[bf1983]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Yup if it was, but in current scenario the only naked four cylinder that comes close is Z900, that said i was wrong as I just looked up the price and difference is almost 5 lacs Ex-showroom, which is huge.

So Katana is basically in a segment of it's own right now with no direct competition.

Yes in terms of naked bikes there is the regular GSX S750, Z900 and Street Triple in their own segment which is one step below the Katana. However once you pass the sub litre class segment there is little else to offer for those who want street naked bikes unless you go for track monsters like the Speed Triple 1200 or the Ducati Streetfighter that offer much more power but with a lot more committed riding ergonomics.

The Honda CB1000 would have been the perfect match for this bike as it too follows a neo retro styling but sadly Honda has discontinued it in India. The Honda's main advantage was the much bigger 16l tank which offered a far better usable range. 12l is quite a low fuel range if you dare to take the Katana to some hilly areas where fuel economy will drop and you might barely get a usable 150 kms range before you have to tank up.

[GoBlue]

A positive side effect of the Katana’s pricing is that it would serve as a reminder to Kawasaki to price the Z900 RS for what it’s worth in the international market, and not go overboard here in India. Whenever they feel the desire to re-launch it, that is.

Kawasaki’s pricing of the BS4 Z900 RS appeared all the more ridiculous given that it isn’t even a litre class motorcycle. That’s the Z1000 which again isn’t available here (probably given our market’s preference of desiring VFM irrespective of genres/segments, the Ninja 1000 would end up cannibalising any Kawasaki litre class naked bike offered at a higher price point).

The same goes for Honda with the CB1000R’s pricing. The BS4 motorcycle was priced at ex-showroom wherein the Katana is available OTR (despite inflation).

Suzuki deserves a pat on the back for setting the benchmark of fair pricing in the litre class (middleweight) street naked segment.

Meanwhile, the Ducati Streetfighter V2 smirks at this comment with indifference.

[loki]

Originally Posted by Sebring

But at Rs. 17,25,000 on road, very few will go for it

Ouch. If the ex showroom crosses 10L, OTR always looks unfair in Karnataka. This should be almost a lakh cheaper in other cities.

Originally Posted by bf1983

The Honda CB1000 would have been the perfect match for this bike as it too follows a neo retro styling but sadly Honda has discontinued it in India.

When Honda launched the CB1000 neo sports cafe in 2018, it came in at 14.46L ex Showroom. If they get it now, i wont be surprised with a sub 20L on road price. Prices have been creeping north forever.

[bf1983]

Originally Posted by loki

When Honda launched the CB1000 neo sports cafe in 2018, it came in at 14.46L ex Showroom. If they get it now, i wont be surprised with a sub 20L on road price. Prices have been creeping north forever.

Honda has always been terrible at pricing it's products well in India. In the USA the Honda is actually slightly cheaper than the Katana ($12999 vs $13499).

Considering the Suzuki V Storm is priced so badly in India Suzuki has redeemed itself with the Katana pricing.

[RohanDheman]

Saw the first delivered bike this weekend on my coffee run. This thing is TINY!!
The color looks absolutely beautiful in flesh and goes really well with those gold wheels. The instrumentation is ok-ish but i am used to the excellent TFTs on the 765RS and now the S1000RR so bias probably plays a big part.
The riding position was super comfortable but wind blast is an issue as reported by the owner. The stock exhaust sounds properly good. Has a nice deep bass to it. For the time being, there is nothing else like this so no comparison is justified.



P.S. I would not be surprised if Suzuki India is already working on a 250 Katana.

Ride safe
Rohan

[abhi_tjet]

Originally Posted by RohanDheman

P.S. I would not be surprised if Suzuki India is already working on a 250 Katana.

Ride safe
Rohan

They better not! We all know what they did with 150cc Intruder. :(

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by abhi_tjet

They better not! We all know what they did with 150cc Intruder. :(

The only saving grace in that would be katana can pull off looking as a 250cc bike also in current guise with very minor modifications.

[Sebring]

Yesterday's KATANA launch at Aryan was a joke. It was a private breakfast party for a hundred friends of Shiv, the Service Head there, paid for by SUZUKI. Everyone owned a Hayabusa or some big bike and genuine buyers like myself and my friend who are just getting into 'litre class' were ignored. Waited patiently for the test ride but each rider was taking close to 45 minutes. So we left it in a huff, 'MTR vada' in hand (Breakfast was provided). If things are conducted like this I doubt if Suzuki can sell anything at all in this space. I mean, Honda and Yamaha events are legendary, but who will bell this cat?

[GoBlue]

Checked Katana out at the Pune dealership.

It looks lovely in person. The cuts and creases are quite striking, they don't come out as well in pics. The longer wheelbase looks very nice. The rear number plate holder is extremely well executed. Best rear of a naked bike in this segment. Build quality is superb all round. It looks compact as compared to some other contenders in this segment. Bronze alloys are the highlight of this color. Headlight & display looks nice when lit up. Makes for a nice 90s look.

Ergonomics are extremely comfortable, totally upright. Seat is well padded, foot-peg position is relaxed.

Started the engine and revved it gently. K5's exhaust note is intoxicating. This would make for an excellent bike for permanent ownership.

TR bike is yet to arrive, expected shortly. That one would be in the other (silver) colour scheme.

[skviknaraj]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Yesterday's KATANA launch at Aryan was a joke....

Sorry to hear about it Sebring. Hopefully some corrective action is taken based on your post here

Can you get in touch with Mr. James in Aryan Bike zone, Hoodi branch?

It is just that I had a good time/interaction when I visited there. Albeit I visited them on a slow Saturday (I think?) Before the launch of Katana.

I believe your detailed post on the KATANA ( ownership/otherwise) would have helped gain traction for them. Hopefully it is not another case of a beautiful product ruined by sales experience

[Sebring]

Everything happens for the better Spoke to a few people at the event and they say the service there is very 'iffy'. I'm seriously looking at other brands now. Thanks

Originally Posted by skviknaraj

Hopefully it is not another case of a beautiful product ruined by sales experience

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Yesterday's KATANA launch at Aryan was a joke. It was a private breakfast party for a hundred friends of Shiv, the Service Head there, paid for by SUZUKI. Everyone owned a Hayabusa or some big bike and genuine buyers like myself and my friend who are just getting into 'litre class' were ignored. Waited patiently for the test ride but each rider was taking close to 45 minutes. So we left it in a huff, 'MTR vada' in hand (Breakfast was provided). If things are conducted like this I doubt if Suzuki can sell anything at all in this space. I mean, Honda and Yamaha events are legendary, but who will bell this cat?

Sebring, Im sorry to hear about your ordeal. While I'm not surprised by your post, I wouldnt go so far as to blame the dealership or the company for your experience.

Across superbike brands, these launch events serve the dual purpose of the dealership being able to reconnect with existing owners (basically brand building), while also trying to upsell a brand new product to some of them. It is far easier for all superbike brands to sell to repeat customers, than attract new ones. Its the same with almost every other business. In the process, yes, potential new entrants into the big bike family can get overlooked, as it was in the case of you and your friend.

If we look at it from the other side, for the company and the dealership, the existing Hayabusa / Intruder 1800 / VStrom 1050 / GSX R1000 / S750 / VStrom 650 customers are a lot closer to being "genuine customers" than you or your friend. It is the same across every superbike brand in India. It isnt uncommon to hear of spot bookings for newly launched superbikes from such repeat customers at similar events. Thats just the nature of the beast.

As enthusiasts, its best to pick our spots!

My suggestion to enthusiasts who are keen on booking a new bike is to always avoid these crowded launch events. They are best for socializing with the fellow enthusiasts, the staff and taking pictures with the motorcycle. If you get a free meal, take that as a bonus. Dont expect anything more. As a genuine potential customer, you simply arent going to get the attention that you want or deserve, irrespective of whether you are a new customer or a returning one. You might rightly feel that others who were taking 45 minutes for test rides, were being inconsiderate. However, if the person taking a test ride (say a Hayabusa owner) was ready to do a spot booking, then 45 minutes on the test ride bike of the Katana, would feel insufficient to him.

The area sales manager for Suzuki recently mentioned the upcoming launch event of the Katana. I wished him and his team well for the launch and promised that I would go see it some other other day, when the showroom was empty. This is a simple best practice that I have learnt from attending several such launch events.

Anyways, I hope that this incident doesnt sour your potential Katana purchase. I suspected that you would book a Ronin but on second thoughts, your Katana ownership thread would be a wonderful read!

Originally Posted by GoBlue

Checked Katana out at the Pune dealership.

It looks lovely in person. The cuts and creases are quite striking, they don't come out as well in pics. The longer wheelbase looks very nice. The rear number plate holder is extremely well executed. Best rear of a naked bike in this segment. Build quality is superb all round. It looks compact as compared to some other contenders in this segment. Bronze alloys are the highlight of this color. Headlight & display looks nice when lit up. Makes for a nice 90s look.

Thanks for sharing, GoBlue! The bike looks stunning indeed.

[bf1983]

Is there any reason for zero media reviews? Not a single review has dropped for this bike. Is there an embargo or something?

[GoBlue]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Everything happens for the better Spoke to a few people at the event and they say the service there is very 'iffy'. I'm seriously looking at other brands now. Thanks

Please do not overlook a good product because of this experience. See if you can visit the dealership on a weekday, having arranged for a longer TR in advance.

Suzuki Pune gives 1 HR TR’s (upon request).

If you don’t get a TR there, can connect you with the Pune dealer.

[no_fear]

@Sebring,

Don't let an isolated event like a launch party be your deciding factor to not purchase a bike. Like Neil, I have been to several of these launch parties. They are purely social events with the bike as a backdrop.

The dealer will always upsell to existing big bike owners. It's basics of business. Repeat customers make up the majority for big bike purchases, so dealers will roll out the party platter for them.

No one does any actual test rides or gets to know about the bike. People sit on the bike, take pics, do Insta shots, measure each other's braggadocio, and go home with any goodies.

Go on a weekday afternoon when the dealership is empty and you will get a different experience.

The Katana is an awesome machine, give it a second try.