Classic Hits from the 60's 70's and 80's!

The mid eighties for me.

I had a KDX 250 in about 84, registered trail bike.

The guy who lived next door to my girlfriend had a white Katana with a pop up headlight. Had a pipe on it and looked and sounded great...

My brother had a Moto Guzzi 650 lemans, looked OK but went crap.

A mate had the gsxr 750.

I then bought a gpz500..
Followed by a gpx 750.... The gsxr made the gpx look old...

The earliest bike I owned was a '91 GPX250, but when I got the 9 I let a mate ride it while I took his GPZ1100 out for a run. I'm pretty certain it was around an 81 model...had the red square tank and bikini fairing, with the ELR type pinstriping, fuel injection etc.

I had a hoot riding it! Sit-up and beg ride position, a gear lever that rattled around so much it was hit and miss if your foot got near it, squiggly frame and skinny "touring" compound tyres, and aside from a bit of a smoke screen it went like the absolute clappers

Sadly he sold it a few years later because he wanted a trailie to go riding with the kids, and I didn't have the cash to snap it up

.....Sadly he sold it a few years later because he wanted a trailie to go riding with the kids, and I didn't have the cash to snap it up

put some money away, I think I might have found one !! 1981 GpZ1100B1, same injection as the Pearl, basically in good nick, needs some TLC. Not 100% sure if its on the market yet.......but the signs are good.....

hmmmmm

I know of a Z750 potentially on the market too...gotta have a chat with the guy first though

Last edited by MickLC on Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

'71 cb250 k1, shame i melted a piston

i think the katana did just as much to the rest of the motorcycling world as the gsxr only a bit earlier

Katana simply rocked the established idea of how a bike looked and realy did pave the way for the acceptance of the RR style bike, Suzuki realy showed a lot of balls in the day for doing it. I have to agree about the "Slabbies" GSXR750/1100 but have to parallel them with the GPZ900R which amazingly was still avail new on the kawasaki line up until a few years ago in more obscure countries, it was unchanged since the 80's, now thats milking a model! loved my 900R.

i think the katana did just as much to the rest of the motorcycling world as the gsxr only a bit earlier

I see the Katana as more like a GPZ900R. Sure, an iconic and almost cult like status in the market place at the time, but not revolutionary like the GSXR was. I mean, they went from 240kg 80hp sports bikes, to 190kg 100hp sports bikes. It was a bit of a leap! While the GPZ900R had a stonking motor for the time, it was more akin to a ZX12 of the time more than an out and out sports bike! Plus the frame was prolly one of the biggest differences. A full Alloy frame!! Semi beam to boot! It was pretty amazing at the time. I remember looking at them when they first came out and just immediately thinking "Endurance Racer"! They really were out there. The GPZ was nice, and ya still oohed and aahed as one went past, but you more "Geddafugginlookatthatwillya" When a GSXR went past!