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News August 2024
Kawasaki Rex –
today's random brochure, August 31
From Kawasaki's fast and furious period in the 1980s
comes the GPz1000RX, aka the Rex, launched in 1986. It was
sandwiched between the GPz900R of 1984 and the ZX-10 of
1988.
Claiming 125 horses and a 255km/h top speed, the RX proved to be quick but caught short in the stability department
. Nevertheless it was an imposing piece of kit.
See the data and
backgrounder at Motorcycle Specs.
Plus our feature
on the GPz900R A1.
Stoner Ducati
racer gets top dollar, August 30
A Ducati built for Australian Casey Stoner's successful 2007 MotoGP season has re-emerged on the market and sold for what is claimed to be a record price for the marque. Listed as a GP7 799cc V-four producing 220hp-plus, it has been through at least two set of private hands since it was retired.
Iconic in the UK handled the auction as part of its
recent Silverstone sale and got a
staggering Au$780,000 (US$531,000, GB£402,500).
A 2003 989 GP3
racer from the 2003 Loris Capirossi tilt at the title
sold for Au$390,000 (US$265,000, GB£201,250).
Prices for more humble machinery were somewhat subdued. See the full
auction catalogue.
Twin screamer,
August 28
Yamaha's YL-1 100 twin from 1966 may
have only displaced 97cc, but with a howling 8500rpm
on board it claimed 9.7hp and a top speed near 60mph
(96km/h).
See the
period Cycle World review.
And our mini
feature on early Yamaha twin-cylinder two-strokes.
Flashback: Is
God a practical joker? August 27
It all started with a worrying thump, as many good motorcycle stories do. Or was that detective stories? No matter, it was either a thump or sometimes a clack...and we’ve had nothing like this happen on any of the dozens of other machines we’ve owned across the decades. So I’m sticking with the practical-joke-by-the-motorcycle-god theory...
From our Travels with Guido series. See the story here
More Travels columns here
Laverda's 'Orange Monster', August 26
From Classic
Two
Wheels: "When it comes to rare, desirable
performance motorcycles, Laverda's 750 SFC is right up
there. A genuine production racer from the early 1970s,
it was both beautiful and bulletproof. And expensive, of
course.
"In this
special feature, we have Derek Pickard's January
1972 road test on the first SFC to land in Australia,
plus Ian Falloon's retrospective on the evolution and
significance of the machine itself."
Plus, see the brief AllMoto profile on the Laverda parallel sports twin of the 1990s, the 750S Formula. Sadly it proved to be nowhere near as robust as its justifiably famous forbears.
(Pic: Ian Falloon)
Random brochure
for the day: Yamaha XJ900, August 25
Is this one of the greatest road bikes Yamaha ever made?
We think so. The first-generation XJ900 captured a unique
mix of touring comfort, near enough to sports bike
performance, with the practicality of a shaft final drive.
And we reckon it looked pretty good, as well.
A little race trivia: XJ900s featured in the 1983 Castrol
Six Hour. The top-placed machine landed fifth, in the
hands of Richard Scott and Stephen Gall.
See a retro review at Classic Mechanics;
Plus data and a
quick profile at Motorcycle Specs.
Speaking of fast Yamaha sports-tourers, see our
FJ1100/1200 series profile.
Italian day,
August 24
The sun was out and so we spent the
afternoon playing in the Italian end of the shed.
On pole position was the 1996 Bimota YB11
– our second. It's turning out to be a bit of a gem, if
you can cope with the sporty ride position.
The willing five-valve Yamaha engine and
very communicative front end are highlights. We'll bring
you more on this bike in the near future.
In the meantime, another
example is coming up for sale next month with
Donington Auctions in Melbourne.
Another of today's victims was our
recently-acquired 1993 Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000. This
is definitely a more character-building ride and huge
fun in a very different way.
It's another one we need to do a story on. In the meantime you can see our profile on the model.
The Beattie Files: A night with
Tassie Bob, August 23
Fisherman, footballer, fighter, adventurer, bar manager and a world champion story-teller, Tassie Bob left a lasting impression on our intrepid travelers...see the story here.
Hero Kawasaki auction, August 22
An example of Kawasaki's hero two-stroke from the 1970s, the H2 Mach IV is coming up for sale at Donington Auctions in Melbourne.
The auction site backgrounder
explains: "The
success of the H1 500 triple, particularly in the vital
North American market, saw Kawasaki develop a new model
range for 1972, expanded to include the S1 250, S2 350
and H2 750 variants.
"Dubbed
the Mach IV, the new 750cc had a bore and stroke of
71mm x 63mm, 7:1 compression and three Mikuni VM30SC
carburetors, for an impressive power output of 74bhp
at 6800rpm.
"A stronger five-speed gearbox and clutch were
employed, along with a new CDI ignition system and
the H1’s inadequate frame was suitably beefed up,
with larger diameter main tubes and additional
bracing. The H2 also benefited from a single 296mm
front disc brake.
"A genuine superbike, the H2 enjoyed an impressive
race record, with Mike Steele and Dave Burgess
winning the 1972 Castrol Six-Hour production race
held at Amaroo Park."
This example is listed as having undergone a
restoration and is carrying an estimate of
Au$32-42,000 (US$22-29,000,
GB£16-22,000).
The 1972 Six-Hour result was controversial. Joe Eastmure, riding solo on a Suzuki 315, was initially declared the winner but was disqualified over a couple of technical issues. He and the Kawasaki were on the same lap ahead of a Honda CB750-Four two laps down, and Ducati 750 GT four laps down.
The best source of info on the race series is Jim
Scaysbrook's book, The Castrol Six Hour
Production Race, published by Renniks in
2008 (above). It's out of print, but copies may be
available on the used market.
Here is the Wikipedia overview of the Six-Hour, which ran from 1970 to 1987.
Flashback:
Troubled touring, August 20
A dog, a
hitchhiker and a rider on a seventies Kawasaki Z400 meet
on a highway – what could possibly go wrong?
See the story
from our Travels with Guido series
Italian-American
scrambler, August 19
From our if-only department: would the world have been a nicer place if the whole idea of the Aermacchi-made Sprint series from Harley-Davidson really took off? We think so.
This 1968 ad
is for a scrambler version and we'd have one tomorrow
if it turned up on the market at a reasonable price.
There were
several offshoots from the Aermacchi-Harley
collaboration, none of which seemed to celebrate major
commercial success. Nevertheless, the single-cylinder
four-stroke Sprint series still has a following and
there is a business in the USA called MotoItalia which
supports them.
See the 1968
Cycle World magazine review of the SS 350
street version.
Kawasaki stars
at Monterey auction, August 18
Kawasakis from the seventies and eighties were flavour of
the week at the recent Mecum Monterey auction. For example
this 1982 Eddie
Lawson Replica, essentially a made-up model to help
Kawasaki USA inject some excitement into the then ageing
Z1000 product line, went for a solid Au$52,800 (US$35,200,
GB£27,200).
The US market has a fascination with the JDM Kawasaki Z2
750RS, smaller sibling to the Z1 900. This 1974 example
went for Au$72,500 (US$48,400, GB£37,400) which is a
lot of money, but not a record for this model.
That record went to a similar bike, which became embroiled in a controversy about its legitimacy. Bidding reached Au$127,400 (US$85,000, GB£65,600).
Motorcycle Classics in the USA has a useful backgrounder on the Z2.
By way of contrast, a restored 1973
Kawasaki Z1A 900 fetched Au$51,100 (US$34,100,
GB£28,300).
Hero two-strokes continue to be popular. This freshly restored 1972 H2 750 Mach IV fetched the same money as the Z1A: Au$51,100 (US$34,100, GB£28,300).
Meanwhile the market retains a super-strong interest in
early American four-cylinder machines, with this 1913
Henderson Four fetching Au$197,900 (US$132,000,
GB£102,000).
Fame and Misfortune, August 17
When the
Lemmings Motorcycle Club (briefly) hit the big time
via the Neighbours TV show...or
how a casual lunch resulted in fame, a misjudged
compensation claim and adding one more victim to
the unemployment statistics.
See the Travels with
Guido column, number 377.
How much for the
CBX1000? August 16
Trivial pursuit for the day: how much
did a new CBX1000Z cost when launched way back in
1978-79?
About $4300 in Australia, $3800 in the USA and £2750 in
the UK, according to a chart in The CBX Book vol 2
(by Ian Foster). To put that in perspective, a Honda
CB750F2 (one of two final single-cam series, with twin
front discs and Comstar wheels) was retailing in Australia
for $2500.
So the CBX was selling at a 70 per cent premium over the
750.
The CB750 four, even if it was ageing by this stage, had
good performance for the day and you can see why the big
CBX was just a jump too far in price and complexity for
many folk.
Now? Well, hop in the saddle of a CBX1000 today and
you'll quickly understand the beguiling nature of an angry
straight six...
And the period
road test of the CBX1000Z in Classic Two Wheels
Royal Enfield's
dramatic history, August 15
From a piece we recently wrote for the
good folk at bikesales...
It’s
quite a drama when you think about it: Royal Enfield
became an English pioneer in powered vehicles when Queen
Victoria was still alive (just), went through two world
wars, moved to India, had a couple of financially sticky
moments, revitalised under new ownership (still in
India) and moved some of its operations back to the UK.
Flashback: Alice
Springs Kawasaki GPz900R, August 13
It seemed like a great idea: buy a
first-edition Kawasaki GPz900R in Alice Springs in
Australia's Northern Territory and then ride it home some
2300km (1400 miles) in the middle of Summer.
What could possibly go wrong? Weirdly
enough, nothing, despite the flash flood, the fueling
issues and one or two other little dramas...see the story.
Soaring Senna,
August 12
With Ducati 916s now firmly in the sights
of collectors, it seems the values on low-mile Sennas are
soaring.
This 1995 example, with just 765km
(475 miles) on the odometer, sold with Bring
a Trailer in the USA for Au$72,800
(US$48,000, GB£37,600).
See the
Falloon profile on this model.
Seeking Andy
2.0, August 10
Young Andy White, of Andy Strapz or Andy Thingz fame, has decided to step back from the hustle and bustle of running a business and spend more time chasing new roads or hanging out with the family.
To that end, he's looking for someone to take over the business – let's call them Andy 2.0. Enquiries to info@andystrapz.com.
See the Info Moto
backgrounder.
Budget blaster:
Suzuki SV650S, August 9
Here's a challenge: we want a modern-ish
mid-size motorcycle that's dead reliable, can be loaned
out to friends without fear, and will be quick enough to
easily do highway and backroad tours. And it needs to be
cheap – very cheap.
What's your pick?
In our case it was a 1999 Suzuki SV650S
we bought tonight for Au$2500 (US$1600, GB£1300). It's the
very first iteration of the long-running series and the
reason we went for it is it just falls into the 25-year
threshold for classic/club reg in Victoria. That means it
will cost about Au$80 (US$50, GB£40) a year to register,
assuming 45 days of use. Double that for 90.
It was bought from interstate and the
60,000km (37,000 miles) machine would appear to be in
good shape. Of course we'll know more when it lands at
Chateau Guido some time in the next couple of weeks.
Watch this space...
We have fond memories of the early
SV650 series, with its punchy V-twin engine and
generally easy-handling character.
There have also been two others in the
shed over the years: a 2005 which was quietly passed
on to a friend with 107,000km (66,000 miles) on the
odo and still running strong; Plus a 2017 model which
is partner Ms M Senior's current bike of choice. Maybe
it's time we did a bit of a feature on them.
In the meantime, here is the
Bennetts review which includes the original 1999
model.
Pierre's 900SS,
August 8
We've stepped back to 1998 and the Two
Wheels magazine crew in the shape of young Mick
Matheson has taken the keys to the new Ducati 900SS,
luxuriating in lines penned by Pierre Terblanche. See the story at
Classic Two Wheels.
Collectors these days seem to be tripping
over themselves to snap up good examples of the early
bevel-drive 900SS, and are now taking a shine to the
next-generation of Pantah-based 900 (1991-98)
However more often than not they're
ignoring the 'third-gen' Terblanche cousin (1998-2007).
The latter is a fun and relatively
user-friendly ride, even today, at a fraction of the price
of a bevel. Plus, early examples are now eligible for
club/classic plates in states with a 25-year cut-off.
In an ideal world, you'd have all
three generations, with a Superlight added into the
mix. This link at
bikesales in Australia suggests there is
a ready supply of the Terblanche design available for
around Au$10,000 (US$6600, GB£5100).
Meanwhile a 2002 example claiming
super-low use at 1900km (1200 miles) is offered out
of Western Australia at Au$19,500 (US$12,800,
GB£10,000). Top dollar for that model, but also an
interesting proposition for the money when you delve
into the description.
See the
Falloon profile on the 900 Superlight, aka 900SL.
Airhead day,
August 6
Today's addition to the fleet: a 1975 BMW R75/6, now in
great running order after a 20-year lay-off thanks to
Rohan at Moto Worx in Lockwood, Vic. (See their
Facebook page)
This bike came out of the same fleet as the NSUs and
Puch we recently featured.
We've not owned or ridden one before, however the looks
got our attention along with the advice from people who
know them that they're a particularly amiable ride. We'll
let you know how we get on, once it's registered.
In the meantime, see our mini
gallery of the latest transport of delight.
Plus, we had a good long-term experience with our previous
airhead, a 1979 Ecco R65. (Pic by Ben Galli)
Of course BMW's star from the /6 series was the R90S:
And the Classic
Two Wheels period test.
Vetter auction,
August 5
Is there a motorcycle that screams 1970s styling more convincingly than a Vetter Triumph Hurricane? We doubt it.
This 1972 example is coming up for auction via Donington in Australia.
Its description in part says: "It began life in 1969 as a secret styling exercise initiated by BSA’s American Vice President and General Manager of BSA Inc, Don Browne. His aim was to inject some excitement into the then new Rocket Three line.
"The Hurricane was originally intended to wear BSA badges
and only became a Triumph at the last minute when the
former became defunct in 1971."
See the lot here
– the estimate is Au$35-45,000 (US$22-30,000,
GB£18-23,000).
The full auction
cattledog is here.
Triumph Meriden's final T160 Trident also shared the BSA
'tilted' engine layout. See our profile;
Shooting Star,
August 3
One of our all-time favourite motorcycle
manufacturer promo images is this, circa 1954, for the BSA
A7 Shooting Star 500 twin.
Rider magazine in the USA has a
nice backgrounder on the series, which you can
find here.
You can find
more, along with data, at Motorcycle Specs.
The BSA brand was relaunched back in
2021 with a Gold Star 650 single. More on that
here.
Spotted: Rickman
Honda, August 2
Today's blast from the past: a 1980
Rickman Honda CB900-based Predator which screams 1970s
styling.
It's up for auction with Classic
Avenue in the USA, which offers this description: the Predator model is
a rarity now with its striking one-piece bodywork in red
with white stripe reminiscent of Starsky & Hutch’s
Gran Torino. The sure-footed Predator rides on Marzocchi
suspension, AP Lockhead disc brakes front and rear,
Astralite wheels and Delkevic exhaust.
Speaking of
the seventies, see our 1974 Tracey Designs catalogue.
Brave designs:
Honda Rune, August 1
Fabulously expensive to buy and even more expensive to build, Honda's flat-six Rune of 2004 was a money-burning showpiece of style and engineering prowess.
Thanks to Gary C for the tip: one has
popped up for sale in Queensland.
Claimed to be one of nine sold new into
the local market, it's showing 7300km on the odo and is
priced at Au$55,000 (US$36,000, GB£28,000). See it here.
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