Redmond Neck wrote on Jan 13^th, 2021 at 5:41pm:


The one on the left is an '84 Katana 750. A real show pony, not particularly fast and handled pretty badly. Still nice to own as it was just stunning to look at.

On the right is an '82 Katana GS650 shafty. and one of my favourite bikes ever.
I actually used it as a commuter while I had the fireblade and the VTR1000 and ended up keeping it for 10 years. Wish I still had it.

Redmond Neck wrote on Jan 13^th, 2021 at 5:51pm:




Busa riders are temporary citizens:

Mix_Master wrote on Jan 13^th, 2021 at 6:40pm:


I did ride a VFR when I flipped the blade back for a VTR1000. I'd probably like one now but at the time it felt a bit Toyota Camry to me

you might be a bit young to remember then gordy, but the little 250 2 strokes,'
the rd 250/350 from yamaha  and particularly the suzuki rgv 250 were incredible bikes.

some engineering whiz in japan made the exhausts and they would cough and splutter up to 4000 rpm and then they would take off like a scalded cat.

great looking bike for something over 30 years old

Gordon wrote on Jan 13^th, 2021 at 8:10pm:


Probably a fair enough description in stock form. (Just as reliable as one, too )

Like most Hondas, the mechanicals are very well engineered, the build quality is the best of the bunch, but they skimped on brakes (and added the un-needed LBS), and suspension.

Fix the suspension and brakes, drop some weight from them (rider, slip-on etc.) and they can be hussled reasonably well.


They're no sports bike, of course, but as an all rounder - that lasts - they're still tough to beat. And with an aftermarket exhaust, probably still one of the best sounding motorcycles out there (IMHO, of course).

Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 13^th, 2021 at 9:22pm:


Sounds like most of us are old enough to have gotten our 'bike licences when things were a little *ahem* laxer.

True story.

I got my Ls in the late 80s (for a bike) in Canberra. Because I had a full car licence, I was allowed to ride anything I liked, but 'cos I was broke, went through an XT200, and a VT250, before eventually buying an '85 FJ1100.

Booked in to do the licence test, which in those days meant going to the Dickson Motor Registry, and one of their instructors would "escort" the licence candidates to Natex (National Exhibition Centre), set up some witches hats, watch you do some basic manoeuvres and escort you back to the Registry, where you'd (hopefully) get your 'bike endorsement on your licence.

That particular day, there were three of us; the instructor myself and another licence candidate - both obviously on our Ls.

The instructor was on a Kawasaki 750 (can't remember what for the life of me), I was on the FJ1100 (with L plate dangling off the back...only time I'd had it on the bike the entire time I'd ridden it!), and the other licence candidate...was on a Suzuki RG500 two-stroke (also with the obligatory L plate hanging off the back. Yep, the bike that Suzuki based on the world 500cc championship bikes of the era...


Different times...

Mix_Master wrote on Jan 13^th, 2021 at 9:55pm:


Yes things were a bit laxer in the good old days.

When i was a teenager the police trail bike squad had 4 stroke Yamaha TT250's they rarely caught anyone any kid on a YZ80 or bigger could leave them in their trail of dust.

Motocross was a lot of fun amazing how the suspension soaks up the bumps last dirt bike was a YZ250.