gs500 versus katana600

[liquid0715]

Hi guys!
I owned my 500 for about 2 years and only put on about 600 miles.  Which is an obvious indication that I dont ride a whole lot but I still love it when I do.
I spend numerous hours on fixing my gs500 close to perfection, but I still have carb fouling issues that bother me.  I saw a clean katan600 for sale that I can afford once I sell my 500. 
Couple of things bother me about going through with the whole deal.
1) I love this forum and all the information that I can get from everyone.  It seems like the Katana forums are not as good or friendly to say the least.
2) I love my 500, but not sure if its lust or love.  My first bike, I feel comfortable on it and working on it. 
3) The katana600 owners seem to have mixed feelings about the bike themselves, common complaints are heaviness, cost of maintanence.

It seems like I am considering the Katana for its looks and fairing (highway riding) and cheap price tag.

I dont want to regret my deciision and cant keep both bikes.  The heaviness and cost of operation of the Kat scare me.

Any isuggestions?  ANyone gone though a similar trade?

THanks,

[joshr08]

i personally wouldnt get a kat, and if you check alot of the people on the kat forums dont have kats anymore either.  if you looking for a different bike i would look at an older SV650 or older F2-F3 cbr's or even ninja's. just my thoughts tho im sure youll get more feed back from the forum

[BaltimoreGS]

I like Katanas.  Have you gone to www.katriders.com ?  That is the best Katana forum.  Can't speak to the "friendliness" but there is plenty of good info there.  Unfortunately the real Katana guru (CyberPoet) died in a crash last year.  What year Katana are you looking at?  I just sold my '91 Katana 600.  I never dealt with a second generation model but I think they were pretty much the same mechanically.  Just like the GS, Katanas were produced for many years so parts are plentiful and relatively cheap.  You can think of it as a GS500 with some additional cylinders, valves, carbs....  If you do your own work on your GS then there really shouldn't be much difference in maintenance costs, just takes a little more time (16 valves and 2 more carbs).  Shops will charge a lot to adjust the valves and clean & sync the carbs but that is true of any full fairing 4 cylinder bike.  If you are used to working on a naked GS you will grow to hate all the fairings that have to be removed to work on the Katana.  The first gen's had the same size wheels as the GS so tire costs are about the same.  You have an extra set of brake pads up front but they wear about half as fast.  I can't really think of anything else that would make maintenance more expensive.

As for the ride, it's nothing like a GS.  The bike is heavy so low speed manuevers are more difficult.  The extra weight makes the bike very stable on the highway though.  What kind of riding do you do?  Another thing to keep in mind is the bike is not a sport bike.  While it is faster than a GS a real sport bike will leave a Katana in it's dust.  Take it for what it is: a decent, reliable, cheap touring bike.  

If you want a sport bike I am a big fan of Honda CBR600's.  I had a '96 F3 that I still kick myself for getting rid of, it was the best all around bike I ever owned.  They can be had pretty cheap now but you have to find one that wasn't dogged.  Keep an eye out for bolts that were drilled for safety wire (signs of a track bike).  The F2's were good bikes in their day but the F3 is far superior.  If I were to get another one I'd find a later F4i that went back to the old banana seat.

It all comes down to what you like.  I know Josh likes the SV650 but I really don't care much for mine.  It's not a bad bike but the center of gravity is too high for my taste.  And the stock suspension is about as good as the GS stock units.  In hind site I should have held out for the bike I really wanted, a GSX650F which is pretty much the modern day Katana.  I do a lot of long distance rides so it just suits me better.  You'll have to find what suits you.

My 2 cents...

-Jessie


Edit:  Not trying to be a jerk and instigate anything with you Josh but there are also a lot of guys on this forum that got rid of their GS500's  

[mister]

Liquid,

To me, the MOST Important thing about a bike - assuming it is suitable for the riding you will be doing - is the Comfort.

Sure, looks plays a part. It's what can initially Attracts us to a particular bike. But after you're used to the looks, it's the comfort that matters. If the bike is uncomfortable you won't ride it. If it is comfortable, you will ride it.

Granted, we won't bother getting a butt ugly bike thinking, "It'll be fine, I'll get used to it".

So the fact you have a GS in the first place means you are at least Fine as far as it looks.

That being the case, the bike needs to be Comfortable for YOU.

I spent a day on a CBF600s (the blue fairing thing). And while the seat as OK, the rest wasn't as comfy as the GS. The heat coming up from the enging was noticeable. The noise of the engine was annoying after a while and I wished I'd brought ear plus - don't need 'em on the GS. Handling was... different. On the positive side, it had two from brake rotors so quick braking was noticeably better. But otherwise, I preferred my naked GS and couldn't wait to finish the ride and get back on her.

So... take the Kat for a spin and Feel it for yourself.

Michael

[TonyKZ1]

Hmmm, interesting topic, thanks for bringing this up.
I've also considered the Katana 600 as my next bike and I'm a member of Katrider.com too. While I haven't rode one yet, I like the looks of the 2nd gen, 98+ models. The higher output charging system for my heated gear, possibly better selection of tires, more weather protection from a fuller fairing. More comfortable for a longer riding time. For me it's in the same insurance price group as the Ninja 500, GS 500 which are also on my list.  

However like Jessie had said earlier, longer time required to remove fairings and then to adjust valves & carbs, more weight, probably a little harder to move around or push at low speeds, less fuel mileage and range than I'm used to on my Ninja 250, probably about the same mpg as my previous bike a '75 KZ400. I'm mainly a rural highway commuter (30 miles each way) but I occasionally take long trips also. I'll probably end up getting a GS500F or a Ninja 500, depending on which one shows up first when I'm ready to buy as they're quite a bit more common around here than the Katana.
Tony

[purplepeopleeater]

Had last generation 6oo and 750 Kats, big improvement over GS throughout - speed, stability, etc, etc, etc . Sold 600 to upgrade to 750, then sold that cos skint/divorce, etc.
CC's outweigh any other option over bikes.
Kat heavier, but that's if you have to pick it up - i tend to ride rather than drop/walk the bike.
Don't read too much into press releases/articles and mags, the Kat will leave you smiling

[liquid0715]

All valid points.  thanks for all the replies.  As soon as I hit 60MPH on my 500 I feel like there is too much wind hitting me.  Am I correct in assuming that a windshield and fairings would take care of this. 

I would also assume the Kat600 would be comfortable.  At least I havent read too many complaints about comfort.  Just about everyone mentioned the weight which seems to be the downfall of the bike.

[BaltimoreGS]

Check out a National Cycle Plexistar 2 windshield.  I have one on my '01 GS and it works great   

-Jessie

[pandy]

Get an SV650/s, stick around with us (many of us no longer have our Baby G's), and join svriders.com in conjunction with staying here! 

[gsJack]

Check out a National Cycle Plexistar 2 windshield.  I have one on my '01 GS and it works great   

-Jessie

My 02 with a plexi 2:

[gsJack]

The only time I ever opened my 97 GS up was in the mountains NW of Lake George and I hit 110 indicated (maybe an honest 100 mph) with that same Plexi 2 and 240# me onboard.  For my trips to the Smokies in 2002-3-4 I used a smaller Spitfire shield doing 400 miles on the interstates on the first and last days at about 70-80 mph indicated and was comfortable enough with a FF helmet.



Since then I've used the Spitfire summers and the Plexi winters, a good shield is all you really need.

[tt_four]

people are always talking about wind hitting them when they hit speed. I've never owned a bike with a real windshield. The closest I've had was a ninja250 which isn't a real windshield, and I"ve never thought anything of it. One of these days I'm gonna have to try a bike with a windshield and see what the big deal is with wind protection.

[oramac]

Get an SV650/s SV1000/s (better power delivery and adjustable suspension with similar weight to the GS), stick around with us (many of us no longer have our Baby G's), and join svriders.com in conjunction with staying here! 

Corrected...   

[mister]

As soon as I hit 60MPH on my 500 I feel like there is too much wind hitting me. 

I think you need to harden up. 

I'm with Josh on this one. I don't understand the big deal with the wind.

The wind at 60mph is nothing. Nothing compared to the wind at 80mph. And I'll regularly and comfortable sit at 70-75mph for long stints and not think anything of the wind.

BUT

I ride all the time. Some weeks I'll clock up 600 clicks.

So by any chance, are you just riding sometimes at those speeds? If so, I think that's the problem. Because you're not used to it, you notice it more.

But hey. Whatever revs your engine man. If a screen is your thing then hook in. Add a screen and giggle behind your plexiglas at all us getting buffeted by wind - and rain and bugs. 

Michael

[tt_four]

Anything up to 100 I rarely even noticed the wind. It wasn't until about 130 that your helmet was really pressed back against your face that some wind protection would've been helpful, but no where near as much fun. 

[Hwy5]

A windshield makes all the difference. I ride a gsxr750 and a gs550 and the windshield on the gs (similar to the spitfire mentioned) does a ton more for my comfort than the fairings on the gsxr. I am riding in full gear though so of and it is pretty heavy duty so that is a big factor. In the end though I agree that a windshield and being used to riding at higher speeds will play a biggerrole than changing the bike all together. I ALWAYS take the gs500 if I am not out to "play" and just want a comfortable AFFORDABLE ride. I put 9000 miles on the two bikes last summer and I don't feel the wind much until at least 80mph.

[purplepeopleeater]

Yep, windscreen a must for long distance riding, saves ya neck muscles too. Take no notice of those slating fairings and screens, the only wind they'll encounter is out their arse.

[liquid0715]

ok so maybe I need to "harden up" more.  It seems like Im being a _________ (so many words come to mind to use other than wus)  but just for my entertainment. how difficult is it to install a small headlight fairing or windscreen from www.whaccessories.com?  ANyone have any experience.

  NOt the prettiest the cheapest and may not be so bad

or

even cheaper. 

DIfficulty of installation and any pictures of anyone out there having these?

Thanks

[tt_four]

I like the look of that first one. Reminds me of the kawasaki zrx windshield. Both of them look very easy to install. They probably just back brackets that bolt on with the bolts that hold your headlight on so they should be pretty simple. I used to have an old buell flyscreen on my bike back from when they had round headlights. It was just a matter of making brackets that bolted onto those headlight bolts. The first one looks like it'd block a little bit more wind, but chances are you'd have to tuck into either to really feel much.


One thing I do remember, which a windshield probably would've helped with, was how my shoulders used to get sore when I'd ride in the cold for a while. After about 30 minutes or more of cold air blasting my shoulders I could definitely feel it.

[tucsondude]

my fairing/ windscreen thingy was super easy to install... once i got all the hardware/figured out the assembly of it(no instructions). haven't done any actual highway driving on it, however at 40 it makes a noticeable but worthless difference, at 55+ it makes a huge difference when tucking and or leaning forward, if I am sitting up straight and not slightly hunched it does no good.

kinda related,but around 80mph a quarter sized hole can make one of the gauges float/fly out if not bolted on.( my black bowl thing was kinda smashed when i bought the bike)
edit: no clue where my fairing thing came from.