love.

[roguegeek]

I really don't see anything they need to do to the GS at all if they want to keep it at that price point. The only change I'd like to see is for them to offer a lower-cost naked version along with the faired version.

[aaronstj]

The only change I'd like to see is for them to offer a lower-cost naked version along with the faired version.

Move to Canada.

(or anwhere but the US, really)

[RVertigo]

Where the hell are we gonna get Katana shocks?!?