Bikes that impressed you when they were launched
 

off the back of Chris woods post for ugly bikes I thought I would start one for bikes that impressed you when they were launched.
During the late 70s and early 80s there was a never ending launch of new models, often my first chance to see them was the Earls Court show.

A number of them did impress me at the time and if I'd had the money I may well have bought one or two of them.

Here is one I would have bought if the money had been available

Ducati nut or not it surely has to be the 916? It just blew everything else away.

FS1E of course or the first Gixer 1000. One I loved was the Honda 400 Four with the four into one pipes, awesome at the time

WeeJohnyB

'cause at the time - it was game changing....

I think that this is the best 1000 (IL4) that's been produced, its got worse since 2005.... (just ditch the can though....)

Fizzys were great and everybody had one, the AP50s were probably a tad quicker aided by the 5-speed box. For a moped I would have went for a Garelli Tiger Cross or a Fantic Caballero.

As for the 400/4, it did impress me as much as the CBX1000, I went to the Launch of Hartwells Honda in Botley, Oxford and it took pride of place in the showroom window, as soon as I laid eyes on it I decided I would have one one day, a couple of years later and I had 3 of them, One with all the bling, Yoshi pipe, Dresda Nickle plated arm, Marzocchi shocks, Yamaha XS250 fork lowers with Yamaha mag wheels, twin discs and calipers that worked, S&B air-filters LEDAR air correctors, Pirahna Ignition, Hadleigh Custom fibre glass Mudguards and Engine covers.
Its one bike I wish i had never sold.

When the 916 came out I was more into my specials and still a big fan of the IL4 knowing little about twins other than the 2-stroke RDs, YR5s, GT750s and H1Fs that I had previously owned.

Fireblade has to be in there

The 916 was the most desired but I'll never forget seeing my first:



OMG....droool...slobber,slobber.....

I didn't.


I did.


One of my all time faves, but this was the lust object when I was 17 and on L-Plates



But got heavily into trials riding and ended up with one of these



Ossa Explorer 250 - first bike I ever bought brand new. Exactly the same as a MAR but with a dual seat so I could do trials then take my girlfriend on the back as well (ahem yes officer - on L-Plates). That way I had the choice of which way I wanted to get dirty.

Once I had passed my test, I had a mate who let me have a go on one of my objects of desire at the time...



Which resulted in a big grin followed quickly by a major arse clenching moment as the bike came on song while I was accelerating out of a bumpy corner while still cranked over - fired out of the seat in a near highside, followed by the front end coming right up while I just clung onto the bars like a bison wrestler as they slapped from lock to lock. Nearest I've ever coming to binning a bike without binning it.

Spent hours with my snotty nose pressed up against the window at slow burnin' fuse (Coburn and Hughes) daydreaming about one of these



But, surprisingly, couldn't afford one on a student grant.

This one. Minimalist beauty, imo. It was a long time after the launch before I first saw it though.

When I first saw the Fireblade back in 2004 I had a secret jurning for one. It was the only other bike I would want to own if I was not riding a Duke.

where do I start...heres a couple

with Rattler - RD 350 LC, owned 125lc as first road bike, nicked 3 times and loved it!!
500 gamma
zx7r
916 of course
MV F4
cbr1000rr blade

This one always did it for me



best Ducati ever



the one thats moved things on again



and this needs to be in my garage




Andy

The bike that most impressed me when it came out was the FZR1000 Genesis.There was a magazine road test versus a Lambo Countach at the time which blew me away.


I had a black and red 'un.I remember the day I picked it up from Wheels International,.....just blipping the throttle in the car park filled me with fear.It had loads more power than my then FZ750.I got soon got used to it tho!:devil:
The bike was a rocket ship and saw off many a GSXR 11,ZX10 and CBR thou at the time.:D
I later swapped it for the new EXUP version,.....a mistake.The EXUP was a great bike,but it just did'nt have the raw feel of the older model.

Darn it, got to agree with you, that was one mean stroker if you could ever get one to run right. :)

Was having a look at a couple on fleabay only the other day but bought another boat instead.

[quote=Paul James]Darn it, got to agree with you, that was one mean stroker if you could ever get one to run right. :)

My RG feels like a pussycat around town after the 888 though the power band is a just a tiny bit sharper :-) If you jet them slightly lean they run nice and crisp on the road but go bang if held on full throttle for too long. I'm hoping to get to Cadwell for both days this year and will bring the RG to play with as well.

Keith

Yeah 916 for sure, but in Skid's words "the first" It's got to be the Suzuki Katana

The 1975 RG is just the dogs and this month featured in 'Bike'.

The bike that caught my atention for Ducati's was in 1990, the 888 but could not afford one as just got married and bought my first house. Still can't afford one.

That RG is gorgeous