Custom marble colored paint job Stage 1 jet kit
Bought the bike used as a beginner's bike. Had the perfect amount of power for a newbie...enought to get you ahead of traffic, not enough to get you killed.
Braking was acceptable...nothing spectacular.
Extremely nimble. Great on the twisties. This is the ultimate in confidence building beginner bikes.
It was a sweet machine. I had it for four years and I pushed it to the limits. Definately not a wheelie or stoppie bike but for canyon carving or just cruising the strip there's nothing better.
Bone stock.
Carburetion is smooth, linear, and clean. No issues at all.
About average brakes for this year and style of bike, maybe a bit better than average. Enough power and feel, but not so much power to be dangerous for a beginner. Smooth and linearly progressive braking.
Surprisingly nimble, stable, and sure-footed. I took great pleasure in stuffing an R6 around the outside on a local canyon road. The stock BT57 tires, though they are crap on most bikes, seem to work decently here. Well-suited for the application, and even when pushing the bike harder.
Great torque and smooth, non-threatening powerband. A fantastic beginner bike that will not become boring. Better in the city than the supersport 600's by far! Easy to maneuver in traffic and comfy.
Yosh RS-3 oval slip-on, factory jet kit, and k&n air filter
The low-end was bad until I put the Yosh pipe and jet kit on it. Now it will pull hard in any gear; it seems to never run out of power.
The brakes feels real solid.
At slow speeds the bike is real heavy, but when i'm in the twisties if I roll hard on the gas, the bike is real solid. It stays planted in the turns.
This bike is a great bike for a beginner, it is very forgiving when you make rookie mistakes. Al though it is a bit heavy in the curves it's an overall great bike.
Full Yoshi RS-3 carbon fiber racing system. Envision graphix kit, zero-gravity windscreen, g-pack, more on the way.
Well, this is one of those no frills few thrills bikes. Even with all the aftermarket on it it's still hard to keep up with stock gixer's. Lot's of weight little power. Not a good combo.
It's a little grabby when you first start out but soild overall. Just don't try to endo. (That's experience talking kiddies).
She is a big brute, but she's not totally uncornerable. Once you start going ( 35+mph) the ride gets fun in the corners.
I love this bike to death, I really do. It's a great starter bike. Yes, no matter how much work you put into it you'll still get smoked by the supersports stoplight to stoplight. Throw in some twisties though and you'll have the time of your life. It's hard to get yourself killed on a Kat (even if you can go 165+) ;)
List the modifications on this bike Engine/Suspension: No mods Seat replaced with a Corbin Gunfighter (optional 'and lady' seat back can be bolted on for long rides with the GF on the back). Added: GIVI rack-mounting system, hard sided bags (very large) for when I go touring.
Power is fairly straight-forward, pulling from about 2200 RPM linearly up to around 4500, then starting to open up, and really laying in on heavy between 7200 and 10,800. Raises the wheel off the pavement if I drop down a few gears and suddenly hit 7900 RPM in the process (although not a proper wheelie because of the length of the bike).
Brakes tend not to fade under heavy street & highway driving, but you can end up making the rear wheel skitter sideways unexpectly if you pull the front brake too hard (especially transitioning between 35mph and 20mph -- before and after it doesn't tend to do it). This even more true in conjunction with a simulatenous downshift. Side notes: stock rear pads wore out within 4000 miles, and rear brake has a tendency to squeek, but no signs of problems. Other side note (all bikes): especially in high humidity environments, humidity in the air will penetrate the rubber of the brake lines over time. Always flush your brake fluid every 2 years, every year in high humidity environments (such as Florida, Bali, etc).
General: bike is very nimble & light at speed, easily carving up curves and darting through traffic when demanded. The only problems I've observed are at extremely low speeds (under 5 mph) in conditions where the front wheel is turned already and suddenly dips into a pothole or other drop -- the weight shift can place the bike too far out of balance to be able to be able to rectify it without a full stop (so you can get your leg situated to support it) and stopping is impossible without dropping it (because applying the brake will force it further over). It's a factor of the length of the bike. For beginning riders and even regular riders (I have 18 years and a number of other bikes under my belt), I'd recommend fitting a set of rubber/nylon frame bumpers onto the bike if bought new. Tires: Handling was reasonably good with the stock Michelins, but I found switching to a Dunlop 207 on the front and a Metzler MZ4 on the rear made a big improvement in gripping abilities (including during braking). I am torn between switching to Dunlop 207's all around or going to the Metzler's (and am leaning heavily towards the Metzler's); I won't be going back to the Michelins. Deceleration related handling: Because of the torque levels, it is fairly easy to get the back wheel to squirm unexpectedly by decelerating quickly (combo down-shifting and braking, or down-shifting into zones where the engine is at or above 6k RPM's as you release the clutch). I found this problem particularly evident with the OEM tires, even when properly heated.
Good bike for a beginner (although I tend to recommend unclad or semi-clad bikes like the SV650 or the bandit to beginners). Absolutely wonderful road mannerisms and reliable to a fault. Lack of water cooling makes the engine come up to temp quickly and keeps it running cool on long hauls. THE ideal bike for someone crossing over from the cruiser market into the sport-bike market, either as the permanent ride, or as an intermediary step (for a year or two) before getting a GSX1000R/Hyabusa/Honda 954. Although I like the hardsided GIVI bags (they make touring easy), I can't say enough good things about the Corbin replacement seat. It changes your stance, seating posture, and is the ultimate accessory if you ride more than 40 or 50 miles in a day (I've done 450 miles without noticing it in my arse at all). Of Performance Note: switching from standard oils to Castrol R4 synthetic motorcycle oil gave me a noticable 10 to 15% power increase almost immediately. I've never gone back (except against my will when I let the shop change my oil once and they forgot to use R4 -- I switched again two days later). Also, if you purchased the Katana in the USA, the bike is set intentionally lean at the carbs (for EPA reasons), so you should get a 10 - 20% power boost by getting a stage 1 jetting kit (replaces the needles and jets in the carbs -- let a shop do it unless you are a very well experienced cycle mechanic).
List the modifications on this bike DID x ring chain YOSHI exhaust Stage 1jet kit fendereliminator
low end very weak stock but mods helped
weak brakes for the weight but good if not over doing it
get better with speed but cant even keep up with friends toy 250 rebel in the real twisty areas
great beginner bike but cant see anyone having it for the long haul
I have added an ignition advance, stage 1 jet kit, Vance&Hines 4:1 header/exaust
This was my first sport bike although I had ridden quite a few. The power seemed great when I first got the bike then I started doing the modifications and BAM! It really livened up. With the ignition advance, it revs alot faster and the power is alot more ready.
Braking is pretty good and with the adjustable front suspension it makes braking hard with the front brakes alot more controlled.
This is where the bike really stands out. I have since ridden just about every sportbike out there now and nothing feels quite as nice as my little 600 kat! I have ridden often with a group of other riders and the bigger bikes may go a little faster in the straights, but when we hit the curves nobody ever keeps up!!
After riding everything from the gsxr 750, 'Busa, ZX-6/7/12, CBR's, ducati, buells, I still love to take my Kat out to the curviest roads I can find and let it rip! With the aftermarket mods, it is very quick and can push the bigger bikes pretty good up 130-150mph range, then the larger CC's leaves the little 600 back a bit but when we hit the curves there is no contest! I am always waiting on the others to catch up! <G> I am looking to buy a GSXR 1000/1300, R1, or maybe I'll try the 929/959 series form Honda now because I am a pretty big boy at over 250lbs, but I am keeping my lil 600kat because it is so much fun in the curves and doing wheelies. <G>
Stage 1 jet kit , yoshi pipe
Okay power , no flattys or gaps
the brakes sucked , replace the lines and it will stop.
Way too long to get around a curve , if you drop the front you can rival a sportbike but the steering gets twitchy
A very good st bike , not a carver . If you keep it on the redline it will do an okay job . As for a beginner bike , I am an old < 40> rider and can , because of experience show most young bucks my saggy ass on this bike . If you can ride ( RIDE !! ) it is a decent bike but corners like a pregnant pig . P.S. A 62 year old hayubusa rider just handed me my ass on a old zx-11 I use to commute .I thought I was the only over 30 sportbike rider alive :>
Stock
The whole power plant on this bike should be dumped from Suzuki's list.
Heavy, heavy bike, so to put it in perspective, heavy bike slows fast, accelerates slow
Handles like any other 500lbs+ bike
Would not recommend, I'm glad I didn't every buy one of these, definatly for beginners or women (sorry). I just feel sorry my brother had to be the one to buy one for me to figure this out
all stock
good power and torque for a newbie.
good braking all around very forgiving to a newbie.
no complaints
good bike, but i've found since it is so heavy you have to watch it in the curves and stopping.
stage 1 jet kit, uni filter, yosh slip-on, new lenses for lights, added to the looks all around
power was not great stock and had trouble getting the idle right when i first got it. new jets, filter, pipe did the trick. 10 more horse. smooth throttle gain and perfect on the low end. slight hesitation at 4000-5000 rmp due to new add ons. great for a daily rider, cruiser, or toy.
nice and firm. good control. stops great in emergencies. not much lock up at the rear.
beautiful. smooth through the turns and at higher speeds. tight cornering is hard due to the weight.
great beginner or lower price toy bike. liked it som much, just got a 95 Kat for the wife to begin on. big bike power small bike price. handling will out do most due to the solid weight and gravity not slopping around (like on the super sports.)
V&H SS2R Racing header and exhaust, K&N Stage 1 Jets, 6� ignition advance.
Power picked up quite a bit with the jet kit and exhaust. I only went to stage one's because when my buddy went to 3's, he lost tons of MPG. The ignition advance really helped the lower RPM power, it made it tons quicker. Now the power I used to get at 7K RPM I get at 4K now. Overall it does pretty good up to about 140 then it takes a bit longer to roll on to 150+
Brakes are ok I suppose, never really had to much probs except for when doing stoppies. I am not sure if it just me or if it is a combination of the weight and brakes themselves but stoppies are pretty hard to pull off, although you can do it, or mostly just endo really. Not much roll on.
Handling is incredible. I have always loved the way it handled. My buddies may pull away from me some on their GSXR1000's on the open road but when we hit the curves......I am always waiting on them at the end!
This was my first sportbike and I have had it for over 5 years now and still ride several times a week usually. I think it is a perfect 'first' "sportbike" because the comfort and handling is so superb. (I have ridden from Ky to Cali and back on it so I can speak of its comfort issues with plenty of experience!) I actually kept it over a GSXR 750 I had at one time because of the way it rode but I am feining for a GSXR1000 now. Sooner or later I will upgrade to the big brother!
Upgrade to a 160 rear tire. ( it fits, a little tight but it fits) the rest was for looks.
fast for a katana. Power comes at around 6500 rpm. Still smooth motor. The motor hasn't really changed from this to the 04'. So it's a proven power plant.
I though there is no way the bike could stand it up on the front end, but thanks to a soccer mom in her minivan I found that it will. Still not racing brakes
At first it felt good for me being a rookie. After riding some of my buddies bikes I realized it is a tank.
Fast enough if your new to the sport. Still runs in the 130's. I could wheelie it with the new rear tire, And will still dog any car next to you at the light. Good starter bike, solid, comfortable, but very heavy. The only time you notice is when you go to a GSX-R, R6, CBR. Or any bikes of the sort. And when you do hop on one of those light bikes you can fling them around like nothing. Now I'm going to the GSX-R 750. Now that is fun.
No modifications yet.
Engine pulls insane after 6000rpms.
Smooth, can stoppie when required.
Pretty hefty at slower speeds but quick and nimble on expressway.
My first sport bike so I really dont have anything to compare it to. It really is the whip and gets the ladies gawking.
All cosmetic for now, Pipe is on the way.
In first gear up to about 5000 rpm its just making alot of noise. After that it can be really fun.
The brakes aren't to bad. They are not my favourite part of this this bike. Maybe some better tires would do the trick.
Leaning the bike is probably where you start to apprieciate it the most.
This is my first street bike at 17 years old, and trust me nothing has been able to beat me yet. But if you like stunts this is not the bike to have, it's to long, and heavy. Tricks can be done but it is very risky, (as is any bike). I wouldn't invest to much money in to it, because you may want to upgrade soon. Unless you like comfort over speed. Overall the Katana is a good bike!
Freakin' stock
It really weak but very fun to ride. Faster than any cruiser Ive been on or seen. I came from a harley so it seems fast.
My brakes are pretty good. I can do a endo without any problems. Almost vertical when I do a good one.
Awesome! Can take curve at any speed good. Put a 160 or 170 tire on the back and you can scrape the footpegs on the pavement;> Be care though. Its not a toy.
Wish it could wheelie or at least throw me off, but it cant. If I could put a gsxr engine in it I would. I'm going to upgrade to a zx6-r in the future. Hopefully it'll make me pee my pants.
none (only new paint after I dropped it) now, most people can't I.D. the model
I'm looking for an offical torque curve.. but it seems to drop-off right before the limiter kicks-in @ 11K. But I have official named 2nd gear @ 7-9K as "THE HAMMER" !!!!!
Who cares?? I usually give myself plenty of stopping distance... plus you'll stop days before any car. Give'em a brake (no pun).. the bike weights 450lbs; what do you expect for $5000 (new)
I'm a beginner .... so I find myself having to really lean to get that fatboy around tight corners. That's how I dropped the darn thing....wide turn But I appreciate the weight on the bumps.
Enough bike to both get into trouble and stay out of trouble !! More fun to ride, compared to my Hayabusa, GSXR,TL, buddies who are too afraid of their bikes to really push them. (waste of money)
Stage 1 jet kit, Yosh 4 into 1 exhaust.
I never tested the bike without the mods(bought it new) but it has plenty of pull. Blip the throttle and upshift without the clutch and the satisfaction will put a grin on your face. Has enough pull to pass traffic with ease in top gear easily.
Front brake tends to fade after a hot session or repeated use but still more than enough stopping power to slow you down. Downshifting however is a must. Hitting the brakes in top gear to slow you down wont do much.
I love the way the thing handles. Every time I take the bike out I can push it more. This bike DOES NOT like to be ridden slow. It feels awkward in slow speed turns but 30 and above and your in business. It stays planted and even though it IS heavy...the fact that its low to the ground makes it feel nimbler than its heft would suggest.
I hate to say it but this is the ultimate beginners bike. Not too heavy on power, very forgiving, and pretty comfortable. With a cpl hundred dollars worth of mods this thing can put a grin on any rider from a newbie to a veteran.
Yosh slip on, various exterior enhancements.
This is my first bike, so I dont have nothing to compare it to although I rode my frinds 600 kat and I could not feel a defferance.
Good enough for me, its never seem to be a problem.
Heavy, Heavy, Heavy
I love this bike since it's my first, although I think I have out grown it. There is not really alot of afermarket stuff avalible for the Kat. I am now ready for the next level of sport bike, bring on the busa!!
None
Not enough
Pretty good
It handles pretty good even with curves.
Pretty Comfortable, but not to sporty, just enough to get by. Great beginner bike. Had for one year, but had to advance a little. Probably would never get another one, but I suggest to one who is just starting out, and doesn't care about styling.
None...carbon fiber stickers and decals
The engine is especially smooth with or without a passenger. Power kicks in at 4500rpms. My first bike so i can't compare to much. Ride with a 1100 cruiser all the time...will easily hang. Have hit 80mph in 2nd! Plenty power for beginner, but haven't managed to get the front wheel up yet. Very difficult!
Braking is descent. Can't say too much about it. Will put any cruiser or car to shame stopping.
Not sure! Haven't road enough bikes to know. Bike is very heavy below 30mph. 450 lbs carries quiet a punch when it starts to lean at low speeds. Seems very stable in any curve from 45-65 mph.
I can't say anything bad about the bike. I dropped it first day because i hit the brake on broken piece of asphalt...was no way to hold up bike even at 15 mph. The bike turns heads. Worth the money...you can't go wrong. However it will give you the fever for more power and speed once you get used to riding a lot.
Yoshi pipes
great on initial take off if you now how to ride
strong fronts feels like an endo every time
for its size its very good
this is the best bike for a learner, well rounded and pretty forgiving to knuckle heads
Vance&Hines SS2-R full. Rejetted?
Low end picked up with pipe. (A little)
Good for its application.
Great for Bigeners
I thought it was a great entry level bike. It could use some lightening. I graduated to the new boss.(GSX1000R)
