Katana 600 --Good Starter?

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silentx · #1 Unread post by **silentx** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 1:11 pm

Is Katana 600 a good starter bike? what your opinion on it? how much power does it have compared to ninja 500 and 250?

Is it one of those bike that can do wheelies but forgiving when it comes to a newbie?

Please share your feeds.

THanks

stumpy56 · #2 Unread post by **stumpy56** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 1:41 pm

i would take the ninja over the katana, the katana is a much heavier bike with a higher center of gravity, it would be harder to control

silentx · #3 Unread post by **silentx** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 1:47 pm

stumpy56 wrote:i would take the ninja over the katana, the katana is a much heavier bike with a higher center of gravity, it would be harder to control

MM.... really.. I thought so... heavy...

But u sure the CG is higher? cuz when i sat on it.. the seat is lower on the katana than the ninja????

Shorts · #4 Unread post by **Shorts** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 1:57 pm

Katanas are heavier than a Ninja. For a newb, a lighter, easier bike to manuever at low speeds is key. The Katana isn't as easy at low speeds as the others.

#5 Unread post by **Wrider** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 1:58 pm

Just because the seat is lower doesn't mean the CG is lower too... But anyway, yeah, it'd be alright. I have a friend who's first bike was an '83 Katana 750 (which weighed the same as it's CC's) and he's still riding it, hasn't dropped it once. To put it in context, he's lost his license from too many speeding/racing tickets in his '94 Dodge Stealth already. He does make the comment that it is a top heavy bike though, and he's looking at newer CBRs and Gixxers so that they won't be as apt to fall over.
Wrider

#6 Unread post by **Koss** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:18 pm

Before I found out about the ninja 500, I was almost dead set on a Katana 600. Although my only experience sitting on one was a katana 750. To be honest it felt really heavy when I stood her up. From then on I realised the weight would be working against me... esp. trying to learn how to ride on the streets. The 500 is slender and light, although alot lower seat hight wise.

The center of gravity is really where the bike keeps its weight. People sometimes call it beign "Top Heavy" when refering to sport bikes and sport touring... if two bikes weighed the same, one was a cruiser and the other a sport bike... it would feel like the sport bike has a tendency to want to tip over compaired to riding a low slung cruiser.

Don't get me wrong, i like katanas, but after sitting on one and feeling her out... I dont think she's the one for me.

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Katana 600 --Good Starter?

Katana 600 --Good Starter?

REALLY?