Another bevy of two wheeled beauties to behold from the Hebron show. This time a selection of big Zed Kawasakis from the seventies. Each different to their owners tastes but all rideable as hell!
May 23, 2016
Flex your muscles
May 17, 2016
Still Dangerous
Ninja 900- the fast Kawasaki motorcycle used to race F-14 Tomcats in Top Gun. It’s now 30 years since its release on this day catapulting Tom Cruise into superstardom.
That is a darn good bike!
May 12, 2016
My Rushmore
If you had to pick four motorcycles to be carved in Dakota granite like Gutzon Borglums mighty heads of US history what would they be? Here are mine: Washington is a Vincent Black Shadow; Jefferson is a Kawasaki Z1; Roosevelt a Ducati 916; and Lincoln a Bonneville, new 2016 or old 1968 model.
April 14, 2016
TBT part two
Top Gun: this ebony black and blood red Ninja was my ride in the mid two thousands. For a twenty year old bike (at the time) it pulled like a train with the heart of an atom bomb. The Good Times Rolled on that one!
April 14, 2016
TBT
It’s not easy being green: so says our favorite amphibian muppet. But we can have fun whilst donning a verdant hue! Here’s my Kawasaki ZX6 from 15 years ago which was my sole transportation in Chicago at the time. It had a beefy growl as the speed picked up with the ram air intake, and the Micron pipe I put on added to the engines accompanying bass percussion. Loved that moto!
March 17, 2016
Team Green
To celebrate St Patrick’s day here is a couple of old snaps from the memory banks. Me and my Kawasaki Ninja which was my main mode of transportation for a few years when we first settled here in Chicago. She had plenty of oomph, easily cracking the ton and a half, and that lime green sure was a purdy color.
I really enjoyed zipping along Lake Shore Drive ; water on one side, buildings the other.
January 25, 2016
Sergeant Pepper
For the benefit of Mr Bike
A show held in a fortnight in Scotland’s Lanark.
The Triumph crowd will all be there , Norton owners, BSA’s what a lark.
A few Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha will compete with Hondas for the fair oh what a jumble.
In this way Mr B will challenge the world.
Call Agnes’s on the telephone
To assure you sellers have a home to sell your bike.
And of course this is year twenty four
for jumbles of the two wheeled sort for parts you’ll like.
Opposite the racecourse on the seventy three Mr B flies through heated hall and restaurant.
And at Lawries and Symington mart this gathering is held.
The gathering is on the floor
Through the agricultural center doors way out back
Bob McIntrye race will demonstrate,
That old bikes can circulate around a track.
Organized by the SCRMC limited
A splendid time is guaranteed in June
But Sunday the Seventh haggis and chips are topping the bill.
(Acknowledgements to Lennon/McCartney)
December 27, 2015
Hot Wheels
“You’re Dangerous!” The epitome of fighter jock movies Top Gun will be thirty next year. Known for cool aerial antics with Tom Cruise’s Macerick zooming the skies over Miramar CA it also showcases a superb motorcycle from Kawasaki: the GPZ900 Ninja.
Now suitably available as a miniature Hot Wheels complete with decals used on the movies Moto…
I had one for 5 years and I loved it!
September 24, 2015
TBT* #42
*Throwback Thursday
Here’s me enjoying a spring ride back in ’05 on my Twenty year old Ninja. The now classic Kawasaki ZX900 in Top Gun colors. A jaunt up to and around Lake Geneva was my favorite hare. The photos are taken on a sturdy and trusty Nikon F3. Darned good camera and a darnder good Moto too!
August 17, 2015
Vintage ain’t just for European bikes
Kawasaki’s King KZ900: this example was polished to the highest mirror-like sheen by its owner as I was taking this photo. Power master of the seventies.
This Yamaha RD350 was a different approach to speed. Two stroke with Yamahas Power Valve System, basically racing developed fuel injection for the narrow power banded strokers allowing road racers to scream the streets like GP champs on the track.
Suzuki, on the other hand delved into alternative engine technology in their RE5. A Wankel rotary powerplant, though offering smooth power delivery requires careful cooling and hence complicated plumbing. Nortons rotaries were much more sucessful with Suzukis machine only being produced for a couple of years.
Talking of smooth; here’s Honda’s Mr Smooth. Offered in the six cylinder behemoth CBX. The superbike that connected the seventies development of the air cooled muscles like the CB750 through the Kawasakis and other 750 and 900’s to the eighties water cooled Ninjas and GSX-R’s. A hefty brute but solid power house nonetheless. A nice example.
August 8, 2015
More Speed Vicar?
This Rickman framed Triumph stood out in proud orange at Ed’s shop. Next to it an immaculate pre-unit Bonneville. Both truly desirable bikes. But that repli-racer: it’s a stunner!
Ground-up concours restoration of an amaranth red Speed Twin. Sublime and worth gazing at for hours. Put it on a plinth and enjoy the artistry that was Meriden engineering at its best.
A hourglass figure as prepared on an X75 Hurricane. Craig Vetter inspired lines and color maje this much sought after machine a beauty to behold!
A Big Zed! Power in a Can… Just love this, one of the first giant slayer muscle bikes to come from the Far East. I’m going to have to build a bigger garage!
July 3, 2015
The Bike with the Dragon Tattoo
The coiled serpent twisting its scaly body around the tank of this Big Zed fuels its embodiment of strength from the liter powerhouse.
Fire breather! Roaring Worm!
July 1, 2015
More Goodies
there was plenty of eye candy at Motoblot. Each belonged to a dedicated owner who loves showing off their steed. Each washed to a mirror shine reflecting admirers faces in their perfectly designed curves. Each represents a history unto itself.
What was old now is new:
Indian. The new cruiser looks set for a haul along Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. The old police bike would be a great ‘big road’ rider.
Kawasaki? Team Green knows about power – like this canny Eddie Lawson bicep is set for action.
The Purple People Eater: two stoke powerband terror of the seventies would scare the mane off a lion. The Mach IV
The bumblebee world traveller is the much desired BMW GS1000. Big legs for long distances.
A weary looking edge worn Beemer yearns for Barvarian strasse to plod along…
More fun than a barrel of baby sloth (look it up you’ll agree that’s a lot of fun!)
June 2, 2015
Muscle
Roll up your sleeves here’s the lads with a barrel of horses under their white vest wife-beater shirts. First off its the Triumph Speed Triple, a burly bruiser that “does what is says on the tin”. #1 on my list of bouncer bikes.
Next off: Kawasaki’s ZRX the Eddie Lawson retro-racer its sublime looks harking back to the big Zed liter bikes from the early eighties. #2 on my want list… In green and purple and a throaty Muzzy pipe too!
Last up: Suzuki Bandit the detuned GSX-R hearted stunt beast. Red looks good but black would be better. Third on the list. #3
April 21, 2015
Top Speed
The progression of fast. This chart represents the fastest production motorcycles over the last century. The decades long plateau reflects a half century reign of two British Greats: Brought Superior SS100 (TE Lawrence’s ride of choice) and the veritable Vincent Black Shadow. The steeper section have the early racing developments and the latter competitive superbike wars. My 1985 Ninja 900 takes up a few years in the late eighties.
geordiebiker.com 