Glad there are some local MTB tracks still open to keep me occupied.
Experience. What you get just after you needed it.
You're right on all counts, especially regarding electric starts. I do still ride and presently I've just done a ground up restore (rebuild) of a '76 XLCH. It's again a kick start bike ( never learn) and my first and last Harley. Having just survived a quad bypass, the bloody thing still insists on always starting on the last kick. My philosophy is that it's me or it...the bastard. I'll post a mugshot of the prick.
You made the Bandit shrink. Looks smaller than original.
Experience. What you get just after you needed it.
What was Honda 350 four like Outlander - I never rode one? Also never rode the Suzuki water jacket 750 2 stroke or the Kawasaki H2 750 triple - the 500 triple was handful enough! Yes worth coin now all of them. The Yamaha FZ750 I had was an 86 from memory and an amazing sportsbike. But.... it was very firm in ride/suspension/seating and only comfortable for 60-90 minute rides. Hopeless as a cruiser
The bike I'd most like to have from the past would still be a CB750F - anywhere from '69 to 80 or so. Good power, fair handling, very flexible torque - lovely cruisers.. If buying now I'd be looking at new Triumph Bonnies etc, but also saw a very nice Suzi 1000SV twin recently. Looked like a good open road bike. Yamaha W800? well rated cruiser, but would it have the character...
In fact, it ended up a lot higher at the back. I changed the dog bones for shorter ones ( 1" from memory) which raised the back and then fitted a rear shock from a GSXR 1100 which again was longer. It put a lot of weight on the front which made it a very nimble and capable handler. I advanced the timing 5 deg, fitted 1100 cams and dropped the front sprocket 1 tooth. How I survived with a full frame of skin is a mystery.
The CB350 F was an exceptionally smooth bike. It would start just by looking at the start button. Unfortunately, with the extra weight, the cheaper CB350 twin out performed it, was cheaper and way lighter. Still hanker after another CB 350 twin.The Suzuki 750 kettle was also a weighty bugger and if you came from a four stroke, it would tend to run quicker into corners, so a handful of brakes were needed to compensate for engine braking! I never had one out run my 70's CB 750 four though. I only knew a bloke with an FZ 750 and it hauled big time. They had 5 valve heads and screamed, with handling to match. Visually reminds me of the RZ500 I had in '84. The early Fours, as you know, were the fasted of the bunch with bigger carbs and a higher cam. They supposedly put out near 67 bhp where as the '74 I owned was somewhere in the high 50 bhp mark. The SV 1000 in the naked version I thought was the dogs balls. Wonder why they never sold very well? Perhaps because the Ducati monster was so desirable, lighter and more nimble. The new Triumphs and the W800, I have not a clue about. Cheers.
They’re XN85 because they put out 85hp, they’re actually 650cc
It rode like and handled well, after the T-Sport Superglide it felt like scooter on steroids, when the boost came on it really rocketed but predictably so.
A bike I regret selling, it’s now in the hand of a NI collector.
I remember seeing odd turbo bikes but they didn't sell so well - I guess because the new fours were very powerful. TN85 looks a beauty..
My FZ750 was a real groundbreaker. Track bred from Yamaha racing team, and that 5 valve per cyl motor was a dream to rev. Very smooth with effortless surge to redline cutout at 11k. Great 7-11k powerband. More of a short travel sports bike but what fun!!.
Here's an absolute cracker of a vid from about 1986-7 featuring a track race between the top Ferrari Testarossa of the day, an FZ750 road bike, and a racing Yamaha YZR500. Giacomo Agostini (great bike champion) on the little FZ. It's a doozy... turn the sound on the vid ..
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x563wqe
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