Katana Pre Launch Article MCN 10/12/1980

[Uncle Bob]

I finally found an article from back before the Katana was even sold (the time after the Cologne appearance and before going on sale), which I had been looking out for, for years (at this years Winter Classic at Newark). It was from MCN dated 10/12/1980. I think it contains something very interesting that I had missed over the years...

The little breakout box in the top is the interesting part.

"Hans A Muth, the former BMW design chief originally credited for the work on the new Suzukis, was never involved in the project and has since left Target Design"

The general view was Fellstrom did the ED-1 (his name is clearly in the sketches) and Muth generally the ED-2 (but often the Katana in general), but that would dispel that wouldn't it. I haven't looked at this topic in a while and did a quick Google and found this interesting Wiki discussion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3ASuzuki_Katana:

"Hans Muth was not the designer that is a fact. He was also not the chief designer. He never put pen to paper and was rarely to be seen as the bikes were being designed. I was there. Hans Muth got the contract to design the bikes. Hans-Georg Kasten, Jan Fellstrom and several modellers including Karl-Heinz Abe, and Joachim Saaksmeier did the work. It ended in a legal dispute with the out come that either the name 'Target design' should be used in connection with the Katanas or the following 3 names: Hans Muth, Hans-Georg Kasten and Jan Fellstrom. To keep it short I have always restricted it to Target design"

I had noticed most articles now tend to refer to just Target Design.

Anyway, just found it interesting.

UB

[pookie]

Wow! that was like finding out that Bob Holness didn't play the saxophone solo on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street!

[Pedda]

When I had the chance to meet Hans in Berlin for a presentation of his designers life he never claimed having done most of the work on the very designing of the Katana. He said that was mainly Kasten and Fellström. His job was parts of the clay modelling and most important presentation of the final outcome to the Suzuki bosses and negotiations about what they wanted to be changed before production. I guess that's the reason why the Katana is connected to his name so closely. Nevertheless he had his influence on the final design, as it contains so many elements of his previous works for MV Agusta and BMW.

[Uncle Bob]

When I had the chance to meet Hans in Berlin...

I see Jan now lives in the Black Forest in Germany according to his website http://www.janfellstrom.com/about2.html
I did get an email from him in 1998 when my Katana Central website was young and loved, and he was then living / working in Windermere, Cumbria (UK).

If you have seen and talked to Hans Muth then it would be a nice excuse for a get together to try and see Jan (if he was open to it) and what a nice area to visit! - I'm thinking of the gateaux already

Have you ever visited the Target Design offices and Hans-Georg Kasten as well? Another good excuse for a ride at some point.

[Pedda]

Have you ever visited the Target Design offices and Hans-Georg Kasten as well? Another good excuse for a ride at some point.

Never visited Target Design. I met Hans at the Hardrock Cafe Berlin, back in the ninetees that was. He was invited by the German KOC to give a presentation of his designer's carreer in general and the making of the Katana particularly. Turned out he was a very nice guy. My mate Horst couldn't take part for some reason and I poked him for that ever since.
Some day Horst showed me his latest Katana related aquisition: the original mould of the kat wind-channel model which the Target bunch made and used at Pininfarina for their airstream tests.
Horst, that son of a gun was so tired of me pickin' on him that he climbed his Kat, rode all the way down to southern Germany where Muth lived and rang his door bell. He was asked in, they had a nice few hours chat and when Horst said his farewell, Muth donated him said mould. Guess who had to face severe mobbing for the following few years.
If Fellström is only half as nice as Muth is, I bet you would be more than welcome at the Target Studios.

[Alexandre]

Hi Guys,

thanks Rob for the article! I'd be happy to get a higher res scan in my mailbox if you could, by the way! I have been in touch with the 3 target DESIGN guys by mail and they have all been very nice. I've only met Hean-Georg Kasten in the flesh when he unveiled the restored ED-2 at the target DESIGN office, a year before the bike was bought by Ken Edgar in the US. I know any Kat fan would be welcome at target DESIGN if they wanted to say hello, as it is still run by Hans-Georg;-) A 40th anniversary celebration could be a good excuse!

[Uncle Bob]

A 40th anniversary celebration could be a good excuse!

What a great idea!

[fossie]

Where is the Target design offices ?

[Alexandre]

target's offices are in Seefeld, not far from Austria.
(Address is : Am Technologiepark 10, 82229 Seefeld, Germany)
When we were there, we had a good ride through the mountains to go and see the bike displayed at the Fritz Ehn museum after the border.
The following year Fritz sold his bike collection... so everybody at target felt a bit gutted!
Whoops.

[Uncle Bob]

The following year Fritz sold his bike collection... so everybody at target felt a bit gutted!

When I saw it in the auction in London I emailed Hans-Georg Kasten to let him know, as I didn't know the background. I got an email back saying they had restored the bike for Fritz at no cost the year before, so as you say, they were a tad annoyed with him!

It's a shame it did go to the USA as I would have liked a trip out to see it (riding there), but now, I guess that won't happen.