What notable 1983 models?

[Big Dave]

I'm doing a new K1300S BMW yarn and referencing the 1983 K100 series release in the set up.

Can anyone recall any other famous or infamous models released in that august year of 1983?

Also what were you riding then?

[jim.cox]

Can anyone recall any other famous or infamous models released in that august year of 1983?

Didnt the first of the Rubber Band Ducks (F1, Pantah, Allazura) appear around then?

Edit: 500 rubber motor was 1980, 1983 saw the 650 Pantah SL (and lamentable TL). F1 wasn't till 85


Also what were you riding then?

Suzuki GT550, Laverda Jota && Notrun Commando

[HenryDorsetCase]

I'm doing a new K1300S BMW yarn and referencing the 1983 K100 series release in the set up.

Can anyone recall any other famous or infamous models released in that august year of 1983?

Also what were you riding then?

I had either my GSX400 or had just upgraded to a GSX750. aircooled, 4 valve heads and TSCC. in racing red.

GPZ900 come out in '83? or was it 85?

edit: Wiki says 1984, who am I to argue?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_GPZ900R

[tri boy]

Honda VF750F's were doing alright in the Aussie race scene.
Also the release of Suzi's lil250 Gamma. (RG250)
Oooh, and for something left of centre, maybe the Hesketh 1000
Two Wheels Aug83 also had a test on Kwaka's Z1000R. (lime green. blurgggh)
GSX400FWS
BOTY (Bike of the year) Two Wheels was Kwaka Z750GT.
Contenders:Pantah500, CBX550, GPZ550,BMW R65LS, Harley FXRS, SuziGS1100G
Weird bikes like Honda's FT500 Ascot, and Yamaha XZ550RJ were also about.

[riffer]

Benelli 125 Sport
Benelli 900 Sei
BMW R 65
BMW K 100
BMW K 100 RS
BMW R 80 RT
BMW R 80 ST
BMW R 100 CS
BMW R 45
BMW R 100 RS
BMW R 65 LS
BMW R 100 RT
Dnepr MT-10/36
Ducati 900 SS Hailwood-Replica
Ducati 350 XL
Ducati 500 SL Pantah
Ducati 600 TL Pantah
Ducati 900 S 2
Ducati 600 SL Pantah
Enfield 350 Bullet De Luxe
HD FXE 1340 Super Glide
HD XLX 1000-61
HD FLTC 1340 Tour Glide Classic
HD FXRT 1340 Sport Glide
HD FLHTC 1340 EIectra Glide Classic
HD FLH 1340 EIectra Glide Belt Drive
HD FXWG 1340 Wide Glide
HD XLH 1000 Sportster
HD XR 1000
HD FXRS 1340 Low Glide
HD XLS 1000 Roadster
HD FXSB 1340 Low Rider
HD SXT 125
HD SX 250
Honda CM 125 C
Honda VF 750 C
Honda CB 1100 R
Honda CL 250 S
Honda VF 750 F
Honda XL 500 R
Honda GL 500 Silver Wing
Honda CB 250 RS
Honda XL 250 R
Honda GL 650
Honda FT 500
Honda VF 750 S
Honda CX 650 C
Honda XL 600 R
Honda XL 200 R
Honda CB 125 T 2
Honda CX 650 Turbo
Honda CX 500 Turbo
Honda MTX 200 RW
Honda GL 1100 Gold Wing
Honda CB 400 N
Honda CB 1100 F
Honda CB 750 F 2
Honda GL 500 Silver Wing
Honda CX 500 C
Honda CBX 550 F
Honda CX 500 E
Honda XL 185 S
Honda CB 900 F 2 Bol d`Or
Honda CX 650 C
Honda VT 500 E
Honda CX 650 E
Honda CB 250 RSD
Honda VT 500 C
Honda GL 650
Honda VT 500 E
Honda CBX 650 E
Honda CBX 550 F 2
Honda CM 400 T
Honda CB 250 N
Honda CB 1100 F
Honda GL 1100 Gold Wing De Luxe
Honda CB 650 RC
Honda VF 1100 C / V65 Magna
Honda CB 750 C
Honda CM 250 C
Jawa 350 Type 634.6
Kawasaki GPZ 750
Kawasaki Z 750 GT
Kawasaki KDX 175
Kawasaki Z 750 L
Kawasaki KLX 250
Kawasaki KL 250
Kawasaki Z 750 LTD Belt Drive
Kawasaki Z 250 LTD
Kawasaki Z 1000 J
Kawasaki Z 400 J
Kawasaki GPZ 400
Kawasaki Z 750 Sport
Kawasaki Z 550 GT
Kawasaki Z 1000 R
Kawasaki Z 1300
Kawasaki KE 125
Kawasaki GPZ 250 Belt Drive
Kawasaki Z 250 A
Kawasaki Z 250 C
Kawasaki Z 550 LTD
Kawasaki Z 440 LTD Belt Drive
Kawasaki GPZ 550
Kawasaki Z 750 LTD Twin
Kawasaki Z 440 LTD
Kawasaki GPZ 1100
Kawasaki Z 1100 ST
Kawasaki GPZ 305
Kawasaki Z 250 LTD Belt Drive
Kawasaki Z 750 LTD
KTM 500 K 4 Enduro
Laverda 1000 RGS
Malanca 125 E 2 CS ob one Racing
Moto Guzzi V 50 C
Moto Guzzi V 65 SP
Moto Guzzi V 1000 California II
Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans III
Moto Guzzi V 50 III
Moto Guzzi V 50 Monza
Moto Morini 350 Kanguro
Moto Morini 3 1/2 S
MuZ ETZ 250
Suzuki GNX 250 E
Suzuki GSX 1100 ES
Suzuki GSX 400 F Katana
Suzuki GSX 1100 E
Suzuki GSX 1100 S Katana
Suzuki GSX 750 ES
Suzuki GS 650 G Katana
Suzuki GR 650 X
Suzuki GSX 750 E
Suzuki DR 500 S
Suzuki DR 250 S
Suzuki DR 125 S
Suzuki GR 650
Suzuki GSX 550 ES
Suzuki GSX 400 E
Suzuki GSX 750 S Katana
Suzuki GSX 400 S
Triumph T 140 E Bonnevllle
Triumph TSS
Triumph TR 6 Thunderbird
Triumph TSX
Yamaha SR 500
Yamaha XS 650 SE
Yamaha XJ 900
Yamaha SR 250 SE
Yamaha XT 250
Yamaha XJ 650 Turbo
Yamaha XJ 650
Yamaha XS 650
Yamaha RD 125 LC
Yamaha XS 400 SE
Yamaha XZ 550 S
Yamaha XJ 550
Yamaha RD 350 LC YPVS
Yamaha XS 400 DOHC
Yamaha XZ 550
Yamaha XV 750 SE
Yamaha XT 550
Yamaha XJ 750
Yamaha XS 400 DOHC
Yamaha RD 350 LC YPVS
Yamaha XV 500
Yamaha TR 1
Yamaha XT 550
Yamaha RD 250 LC
Yamaha XV 1000 SE Midnight Special
Yamaha XJ 650
Yamaha DT 125 LC

[FROSTY]

For me personally it has to be the Yamaha XJ900.
Similar bike to the K100 and when you think about it sort of similar product evolution since then with the FJR1300
What would be a great fun story would be a then/now story --XJ900 VS K100 then FJR1300 Vs K1200

[Scouse]

I'm doing a new K1300S BMW yarn and referencing the 1983 K100 series release in the set up.

Can anyone recall any other famous or infamous models released in that august year of 1983?

Also what were you riding then?Honda VFF750F Interceptor
I was very proud of the example that I owned at the time and they were cleaning up on the race scene over here as 750cc was the most you could race in production class.

[ajturbo]

My xj 650 turbo...

and i was riding the might TS 125 ER..

[Bren]

Bugger, I wasnt riding till 1986, but had an XR250 poster on my bedroom wall

[Big Dave]

My xj 650 turbo...

.

Would you say that the K100 or the XJ650 was the more radical engineering for the day?

I think I'll still say the K100 because it was such a big departure from 60 years of boxers.

[rogson]

Suzuki GR650.
The bike faded into obscurity - competent lightweight, agile commuter but a bit mundane compared with the plethora of I-4s available at the time.

However, the variable mass flywheel technology (heavy at low revs - light at high revs) was unique, and has never been used again on any bike (Suzukis or any other make) as far as I'm aware.

[Big Dave]

Suzuki GR650.
The bike faded into obscurity - competent lightweight, agile commuter but a bit mundane compared with the plethora of I-4s available at the time.

However, the variable mass flywheel technology (heavy at low revs - light at high revs) was unique, and has never been used again on any bike (Suzukis or any other make) as far as I'm aware.

I rode one. White unit. My neighbor had one at the time.

[Motu]

The Honda XLV750 was released in 1983....but not in NZ.

I was riding...??? I may have still had my '62 Norton Domi 99,maybe the 1972 BMW R60/5,had a JB child/adult sidecar,Puch 175 scooter,Yamaha TY175...maybe also the road racing BSA sidecar,with A65 engine.These bikes were all owned at the same time,gradually being flicked off until all I had in 1985 was the TY175 and a CB750.

[Mystic13]

I'd stepped up from the Suzuki GT250 Ram Air (green and white) to the Suzuki GS550E? (Red) new from Mike Vinsen Suzuki on Beach Road in Auckland.

[YellowDog]

I thought I had an RD400, but looking at the list, it must have been an RD350 ?

Very good bike.

[MIXONE]

I was riding a CBX.I still miss that howl.
Now I ride an old brick!

[Bren]

I was riding a CBX.I still miss that howl.
Now I ride an old brick!

Is that a K75 or K100?

[Rhubarb]

In 83' I was on a YZ80 having just graduated from a XR75 but I longed for a water cooled YZ125. (I got one several years later but it was a bit old then)

The road bike I dreamed of was an XJ650 Turbo. Once again I eventually got one but it wasn't the turbo version and it was also 10 years old by the time I got it.

I currently have a mid 80's GSX750. Love it.

[Scouse]

Would you say that the K100 or the XJ650 was the more radical engineering for the day?

I think I'll still say the K100 because it was such a big departure from 60 years of boxers.Id say the VF750F Because the V4 engine was a departure from the plethora of inline 4's also the first production motorcycle with a steel box section frame.

[hospitalfood]

i probably started riding in 83 ( about 11 years old ) out on a farm on an RD50 of all things. great fun, somehow it would get up grassy hills, me and 2 other mates cained it for days before discovering if we changed gear it went even faster.

[BMWST?]

hmmm 83 i would have had a z1000j,bought from Norjos in CHCH.Glenn Williams had just cleaned up a whole lot of Proddy races on a Z1000j.That was soon to be traded on a Ducati 900S2 which itself was traded on a K100 RS which at the time was 13500......The Duck was 10,000 or thereabouts....cant remember what the Z cost me.
the beemer was amazingly flexible AND economical
As i came out of Bike Clinic in Upper Taranaki street next door in the 2 nd hand car yard(wright stephensons or cable price) was a near new VL commodore for about the same coin...i did have brief WTF moment

[paturoa]

and at the other end of the spectrum to the beemer was the RG250
http://www.suzukicycles.org/RG-series/RG250-Gamma.shtml

[RDjase]

RZ350 YPVS was 1983,

1st unitrak GPZ750 , I had one 15 years ago, good fun, ive got a project one now,

I had a C200 honda, 1964 90cc pushrod OHC engine , never seen another one like it .i lent it to a mate a he went to work on it , run out of gas , left it on the side of the road and it got pinched,
Probably good , getting rid or hondas early in my riding career lol

And MVX250 was 1983, what a bike ...............NOT

[merv]

Suzuki GR650.
The bike faded into obscurity - competent lightweight, agile commuter but a bit mundane compared with the plethora of I-4s available at the time.

However, the variable mass flywheel technology (heavy at low revs - light at high revs) was unique, and has never been used again on any bike (Suzukis or any other make) as far as I'm aware.

GR650, you want to buy one, I have my brother's (RIP) which is in reasonable nick, and surplus to my requirements? Was going to give it the once over shortly and look to selling it but just been too busy.

As for other bikes, though not on riffer's list 1983 for me was the year of the Honda XR200RD (as opposed to the XL200R) which I reckon was the best XR200 model made and was an enduro weapon of choice at the time for small fellahs like me lol :clap:

[merv]

I thought I had an RD400, but looking at the list, it must have been an RD350 ?

Very good bike.

Probably was a 400 as they were around well before '83 in aircooled form. The RD350 on riffer's list is the LC "liquid cooled" forerunner to the mighty RZ350.

[Pedrostt500]

That year I traded up the mighty TS 185 ER for a DR 250 S.

[geoffm]

RZ350L - replacement for the mighty Elsie, with power valves, more power and dodgy stators and CDIs.
Ringadingaiding!

[MIXONE]

is that a k75 or k100?

87 k75s...

[Mully]

Can anyone recall any other famous or infamous models released in that august year of 1983?


Miss Mully

:love:

[SARGE]

I'm doing a new K1300S BMW yarn and referencing the 1983 K100 series release in the set up.

Can anyone recall any other famous or infamous models released in that august year of 1983?

Also what were you riding then?

the REAL king of bikes ... the 1983 Yamaha FJ1100..

in 1983 i was riding a Honda CB650 Nighthawk, and a Huey

[Gremlin]

Can anyone recall any other famous or infamous models released in that august year of 1983?
Gosh Dave, I didn't know you'd refer to me as a model... but OK :blank:

(no seriously, I was unleashed on the world in August '83) :lol:

[nudemetalz]

My old man was the workshop manager for Mike Vinsen Suzuki in Auckland back in 1983.
I was racing a brand-new RM80 in Junior motocross back then.

[RDjase]

Yamaha RD 350 LC YPVS


Must be a UK list as the poms never had a RZ, and called the 1st RZ a RD350LC2

And Japan called all the water cooled models (1980 on ) RZs