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My 1st bike

3K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  photobug 
#1 ·
Well, I don't really know if it qualifies as a classic to some, but my first bike is a classic to me. I was fiftenn and it was a 1981 Kawasaki GPZ550. I picked it up from my neighbor who used it for edurance racing with WERA. It had progressive suspension, drop down bars, and Metzler ME33's whick were, at the time, THE tire to have. That bike really handled quite well. The brakes weren't the best and it sure took some work to get it turned in but I think it was a bike that was ahead of its time. It had 44,000 miles before it's life was ended prematurely by a Ford Granada but that's a whole other story. Someday I will get another one and restore it to its original beauty. If anyone has one I might be interested in taking a look at it.

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Ride Fast - Take Chances
 
#2 ·
Yes, the GPZ series Kawasaki's should rate the title of "classic sportbike"!! The next infobit will be on the "rise" of the production sporting machines of the late 70's and early 80's of which the GPZ's were a big part of. :)

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BJ Ondo, "Old Fart"
Colorado
1980 GS1100E Suzuki
"The 1980's Hyabusa"
 
#3 ·
Well, my first bike (the first bike i actually owned) was a 1981 Suzuki GS750. I was only 20 when i got it, but honestly i have to laugh at myself now, that bike sat so high and had so much power, and i think the dry weight on it was about 1400 pounds. :D I was SCARED of that bike and never really rode it much. i paid $475 for it and sold it a year or 2 later for $475. A good learning experience, but not a pleasant one.

(for reference, the first bike i ever RODE was a friends BRAND NEW 1987 Yamaha YSR50...woohooo that lil thing was a blast, but to go from a 50 to a 750 was not very bright)

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Fear Green.

[This message has been edited by GreenNinja (edited July 17, 2000).]
 
#4 ·
Auger, I don't think a lot of people here even know what that bike looked like, since they weren't available in the U.S.

It was pretty cool, with its spacy styling, and that flip-up headlight. Underneath, however, it was very similar to the '83 GS750ES, which, coincidentally, was MY first sportbike, and the bike I started racing on way back in May of 1983.

I really enjoyed that bike. It was overshadowed by the Honda Interceptor that year, but I was never really a fan of that bike. I always felt my Suzuki had much cleaner styling, and it sounded like a real bike. ;)

I finished 2nd in two classes that year on the old Suzi', and 7th overall in the Phoenix Road Racing Organization (now CCS/SW). In addition, I also put over 36,000 street miles on the bike in the 3 years that I owned it.

Of all the bikes I've ever owned and sold, that's probably the one bike I kind of wish I still had.

But recently, I bought a little taste of that era... a bike that I always kind of lusted after --
A 1983 Suzuki XN85 Turbo 650.

I found this bike in very good shape, with only about 5,000 miles on it. It runs well, but the suspension is a little sacked out, so it's a little mushy. But it's cool! Even my 22-year-old nephew thinks it's cool, and he hates everything that's more than 5 years old!

It's very similar overall to my GS, but with more of the Katana-like style of Hans Muth. And of course, a turbo. Which, at the time I guess, was impressive when it came on. But by today's standards, it's not very awe-inspiring, but hey, I like it!

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A fool and his money are soon partying.
 
#6 ·
The flip up headlight came on the `85 Katana(at least it did up here)which had a pearl white fairing and gold accents on a mostly black engine.Oh,and gold coloured rims.Mine was grey and red in colour and was the second year it came out.When they(1100&750)were introduced in `82 they were both mostly grey in colour(battleship grey I`m told).In `83,the 750 was grey and red and the 1100 was grey and blue.In the later years of owning the 750,I took out the engine and slipped in a GS1150 engine and it fit!!!.All I had to do was trim the countershaft cover to fit the frame and fabricate the bottom engine mounts.Ever since then I`ve been hooked on big bore grunt.

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#7 ·
my first and only bike i've ever owned is my hurricane. although i don't consider it a classic i've never seen another one. i've seen 600's before but never a 1000. all this talk about first bikes is making me feel guilty. i gotta go wash her.

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Remember Folks: Lights Timed For 35mph Are Also Timed For 70mph
 
#11 ·
My buddy Doug had one of those Kanatunas when we were in high school. It sported a 1350cc(maybe 1400, i don't remember) motor built by Ferracci. That was the fastest bike I have ever had the chance to be aboard. It certainly was not what you would call a canyon carver but it sure was fun and looked damn good to boot! :)

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Ride Fast - Take Chances
 
#12 ·
Sshhh. I'll let you in on a secret if y'all promise not to tell all the kids asking which 160 mph sportbike they should get as their first motorcycle.

My first motorcycles was a brand new 1977 Kawasaki 900 Z1. Of course, I had ridden dirt bikes for a few years, but that 900 was a beast. Heavy, fast, decent brakes and no handling. I'm lucky I didn't kill myself on it. I bought it because my roommate bought a used Porsche 911T and I couldn't afford a car that would outrun his Porsche. Ah youth. How could I have been so stupid and irresponsible back then?

My next bike was a much wiser choice - a Honda CB400F. That little thing was an absolute joy to ride, and got 55 mpg to boot. I wish I still had it.

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"For every action there is an equal and moronic overreaction."
Peter Egan
 
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