10 Most Dangerous Motorcycles Ever Built
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- Опубликовано: 1 авг 2024
- I have ridden some monstrously powerful and insane bikes over the years, but even I have scared myself at times. Some motorcycles have a tendency to do that more than others and there are a few bikes that over the years that have earned the title of Widow Maker. Some deserve it more than others.
This is my list of the ten scariest, most lethal motorcycles I have encountered in my many years of riding.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:34 An honoroury mention, The Yamaha RD350LC
04:00 Maico 700
05:42 Yamaha VMX1200 V Max
07:56 Kawasaki KH750
09:11 Suzuki TL1000R
10:24 Quasar
11:50 Suzuki RG500 Gamma
13:17 Suzuki TM500 Cyclone
14:24 Harley Davidson V-Rod
15:32 Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo, Suzuki XN85, Honda CX500 Turbo, Yamaha XJ650 Turbo.
16:52 Suzuki X7 and X5
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ride free everyone
Vmax did zero to 60mph in under 2 seconds here .the set up was to switch the cams in for ex and ex for in with the kerker pipe
@@stewart8127 yep, but here im talking about stock bikes, tuning would reveal different bikes and figures 🙂
@@barebonesmc stock the magazine got a guy named mr shift to ride in and his zero to 60mph was under one second on a demo stock bike. Did say if it was pump gas. It wasn't until 2012 the liter bokes beat its 1/4 mile time. Stock thar is.
@@stewart8127 i would like to have seen that run 🙂 im not sure on the 0-60 times to be honest, but they were a brutal bike 🙂
@@barebonesmc its was cycle world buyer's guide issue. Notice how HD copied the V max for their V Rod just get Porche to make the engine Tracing paper and a V max manual is how HD came up with the V Rod.
Back in the day a buddy of mine had the Kawasaki 750 triple. I was in the business of porting 2 stroke outboard engines for racing and he asked if I could hop his 750 up, so I did, and after much rejetting and pipe tuning, removing the oil pump and just running premixed fuel it was simply insane. Looking back now I'm guessing it made north of 120hp. All summer he beat up on every thing he encountered until one day it puked the crank out the bottom and the mosquito killer was gone.
I rode it once and never new how he managed to never crash it.
I was used to Italian bike handling and that thing scared the absolute sh!t out of me.
great story mate :-) cheers for adding
lol yeah it would scare you if you were used to older Italian bikes, premix is unfortunately never as good as the oil pump deal into the bottom end..
@@ashleyobrien4937 ya k lube pump was great. You can make it last forever if you turn the oil up . My Cullough did extensive testing and they said that engine life was directly related to the amount of oil consumed.
We had a great alcohol induced idea one night of riding one down the hallway of the barracks. Thankfully the owner and rider started drinking before we did. My lord that thing was loud. The hallway wasn’t much wider than the handlebars . I hope the statue of limitations have expired. If not… crank text crank text……….!!!!!!!
@ashleyobrien4937 The oil pump could not keep up. Believe me I tried.
man I'm getting old when the VMAX is no longer a "modern" bike. Great list.
Join the club mate lol glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel and the website, let me know what you think. hope youll climb aboard. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
V max is nuts man.
At 75 years old I am probably one of your older riders that has enjoyed several bikes. I started riding at 17 with a new YM-1 1967 Yamaha 305. I had a '72 RD350, a '74 Yamaha 360 enduro, a '75 Yamaha TX-500 twin and more recently a '81 CB750F Honda. For 35 years with my second wife I had no motorcycles. She died in 2/2020 and I resumed buying and riding motorcycles, first purchasing a '94 yellow V-Max from an 86 year old man. At 27 years old it had just 3,491 miles on it. It got 22.5 MPG on a good day and the gas tank below the seat held just 4 gallons. My heart's desire was to find another transverse 4 cylinder 750 Honda. Instead I found the joy of fuel injection with a 2014 CB1100. This, although not rocket powerful at 88HP I considered the finest overall bike I have ever owned. Carefully watching what motorcycles were what and desiring a shaft-driven bike I found a used 2010 Honda VFR 1200F in totally pristine condition from a private seller. This bike has unspeakable power at 170HP and smooth V-4 vibration free operation. It's only flaws are it's 400lb weight and uncomfortable lean-forward riding position. At 75 years old I am having difficulty in swinging my leg over the seat. I traded in my V-Max for a new '23 little Honda Grom that I can enjoy riding close by, so now I have a light bike, a middle weight bike and a go-fast heavy bike. As I speak I am now recovering from double-bypass heart surgery and it will likely be a month before doc will let me ride. I remarried my first wife who I had taught to ride. She went out and traded in her 2015 Yamaha MT-09 900cc for a new '23 Kawasaki KLX 230SM dual-sport dirt bike while I was in the hospital, so soon we will be riding together.
great story mate, and good luck with the recovery 🙂Cheers for watching , ride free
Ride on brother, you’re truly an inspiration!!$
Very cool motorcycle life you live sir. Inspiration for sure.
My condolences for the loss of your wife. Hope you heel fast and get back out there on the road Sir!
Best of luck m8 , and what is amazing, you’ve been overhauled and gone full circle to find love again with your lucky lady. What a life, keep going take care and keep safe and look after your first love. 👏🥰🌹❤️
I had an RD 350 and a 750 H2 Triple, both cafed out, clip ons, rear sets, chambers, etc. SOo much fUN! Thanks for the memories
glad it jogged some good memories mate, i still miss my 350LC more than most of the bikes ive had 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
I used to have a Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo in the late 90's. It was certainly one of the most dangerous that I have ever been on. It wasn't the speed that made it dangerous but the unpredictability of when the turbo would suddenly boost. Riding the highway it was sometime really difficult to tell where the tipping point of the boost was. You could be riding along and decide to speed up slightly to pass a car and suddenly have the turbo boost and find yourself rocketing towards the rear of the car ahead of you.
the tech was in its formation years so was always going to be hit and miss, maybe things would be different with todays tech but i just dont think turbos suit bikes except drag bikes, cheers for watching mate :-) ride free
I've still got my 750 turbo after 25 yrs & love it, although its been chopped about somewhat, it wobbles a lot & has crap brakes but looks cool & sounds cool with just a wee slash cut exhaust from the turbo, it did give me a metal collar bone yrs ago due to a tank slapper though.
@@merlin5476 i do think the Kawasaki was the best of the Turbos 🙂cheers for watching mate, ride free
I had a Yamaha 650 turbo and it was the same way. Riding that thing up a mile long incline on I-44 in the rain was about the scariest thing I've ever done. Just cruising along up the hill, then out of nowhere, boost hits, traction disappears as the engine pretty much instantly jumps to redline, grab the clutch, straighten, the bike out, and repeat. I never rode that thing in the rain again after that.
I almost bought that bike in 84 but couldn't afford extra grand and went with the standard 750 (which was a great bike) . I always regretted not getting the turbo, but after reading your post, it probably worked out for the best!
50 years ago, I bought a Kawasaki 500. I still remember the thrill of the tach reaching 5000 RPM and the front wheel reaching for the sky!
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
Try a solo Ural where BOTH wheels frequently reach the sky !
.
I had one ant that was the first one on my list. That 2 stroke was wild. I now own a
Kaw VN2000 thats got a ton of torque but ill handling.
I thoroughly enjoyed your video here, thank-you so much for creating and posting it! Wonderful memories of most of those bikes (I'm in Canada, and some of them were European market specific so we didn't see them). I'm so glad you gave an "honourable mention" to the Yamaha RD series. As a teen I worshipped Kenny Roberts and followed him and his YZR through the 500cc Moto GP. When Yamaha released the RD500 we just drooled over ourselves and wet our pants!
Glad you enjoyed it! Stevie Baker was a GIANT of a tiny man too :-) what racing
I'm 73 yrs old ND can say I'm blessed to have owned some of the bikes in this list! My first true Muscle bike was a 74 Kaw 900Z1 that was king for a while! I also had a Suzuki GSXR1100, Ninja ZX11, YAMAHA VMAX, HONDA XX Blackbird and a Suzuki Hayabusa! All of these bikes were dangerous if you ever thought you were the boss! My only bike I feared were the Boss Hogs! Blew my mind to have a blown twin turbo V8 between my legs! That's enough of me, ride carefully guys and gals!!
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
I'm in my 60s and your video took me straight back to old days, I started riding bikes when I was 9 , I remember buying the first Yamaha IT 400 when it came to Australia and at first that bike scared the shit out of me but I grew to love it, it was like strapping yourself to a missile, thanks for your video mate, it was great going down memory lane.
:-) cheers for watching mate, ride free
My 1978 YZ100 was the same for me at the age of 14, (bought new for $800.00). But it would not be today. Neither would that 40hp IT400. A fast modified 2stroke 125 can make those numbers today, (or real close). The first powerful bikes we had as kids do stick in our memories though, and what a joy that was. :)
@@EarthSurferUSA Glad you enjoyed the video Cheers for watching mate, 🙂Enjoy the ride
THOSE WERE CRAZY DAZE..GLAD I MADE IT TO MY 60s.. Thanks for the show..!
@@gentrynewsom2080 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride 🙂
The wildest bike I have ever had the pleasure of riding was the Honda CR500, that bike was incredible, how they could make that much power with that motor is incredible.
yep, ive been told by many it should have been included :-) cheers for watching mate, ride free
The cr wasn't a bad bike.....the maico is much scarier. My mate had an alpha1 490....plenty skids with that yin and am nae speakin about the tyres 😲
My first bike was a 1977 XR75 and it was a great little bike, my friends and cousins had various bikes we would all ride each other's from time to time, In 1988 I bought a XR600 thumper it had so much tork you could dump the clutch in 3 gear from a dead stop and stand it straight up and I had Honda's first quad 85 trx 250 my friend buried in in a field of mud and I pulled it out with my XR it was a tractor on two wheels as you know being a 4stroke it wasn't quick but it was fast in the long run I never raced so for the kind of riding I did I preferred the 4 stroke but I had a Buddy who had a CR 500 and first time we switched bikes I was used to the 4stroke more all though I road all kinds of 2 strokes including my brother in laws CR 250 same year as my 600 and off the line it would eat me alive but when I took off on that what I call a rocket ship CR 500 I couldn't keep the front wheel on the ground 😳 I road for a very short time and said here I'm done with this thing give me my bike back 😂 so I know what your saying 👍ps sorry for writing a book
I had a cr 500 and she rung the back spindle out of the wheel breaking ever spoke .I kid u not. Weapon
@@billmeade9029 no apology needed mate, i enjoy the replies, have a good day 🙂
I had three of the scariest bikes ever built a Yamaha rd 350, a Kawasaki two stroke 500 and a 750
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Yep. They are nuts.
I`m now 72 years old and have had the pleasure of being a motorcycle technician since 1967. I think I have probably ridden most everything from most every manufacturer and have had many a scary moment. I have to say It`s been a blast. Loved every moment of it.
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
Sold my 1974 Kawie 750cc H2 that I'd owned since age 19 in 2017, was age 60 when I sold it to a close friend of mine so it's still "in the family", so to speak. I also learned how to street ride on a '73 1st-year RD350 air-cooled Yamaha twin, why I'm still alive after that steep learning curve is beyond me. It and the 750 triple always pulled the best wheelies, the 750 all by itself under load! 2 strokes forever!
The only bad crash I ever had on a motorcycle was a f'n' dirt bike, endo @ 60 mph(97 kph)put me in a hospital for a week healing up from 2 major surgeries to put Humpty Dumpty's busted ass back together here! I did dragbike racing on my CBX after that......
I still have my 1979 Honda CBX that is turbocharged for giggles and grins.......am 65 now and still love a good fast ride on it.
glad ur still going strong mate, cheers for watching, enjoy the ride
"2 strokes forever!" And with the smell of the mixture as a bonus 🙂
Had a 71 and 72. Triple 750 also a 500 and 400 triple all very fast but the 750 handled like a dump truck
@@fernanddominiquevitoux6447 Castrol R runs through my veins 🙂
@@charlesparker14 lol, cheers for watching mate, Ride Free 🙂
I am grateful to my parents who limited me to a suzuki GT185, it was heavier than my mates RD200 that I rode, but the RD always felt twitchy, the suzuki did not! It took me reliably all over the NW of england and, yes, i did come off it, once or twice! It would be rude not too!! However, it was a very 'safe' bike in the 70s compared to what was on offer up to 250cc. But, in reality, I really did want an X7 but even I realised that they were deadly! So! Thank you mum and dad! xxxx
Thank you for this content!
cheers for watching, and adding another story mate. we have had some great tales in the comments :-)
You had fun and survived. Good choice. My first bike was a Honda CB 250 twin. It did the job well and was very predictable. My rd350lc caused me to skip a heartbeat from time to time.
@@dougwhiley4028 They did have a tendancy to do that 🙂
Can t agree more on the TL1000S - Replacing the rotary rear damper with a classic Ohlins and adding a proper steering damper did improve the bike greatly, but it remained a completely mental bike!
Especially the 98 model ones, after 98 they mucked around with the ECU to tame it a bit.
I will add that personally I always felt the tl1000s was more lairy with the rotary rear damper and flexy frame. Absolutely loved mine ❤ Such fun to ride..
it has been said in more than a few comments mate :-) cheers for watching, ride free
How did you miss the Suzuki CT750 water buffalo ?! Evil handling but went like hell !
🤣🤣🤣 it is true :-) couldnt include them all though :-) cheers for watching mate
The Suzuki water buffalo was the GT-750, I had one in the mid 70s and quite a few others, I bought Kawasaki 500 H-1B in 72, and I was 14 years old, No kidding, everyone said I would be dead in a week, But here I am, 65 this summer. 👊 😎
@@barebonesmcThanks for posting. 👍
@@josephpacchetti5997 reckon theres probably a few of us thought wed be gone before now 🙂 cheers for watching mate
For sure 3 cyl 2 stroke They were a rocket in the day!
Since I started riding in 1969 I've had a chance to ride or own the 1971 Suzuki TM 400, 1985 Yamaha VMax,1972 Kawasaki 750 H2, 1985 RZ350 , 1970 Kawasaki 500 H1. Out of this group I'd the Kawasaki H2 was the scariest. My buddy has a mint 1983 Honda CX650 but I haven't ridden it yet.
a nice list of bikes mate :-)
Great narration, cool pace, super content. Thanks:)
Thanks for your support mate 🙂 the feedback does help me and i do appreciate it
Great video, really enjoyed the trip down memory lane. IMO, most 70s & 80s bikes, by today's standards, were deathtraps. Skinny, non-stick tyres, lousy brakes & suspension plus flexible frames that couldn't cope with rising power outputs were all part of the fun! I restored an X7 a couple of years ago & I can confirm they were made from recycled sardine tins. Look forward to the next chapter.
The tyres were so ridiculous when you look back on it 🙂 glad you enjoyed it, finally sold my last TZR about 7 or 8 years ago now, i just wouldnt bend that much anymore lol Ride free my friend
The 500 Kawasaki 3 cyl death wobble made me reconsider riding in '73. Started up again in 2017.
@@lanesaarloos281 Glad you came back to the fold mate, enjoy the ride
I personally really like Honda bikes in the 1979-1984 range... by 1986 they often used the same basic engines but they changed the frames and suspension and they just didn't fit me as good as the older dual shock bikes. I like riding in rough terrain, and being able to easily reach the ground with the bike hung up on a log or stump is important to me.
@@John-ue8md me too mate, 🙂cheers for watching, enjoy the ride
The RD's were fantastic bikes 👍
yep. i loved my first gen LC, wish i still had it 🙂
I had 1 RD400 with every go fast part available, and 4 different RZ350's from moderate to craziness power wise!..from Wyoming USA 🇺🇸 🤠 I still have a waterbuffalo and a 75 RE5 Suzuki's.
Perhaps the best of my motorcycles the 250RD. Touring Ireland, commuting.
Of its time, the smooth twin ts and the gush of power, still recalled in my dotage, with a smile..
I think we have a big RD appreciation society going here 🙂
@Donley Wilson that name is ringing a bell 🔔 in my memory, wasn't he a big time racer from the 70's?..from Wyoming USA 🇺🇸👋🤠
Thanks for the video. 100% with you. BTW, your description of the TL1000R is spot on. I have had one for ten years already and I will keep it forever. When properly managed, that is the most rewarding motorcycle I have ever ridden. Cheers.
glad you enjoyed it mate, cheers for watching, ride free
In 1982, I bought a second hand 1981 Maico 490, the last year for twin shock. Light and decent handling but oh what an insane engine. Temperamental and very hard to start but it had an almost uncontrollable amount of power. Somewhere between terrifying and exhilarating, it was more bike than I could ever really master.
great bikes,i featured the later water cooled monoshock 500 here ruclips.net/video/Wr8WXCbu4xQ/видео.html 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I rode a 94 VMAX for about 10 years. And you're so right. The thing was a beast. But I loved it. Vboost was a knuckle whitener alright, but being a conservative rider, thankfully no mishaps. But I loved the look. The fat rear tire and smaller front always gave it the dragster look. I miss it. Thanks for the memory.
🙂cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Great video, thanks for sharing. remember most of those crazy motorcycles over the years, and another one I would add to the list is the Yamaha RD 500 LC. After moving up from a 250 LC to 350 I thought that I could have a thrash on my mates RD500lc on the North circular Road in London in the late 1980s. It was a bit of a handful, especially in the power band, and because of its 16 inch front wheel turned very quickly indeed, and almost spat me off a couple of times. I return to my mates house, a little bit whiter in the face, then when I left, but that crazy machine left an indelible memory, and a big smile on the face….
great story mate, 🙂cheers for watching, ride free
Thanks, great video, I worked in the Motorcycle business in the 80’s and rode most of the ( road ) models you featured, and your comments are spot on. The sound of the bikes from rider perspective took me right back !
cheers mate, i do try and work hard balancing the footage 🙂 thanks for watching, ride free
Nice list. I'm 70yrs old and have ridden most of the bikes you mentioned. I'm surprised the kawasaki 900-1100 wasn't on the list. It was a true widow maker when it came out. I rode with two friends who thought they had a jewel, but but wrecked because of the horrible front wheel wobble at around 90-100mph. One lost both big toes from scrapping boots in a high speed slide on his belly. And I would also add the Suzuki 750 water cooled. First of the kind. When I rode one I was amazed at the lack of feel. I looked down to find I was going almost a hundred in a 35 zone, because I felt no sense of speed due to the water jacket around the motor. I rode a Norton Atlas(1968) for 30 years. Best bike ever, best handling, acceleration, but worst brakes EVER! Keep that in mind and alls good.
Cheers for adding your bit and watching mate👍😊 I had to stop somewhere or id still be writing it all
H2
Roger the Norton Atlas 750's outstanding Handling ("Featherbed frame."). Also at Norton service school in '67 Mr. Fred Neil, Norton Engineer on the Manx Isle of Mann racers, gave me some very good Norton intake and exhaust tips. Quite a helpful, learned gentleman! BC
Bad brakes ? The Jawa 350😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.
Your shoes...
I had an ex works Maico 490 in the 80's and that was scary enough now and then, so I can only imagine what the 760 must have been like. At the same time my daily commuter was the Suzuki TS400 which I rode for a few years. That was a great bike and never gave a moments trouble even after some serious mileage. It was a good ride for dealing with hectic city traffic. Nice programme; thanks.
thanks mate, cheers for watching, enjoy the ride
Me too, Maico 490 Spider and an Alpha 1. Came on like a rocket 🚀
@@jeffurey6399hole shots were no problem. I loved practicing starts on the 490. However it was heavy & a bit unwielding around the track.
Imo the 460 was the scariest...livelier than the others ,and bad power output lowdown
I also had the TS400... nice bike.. lots of good memories.. after that I had the PE400 Enduro which was my day bike... a drag racer fixed the exhaust for me, it would rev cleanly and not burble just as it "came on the pipe".. consequently first gear was useless, as it would wheelie in second, crash change into 3rd and if I was mad enough it would have done 4th but by this time you're doing 80 or 90 k's and the front wheel would skid as you came down as it had stopped rotating way back... I eventually sold it for my healths sake... and bought the Yamie XT 500... far more sane! A 750 single 2 stroke can only be unusable... lots of guys thought a CR500 or YZ490 made them good but I could run rings around them on a XR200 on twisty trails as it was more useable... except in a straight line of course.
I agree with most of the content .
The 500 Kawasaki was the first to get the nickname widowmaker and it was the original model . Once the problems were discovered the last of the original run were withdrawn .
some of the fork head's were over torqued and the bearings were damaged . I don't believe any of these bikes reached the US and were only sold in Australia and New Zealand .
The H2 handled very well and was very successful in production racing , usually filling in the first four or five places .
It was the less skilled riders that got them a bad name but only through their lack of competence . ( some people could crash a velosolex )
In my opinion the top of the list would belong to the original Z900 Kawasaki , this bike was truly an evel handling bike .
most rider never pushed them hard enough to find out , but at race speed they were like a Camel with three left feet . Few riders did well production racing the early models and were always out paced and handled by the H2 .
By the way I raced a TM 400 and to this day it remains my all-time favourite bike .
We had a thing going , I wanted to win , it wanted to kill me .
There is an honesty in this . I am just days short of 73 and I would love to do a few more laps on a TM 400 .
Still have a 360 CZ and a 250 Maico .
cheers for watching mate, cant disagree with much of what you say 🙂 a good rider rides to the limits of themselves AND the bikes they ride 🙂 Id say the Z900 was easier to ride normally than the H2. It was only when you tried to push it hard it came unstuck, whereas the H2 could try and kill you at any moment depending how good your throttle control was. That was the beauty of the big fours, they were easier for non racers to go quick. but it did mean they caught people out too. thanks again for the comment mate, enjoy the ride
Kawi 500 triple was one hell of a machine, I rode one from '76 to' 79. I loved that bike.
@@fknchuck55 love and respect, thats what they needed 🙂
Yeah, worst thing was asking them (H1/H2) for a tour around the block from a mate, at times where the helmet wasn,t law everywere, yet. No time to get acquainted to to the sudden rush.
I hated the "5 up" transmission. What were they thinking? 😐
I’ll throw the Suzuki Bandit 1200 into the mix. Full disclosure, I have a 600, which makes about 75 hp. The 1200, without much more chassis, and only 25 lbs heavier, makes 100 hp. They call it the “Wheelie Bandit” for a reason, and it’s rightly gained favor among stunt riders. I bought a 1200, intending to transfer some direct fit pieces (Corbin seat, $500, etc.). I had a go at the 1200, and quickly realized that the 600 was enough. Sold the 1200, and haven’t regretted the decision. Great video, thanks!
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. i do like the Bandit 12 though lol, i featured it here ruclips.net/video/ZBbf0xF7TbU/видео.html Have a great weekend 🙂
great memories,,,remember at high school in the 1970s in NZ,,young guys no helmets ,,,wheel standing their GT 380 Suzukis,,RD Yamahas ,,Kawasaki 500s,,everywhere you looked Japcrap,,,the" great invasion " has just begun...Excellent Video..Narration..keep em comin..
🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
I too am 75 yrs old. My first bike was a cushman scooter givrn to me by a neighbor who couldn't get it to run. Despite being 10, I did. I've owned most of the brands, ended up riding Harleys for over 20 years. One of my favorites was an RD250. That little bike was amazing. It would outrun most larger street bikes for the first 100 feet. It was a blast and I'll never forget it.
i think there are a lot of people who still look at Yamaha first, primarily because of the various RD's we all loved so much :-) Cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
I got a backseat ride on Kwacker 750 H2's on two ocasions from two different friends within a 20 year time difference and they were both terrifying experiences.
Thankfully they both had enough confidence and skill to negotiate turns scraping the footpegs in slick pavement.
My white hair is testimony of these scary experiences.
lol, cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride :-)
They were so raised that they lifted your helmet up ? ;) (I point out I would not have fared better. Oh, no. Nope. Uh-hu…)
We had one with a sissy bar told my buddy on the back don't use it😂
@@BROU-bb2uc lol, 🙂Cheers for watching mate, Ride Free
Nice to see a mention of the Yamaha RD/LC series at the start. My first bike was the RD250LC which introduced me to the joys of the powerband. Such fun!
happy days :-) cheers for watching mate, ride free
Thanks for keeping the sounds in, and for sharing this vid. Excellent work. When I was 14 years old my best friend, who was 15, convinced his mom to buy him a TM 400. We rode that thing all summer in the woods and trails of upstate NY. I remember once riding it along the railroad tracks and it spun the rear tire through 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears and the rear just floated back and forth kicking out the big rocks next to the tracks, without ever gaining full purchase. before It was one of the most beastly bikes I ever rode. I also had an opportunity to ride a TL1000 R and it was quite a handful. I'm thinking the S model was even worse.
plenty of people have talked about the TL S :-) Cheers for watching mate 🙂 Ride free
In 79 I bought a CBX Honda. Super smooth.
Rode that bike 5000 miles in 5 days.
It rained 4 of those days.
1986 was riding a V-Max. Next a newer V-Max, which was much slower.
Next gen 2 Busa.
Rode the Busa from 98 til 16, got t boned by a cage. Spent 4.5 months in bed before wheel chair. Throw in a few Harleys in between.
Now piloting a gen 3 Busa. Ism 75..
sounds like youve been throught the wars mate sorry, glad ur still up and at em though, welcome aboard, 🙂Cheers for watching , Ride Free
I haven't owned that many m/c's. My first was a Kawasaki H1 500cc two-stroke. You're right, it was scary. I started having nightmares after almost every ride, so I traded it in on a Suzuki TM400, my first dirt bike. It didn't seem that bad. Of course I had nothing to compare it to. Fortunately, I survived both. But, I never had so many injuries as I did on that TM400.
glad u survived em mate, cheers for watching, enjoy the ride
RD Yamaha range - remember them well! V Max a very serious bike indeed! No experience of the others, but take you word!
I had a 74 Kawasaki H2 750 with expansion chambers and it was scary fast. It had way more power than the crude brakes and suspension could handle, and deserving of the Widow-maker moniker.
indeed mate, :-) Cheers for watching :-) Ride Free
The CX500TC was a heavy slug with chronic turbo lag.
The CX650TC was another matter altogether, 100 bop and good for 140, when the boost comes in things in the mirror get small very quickly.
Add in a brilliant fairing and riding position, you have the ultimate grand tourer, and it’s not scary in the slightest.
Great vid, thanks
glad you enjoyed it mate :-) Cheers for watching, Ride free
The Kwaka 750 Turbo was the BEST Turbo'd bike EVER ... & the best of them all to ride.. it ate hondas for breaky lol
The euroslug/maggot
@@christopherhampson265 🤣
Good list, great video! Really enjoyed seeing these iconic bikes. 80s was definitely my favorite decade for motorcycles. I had a tweaked 2006 VMax. I can't believe I am still alive. If I had that bike in my 20s, I probably wouldn't be. I'd have fish tails on a dry street merely by taking off slightly too fast. That was also the only bike where I could feel the shaft drive twist the frame a tad when taking off a bit fast. Crazy bike, delivering around 117 ponies to the real wheel when stock, mine was probably close to 130 HP.
cheers for watching mate and adding your thoughts :-) ride free
Great video ! Thanks for sharing. I bought a new 1970 Yamaha R5 (predecessor to the RD series). I rode that purple and white bike for thousands of virtually trouble-free miles. It was the most fun motorcycle I've ever owned. I am still riding to this day at age 70. Cheers to all from Ohio, USA !
welcome Ohio 🙂I do love the RD's 🙂Cheers for watching mate, ride free
Me on a 750 Kawi and my buddy on a RD350LC... we were nuts :) glad we're still alive.
Wild days, and even wilder nights 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Proud owner of a TL1000S here (with an Ohlins at the back). Still a great bike, but heavy to handle compared to these days bikes. And now with 200CV bikes around it seems even tamed...
Awesome video. I never rode a tm400, but I once rode a clapped out ts400, and that bike was a beast. It was powerful but handled surprisingly well. I can’t imagine riding the tm400. There’s something about the design and styling of the early to mid 70s bikes that I love. Many modern bikes are trying to recapture the retro styling, but they aren’t the same as the real thing.
Simplicity is one aspect im sure :-) cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Had a pe400 back in the day.was also a beast.suzuki all the way😊
Suzuki actually addressed some of the TM400 issues about 3 years into production. The Dirt Bike magazine roasting of the TM400 probably made them take notice....I think they lenghtend the wheelbase 25-30mm with a new rear swing arm as I recall.
@@ejgrant5191 I don't recall that but thats nothing new lol i thought it was just replaced by the TS
That was a great list...
Most mental bike I've ever had the pleasure of riding is an '82 Yamaha IT 465. It's heavy, and it doesn't like to turn... but touch the throttle and you're on one wheel.
i think someone else mentioned the IT, ive never ridden one to be honest, i can imagine tho :-) I had a YZ 490 at one point lol, cheers for watching mate, ride free
"Dial a wheelie" was how the great Rick Ramsey described it.
Super Hunky said "the only way to miss a rock with an IT is to aim for it".
I had an 82 IT465, probably the best all around dirt bike I ever had.
Morning I'm 69 years old and started riding a 125cc Yamaha enduro at 16 moving to a Yamaha 250 enduro then to a Yamaha 250 MX gave me some initial experience. In 1977 I bought a KZ1000 LTD which I still ride today doing all the mechanics. This is a beast, great bike until you reach 90 MPH and an inherent speed wobble kicks in woo baby. I love this bike will never sell it.
I remember when Cyclones showed up for the races but none of these had a rear fender. The European mxers enduros and trails were still the class of the field until the Suzuki RMs showed up.
At 16 I sold my Honda 305 superhawk and my parents helped me buy a ‘70 Kaw H1 500, I truly had angels on my shoulders and consider myself very lucky indeed to have survived this motorcycle.
i guess i think similarly of the 350LC I had, i guess we all had friends who weren't so lucky sadly
@@barebonesmc I was living in so cal when the katanas were released, Anaheim Suzuki had almost all of them come back badly crashed. And yes we are lucky to have have survived be it through fear, common sense or pure luck. 💙
@@carlfogle6517 most of us probably a bit of all 3 lol🤣🤣
I had the same experience as you! Went from a Honda 305 to riding a friends H1 500! Not even on the same planet with regards to speed!
My first bike was a305 Scrambler
A real POS
You are right. I was not scared when I rode crazy bikes but I did have respect. The short framed H2 was the most dangerous but fun. You could haul er up in 3rd. Massive wheelies and burnouts.
Wild days, and even wilder nights 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Kaw 750 triple - 73 or so. It was 78 - I borrowed my dad's 68 Triumph Tiger for the summer. Met the guy at the Motorcycle shop - out 25 miles on a windy road. He FLEW out that road, I followed along at 65 mph. Limit was 50, so we all were moving. At the shop - this 750 was the center of attention. I noticed that the front brake was smoking. He admitted that it was just scary grabbing brakes and hoping for a second driveway - if you missed the first! Cheers
:-) A time full of memorable stories :-) Ride Free my friend
Hi, Great Video. This brings back Memories of the 70s and early 80s for me. I had a Z1 900 Kawasaki back in 1979 and it was the King of the Road back then. Like you said though, Suspensions, Tires, Brakes, weren’t as good back then. When I look back at some of the Crazy things I did on that 900, it’s amazing I’m still alive. Thanks for the Video, and I look forward to more.👍👍
your welcome mate, glad you enjoyed it. theres always more to come :-) Im still not even halfway through last years tour videos lol. the best is still to come, cheers for watching
Great video I really enjoyed it, It brought back vivid memeories of my path. The unique essence I percieved was your story is from an experienced sportbike rider, I'm sure (track time videos lol). So I made this discovery as I watched you explain the basis of what content you were offering. I must say that your approach let me know that we both grew up in pretty much the same era. Thank you I enjoyed the content & would like to add .... I believe it was either 1982 or 83 Susuki GS1150E. While being young & adventurist I launced it, it went sideways burning rubber so I short shifted to 2nd gear & noticed that my front tire was no longer on the ground & I proceded to have one of the scariest & mosted loved experieces of my life!!!! MInd blowing power!!! I think I understand LOL.
welcome aboard mate. Madness will inevitably ensue 🙂I still have 2 FZR's and a Daytona 955 but they get used less now, ive thoroughly enjoyed riding most of the bikes i have tried over the years, i even loved ragging my lads Honda Dax around the woods 🙂 I always preferred the Yamaha's to the Suzuki's so didnt have so much saddle time on them to be fair. trust me to end up with a Vstrom now as my general digsbody 🙂 cheers for watching, enjoy the ride 🙂
i am 63 years old. in 1978, i bought a 73 Z1 Kawasaki. MY first real street bike. i am lucky to have survived. put that bike down four times, hard. fortunately, no sudden stops. lol. that experience sure makes my R1 easy to ride.
:-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
Thank you for the exceptional history. An Aussie here.
This was my era also. I agree of the Kawasaki 750 triple. It was the original Widow -maker, although others could fit a widow maker title as well. The 500s triples ripped also. I had a friend that would wheel stand them every where he rode. Entire streets and manage around corners on the back wheel as well like as in a circus, not fast of course. I was never anywhere near that talented. Good video mate, thanks to revive my memory.
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Put a 500 triple in a go kart. Scared the daylights out myself mates flat out on local mud flats. And of course the sound was bloody fantastic. Had to give away and went down the vfr route another great sounding bike.
@@kerryschwass1147 some serious go karts there 🙂
Ahhh the good ol’ days! This video certainly brought me back. I’ve ridden a few of those bikes back in the day. But my all time favorite and maybe scariest for me was a Suzuki gs1100e. It was far from stock and that thing went like a bat out of hell. I ended up selling it shortly after my wife had our first child. Probably a good thing that I did but I do kind of miss it. Very cool video, thanks for sharing. And as my dad would always tell me, “keep the shiny side up”
Glad you enjoyed it mate - and the rubber side down :-)
I owned a 750 Katana and absolutely loved it. I heard stories of the 1100 being a pig and the 650 being not great to ride but the 750 was a dream although the best I got out of a tyre was 4000 kilometres and that was a dual compound too.
@@potrzebieneuman4702 🙂cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Great video. I had an rd400 back in 1977. Put 10,000 miles on it that first summer. What a great bike. Had many other bikes but that rd400 was my favorite.
they were indeed a fantastic bike, cheers for watching, ride free
Great video, wonderfully unpretentious and simple style. No silly graphics, annoying soundtrack or overwhelming ego! Brilliant and really refreshing - keep em coming, please!! 👍👍
Welcome aboard mate, and cheers for the comment. enjoy the ride and thanks for the support
As a rider of over 40 yrs now this list is absolutely spot on! The kawasaki early H2 was a true widowmaker. That motor was and still is a beast..nobody cared that the rest of the bike was a sponge. That sound was worth the speeds we pushed regardless of how many skin grafts it delivered
cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride :-)
Dramatic. All new road tests didn't fault the handling. However about 4 years later several articles did negatively reflect on handling. As an H2 restorer; I have some observations. The nylon - plastic swing arm bushings were worn by then. And so swing arm play occurred. Simple as that; Later bronze bushes becam available; later again needle roller bearings. And wow what an improvement ! Taper head bearings help immensely !!!
What was left out was the wheelie factor, at @4000-4500 rpm under open throttle the thing would wheelie in whatever gear it was in, the last one I rode was bored out and ported and polished and it scared me off of the triple completely.
Great Vid. Turns the clock back. For me a 350 Elsie everyday of the week. It was the total hooligan of the 80's and messed with big bikes of its era. It's no wonder they are fetching huge money these days.However had a Maico 490, that was scary especially on dirt lol.
I do miss my LC too lol. rose tinted specs aside they were a fantastic bike
I've had a few RD and RZ's in my day. Always loved them. Sold my RD a few years ago and still regret it but was trying to raise a family and broke. Still got my RZ350 although the clutch is blown up. I bought a 91 FZR1000 last year and love it.
@@mikeholland1031 I do still miss my 350LC. last of the TZR's went about 6 or 7 years ago now, I just wouldnt fold up enough lol. Ive got a bog standard '89 FZR1000 EXUP which I'd say was the best year, and then ive got a naked one thats been toyed with lol, its got the later USD forks and YZF 750 head and cams. YZF swingarm, underslung calipers etc, its a monster, cheers for watching mate
I think the Suzuki TL1000S deserves an honorable mention here.
First model year 1997 they had a deadly headshake and due to less than desirable engine management the power delivery in the idle to quarter throttle was very notchy.
Once you got into the throttle look out power came on in a massive rush.
Eventually Suzuki cured these issues and it was an awesome machine.
The engine still lives on in the liter V Strom.
An incredibly powerful V twin in the late 90s but very scary.
i did have a fair few people tell me i should have said TLS rather than TLR 🙂 the conclusion i came to was i must have ridden a later and sorted TLS, i loved it, whereas the TLR i took around Cadwell was a major handful, and yes, a legendary engine. I had a Cagiva Navigator with the S engine in it (a few tweeks) for a good while, awesome mile muncher
The X-7 took a couple of my mates well before their time. Stupidly fast for a learner and the main reason the UK introduced a power limit legislation for learners.
that and the RD's Cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride :-)
Excellent video. Great history lesson. Thanks for making it. I still have my TLS that I bought new in 01 and have never felt unsafe on it. That motor is a blast.
I agree, the bad press about the TL Suzukis really is undeserved. The rear shock absorber copped and undeserved shellacking, as did the steering geometry. Anyone I know has one, has no complaints whatsoever. Much of the negativity seems to have been confirmation bias in the motorcycle magazines!
@@mikef.1000 and the fact that the issue was ONLY in 97, resolved with the addition of the steering damper. I’ve had my bike way up above 130 and the bike tracked dead straight. Awesome bike.
Glad you enjoyed it! :-) cheers for watching mate. Ride Free
An RD350 ( 74) was the bike I got my License on at 16! Had it for a couple years. It was a 6 speed, 2 stroke rocket!!
I had the Mars bar one :-) cheers for watching mate, enjoy your day
The motorcycle that scared me was when I bought a brand new KZ1000 in '77. My God, that thing was a BEAST!
another truly great if flawed bike 🙂 Cheers for watching mate 🙂 Ride free
RD 350LC surviver here. Your absolutely bang on .. VMax was my fastest ride ever.. RD was the most fun eh!
great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
15years ago superbikes just shy of the 200hp mark and still without TCS, ABS or even electronic throttle left a serious impression on me. 😂😂😂
Lol, should have waited till the end to comment. The X5 was one of the most fun bikes to ride and get hospitalized on.
Your list of widowmakers is brilliant. You put some thought into it for sure. One thing all these widowmakers have in common other than hospital and funeral costs is this, they were and are fun as hell to ride! Thank you sir!
glad you enjoyed it mate, i do my best lol, cheers for watching, enjoy the ride :-)
yep i agree my yellow x5 was a good nippy bike 86 mph so our local police said I raced lots of gt185s and rd200s and beat most it accelerated as fast as the gt250 ram air but they could always do 10-15 mph more than me had to get rid when i came off doing 75-80mph on a gravely bend broke lots of bones and the worst bit was they had to cut off my signed Barry Sheen T-shirt what a great time to be a young biker
@@ipaddy ouch, glad ur still with us mate 🙂cheers for watching , ride free
back in the 90s a friend of mine was in a love with the GPZ 750 Turbo, i remembering that this bike is eating rear tires and chains like crazy, for a 2 week trip from Hanover down to Sicily and back, he needed a complete second chain set and two rear tires... but it was his love and he drove it hard.
:-) Cheers for watching mate and thanks for the comment, enjoy your weekend
Thankyou so much for the blast from the past, brought back some great memories.
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Thanks for a great video. I had a 1985 GPZ 750 (not turbo) which was great but I offloaded it in 2011 and got me a 1998 Suzuki TL1000R which I've still got. It's red with polished rims and lots of go fast bits. I absolutely love it and she's super shiny still with nearly 100,000 kms on the odometer. She's become my special bike and I daily an FZ6N which I call my Toyota Corolla. Long live the TL.
nice story mate, :-) cheers for sharing, The TL engine in the navigator had done a fair few miles when i let it go, from memory i think about 80k miles, they do last. enjoy the ride
Cheerio old boy. We all all thankful that you survived . A cat has nine lives. You've had 11!!! Thanks for the ungovernored sounds as well
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Great video! Loved it
🙂Cheers for watching mate , ride free
I have just turned 60 and my first bike I rode was when I was 12 and used a Matchless 350 to collect cows down the meadow and of course on the road at 16 with the Dutch Batavus MK4S (couldn’t afford a fizzie) - I rode an overladen CBX 750 everyday for work as a Hong Kong cop and spent the last 2 decades on adventure bikes riding around the world. I found this channel while following the amazing Dakar footage and this video popped up and I was astounded I have owned most of the list - RD350, original VMax, KH750 (and mad ZXR), TL1000, TM500, and my bike after my driving test in 1980 an X7 - VMax being my favourite. I should add an original British spec Hayabusa that I had to take to 200 mph (why wouldn’t you?- has to be done ) and 1999 R1 which was mad. - glad I am still alive.
Enjoyed seeing the VMax - I love that bike - even though it hated corners.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane - I love my bikes - life wouldn’t be worth living without them - even the mad bastard ones
😊
Welcome aboard mate, The Busa and R1 are here ruclips.net/video/eR_XGU_DcAQ/видео.html enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
I had a H2 when they first come out and it used to wheelie at 80 mph and when it come on the power band it was brutal bloody Awesome bike 😁😁🤘🤘
That engine was awesome. Cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Ahh another H2 survivor LOL. It was a brutal bike to ride
Nice would love a go on one of them omg
I have 3 kawasaki triples fully restored 750cc scary as hell but what a rush
@@Paganreptiles indeed :-) ride free mate
Thanks for posting!! My first street bike was a 1977 Yamaha RD 350. I had graduated from high school the year before, and convinced my parents that it was "economical", as I was commuting a 60 mile round trip to junior college each day (yes, they knew I was BS'ing, but didn't deny my purchase). Having a buddy who was an artist, I got some cool airbrushed artwork on the bike...and it was, wicked fast. Living on the California central coast (in Cambria...about 45 miles south of Big Sur), I never lacked for great cruising roads. My last bike was a 71' Norton Commando...yellow w/black lettering, that always got strange looks from the kids on the Japanese super bikes...until I cracked open the throttle, and that sweet sound emanated from those twin cigar pipes...great times ✌😎
Back in the 70’s I had a friend that got a Norton 750 commander it was a awesome bike and I think it came with a 5 gallon fuel tank and you could ride for hundreds of miles without refueling.
Ive got Commando exhausts on the SF2 im rebuilding :-) :-) cheers for watching mate, ride free
That looks like Cadwell Park in the opening scenes, except the first time I was there the corner after the Esses often involved pushing yourself away fro the wall with your foot in the mellee before going down to the Start/Finish Straight. Bought back memories of my later teen ages.
I owned a Kawasaki KH750 in 1973. I loved that bike. I never lost a race.
not much could keep up back then :-) Cheers for watching mate :-) Ride Free
I was pleasantly surprised to see the X7 included in your review. Having owned one in the early eighties as a learner rider I suppose I’m fortunate to have survived intact. I crashed that bike more times than I remember usually racing RDs …… flipped it over many times whilst wheelying or lost it whilst cornering beyond its capabilities and mine of course. The tyres, brakes and suspension were crap to say the least. Obviously making it go faster was obligatory hence Micron pipes, K&N filters etc. plus some filing of the ports courtesy of the MCN tuning article. With a smaller rear sprocket I do recall seeing 110 on the speedometer. They’re fetching serious money now and I look back fondly to those fabulous times forgetting the hospital trips of course 👍
lol :-) Cheers for watching mate and thanks for the comment, enjoy your weekend
Great list .Of all the mad machines you featured I only ever rode the Suzuki X7.Although I did try to trade in a Yamaha XS 1100 for a V-Max,until the ,surprisingly honest, seller asked me why I wanted to trade one fast,gas guzzling ,bad handling bike for another .
A full power 🤣🤣🤣V Max is one of my shortest ownerships, got one, loved it, 3 days later realised there were 2 end results, death or no licence lol, it got sold a week later
Yamaha xs 1100 was actually a pretty decent bike all around. But the Vmax definitely takes the cake for being the....less safe ride.
@@barebonesmc that seems like such a waste. If those two options were your only two options that's really more of a comment on you as a rider and not so much on the bike.
@@seanbutler2291 and you mate, cheers for watching, enjoy the ride
Had an XS1100 as well. It was nicknamed Kenny. Not after Mr Roberts but a brand of truck as that was what it was like to ride.
84 and no longer ride. Had a list of Suzuki as well as many others. Managed to scare myself more than once riding beyond my true ability. Still alive by the grace of God.
happy memories mate, and have a great day
Had a TLS for over 10 years, i dont have much experience on other bikes so i couldn't say whether its any worse than any other but i love it.
great bikes and that TL Power is addictive, I loved the Navigator on the road but the engine was just too much for off road riding to be enjoyable🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
1976 Kawasaki H2 750 C survivor here! Damned fine machine, I absolutely loved it. Unlike other machines, when climbing on the H2, I did always ponder if that was going to be my last ride, ever. Oddly, I thought it actually handled very well, at least up to 115mph. After that, one had to catch the tank slappers the very moment they tried to start, or else one would end up in a hedge. Well, here I am, many decades later and, thanks mainly to the H2, I am now limping badly with a full set of comprehensively damaged lower bones and joints but, I'm still here. Just. However, in the morning, please ask my wife to re-check!
glad ur still with us mate :-) cheers for watching mate. enjoy the ride
I got my only speeding ticket in California on a 750 triple. The CHP had been chasing me for miles but I didn't know it. He only caught up when I stopped at the Kawasaki shop for a new clutch cable!
The 750 was borrowed. At the time I owned a 75 Norton 850. I didn't think the the triple handled that bad. The Kawasaki 900 and 750 could beat me stoplight to stoplight. But once we got on the coast road from Carmel to big sur I could walk the dog on them!
@@grayharker6271 The exact details now escape me, as it was 46 years ago, but my H2 750C had an uprated clutch, I think using Plates from an H2R Racing Machine, plus I seem to recall, Z1B valve springs used in the clutch (or something like that).
Most H2s would slip the clutch badly, so lost a lot of power because of that, plus because of the huge slippage, the clutches just did not tend to last that long, that's if an H2 was ridden enthusiastically, as it should be. Indeed, the H2 750 clutch was not a lot bigger than the KH 250 clutch so, not surprising it slipped!
However, those changes to my H2, whilst making my clutch highly effective, meant I only had a very small amount of movement in the clutch lever. Indeed, many climbing on it, even when stationary, thought the clutch was jammed and stuck, because it needed the strength of a million monkeys to use it! But it worked, never slipped, and I could get the power down every time, even screaming away from traffic lights.
The most amusing thing about that was when I travelled half way up the UK to initially buy it and collect it, I had only the day before had my left arm taken out of plaster, so I had less than the strength of single hamster in that wrist, at that time.
The 200 mile ride home was entertaining! Ended up having to operate the hair trigger clutch with my left forearm.
The other fun was it was quite late when I picked it up, and I found most of the fuel stations along the A1 riding home were closed. Very nearly ran out of fuel at least once, and only just made the last stop some 40 miles from home. I then let rip on the M11 heading south, and was amazed to find I managed to use a whole tank, and went on Reserve before the end of that!
Fuel consumption, that was the other minor problem! Your Norton would indeed sail past me probably at every fuel stop! But then they'd be an initial enormous cloud of white Two-Stroke smoke, as I departed in hot pursuit!
@@grayharker6271 it took a long time for jap bikes too handle as well as Norton's, maybe never
I thoroughly enjoyed this video keep it up ❤
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Being 62 , I remember all of these bikes. Other than my first bike , a Suzuki A100, stripped out with nobbys, I have never bothered with Suzuki's or Kawasaki's . All have been Honda's and Yamaha's. What I have found is the Yamaha's always handled better, or at least gave a more confident feel. In the Yamaha's , YZ125D , YZ400E, RD350, RZ250, XV750, XT250, XT500, XT600, FZR1000. In the Honda's, XR75, XR250, XL250, CT110, CT200, CB175, CB250 CB500, CB550, CB900, ST1100. I also had a Bultaco 250 pursang. Just one of these stands out as the most dangerous bike I have ever owned, the RZ250. It was just full time encouraging you to go flat out, not that the bike didnt handle it, quite to the contrary, It made you over confident in your own ability. The favorites; The 250 bully, just a beautiful engine. YZ125, the most exciting power band. XT500 , just for pure grunt, on the odd occaision when you could actually kick start the bastard. FZR 1000, the fastest, and a very confident ride, however did somewhat suffer from its own weight. XR75, my first real dirt bike in my early teens , loved everything about that bike. CB175 just different from any other bike. Finally the bullet proof indestructable models. And the number 1 is the CT110, known in Australia as the postie. You can cane this bike all day every day and it just wont let up on you. Number 2 , the CB250 ( early 70s models ) about as tough as they come. Hope this means something to someone, even if its jut a memory.
thats a story and a half mate, :-) Cheers for adding your thoughts, Ride Free
I would add the V65 Magna to the list. Way to much power and torque for the chassis to handle. It was a wonderful bike to ride if you took it easy. With it's high stance and center of gravity favoring the rear, a handful of throttle would sent the front wheel skyward. At full throttle in 4th gear at 100+mph a small bump in the road would cause the front tire to lift a few inches. Had to change my undies more than once after accelerating in 1st gear and found myself looking at the clouds, not sure which way I was coming back down. Still, loved it, and wish I still had it. Traded for CBR1000F, wish I still had that!
great bike 🙂Cheers for watching mate, ride free
Odd looking master cyl on the RD. Definitely different than the stock one in Canada.
Great video thanks. Brings back some good memories. I learnt to ride a rood bike on an RD250LC. Interesting times
great bikes 🙂cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
2 best bikes I’ve ridden were, first, my first brand new bought, 1976 Yamaha RD 400c (Canadian version), black,white and gold lettering,and second was a 1983 Honda CB900 F Super Sport, powerful, quick for its size and a great long distance driver ( went from Montreal, home town to Halifax, 1,300 klms or 805 miles in 2 days)
Miss those days.
Quick yes but i never saw the 900 supersport in the same way as most of these, but someone mentioned it yesterday i think so you arent alone :-) 🙂 cheers for watching mate, ride free
i have owned over 50 bikes, and ridden countless others.. the scariest bike i ever rode was the new tmax 1700 with a supercharger. i have never in my 30 years of riding felt such a volatile and brutal snap in power as the gen 2 tmax produced. it was amazing.
Not one I had considered. cheers for watching mate, enjoy your day
V max ?
@@techs1smh13 yep, its in there
@@barebonesmc What is a tmax?
The later TM400's (I had one, and had raced the first TM for a dealership) did not have a detuned engine, but it did have a silenced pipe that curtailed the top end somewhat. What it DID have was a (slightly) improved chassis. It was still a handful without an aftermarket flywheel weight and never became a decent handler.
hey great video,I'm 65 and had a tm400, on my bosses farm,I use to pull wheelies at 90mph down the airstrip, and came off it regularly. I use to leave the dogs at home when moving bulls, the dogs were terrified of it. the bulls would stop turn stare I'd head at them stop and Rev ,they never took me on,the expansion chamber was a custom snail pipe designed by some guru that made it louder and more insanely powerful
Cheers for watching and adding your story mate, ride free 🙂
I know a few blokes that bought their lad a cr80 back in the 80's.After the initial excitement over getting a new bike the time came for trying it out,it scared the life out of them. When I tried them they usually had the same effect.Wild little things they were.
i love the concept. Here you are, buy this for your kids, theyll be fine, honest 🤣🤣
I grew up on a CR80, it's an insane little bike, mostly because power band was so abrupt, and the bike weighed next to nothing, I had a friend that had a 125, got on my bike blipped the throttle and stood amazed as the bike disappeared from under him and off into the distance.
I rode a KTM sx65 until I was maybe 11, well and truly too big for it, but damn it if that little bike didn't get you moving fast no matter how heavy you are. Many adults rode it ironically and we're unironcally chewed up and spat out the moment they tried to push it.
If memory serves the 400 Suzi had symmetrical port timing. Surprised MX riders would sometimes take off backwards at the drop of the start gate. Great video, lots of good if scary memories. Thank you.
thanks mate, much appreciated comment 🙂 cheers for watching, ride free
Probably not. Little know fact unlike most all think, 2 strokes won't run backwards unless ignition timing is altered. Like anything they fire before top dead center, if running it backwards it's gonna b overly retarded n just not gonna run. Facts!
Just a Great watch. I had an early Suzuki TM 400 and I can add that when this beast "came on the Pipe", it was like flipping a switch from half on to HOLD ON BABY. Mine didn't have a flywheel weight and when it came on, it just plain scary. It would also often stall at low revs. The later versions did have a flywheel weight that tamed it down a bit. But it was still a man killer.
great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
A friend rode that Kawasaki 400 triple when I was a kid riding a Honda 400-4 in California. I had no interest in riding his Kawasaki 400. While riding behind him I saw that thing looking very sketchy at times and wanted nothing to do with it.
Great list, and, of yeah, I'm still riding today at 65. In fact, I've just begun the process of purchasing an Arch KRGT-1, my dream bike. I'm typically very conservative financially, as is my wife. But, we've both come to realize we're not going to live forever and if we have dreams left, we'd better sort them out, post haste.
I've been enjoying your channel very much and just added a subscription.
Continued success!
Cheers!
welcome aboard mate, and follow your dreams 🙂 if you look in videos here ruclips.net/p/PLQ4ZIwIZyn7qMvPsRiNHP3ThZ7Ln2hNP2 , you will see mine took me to Switzerland this year 🙂
@barebonesmc Such a fantastic destination. I'll be certain to watch that video.
Switzerland was on my list when I was still climbing mountains and the Eiger's north wall needed another crazy person to have a run at it. I've gotten too old for those dreams now, plus my wife might attempt to cripple me before I reached the front door. J/K!
I truly still find great joy riding motorcycles and my wife knows this very well. She liked being a passenger so much that she wanted to learn to ride a bike too. We bought a GZ 250 for her to ride around our horse farm. I had to put my foot down when she wanted to ride on the streets though. It's too dangerous I told her, and too verify that point I asked her to watch my head when she was the passenger on my old Honda Shadow Aero.
She watched and slowly agreed with me. I'd been riding for nearly 40 years back then and as you well know it becomes 2nd nature to constantly scan traffic to be sure it's safe. Phew, that was kind of painful.
Thank you for superb content on your channel. It's entertaining and informative simultaneously, which can be a difficult proposition for many. Not you.
Continued success, and stay safe!
Can't forget the cr500, 1985 model is supposed to be the most violent. I've ridden a 1983 cr480 quite a bit, had a few scary moments but it was generally controllable for a moderately experienced rider
The CR was a legend of a bike :-) cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
I said the same thing! No Honda CR 500?
@@Patriot-up2td I have been told 🙂 Im sure it will come up again somewhere 🙂
I think the 87 through 90 were highest output.
My brother had a 81 ktm490 and everyone who had a go came off it.
Surprised to see the RG500 gamma on your list because I thought it was quite easy to ride. Two grumbles about it: It was light with a large area of fairing so was tricky in strong cross winds; and it came with odd size wheels so was difficult to get good production race rubber. I think the 16" front wheels were a failure all round and the RG had a 17" rear before 17" rear tyres were common. The engine was brilliant.
Its just biker myths,, i agree, the rg was v v competant
The RG Gamma engine is legendary! That engine was swapped into a couple Suzuki LT500R ATV chassis (one in the US, and one in Australia I believe), and might be the meanest Frankenstein ATV ever made!
for me the rg500 was the most difficult bike to ride fast on a track because it's power was all or nothing making accelerating out of the corner hard to get right every time, then add in some surface imperfections with a guy in front and next to you lap after lap. yeah it's fast but mentally exhausting to go at it full tilt
BIG PROBLEM with the RG500 was INSTANT SNAP OPEN of the exhaust valves @ 7000RPMs...The opening wasn't progressive...it was HERE'S 30HP for you! Right NOW! I almost wrecked mine @ the 600Km mark after a careful break-in....NOPE The RG500 definatley belongs on this list.
An RG500 was the only brand new bike I ever bought, back in 1986. I crashed it after 3 months and around 5,000miles. In my case, I think it was the 16" front wheel and/or steering geometry that did for me. The front end just let go at around 50mph while in a bend :-( Unfortunately I couldn't afford to repair it and ended up selling it for parts. Still don't regret buying it, that was the most exiting 3 months of my life!
I owned the RD 250. Absolutely lethal!
The engine was overqualified for the handling it didn't have. The tyres were square so if you was going to "plant it" you made sure it was in a straight line.
wild days :-) Cheers for watching and the comment mate, Ride Free