Myths, old wives tales and bullshit that just won't die

[pkay]

I reckon the poms promoted this crap about Japanese bikes cause they were batting off about their Rickman et al frames.......

[James W.]

Nah, & to be fair..

The Poms had steering/handling issues well sorted from racing their big bikes for decades..
..as did the Euro mobs.. they'd fitted quality damping forks & shocks from the factory.

& they knew how to build machines that felt 'natural' - whereas the Nippon bikes still had awkward steering,
with fairly shit damping in the shocks.. a good rider could press on - keeping rubber-side down though,
even if the wobble/weave - was standard factory spec..

When I 1st rode the big Nip-bikes, after cutting my teeth on Brit-bikes, I had to learn to really grab 'em
by the scruff, & make 'em go around corners, they were a bit recalcitrant in that, for sure, by comparison.

Funny thing is, the Poms/Euros 'production' raced their bikes in tricked out form, not showroom stock..
..so when the Bonnevilles, Commandos & Tridents were raced downunder, the fixed footpegs & low pipes scraped,
& the BMW soft forks dived, & scraped their cylinder heads, & the Italian bikes scraped pipes & blew clutches/gearboxes..

Early "Superbike" racing began downunder too, with 'improvements' allowed, & so the Nippon machines gradually improved..

If you check the specs for H1/Mach III Kawasakis, the factory made changes to the steering angle/trail/offset etc, with
virtually every model change, to try & get 'em sorted out..

The RD Yamahas were notable as good steerers, due to the racing machines being fairly similar, so its odd that their
big 650 twin 4T was rightfully regarded as shit by comparison, must've been designed by a different mob - back in Nippon..

[BRG1200]

Good post James. There's a good story about the XS 650 handling evolution in this vein.

[James W.]

Yeah BRG...

Yamaha has had an odd Brit-bike fetish, going way back.. but the XS/TX 650 just couldn't steer/handle sweet, Brit twin-wise..

Yam's attempt at an 'improved' Commando/Daytona - via the TX 750/500 - using internal balance shafts didn't work either..
( Ironically, the 'new' Norton Commando also uses balance-shafts..
..but has worse vibes than current H-D's - which usefully employ the old Commando's isolastic-style rubber mounts)..

Later, Yamaha tried to do an 'improved' Trident/Vincent - via the XS 750/XV 1000, but failed there too..
& the SR 500 was a anaemic Velo/Goldstar replica..

Ironically, after nearly a decade of trying, their 1st decent 4T did make a Castrol 6hr winner - the big-as XS 1100/4 shaftie..
(.. but having put a fair few hard high-speed touring miles up on one back in the day, I can grudgingly vouch for the big pig..)

Yamaha also hired the Norton stylists to do the RD/LC,
& if you ever park one next to a Commando, you can see the familiar lines..


Anyhow, see below, as it was back in the early `70s,
& a 'state of the art' production 'superbike'-comparo, - so yeah, & the big 2-stoke was king-shit..

http://www.kawtriple.com/mraxl/articles ... bikes1.htm


Kawasaki was running hot, & their cheap 'n' nasty triple embarrassed their mighty new flagship Z1.. "Oh no, ross of face"..
The Brit-bikes fought over the last spot on the box, beating down the Ducati 750, Honda 750/4 & H-D Sportster 1000..

( Be sure & check the dyno charts, those who reckon 2-strokes are not 'torquey' can check the facts, as shown on the Yamaha dyno)..

[Greasemeup]

James, your writings on this subject is worthy of a spot in Just Bikes or 2 wheels [emoji106] top stuff.


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[James W.]

Awww, dunno 'bout that G-up, but cheers, even so..

Ok, back on topic..

Myth, or not?

Too many 'collectors' these days buy up the 2-stroke 'classics' - & not enough ride-thrash 'em like they were built for..
..those bastards just drive the prices up & bask in the reflected glory of bikes they fear to fang hard..

[Greasemeup]

Can't be that many RG500's with less than 200klms on the clock, surely?


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[James W.]

If you count un-raced RG race bikes, perhaps a few more that way, G-up?
There are still NOS parts on dealers shelves for 'em..

But what about the Bimota V-due? Ever seen one in the flesh, & being given heaps?