Gen 3 busa in the pipe

sixpack577 said:
Yep, to compete with Ninja.
It's a shame that Ninja has been plastered on everything Kawasaki too.
Kinda cheapens things and loses the cool factor.
A new Katana will likely suffer the same fate.
Click to expand...

The Katana came out long before the Ninja...the Katana was competing against the GPZ1100 and CB1100R of the day...Yamaha wasn't even in the running in those days, they had 1100s but they were based on cruisers, they had fast little 2 strokes though.

I was a big fan of the Katana line until they changed them into a watered down sport tourer instead of the superbike they started as. I remember them when they came out in 1980 here in Canada and with a jetting change they could top out at 240kms/hr which was unheard of those days. Tee shirts were made saying "life begins at 240."
 
Yellow09 said:
The Katana came out long before the Ninja...the Katana was competing against the GPZ1100 and CB1100R of the day...Yamaha wasn't even in the running in those days, they had 1100s but they were based on cruisers, they had fast little 2 strokes though.

I was a big fan of the Katana line until they changed them into a watered down sport tourer instead of the superbike they started as. I remember them when they came out in 1980 here in Canada and with a jetting change they could top out at 240kms/hr which was unheard of those days. Tee shirts were made saying "life begins at 240."
Click to expand...

It did, I remember that now.
I don't remember Katana being written on the bikes until the mid 80's, once they got full fairings.
When did Ninja start? Wasn't it 84, 85?
I'm 41, and I remember bikes starting from 81 or 82.
 
sixpack577 said:
It did, I remember that now.
I don't remember Katana being written on the bikes until the mid 80's, once they got full fairings.
When did Ninja start? Wasn't it 84, 85?
I'm 41, and I remember bikes starting from 81 or 82.
Click to expand...

Kawasaki made the GPZ900 Ninja in 1985 before that was the GPZ series and a turbo GPZ 750 in 1984, the 900 and 750 had the same numbers in top speed and hp. The first bike Kawi made as a total redesigned Ninja was in 1985 and was a 600. Suzuki brought out the GSXR750 the same year and it killed the smaller Ninja. '86/'87 it really started with the 1000 Ninja, 1100 GSXR, 1000 Hurricane and 1000 FZR.

The death of the 2 stroke came too with the introduction of the GP styled 4 strokes. The RZ and RG 500's and NSR 400 all died in '85-they had hp and top speeds similar to the litre bikes but were hard to keep maintained. I loved those 2 strokes...

The Katana in it's original form actually was made up to 2014 , the last one was made with Yoshimura as it's primary sponsor and it was littered with goodies but they are as rare as unicorn snot.
 
Yellow09 said:
Kawasaki made the GPZ900 Ninja in 1985 before that was the GPZ series and a turbo GPZ 750 in 1984, the 900 and 750 had the same numbers in top speed and hp. The first bike Kawi made as a total redesigned Ninja was in 1985 and was a 600. Suzuki brought out the GSXR750 the same year and it killed the smaller Ninja. '86/'87 it really started with the 1000 Ninja, 1100 GSXR, 1000 Hurricane and 1000 FZR.

The death of the 2 stroke came too with the introduction of the GP styled 4 strokes. The RZ and RG 500's and NSR 400 all died in '85-they had hp and top speeds similar to the litre bikes but were hard to keep maintained. I loved those 2 strokes...

The Katana in it's original form actually was made up to 2014 , the last one was made with Yoshimura as it's primary sponsor and it was littered with goodies but they are as rare as unicorn snot.
Click to expand...

Not as rare as you might think...:devil:
fctry-unicorn-snot.jpg
 
bigoltool said:
More Gas for the fire. 2019 BMW S1000RR. Counter rotating crank, trellis subframe and symmetrical headlights for the first time. Should be a monster.
https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/rumors/2019-bmw-s1000rr-design-patent-photos/
View attachment 1584922
Click to expand...
It's real competition is the GSXR1000, I wonder how it will stack up against it. Suzuki has been putting more effort into the GSXR series it seems.

Bikes like the Hayabusa and ZX14 might be a passing fad....??
 
Yellow09 said:
I hear you there....sadly the days of road superiority Hyperbikes once held is gone. Almost any 1000 superbike is more than a match for the Busa and ZX14...
Click to expand...

Not in stability. My '04, albeit with Ohlins valves in front and a reworked rear shock, is more stable in high speed sweepers than any litre bike I've ridden, especially with a passenger. Put a little muscle into it and it does quite well in the tighter stuff too.
 
Unless they step the Busa up to the 240ish Hp area it is done for. Remember liter bikes have 200 hp now but the Busa still has 106 lb/ft of torque which is a lot more than the most powerful liter bikes. The busa needs 240 hp, 115 lb/ft torque, 500 lbs dry, TC, wheelie control, cornering ABS (with good stoppers), cruise, and ESA. Without that what's the point of a Gen 3? Admittedly Suzuki has not really seen fit to put that much effort into non-mechanical things but that's where the competition is.
 
Red05 said:
Not in stability. My '04, albeit with Ohlins valves in front and a reworked rear shock, is more stable in high speed sweepers than any litre bike I've ridden, especially with a passenger. Put a little muscle into it and it does quite well in the tighter stuff too.
Click to expand...

I am talking stock bike against stock bike, put those changes into the modern litre bike and the tables are balanced.
 
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