The MOST DANGEROUS Motorcycles Known To Mankind
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- Опубліковано 24 січ 2023
- #dualsport #dualsportrider #supermoto #motorcycles #advrider #adventure
Hello, Goons and Gals. In today's video, we will take a look at some of the evilest, most sinister, and most dangerous bikes known to mankind. If you own one of these bikes, you should sell it.
Script - Born A Goon
Editing- Born A Goon
Narration- Born A Goon
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The "DEADLIEST CYCLE" ever - - - the "Minstrel Cycle" !!!
🤣😂🤣Now that's funny!
I do not disagree lol
🤣🤣🤣
Oldest cycle ever!
Menstrual, I think you meant.
After riding all kinds of bikes for over 50 years I can truly say smaller bikes are a lot more fun on the road. Starting out on 200cc bikes up to 650cc in the 60's , and 750 cc in late 70's and 80's late 90's went back to vintage bikes for a few years, 650 triumph's [I still own a 750 Bonneville ] I bought a DL650 Suzuki when they came out and a year or so later a DL1000.I owned and road a Triumph tiger 955i up until a year ago and that was the best bike I ever owned, I road that bike for years. I now ride a DR650 Suzuki but due to failing health I don't ride much. I have ridden my bikes over the years up and down the east coast of Australia and west of the great divide. To sum up my life, what a ride it's been.
Great story, Phil. I've had some of the most sought after bikes on Earth, over the years. RG500, VF1000R, 1098S, a couple of R1's, and many, many more. My favorite of all time was my ZXR 750. These days, as I get a bit longer in the tooth, I've sold the last R1 and will be buying a T7. They may not be super small, but have manageable power. In closing, yes. It's so much more fun riding something that you can find the limits of, before it finds the limits of your skills.
That DR650 is one of the best bikes Suzuki ever built. They've been building basically that same bike for 32 years, and still are.
That's opposite to me. I had a hammer 60, rode a Gemini 80 starting out.
Then a 350 Honda in my early 20s.
Come 1983 I bought my 850 T3 1976 Moto Guzzi. Still have it.
Thought you sounded Aussie Phil.
The old man was Trumpy mad, he had AJS' & others, his brother all Norton's (he had a mint 62/3? Domi 88, featherbed etc)..& a Commando.,
I learnt on a BSA Bantam (no clutch!), then a Honda 50, weird thing, gutless like the BSA, but ugly.
Then Yammy RDs blaa blaa..
Had a go on a mates Kwak triple...fkn nutcase of a bike, l swear you cd feel the frame flex coming out of bends!
Wound up buying a Kwak 650, nice bike & you cd work on em properly (old man wasn't happy, he had a 68 Bonnie l wasn't allowed to look at!).
Anyway, me mates who were better riders than me started dieing & worse...so l thought it best to stop.. I'll still have a fang on a mates Ducati now & then... but traffic now, even on gd country roads ruins it, plus old mate pulling ya over with our 1% laws.
I wish you better health and many more years of riding.
The scariest street bike I owned was the Yamaha V-Max. A true bad boy at the drag strip. So cool to see it listed here. The V65 Magna was quick too
lol.. I bought a brand new '99 VMAX. Couldn't even test ride it. Bought it anyways. LOVED it. It wasn't scary.. just a big beast once you opened up the throttle. So ride it like you were being followed by a cop and it was a nice around town machine. I even got the VMOA tattooed on my right forearm. I'd love to own another one. I just posted this before I was scanning the previous posts and saw yours. "@Mywhtjp
1 second ago
Hey... WTF... The VMAX was not a dangerous bike. I owned one. 145hp, shaft drive and a 5 speed was a nice package.. Yeah.. it was heavy.. so don't drop it. I never did. It was good for 150mph. It wasn't made to be a canyon carver.. but stop light to stoplight.. it was tough to beat. Sportbikes tend to wheelie on hard acceleration.. where the VMAX was hammer down.. I'd love to have another one. I only had it for about 38,000 until the 2nd gear shift fork bent.. and it wasn't worth pulling the motor, splitting the case and replacing the fork.. So I used it as a trade in on an RV"
Back in the early 80"s I had the V65 and a 900 Ninja. Both fantastic bikes.
I remember when Pee Wee Gleason rode it for the magazines at the drag strip and ran a high 10. Granted he was the size of a jockey but damn, running in the 10’s is hauling ass ! 🐾✌️🇺🇸
@@MywhtjpI wish I’d have known you, I’d have fixed that motor in a day brother
@@deborahchesser7375very sweet.
I had a 72 Kawa 750 in high school, Expansion chambers, cleaned up the porting, Barnet clutch mine did 11.6 in the 1/4 mile. even with straight low handle bars the minute the tach hit 4,000 in 1st gear the front end came straight up. In 2nd gear at 50 MPH all you had to do is rap the throttle and the front wheel was airborne. I never wrecked it once and it handled as well as any other bike at the time
Similar to what I said. I had an h2 for 35 years. Handling was a little lively (first model) but you soon got used to it. Not at all bad handling. Easy to out brake yourself though.
@@Starman331 I wish I had kept mine the are collectable now and sought after. I also found my old 1984 Honda XL 600 is worth more now than what I paid for it
@@markbrandon7359 I bought mine for £1250 and sold it 35 years later for £9000. Just sold it 2 years ago. I wanted a bike with modern brakes. Got a 2015 speed triple for £6000. So massive improvement in braking and pocketed £3000 on the deal.
Same here, also had a A7 and H1e, still have a H1f......more utter nonsense talked about these bikes and it seems to get worse as time goes on, get bored of it when out on even on my 500.
"Oh wow..those will wheelie at 100mph and throw you off right, with the rubber frame that won't corner over 40mph!"
"Umm.actually no, it's 60 bhp and 400 lbs, do the maths.
A standard 500 run by MCM ran a production 500 (H1B) mile race back in the day, that placed top three, hardly a bad handler......TT100's and Girlings /Konis and a light touch of steering damping on triples meant you could easily touch down the pegs and stay with most stuff of the day, truth is not much at all handled well in those days without a set up.
My H2A was actually more torquey and easier to ride fast than the 500, yes the front was a bit light, but once the silly high bars were changed for some Vincent flats, It was better, and more "on demand"
@@malverned382 I had an h1 (first model with points ignition) as well as first model h2. The h1 was a bit scary with wheelies, because it was unpredictable. I put that down to the points ignition). I put longer back shocks (gas girlings) and went to a 19inch back wheel, as early h1 did not have good clearance (due to the straight pipes). It still wheelied over rises in the road, at high speed, but the changes made the handling much slower, and not as scary. But the front drum was terrifying, it faded when pushed, even with the little air scoop open!
Good Video, I can relate. I have had many motorcycles over the years, two of which were the 72 H2 and the 85 V-max. They were, what we called "giggle bikes", and served that purpose. Next month I'll be 74 years old and ride a ZX-14r, so i guess i didn't learn anything, lol.
You are a legend with that bike line up
Good for you !!! 🤣🤣🤣
At 55, I went from a cruiser Honda to a ZX-14R...and never looked back. We all gotta die someday so we might as well get the heart racing from time to time before then.
I've been riding for yr's, cut my teeth on the Kawi-500, 750. then the 900. and others. I ride a curser Honda VTX 1300, Have looked at the sport bikes, my problem, short legs a 31.5 seat I'm on my tip toes. I can't ride unless I'm flat foot Both at the light. Tell me can they make them around 27 in. I'm not hard brand type but, Is it possible one brand is lower or can be lowered and not effect things, would like to change up to a sport but, have not been able, due to seat issues. Power advance isn't an issue. Other bent over tank, at 400-500 mile ride how are you. I can do 8-10 hours on the VTX AND HOTEL IT. Be fine and ride the next day, I'm 68
@@thomaspepper2201 I don't think there is a sport bike with the power you'd want at the seat height you need. Certainly not 27".
Those were the days, sod the safety, climb on, hold on and embrace the edge of existence.
Out of fifty years of riding many different makes, models and cc sizes my worst was the Suzuki 750 triple water cooled two stroke. Commonly called the "water buffalo". Super powerful, super heavy, lousy handling and brakes that would'nt stop a RM125. Never knew how fast I went, too afraid to look down!!
I saw them in early eighties, I was in my late teens but loved the look and sound. I never rode one but the guy I knew who had one crashed it. I later heard they arent a bike to mess with. Nobody told him.
I'm 72 and had a Suzuki GT380 Triple in 1974 and I loved it.
@@jmvneto51 I had one too! 2 stroke 3 cylinders and 3 sets of points. It was a beast!
Yeah my roommate had one, I rode it a couple times. It was...heavy
I can honestly say ive never heard anyone refer to GT750 as "super powerful" 😄 Heavy, lousy handling and crap brakes, Yes.
The first bike you describe was my first bike. I survived. Like all bikes of that era, chassis were relatively crude compared to todays bikes. Not only did I survive, but this was one of the most fun bikes I ever rode. Like all 2 strokes, the power delivery was either on or off. When it was on, hold on for the ride of your life. You knew not to have to expect to turn when it was accelerating, but that was the nature of the bike. I sold it to move on to a faster bike but I wish I had one of those today. The fact is most 2 strokes, Dirt or street, are like an on/off switch. Because of inexperienced riders and emission regs, 2 strokes have disappeared (2 strokes can't be ridden in most California offroad areas) from production but remain in the hands of those who know the rush you get from a 2 stroke (you forgot the Yamaha Banshee..I have 2). The only thing offering a similar rush is a KZ1000 with a turbo. Yeah I have one of those too (aftermarket not the stock one offered by Kawasaki). I'm 72 and I say if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen. I can't afford to ride like my hair is on fire (it takes too long to heal at 72) but I can still enjoy the performance and thrill these bike offer, I just can't ride like I have no sense!
My brother has a banshee, I won't even sit on it. Survival instincts
Awesome Rupert.
Keep goin and njoy every ride 👍🍻
What happened to impartial judges, law enforcement, etc.? What happened to the fact if you break the law you will be arrested and prosecuted? It seems if you are wealthy you ate given special treatment. If you are a politician you have no fear of prosecution. The system is broken and the lawmakers will never fix.it for fear of going to jsil!
@@richhauxwell7848 In England I have only ever seen one Banshee. I had no trouble pissing all over it round a few corners on my old Bonnie. Then we hit traffic in town. You can't lane split on a Muppet four wheel clown mobile!
@@supercuda1950 aw little guys been doing some thinking XD irrelevant much?
Great video. My most deadly motorcycle was a Frankenstein bike built by a friend of my fathers back in the mid '60's. I inherited it about 45 years later. It was a harley frame with a Chevrolet Corvair 6 cylinder engine. The transmission was a vauxhall, 4 speed manual with stick shifter, a dual hand and foot clutch. and severely under braked. I never ever got it past 2nd gear. It was insane and weighed a ton. Fun to look at though.
Along similar lines, some neighbors in NH built a Drag-Bike with a Chevy V8 engine, a home welded frame... It could go like hell, if that's where you wanted to go. I first saw it 'parked' behind their barn, sensibly 'retired,' as a bit much for sanity.
i'd like to see a photo if ya got one. some guys had fun drinkin out in the shop designing and building that unique thing. 'merican enginuity right there.
Anything made by Harley Davidson
TM 400, CR450 and the 85 KX500... rode all of those. The TM was fine as an enduro, but not as a motocross bike. The CR450 was actually a decent bike for the time. I liked that one. One of my buddies had the KX500. Full race bike.. Really hard to start, but only because of the race port job. It would stand the front wheel even in 4th. Insanely fast!
I appreciate you watching and commenting
As an old motocrosser I remember the trash from the early 1970's , The sachs leading link front was a killer, the rear shoxks on ALL bikes of that era were worthless, the Suzuki 400 was a death trap with the rear end flopping from side to side until it pitched you, the Hodaka's were fun but again , NO suspension at all. I still managed to win a Florida state championship in 1971, I could not even get a leg over the new MX bikes, I had a low slung 1970 CZ 250 that I loved.
Another very well produced video.
Solid writing too-
I like the line about raising a cheetah
in a studio apartment.
Thanks and keep up the good work.
The safest bike is a dual sport with a loud exhaust. Until the zombie apocalypse, and then install a quiet exhaust.
Yup. I love my DR350, great mileage, handles like a fat girl on a greased dance floor and will start on the 2nd kick every time I ride her.
I had the LOUD PIPES SAVES LIVES on my KZ650. I had a DRZ400 also.. all stock...
Same my drz is loud as hell with after market exhaust and doing the air box mod/jettings everyone sees me coming
I am entering my 48th year as a paraplegic as the result of a traumatic Spinal Cord Injury. I broke or should I say shattered my L-1 and T-12 vertebrae as the result of a hard endo off a 70 foot ledge(that broke off) while riding in a local sand quarry. The accident was my fault. Never should have been riding in that environment or riding alone. Laying on the floor of that quarry for two hours yelling for help made an indelible mark on my life. Truly helpless, alone and out of options feeling has stayed with me. Fortunately, I was found by someone who did not think it was just someone playing with them. That day I was riding a Can Am 250 enduro bike. I ask any parent to think hard before they decide to let their kids ride a motorcycle. I have lived a good life post injury but I often wonder about what my life would have been like with legs. Think clearly before you put your kid on a motorcycle. Do you really want to attend your son or daughters wedding and seeing them go down the aisle in a wheelchair because you chose to put them on a dirt bike at a young age? I have spent my post spinal cord injury professional career as a coach of both Olympic and Paralympic athletes. At 68 years of age, I have seen too many different ways that humans can destroy their spines or central nervous system. I was lucky, I came away from off road riding with just the loss of my legs. As a parent, are you ready to submit your child to a wheelchair or a sip and puff power wheelchair? Think about it. Take the time to study the statistics behind the glamorous articles you see in off road motorcycling magazines. The magazines job is to sell the latest and fastest new MX or Hard Enduro motorcycle. They make normally rationale parents run out and buy a bike for their kids. I know I bought all in on the fun and exciting lifestyle of off road motorcycle racing that I saw in magazines. As I said, I was lucky. I still have a great family and friends who knew me pre-SCI. As for the most dangerous motorcycle I have ridden. The 1973 Honda Elsinore 250. It had a throttle of off or full on. Scariest aspect of that bike was the fact is had no suspension. It was essentially a chainsaw engine attached to two wheels with a rigid frame. If you doubt my story. Google my name. It has been my experience too many people who suffered a traumatic SCI romanticize their injury or their accident. For me, there was nothing romantic about laying on the floor of a quarry alone, it getting dark out and the nearest human over a mile away. I was alone and I had no options. As a parent, you have options to research the sport before you decide to put your child on a motorcycle.
Wow thank you for sharing your story and your words
There but for the grace of God... In the '60's my crew road in a working limestone strip mine, often just ahead of one pissed off local sheriff. One day, alone, I was flying up a well worn hill we'd climbed for weeks. When I neared the peak, the front wheel tucked and I took a header. After making sure nothing was broken or bleeding badly, I looked up and saw the far side of the hill had been removed recently and it was a sheer drop of at least 100ft. That was my last ride in any quarry or strip mine. Wish my luck had visited you as well.
@@missionoaks6637 Thanks. We've all done things we knew were wrong. I paid a huge price for being where I shouldn't have been. Proud of the life I've lived since the day of my accident. We all make choices., some good others not so good. Be safe my friend and thanks for responding.
My teen years were riding the likes of Z1, and lost many friends on RD350 and the water cooled RD350LC, as well as Water Buffalo Suzuki and Kawasaki Widow Makers. Amazing I lived through all those.
My first street bike was a 73 RD350. That bike was/is a riot to ride, quick but not particularly fast. Now I ride a FZ-10, which has a lot of the same character except you are going 3x the speed
The RD350 and 400 Daytona were true widowmakers
Your opinions are spot-on. During my military career, I played Taps at 104 funerals. The biggest percentage of deaths, other than plain old age, came from young soldiers who died from not being able to handle their bikes (and a few cars). I waited until I was in my 40's and had calmed down before I bought my first bike because I knew I was too irresponsible to ride safely when I was young.
not necessarily about age but temperament. Im only 20 and i have a gsxr 750, ive been riding since age 6 and i go fast yes but the idea that every single young guy is just an unexperienced jackass whose gonna die. also not trying ot be a cunt but all of my family are NCOs in the army and theyre truly bottom of the barrel humans, hate to say it but there definately more young soldiers killing themselves in cars these days, no one rly rides bikes, and ya when youre 21 with youre first bike as a 750cc supersport youre probly gonna die, has absolutely nothing to do with age lol. ive seen more mid forties losers kill themselves on harleys because old white dudes always think they got it under control lmao so i would say age is bad, it builds confidence, confidence you absolutely shouldnt have as a new rider.
Anything over 100 horsepower at the wheel could be considered dangerous.But the operator is always the most dangerous component.
The earlier H1 500 was a far more dangerous bike. The engine was extremely peaky, smoked 4x what the H2 750 did. Earlier H1's had drum brakes as well. My "72 H1 was the 1st to have disc's front and rear. It had dampers on both fork tubes, but was still a nightmare to handle. The H2 750 was a huge leap forward as far as streetability in every aspect. Although it was still a rocket, it was far more predictable. Not good handling but much improved. I owned and raced both for close to a decade, until I got the KZ1000J IN 82. The early H1 500's is where the term "widow maker" was derived from. Everyone in Kawasaki's inner circle knew that back then. As time went on the term was applied to all Kawi triple 2 strokes. I've even heard the 900's of the 70's called that as well. Time clouds history.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment
Everything you stated was exactly true for me and my '71 H1. Scariest riding moment of my life, back in the '70's, was going 105 on a freeway out here in California, and the front end just started bouncing. Luckily shut that down without losing it, but I learned a lesson that day. Stopped riding shortly there after, resuming only recently, and finally hit 100 again on a Triumph Tiger 660. I enjoyed my H1, but there is NO comparison to the handling of a well-made bike today.
Exactly on. The 750 stuff is BS, very rideable. The late 500s were fine unless you were an idiot. A ham-fisted goon is a hazard on any bike. True now, true then.
I had an H1 500 two-stroke. I don't remember what year it was exactly but I owned it in the early '80s. Treated it with respect and never tried to hurt me.
That's what I remember as well, the H1 was a real widowmaker. The first time I rode one was in Kansas City midtown area so I took off fairly easy got the bike into 3rd gear and came to a straight away parkway I rolled on the throttle. The bike was at about 30 mph at 1500 rpm and it slowly climbed up to about 3,000 rpm when all of a sudden the engine tone changed to a growl and my front wheel suddenly leaped about 3 feet in the air before I could shut it down I was going about 80 mph. I was racing 2 stroke & 4 stroke dirt track motorcycles at the time and had experienced a 2 stroke "coming on the pipe" but this 500cc triple was something else. The HP seemed to come on all at once and I decided to ride the bike slowly back to my friends house and I never rode it again.
Born A Goon, I don't know if you'll even read this, but thanks for an outstandingly written piece.
I never comment on anything, but this vlog compels & deserves a stand-up round of applause. I watched this twice back to back. Brilliant stuff.
I look forward to viewing the rest of your work on your channel. Subscribed!
Regards from Australia.
Wow, thank you!
Andy ... are You related to Mike Hunt ...ot Justin Case ...how about Seymore Butts ...?
My 48 Pan was my worst. Under throttle on the highway you could actually feel the rear wheel trying to pass you as the frame flexed.
I had an 85 kx500 and it tossed everyone off that had ever ridden it..went through alot of rear fenders ..
Not to mention the kickback when kickstarting..
it could brake your leg if you werent ready for it..
Youd get scared when you heard it start to snap and pop real loud , ya knew that kickback was coming.. the kickstarter would kick back like a freaken mule..
That was some machine.
LOVED IT..
BSA 500 single would try and break your ankle too, lol
Yes, I had an 1988 factory tuned kx500. My bike could bang like a rifle when backfiring.
It was satan and hell with two wheels. Tried to kill me several times, with throttle stuck on full, or starting wobbling at speed.
I'm a country philosopher of sorts. Just love my old DR650. It's light, nimble and versatile. I takes me whereever I want to go without a fuss. On the road I meet old guys who've bought a Ninja 900 or a V2 Guzzi as a first bike. I wish them luck.
Hard to beat the DR
Hey Doug, so glad I found your channel! Thanks for diving deep into everything motorcycling and sharing your knowledge in a most intelligent and entertaining format!
Any Evil Motorcycle list would be incomplete without the almighty Yamaha RD series, RD 250, RD 350, RD 400 and it's race focused cousins the TZ's. But to be fair most bikes from the 60's and 70's could easily join this list, my first bike was a Suzuki TS 100 and while it was a lot of fun the frame had so much flex that by the time you felt things starting to go wrong it was already too late.
Truth.
I had an RD 200. All the above, in a moped frame.
I jumped from my 1974 Kaw 900 ( my favorite bike of all time) onto a Yamaha Vmax in 1986, found it nearly impossible for me then at 20 years old to get Insurance, one Insurance agent referred to it as the death bike, and it had only been in production for about a year at that time. And yes I sold the 900 to get the Vmax, I know, I know. Also had a Suzuki GS 1100, that one almost achieved the killing me part. 😅
Yeah, 1981 GS1100E was the most dangerous bike, which I owned/rode.
I learned to ride on a Bridgestone 50cc bike. It had a uniquely interesting four speed "rotary" gear box. 1st gear was up from neutral. Additionally you could change up from 4th to neutral. This meant that if you were in 4th thinking you were in 3rd, kicked it up a gear, then mistakenly think you missed a gear, kicked again, you would be in 1st. I never did this but a friend told me about doing it on a larger capacity Bridgestone. Fortunately he was quick on the clutch and only required a change of underpants.
My first bike was a Bridgestone 90 and it also had that rotary transmission. Might've been a 5 speed.
I had a 66 Bridgestone 175 with the rotary shift, fun bike, Very healthy 20 horsepower.
Wow! That transmission sounds crazy!
Rotary gear still used by Honda for their smaller offering (Under 125cc). Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki do away with it.
I had a Bridgestone 175, it ate most 250s.
So happy I’ll be able to say I was an early sub to you, you bring back my favorite kind of Moto vlogger, keep it up bro good shit❤
My favorite bike of all time was my 1975 Laverda 3C. To keep the battery charged, the gearing was changed (on the sly, at the factory) to raise the RPMs at all times. It had a bottomless pit of torque, and a quick handful of throttle had you going at 100 mph. I loved that beast, but it was such an exclusive bike that parts were hard to find and wait for. It would NOT change direction at speed.
Thanks for watching and commenting
😂
I currently own a 1982 IT 465. I had this great idea that getting an open class dirt bike would be a fun way to return to racing. Evil, yes, but I love everytime I get on it. It's brutally fast. It really is fun. I knew about these brutes you describe. You nailed it. You are absolutely right about large scale sports bikes. Sports Tourers are maybe worse though as my Triumph Sprint GT is plenty fast but has way too long a wheel base to turn quickly. Great video
Yes! I test rode a It465 on a Rainy Day on Bitumen with Knobbies!! I was about 15yrs Old & Thought I could Handle Anything after coming Off a PE250😁 I'll Never Forget that Terrifying Test Ride to this day!! I Didn't buy it😁👍
One fine machhine. Screaming blue death. Enjoy and bcareful
I wouldn't say brutally fast the yz490 wasn't even fast itself. The IT had soft suspension which was great for Enduro and lots of low end power again good for trails .
I restored my old 83 IT490, it now sits in my lounge. They were rode legal back in the day here in NZ, (along with PEs XRs TTs etc) and so, for some weird reason were full knobblies. And back then you could get your full license at 15. Fun times. :-))
My friend was paralyzed on a IT 500 brutal, evil and unforgiving bike!
Fantastic stuff! I would add the Aprilia RXV/SXV 450-550 bikes. Absolute beasts when the ran right which wasn't very often. My friend Ryan Echols was a factory racer for them around 2007 doing GNCC and hare scrambles. The thing had entirely too much horsepower, fuel mapping that would either make it overheat or try to murder you, a chassis that liked to bend and flex, and exhaust that would give you third degree burns on your legs while trying to combust the rear subframe. 😉
The XS650 Yamaha, was known, in NSW as the "Cop Killer" Around 80 to 85 mph, the thing got into a "Death Wobble" You could either accelerate out of it, or drop the bike. Real fun!
Haha, just like the old Norton Commando's. If you didn't perfectly align the wheels and keep new tires on it, you were screwed at any moment , no notice with the death wobble.
Same with Honda 750 k7, front forks would flex into wheel wobble,dampener didn't work, lucky I didn't get hurt , a few times.
I rode one around Australia when 18. Total death trap. Great powerful engine mounted on rubber frame.
Lived through it and graduated to bikes that handle.
Due to swing arm bushes made out of jelly like rubber ...
The bike that gave me the biggest fright was the original, 85 GSX-R750, it would tank slap with very little provocation around (an over) 200kph. Not every time, but enough to make me wary as hell. The next year they lengthened the swingarm by 30 or so mils, and the year after it came with a hydraulic damper from the factory. Modern tyres have tamed many of these past bad boys.
It's rarely the bikes that are dangerous, it's the one on top of it.
Spot on 👍
'87 KTM 250 MX. It would be down on overall hp compared to a modern YZ250, and the chassis was actually on, but the power came on so hard that I gave myself whiplash twice the first season I rode it.
I finally just refused to use anything but a half worn out rear tire in order to tame the hit.
Had a tm400 back in the 90s. It was a 74 model and was in fantastic shape. We destroyed so many shoes trying to kick start it. But it was a beast! Keeping the chain on was the hardest part. I learned years later that the chassis flexed making the chain pop off.
I had a 74 Honda cr250m wow what a BEAST.
I had a first model Kawasaki h2 "widow maker" for 35 years, never got it to speed wobble even once. It did not handle badly, people just didn't understand it. 1. Back in the day people got off much slower bikes (everything was slower than the h2) and were not up to the task. 2. You had to be really careful about tyres, wrong ones would make it squirm on any road markings. 3. The power was incredible (for its day) but the brakes weren't. Very easy to out brake yourself. 4. The handling was "lively" because of the short wheelbase. That shocked people riding it for the first few months. But you soon got used to it. Then you just let it move around in corners, without panicking. A bit like modern fighter aircraft, they have to be a bit unstable, to make them maneuverable. Finally, the only tank slapper I had, was on a Honda 750k2, but that was my fault. I put a normal sized front tyre on it. Turns out it had that super skinny one for a reason.
I watched this to see if my bike appeared, I knew it should. 72 Kawasaki Widow maker. It was a rocket, scariest bike I have ever ridden Highway bar knob between the handle bars. Twist it down tight or high speed wobble would result.
I can add two bikes I once owned. Yamaha RD500LC and 1st gen. Honda CBR900 Fireblade. RD was nothing until around 5000rpm, then it took off like a scalded cat. The throttle was a light switch. Cold damp mornings would see you spinning up the skinny and tall 130/80/18 rear tyre and it would seem like the rear of the bike was trying to overtake the front. Loads of fun! I got done by the cops on this bike for wheelying across a car park. Thems were the days )))
The 'blade was very interesting over bumps in the road where you are landing the front after a slight lift off. Get it ever so slightly out of line on touchdown and you had a high chance of getting into a tank slapper due to it's very twitchy 16 inch front wheel. Sphincter rattling stuff. My attitude to it all was I survived the worst these bikes could throw at me so I just carried on flying about until my skills caught up lol.
Ride one (RZ500) now and you will be wondering what all the fuss is about. Modern tyres have mostly tamed the handling, and the power (of a stock) RZ500 is now tame. Still love the sound and smell tho.
Yep.. I bought a '99 VMAX new. It was love at first sight. Also owned a '77 RD400 years before that.. and then years after the VMAX I owned a CBR600F4i...
Splendidly presented and wonderful narration, with pertinent observations, well done sir 👌👍😁
Your similes are quite possibly the funniest stuff ive ever heard!! Loved this video!
Wow, thank you!
I would add the Bultaco Matador to the list for 2 reasons. 1) It had two handlebars one on each side mounted to each front fork, that broke off every time the bike fell over on it's side. 2) the rear sprocket was mounted in rubber, so it would load up every time you tried to start off fast..... and unload into a wheel stand without you knowing it was about to do so. (I broke the back fender doing one of those wheelies and if I hadn't hit the rear break when the bike went vertical I would have landed on my back with the bike on top of me!)
should have mentioned Bultaco
@@BornAGoon as you can tell by user name I raced a few Bultacos. The last one was the 1976 or 1977 (can't remember which) 250 Pursang that had the super long rear shocks. I was able to calm the back down with a pair of aftermarket shocks (Specialized?) but it was so heavy it wore you out far too fast. I was in shape but by the middle of a 40 minute moto you were gasping for air and you had noodles for arms after flinging this thing around. Still, loved Bultacos and I still have about 10 T-Shirts with the thumbs up Bultaco Cemoto logo, The Spanish manufacturers (add Montesa and Ossa to the list) did the best they could do with less money. I always wished I had the opportunity to ride a Montesa VR and Ossa Phantom as if you spent the time to tinker with them they could be rockets.
Excellent choice. I would rank the OSSA right behind the Bultaco 250.
The Matador was a woods bike made for enduros and trail riding, they were mildly tuned with a broad torque band and extremely light weight good handling bikes. If you wanted a thrill you should have ridden a Bultaco Pursang, the MX version was much faster with lighter flywheel so it would rev quick, wheelies on demand in most any gear. I think they made a 360 for a while as well that was very fast.
You forgot the worst offender of all - Harley Davidson. who else would produce something like the Dyna Glide? 700lb motorcycle with a single front disc, no ABS or any safety aid at all, and a chassis that produces the Dyna Death Wobble! Many of the bikes mentioned in the modern section of the video are not inherently dangerous, but that cannot be said of almost any Harley..Huge weight, poor brakes, poor chassis. terrible handling, ABS an option on only the top of the range, Add to that the culture that encourages no / poor safety gear for the riders?
I've often enjoyed a good natured pop at or cruiser riding cousins (they're too snobby to consider the rest of us brothers), but they are getting better, with Brembo brakes, better build quality and chassis that can actually handle a bend in the road without bouncing like a water bed.
Part of this improvement is down to newer riders choosing Japanese and now European bikes in greater numbers, forcing Harley to up their game.
Of course the owners go and spoil all that hard work by massively raking out the front, fitting ape hangers and fitting a rear tyre nicked from a top fuel dragster!
At least tassels seem to be on the way out...
Kawasaki started their killer bikes with the 500cc triple which obviously came out before the 750cc. Although back then and still today I am a diehard Yamaha fan, there was an asphalt racer named Rusty Bradley I use to follow. He rode a 500cc triple. He was a up and comer but and he was racing at Daytona or Indianapolis and in the first turn lost his bike to too much power and split his head wide open. I was going to buy one in '70 as Yamaha had not yet brought out the 650cc to go cross country. After Rusty had his fatal crash it changed my mind real quick. You mentioned the Yamaha V-Max. I heard nothing but great things about that bike. They were quick but from what I heard handled great and the braking was good. I know they looked amazing. They looked like they were moving sitting still!!!!!!!!!
I bought a '99 VMAX brand new.a bit heavy but straightline wicked quick. Handling wasn't good.. just too heavy (600lbs) to push around the twisties. stoplight to stoplight king for sure. We ate lots of sportbikes.. they were tasty.. good up to about 150 mph though.. then the 750's and 1000's would leave me behind on the open road.
"I survived the Kawasaki triples, GSX'rs, Husky's." Now riding a benign Goldwing 1100. Loved the video.
I love this guy's Narrations! Awesome!
Man I thought it was bad when you mentioned the Kawi 750 2t, then you mentioned the VMAX! Growing up my dad had the Kawi 750 and sold it for the VMAX! Sheeesh I'm glad he's still alive after seeing this! I did take the VMAX out once or twice and that thing rips, especially when it hits the Vboost, and then you remember it's over 700lbs and turns like a Cadillac 🤣 good stuff
I blew up my 96 gsxr 750 in the summer I just bought my dads 2003 1200 vmax it’s an awesome bike
@@shazshaz7045 yeah man! That's the only shaft driven bike I've ridden, nothing quite like it.
Rd350 I think 🤔
Thank you
Dripping sarcasm like few have seen. Motorcycles-summarized so well. Great work.
My first road bike was a 1978 KZ 1000. The Bullet proof bike. It was the fastest production vehicle that year and a few following.
I had the 650.. It had a kerker pipe.. that engine LOVED the redline.. pulled pretty good.. Had a friend who had the 900.. FAST is all I can say.
Lol, I had a (raced out) 85 vmax. Would spin till about 130 when it would snap your hands from the bats when the rear would finally hook, so definitely deserves to be on the list. My 15 MV Agusta Brutale 800rr might have a place on this list too. It turns a blind eye to civility while throwing down 140 hp on what feels like a giant super moto.
Oh wow! I had a Fj 1200 Yamaha I think it was Damn thing was so fast
I miss and LOVED my '99 VMAX. Bought it new. Heck.. Yamaha dealer said No test rides. Straightline it was fast.. but still a big baby if ridden properly.
They made a three cylinder 500cc Kawasaki that also had the intermittent ignition issue and if you had someone on the back when giving it some throttle and the engine kicked in it could almost flip you over back wards if you didn't let off the throttle in time. The RD 400 had so much power without the modern suspension it was a beast to control even without the ignition problems.
Another awesome Video Bro! 👊🏻
Thanks for the visit
@Born A Goon: Thanks VERY Much for sharing this information!! As a rider of Mopeds, Dirt Bikes and Street Cycles since the ealry 1980's with a Die Hard Preference for Hondas as I just recently bought my Very 1st Liter Bike, (2023 CBR1000RR And I *LOVE* IT), being able to look back at the cycles of So Long Ago with the perspective of seeing just how Truly Dangerous they Really Were from your Impressive Descriptions of each bike added to the Current cycles you talked about as well afterwards, made for a VERY Informative And Enjoyable video to be able to experience and I learned Quite A Bit as well!! 😉👍THANKS AGAIN!!
Nice.. after racing for Yamaha, I went into a dealership with my Wife and she said "baby anything you want, however NO R1 or R6". She knew what I was capable of and we were raising a family. So glad I didn't get a rocket bike, I have always preferred dirt.
Too dangerous on todays roads These drivers are crazy lol
@@BornAGoon facts…not if, but when you will be a donor. I have seen it way too many times in my Medical Profession. Happy New Year. E
Jokes on you, I’ve always ridden dirt bikes on the main roads like a goon… 😂
Same here! Bought a crf 450l !
Yes, I know that temptation!
Interesting video. I have more fun on my little RZ350's with hot rodded engines and upgraded suspension than I do on my R1 and even the RZV500. The new sporty's are a major handful on the street. And yes a split second of loss of concentration with the R1 type bike and you are toast. I mostly just stare at mine now 😅
Thanks for watching and commenting It is much appreciated
I recently sold my RZ350, plus two non runners 1 83 350 and an 84 RZ250, all NZ/Australia spec. And bought a 95 TZR250 SPR, its been de-restricted and it a stunning ride, but doesn't have the easy going nature of the RZ. So i've been offered back one of the non runners, and will restore it back to stock like the one i sold. They are great bikes with one of the all time greatest 2 stroke engines of all time. I have no time for modern bikes, they are awesome in many ways but just don't float my boat like 80s 90s bikes do. Plus the styling is starting to get overly fussy and weird looking (IMO) Ive got a small collection of 80s 90s bikes that i mess about with. 83 IT490 fully restored now lives in my lounge😄 86 GSX-R1100, 87 FZR 1000 under going full resto, 87 VFR750 mint, bought from a collector, needs a full going over as it has been sitting for 10 years in his office foyer, the TZR, and a 2001 R1 that i bought brand new and has only done 10,000 km. (And hopefully soon another RZ😅)
Sir Goon great video = subscribed, i owned a YZ 490 for a decade or so i had a strip of duct tape on the triple clamp with the words “ the moment you don’t respect this it will hurt you” people used to laugh at it till they rode it lol.
I had the 500CC version of the Kawasaki H2. It was very squirrelly and the handlebar slap at 120 km/hr was enough to mess up your riding gear and underwear.
Yamaha RD400, RD stands for, Radical Death.
also Rapid Death
😁😁
Oddly enough, my Dad had a 1976 RD 400 that he used for a commuter bike. He'd loft a 3 gear wheelie out of the driveway until he was about out of sight....🤣🤣🤣
RD ACTUAL STANDS FOR RACE DERIVED...RDs NICK NAMES ARE RAPID DEATH,RADICAL DEATH ETC
The 1979 Honda CX500 was a real blast at hard lean angles. The stock rear tire had a zig zag pattern that alternately slid then grabbed in the middle of a corner. Either one I can handle, but not both at once. The engine was mounted so high in the frame that you really had to horse it to initiate a hard turn, then once it started falling you had to yank it back up lest inertia put you into the ground. It was kind of like riding a step ladder. Mine was a daily commuter for 20K miles that was a great bike if you stayed out of hard cornering zone.
I had an 85 CR500. Scariest thing I ever owned.
Those 500 two stroke dirt bikes demanded respect lol. Still have a KX 500 and a 2001 CR 500 last year that made them. I’ll never sell these two dirt bikes. Have people always trying to see if I’ll sell them lol
I love love his commentary. I've been riding a while.
Now I have a cruiser. Now I can smell the coffee.
I went through (3) Yamaha R1s. A 99, a 01 and a 03. The 99 and 01 would many times headshake under acceleration and it always made me wonder if they would just go full tankslapper or not. Luckily they never did. The 03 had gobs more low-mid range torque due to a longer stroke and fuel injection and would pull crazy strong but then it would hit a sweet spot where it could really breath like a mad jet fighter at over 125 mph. I sold the bike because I didn't think I would last long had I kept it. I finally pulled my barely used 02 R6 out of the other garage and realized what a great bike it was. You had to work it to go fast but the lighter weight and managable power made it a joy to ride. I do by the way have an H2B sitting in the back of my warehouse... it's a Denco 100hp H2 and it's been waiting to kill me with it's skinny and rock hard 30 year old tires. ☹
I had a '99 VMAX.. but I was a truck driver.. still am.. but I was in Panama City, Florida and had a refridgerated trailer with an aluminum floor. Shipper said they needed a wooden floor. So I was sitting there with nothing to do for the weekend. Well.. I bobtailed through the little tourist trap town.. and saw alot of scooters and MC's for rent.. I pulled the rig around back and parked. I ended up renting an R6. Well.. there's no helmet law there.. and I'm in shorts.. so I was bored with the congestion of the local streets and found highway 77 and decided to open it up. Well.. the VMAX back home got me up to 150 a couple of times.. so I wanted to go a little faster than that.. no helmet, shorts and a tshirt with sunglasses.. I went one way to check it out.. then cranked it up to 153 on the way back.. Woohoo.. Since then, I traded a jet drive boat for a CBR600F4i.. Had it to 160.. once.
I had a Kawasaki 750 H2C up until last summer. Lovely thing. Generally the engine is well-mannered and surprisingly tractable at lower revs, I thought it was like three trailbike singles in a row. The brakes are a bit grim, I didn’t but a lot of people add the extra disc on the front to help out. Handling is ok.
The thing with them is they are a bit bipolar. If you get keen and start pushing your luck a bit I found that the bike would sometimes do something unexpected. The engine changes completely at high revs and a good bit of throttle and gets aggressive, the suspension and frame can’t always cope with a bit of speed, bumps and a bend and could get nasty. A couple of times that bike quite deliberately tried to kill me, usually out of the blue. Yet if you ride it like what the Police would regard as “polite road-user” its as sweet as pie and people would wonder what all the fuss is about.
They’re given as a straight line machine. That doesn’t mean they are safe in a straight line. The first one I rode was my friend’s H2C back in the eighties. That one caught me with a speed wobble at 112mph that got savage when I tried to slow up. Like I said, every now and then they will try and kill you when you’re not expecting it. I got out of that one by locking my arms and hitting the brakes as hard as I could, it shook itself like a wet dog as it went through the sweet spot then settled down as if nothing had ever happened. The C model is fitted with a steering damper as standard and they NEED it.
Thanks for watching and commenting
Mid 80s V65 Honda Sabre. At the time, it was marketed as the fastest production motorcycle in the world... and it was. Unfortunately, it weighed a ton and had roughly the same handling characteristics as a municipal stadium... it hated fast corners; hated slow corners... _"Turns? What are 'turns'?"_ I bought one in 1985 and immediately I was like... _"No!"_ After owning it for about two months, I sold it (and lost almost $1,000 on the deal). The twenty-something year-old kid I sold it to only owned it for about a month... until he left the highway at about 160 mph (he forgot the Sabre's first rule about cornering... *it doesn't* ...) He and the bike flew into a stand of pine trees and pinballed off of just about every single one of them. Yeah... that went about as well as you might imagine. They could have buried him in about 6 or 7 laundry baskets if they'd wanted to.
Yet it was marketed with that slogan. and then Yamaha came out with their VMAX. I bought one new in ''99. Straight Line speed comes up fast. It wasn't much for handling either. Was good for 150. Me and a Busa were out riding and got into some twisties.. he was gone.. I ended up barely missing a big huge pine and managed to keep it upright.. he came back in a few and then we slowed it down from there.
Great video! I’m certainly with you 👍🏽 a friend of mine back in 1977 had a Kawasaki Mach 3 500. That particular bike also carries the infamous title of ‘The Widow Maker’ he had that bike for approximately 12 months or so. That bike certainly lived up to its name! He’s no longer with us to tell the tale and i was pillion! I sometimes still wonder why I was spared as it’s common knowledge that it’s usually the person that occupied my position on the bike that fateful night who should not be here to tell the tale. Well I certainly was a lucky bastard that night as the police who attended the accident scene later told me after my recovery that we plowed into the side of a car that turned in front of us. They estimated that we were doing somewhere between 110/140 klms per hour. I was catapulted 60 metres and landed on the road shoulder which fortunately was not curbed and guttered! I don’t remember a thing as the neurologist told me that I have post accident amnesia. Lucky for me! I was probably kissing my arse goodbye when I saw what was coming!👎🏼 I’m not supposed to be here as the medics in hospital didn’t think I’d make it that night. I was given my last rites by a priest, spent 3 days in an off on coma but as you can see and read i survived. I didn’t get off scott free but I’m certainly not going to go into that!! lol. Yep! Deadly bike but speed was certainly the main contributing factor that ended the life of my good buddy and to this day I still wonder about why I’m still here? Very very lucky guy i am,so my message to younger bikers out there is take it easy guys as it just ain’t worth it!!!
Excellent information. You raised some points I've never considered. "Raising a Cheeta in an apartment" has just become a part of my vernacular! Phil, below, commented that smaller bikes are more fun and that's probably true. The thing is, as a former baller, 6'1" 250 lbs, I'm not sure where small begins! Thank you for your fantastic channel.
A friend and I were talking about this the other day. I think modern day 600s are probably the most dangerous bikes. They're more powerful than my old ZX-11 (p/w ratio wise) and the power comes on like a big turbo. Super peaky and deceptively fast.
There's a few exceptions - RE Continental GT and Suzuki SV650 come to mind. But for the most part I agree with you! Almost every R6 owner I know has dumped it a few times!
I think the best era for the 600s was from say 98 to 04, they were quick, refined but also hadn't gone down the "Race track is all that matters" road they all went down. Bought my son a lovely 2000 ZX636 from a guy who bought it new and only put 20,000 km on it. And its great, fast enough, handles great, but is also comfy enough to ride at sane speeds. Now i'm looking for a 01 CBR600 to add to my small collection.
Back in 1982 when we first rode the newly watercooled Suzuki RM250 we were in awe.
Those things were wicked fast.
Please make more of these narrated videos. We love them
First bike was a yam RD250LC due to our at the time rediculous 250 cc learner bike rules. Current power to weight ratio based structure far better.
It's a wonder I survived that thing. Nothing terrible about it but a beginners bike it was not.
Next was a suzi GS650G. A tame practical shaft drive bike I did many miles on, good machine. Next was a 82 SD 900 Ducati. Loved that thing to bits! Wish I still had it. Luckily I am mechanically minded and have a good friends in engeering trades though.
Next an 87 883 sporty which I still have. I wanted to slow down a little (issues with law enforcement) and admired the simple robust engineering of Evo sportster engine. Slow me down it certainly did. Lately bought a Moto Guzzi 850 stone. It's probably about as quick as my old Ducati, maybe quicker, but for me inspires more relaxed riding appropriate for aging body and reflexes. It's a well behaved motorcycle which I would recommend and am enjoying
We called the RD250 Radical Death. Some of my friends parents bought them for their teenage kids. Many are dead now including some of my friends.
Been riding now for 56 years. Spot on about the H2's Worst handling street bike EVER! You should have mentioned the TM 400's featherweight flywheels. Zero bottom end power, then an explosion. Aftermarket companies made flywheels for them. Honda CR 500"s were responsible for a LOT of broken bones. The Z-1 Kaws were the first really powerful bikes that rode, handled, braked well and were reliable to boot.
True, I've ridden all of those. Started riding in 1969 at the age of 13.
Love the video editing kind like the "Exorcist"😉
This has got to be the best and honest motorcycle video I have ever seen. I’m an ex rider and racer. 👍
Perhaps the biggest killer of them all was the 3 wheeler of the 80's. Every kid had one and I know dozens who were injured by their instability.
That is very true I used to ride one up and down the street with no helmet Im lucky to be alive lol
I still have one (ATC70). My grandkids ride it some, (and I ride it when I'm irrigating my orchard & pasture), but they prefer the little quad.
I had a Honda 110 3 wheeler for several decades, no one ever got hurt on it, adults or my 7 year old son whom I bought it for. A lot of bad hype.
Of course people died on 3 wheelers, people die on anything if they slap a wall full out...
Not to mention my 86 CR500 was a monster, taught me throttle control and momentum. I won't bother with the full ride listing.
The bikes shown here are all evolutionary vehicles, any off the shelf bike now a days has more tech, development, research and lawyers than any bike up to the mid 80's.
Wish I'd had anything with more than 3" suspension in the early 70's when I began riding....
I remember the same..
Two stroke trikes were sending alot of riders to the hospital..
Quads were invented shortly after..
Banshee and quadzilla being the kings..
The suzuki 250 quadracers were real kool too..
Looking for a banshee engine to put on my aprilia rs250 and bore it to get close to a 500gp machine..
always loved those.
2 strokes are awsome...
That's fact. I worked for Randy Nelson at Motorcycle Dynamics in Escondido California when he was portrayed on 60 Minutes as the leading expert on the dangers of the ATC Motorcycle. After that show was Aired the United States Congress banned the sales in the whole country. Then came the Yamaha Banshee. I rode my 3 Wheeler anyway.
treat any motorcycle with respect! It can go wrong real quick on any bike! But I love them regardless!
Great video and very informative.
I got to ride the 81’ CR450R when I was 14 and I thought it was mellow and easy to wheelie for such a big bike.
The 1980’ CR80R on the other hand was a handful. 6 gears and a power band that was all mid-top end. It was a difficult bike to ride slow.
Truth the CR80 was no bike to sleep in
I'm surprised that you didn't at least give an honourable mention to the only motorcycle banned from sale in the USA. The Honda 3 wheeler. I know you mentioned trikes later, but I do believe that they were worth a mention. I still have one. I don't think that it was is as dangerous as the Husuberg 501 supamoto that I used to ride. The Hussy used to oscillate the head at 75mph or more, because the front guard used to flex under the air pressure, making the head shake. Awesome feeling to ride for miles with a constant head shake that only went away in corners.
Yamaha RZ500 was also banned from sale here.
The Thumper ...
Anyone getting on a triple use to dirt riding was in for several surprises !!!
One crawled straight up my leg in a tight turn an never been on another one ...
Why did you put your foot down? What did you think was going to happen?
@@richardmaurer9002 I'm no rocket scientist and I don't ride them girl machines but I'm guessing he probably rode dirt bikes.
the fun of being in salt water is knowing the sharks are always there,,kind of like riding bikes,, or is that just me
OMG the split-second photobombs throughout this video have me cracking up every time 😄
thank you
Thanks for a nice video which I can relate to. From 1986 until 1990, I owned a 1982 Suzuki GS 550 L model which was the fastest production model for that cc class. It’s manly sound reminded me of the 1970’s Honda CB 750 Four. I also worked motor patrol as a U.S. Park Ranger. One of my friends owned a V-max which I almost bought back then. I knew that it was a powerful rocket. Now, there are times when I really miss riding! However, the way some of these motorists act now with their inattentive behavior, makes me not so sure about riding anymore. Now-a-days, it just seems too dangerous with too much traffic with inattentive motorists!
The 1985-07 Yamaha Vmax gets a bad rap. After riding mine for over 40,000 miles, never wrecked it once.
Id get another..
I like the first gen better then the later versions...
I had the 97 silver with black wheels and wish i never sold it.
I think you nailed it with the thought that motorcycles aren't dangerous per se .... its the environment of public roads. It's like being an infantry man in a tank battle with all the road furniture eg kerbs, lamp-posts telegraph poles and trees and walls just designed to kill you. In that environment big power and great handling lull you into a false confidence. Brilliant on a track but deadly on the road. Remember bikers ... the throttle turns both ways. Nicky Hayden was a supremely talented guy on two wheels and got wiped out riding his pedal cycle on the road in Italy by a useless car driver. Therein lies a lesson. Same with sports car supremo Bob Wollek.
Very true I believe the same thing happened to Norifumi Abe former moto GP rider killed on a scooter by a truck driver
Great video !! Ive had 20+ cycles in the past 40 years and several fit into this catagory... Vmax,, VF1000R Interceptor,, two V65 Magna,, two KZ1000 LTD were probley the worst. 😁
Same goes for a bunch of old muscle cars from the 60s and 70s which also had big power but didnt handle or stop well. 😱
Lol! That was wacky and entertaining, thank you. 🤣
One comment on the TM400's. True the first few years were pretty bad, but by 1974 TM400 was a pretty good reliable play/desert bike and the 1975 TM400 were even better with the thicker and better dampening rods in the forks and the forward mounted rear shocks and a beefed up swingarm and swingarm bolt, the suspension travel went to 6 inches front and back. The 1975 finally received a new CDI to replace the spastic one the previous models used, but by that time they were considered a desert or play bike, and the coming of the RM370's changed motocross forever. I have raced and restored 2 1975 TM400's and have a 1975 TM250 sitting in the garage.
You really hit the nail on the head again with this video. Years ago, the first bike I owned was a 1986 Honda Hurricane 600. Beautiful bike but I was not ready for it's high (at the time) horsepower and the 12,000 rpm redline. Had to keep pushing the envelope until a patch of sand in a corner in the mountains ended it (almost me also). Didn't ride for over 30 years until I bought a dual sport in 2020 (DR650). Today's high-powered Sport bikes are cool, but a lot of folks want to "get their money's worth" and ride beyond their capabilities. Maybe this is why ADV bikes are so popular. You can cruise on the highway and do a bit of dirt also to go camping or exploring. Just my humble opinion. Great video as always!
Thank you for watching and commenting
DOC!
@@verbalwidget7267 The Mighty Verbal Widget!! Cheers Brother!
Prior to the Vmax, the V65 Magna held the title for several years. I owned 3 of them, still have one today and scary to say but it is my all time favorite bike. That era, the styling, it had a super comfortable ride (Which is one of the reasons it was so dangerous) and at the time, it was insanely fast. (It ate the crotch rocket super bikes of the time for breakfast) The gear indicator with OD, the fiber optic security cable with alarm...... it was a unique bike.
I bought a '99 VMAX brand new. Loved the big heavy beast. Yeah.. ate up plenty of sport bikes.. I still see one of them now and then.. and some Magna's too.. My little brother was walking somewhere and a guy on his V65 picked him up.. the guy said to hold on.. took off on a wheelie.. several times.. he couldn't stop talking about it for a while. I used to commute about 30 miles to a tech school.. and this guy on a Buell 1200 and I would catch up somewhere on the way. WOW..! Those are some torquey bikes.. this was a 2 lane highway.. we'd be darting in and out of traffic.. grabbing a handful of brakes, wait for the next break in oncoming traffic and WFO.. never did see any cops.. we got lucky. Just flat out acceleration without dying. Another fun bike I had was a '77 RD400.. I'm surprised it didn't make this list.
I really wanted a V65, but parts availability and mechanics willing to work on them made it a 'no go'. Super bad ass bike. I ended up with a Vmax because it was a similar rush, but with more aftermarket and dealer support.
Yea, took a bud v65 for a ride, from a stop went through gears. When I hit six gear, looked down and saw 135mph on speedo, looked back up and pop his helmet bubble face sheild locked straight up and instantly yanked my hands off of grips. Air coming off back tire keeper me from going off. The ride back was helmeted. Next time was with my bell helmet, saw 150+. What a beast, get there fasttt
I wonder if a V65 Magna could take a TL1000s. The TL has 125 hp. I think the V65 had 116 but I think it had more torque than the TL. Their standing 1/4 mile stats are similar. The V65 was a lot heavier though, but more comfortable. I love my TL anyway. As a kid I loved those Magna commercials.
Been riding since 1969, own a Ducati Hyper SP and thought this would make your list, took me 6 months to get use to this unique design.
I had a hypermotoard It was a blast
I've never ridden a TM400. I wonder how different it was to the same era TS400? They look very similar. TM is 40 HP vs 34 for the TS. When I was maybe 14 one of our farm workers has a TS400. I was used to G4TR 100 or TS185. The TS400 had amazing acceleration in comparison, but I never found the power scary. It was controllable -- very much like an early twin shock XR500 from five years later. But the XR had much better suspension and handling. The most scary dirt bike I ever rode was a 1970 or so Kawasaki "Green Streak". When I was about 16 (1979) a friend on a nearby farm (who much later owned the local Yamaha dealership) had an RM125 and a PE175 and a Green Streak. The Suzukis were fine. Neither scared me. The Green Streak scared the shit out of me traversing grassy hills. They were apparently only 30 HP but PEAKY AS ALL HELL ... twist the throttle and it's nothing .. nothing ... nothing .... the GRTR is more powerful ... nothing ... HOLY FUCK THE BACK WHEEL BROKE TRACTION AND IS GOING SIDEWAYS. The TM400 can't possibly have been as scary. As for criticising a 1980s CR???? wtf? Maybe it's not up to 2020 standards (obviously) but anyone with a 1970-1975 bike would sell their soul to get a 1980-1985 bike. My current garage: 1995 BMW R1100RT, owned from new; 2019 Honda CRF250 Rally.
True. The bikes I had, many years ago, were all pre-75. None of them handled well. All weighed more than they should. One of them, however, was *peaky* - just not “green streak” peaky.
TM = evil - it would throw me over the bars and then try to rip across my throat - evil spirit in that scooter
Back in ‘90 I bought the meanest bike I could afford. It was so fast; much faster than the car I was driving. Yes, it was a sport bike. I bought it from a used car lot and I rode it off the lot without any training or even tips. I had never been on a bike and only had a clue about shifting, not a clue about counter steering, and not a clue about motorcycle braking. Yet, within a month I thought I was a motorcycle god! Yes, I lasted a month without crashing! On July 14, two weeks to my wedding day, I hit a car head-on. That devil of a bike, that sinisterly tricked my soul into believing I was capable, was a measly little Ninja 250. 😮
you gotta watch those little 250s lol
When I was 16, I had a puch 250. 17 hp and 17 ft-lb torque. My dad's live in nutbucket decided she wanted it, so I lost the bike. Probably saved my life.
Point is, I can't imagine all that power today's bikes have.
GREAT VIDEO!! Fun, educational and entertaining.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@BornAGoon Ha ha, just realized.. it`s the 2nd time i`ve complimented you.. Must be doing something right🤣
Suzuki TL 1000r I absolutely LOVED mine even though it tried to kill me every time I rode it, that bike honestly scared the shit out of me whenever I pushed hard. I miss that bike very much but I doubt ill ever buy another.
The TLR wasnt actually the Widowmaker. It was the 97 TLS. and the only reason it got that label was because of that damn rotary damper. But they sorted that out with the TLR. It does however have a crazy amount of low end torque for how old it is. Mine even with 50k miles on it can put up a good fight with the modern bikes in the twisty bits. Top end not so much.
@@mds1986ms either TL has insane sketch factor I've had both but my R felt more hard hitting through the mid rpm range, it pulled like a freight train and didn't seem to drop off like the S did.
@@Mudsuitable
No doubt brother. when im riding with modern 600s 750s and some 1000s ill go to pass and i never have to downshift the 600 and 750 guys gotta drop 2 gears just to keep up. But once they're spooled up forget it.
@@mds1986ms they might have the top speed but they can't touch a TL in the twisties though! a bit of fancy throttle work to keep the tail from getting to far away from you and nothing besides a motard bike can hang.
The V-Max chassis and suspension weren't that bad, they handled quite well for a cruiser, since cruisers back then didn't handle well at all. And they were improved as the years went on.
scraped many foot pegs on my VMax.
@@tudfrey Its not hard.😄
@@uhtred7860 Never said it was now did I? Just making a comment. If you want to make stupid remarks towards someone now that's easy now isn't it?
@@tudfrey WHOA! calm ya farm there hoss, just agreeing with you that the V-max was easy to deck out.
@@tudfrey I had a '99 VMAX. Bought it new. I scraped the right peg once on an on ramp.. Never got that brave again..
best narration ever! Had to pause and rewind because I was laffing so much ! Yes i know I misspelled
Thank you for the kind words
Fantastic video.
It may fall on deaf ears.
But the video is spot on.
If you're thinking about getting into riding sportbikes the best way to get into this start off with a Suzuki GS500 they're not 2 fast but they're not really slow either perfect to learn on and as you start to get better they do pull pretty good I think around a low 13 in the quarter mile so definitely not a rocket but I highly recommend it for anybody getting into this street riding and the GS500 actually handles really nice... that was my first bike for about a year-and-a-half got it at 16 then once that wasn't cutting at all for me then I went to the GSXR 600 total different world not only a hundred more CC's but now we're going from a to cylinder to a 4-cylinder... obviously just my opinion but I really thought that bike helped me alot be the Ryder I am today I'm 52 now I've had all kinds of bikes at this point right now 2010 CBR1000rr and a 01 vtr1000 2008 CBR600 Double R
Glad to read this. I am thinking the GS 500 is a good starter bike, but seen mixed opinions, seems like a good middle ground for power. Not too much to not enough, knowing it handles really nice and is highly recommended is a bonus. Glad to hear an owners honest review. 👍I now feel more confident about buying one.
I rode my 91 GS500 from Olympia WA to Junction city Kansas in 92. Jeans, sneakers and snowmobile gloves. I look back and think of that 3 day adventure and know for a fact I was an idiot lol. I loved that bike. It was teal green with the cowl and lower quarter fairing. If I ever find one again I would buy it in a heart beat. Your post brought back some good memories on that thing. I never crashed it once!
The mid-70s CanAm 250mx fits right in with this. Most powerful 250 MX engine of its day, and WORST handing. Horrible handling in fact.
My rich buddy got one, & I rode it... once! That was enough.
So true they were a beast! I raced a 1975 TM250 against one on TT at Manzanita Speedway in AZ back in 1975. I would get right up on the CanAm guy on the infield twisty sections, but as soon as he hit the long straightaway in front of the grandstands, he'd pull me 4 to 5 bikes. Just amazing speed!
that is true very true
Had a Suzuki 500 Titan two stroke twin! Plenty of power & major frame flex!
You are right about the Suzuki 400 Cyclones' extremely powerful engine. However, with electronic ignition, the power band would come on between 3500&4000 rpm. The CR450 was a thrill ride also. And you know how it is when you're young. Hang on and go for what you know!
Yea, but... my friend and I used to fantasize about buying RM 400's, putting hillclimb chains on the back and going out on the local golf to ride across... I mean trench... the greens. Never got around to it...
On a lighter note.. In india we had the yamaha rd 350 and yezdi 250, both 2 strokes and not a beginers bike but sadly used exclusively by novices. Though the yamaha was a 37.8hp and the yezdi max'd out at about 17hp when modified, THEY WERE DEADLY in the hands of amateur riders in the rush hour traffic of india.... Believe Me. I know. I am one of them, broke 6 ribs, a femur and 4 fingers including a thumb...... 🤪. Now i ride a benelli 600, though 5 years old it runs quite good, economical and an exhaust note to die for. Like we say here in India, the most dangerous snake in the whole world is the one that just bit you.... 😀😀
Truth. Here in Argentina they killed alot of people aswell. Specially the 400 Daytona