Topic: Retro bikes

[tsp37]

Either Suzuki or Kawasaki built a mid-size retro bike in the '90s, much like a Bonneville.  What was it called?

[RatBikeRandy]

It was a Kawasaki W650 and it was a better looking Triumph than the one that Triumph put out.  It had chrome fenders, correct exhaust and piping on the seat. 

[tsp37]

Cool.  That's what I was looking for.  There is even one on Ebay.

Thanks

[PxTx]

How abou the GB500?  More like a vintage Norton cafe look, but pretty cool for 1989!

[754]

Umm it just looks a lot like a Japanese bike to me..

[PxTx]

Seems a litle closed minded.  Look at the Japanese bikes in 1989 and tell me how it is similar to any of them?

[Uncle Ernie]

I resisted for many years, but I now think the Japanese do a great job or reproducing a "look"- and often improving on the actual performance.  The yamaha XS650 was a Triumph repop, and has proven to be a versatile workhorse.
Miata is an MGB.  Kawasaki Drifter... Not the real thing, but it has a good look. (In that case, I would still prefer the real thing) 
I've had 2 GB500's (brought here in 89 and 90)and I love them.  They can be sort of an amalgam of AJS and Norton maybe?  Very light and extremely good handling.  Like all bikes with rear-sets and clip-ons, they are a pain to ride for any distance.
I now own a W650 and absolutely love it.  At the time, Motorcycle Consumer News and Cycle World thought it to be the Bonneville Triumph should have made- and I agree.  I test rode a Bonnie with the full intention of putting down cash for it.  What a snore.  So- I got a primo W for less than half the money.  I put an alloy tank on it and lower bars (those bars are just stupid IMO).  Great power and good handling.  I would ride it anywhere.  Yes- prices are slowly escalating already.
I recommend the lower bars.  Just get BikeMasters and shim them.  I also recommend re-uhpostering the seat to even out that bump.  Some rear fenders start to crack, but I suspect a Lucas-style tail light will lighten that up and alleviate some vibration (not all fenders crack, though).  That bike is very popular in Europe and accessories and bits are available to change the look; cafe parts, aluminium tanks, high pipes, etc.  Yahoo has a decent group.

[Uncle Ernie]

Good heavens!  As I've just been flooded with PMs requesting pictures (although my sense of humbleness is being challenged sorely here), and with apologies to those who have seen this before;

[dpen]

If my memory is working - in the early 70s kawasaki came out with a W650 that was directly based on a pre-unit BSA

[754]

Late 69,s for the 650 kaw..

 a guy I know had #15, it was as far as anyone knew first one imported to N America.. also owned years back by another fellow I knew..

 I must be close-minded as I see no similarity between the 500 and ANY Norton..

So it does not look like any other 89 Hondas, did anyone say it did??

 do you think a CX 500 looks a lot like a Guzzi, or just has a similar configuration..??

[PxTx]

It's called a GB 500 TT referencing Great Britain and the Tourest Trophy race held on the Isle of Man.  Honda chose this name and specifically set out to built the bike with the influences of the English bikes.  I personally think the resemblence is mostly Norton, but that is probably due to the striking similarity of the fuel tank  Maybe you cant' see any similarities, but you are the first I've met who is unable to.

[pdxPope]

Sorry, I don't see much Norton in it either.

AJS or Velocette- definitely!

A sweet little bike and an instant classic if ever there was one. But since Honda only produced them for a couple of years, I think they planned it that way.


-JP

[Uncle Ernie]

From what I understand, there were many GB400 (with a Manx-style fairing) sold in Asia and Australia / New Zealand.  At some point they made a 500 that was more popular in Europe (surprise).  I think both Hinda and Kawasaki were just a few years ahead of the retro-craze that was coming up.  Each bike was only sold here for 2 years.  I also think the biggest problem was that neither company did a single thing to promote or sell them.  Go figure.

[DammitDan]

Well the upswept exhausts on the GB500 look a little bit like a Norton (although they're not quite long enough)