ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
I liked the superdream. Good commuter thumper. The 400N had more balls, though.
Classic Japanese Motorcycles.
- Thread starter Stanley Edwards
- Start date
I liked the superdream. Good commuter thumper. The 400N had more balls, though.
Meltingpot
Living in our pools we soon forget about the sea
Not sure if this is a true classic, but I lusted after one
Which model of Kawasaki is that?
Hardcore!
weltweit
Well-Known Member
Meltingpot
Living in our pools we soon forget about the sea
OK, thanks.
not-bono-ever
meh
whats a classic then ?
I would say anything that was a game changer & had a pivotal role somewhere in the bike scene - the honda step thro's, the CG125, the Z1, the 750/4.
not sure if all of the bikes mentioned above really qualify as true classics, fast and sleek yes, but not game changers
/ discuss
I would say anything that was a game changer & had a pivotal role somewhere in the bike scene - the honda step thro's, the CG125, the Z1, the 750/4.
not sure if all of the bikes mentioned above really qualify as true classics, fast and sleek yes, but not game changers
/ discuss
kwaimaisabai
Well-Known Member
CB750 four, first four cylinder inline from Japan. Set the scene for Japanese bikes.
The Z1 (obviously).
CX500. Odd design, ran forever on little maintenance (but when you had to work on it then it was an absolute swine). Ugly as sin, sort of looks like 70s brutalism today. Still quite a few about.
GT550 (Kwak). The yardstick of reliability and a sucker for real abuse that didn't look like a CX. Again, quite a few still about.
GPZ900R. The first modern superbike. Goes like shit of a stick, handles well, comfortable and a well respectable sports tourer even by modern standards. Plenty on eBay for next to nothing, I've seen them go for as little as £300. Quite fancy one myself as a project like.
Slab sided gixxers? Well, maybe. Shame the fairing hides the beautiful engine. The Bandit? A possibility, brought the gixxer motor back to those of us that prefer Renthals to clip ons.
Apart from that, there's got to be a two stroke triple in there, I'd go for the Kwak.
RD350LC YPVS. Most certainly not the TDR or the YZR though.
250 Gamma? Almost seems to duplicate the power valve but then these were insanely fast, incredibly sharp handling little bikes that weighed about as much as a skateboard and you could probably carry one around in your pocket.
Yam Tenere. I'm biased, feel free to disagree. Still the best of the big single trail bikes though. Tall feels so dated now and put alongside an XR400, tall feels very dated as well.
One thing I can add is the CR500. The meanest, nastiest, dirtiest, most vermicious, surly, growly, foul tempered crosser ever.
I guess that's a whole new section. Classic Japanese track bikes.
The Z1 (obviously).
CX500. Odd design, ran forever on little maintenance (but when you had to work on it then it was an absolute swine). Ugly as sin, sort of looks like 70s brutalism today. Still quite a few about.
GT550 (Kwak). The yardstick of reliability and a sucker for real abuse that didn't look like a CX. Again, quite a few still about.
GPZ900R. The first modern superbike. Goes like shit of a stick, handles well, comfortable and a well respectable sports tourer even by modern standards. Plenty on eBay for next to nothing, I've seen them go for as little as £300. Quite fancy one myself as a project like.
Slab sided gixxers? Well, maybe. Shame the fairing hides the beautiful engine. The Bandit? A possibility, brought the gixxer motor back to those of us that prefer Renthals to clip ons.
Apart from that, there's got to be a two stroke triple in there, I'd go for the Kwak.
RD350LC YPVS. Most certainly not the TDR or the YZR though.
250 Gamma? Almost seems to duplicate the power valve but then these were insanely fast, incredibly sharp handling little bikes that weighed about as much as a skateboard and you could probably carry one around in your pocket.
Yam Tenere. I'm biased, feel free to disagree. Still the best of the big single trail bikes though. Tall feels so dated now and put alongside an XR400, tall feels very dated as well.
One thing I can add is the CR500. The meanest, nastiest, dirtiest, most vermicious, surly, growly, foul tempered crosser ever.
I guess that's a whole new section. Classic Japanese track bikes.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
TDR= first factory 'supermotard' bike. Plus it is an insane ride, almost as mad as those 70's kwak triples. Thats good enough for me.
Saw a Kawasaki X10, eframe, twincam today. Never seen one before.
What is the 'eframe' referring to exactly?
What is the 'eframe' referring to exactly?
kwaimaisabai
Well-Known Member
A mate of mine had the 250 twin, well fast for a 250 four stroke and handled as well. The problem was having to partially drop the engine to replace the rear spark plug.
Found it. ZX10, boxframe, twincam, 16 valve madness.
All I could remeber was that it was named like some new hi-tech computer, so I guessed 1986.
All I could remeber was that it was named like some new hi-tech computer, so I guessed 1986.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
One of the fastest bikes of its generation. I always thought they looked heavy.
Followed some time later with the Honda Blackbird and Suzuki Hayabusa, in the top speed stakes.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
I like the superblackbird - you see tons still on the road even here in London. The single colour paint scheme has helped it age very gracefully. They are apparently bulletproof too.
Hayabusa started life ugly and got worse. The curved silencers on the last one were fucking hideous.
Hayabusa started life ugly and got worse. The curved silencers on the last one were fucking hideous.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
Mentioned earlier in the thread and celebrating its 20th birthday this year...
Tough, light, cheap, economical (for a 900cc bike), brilliantly made and stupidly easy to ride fast
Also stupidly cheap to buy secondhand at the mo.
Tough, light, cheap, economical (for a 900cc bike), brilliantly made and stupidly easy to ride fast
Also stupidly cheap to buy secondhand at the mo.
Aaahh balls it's been posted already 
Worth seeing twice though
Worth seeing twice though
First of the modern generation 600s?
I bought new one of the first ZX6R F1s in the country - put 40k miles on it, despatching, holidays, track days etc. Definitely a classic to me.
I bought new one of the first ZX6R F1s in the country - put 40k miles on it, despatching, holidays, track days etc. Definitely a classic to me.
It had a full Micron race system, dynojet kit, EBC discs, Harris pegs, race fairing cut for road use, carbon fibre everything, etc etc. Fucking loved that bike so much....
