Wow is this a great bike to learn to race on, I raced mine the past 2 seasons before getting the GSXR 1100 i´m raceing now. You can launch the Katana at very high RPM´s and it won´t wheely out from under you, its a well balanced bike for raceing, plenty of HP comming from the air cooled GSXR motor "something the new Katana´s lost" , best time through the quarter was 12.0 sec at 118 mph, very respectable for a bike weighing around 540lbs, only short comming is the narrow rear tire, expect to have to roast the rear tire to near melting point prior to dragging it or it´ll spin like crazy.