Motorcycles .pdf

‘I MUCH PREFERUNRESTORED BIKES.JAPANESE MOTORSOFTEN DON’T FEEL SOGOOD REBUILT’Q John and theturbine-smoothCBX1000 put somescenery into reversemarkedly more spindly and shaky than later examples.No way. This Z’s motor is super-smooth, as are all its controls.It is also meatily powerful as well. You can see why this machinewas such a sensation on its launch. It can be pitched about witheasy abandon through corners, especially on its modern ContiClassic Attack tyres.Paul’s Z1 and H2 feel like they come from two very differentmarques, sited in two very different time zones, in wholly separateuniverses. Only one of those universes was run by a just andbeneficent deity.1977 SUZUKI GT750B:Paul I love these. The noise is distinctivelyevocative, they have bags of torque and they looksubstantial.They are really civilised too. I can’t think ofanother two-stroke that would be as good fortaking a pillion or contemplating a lengthy road trip.The two-stroke surge on light throttle is a pain though, evenafter the usual carb jet mod – you can ride around it, but it wouldbe nice if it was not there at all and you could cruise in trafficwithout having to trip up and down the box.This B model is low mileage and unrestored, just how I like ’em,but I would dearly love to find an A model the same. The B’s looksare cheapened by the GS-style front mudguard; satin black sidepanels and black headlamp brackets. The previous model justlooks brighter.John Oh, comfy, comfy, comfy. The kettle’s riding position, plusthe storming torque, really make this bike feel like a pukka grandtourer, even in company such as the Goldwing. Only the woodenfront brake lets it down in this respect.That said, the GT is no slouch. These later engines were a littlemore highly tuned and this one revs happily into redline territory,if you’re not careful.I agree with Paul that the motor’s low-end stutter can getannoying. So, too, can the way the airbox pulses through the seat.Those minor annoyances seem a fair price to pay for the creamypower and the beautiful, if muted, noise.1980 HONDA CBX1000:Paul These are the absolute business. Gettingoff an H2 and onto a CBX feels like stridingstraight to the end of a motorcycling centuryrather than decade. But they still have plenty ofperiod appeal and are a milestone classic.CBX’s give you lush silky torque and confidence-inspiringhandling topped with an utterly addictive soundtrack.I do more miles on the CBX than any other bike in mycollection. Mostly because it is such a joy to ride but, to be honest,partly because this example is a bit more weathered than the restand so I am not too precious with it.I would love to find a sharper unrestored one and am still sorethat I couldn’t get the money together in time for an absolute gemthat Cosmo Classics in Hastings was offering recently.If I had a criticism, it would be that the fuel range is low, despitean apparently large tank, and the skinny rear tyre looks ridiculouson such an imposing machine.John Last time I rode one of these, it was at the Bruntingthorpeproving ground. It didn’t feel so rapid on the wide track there, butdown a twisting country A-road, it feels massively fast, as well as(initially) dauntingly wide.The big smooth turbine of an engine puts the scenery in reverseat an easy twist of the throttle. All the other controls aredisarmingly light as well. Once I’d got over my fear of the bike’sbulk, I was amazed at how enthusiastically it tips into corners.All that “sophisticated” dashboard styling looks a bit datednow, and not in a particularly endearing way – it’s all a bit FordEscorty, in fact. But as a complete package, the CBX is a totallyfitting way to end the story of the greatest superbiking decade theworld will ever see.55