| Author |
Message |
    
Scott_in_nh
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 09:06 am: | 
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Cool bike!
I really love the look, but as you said personal preference - it is mechanically a bit too retro for me
I'm done with air-cooled bikes (this is my first water-pumper) and I wanted more power than the Honda has...
I think it is great that manufacturers are giving us so many great options lately
It wasn't too many years ago that I literally could not find a new street bike of interest in my price range |
Johnnylunchbox
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 11:12 am: |
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Love it. We can't justify a need for it now, but I'm leaning towards that for my wife as a replacement for her aging SV650S. She loves it too.
Every Kawi I've owned has been bulletproof.
Hope they make a hard bag kit for it.
Congrats. |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 11:19 am: |
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Yeah...I think it's 85 RWHP and 550 pounds-ish.
Same here. There's at least half a dozen or so I wouldn't mind. There's even a couple sport tour-ey bikes I like.
 |
Scott_in_nh
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 03:35 pm: |
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Fall of 1980 I was living in Daytona Beach and went to the Kawasaki dealer with my friend who was going to buy a Kz650
Fell in love with the GPz 550 while I was there
I couldn't afford it so went to look at the Suzuki GS450S down the street and the original Katana knocked me off my feet
Turned out I couldn't afford the 450 either, but would still ride occasionally by swapping my 68 BB Charger 4-speed for a Moto Guzzi 850 Le mans with another friend for the day - first "exotic" bike I had been on and loved it
Anyway the new Katana is very nice, but:
1) not in dealers yet (as far as I know) and I didn't want to wait
2) Looks likely to be a few more bucks than the RS and the dealers will likely not be discounting when they do arrive (understandably)
3) I understand why they didn't go with clip-ons, but those beach bars look ridiculous (yes I know they can be changed)
4) I have a history with Kawasaki that I feel good about reconnecting with |
86129squids
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 03:56 pm: |
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Back then I was still in high school and a Suzook kid... my dealer got an XN85 in. I LUSTED after that thing, tried to think of any way to beg/borrow/steal to get it. It sat, and sat, and sat, and... finally, some moron bought it and promptly wadded it.
AAARRRGGHHH  |
Ourdee
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 05:01 pm: |
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In 80 I was on a Honda XL250S in Nevada. Playing in the desert. Nostalgic for me would be a 1 or 2 cylinder 2 smoke. Benelli or Yamaha. My first four bikes. Two of each. |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 06:44 pm: |
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For exotics I like KTM and Aprilia.
The previous two cylinder Tuono was one of the most natural and engaging bikes to ride. I don't know if I'd want to live with one on the daily.
If there was a bike I lusted a bit over it was the Ducati Streetfighter S. At the end of the day, I had to give it back. I told them to never let me ride it again. 
For now I have a motarded DR650SE and a relatively highly modded, broken S1 that it makes most sense to be stuck with for life.
The Buell is the most entertaining bike I've ever rode in its last working state and the DR is its own kinda fun, but is the absolute worst thing imaginable on the highway. |
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