More of Dad's racing pics (1982)

[Dadpole]

The "black pipe' GSX1100 started with the T model with an improved X model later. I had the X model. They had wire wheels (for the wider rims) different carbs, youshi spec cams and a heavy duty clutch. The X model had a tube steel swingarm (less flex than alloy one) and different springs and damping in forks.
To think I dumped it for the Z model 1100, but I transplanted all the go-fast motor bits too.

[FROSTY:Me]

Hey Nudemetals --no intent to upset ya re dad dude. No offence intended :slap:
It brings back strong memories to me--He was one of the "big boys" whilst I was on a tiddler 250 proddy bike.

[Bonez]

Back when the Katanas first came out, the styling made quite an impact. Some (most) liked it, but some didn't.

I remember one of the disrespectful nicknames that was bandied around Auckland at the time was "Sultana Banana".....

hmmm,...

Personly I didn't like it at the time. But it grew on me over the years. Prefered to ride the more stade looking 750, which was more comfortable for my 6' frame. Which could incidently keep up with the bigger boys up to the Puhoi pub in the early 80s. It must be true about what they say about shinking with age though. I'm finding the '81 750EX I have a bit tall now.

[nudemetalz]

Hey Nudemetals --no intent to upset ya re dad dude. No offence intended :slap:
It brings back strong memories to me--He was one of the "big boys" whilst I was on a tiddler 250 proddy bike.

Hey no worries, Frosty, not a problem

I've written about him in a very long and emotional thread here in Gen Ravings, so have a squiz in there if you get 5 mins.

Cheers

[roogazza]

[QUOTE=nudemetalz]I'm glad I posted these.
Once again, the old memories from people get triggered and some really interesting info gets posted.

Thanks for the photos bud ! They bring back a lot of memories of production racing, starting in about 70, 71 ! We had quite a large group of very good riders from the Hutt Valley in the Seventies and we are still in touch to this day. Every few months we have a gathering , drink, talk shit, laugh at who's the fattest or baldest, but we're still friends after 35 years ! I reckon that is really neat. G.

[FROSTY:Me]

Just read your other threads. Pretty amazing stuff
-I missed them somehow--probably whilst in the gargre

[badlieutenant]

Its turned into a pretty lucrative buisness.Old Z1 kwakkas and suzuki gsx's in origonal condition being sent to Japan and the states.
Heres my prediction for the future ---Anyone with a clean tidy origonal low milage GSXR750H and GSXR1100h should hide it away somewhere --I think theyre gonne become the collectors item of 2010 or later. That and possibly the Gpz900 ninja

Sorry my mistake re black piper --yep its old age setting in--the old gixxers were the first to be called black pipers
But Im sure (as in I think I recall corectly) there were some very hot kats with black pipes ,wire wheels and flat slide carbs

I think your probably right there frosty on your predictions.
A little of topic but I had mate who had a "black piper" and he went on to bigger "better" bikes, ask him now tho and he will tell you that bike gave him the most fun out of all the road bikes he had.

[FROSTY:Me]

well If we're talking old pictures --Um heres an oldie for ya I found it burried deep in my pile of stuff.

[nudemetalz]

Is that an old GPz ?

[FROSTY:Me]

no mate Its an XJ750--if ya remember bay park --thats the right hander -the ONLY right hander. First race I ever won that one.
Holey cow---ya know it looks like I'm wearing the same leathers Ive got today

[nudemetalz]

What was the XJ like to race?
Did the shaft drive jack the rear end up and down a lot?
Guess smoothness would be the order of the day.

Mind you, Dad said the big Kat could bite back if you weren't riding very smooth. Not a "I'll change my line halfway through the corner" machine.

[FROSTY:Me]

-funny how time blurrs ya memory"as i recall'' the XJ was nimble and would out brake and outhandle a gixxer600---Yea rigght.
actually for its day it was a fine handling bike fairly predctable and as long as ya draged a bit of back brake it was cool.
I used to scare the shit outa guys if i got the hole shot into turn 1
Just as I was exiting Id give a big haul on the bars and she'd shake like crazy--everybody woud wait for me to crash -worked a treat every time
Long time ago that

[nudemetalz]

Was it like an XJ900 with a 750 engine?
Or like one of those 1982 Police like ones?

[FROSTY:Me]

lemme see if I can find a pic of one --russle russle
Yep It was one of these

[What?]

If I remember correctly the black piper was a wire wheel GSX1100 not a Katana, wire wheels,black pipes and different carbs, supposedly built overseas and homologated but a lot of people seem to think they came out of local Suzuki workshop

The "Black Piper" was a GSX1100 which had two black headers and two chromed headers. They were a six-hour special built in South Pacific Suzuki's marine shop in Wanganui.