What was the FIRST Superbike ?

[jerry chabino]

Hi all,

Just wondering what you all thought was the first superbike. ?

Me being 60 years old I pick the kawasaki 900cc Z1 1973-1976 models. 12.1 sec 1/4 mile times.

 

[8Daytona8]

How about the 2 stroke triple

 

[DR1300R]

I think it goes back to the Honda 750 four.. then the widow maker and followed by the Z1's..

I could be wrong though..

 

[jerry chabino]

Yep the Kaw H3 was pretty wild but it was so so wild and did not have a good high speed. My 2 cents

 

[bigoltool]

Vincent Black Shadow! No contest there imho! It was the Hayabusa of it's era!

 

[Nekosohana]

Nortons all the way man.

English pedegree cafe bike. Won the TT more times that it can count.

 

[Nekosohana]

(bigoltool @ Jul. 23 2007,14:03) Vincent Black Shadow! No contest there imho! It was the Hayabusa of it's era!

An excellent choice as well...

But they made another bike called the Black Lightning that made 25 more hp and was 100 lbs lighter.

 

[jerry chabino]

Neko,

ROFLOL

 

[Nekosohana]

(jerry chabino @ Jul. 23 2007,14:25) Neko,

ROFLOL

- While we are laughing, did you notice his top speed in the right corner?

150+ in a bathing suit...

 

[jerry chabino]

HOLY SHEESH !!!!!

 

[tinmann840]

All Hail The Squid King

 

[MORBIDBUSA]

deffenitly the vincent

 

[Busa444]

(jerry chabino @ Jul. 23 2007,15:49) Hi all,

Just wondering what you all thought was the first superbike. ?

Me being 60 years old I pick the kawasaki 900cc Z1 1973-1976 models. 12.1 sec 1/4 mile times.

Not a Z1 but I loved it

 

[The Big Red One]

(jerry chabino @ Jul. 23 2007,13:49) Hi all,

Just wondering what you all thought was the first superbike. ?

Me being 60 years old I pick the kawasaki 900cc Z1 1973-1976 models.  12.1 sec 1/4 mile times.

Actually alot of folks would say the Vincent Black Shadow, they had that old v-twin up to 150 mph when all the other bikes were lucky to break 100. I think that was back in the 1930's? It was kinda the Hayabusa of that era

 

[Rayabusa0818]

(jerry chabino @ Jul. 23 2007,16:49) Hi all,

Just wondering what you all thought was the first superbike. ?

Me being 60 years old I pick the kawasaki 900cc Z1 1973-1976 models.  12.1 sec 1/4 mile times.

I agree...the three cylinder two stroke 750 was hot...but the KZ900 was king of the road. Owning one of them was equivalent to owning a Busa now.

 

[JINKSTER]

Well?..as i recall?...yep....the 750 trips were bad as hell and the KZ900's took 4 stroke into bad-to-the-bone land but...i'm surprised no one has mentioned the CBX yet...as i recall?...KZ's had the nod by popularity but...I never recalled any CBX owners fearing them.

 

[BangkokBusa]

I think the terminology of "superbike" belongs to the 1984 Kawasaki Ninja. Its predecessors were certainly super. A new species of sportbike began with the zx900a-1. Of course I'm very biased!

 

[proud dad]

THE HAYABUSA

 

[bigoltool]

I'm sticking with my Vincent answer above for defining a true streetable Superbike....But in the grand scheme of things the heyday of Superbike Racing in the USA (for me anyways) I have to think back to the days of 1025cc AMA fire breathing superbikes! Wes Cooley on the Old GS1000, Lawson on the Kawi and Freddie Spencer on the Honda! Tubular Handlebars wide as a truck, frames that had gussets welded all over the place to stop em from tearing apart, twin shocks and no bodywork except a bikini fairing! Man VS machine! AH AH AH!!!

BTW that Rollie Free picture (prone on the Vincent in a speedo!) makes me want to watch worlds fastest Indian again! Although the actor who played him in that movie had no business in a speedo EVER!

 

[Cykill]

Can't leave out the VFR1000 from that list also, first full fairing "Super Bike" to hit the streets. was 1 of my favorite bikes (that i've owned).

the GS1100 was a great bike at the time, had 1 of those too.

But my favorite bike (not counting the Busa) was my Eliminator. I just loved that bike. Not really a "SuperBike" but i had a blast on it.

The Yam RD 500 and 300 need to be included in the list also.

And of course can't leave out the 2 stroke tripples. (never owned 1, but had friends that did. What a f-ing monster!