If the Seventies have been the interval when the Japanese asserted their authority on motorcycling, then the Nineteen Eighties have been a interval when the sports bike idea developed into what we all know at present: fully-faired, with ever-increasing energy outputs and epic chassis dynamics. At the identical time, Italian producer Ducati actually bought into its stride and signaled a problem to the Japanese hordes that, together with many different European producers, proceed to at the present time. If the sports activities bikes of the Nineteen Eighties appear crude by at present’s requirements, they’re very a lot one of the best of their time and, consequently, have gotten more and more collectible. That’s our focus for at present and listed below are 10 of one of the best ones.

In order to provide the most modern and correct data attainable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from numerous producer web sites and different authoritative sources, together with www.cycleworld.com, www.hagerty.com and www.motorcyclspecs.co.za. They are ranked in ascending order of value.

7 Suzuki GSX1100 S Katana – 1982

Price Guide: $3,000 – 4,000

The Suzuki GSX1100 S Katana was nothing out-of-the-ordinary for the time, with a big,1,075cc, 111 horsepower, inline four-cylinder engine. But it was the pores and skin that was so outstanding. In 1980, Suzuki’s bikes suffered from – within the firm’s personal phrases – ‘warehouse styling,’ with little firm id differentiating it from different Japanese bikes. Suzuki then turned to Hans Muth, the styling genius behind the BMW R90 S, R100 RS with its sculpted fairing, and the unique R80 GS, which had circled BMW’s fortunes.

What Muth got here up with for the Katana regarded like nothing else in motorcycling on the time. All straight strains and angles, with an oblong headlight, and a seat that fashioned a part of the general model, fairly than simply being an afterthought. Opinion on the styling was, and nonetheless is, divided, however there’s no denying it was distinctive. What wasn’t unsure was its efficiency; it was the quickest 1,000cc manufacturing bike Cycle World had ever examined to that time.

Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from www.motorcyclespecs.co.za)

6 Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo – 1984

Price Guide: $6,000 – 8,000

Sports bike design is basically centered across the pursuit of increasingly energy and, within the early Nineteen Eighties, that meant bolting a turbocharger to an current engine to spice up energy. And scale back the event prices of a wholly new engine, after all. Kawasaki was behind its Japanese rivals in bringing a turbo bike to the general public, however this delay served it properly. By mounting the turbo in entrance of the 738cc, four-cylinder engine, near the exhaust ports, turbo lag was saved to a minimal and an influence output of 112 horsepower was glorious for the time, giving the GPz750 Turbo performance on par with its personal GPz1100. If the remainder of the bike was largely standard, and the turbo added 30 kilos to the burden, an extra 35 horsepower greater than made up for it.

Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from www.motorcyclespecs.co.za)

5 Suzuki GSX-R750 – 1985

Price Guide: $7,000 – 8,000

Perhaps the obvious entry on this listing, the Suzuki GSX-R750 was arguably the motorcycle that set the template for every sports bike to come. It was one of many first highway bikes to make the most of an aluminum beam body, giving unprecedented chassis stiffness, important for good dealing with. This is one thing Japanese bikes had not all the time been identified for on the time.

The fairing and bodywork design was distinctive and environment friendly, but it surely was the engine that was the true speaking level. A 749cc inline four-cylinder, that includes air- and oil-cooling and creating an impressive-for-the-time 106 horsepower, giving a prime pace of 145mph. Derived instantly from Suzuki racing bikes, the ‘Gixxer’ was on its technique to changing into a legend.

Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from www.motorcyclespecs.co.za)

4 Ducati 851 – 1987

Price Guide: $8,000 – 9,000

By the Nineteen Eighties, Ducati was in monetary bother, whereas its vary of V-Twin-engined bikes was dropping out within the efficiency stakes to the Japanese producers. A buyout by Cagiva gave the injection of money Ducati wanted to fully revamp its mannequin line-up and the primary level of order was to get extra energy out of the engine. New four-valve desmodromic cylinder heads have been designed, together with liquid-cooling for the entire engine, and this bumped energy output to 93 horsepower.

The resulting 851 model began the turnaround in Ducati’s fortunes, helped by Raymond Roche successful the 1990 World Superbike Championship on one, kicking off a decade of dominance of the sequence by Ducati. The 851 set the template for each Ducati superbike from that second on with its highly effective, quick, and totally lovely character.

Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from www.motorcyclespecs.co.za)

3 Honda CB1100R – 1980

Price Guide: $12,000 – 13,000

This was the primary homologation particular from Honda. Based on the CB900F, the CB1100R (‘R’ for racing) was a fully-faired road-legal model in-built ample numbers to categorise as a manufacturing mannequin eligible for racing in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Three variations have been constructed – B, C, and D – which have been sufficiently completely different within the fairing departments for not one of the fairing components to be interchangeable between them. The inline four-cylinder engine produced 115 horsepower, an excellent determine for the day, though its weight was a barely porky 518 kilos. If it didn’t have any of the unique supplies that mark out homologation specials within the 2000s, it was nonetheless an vital stepping stone on the best way to the immortal Fireblade.

Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from www.motorcyclespecs.co.za)

2 Yamaha FZR 750RR (OW-01) – 1985

Price Guide: $20,000 – 30,000

A homologation particular constructed with a purpose to go head-to-head with Honda’s RC30 and Bimota’s YB4 in World Superbike racing. 1000 FZR 750RRs were built and, in the event that they break the bank on the time, it was a value many groups have been ready to pay for a ready-to-race sports bike. If it has lights and mirrors, these are merely there as window dressing. Remove the lights and mirrors, match the non-obligatory race equipment, and you’ve got a motorcycle that may compete towards one of the best on the earth. Fitted with Yamaha’s EXUP (Exhaust Ultimate Power Valve), the torque curve was remarkably flat for an engine tuned for top-end energy and torque, whereas the chassis was optimized to be stiff and quick-steering.

Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from www.motorcyclespecs.co.za)

1 Honda VFR750R RC30 – 1987 (Japan); 1990 (U.S.)

Price Guide: $40,000 – 45,000

Once the World Superbike Championship was inaugurated, the producers noticed a possibility to correctly use racing to advertise their road-going bikes in a manner that Grand Prix racing by no means might. There was a sequence that raced bikes similar to those you possibly can purchase in a showroom. Honda, by no means an organization to do issues by half, constructed the RC30 as a homologation special for the sequence and solely 3,000 have been ever constructed.

The V4 engine featured gear-driven double overhead camshafts and titanium connecting rods, producing 120 horsepower and driving by means of a close-ratio gearbox, with first gear good for 82mph! It labored completely, with American Fred Merkel successful the primary two editions of the World Superbike Championship in 1988 and 1989. Rare and costly when new, it’s even rarer and dearer at present, if you will discover one.

Performance Specifications

(Specs sourced from www.motorcyclespecs.co.za)