The design gamechanger - what was it?
Discussion
Ari said:
Spanglepants said:
Superdream certainly made a change from the existing styling but the Katana made a bigger impact.
Talking of early race reps , RG250 from 1983
That was an awesome bike! The only thing that (for me) challenged the RD350LC as the 'dream machine'. Talking of early race reps , RG250 from 1983
It's generally accepted as the first mass produced alloy framed, faired race rep. A stunning bike and a real game changer if ever there was one.
Am I missing something? I thought the thread was around the design, as in looks of the bike, not the internals. The more detailed thread opener does cover that off too.
I don't really remember bikes from back then as they all looked the same to me and then seemed to change in the mid to late 80s.
I don't really remember bikes from back then as they all looked the same to me and then seemed to change in the mid to late 80s.
there was nothing quite like them from the mainstream manufacturers, they were way ahead of the game in terms of styling.The 1978 CB250N Super Dream was the first bike I recall that ran the side covers into the tank and also had the rear light tucked into the tailpiece to create an integrated design.
The 1978 CX500 eschewed the integrated side panel but had the instruments and headlight in one plastic unit at the front and had the tail light designed into the tail. It also offered liquid cooling when it was less common, shaft drive and a big seat for touring capability. Though the transverse V never really took off, it inspired the later V Honda engines.
One gamechanger was the original Honda Gold Wing which launched into a world of air-colled transverse 4s and boxer twins with a water-cooled flat four shaft drive that was turbine smooth and capable of traversing countries. The tank was under the seat and the dummy tank was a storage area. I had one and loved it though it did go on to become a fat bloated thing but, again, the GL1100 showed others how to make the ultimate tourer.
The CBX was also a great flagship that inspired bikes like the Kawa Z1300. Maybe a dead end but what a bike to look at.
Finally, the RD250LC was a real shock to the system when it was shown in 1979 - a liquid-cooled 2 stroke that was mentally fast for a 250 and also began Yamaha's cohesive styling with cool touches like the black pipes. Great bike but rather more expensive than the Super Dream but it didn't stop spotty youths taking out finance over 3 years with 20% a year interest (a 60% premium, in other words).
The 1978 CX500 eschewed the integrated side panel but had the instruments and headlight in one plastic unit at the front and had the tail light designed into the tail. It also offered liquid cooling when it was less common, shaft drive and a big seat for touring capability. Though the transverse V never really took off, it inspired the later V Honda engines.
One gamechanger was the original Honda Gold Wing which launched into a world of air-colled transverse 4s and boxer twins with a water-cooled flat four shaft drive that was turbine smooth and capable of traversing countries. The tank was under the seat and the dummy tank was a storage area. I had one and loved it though it did go on to become a fat bloated thing but, again, the GL1100 showed others how to make the ultimate tourer.
The CBX was also a great flagship that inspired bikes like the Kawa Z1300. Maybe a dead end but what a bike to look at.
Finally, the RD250LC was a real shock to the system when it was shown in 1979 - a liquid-cooled 2 stroke that was mentally fast for a 250 and also began Yamaha's cohesive styling with cool touches like the black pipes. Great bike but rather more expensive than the Super Dream but it didn't stop spotty youths taking out finance over 3 years with 20% a year interest (a 60% premium, in other words).
[quote=podman]The first, fully faired race rep was launched Nov 1983.
We'd seen half faired and cockpit fairings on bikes but the RD500 was the first of the 80s race reps.
. Sorry sb2 1977 
We'd seen half faired and cockpit fairings on bikes but the RD500 was the first of the 80s race reps.
. Sorry sb2 1977 bimsb6 said:
podman said:
The first, fully faired race rep was launched Nov 1983.
We'd seen half faired and cockpit fairings on bikes but the RD500 was the first of the 80s race reps.
. Sorry sb2 1977
The OP did say the 80s and a design gamechanger...We'd seen half faired and cockpit fairings on bikes but the RD500 was the first of the 80s race reps.
. Sorry sb2 1977 That said, that Bimota is fully faired with a SLIGHTLY better appearance than a 1970s Quasar but its not representative of what the average bod was riding around on in 1977 is it?
The following year after the RD was launched , we had the GSXR750,FZ750,RG500 NS400,GPZ600 for sale to the mass market which saw rapid development continue with the decade ending in bikes like the RC30, FZR1000 and set the basic overall look for what we see now.
podman said:
The OP did say the 80s and a design gamechanger...
That said, that Bimota is fully faired with a SLIGHTLY better appearance than a 1970s Quasar but its not representative of what the average bod was riding around on in 1977 is it?
The following year after the RD was launched , we had the GSXR750,FZ750,RG500 NS400,GPZ600 for sale to the mass market which saw rapid development continue with the decade ending in bikes like the RC30, FZR1000 and set the basic overall look for what we see now.
No , but how many rd500's were sold ? I don't know anybody that owned one ,And as a fully faired race rep the bim beats it by 6 years and many of the bikes mentioned are pre '80s That said, that Bimota is fully faired with a SLIGHTLY better appearance than a 1970s Quasar but its not representative of what the average bod was riding around on in 1977 is it?
The following year after the RD was launched , we had the GSXR750,FZ750,RG500 NS400,GPZ600 for sale to the mass market which saw rapid development continue with the decade ending in bikes like the RC30, FZR1000 and set the basic overall look for what we see now.
Edited by bimsb6 on Sunday 24th July 22:21
TallPaul said:
What about the NR750, was that a game changer or just a monumental WTF moment from Honda? Obviously it indirectly lead to Ducati become what they are today with their sportsbikes...
The NR wasn't really a game changer, technically very impressive and I'd love to own one but bit of an evolutionary dead end.I once read an article that described the NR750 as a 'corporate f
k you' to anyone that had mocked Hondas NR racers.bimsb6 said:
podman said:
The OP did say the 80s and a design gamechanger...
That said, that Bimota is fully faired with a SLIGHTLY better appearance than a 1970s Quasar but its not representative of what the average bod was riding around on in 1977 is it?
The following year after the RD was launched , we had the GSXR750,FZ750,RG500 NS400,GPZ600 for sale to the mass market which saw rapid development continue with the decade ending in bikes like the RC30, FZR1000 and set the basic overall look for what we see now.
No , but how many rd500's were sold ? I don't know anybody that owned one ,And as a fully faired race rep the bim beats it by 6 years and many of the bikes mentioned are pre '80s That said, that Bimota is fully faired with a SLIGHTLY better appearance than a 1970s Quasar but its not representative of what the average bod was riding around on in 1977 is it?
The following year after the RD was launched , we had the GSXR750,FZ750,RG500 NS400,GPZ600 for sale to the mass market which saw rapid development continue with the decade ending in bikes like the RC30, FZR1000 and set the basic overall look for what we see now.
Edited by bimsb6 on Sunday 24th July 22:21
podman said:
The OP did say the 80s and a design gamechanger...
That said, that Bimota is fully faired with a SLIGHTLY better appearance than a 1970s Quasar but its not representative of what the average bod was riding around on in 1977 is it?
Neither of them are representative of the average bike of the time, and I suspect the Quasar was a far rarer sight than even Bimotas were. A gamechanger in terms of styling doesn't have to be a mass production bike though.That said, that Bimota is fully faired with a SLIGHTLY better appearance than a 1970s Quasar but its not representative of what the average bod was riding around on in 1977 is it?
Don't forget the Italians! Ducati released the fully faired Mike Hailwood rep in about 78? And MV Agusta's 850SS was also fully faired in 76 or 77? So fully faired bikes were nothing new in the 80s, the Italians were ahead in that respect. Certainly, Honda's Superdream models looked like nothing else when they came out, along with the CX and Goldwing. I remember seeing a CB900F2 owned by one of my brothers mates and was blown away. Seeing the RD350F1 in a dealer equally amazed me, as did the original GSXR which just looked insane!
robsa said:
Don't forget the Italians! Ducati released the fully faired Mike Hailwood rep in about 78? And MV Agusta's 850SS was also fully faired in 76 or 77? So fully faired bikes were nothing new in the 80s, the Italians were ahead in that respect. Certainly, Honda's Superdream models looked like nothing else when they came out, along with the CX and Goldwing. I remember seeing a CB900F2 owned by one of my brothers mates and was blown away. Seeing the RD350F1 in a dealer equally amazed me, as did the original GSXR which just looked insane!
srob said:
robsa said:
Don't forget the Italians! Ducati released the fully faired Mike Hailwood rep in about 78? And MV Agusta's 850SS was also fully faired in 76 or 77? So fully faired bikes were nothing new in the 80s, the Italians were ahead in that respect. Certainly, Honda's Superdream models looked like nothing else when they came out, along with the CX and Goldwing. I remember seeing a CB900F2 owned by one of my brothers mates and was blown away. Seeing the RD350F1 in a dealer equally amazed me, as did the original GSXR which just looked insane!
Fleegle said:
srob said:
robsa said:
Don't forget the Italians! Ducati released the fully faired Mike Hailwood rep in about 78? And MV Agusta's 850SS was also fully faired in 76 or 77? So fully faired bikes were nothing new in the 80s, the Italians were ahead in that respect. Certainly, Honda's Superdream models looked like nothing else when they came out, along with the CX and Goldwing. I remember seeing a CB900F2 owned by one of my brothers mates and was blown away. Seeing the RD350F1 in a dealer equally amazed me, as did the original GSXR which just looked insane!
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