[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Heard terrible stories, and frankly, that aspect is keeping me from this purchase.

The bike is not available anyways, with few units expected earliest by Jan 2024.

Had visited the dealership for a TD with a friend who is considering one - and we received good test rides as well - only to be informed that the deliveries are not sure and stock is expected only by Jan at the earliest.

Is the Katana BS6 II compliant?

[loki]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Is the Katana BS6 II compliant?

Yup. Says their Indian website.

[Crankpin]

Off topic, but does anyone here know if the 2023 Suzuki GSX S750 is planned to be launched here? Finding it hard to get a used one so am hoping Suzuki India launches the 2023 model here. Thank You!

[Mik]

Originally Posted by Crankpin

Off topic, but does anyone here know if the 2023 Suzuki GSX S750 is planned to be launched here? Finding it hard to get a used one so am hoping Suzuki India launches the 2023 model here. Thank You!

I was told by a Suzuki dealership that they will soon launch the GSX 8S here. The 750 is history. No idea about the accuracy of this information. Getting used GSXS will not be easy. They never sold well and the few of us who have it swear by it

[Crankpin]

Originally Posted by Mik

I was told by a Suzuki dealership that they will soon launch the GSX 8S here. The 750 is history. No idea about the accuracy of this information. Getting used GSXS will not be easy. They never sold well and the few of us who have it swear by it

Suzuki has launched the 2023 GSXS750 globally so make sense to launch it here. The GSX 8S has a 270deg twin motor nowhere close to the 750-gem-of-an-inline 4!
But yes, maybe they don’t want to

[loki]

Removed the old MRA Screen and added a Powerbronze touring screen. Enhances the front looks a bit I think...

[loki]

Completed 1 year earlier in Jan. Done about 8000 kms. Bikes been great so far ! Been longing to do a multi-day ride. Sometime soon hopefully. Not sure how long the stock tyres (Dunlops) will last though.

[Zyppher]

Originally Posted by loki

Completed 1 year earlier in Jan. Done about 8000 kms. Bikes been great so far ! Been longing to do a multi-day ride. Sometime soon hopefully. Not sure how long the stock tyres (Dunlops) will last though.

Congratulations for completing a year, I see the bike is looking great.
Needed to ask you something about the mileage, is the 12 litre tank enough to go on a multi day trip where fuel pumps are limited?
Also with spirited riding in mode A, B and C respectively does the range change? If yes what is the range in each map respectively?

[loki]

Originally Posted by Zyppher

Needed to ask you something about the mileage, is the 12 litre tank enough to go on a multi day trip where fuel pumps are limited?
Also with spirited riding in mode A, B and C respectively does the range change? If yes what is the range in each map respectively?

Thanks man. I made peace with the 12 litre tank before getting the bike.

Typically, I'm on mode B and i get about 180 to 210 kms on a full tank depending on how enthusiastic I am with the throttle. I could cruise at 90 kph and get a 250 km range. But thats never going to happen

If going on a long ride, it might require a bit of planning (which fuel stops to take). However, I guess your prior knowledge of the route will definitely help. For Eg: If I'm doing a Bangalore - Goa run, I know where exactly to take fuel stops. So its not too stressful. Besides, I want to take a quick butt break after about 120 to 150 kms anyways.

I'd still wish the bike came with a 19 to 20 litre tank. But the Suzuki 1000cc mill is pretty fuel efficient. Some of the other bikes in the segment (Yamaha MT-10, some of the high strung Ducatis) have similar or even lower range despite having larger tanks.

[loki]

Did a 2 day ride to Moodbidri near Mangalore. Went and returned back via Charmadi Ghat both ways. Charmadi to Ujire was completely under repair work and they had sprayed water to contain the dust. Which made the entire stretch very slippery especially on my worn out rear tyre. Which picked up a couple of punctures during the ride. Time to switch tyres - I'm leaning towards the Vredestein Centauro NS (haven't heard positive feedback about the ST variant). Or maybe I save up and get Michelin Road 6 or Angel GT2. Hmm.

Since it was a 2 day trip, got a chance to take the Duffel bag instead of the tankbag. Now I know why ADV guys (with Topcases) mount or get off their bikes in a funny way

[loki]

10,500 kms and I finally decided to chuck the stock tyres and get new ones. The Michelin Road 6s were very tempting due to the all round positive feedback but the wife ate into the budget with some unplanned (err... unnecessary ) shopping. So I was left with only the Vredesteins (Centauro ST or NS) within my budget.

Managed to find a 2023 Dec manufactured Pirelli Diablo Rosso 2 set for INR 27.5k. These are supposedly dual-compound. Old model yes, but since the manufactured date was relatively recent, I went for it.

Got 190/55 at the rear this time (stock is 190/50). Turn in definitely feels more agile.


Lets see how long these last. The tread pattern isn't too exciting...

[Petrichor]

Hope you're loving all your trips on the Katana every time you hit the road! I'm curious to learn how expensive it has been to maintain it in Bangalore? How much does the average service cost, which would include oil change, chain maintenance etc.?

I currently ride my humble Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS (2013) (attached a pic because I like sharing it), and I've been itching for an upgrade. I'm a confident rider and a safe one too. I've had a liking for the Katana (the matt blue) for a long time, but I'm unsure if there would be any in the inventory here.

Having said that, before making up my mind and reaching out to the dealers, I'm researching the cost to maintain. Please share your experience on it.

[drivethrough]

I’ve done 28k kms since Jan 26, 2023 when I bought it. No major issues except a faulty ABS sensor replaced under warranty. Taken it to Kashmir and Kalpa and everywhere in Uttarakhand (right up till Munsiyari). I stay in Chandigarh btw. The biggest expense is tyres and brake pads for me because I ride aggressively and run through a rear in 5k kms. Made a couple of modifications ( carbon mirrors, MRA windscreen, Yoshimura bar ends and pegs plus brake cover). Changed the rear to 55 profile and the bike behaves much better. The stock Dunlops were bad, and I’ve settled on Metzeler 9RRs since.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Petrichor

I currently ride my humble Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS (2013) (attached a pic because I like sharing it), and I've been itching for an upgrade. I'm a confident rider and a safe one too.

Too much of an upgrade buddy. End of the day it is your money and life but hope you have considered this.

Do you have riding experience with big bikes? Being confident and safe on a 200 NS is good - but that doesn't translate to the skills needed on a 140hp machine, no offence meant.

An ideal upgrade path would be a Duke 390 for a couple of years, an 80-100bhp machine for a couple of years and then a liter class. But if you really want to skip levels- jump directly from the 200 NS to an 80hp machine like the Trident for a couple of years and then a liter class.

[Entsurgeon]

Originally Posted by Petrichor

How much does the average service cost, which would include oil change, chain maintenance etc.?
.
..
, I'm researching the cost to maintain. Please share your experience on it.

Hey Petrichor.

Theoretical rule is, a 15 Lakh bike would cost as much to maintain and run as a 15 Lakh car.
Some caveats from my experience follow. A 15 Lakh car can be maintained outside of authorised SVC at half the cost. That should not be your reference point here. Most cities lack a great FNG for superbikes. Consider the car maintenance cost on higher side of range for comparison. Second, crashes, even the minor ones, may be a huge setback despite insurance. Always factor in a really good Insurance cover which would come at extra ££. Lastly, comfortable street bikes like katana may pick up miles really fast. The Tire replacement cost would be few times more than a similarly priced car ( 5 tires in car vs 2 in a bike, but 5-8 times more frequently for same number of miles).

That said, a jump from 20 to 150 bhp is possible and had been done by yours truly too. I do not recommend it in general to the trigger happy but do not outright stop them too. If you are a safe rider, you would manage the high power and open up gradually as you get used to the power and posture. But yeah, pulsar will never give you a feel of what sporty riding really is all about. So if you get one, consider yourself a beginner again.

Best wishes.