What a bike! But... it's not a dirtbike...

[Graeme M]

OK, I know this is way off beam, but I was just reading an article about the 82 YZs and came across an advert for the Suzuki Katana 1100. Full page. You hardly see those things around anymore, but I was reminded how good they look. Even today they still look all swoopy and space-age. My mate had about the first one in town and I got to ride it a bit. I loved it. Grunty, raw, rough, all those nice visceral vibes. Crouching over that big tank and reaching down to the clip-ons was such an experience after a diet of standard 750 four cylinder UJMs. The thing went like stink too and wheelied as soon as look at it.

1982! Suzuki Full Floater RMs. PE175s. Katana 1100s. And the DR250 and DR400. Man, Suzuki had it happening.

Now, what else is there that had the presence, the trend setting design of the Katana (and yes, I know they weren't all THAT good as a roadbike)...

1982. I'd do it again in a flash.

[caps 999]

boss currently owns a katana bored to 1600 and turbo it the scariest meanest bike ive ever seen but they make an excellent drag bike 

[MX?]

Not a bad thing were they! Rode one up to Mt. Tamborine many moons ago.
You do still see a few around, there was one down here for sale a while ago, I think he only wanted around $2,500 for it...was slightly tempted...but I prefer my Z. 

[mx250]

The Japs still love 'em.







I'm not sure if the oil cooled was a Jap model or they adapted the Katana bodywork to the gsxr1100. If they adapted they did a damn good job.

I think it is still a current model (or recently dropped).
http://www.yoshimura-jp.com/en/complete/1135r/index.html

There's always Saturday's lottos $20mil

[mx250]

[YZ250H]

There's one of those on my "to get" list.  Always loved them.

[Freakshow]

Had one with a pop up head light, was a really kewl thing but novelty wore off when it got stuck.

Got a mate whitey who is GSX mad, cant think of nothing he hasnt done with one, dragged it, side cared it and now has one running in period 5 is it ?  those gsx 1100 motor seem to have always been strong bunnies no matter what frame they stuck em in over the years

[Lozza]

one of these


slightly altered into one of these(without the pillion seat)


I think the Katana was the first bike you sat in rather than on

[Graeme M]

mmmmm.... RGV500. I lusted after those too. I far preferred the two-strokes of the time too. RD350LCs, RZ350/500, RGV250, RGV500 (or was it just RG500?). I had a few RD-LCs, an RZ350 and an RGV250. Loved em!!!

[firko]

I reckon the Katana has ageless looks. I remember at the time I had my Z1R Kawasaki and my mate had a rare 1000cc wire wheel model Katana. Apparently a small number of these were made to homologate them for the then 1000cc proddy racing limit (or maybe superbike, I can't remember). The Katana looked so much more purposeful with wires than with the (in my opinion) ugly alloy wheels. I'd love a Katana today no matter what wheels.

[mx250]

un-stoppable

This Kat doesn't seem to be going anywhere .

[VMX247]

un-stoppable

This Kat doesn't seem to be going anywhere .

Got me there clever cloggs 
The motor "MX250" the motor.
They kept going and going.
you know,! unstoppable 

[STW996]

Graeme, had an 81 Katana back around 85 which had been used as a superbike, had braced swing arm, 1136 kit, smooth bores and a 3 and a half inch wide 16 inch front wheel (doesn't sound real big now but was back then), use to go out to Lakeside once a month on it and also took it upto Willowbank to the drag strip, ran 10-6 at 134 MPH in 4th gear. What a bike!! (even if it was a Suzuki ), sold it to a bloke I new he rode it to work on the first day and got stolen for the carpark some real arseholes in the world

Shane

[Rosco400]

Wost tankslapper of the century,16" front wheels worst modification of any roady bike, seem to remember them spitting more blokes off than nearly every other production roady of there time, had some grunt in a straight line though

[STW996]

Rosco, Would agree in general with the 16 inch fronts but on this bike was great (16" was not a standard on Katana), the bike steered great and only had a bit of shape if you got off the gas hard at speed. Would buy one again in a flash as they were a great bike.

Shane