Street Beasts: New Age UJM's

They first crawled out of the primordial ooze in 1969 in the form of the Honda CB750. They had big air cooled inline fours, electric starts, disc brakes, and they were called the UJM's, or universal Japanese motorcycle. Called universal because these Hondas, Kawasakis, Suzukis, and Yamahas all look and performed more or less the same. UJM's enjoyed huge success in the 1970's but as the 80's and 90's rolled in the UJM began to be displaced by sports bike and cruisers. That's where these machines come in.

I call them street beasts because they're all pretty beefy for standard bikes. But they are modern versions of their UJM ancestors, similar to new and old Ford Mustangs, or VW Beatles. Beasts are perticularly popular in Japan where for many years motorcycles displacing over 750cc were prohibited. Sometime in the 80's or 90's the ban was lifted and the power hungry Japanese market gobbled up what they've been missing out on all those years.  Today "naked" bikes have gained some popularity, however, bikes like Honda's 919, or Yamaha's FZ1 are (in my eyes) not UJMs.

Honda tried a couple of UJM's in the 90's before they came up with the retro CB1300. The X11 isn't quite a UJM with its alluminum frame but I included it anyway.

Honda CB1000F

Honda CB1100SF (X11)
Honda CB1300

Kawasaki offered both the Zephyr 1100 and ZRX in the states. Sadly it no longer makes anything in the category today.

Kawasaki ZR1100 (Zephyr)
Kawasaki ZRX1100 and ZRX1200
Suzuki revisted the GSX series with the GSX1100G in the 1990's. Suzuki has had the Bandit series for quite some time now. Today it is the only one of these bikes available in the US. Overseas the GSX 1400 is available as well.

Suzuki GSX1100G
Suzuki GSF1200
Suzuki GSX1400
Yamaha's sole beast is the XJR. A name which connects with one of Yamaha's UJM series the XJ. XJR's were never sold in the US.

Yamaha XJR1200
Yamaha XJR1300

Finally there are some bikes that aren't quite like the rest, but they're close. The Yamaha V max is a good example, but it has a V4 and is more of a cruiser. Suzuki's B King fit in with the big bore standards but it's more of a naked street bike rather than UJM.

Cruiser V-twins in Sporty Chassis

Over the years a division has occurred in the motorcycle market, especially in the US. Motorcyclist are often lumped into two categories, sportsbikes and cruisers. Sure there's lots of other categories, such as touring or off road, but when it comes to sales in the US these two are kings. Over the years a strange sub category has emerged between these two. It doesn't really have a name because it is so rare and elusive. This category combines the big torquey V-twin from a cruiser and the upright high performance frame of a standard or sportbike. The result is an unusual mix of looks and performance. These creatures have never really sold well, which would explain their rarity. But they have created a strong following of riders who are as strange as they are.

You could argue Harley's Sportster is a "standard" type bike rather than an entry level cruiser. But if ever there was a sporty standard from Harley it'd be the XLCR (of which I just mentioned in Harley Sport Specials). This bike is what i consider to be the first crusier twin sport.

Harley-Davidson XLCR1000 77-78

When Yamaha first got into V twins (more or less Harley knock-offs) they tried something different. Yes there was teh 920 Virago you tipical Japanese cruiser, but then there was the 920R, an intirely different animal. The 920R never caught on in the US and got a little more attention in Europe.

Yamaha VX920R 81-86 (81-82)

The Honda Ascot (NT500) and Yamaha Vision (XZ550) are two examples of Japanese companies tring something new. Neither of the these bikes did well in the US, and both faired a bit better over seas (a recurring theme). Honda would continue with V twins with the Hawk GT, Yamaha tried again with the TDM based TRX. Finaly Suzuki came to market a little later with the VX800, again a nice bike that didn't fit into mainstream categories.

Honda NT500 82-84
Yamaha XZ550 82-83
Suzuki VX800 90-97 (90-93)

Most Buells could be considered for this category. The XB12S is perhaps the best example though.

Any Buell 89-

Yamaha brought this segment back to life around 2005 with the MT-01. Based on a wild concpept bike with a 1700cc Road Star engine (complete with air cooling and pushrods!) the MT was an excersize in style and tourque. It's not available in the US, probably because original bikes don't sell well here.

Yamaha MT-01 05-

Like the MT-01 the Harley XR1200 isn't for sale in the US of A. It's a pitty too because it's (in my eyes) the best looking production Harley to date. This bike brings the segment full circle back to Harley.

Harley XR1200 08-

Honda and Yamaha Timelines

I've been updating all my timelines, you can find them all on http://moto-timeline.blogspot.com/

Here's most of Honda's world motorcycles (grey indicates the models were not available in the US).
Here's Honda's cruisers
Like above this is Yamaha's world motorcycle offerings.
And Yamaha/Star cruisers as well as V four models, VMax, Venture, and Royal Star.

I've got off road timelines on the way as well. You can expect updated timelines from all manufacturers.

Hypersports

Part 1
There are sport bikes, there are super sport bikes, and then there's hypersport bikes. Hypersports are the super sized class of modern performance motorcycles. They trace their origins to the beinging of the race-replica era. Hypersports began as larger versions of the 750cc racing class. Eventually they grew into big bore machines that blur the lines of sport touring with sports bikes. with the Suzuki GSX-R1000. Kawasaki countered with the Ninja 1000 and ZX-11. Yamaha had the FJR1200, Honda the CBR1000 Hurricane. Arguably the Honda VFR1000 and Yamaha FZR1000 could be include, though they are more racy.

1986 Suzuki GSX-R1100Yamaha FJ1200

Kawasaki ZX10Honda CBR1000FPart 1.5

On the more racy side of things there's the VFR1000 and FZR1000

Honda VFR1000RYamaha FZR1000RPart 2

Suzuki and Honda updated their big boy sports bikes for the 1990s. In 1990 Kawasaki introduced the ZX-11 the fastest bike in the world (at that time). Triumph also had a player with the 1200cc Daytona.

Suzuki GSX-R1100Kawasaki ZX-11Honda CBR1000FPart 3

Honda upped the ante with the classy CBR1100XX Blackhawk. Suzuki trumped the Blacbird with the Hayabusa (Japanese for paragrine falcon, natural predetor of blackbirds) in 1999.The Hayabusa took the record from the Blackbird at 190mph. Kawasaki answered witht he ZX12R. With these two motorcycle reacing speeds of 300kmph (186mph) the manufacturers agreed to limit top speed for fear of backlash from European governments. The ZX12R was intended to take the record from the Hayabusa but with the regualted 186mph, the early GSX1300R's hold the overall record. 

Suzuki GSX13000RKawasaki ZX-12R
Honda CBR1100XXPart 4

The battle for hyperspeed continues with Suzuki and Kawasaki. Kawasaki replaced the ZX12R with the ZX14. Suzuki answered with an updated Hayabusa. BMW entered the field with the K1200S, however the German bike didn't quite have the muscle of the Japanese superbikes. In 2009 BMW will release the K1300S.

BMW K1200S
2007 Suzuki GSX1300R2008 Kawasaki ZX-14

Twilight on the 2 stroke

Two stroke road bikes have been extinct for quite some time now. These noisy beasts just couldn't fit in a quiet, clean, P.C. world we live in today. It's a shame as they offered a unique experience to the two wheeled world. Here's some of the last remaining models (larger-bore road only models that is).

The 1970s saw the biggest 2 strokes. With 750cc monsters like the Kawasaki Mach IV and the Suzuki GT750. Yamaha had perhaps the most popular ring-dings with their RD series.

Yamaha RD350

Kawasaki Mach III 500
Kawasaki Mach IV 750
Suzuki GT750
By the end of the 1970s there weren't many 2 strokes left. After a lot of work Yamaha managed to pass their sweat RZ350 into the US market, but it was pretty clear that 2 stroke steet bikes were a thing of the past.

Yamaha RZ350

Of couse there's the famous RZ500, or RD500LC if you perfer. A limited not-for-US sports model made to be a road going grand prix bike.

Like Yamaha, Suzuki had a 500cc 2 stroke. The RG 500 Gamma was produced in the late 1980's. Apparently Suzuki continues to produce smaller RG's elsewhere in the world.

The last 2 cycle road bikes (that I know of anyway) has to be the Bimota V Due. In 1997 Bimota made its first and only bike with a Bimota engine. Bimota's first engine was a 2 stroke 500cc V twin. Unfortuanately the V Due had numerous problems and was the last nail in the coffin for Bimota at the time. It's a shame as the bike looks fantastic.

Harley Sport Specials

When you think of Harley Davidson performance bikes don't readily spring to mind. Even if the motor company is known for their cruisers and tourers they have managed to sneak a special model in here and there. In the past Harley's Sportster was actually thought of as a higher performance machine. But as other motorcycles progressed the Sportster didn't. So Harley fell into its ways, where it remains today. But here's some shining examples of (somewhat) faster Harleys.

At the end of the 1970s Willie G tried his hand a cafe racer. Nevermind the whole cafe scene and come and gone years ago and motorcyclists were interested in Japanese superbikes, Harley runs on Harley time. Anyway Harley put together some bits and pieces and came up with the mean looking XL1000CR, CR is for cafe racer. Unfortunately the bike didn't do too well. A few years later Harley tried again with the XR1000. The XR wasn't really an XR (Harley's racing chassis), rather it was a dressed up XL with a neat intake and exhast. Like the cafe racer the XR1000 didn't last long.

1977-79 XL1000CR

1983-84 XR1000
By the 1990s Harley Davidson had returned to profitability. Finally once again the company could afford to make special models. The following models are "sport" models. Now sport in this instance is a relative term. Most of these models are standard issue Harley gear, but with some "sporting attitude".

1999 FXDX Dyna Glide Sport1996-98 XL1200S Sportster Sport
XL1200R Sportster RoadsterXL1200N Sportster Nightster
Now the Harley-Davidson V Rod is arguably the most legitimate sporting Harley. It is easily the closest Harley has come to a regular production performance motorcycle. The basic V Rod was more about show than go, but its the Street Rod that was the real performer. A one year wonder the Street Rod. Its awkward mix of feet back-cruiser rake never really connected with the buying public, sadly the Street Rod was not here to stay. It was replaced with the Night Rod, a darker more sinister version of the original V Rod.

2006 VRSCR Street Rod
2007 VRSCDX Night Rod
Last but certainly not least is the brand new XR1200. The XR is a long over due homage to the XR750 racing bike. After many after-market XR kits, the factory has finally stepped in and made their own. The new XR is little more than a dressed up XL, but it does have a bit more power. Sad thing is the bike isn't for sale in Harley's core market, the US. But hopefully things will change and more hopefully still maybe we'll see more bikes like the XR1200.
2008 XR1200

Then there's the real racing bikes, like the XR750TT, and the VR1000. But I'll leave those for another time.