In the mid 1970s the motorcycle industry was in a period of transition. Because of noise and pollution, large two strokes were being banned from the streets in many countries and there was no such thing as a true, four stroke sport bike.
There were sporting four strokes, of course, but they were, for the most part, derivatives of regular motorcycles and those that came from Japan were, regardless of manufacturer, almost all the same. Built around an in-line four cylinder air cooled engine wrapped in a steel double cradle frame they were so similar, in fact, that they became known as the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM).
Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Suzuki, which had made its reputation by building two strokes, built its first large four stroke bikes, (see Suzuki gs series) the GS750 and the GS400, for the American market in 1976. The GS550 arrived soon after and by 1978 the formidable GS1000 was making jaws drop in showrooms everywhere. 1980 saw the creation of the Suzuki Katana, a bike which stylistically resembles a modern sportbike on the outside, but which was underpinned by existing technology of the day.
In 1983 Honda introduced the VF750 Interceptor, (see Honda VF and VFR ) a radically innovative bike that set the trend for modern sportbikes. Kawasaki followed suit in 1984 and began capturing sales with its GPZ900R Ninja, a heavy bike nowhere near as sophisticated as the Interceptor, but which had a strong engine and looked the part of a sportbike. Suzuki, meanwhile, soldiered on with its GS1150.
By the mid-1980s the motorcycle industry was in a period of decline. Honda and Yamaha had engaged in a production war in order to decide who would become the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer and the result was oversupply. Brand new bikes went unsold and stacked up in warehouses and on dealers' floors. For many years after, consumers could buy new old stock bikes, a previous year's model that had lain in its packing crate for years waiting to be sold, for the fraction of the price of a new bike. Needless to say, production tanked and manufacturers worried about their futures
There were sporting four strokes, of course, but they were, for the most part, derivatives of regular motorcycles and those that came from Japan were, regardless of manufacturer, almost all the same. Built around an in-line four cylinder air cooled engine wrapped in a steel double cradle frame they were so similar, in fact, that they became known as the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM).
Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Suzuki, which had made its reputation by building two strokes, built its first large four stroke bikes, (see Suzuki gs series) the GS750 and the GS400, for the American market in 1976. The GS550 arrived soon after and by 1978 the formidable GS1000 was making jaws drop in showrooms everywhere. 1980 saw the creation of the Suzuki Katana, a bike which stylistically resembles a modern sportbike on the outside, but which was underpinned by existing technology of the day.
In 1983 Honda introduced the VF750 Interceptor, (see Honda VF and VFR ) a radically innovative bike that set the trend for modern sportbikes. Kawasaki followed suit in 1984 and began capturing sales with its GPZ900R Ninja, a heavy bike nowhere near as sophisticated as the Interceptor, but which had a strong engine and looked the part of a sportbike. Suzuki, meanwhile, soldiered on with its GS1150.
By the mid-1980s the motorcycle industry was in a period of decline. Honda and Yamaha had engaged in a production war in order to decide who would become the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer and the result was oversupply. Brand new bikes went unsold and stacked up in warehouses and on dealers' floors. For many years after, consumers could buy new old stock bikes, a previous year's model that had lain in its packing crate for years waiting to be sold, for the fraction of the price of a new bike. Needless to say, production tanked and manufacturers worried about their futures
