HISTORY THURSDAY!
Iconic Motorcycles - Part 1
At Mundimotos, we're crazy motorcycle enthusiasts, so we want to share with you all the excitement we feel when we see all these models, which in their time didn't bring big smiles to our faces when we saw them in those European and American magazines. Without further ado, let's get straight to what really matters to us: the beauties that marked history...
Yamaha XT500
The XT's most distinctive feature was its 499cc air-cooled SOHC engine, with a square bore and stroke, yet still flexible enough to deliver a traditional long-stroke single. Its 32 hp power output allowed it to reach a top speed of 145 km/h and, more importantly, the XT had a smooth ride, with excellent low-rev response. It also featured a simple, well-maintained aesthetic and good handling thanks to a curb weight of just 149 kilograms.
Yamaha quickly improved the XT, adding features such as a heavier-duty skid plate, a more integrated exhaust, and rubber-mounted turn signals to the most popular 1977 version. Other modifications, such as an alloy fuel tank and improved suspension, kept the XT in production well into the 1980s.
Honda CBX1000
The Honda CBX was a sportbike manufactured by Honda between 1978 and 1982. With a 1047cc straight-six engine producing 105 HP (106.5 bhp), it was the flagship of the Honda range. The CBX was well received by the press, but would be surpassed by its sister model, the Honda CB900F.
Honda had produced a six-cylinder Honda RC series racing motorcycle in the mid-1960s, but the CBX was the first mass-produced 6-cylinder Honda road bike to feature technology derived from a GP racing engine. The advanced 24-valve overhead camshaft straight-six engine was its most notable feature; but in other respects it was a conventional model, with telescopic forks, a tubular frame, twin rear shock absorbers and straight handlebars.
Kawasaki Z1300
At the end of 1978, the Spanish magazines Solo Moto and Motociclismo were already delighting us with a test of the Z1300. That model arrived to mark a milestone in terms of displacement and power, as the 1,286 cc engine achieved a declared 120 hp at 8,000 rpm and an acceleration of 11.7 seconds in the 400m. The engine was a six-cylinder inline with modern technology for the time: liquid cooling, double overhead camshafts, but like the Benelli, it had three carburetors (two for each cylinder) instead of the Honda's six carburetors.
Although it might look like a sporty car, its driving position, size, heavy weight of around 300 kg (660 lbs) dry, and shaft transmission made it more of a tourist destination. However, its engine's power allowed it to easily surpass the 220 km/h (137 mph) barrier, which wasn't bad considering its weight and age.
Ducati 750SS
The history of the Ducati 750SS is directly linked to the world of racing. This model is directly derived from the Ducati 750 Imola, which, ridden by Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari, finished first and second in the 200 Miles of Imola, beating the great Giacomo Agostini.
Only certain components had been refined to make it a little more usable. The fairing, a replica of the racing model, incorporated the headlight, while the tail maintained the single-seater design. The fuel tank, which had a 24-liter capacity on the racing model, was reduced in size, and the suspension was slightly more conventional. Its brakes, however, remained unchanged.
Finally, the engine's compression ratio was reduced, although it retained the 40 mm Dell'Orto carburetors with their corresponding fuel pump. All in all, its weight was only 187 kilos, with a power output of 73 horsepower at 9,500 rpm.
