’ n eowcn uJHCEU soon ‘ Wes/Town/Cafi Rants 3.: Street Bikes 629.22 Ta Taylor, Rich C4. STREET BIKES — DATEDUE — m—_— 21.'94_—_ R GOLDén UJH££U BOOH Street Bikes Swerhikes/Tnurers/Caléflacers RICH TAYLOR Photography by DOUG MELLOR ,5 GOLDEN PRESS/NEW YORK Western Publishing Company. Inc,, Racme. Wlsconsm Photoglaphs of DUCIII 350 name. Honda 05-550. Kawasaki H-| 500, leeldl IMO Thlee‘ MV Agusxa 750 Spoil. Suzuki (“>550 Indy. Yamaha TX-WO by lelormnlhnflne. Molovcycles caunesy Ashlmd Engineeri u. Devon Honda. Heman Covpoulion. Honda~$uzukl ol Milmi. Lany's Triumph. Tom Lemar, Simpson's Havley-D-vidson, somhwesx o/cIs, Waslchasler Honda. Yamann Dada Junior‘ VBM cycle Salts. leiary 0' Congress Catalog Card Number: 74-77915 Texl and pholugraphs copyright © 1974 hyWeslem Publishlna Company. Inc, AH ngms reserved. Prinled in (he U,S.A. Golden. a Golden Book0 and Ga‘dsn Presst‘ ave lrademarks 0! Western Publishing Company, Inc. A street bike is a very specific vehicle. Yet within that seemingly narrow classification, there are a multitude of different motorcycles geared to diflerent types of riders. There are bikes for people who want to go very fast for a short distance, and machines {or people who want to go long distances and don’t care how long it takes them. There are street bikes styled like road racers, and others that imitate choppers. And some that serve as just basic transportation. But all these bikes have one thing in common. They‘re intended to be used on paved highways~or at least on smooth dirt roads And they're all powerful enough to be driven on lreeways. That’s why you won’t find any little tiddlers here. Many bikes smaller than 350cc are fine for commuting to the station or wandering down slow country roads But they're not really suitable for the highspeed riding that's necessary to keep up on the Interstate. Of course, you can also ride on the street a bike that's designed primarily for ofl-road riding. It's done every day. But that doesn’t make it a street bike The bikes here are not hybrids in any sense, They are machines designed to accomplish one goal—t0 move one or two people and perhaps a little luggage down the highway in varying degrees of comfort and style. There are certain things one looks for in a street bike, The prime quality is probably handling. and in this respect most modern machines are more than acceptable. It was ’t alwa 's so. Back be- fore the technological revolution of the Sixties, manyiit not most —street bikes shared a disconcerting tendency. To wobble. They might wohhle it you got going too fast in a straight line, whereupon the front wheel would begin to oscillate like the wheels on a shop- ping cart. The handlebars would follow, of course. The result was a “tank slapper," with first one hand, then the other. being crashed into the side of the gas tank by the uncontrollable bars. The usual result was to deposit the rider quickly and ignominiously in the center of the roadway. minus the motorcycle. Or the bikes might'wol)ble in the midst of a fast turn, This pro duced the well-known “hinge in the middle" etfectt The motorcycle would start to pitch and wobble frighteningly. exactly as though a giant hinge had been installed in the center of the frame. right below the seat. That little trick alone scared a lot of fledgling riders right back to Fords. Most modern street bikes are happily free of these vices. Here and there will be one with a handling problem, but the majority can be leaned over into a corner. or run all the way up to top speed, Foreword without terrifying the rider Part of the solution has come through tires. Current motorcycle street tires are so good that the best ones serve as perfectly acceptable racing tires. They will corner harder than the riders can and have enough grip on the road to stand up to the incredible efficiency of a modem disc brake, And that’s perhaps the second most important attribute of a street bike. Good brakes. In the old days, the Bugatti Theorum was religiously followed, Ettore Bugatti, the legendary designer of classic cars, was asked why the brakes on his autos were so in— efficient. “I build cars to go, not to stop," he said. For street motorcycles at least, the introduction of a front disc brake on the Honda 750 permanently dispelled that kind of think- ing. And almost all the other manufacturers were quick to follow. Fitted with sticky racing tires, the best street bikes are now capable of stopping with a force of nearly 1‘56; the Yamaha 350, with only its normal street tires for traction, can generate almost 1.0G, The only other vehicles on the street with that kind of braking per- formance are Ferraris and Maseratis with price tags in the $30,000 range. Which means the new danger on the highway is not running into something in front of you, but being run down from behind by cars that don’t have a motorcycle’s braking efliciencyi Of course, the heart of any motorcycle is the engine. And that’s where the greatest diversity among street bikes is found. There are Singles, Flat-twins, Vertical»twins, V-twins, Triples, Fours and even a Six. When it comes to exotica, you can buy everything from a Single with desmodromic valve gear to a four-cylinder masterpiece with double overhead Camshafts, four carburetors and enough sophisticated engineering to impress a NASA engineer. There hasn’t been so much mechanical diversity since the early years of this century, when designers didn’t yet know what would work and what wouldn’t Once you branch out from the engine to the other functional parts of the motorcycle—frame, wheels, seat and such—there really isn’t that much diversity among street bikesi Steering geometry, wheelbase, swing»arm length—all are relatively unalterable meas- urements in relation to a machine of a given weight. And the total weight is usually dependent upon that of the engine, and the stresses the frame will have to withstand because of engine power and torque, These in turn are basically dependent upon the dis- placement of the bike and its intended use. About the only area in which radical difl'erences occur are in the few machines that use shaft drive rather than chains and sprockets. Otherwise, the main distinction is in styling. Unlike automobiles, where the interior is wrapped in an envel- oping shell, a motorcycle wears its insides outside. That‘s one of its great appeals—you can see every bit of what’s going on. For the designer, however, it can be maddening. Not only must his engine be lightweight, narrow and compact as possible, it has to develop reams of horsepower, provide good performance and be as reliable as granite, It also has to look good. On a motorcycle, the aes- thetics’ of the engine are of major importance. As are those of the brakes, the drivetrain, and . . . well, everything There are difierent schools of motorcycle styling, with the ex- tremes represented by the Italians and the Japanese. British bikes have their own national character, and the Germans craft solidly thought-out vehicles. But while the Italian designer aims at creat- ing a street bike that looks as if it belongs on a road course—possibly because the average Italian rider envisions himself as another Gia- como Agostini—the Japanese designer tends to produce a flashier touring mount—because that‘s what his customers in America and the Orient seem to prefer. But motorcyclists pride themselves on being rugged individ- ualists. And because bikes are easily modified, the owners tend to change them around to fit their own ideas of what looks right. The chopper has been the ideal toward which legions of customizers have aspired for the past decade. However, because they are often impossible to control properly at either high or low speeds, choppers are intended more to be seen than to be ridden. Since there real]y isn’t much you can do to improve these ill-handling, poorly braked, unreliable concoctions, many riders have become disenchanted with the whole chopper idea. And rightly so. The current fad in street bikes is away from choppers and to- ward the road racer aesthetic that Europeans have appreciated for years These bikes are being called cafe racers, and they make a lot more sense than choppers. Road racers, by definition, must have superlative handling, braking and cornering power—the same at- tributes that make a good street bike. It would seem, then, that a café racer is the very best sort of street bike one could possibly ride. But that‘s only partly true. Most road racers have uncomfortable seating positions, rather like that of a jockey on a horse. The road racer sits high, but his feet are doubled under him and his arms are held flat and low by clip-on bars. Café racers are designed pretty much the same way. It‘s a position of great efficiency for going very fast, and at high speeds the rush of the air takes the rider’s weight all his wrists. Around town, however, you can get pretty tired and pretty cramped riding in a road-racing crouch over a long period of time. For the majority of riders who would rather get where they‘re going in comfort than in the shortest possible time, there are tour- ing bikes. You may not be able to go quite as last with as much absolute control as on a cafe racer, but you won’t require a chiro- practor after a long day’s ride, either. Tourers are basically pat- terned to use big, powerful engines that can run hour alter hour without strain. And the bikes themselves are big. They’re intended to take you a long distance. And if you‘re traveling far away, you‘ll probably bring a friend And she’ll bring luggage, To tow this mounA tain of gear and people, you need a lot of power r . . ergo, the big engine in a touring bike. One step beyond the biggest tourers will take you to the ultimate street motorcycles, These have been called Superbikes for about the last decade, and it‘s an apt term. Only about a half-dozen ma- chines qualify for this supreme designation, and they’re easily recognizable For starters, they‘re all big. The minimum displace- ment is roughly 750cc, and minimum performance must include a top speed of nearly 120 mph and the ability to accelerate to over 100 mph in less than a quarter-mile, Add to these prodigious re- quirements excellent brakes, decent handling, reliability, handsome styling and all-around finesse, and you come up with a motorcycle that can only be called a Superbike. The lines can get blurred, however. The BMW 900 is a touring bike that is much like a café racer, The Moto Guzzi 750 is a racer that makes a fine tourer. And the Kawasaki 900 is the quintessential Superbike—yet it can also fit in any other category. The same is true of many other machines. With a few modifications here and there, they’ll adapt to almost any nameplate you want to affix. Most importantly, however, they’re all street bikes. They’re exciting, fascinating, exasperating and intoxicating, Street bikes can take you out of yourself , , , and out of the mundane world. They can give small pleasures new importance and reduce big problems to manageable sizel There isn‘t anything else quite like a good street bike in the world of vehicles, both in what it demands from the rider and what it can give in return: Benelli Tornado 5 650 Enginefinunsmxe Tw'" Overhead Valves 506er" ()132‘ 52 "93:7000'pm Transmvsswn ' Leon consiam mesh Wheelbase->1; Welghl: 462 lbs Top Speedi The Benelli Tornado Twin can claim to be the best of the 650 class. Unfortunately, it's otren overlooked due to the virtual eclipse of this once popular sizei More’s the pity, for it‘s a handsome machine with a tight, controlled look about it. It‘s a bit heavy. but it goes satisfactorily and stops better than one might expect from a front drum brake. The 'l'ornatlo’s real strength. though. is superb Italian handling—made possible by a sturdy frame, Marzocchi forks and Ceriani rear shocks. The Benelli is one of the besbcrafted machines of any size, with such high-class components as Burrani allay wheel rims and beauti- [ully v t brake housings and engine Cases. Fewer than a hundred Bcnelli 6 Os find their way to America in the course of a given year. so it‘s also one (If the rarest machines on the road. For many non- i-onl'orrnist riders. that’s more valuable than a disc brake any day After creating an absolute firestorm in the Italian automobile in- dustry and subsequently getting himself removed from Ford Motor Company’s Pantera-producing European operation, Alejandro De Tomaso bought up Benelli and Moto Guzzi and became a motor~ cycle magnate instead. The first De Tomaso motorcycle is this much-heralded answer to Japan. Designed like a Honda 550 Four with two extra cylinders grafted on, the flashy Benelli is the first production motorcycle to be styled by an industrial designer—masterful Giorgetto Giugiaro 0t Ital Design in Turin. The unusual angular look of the instruments and the fluting on the tank are his contributions The Benelli also features twin front disc brakes, Borrani rims, Marzocchi-built/Cerianivtype suspension and the wildest set of ex- haust pipes since Moto Guzzi’s V-B Grand Prix racer oi the mid- Fifties. With De Tomaso’s track record there probably will never be enough to meet the clamorous demand, so it’s evena good investment Benelli 750 Six Engine: Four-stroke Six single overhead cam, 56x50 6mm, 745cc 75 hp at 9000 mm Transmission: 5-speed constanlmesh Wheelbase255 in Weight: 455 lbs Top Speed: 120 moh BMW R75/5 Engine: Four-stroke Flat lwm overhead valves, 32x70 mm. 745cc 57 hp at 5400 rpm Transmission: 5-speed constant mesh Wheelbase: 55 m Weightz420 lbs 10.: Speed: no mph Back in the old days, there were motorcycles and there were cars l . . and somewhere in between there were BMWsl In the last iew years, however, the incredibly well-made products of this highly respected Bavarian firm have acquired some of the more traditional motor- cycle virtuesr Acceleration from zero to sixty now happens in about six seconds, and the top speed is just short of some of the less potent street-racer Superbikesl The 1175/5 now has an optional disc brake, but the new 5-speed gearshift still clunks reassuringly in the time-honored BMW man- ner, the shaft drive still runs forever without needing attention and the comfortable telescopic front forks still feature something like eight inches of travel. For slightly less money the same motorcycle is available in 500cc and 6000c versions. These share all the same at- tributes except performanck-which makes them relative bargains in the touring motorcycle marketr There is no more legendary motorcycle than the Sportster. It‘s the quintessential Superbike in all its manifestations, and has been from the very day of its introduction in 1957‘ In reality, it isn't all that fast and it doesn’t handle all that well, but as with any legend, the imperfections serve merely to enhance the appeal, The heart of its machismo is the V-twin engine, and the secret of its power over the emotions is the thumping, vibrant exhaust crescendo, tumbling out in a distinctive, heartipounding cadence. Now fitted with a disc brake and bored out to 995cc from the Classic 883cc in a vain attempt to match the Japanese on a per- formance level, the XLCH and identical electric-start XL are still the kings of the road for a majority of enthusiasts. They’re the raw material from which road racers, dragsters, choppers and adolescent dreams have been hewn for over a generation Harley-Davidson XLCH~1000 Engine: Foul-stroke V»lwm overhead valves. 81x57mm, 995cc so hp at 5000 rpm Transmission: “peed constant mesh wheelbase:58 5 in Weighl:474 1:25 Top Speedzns mph Harley-Davidson FX-1200 Fauv-slmke v W1 ovelhead vanes STMOD’nm 1207:: 70 hp av 5000 rpm Transmission. 4~speed [mesh Wheelbase:62 7'm ns Yap Speed2110 mph 'ththi mildly Chnppt-rized vex on ofi IodelT-t. Sincc [hen i : ln-en consirlerahly refined, in h a sturdier frame. hea j tele npic forks and ultramodem hydraulic I 5:: brakes on both wheel' Even though the archaic V»t\\in displaces a mighty ‘t supply much straight-line performance. But the machine now handl ' and stops surp ingly well, con dering. The styling i a homogenized ver on of current custom trends, tier than the redl white and blue Captain America the Super Glide originally sported. Despite the confusion rom putting together a mass-produced chopper using some very unchopper-like performance parts, the FX 1900 manages to have a unique and fascinating appeal. More people than you might imagine won't drive anything but an FLH. For long-distance touring. they consider it the uliimate an- swer, possibly because it’s the motorcycle nearest to a Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty in size weight and performance The FLH frame is identical (0 that on the Harley FX. which means it has the contradictory combination of (he only spai‘eAagi- front and rear hydraulic disc brakes among: sireet machines coupled with a 74-cubic-inch V-twin whose basic design was laid out over fifty years ago All that fiberglass and chrome louring paraphernalia adds nearly 200 pounds to (he FLH, but Electra Glide buyei'a just wouldn’t (liink of traveling Cross-country witlioui ii. Harley-Davidson FLH-1200 Engine: Four—sucks Vrlwm overhead valves‘ E7x100mm. V207cc 70 hp at 6000 rpm Transmission: 4-speed consiani mesh Wheelbasezfil 5m Weight: 722 lbs Tap Speed: ‘00 mph Honda CB-350 Engine' - mgie 36 VD roman ~ Wheelbase, Weight.3 310:, Top Speed: m. :4. or {Lfl‘ Tmnsmlss :, Perfect is the only word for the engine in Honda's 350cc Four. Every part of this miniature tour de force is a tiny polished gem. For those to nhom exquisite engineering is important, there’s no more in- triguing motorifour cylinders, overhead cam. four carburetors, elec- tric starteri 5-speetl transm' ‘sion. Perfect. Unfortunately, the CB-350 is a heavy motorcycle, and conse- quently considerably Slower than the beloved but discontinued 350 Twin. It’s also too expensive, The tank st 'ng is ungainly, and much of Ihe emphasis in the vling of siderm‘ s. instruments and controls is aimed at making the 300 Four look like a larger machinei But that engine Could have tome from Tiffany. Think of the jewel-like café rater you could build around iti Think of it. The most popular motorcycle in history was the Honda 350 Twin. It was big without being unwieldy, fast without being scary, inex» pensive without being cheapi So, of course, Honda’s engineers just couldn‘t wait to improve it. The new Honda 360 Twin is heavier, slower, more expensive, not as pretty and handles not nearly so well. Still and all, it is one of the most reliable of medium-size motorcycles, and it will probably make new lrienrls with its 6—speed gearbox and optional front disc brake. But a lot of enthusiasts will be fondly wishing they Could still hop aboard the old 350 Twin and blast off into the sunset That motorcycle made legions ol friends for Honda It will be mourned for a long time by many riders. Honda (35-360 Engine: FourAslroke Twm single overhead cam 67x50 6mm. 356cc 35 hp ai 9000 rpm Transmission: 6-speed constant mesh Wheelbasezsain Weight: 334 lbs Top Speed: 95 mph Honda 0 3—450 Engine: Four-snake Twin doubie overhead Cams‘ 70x57 5mm. 444cc 45 hp 319000 rpm Transmission: 5-speed constammesh Wheelbase:54 in Weight: 410 ms Top Speed: no mph The 450 Honda Win has been around for a decade, and it’s as tech- nically advanced now as when it first appeared. It’s got double overhead cams and unique torsion bar valve springs. There are also electric starting, a wet sump, carbs that compensate for altitude changes and a disc brake—none of which are exactly standard equip- ment for the industry. The Honda 450 is fairly light, it‘s quick, it stops well, it’s com- fortable to ride across town or across Texas and it’s perhaps the cleanestAlool-(ing machine that Honda makes For a plus, about the only thing more reliable is an anvil. Although it‘s overshadowed by the Honda Fours when it comes to public acclaim, a lot of people think that the 450 Twin just may be the best Honda motorcycle there is—superbly crafted in all respects Intended to fill the gap between the 350 Four and the fabulous 750, the Honda 550 Four has carved out a substantial following of its own‘ It handles superbly—something not many Japanese machines can managkand it‘s also a much more balanced package than most. The acceleration isn’t vertebrae-crushing, but it‘s more than adequate to give you a satisfyingly quick start. The 5-speed gear- box is a precise joy to use, the seating position is comfortable for even the longest ride, there is no annoying engine vibration and even the fuel economy is outstanding, And the front disc brake provides expectedly good stopping, Honda CB-SSD Engine: Fourstvoke Four smgie overhead cam 53 5x50.6mm 5445:: 50 hp at 9000 rpm Yransmissionzs-speed constant mesh Wheelbasez55 5 m Weigm. 403 ms Top Speed: 110 mph Moreover, the bike looks good‘ The rounded gas tank and artic» ulated narrow-necked mufflers give the 550 Four an ethereal ap- pearance compared to the awkward 350 and 750. It just might be the bestrlonking Japanese hike in production, and the engine is almost aa fascinating; to collectors of engineering exotica as that in the 350 Four. The 550 Four is bound to be a minor classic somedayi Although the BSA riumph 750 Three was un lht‘ scenu. , the Honda Four can still he said to have started the mmlem revw of Multis. Well over lUOIJOU Honda 7 have he , d in th U , It was the first prod ake and the first inline-Foui , 06 before World War II. when India 5 Four ceased production. The early Honda 750 was a rather brutal machine, but i q been slowly getting slower. As the market has moved toward tou 1g and general riding rather than ultimate Superbike pertorman , Honda has w-i . hifted its aim slightly to make the Honda 7 0 Four all thin ‘ to all men. The 7‘ s a great tourer, it (an heroine a great road rarer or C {é racer, i been choppcrizetl within an inch of it life, there are quick Honda drag bi Aand it may - the best 1, .4 bike around for just hauling gr ‘eries and other mundane Chm It‘s pref . friendly, reliable‘ won't spend all your money has a great person ality and could probably make own clothes: Honda 05-750 Eng e:Fourrstrcke Few slngle overhead cam, Bhéamm 736cc 52 hp at 5500 rpm Transmission: Srspeed constant mesh Wheelbase: 57.3 m Weight1479 lbs Top Speed: izu mph Kawasaki Kawasaki 5-3 400 Engine: Two-stroke Triple piston parts, 57x52 3mm. 400:: 42 np at 7000 rpm Transmission: Srspeed constant mesh Wheelbase: 53 7 in Weigh\:350 lbs 10.: Speed: no mph The Kawasaki 400 started life as the notorious 5-2 350‘ This built up a reputation as the original nickel rocket—faster than any 350 had a right to be, but without much in the way of reliability. The 5-3 400 merely sharpens the concept Performance enthusiasts aren‘t bothered in the least. The astounding 8-3 will run the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds at over 90 mph~which makes it a very quick little motorcycle indeed. The Triple gargles gas at an alarming rate in order to achieve that performance, however, getting under 25 mpg. Styling has never been Kawasaki’s strong point. Paint jobs are exotic, chrome is lavish. But the disc brake works well on the 400, and it handles a lot better than the old 350. Still, the appeal of any Kawasaki is based on acceleration If that‘s what you’re after, there's nothing more satisfying in the world of vehicles—two wheels or {our—than a big Kawasaki and a long, straight stretchi Superhi u was the Kawasaki 500 Mach III appeared some on year ago. ils quarter-mile at the limit of comprehc ‘ III is still mildly dam m in handling and relialulil) has mileage is miserable, and the vibration would try a saim. “"ilh the addition of a front disc brake hmveven slopping has. finall nerve-Shattering awelemtion of this medium 1.9 yuan-tile, Now overshadowed by its more recenl, advam l and largor lumlhe [hr Kawasaki H~1 500 Triple is still an in ~~ wnsn (- uay to go v- ' fast—in a straight line. Kawasaki H-1 500 Engine: Two~slvoke Tviple plslon pans, suxsgmm. man 59 hp at 8000 vpm Transmission: Srspeed conslanl mesh Wheelbase: 55 5 m Weight-107 lbs Top Speed: 25 mph Kawasaki H-Z 750 Engine: Twu»s(rake Tnple pislon pens meamm 7485c 71 hp at 5800 rpm Transmission: 5-speed cunslzmmesh Wheelbase:55.5 in Weight: 422 ms Top Speed: 125 mph There is no quickerracceleraling production vehicle in the entire world than the Kawasaki 750 Mach IV. If the ahility to go over 110 mph in less than 12.3 seconds in the quarter-mile is your cri- terion, you’ve found Nirvana. And all for under $2000 The disc brake also does very well indeed, though high-speed peg scraping is something to be studiously avoidedi But dollar for performance dollar, there is absolutely nothing to touch any Kawasaki away from stoplights. For many riders, that‘s more than enough The fabulous 903cc Z] has made more of an impact on American motorcycling than anything since the foot shift. It's easy to see why. For approximately $2000, Kawasaki gives you a sophisticated four» stroke double overhead cam Four with absolute ran 5 of horsepower and torque. The braking is as good as on any motorcycle in the world despite a hefty curb weight, and the acceleration is in tlie 110-mph at 12,4-second bracket in the quarter-milka mere blink behind the two-stroke Kawasaki 750. Top speed for a stock 21 approaches 130 mph, while warmedr over versions have been up in the 160 mph area. Handling is even adequate, better than other Kawasakis. and the styling is conserva- tive by comparison. It’s still a bit overstated by normal standards, however. The Zl remains a sort of high-water mark for street ma- chines of the early Seventies, and no matter what future competition materialiZES, it will probably stay near the top, Right now, all things considered including price and availability, it’s just about the best motorcycle buy in the country. Kawasaki Z 1 Engine: Four-stroke Four double overhead cams 65xsamm. 903cc 32 hp at 5500 1pm Transmission: Srsneed constant mesh Wheelbasefsa 7 in Weight:5061bs Top Speed: isu mph Laverda Laverda 750 Sport Engine: Four-stroke Twin single overhead cam. 80x74mm. 744cc so hp meson rpm Transmission: firspeed constant mesh Wheelbase: 57 5 in Welght:470 lbs Top Speed: n5 mph When it first appeared in the mid-Sixties, the Laverda 750 Twin sutTered because it looked like nothing so much as a Honda 305 Super Hawk inflated to double size. But then people began to notice that this limite