Katana Owners Club U.K.

Thought i'd write a few words about my GS650 Katana now were getting to know each other.
Just wanted to share my experience of the beast. firstly it's not as nippy through the gears as I remember, having said that I get the impression it would sit at 80mph all aday without breaking into a sweat. It gets to a tonne if you rev it, I guess it would do over a tonne. but a tonne is fast enough on the old girl. It has nice roll on power, 30mph is lovely in 5th gear and you can roll on upto 70 to 80 easily without dropping it down a gear. Carbs feel a little heavy, hopefully it's my cable just needing a lube. Went out tonight did about 60 miles two up with 18kg of weight on the rack, no bother to the 650. my fingers tingled a bit when I got of. Will check the engine mounts are tight tomorrow.
It starts on the button and ticks over lovely, have to say I think it's going to be one of those bikes that actually mean something to you, I'm really starting to like it.

650s rock.

Ahh...........how touching!

You smitten bud?

But I too have fond memories of my Brothers old Kat 650, which I have written about before in the Pride. I can remember looking over his shoulder whilst on the M6 heading south and seeing 120mph on the speedo, maybe it was a bit optomistic but it would sit all day long at 90 plus............until it blew up heading back up North on the M6, right under the sign for the lakes.

I think these little bikes are well under rated and we all know that our chairman is their biggest fan!
I cant wait to put some serious miles on mine , on the trip to Eurokat 5, and not to have to worry about chains and sprockets, when I get the new Conti tyre fitted on the front wheel and change the front and rear pads mine will be ready to rumble.
Its only actually done 14000 miles so should be up for the job...........even though it has a tendency to jump out of 2nd gear when pushed hard, I think 2nd gear was a weak point on these old buses...........I know my brothers had to have its 2nd gear replaced, but only because my Bro would rev the tits out of it in 2nd everywhere...........and maybe thats why the engine blew up, or maybe that could just have been down to it running low on oil. he's not the best with mechanical stuff.....
he phoned me today to say that the 25HP Suzuki outboard motor I have just fixed for him had blown up and he had to be towed in by the Coast guard......doh!
When I asked him what petroil mix he was using he said 100-1, as thats what the lads down the boat club said they ran their Yam engines on.........double doh!

Looking forwards to EK5................Come on!