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Remember the MrTurbo kits that people used to bolt to big Aircooled Kwack Z’ds and Suzi GSX aircooled 1100 etc.
Then the likes of the Yamaha XJ650 Turbo, Suzuki XN85, Honda CX500/650 turbo(!!) and Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo came along and turbo bikes were seen as the future of biking. Then it all kind of went away with a bit of a whimper really after only a couple of years. I wonder if the turbo will ever make a come back? Now only the GPz out of that group is remembered with respect as a performance bike, and apart from the odd turbo Busa I never even read much about turbo bikes at all.
Yamaha XJ650Turbo
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/yamaha/yamaha_xj650_turbo.htm
Honda CX500(650) Turbohttps://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Honda/honda_cx650_turbo%2081.htm
Kawasaki GPZ750 Turbo ~ the best of the bunch by far
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_gpz750_turbo%2083.htm
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/suzu/suzuki_xn85d83.htmturbo’s give to much of a “sudden” rush for two wheels superchargers are the way to go mate more progressive input i think
Supercharging would be interesting on a Twin in particular, but would the extra weight negate the benefits?
not with modern units i saw a nice set up on a speed triple at the nec a coupla years ago i think it weighed less then 10kg and “only” cost £4000 fitted to any bike
10kg = that is impressive. £4K not so impressive, but the price would come down with production volumes at Honda, Yamaha etc I suppose
The factory turbos were marketing experiments to see if they would lead to big sales, not because they were needed by riders. After all why buy a 500 turbo (CX) when the same company made a 900 (CB) with the same power and just about the same weight (plus much more simple design and better throttle response). It was just shallow marketing, and that is why they did not prosper. And these days, when it’s easy to get more and more power out of a low-mass bike, they are even less needed. Turbo your GSXR600 sir? No thanks my man, I’ll just take the GSXR 1000 instead. The only place where turbos will rule is the aftermarket.
Turbos, even well designed installations, have throttle response characteristics that are OK on cars with their rubber bushed suspensions and high inertia, but totally unsuited to motorcycles. A motorcycle needs a progressive, torque-responsive throttle. A turbo is a little mushy at low revs, interesting as it spools up and then goes whhooooooooooooossshhh as the world flies backwards. Believe me; I’ve ridden lots of bikes and currently own a turbo car.
Now, superchargers, that’s a different story…
Riding review of the Z1R Turbo in the January 2007 edition of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics. Geared for 158mph! Scary!
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Originally posted by Radar… Geared for 158mph! Scary!
Yup, burn your left leg and crap your pants all at the same time!
C-mon.. surely theres no need to even consider shoe-horning a turbo onto modern bikes, they produce enough top end rush which is ample for our highways… event the big-bore bikes produce more torque than you can effectively use, unless you like the idea of flipping your bike at the lights???
fair point but its fun to have something trely unique..when someone buys a new bike, mainly on finance they have lots of money left over for mods and everyone buys the same things. its boring..you think you have something unique and it turns out there 4 bikes the same when u get to the bike cafe.
turbos an superchargers are the way forward. hardly anyone has them (cos theyre too damn expensive) and you can smoke that little f*cker that always overtakes you on a daft bend and you feel stupid for.
alternativly bail on the heavy weight stuff and just get nitrous, i can get a wet kit for mine for 400 quid all in..bargain!
otherwise i can nip over to america (expensive) and take 9000 dollars (expensive) and bring me a turbo back that bolts right on.Turbo bikes have a certain ‘something’ if they make little sense in the real world. There used to be a cracking video clip of a turbo’d busa on this site somehere
this is what a Turbo Busa can do
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