SUZUKI GSX600F (1996 - 2000) Review

Version: Katana GSX600F

Year: 1999

It is very reliable I got it used on a steal for real an it had 40,000miles when I got it she at 45,000 still running strong

Version: K6

Year: 2000

Was my first bike, amazing for someone who has at least the msf course of experience. Speed and acceleration are definitely shocking at first, but nothing that will make you have to change drawers. Handling is amazing at your normal cruising speeds (35-80mph). Only downside is the factory seat is a little rough on the back/butt after a couple hours.

Buying experience: I bought it from a private dealer, i bought it for 500$ and he wanted 800$

Year: 2000

Annual servicing cost: £200

Coming up to 6 months with the bike I’m so pleased to be back on two wheels and it’s just passed it’s MOT no advisories at this price (£1100) you cant complain! Great engine in a reliable novice friendly package good first big bike and/or cheap cheap way into bikes. Not the sexiest but sexier than other bikes at this end of the barrel (I.e. the bottom) think grandad spec XJ6 no thank you this looks better!

Buying experience: £1100 private sale after a little negotiation - eight previous owners 😱 but the chap I got it from loved and looked after it and mechanically sound as proven by recent MOT pass. After two 2006 Suzuki Bandits and unforeseen circumstances I’d moved away from bikes and back into the car (boo) however I was left with that nagging urge to get back on two wheels but with not much money so was looking around the £1000 mark - it’s either one of these or an XJ6 Diversion (or something without an MOT!) at this end of the barrel. The divys just look far too grandad for me so I managed to get hold of these - a late mode 2000 one of these for £1100.

Year: 1998

Annual servicing cost: £200

First bike I bought(skipped buying a 125cc) and its a pretty beginner friendly bike. Matches the performance of other class leading A2 bikes for half the price as long as you don't mind lugging around the extra weight. Functional and comfortable, it will eat up motorway miles or twisties with ease and can even work as a comuter.

Year: 1999

Annual servicing cost: £100

Dull but dependable

Buying experience: Bought privately for £800 for a 12000 mile example, always seemed to sell well despite lack of performance

Year: 1995

Annual servicing cost: £100

Always Dependable. This review is on the series before the reworked GSX600F In 96, l Owned the bike for 22yrs from new. Although there are faster prettier and more trendier bikes out there I can say that I loved every minute of ownership and riding.

Buying experience: Bought as new from dealer that no longer exists

Year: 1996

I actually own two Katana 600s, an '89 and '95. Obviously they aren't '96s but I figured I had to put my 2 cents in somewhere. This is a great bike to start out on. Usually, they are cheap. A little heavy but hey, they're more than 20 years old. Both have high miles and still run like champs. Recommend for a newbie or anyone that wants to mix up their bike collection. Also, my '89 gets lots of compliments on paint quality and both '89 and '95 get compliments on sound.

Year: 1999

Annual servicing cost: £70

Overall quite good, not perfect but you feel like you get value for money.

Buying experience: Private sale. £600 no MOT. Passed MOT with no advisories.

i am a tourer rider and my best bike is a bandit. but i now own a 600 katana it was cheap and chearfull but its a gracefull bike carnt fault her in enyway. i had to spend some money on her but money still well spent. when i do get a bandit i am going to keep her for fun rides out best £800 i ever spent

i have a suzuki gsx600f katana 1997 model and its fast smooth relible and cheep to run it has never let me down it will keep up with almost anything if you ride it right and sticks like glue in the corners my mate had a suzuki gsxr750 and i could keep up and somtimes beet him and he is a very good rider witch just lets u know how good this bike is for a older and more upright bike i have done a few trips to scotland and london and never felt tyred or uncomftable and i live in newcstle again lets u know how good it is i paid £2200 for myne and it is in great condition and only had 7000miles on the clock when bourt in november 2008 so its not an expensive bike for what u get also i have been clocked at 163mph on myne totaly stock so i disagree with the 130mph coments thanks for reeding any questions i will do ma best to answer cheers

I owned an older teapot and bought my 54 plate because it was going for a song. I needed something to commute and use as a daily hack and it hasn't disapponted. Good on fuel and tyres and very dependable. 130 mph if you want to and very comfy and not too buzzy. I put luggage and braided hoses on with better tyres and it does me a treat. Worst things are the weight, the corrosion and poor quality of the paintwork but frankly it's not that much of a problem considering the abuse she gets! buy yourself a low mileage bargain from a BAB and you won't be disappointed.

(I should have posted here rather than 'Comments' below...) My mate's CBR6 never left me behind, I always caught him before the next corner and I'd plenty left in the tank when he was pulling onto the forecourt to fill up and scratch his numb ass back to life! I too have managed to squeeze a ton30+ out of her before running out of room. It's all-day comfy, there's plenty of room for sliding across the seat before that tight corner and I've had some silly lean-angles since I upgraded the rubber to BT010's (horrid Macadams got binned)! I really couldn't have picked a better bike post DAS (insurance after a year's riding is £89) and the weight 'disadvantage' means I probably won't notice the increase when I move up to a litre bike. She could do with a little more power (the 750 probably has that) and I find the brakes a bit woolly when pulling up from speed, although there's plenty for stoppies from lower velocities. It's difficult to imagine riding something without a propper fuel guage too. I have a few furry fastners after riding through last winter and the rear caliper needed new seals at this years major service. I can live with that on a 52-plate 16,000+ miler. I can't wait to see the new GSX650F. Long live The Kat.

Been off the bike for about 15 years. Despite all the negative press from the so called experts all the owner reviews are very positive. This has (in my opinion) artifically brought the price of the bike down (so thanks to all the experts).What can I say fab performance on a shoe-string budget, where else could you get this much fun for £1500 and next to nothing to insure. By the way my wife is a stunner so I'm not bothered by the teapot remarks, I actually think its a great looking bike. Very easy to take on the twisties, was back to scratching my knee in no time. Good on the motorways also, 130mph no problems. Will be happy to ride this for at least another few years. Strengths: Price, performance, a real Goldielocks bike! Weaknesses: None really, if you twisted my arm there are a few rusted bolt heads but once you offset this against the cost to buy the bike in the fist place, it's not a consideration. Go on grab yourself a bargain.

After 15 years off a bike I wanted something that would keep me entertained for a while but wouldn't run away with me. This fits the bill perfectly and has been easy to live with, cheap to buy and cheap to run. Longest trip 330 miles in one go other than fuel stops. I needs to be muscled into corners, but at least you find out how to ride a big heavy bike that way. Enough power to get you into trouble, but you need to work the gearbox, so it won't creep up on you. Brakes are spongy, but do actually stop you rather than locking the wheels unexpectedly. Exactly what you need when you've been off a bike for a while. Decent fairing keeps the wind and rain off you, even my 6'6" frame. Strengths: Cheap to buy and run. Comfy enough for long runs. Easy to live with. Fast enough to wake you up when the mood takes you. Weaknesses: Heavy vibes through the bars and pegs at legal motorway cruising speeds.

Why do some people Knock this bike? I have found it a realy nice bike. Its comfortable, as quick as you need a bike to be and handles very well indeed. I brought it as a short term bike but Im quite happy to keep it, as it dose it all and its cheep on maintenance for every day biking. Strengths: Its comfortable, good weather protection, easy to ride and cheap to run. Weaknesses: A bit heavy.

I've had my black gsx for over a year now. Having passed my test 20 years ago, I stopped riding about 5 years back. The gsx is a cracking bike. It's fairly light, handles as well as most race models, and can hold it's own against most 600's for speed. Strengths: Nice riding position. Fast & responsive. Decent handling Pops serious wheelies! Weaknesses: Has a bad rep because of the Teapot nickname.

I'm not claiming to be an expert cos I'm not but I am finding it great as a first bike, it's a little on the heavy side, but I think thats down to it being 17yrs old, and the fuel tank doesn't hold a lot but so far it's been pretty forgiving of my "still learning" mistakes, handles well and the restrictor doesn't seem to have had a negative effect on it. I'd reccomend it to someone for a first bike though if you're a vertically challenged female like myself you may want to have it lowered slightly. Strengths: Price, handling. Weaknesses: Fuel tank.

The handling is Great and the Fairing really is affective. The Brakes are great, But the fuel tank is just to small. Strengths: Riding postion, Brakes, Engine, Handling, (Very odd looking) Fairing and the Price Second Hand. Weaknesses: Only the fuel tank size.

This bike is classed as a sports / tourer and it does a great job of both, a bit of a Jekyll & Hyde. It eats up winding roads for breakfast and provides all footrest scraping fun you would expect from a spostr bike. Take it on a long trip and you find a different personality in the bike, comfortable and reliable, everthing you would expect from a tourer. If I must ctitisise anything it is the capacity of the fuel tank for long runs means finding a fuel stop every 150 miles or so. All this combined with 140mph performance, excellecnt brakes and handling make it a good all rounder. Strengths: The powerplant is excellent, riding position is comfortable, it handles, it's fast and it stops, what more do you need! Excellent value for money. Weaknesses: Outdated looks, restrictive fuel tank capacity for touring.

This is my first bike and as such it's perfect. There's enough power, but not too much. The insurance is cheap (the high figure above is because I live in manchester - every other 600 I tried to get insured was over 1000 quid TPF&T) and because most magazines slag them off it was cheap to buy too. I've also found it a great bike to build up confidence on. It's never scared me by being too powerful but has enough to go everywhere at "instant ban" speeds if you want to. On top of that it's nice and solid in corners and doesn't feel like it's going to throw me off. About the only real problems are the brakes (work fine and are good enough for me, but need a firm tug to get it to slow down quickly) and the finish (I haven't ridden it in winter much but it's still got spots of rust). I expect I'll have outgrown it in a year of so, but until then it suits me fine.

ITS MY FIRST BIG BIKE I THINK ITS A GOOD BIKE I ALSO LIKE THE SIZE AS ITS QUITE BULKY ITS GREAT ON A SUNNY DAY ON THE LANES YOU CAN CHUCK IT ABOUT A BIT IT IS ALSO GREAT ON THE MOTORWAY. I DONT LIKE THE GREY WHEELS OR BELLY PAN SO BOTH ARE BEING SORTED IN THE WINTER I WILL ALSO FIT A SCOTTOILER AND UPGRADE THE DATATOOL IMMOBILIZER TO INCLUDE AN ALARM. FOR A FIRST BIKE I WOULD DEFINETLY RECOMMEND THE GSXF.

Passed my test last year so didnt want a sports bike. Very happy with my choice, it does everything I want-comfortable, reliable, fast enough, nice to look at. What more can I say?

Easy to clean, but headlight can become covered in grime very quickly and reduce visibility. Finish has been good so far despite infrequent cleaning and winter salt.

This is my first bike for 25 years. When I was a teenager (in England) I rode small bikes up to 250cc but had never ridden a powerful 'sports' bike. I decided that it was time to treat myself; I wanted to pay cash, and was scared stiff about riding a powerful crotch rocket, or paying extra money for the latest technology. The GSX600F (Katana in Canada and US) seemed to fit the bill and I am pleased to confirm that it is an excellent choice for someone wanting comfort and speed. It is still sold new here but I believe has been discontinued in Europe. The bike will suit those on a budget and/or those hoping to trade up when their confidence level is higher. After taking a motorcycle course I had no problem getting onto the bike and driving away from the dealers. After 2500 miles of mixed highway and town use I have had a great deal of fun. The bike comes alive after 6000rpm, cruises easily at 90mph, and is very comfortable at 120mph which is as fast as I have been to date and frankly quite fast enough for me (until next summer). I am 51, a boring old fart, and having the time of my life. In a year or so I will trade up to a Ducati ST2 or Honda Interceptor - I will pay a lot more for quality and image, but you can't knock the Suzuki. Here in Canada it is a real deal and I recommend it to anyone who wants sports and comfort at a good price. If you are planning on keeping the same bike for many years then buy the 750. If money is tight or you plan to trade up later, then the 600 will not disappoint.

I love it. The bike's particular forte is comfort and although it is perhaps at the less powered end of the 600 market, I still find the bike exciting. The looks are slightly odd, but that didn't bother me and I think I got a bargain. Don't knock the bike till you tried it - it's got a clock and fuel gauge, where's my slippers....