I had a Mach 111 back in the early 70's what a rush to ride. It was my first real running/relible motorcycle what a learning experience. Wish I had another one just because.

anyone read the reports on the 2012 Kaw 1400 crotch rocket ? 9.71 et @ 149mph STOCK !!!! Now, that's insane

When I had my shop I bought a new Hayabusa in 2002 it had the usual bolt on crap - Yoshi exhaust, power commander, etc. I thought it was fast until I had a customer come in with the same bike only it had a Mr. Turbo kit installed - 5PSI of boost all the time and with a push of the horn button it went to around 10 (if I remember correctly). I did some suspension work for him and installed a new set of tires. I always test rode bikes after tires were installed and made sure I had permission before I did with this machine. He just asked that I didn't "blow the horn". That thing was just ridiculous.
My personal Busa on the first night I took possesion I swore I was going to take it easy and break the bike in. The guys I was riding with were maniacs and lets just say I saw over 150 on the Florida Turnpike that night. I saw right at 170 a few times before getting rid of it. It's amazing that any kid with $ can ride out on a bike with that much power.

what is really amazing about the (stock) 'Busa is how incredibly smooth everything is as well. Most supersport (600, 750) and superbike (1000) machines are quite a bit less refined at higher operating ranges, but that dang 'Busa don't even feel like it's working that hard.

Not for the man that has anything other than the bike to live for, as far as I'm concerned!

Yep, had me a KZ 1000 back in the day, too. I thought it was purty quick.

40 years ago, my bud had gotten the new Kaw 500 triple. What a screamer that thing was! Scared me witless!!!

My father-in-laws Honda CBR-1000 with straight exhaust. I went for 1 ride hit 120mph in 3rd on a short on ramp hit 4th and saw 150mph realized everything was a blur, with a sobering moment of what if...I got off the next ramp and took er back and told my father-in-law to never let me ride it again. I couldn't get the grin off my face for days!
Thats why I ride the R*

Steven

There are so many newer bikes that easily beat even the F1 bikes of the '70s & early '80s.
Back in the late '70s I had a naked Gold Wing that was great, but a friend who was a 1st rate mechanic and fabricator found some deal on a bunch of small Japanese made superchargers designed for industrial engines or something. He created intakes that put the 'charger up under the faux tank and used a small Holly 4 barrel carb.
I rode his test bike, his personal ride, and it was incredible the extra power it pulled out of that motor. Back then he built and sold a number of them. I know some outfit in NC makes a similar set up today. That and dual Weber 45s that sit on either side of the tank.

jd750ace wrote:

I will get one when I find out I have a terminal illness that will kill me slowly.

funny you should mention this

a bloke i knew (couldn´t call him a friend as we´d had disagreements in the past) found out at the age of 39 he had terminal lung cancer due to asbestos exposure and had 1 year left more or less.

he went to the local suzuki dealer, paid the deposit on a hayabusa and never made another payment. from that point he rode that bike to the limit, hit every rally every weekend, partied REAL hard and filled himself up with good booze and any drug he wanted.

he died of a heart attack 9 months later, and IMO showed a level of class i never knew he had. better to burn out than fade away.

I experienced the Kawi Mach 500s and 750s them 2 stroke screamers would go from ZERO- to wheelie ! rode some really fun newer sportbikes with the awesome brakes.. and the Kawasaki inline four is still my God " Ive beat on a couple of 9 second bikes.. but one of the more memorable Scoots I rode was a newer Triumph Rocket and the power was nutts it was so linear you felt like you never had to shift..

Hey Bru!! Your dead on about the Kawi Mach3!! Have you seen one lately? Now that's really scary!! It would do 130mph no problem, on those little skinny tires and those little spoked wheels! I met my best friend 40 years ago when he was in the hospital after he got the tank slappers on a Mach 3 at 130 mph! Didn't break any bones, but he lost a lot of skin!! We're still bffs today!