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I had the Honda CX500 Turbo when I was 17-19 years old. The majority of people never knew of the turbo charged bikes. I couldn't tell you how many people wanted pictures of it. My best time was a 13.01 @ 101mph. My buddy had a Honda 700 interceptor and could only beat me by a tire length. Thanks for bringing back those great memories.
I had a CX500T and it 's the one bike I should never have sold. That bike could get up a go. My friend had a CBX and had to drop two gears to just keep pace with the 500's acceleration. He could catch me after a couple of miles, but by then we had run out of road. Super comfortable bike on longer rides. You sit in a pocket behind that windscreen and don't really sense how fast you are going. First time I road mine, I was doing eighty with little sense of how fast I was going. The bike does not struggle at all to get up to speed. I found the Honda Turbo to be the most refined of all the Turbo bikes. Very smooth linear power. Behavior was predictable and roll on acceleration was addictive. Awesome , awesome bike.
@@ekspatriat You have obviously never ridden on a CX500T. This article doesn't do either CX Turbo any justice. You can't test these in a parking lot or a driveway. Both act very controllable at low RPM. Get this bike rolling at 35mph and that boost comes on hard. Like you are on a catapult. It's a rush. The CBX cannot ramp up fast enough. Dropping two gears a CBX can keep pace and will eventually catch the CX turbo. But that takes a couple of miles of road. Oh, and my friend owned a Honda motorcycle dealership and his son raced flat track. He's been on bikes his entire life. So, you can take your insult and shove it.
The joys of the 80s, had a 1986 Mazda familia dohc turbo hatchback back in the day and that had huge amounts of lag until the turbo wound up and then holy crap that 1600 would wind up so fast, 3rd gear at 80kph and floor it and she would light the tyres up. My 1986 fc RX7 had 400hp thanks to the monstrous turbo, wasn't much that could keep up with it back then, eating V8s for breakfast. Still very powerful even by today's standards. Those were manufactured in the 80s
I rode a GPZ750 turbo back in 1988...it was hellishly fast..but it was dangerous as well...imagine being in a curve and giving the bike throttle....then that turbo boost hits and all of a sudden you have much more power being applied than what you desired...this is why turbo's on bikes have been unpopular . but with today's traction control systems, i believe that the bike makers should give it another look .
Peeps.. '84 I had a nearly new Kawa.750, turbo Couriered on it, Thrashed it Daily, Countless times, it was Lovely Even the Hanging on for Life ?, As the bike Tried to throw Rider OFF the back ???, When the Turbo Engaged ,?? WOOOSH. Would sit at a Planted 140mph. ALL day long, and if the road opened up ?, 150 mph. Did get 161mph.vRead ..First production bike any size, to do the Standing quarter mile in 10 seconds. March'19 no bike Kawasaki for 27 years, got a 05 very very healthy Bandit GSF 650 inj. ??, WOW 58, 59 times more biking joy than the turbo, 19,20 Months of Blessed Bandit Time Times, got a PhD Masters Degree in Bandit Torque Enjoyment only, nothing technical. Sadly now a HOPEFULLY only, semi retired Crazy Mad Banditateer, fekkin Banditaholic, ruined for any other bike, and I ain't even lying, Would.have to be a Very very healthy Superbike ?, To Ease the almost Constant Ache of no longer having Blessed Bandit Time Times, at fingertips only wore gloves when icy cold, hence Fingertips. yours truly Scott Loch. Na, Professor Bandit B.T.E. Torque Enjoyment only, out.
Back in '82 I rode a friend's Z1 Turbo (a blue one) and it seemed to be a bit difficult to get the turbo going, but when it did one was tempted to immediately back off the throttle 😂.
@@rpurdey Yeah, I had 3 FZ750's and it took me a while and a few bad scares to sort out the tank slappers. On the positive side I learnt a lot about suspension, tyres and steering geometry along the way.
@@pyrobob208 I guess the Interceptor was probably the best handling of the early 16's but the FZ (awesome bike) was good, too, even if they made the move to the 16 reluctantly. That FZ motor was the best thing around for awhile, in my mind anyway (I liked it better than the gxxer).
haha kawasaki is the kings of over kill with bikes. my 95 zx6r would shit all over newer non kwacker 600s. first release of any kwacker is a widowmaker
Two thumbs up for the looks of the Suzuki XN85. If memory serves me correctly, this bike was named after the 85hp its engine produced, but its displacement was much closer to 650cc. The 80's were a time when the market tried to make small displacement bikes which could perform to liter bike levels of performance. However, the cost of these bikes were very comparable to that of a liter bike, and the larger displacement bikes could typically outperform the turbo bikes. In the end, this fact killed the turbo bikes. I often wondered why the Japanese manufacturers didnt take their largest displacement bikes from the 80's and use them for their turbo platforms re : Suzuki GS1150ES Turbo, Yamaha FJ1200 Turbo, Ninja 900/1000 Turbo etc etc etc.
Yes, the only real performer was the GPZ 750 Turbo the others were just a useless turbo added, total dogs. I had a 74 Z-1 with Wiseco 1015, cams, head work etc., and my buddy had a GS 1100 just prior to the 1150 and that bike would destroy those turbo bikes, only the GPZ 750 Turbo was close, the Ninja 900 BARELY beat it. The GS 1100 and 1150 had some serious torque and that 4-valve head was far superior to say the Kawasaki Z-1, KZ 1000 or GPZ 1100, that's why the Ninja 900 had a better head but they got HOT in traffic, both the 600 and 900 needed to stay away from traffic but my Z-1 even with all that work and lumpy 417 megacycle cams never had an issue. My last bike was a 2005 Ninja ZX-10 [new] and that bike made the bikes from the 70's and 80's seem like a Model T, i had an 85 Ninja 900 and compared to the 2005 ZX-10 a total dog but more comfortable, new sport bike sales have DROPPED and getting way too expensive, i paid 9500.00 for my 2005 ZX-10 now they are about 16-17, i am 67 now so i had my Z-1 in the late 70's when it was still respected, the old TRIPLES would be a fun topic...1990 GSXR 1100 was an awesome machine
@@zuestoots5176 my old non turbo cx500 would rev to 9000, however power trailed off above 7000. This was an unmodified 18 year old bike at the time. Pretty good for a pushrod engine I thought.
I had a Yamaha XJ 650 Turbo back in the early 90’s. One of the best bikes i ever had. Certainly not a sportsbike by any means but a perfect GT bike that would take you anywhere in style and comfort. And reasonably fast too for the time being. Topspeed at 225 km/h was okay back then. Now I just regret selling it.
Of all the early Factory turbo bikes I believe Kawasaki was the only factory built turbo bike.All others had turbos added that is why they are located so far from the exhaust ports on the head.The Gpz was digital fuel injection rear mono shock and a secondary race program already installed in the computer.with the turbo only 10 or 12 inches away from the exhaust ports there is very little if any lag. My baby has the exhaust eliminated other than a six inch exhaust pipe computer in race mode with boost turned up lets just say I am very used to never being challenged by any modern day crotch rocket.I usually get a big thumbs up with a nod ,the sound of this beast is like no other,that small turbo spools to 95.000 RPM pretty much discourages most takers.I am 63 and I still have it
That Kz1000 base engine has pressed-fit cranks meaning the several, short, rod-shaped pieces of the crankshaft and the counterbalance weights on the crankshaft were machined to extremely tight tolerance, and then a press machine pushed the rods into the counterbalance weights to build the crank. At high revs and sudden power surges (like from a turbo) the crankshaft "press-fit" assembly method had some 'give' to it - and all the (knowledgeable) owners disassembled the engine, balanced then WELDED the crank pieces together to stop the crank's parts from moving around. I once owned a standard Kz1000, a 1977 model year, and even the stock engine with no turbo, you got a deep feeling that that crank was moving around when you revved it. Something felt suddenly out of balance down there and it was a changing out-of-balance - like something was loose in the bottom of the motor. The first time I noticed it I thought there was something wrong. Then I found out about the "pressed-fit" assembly method Kawasaki used for the Kz1000 crankshaft and **instantly** knew why racers were welding those cranks back in those days. So that Kz1000 Z1-R turbo definitely needed its crankshaft pulled out, balanced and welded. 130 horsepower - wow. That bike is from 1978, the Z1-R. That was astonishing power back then. Even today, you need a 600cc sport bike to get that power, some 40 years after the Z1-R. . . .
YES HE'S BACK! Been awaiting your return my dude! You have certainly covered a lot of bases with your content. Maybe a video for car manufacturers producing symmetrical AWD systems?
Let´s give the man some love, anyone! This is one of very few channels who isn't constantly reminding you to subscribe to his channel or shill for Tunnel bear&similar. He's doing it because he's obviously passionate about anything that has an engine, and I'm sure he has to go through a lot of research to make those videos. Kudos to you bro!
Top video mate gpz 750 turbo is my all time favorite bike i rode a mates in show room condition a few years back here in aus always loved them one recently just came up for sale but didn't have the coin so settled with the 1100 unitrack still a beautiful bike love the gpz series
I had a CX500 (non turbo), still had good torque for its size, high ground clearance. I fitted it with a Kawasaki 1100 fairing, mounted the head light and turn signals into it it gave the bike good down force and stability at highway speeds making it very comfortable on long trips.
I don't think the TC was a production bike, but just a model fitted with a Mr Turbo kit, these were common kits that maybe a dealer has fitted to make a special model. The TC certainly doesn't feature in any of kawasaki's product lists, and if the factory had made it, it would have had a warranty.
@@ghost500e A friend put a turbo on a Yamaha XS1100 chopper he built back in the eighties - but took it off again as when the turbo kicked in the bikes had so much power it was unridable - at least that's how I remember it. He called it XSive.... he is a very accomplished bike builder these days.
@@ghost500e I think you would find a lot of bikes had turbos on the strip going back a long way.... I remember a guy here in England having a Vincent Comet single cylinder of about 550cc I think, having a supercharger on it in the seventies...
@@ghost500e Yeah, I think it was called Mighty Mouse.... and not sure but Rod Pallant had a bike called LA Hooker which he took to the states back in the eighties.... check things out in the drag racing hall of fame....
@@ghost500e Brian Chapman it was with the Vincent - a 500cc single which he took to the states and beat twin engined Harleys. He later built a twin supercharged V-twin Vincent.... called Super Mouse of course !
Der Kolben Tbh, the frontlight is what does it for me. It just fits perfectly with the fairing without looking overly jagged like most modern sportbikes, especially fully faired ones.
They do look pretty fantastic. I prefer the non turbo'd ones personally (as far as looks go) I think my favourite old school rig is still that 79 cbx1000.... The engine in that bike looks so ridiculous, but boy is it one of the best sounding bikes imo.....and when they're boosted, they can put down busa kinds of power........ I'd be scared to death to ride a boosted one....especially with such an old chassis....but damn what an experience that would be!
Can you make a video about tanks or other war machines or planes or less known engines? Thank you for coming back. I never unsubscribed because i knew you would come back. Love your work man.
david smith '84,'85, I HAD A GPZ750TURBO, 160MPH, BUT MY' 05 GSF 650 BANDIT, NOT A BANDIT S, BETTER THAN A BANDIT S, MORE TORQUE, IS THE BEST BIKE EVER, PULLS UP A STEEP, STEEP HILL LIKE IT'S FALLING OFF A CLIFF.
@@KM-ug6il I really enjoy mine. It is a little decieving, it pulls like a 750 and then when the turbo spools up its like a whole new dimension, similar to a 2 stroke powerband (which I love).
@@upsidedowndog1256 - Indeed. That's exactly how I remember it. Felt exactly like my 750 off the line but once that turbo kicked in it was a whole different animal.
I know of one more bike with a turbocharged engine: The Münch Mammut 2000. Between 2000 and 2002 a total of 15 bikes have been built. It developed around 260 hp from a 2000 ccm engine co-developed by Cosworth and was limited to 250 km/h. Google it! It's extreme and (in my opinion) very striking to look at :-) Source: de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammut_2000
Munch bikes rock. Saw one at the motocycle museum in Iowa. Was so surprised and excited. A curator for the place said I was the only visitor that had known what it was. Gorgeous simply gorgeous.
Yes co-deloped by Cosworth and GM, because was a car engine from GM Europe. Is the engine 20XE of Opel Kadett GSI 16V and Vectra 2000. Cosworth made the head engine
Love 80's Japan turbo's / twin charged vehicles and TBH they still make some of the best components around are way more reculsive as a country now so stuff is hard to find unless you know where to look
The reason the Z1RTC didn't have a warranty is people would raise the boost and blow it up. It was still the fastest stock turbo for its time and did a quarter in 10.09 and top out at 130mph. The next best all around turbo was the GPZ750 Turbo,the Yami and Suzi weren't popular and can still be bought for a song.
I think you need to talk about the reason why there are not many turbo bikes. Although turbos now are vastly better, the early ones had really bad lag. On a bike late throttle response can kill. Imagine 150hp all of a sudden appearing mid bend. Yeah turbos are a good way to excite a boring motor, but can be too exciting.
Had a Z750 Turbo (NOT GPZ like people like to tag it with), and it was my first big four stroke bike after the two stroke Yamahas. Frame was factory braced, suspension up-rated but brakes were still standard Gpz stuff with the opposed single piston calipers. Fuel injection was basic but had self diagnostic ECU. Massively over-powered for the chassis and tyres yet produced more power than the incoming Ninja 900. I had both , but the Turbo produced the most (nervous) laughs!! The only production turbo that didn't have a ton of lag due to the Hitachi turbo sitting on the downpipes, not at the back of the engine like all the other failures.
If I knew back in the 80’s what I know today I would’ve been proud to own a lot of these bikes. Given I was a single digit age throughout the 80’s these bikes were still awesome then.
The suziXN85 ans kawi GPz 750 were as well. The only mainstream ones with carbs still were the Z1tc, which was built by a subcontractor, American turbo pack, and the Yamaha 650 turbo which was a serious pile of crap, the bike it was based on was almost as good of a performer without the turbo. I figure yamaha added the turbo for high altitude performance to overcome power losses. I'm reasonably familiar with these bikes as i was riding in the 80's when they came out.
One thing everybody misses is if you got caught in the rain on the turbo "Z" you were going to need an umbrella, because you'd be stuck at the side of the road once the air filter got wet.Many custom bike owners found this out too late after thinking they gained some horse power with individual filters ,that were unsuited for the real world.
Kawasaki GPZ 750 Turbo was the fastest bike still today was the quickest, fastest I have ever rode and riden. This video doesn't give it justice for its sound or speed. November 23th 2023 Thanksgiving day I still have a love for dangerous speed.
My buddy’s Dad rode across Canada on a GPZ 750 Turbo, he had fettled it slightly and said it was scary fast...bet not much could catch one back in ‘85 Missed ya Vis! Glad to see you making vids again :)
My Uncle had the only legit mass produced 80s turbo bike. The GPZ 750 Turbo back when I was a young kid in the 80s. He had a chip on it and claimed he hit 160+mph and claimed he could lift the front tire at 95mph rolling into it. It had been wrecked when he got it and he repaired the tank multiple times with Bondo while had it. I think he even managed to get more out of it than he paid for it. It was like having an H2 back then or something crazy exotic that could out run nearly anything on the road back then.
Had a gpz turbo, went down to paul ricard (bol d or) in85-86 . Wicked fast in its day very reliable , handling was interesting 🤔. Imagine taking 2 rottweilers for a walk , and they see a cat. Everything goes from calm to warp drive and you've no idea which direction your going in .when you stop you've got that glad I'm alive laugh!!
Just so you know. I had a 82 Yamaha Seca 750 turbo. They also made a none turbo for the same bike. When it ran it was fun. But the turbo would go out all the time so it sat allot.
I'm shocked at the horrible, beat up example of the Kawasaki GPz 750 turbo used in this video!! I owned three of these , one I bought brand new and one I made into a full multiple award winning custom show bike. Overall , easily the best FACTORY turbo motorcycle.
Damn that GPZ in the video looked sketchy, but at least it still ran smooth by the sound of it. I seriously want every one of those 80s turbo bikes now.
would like to ride the Icon Sheene... but the Z750 Turbo by Kawasaki was the one to buy in the '80s. all others were either laggy or unpredictable and i test rode them all before buying a Kwaka... bad things about the Kwaka Turbo? the fuel economy. if you sit on say 230kph then you'll need fuel every 180-200 klms (45mins so dont pass a gas station) and you cant let the bike run out of fuel coz it will likely blow the turbo with no electric oil pump as standard. always got to idle it down after a hard ride... wears out back tyres and stretches chains quick too so gotta buy the best rubber, chains and sprockets... but the ride position, performance, and handling was just excellent. very well mannered at high speed and reviews likened it to a ducati feel. they weren't wrong.
Way back in the 80's when the Kawasaki GPZ Turbo 750 came out, I had an invitation to ride a few bikes at Laguna Seca raceway near Monterey, CA. At the time I owned a KZ750e (4cyl) so I could really feel the difference in horsepower. I got a big scolding for redlining it all the way through 4th gear on the straightaway. Hey, it's a test ride on a racetrack! What did they expect?
