Best "early or old school" sport bike

[WildKat]

Anything we'll say up until the early 90's or so...any first generation type of rides like the original CBR 600, Original GSXR's, Kawa. GPZ 900, Yamaha FZR line, etc.... You know, the bikes that really started the sport bike revolution.

One of my favorites has always been the original CBR 600's

http://www.motorera.com/honda/h0600/hurrican/cbr600f-87.gif

http://home.nycap.rr.com/wwilliams/Hot1-00-2.jpg

but my all time favorite old school sport bike would have to be the Interceptor. I'll never forget as a kid watching some guy wheelie one across a bridge near my house.

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/8201/20070405bikepics853768fcj9.jpg

[Dave]

i love hurricanes

[Mr Lefty]

for me... it was always the Ninja's... guess... growing up nothing was cooler than a Ninja... so a bike called the Ninja had to be the best...
http://www.backroadsboogie.com/images/ninja_a.jpg


still nothing cooler than Ninja's

['73 H1 Triple]

'82 GPZ 750 ( found this pic, not mine)
http://w2.bikepics.com/pics/2006/11/29/bikepics-735072-full.jpg

I put over 35K on mine. Should have never sold it

Jeff

[Mrs. Colleen]

Guess which one is my fav. :D

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/AFIDrummerGirl/Bike%20Pics/Ohlins2.jpg

[BobTheBiker]

I personally LOVE the 87 Hurricane 600 in that black with red stripe scheme. early VFRs are a second love, followed by the early FZRs with the twin bug eye headlights.

[Smittie61984]

Kawasaki H2 if you want to consider that a sportbike.

But old Cafe Racers (With the real Bubble looking windscreen) has always been cool to me.

[Bree]

Cafe Racers have always been my fav as well... here's my old CB... may she rest in peice(s).
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q143/austinadela/racer.jpg

[JoJoYZF]

for me... it was always the Ninja's... guess... growing up nothing was cooler than a Ninja... so a bike called the Ninja had to be the best...


When I was younger (which wasnt all that long ago) I always thought the same thing. It was all about the lime green and purple ninjas.

[OneSickPsycho]

Old Gixxers and Interceptors.

[JK]

I think it was the look of the old british iron that appealed to me the most. still does today.

nortons, matchless, bsa's... of course tritons and norvins were the best. not by looks but the concept of necessity & function trumping all other considerations appealed to me.

[Mr Lefty]

yes... the norton commando is fucking sexy
http://www.diseno-art.com/images/Norton_Commando_961_SS.jpg
http://www.diseno-art.com/images/Norton_Commando_961_SS_rear.jpg

[WildKat]

When I was younger a coworker of mine, at my very first job actually, sold me his XR 250R dirtbike and that got me started on 2 wheels but he had a 900 Ninja that just F'n screamed!! Black and Red and sexy as all hell, man that thing was just wicked cool back then and still is today.

[marko138]

This guy treated me well for many years...

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m95/markgraves138/clean1.jpg

[Mr Lefty]

yeah your pink suzy was a bad ass older ride...

[dReWpY]

older nighthhawk

[Dave]

mmm tesi 1d, im a sucker for forkless

http://www.mc24.no/getfile.php/Innhold/Klassisk/Motorsykkel/MAD%2007%20-%20utstilling%20Milano/61_bimota_tesi_1d.jpg%20(1000x671).jpg

[WildKat]

This one that I've always liked and hoped the design might catch on better but just never did. I saw one in the local Hooters the other day and just had to stop and look at it. I've always told myself when I have the extra money I'd love to own one just to say I have it if nothing else.

Yamaha GTS1000

http://www.dropbears.com/m/models/yamaha/images/gts1000a.jpg

[PhiSig1071]

Old Slingshot GSXR's, streetfightered.

Although I always did like the baby GPz's (550's) and the GPz Turbo's.

[Dave]

This one that I've always liked and hoped the design might catch on better but just never did. I saw one in the local Hooters the other day and just had to stop and look at it. I've always told myself when I have the extra money I'd love to own one just to say I have it if nothing else.

Yamaha GTS1000

http://www.dropbears.com/m/models/yamaha/images/gts1000a.jpg

im semi sorta looking for one of those. prob try to snag one in the next few years. i think it would make a BANGIN sport tourer

[Rider]

1986 GSXR1100

http://www.gsx-r.eu/afbeeldingen/1100/1986-G-wph_gsxr-1.jpg

[WildKat]

im semi sorta looking for one of those. prob try to snag one in the next few years. i think it would make a BANGIN sport tourer

No doubt, they look really comfortable and just slap some luggage on there and you'd have yourself a real nice sport tourer for long hauls too. You can't find them too often for sale atleast around here.

[Dave]

No doubt, they look really comfortable and just slap some luggage on there and you'd have yourself a real nice sport tourer for long hauls too. You can't find them too often for sale atleast around here.

and when you do they want 6k for em :eek:

[Sixxxxer]

Wow That Forkless Bike is Nucking Futs!!!

I like the Older Ninjas to...But I'm Biased.

[ceo012384]

I don't believe this thread has gone this far without this motherfucker:

Yamaha RZ350. Two stroke. Kenny Roberts Edition.

Fucking sexy.

http://www.thecreeper.net/rz350_and_shriners.jpg

And yes... there are dudes driving around in weird little cars in the background for god knows why :lol:

[Dave]

Wow That Forkless Bike is Nucking Futs!!!

I like the Older Ninjas to...But I'm Biased.

which? the yami or the tesi? bimota made two other tesi's and a special one off model. they also build the hubcentric steering layout for vyruss. hopefully shit catches on eventually. looks friggin sweet and mostly eliminates brake dive. gotta ride one before i die :drool:

[JK]

I don't believe this thread has gone this far without this motherfucker:

Yamaha RZ350. Two stroke. Kenny Roberts Edition.

Fucking sexy.

http://www.thecreeper.net/rz350_and_shriners.jpg

And yes... there are dudes driving around in weird little cars in the background for god knows why :lol:

2 strokes- yum! water buffalos and kawi triples too.

[Dave]

God forkless is sexy
http://images.auctionhelper.com/images/9639/motorcycles3/elf.jpg

[Sixxxxer]

Both look Pimp,But the Tesi is pretty Nuts looking...I'd be interested to ride one and see how much different it Rides.

[Dave]

me too, unfortunately bimota only builds tesis in groups of like 40 or so for each gen...and they go for about 40k. vyrus however has no build limit but THOSE go for about 90 grand. we should go mug tom cruise. he has one

[BobTheBiker]

I don't believe this thread has gone this far without this motherfucker:

Yamaha RZ350. Two stroke. Kenny Roberts Edition.

Fucking sexy.

http://www.thecreeper.net/rz350_and_shriners.jpg

And yes... there are dudes driving around in weird little cars in the background for god knows why :lol:
My buddy and his dad have like 7 of that bike's predecessor, the RD. they've got 250's 350s and a hella wild built ass 400 throwin down something like 100hp or so right now. the son is building a new one that should surpass that even I think.

[nhgunnut]

I love this thread. I am beginning to think about my next project and am about 90% settled on a 70s style Cafe (hot bikes of my Youth) I am ok with using a later bike as long as it can be made to appear from that era. I am leaning toward using a yamaha 650 upright twin (like most guys my age I love the british iron but can't justify the price or cutting up a classic.) I also have thought about using a wrinkled Hyosung or SV as a base but that limits creativity somewhat. Poular right now is cafing the CB 750 K Hondas. Not to Hijack the thread here but how about some suggestions? Would love to hear from some of you with a few silver highlights in your hair or some of you younger historians what would make a good base for a cafe

[BobTheBiker]

I believe that a 1970's CB series, or a more modern(ish) CB like a nighthawk would make a good starting point. I had a 550K that I was going to make a racer out of, but never really got to it.

[JK]

CB Cafe's are awesome. Bulletproof AND cheap! Had a CL 350 waiting to be cafe'd but had to let it go prematurely. I also like the look of the parallel twins over the CB750's I4.

you could get a head start with a new bonneville or 650 yamaha but that might take out some of the fun...

ive even seen cafe'd sportsters that look great.

[BobTheBiker]

I'll attest to the CB being a DAMNED DURABLE and bulletproof platform. when I bought mine, it just needed minor cleaning and synch of the carbs after sitting 5 years, fresh fuel, and a little oil change. I revved that thing into 11k on the tach a few times, and it didnt even give me a hint of trouble.

the CB series bikes, IMO, are some of the finest old school machines you can lay hands on because of that. I regret selling mine now.

only complaint was it had a single piston caliper, and could have really benefited from a 2+ piston up on the front, and maybe a 2nd rotor.