@mick40m same I rode one 16miles on b roads. Rode it back after my sisters friend bought. It bounced all over the place, trucks passing me and the position of the rear brake pedal was horrendous. Will never go on another, those scooter boys have some balls and live in a different timescale.
I found the H2 easy to ride fast, and knew better than to try to ride a big early-70s Japanese bike fast through bumpy bends. Not the sort of bike I'd buy, though, because I treated the throttle like a control, not a switch. The H1 500? Now that really was scary, flexing frame and no brakes. Not a widow-maker, however, because most of its buyers/victims were single.
@@bertmeinders6758 , I built my H-1 into a drag-bike complete with Bill Wirges expansion chambers, Avon 4.00X18 slick, I traded it for a 427 Chevelle SS. When all said and done it was putting out between 90-105 hp, it was very scary, that's why I traded it, lol.
30 years ago a friend got a Vmax and a new nickname, he became known as "Clunk" because if he went around a tight corner there was often a clunk as he was in the wrong gear and dropped the Vmax😂
A mate had one of the first RG500's. He offered to give me a lift home after I had dropped my bike at his workshop. He was an FN quick rider and in hindsight I should have known better from the way he was grinning as he made the offer... I made several promises to all the gods on the way home that I would be good hereafter if they would. please. not let me die a horrible death. With my weight on the rear it monowheeled most of the way when not on its side on the by-pass RAB's. Not even Vanish could have shifted the stains on my boxers. So why do I still want one...
A guy i met when we both used to do rider training lent me his TL1000. He used to race bikes, so he knew how to handle it. We both agreed that the main problem was actually the rider, not the bike. They never respected it, so rode it like an idiot and came a cropper. When I took it out, I just took my time to get to understand it before I pushed it. Yes, it was a hairy chested bike, but it was fun. When I dropped it back to him, I had a beeming smile on my face when I took my lid off.
I would whole heartedly agree with your comments, I found it to be a totally engaging ride and didn't understand why people demonised the TL. I did however end up completely changing the front and rear suspension and felt it did make quite a difference, a more settled controlled feel and that motor was such a fine piece of engineering, its no wonder it's still around today
@@bikerdood1100 I've owned 23 motorcycles my brother many more. We've made changes to every bike we've owned so that they work better for us. Motorcycles are mass produced, humans are all individuals.
@@matauboy only 20 ? Humans are indeed individuals Well mostly I do wonder about the extent of free will when everyone buys the same products And slavishly follows trends
LOVED my TL1000s, 97 Model, Hyperpro rear damper unit sorted the handling, BONKERS Engine, Apparently tall, skinny blokes had problems with headshaking, due to front end , I was short and chunky, and we got on just fine! Love the channel. Cheers, DINO.
Some of the scariest bikes I've seen were the ones ridden by my mates in the 90s/00s. Nothing special about the models, mostly Japanese 4s around 1000cc, but it was the condition of them and the attitude of the riders that was scary. Frame cracked? that will be ok - rear brake not working? I'll just take the pads out - front brake sticking on? I'll just open the bleed screw and let some fluid out. We used to go away for the weekend on group rides, and do 4-500 miles. I don't remember a single occasion when all the bikes made it back under their own power. My T140 was the oldest and slowest (on paper), but I was a mechanic, and mine was the only bike that never broke down. As far as the others were concerned, maintenance was something that happened to other people, and you only fixed something if it stopped the bike running. I still miss those days though, sitting at the roadside, trying to patch up someone's ropey bike so we could get back before dark, because someone else's lights didn't work.
@@rickconstant6106 my last group ride was a funeral for a friend . I was the last bike in the group . That was 5 years ago . Most riders were on Harleys in that group so my Honda at the back was appropriate in their eyes . Luckily nobody broke down .
Great video, really enjoyed it, what about the 250 two strokes of the late 60s and mid 70s 😮 , I’ve got a 1973 Suzuki GT250K resplendent in candy apple 🍏 green, i had the first one in Northern Ireland on my birthday in April of 73 and I still get a kick out of just looking at them. I’ve got one in the shed that’s had a complete nut and bolt restoration, she’s still in bits, but come hell or high water I’m gonna try to git er built this year before I get any older 😮😊lol
The original V Max had around 143 / 145 bhp, not 120. I remember it coming out, as I was 18 at the time. There was a lower power version imported to the UK initially ( a poxy 100 bhp, I believe!), but that was not a standard machine, obviously.
120 at rearwheel. The restricted 100 hp version is basically the same engine but without the VBoost system. Still a strong bike though. My Canadian version does 240 kph on the clock on German Autobahn maybe 225 kph in real... and stable to top speed. It is mainly the pilot who cramps himself to the steering bar bringing in strange behavior of that bike at high speed. Just hold it smooth and it will bring you more fun than most other bikes. I will NEVER sell the 1200 VMax even though I own the 1700 as well meanwhile.
@@henrydegan6204 nice comment. What do you think of the 1700 v compared to the old 1200? Im in two minds about owning one. I've had the 1200 16 years so its now a family member.
As far as I can remember, the scariest bike I’ve ever ridden was an old Harley Davidson Duo Glide Panhead. The absolute lack of brake force was mind boggling. It really didn’t have a place in modern traffic. And I have ridden V-Rods, TL 1000, V-Max and the two 500 cc 2-strokes, so fast bikes wasn’t new to me. 250 kilos of steel and no brakes scared me. 😂
The tech involved requires lots of engine internal parts for a NA 1100 GPZed. The turbobike was built stout, needs only turning the wastegate adjuster to make more boost. It does require clipping of one wire to put the ECM into "race mode:.
@@bikerdood1100 With modern rubber fast is a whole different thing on a turbo750. Pushing luck applies to all matters involved with humanity. Focus on the machine at hand always. Be it moped or turbo Hayabusa. Which is my oldman touring dream build. I am old, time to build one. Too much is just enough!
@@upsidedowndog1256 different mind set A bike is how I get around and my passion How fast it goes is surprisingly low down my list, especially when covering big distances For me a bike is not and never has been a toy Would I ever buy a Hayabusa Hell no 😂😂😂
@@bikerdood1100 The island you live on would not necessitate such a machine, I am sure. Good doctors are 100 miles away for me. To get to CA from AR is about a 24 hour boring drive. Turn on the boost!My bikes are not toys.
The first motorcycle I ever sat on was my oldest brother's Kawasaki 500 triple in 1970. He was a drag racer and it was his first and only bike, I was a four year old and I was hooked! My roommate had an early Suzuki TL1000, as I recall it was almost immediately recalled to have a steering dampener installed. I noticed an aftermarket one on the bike you featured. It's nice to have some association with a couple of bikes on your list. Maybe you could make a scariest vintage list, there were some questionable things going on in the early days, the Megola rotary engined machine or the Brough Superior come to mind. Perhaps the shortly lived Cyclone from my home town of St.Paul, Minnesota (1912-1917) with 45hp and 100mph top speed was the most criminally insane motorcycle of all time.
Nice video , well done. I think the Suzuki TL engine is one of the most longlasting being used in slightly different tune and engine case materials, in the SV and DL types.
sure, yet the the TL 1000 isn't exactly a DL 650. One is certainly a lot more bland, but isn't trying to kill you, and isn't going to do it very quickly anyway :) Great bike still
Nice! You forgot the hairiest bike ever made, the 84-85 Kawasaki 750 turbo. That bike was 25 years ahead of tire technology. I own one. The TL1000 morphed into the SV1000S, a great bike. I own one of those too. The 85 VMax was the only year that they made 140hp, after that they were neutered. I have ridden one. Kind of fun but too heavy, no reason to want one. The 750 turbo is king in my mind. Crazy power delivery, good chassis and brakes. Sounds badass.
@@bikerdood1100 Really? Have you ridden one? I bought mine in 2003. Every time I ride it I get the same thought from the 1st ride. How is this legal to ride on roads! 2nd gear exceeds all speed limits. 3rd makes it easier. 4th, 5th, and 6th (rarely used on my bike) are your ticket to jail time with a barely perceptible twist of the wrist. That settles it for me. I need a 2010ish CBR1000rrr, pre "rider aids"!
@@bikerdood1100 I've never tried the Turbo 750 but I did have a Gpz 900R. Very fast back in the 80's , it handled well for a jap, good brakes but the anti-dive forks were a gimmick. Simply adjust them down to the minimum settings and it behaved like a normal bike instead of the front wheel bouncing across the road when braking going into a bumpy stretch of road. I note that none of the bikes you have mentioned here are British or Italian. I wonder why I still ride an old Bonnie and a proper Ducati?
Yup! Had a 500 Mach 3 with aftermarket pipes. It was a white knuckle ride with extreme frame flex & poor brakes! My friends never wanted to ride it a second time!🤔
I have actually heard of all of these bikes, but I cant think why but one bike would not go near even when riding in my prime is the MUNCH MAMMOTH, that 1200cc air cooled NSU car engine with a motorbike lashed to it just looks scary as hell to me stood still LOL, I seem to remember MUNCH bringing out many years Later (after it thought the brand was defunct in the MOto journals and whatnot) bringing out an 1800cc version so powerfull even highly seasoned riders were unnerved due to its constant desire to wheelie in any gear. Great video though , you explain why these bikes are scary.
Interesting list. Back when my T595 Daytona was fairly new, I was on a road one night behind a guy on a V Max; I was surprised at how he started to pull away from me heading into a freeway entry, but was even more surprised at how hard I had to brake going into the curve because he was going so much slower than I was at that point! No idea how much of that was the bike and how much the rider, but he was considerably faster in a straight line than going into a corner! And as for the Mach III, years ago I recall reading an article saying the handling problems with early ones in particular were due to the chassis being a bit off, causing the front and rear wheels to track on different lines. Definitely does not sound like fun.
I saw vid of guy doing a resto on one. When he disassembled the rear shocks he found they were adjusted differently at the factory. After a proper rebuild he stated that the handling was satisfactory.
Another good and well narrated video. Good selection. Agree with one poster that most scary bikes are those that have been neglected and ill setup by inexperienced owners.
For touring i have an old FJ1200 very nice to ride . I only gave £1000 for it and you wont get better for that. I did have a ST1100 and it cost me a small fortune for a rotten swinging arm and then electrical issues . My fave bike of all time was my old Yamaha FZR1000 EX-UP. Very quick and you had to ride it and not let it ride you lol. Love your stream many thanks 👍👍👍👍👍
I took my TL1000S touring in Europe last year, with a pillion, it was faultless apart from having to share a rucksack and binning dirty socks at every hotel. Replaced it with something more suitable for touring though. I will have another.
@@bikerdood1100 yes I often wondered that ,I know of two that I managed to bend one on a pothole and the other a diesel spill on a roundabout ,learnt the hardway in my teens👍
I see what you mean scary for the time. My TST 765 would walk all over these... but is still a fun bike... all of these you listed needed serious rider input... eg skill. You had to realise what you had and adapt you to get the best out of of you and it. Even litre bikes were easier by comparison but again skill was required.
Well litre bikes are rider aided to the max Given that most buyers are middle aged portly gents this shouldn’t surprise really Hell I have a 1930s SV 250 which is much harder to ride that any litre class bike 😂
I just bought a low mileage one previous owner TL just like the silver one featured in this video. I always liked the look of it. I got this one dirt cheap. MOT failure. On a dented rear wheel. £40.00 on ebay, same colour with a new tyre. Mot passed. I spent the last five months rectifying all the cock ups the previous owner did, indicators all different block/ spade / bullet / household electrical connectors. Under tray not secured/ butchered O.E underseat storage. The list goes on.... I remember having a go on my mates TL - R. It was set up for his weight. (He weighed more than me and my wife together) And it was VERY easy to get the front wheel of the ground. But this one i own, is rather under whelming. I have ridden pretty much every bike from the 80s, to around 2017 working in the bike trade. And plenty of SV1000, cagiva raptor, DL1000. (I hated having to do a valve service on the DLs because usually the customer would bring it in with a full tank, and they are massive tanks and hold a large amount of fuel. And a lot of times previous people who had worked on them didn't seat plug caps correctly so reducing power. This is not the case with my one. Its just not as rapid as i hoped, or expecting. But ultimately after spending time doing it up and finally getting to ride it, i hate it, it is a younger persons bike, Which I no longer am. It looks awesome. But getting off after 20 miles walking like John Wayne going "Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow,...." certainly doesn't look awesome I also removed the steering damper to make it easier to manoeuvre around at low speed. I have had a couple of lively moments but nothing worse than i had experienced on early blades, KR1S, RGVs, R1s. If you ride like a moron, i dont doubt it would bite you in the butt. Just don't ride like a moron on public roads, expect the unexpected
I'm a teenager in the 70s. I buy a used Kawasaki 500 triple and I go to Syracuse University and this is my transportation.. forget wdowmaker, reviews on a motorcycle magazine said, "Sudden death on two wheels!"
I've read the kh750 the wildest of the kh's, more power and speed=more madness and terror, and you know the TL was bad when they fitted a steering damper to calm it down., would still have one.
Don't forget,Suzuki had spent a lot of yen making the Ducati beating race engine for the TL, so to get some return on their investment they looked around and went " that BMW GS is popular; lets dumb down the engine, raid the parts bin, and make a dangerous copy (VStrom mk1). I bought one and it was terrific....and terrifying....kept it for 6 months and swapped it in for.....a GS🏍️💨💨💨😸
It’s often said that the TL engine was intended for superbike racing but oddly enough the engine was only ever intended for road use. Bimota used the engine in WSB but had a single victory in the wet in Australia As a road oriented engine it struggled with overheating and other problems because it was never designed for levels of performance required to win in WSB and was definitely not a Ducati beater at world level and nor did Suzuki ever campaign it in WSB if they did I blinked and missed it 😂 Suzuki weren’t really looking to race but to build a bike that would undercut Ducatis on the road which it definitely did of course The engine has definitely proved its worth however over the years and was a much better bet when sanitised a bit. A very underrated adventure bike
Lambretta sx 225, absolute death trap, did about 85 no brakes no handling, ended up in a old lady's rockery on her front garden, the fella walking his dog 😮
I have a 95 V Max, you are right with the 120bhp at the rear wheel, the 145 bhp was crank hp. It is mosly an easy bike to ride, a bit like an XJR or a big Bandit until you hit 6K rpm and all hell breaks loose, absolutely fine if you treat it with respect. Interestingly the 1st gen Max runs the same1/4 mile time as a gen 1 Hayabusa (which i also have)
V4 bikes have an insane amount of torque and the V-MAX was the largest. I have a 750cc Honda V4 and even that is a bit scary to ride. The V-MAX weighs more than my Harley Dyna, lol. I rode a V-Rod once on a test ride. It was a pretty insane machine and I bought the Dyna instead. The problem was you had to rev it a lot higher than the typical Harley rider revs to get into the power band so everyone hated them. It is definitely too low and built like a drag bike. Not my cup of tea. With some mods to suspension, including a lift in the rear and running on open headers, the Dyna has plenty of clearance and the right damping rates for some serious canyon carving. You will have to shift your weight more than on a sportbike but that's just good exercise. Better to ride a slow bike fast than ride a fast bike slow!. Oh, the TL1000. I rode one at a demo night in the early '00s. It is not at all suitable for the average rider. It is a twitchy bike even without the damper issue (I rode a late model). It is basically what you'd get if you went all out modding a SV1000 into a track bike. Makes a CBR1100XX seem easy to ride, another bike I've tried out before.
I did own Vmax,rg500, h1, I know very lucky,to ride this icon ,but I ride for 45years still and riding,but I think is down to attitude e common sense,yes the RG acceleration he brake terrible,vmax good but fiand a motorway,is character of the different machines the beauty,and enjoy
You missed the worst one. The Honda CT90 step through farm bike. My brother had one but his self esteem was very low. I was terrified that someone would think it was mine !
I've ridden all sorts of very powerful sports bikes on racetracks as well. Scariest, customised Hartley with high handlebars, noise that can't make you hear anything, virtually no brakes, weighing 500 or more pounds, vibrations that cancel any driving sensation, riding position as if I was on a deck chair. Fine in a straight line with no traffic, that's all, you're just a passenger.
I used to have a BMW K1200r in black. The acceleration and the induction noise was so addictive that I began to fear for my soul. It handled like a canal barge on the Twisties but I think that was a lot to do with my rear tyre being squared off. Loved the futuristic looks and it was used in two films, Resident Evil and Bangkok Dangerous.
A rubber framed wheelie monster with no brakes was a term used for the H2 750 a friend of mine brought an early H1 500 cheap and not running distributor model by reseting the timing I got it going another friend's father raced an AJS 7r in the 50s and took the 500 out for a spin came back with a huge smile and tears stream around to his ears from speed wonderful memories . The Airforce boys in the 70s in Christchurch NZ hand Z1 900s yoshimora modified to 1150 and used them. Men respect their weapons of choice fools do not know their limitations understand your vehicle.
The very first Ducati 1078 Streetfighter was so scary to ride with its light switch power band. The first VMax was scary to ride slow because of its relatively high center of gravity and bad turning radius. Both these bikes take a lot of getting accustomed to.
Back in the 90s I rode some demos at a bike rally in Canada. One was a new model; CBR900RR. It was great, if you like a torture rack that's extremely fast!
Two stock are bestfor me I’ve had 9 bikes only one 4 stroke sr500 Yamaha two of my best a km400 and H1 modified by a Kawasaki track mechanic beating the H2
Only 9 slacking off mate Need more that that 😂😂😂 Can’t have too much of a good thing in our book Sr500,bigger seller stateside than here where it’s quite a rarity 👍
Xs1100 should be on that list , powerful ( for time ) but terrible handling . Using its top speed on race track of course ....could require most of the road to deal with I slight turn ! Great hairy chested bike
To be fair to Yamaha I don’t think they ever envisioned the bike as a competition machine. I am aware it was campaigned with some success in Australia,but they are obviously a bit mad down there 😂😂 Or brave Probably both 😂😂
I’m more o& a corners person myself We had a Harley for a few years and while it was pretty good I’m not sure we would have another. Replaced it with a Guzzi V7, a much better bike in all areas to be honest and we certainly don’t regret selling
Having ridden many bikes over the years, the original z1 kawasaki was lethal at speed but today i have a few bikes still and one is a vmax full power, it may be mad but i smile everytime the vboost cracks in!
I knew the VMax would be at the top of the list. It's really not the bike thats so dangerous. What's dangerous is when you have a loose nut behind the handlebars. The VMax promotes the theory of natural selection. Those that don't measure up are returned to the evolutionary drawing board.
Oh there’s no top,it’s t a top 5 at all and is in no particular order That being said, it definitely deserves it’s place. If only because it proves Darwinism 😂😂
OK, I'll admit it. I had just turned on and hadn't fumbled my specs on. But when I saw "5 of the Scarlet Road Bikes" I thought "Scarlet Road bikes - that's a new one on me". Either way another enjoyable video 😉
I moved to Hastings in 1989 and I can remember going to the pub in the nearby village of Pett one evening shortly after we moved and seeing a Yamaha V-Max with Nitrous Oxide injection. What a beast..........
Well there’s no doubt that all litre class sports bikes are far too powerful for the road Saw an interview recently with Carl Fogarty where he said exactly that and if a multi world Superbike champion says it you have to take it seriously
Never really thought of the handling as terrible Certainly softer set up than it’s competitors Shock can make a hell of a difference The shock was terrible on my CBR as it aged
@@bikerdood1100 lol . From your perspective and the ubiquitous British style there I get your drift . British bikes are rare here. It's mostly Harleys and Japanese bikes in my neck of the woods .
The Boss Hoss featured a V6 or V8 care engine stuffed into a motorcycle frame. It was a truly scary looking machine. I sat on one when I lived in Texas, but never tried to ride it.
I have had and still have a V Rod Muscle. Your assertion that the "radiator shroud" can "dig in" is total an complete BULLSHIT! For a fat back tire (I've owned and ridden bikes since I was 12 years old and I'm now 73) and had over 35 different motorcycles, the V Rod is hardly the "scariest" or terrible road bike. Of my personnel favorites for scariest would be the Kawaski H2 (750) I had was a terror in waiting. Tank slappers at 100+ and flexible flyer chassis. The V Rods (I'm on my second) were tame all the way up to 145 (gps measured) MPH.. Or I might suggest even the BSA 441 Victor was scary at even the very modest speeds it was capable of attaining... And even my BSA Lighting had a terrible chassis compared the V ROD!!!!
Hey my biker friend, my 1976 Yamaha RD400 modified, bored.040 overbore(wisco pistons) polished ports, carbon fiber reed valve, DG race pipes, anode shocks, progressive coils, electronic CDI (63hp) would bury the needle(200kph) Lost bike in a shed fire!! miss the bike, nasty power band!! lol, Cheers.
I rebuilt a standard RD400. It lasted two weeks before seizing up (at 70mph). I scrapped it as the left hand prison had turned to granules. It was the last two stroke road bike I ever had. (I had a couple of much newer Gas-Gas trials bikes much, much later)
I’m saving them for a video on most stupid😂 Too much power for the chassis, too much heat and all round too much trouble More cc’s instead I think. Especially in the 80s because the technology simply wasn’t there. We may well see them return in a much refined form I think
Can’t they ? My son is 20 and went out on my 1930s bike yesterday, hand change, manual advance/ retard and a lever for a throttle. It also features 0 braking power and rear suspension, but he rode it brilliantly. Not sure many older riders would do as well in all honesty. I do take your point however, modern bikes do have far too many gadgets, but you do still have to ride the thing at the end of the day. On modern roads the real skill is avoiding the blind idiot in a car 😂 Riders years ago had a lot less traffic to contend with Lucky sods 😂😂
When I was 18, I lived at home, left school and got a job as a postman. My Dad ruled the roost and I asked him if I could buy a motorcycle. He told me I could have a motorcycle of 50cc or under or a scooter of any size I wanted. So I opted for a Lambretta 200. It was the biggest scooter around nearly 50 years ago. Quick up and down on the short road where the back entry to the shop was and I was on my way. It was an absolute piece of cr@p, but I rode it like a motorcycle, wearing leathers 'n all. Dreadful thing but I learned to ride on it. It handled so badly that I could ride most things after that... Got proper bikes as soon as I could after that. The wierd thing is how much these dreadful things make on the second hand market when their performance, handlung and build quality is so much inferior.
Allways thought that V Max motor could be competitive in a up to 1600cc race car class hill climber. Without needing 30k being spent on it. Cough Hyabusa
@@bikerdood1100 Ye that's what I thought. Years ago I had a GSXR1100 oil cooled, roller brg. crank. Good for the time, but when the V Max came out a buddy bough one, their punch out the corner almost made up for the lack of cornering speed.
2 Stroke 250cc in the 70s and early 80s were lethal in the UK !! A 17 year old could just jump on one with a provisional licence and NO test or nothing !! I knew so many young many young men who died !
@@bikerdood1100 Yes up until when the two part test came in for anything over 125 !! l knew a few who died after !! In my area some kids just carried on riding 250 on a provisional sut hoping the Police would never catch them !
@@Sam_Green____4114 Well I had a 125, not much fun I think the industry is to blame really. Had they built sensible bikes only lik3 a wet Dream it would have been ok? And those bikes prepared riders better for larger bikes than a pesky 125. But they hade to build bikes like the RD making a change in the law inevitably
Cool video. I agree these bikes were quite intimidating to ride🫣 But may I also add the old Yamaha IT490 that had a powerband like flicking a light switch and would throw you off as soon as look at you and also (believe it not) the Honda CX500 v-twin that would get an extreme death wobble if you backed off to fast if you were going over 100 kmh (at least mine did anyway) I seriously almost shat myself the first time I experienced it🤯
Owned a CX It would weave a tiny bit but your had to be hammering it, certainly well over 100kph and it was quite predictable. The problem with many of the bikes on the list was that they were indeed genuinely dangerous. Like the HD if it grounded out, which HDs do far too easily then it lifted the front wheel, that’d more than a bit scary 😱 Have covered scary MX bikes before and may well return to it at some point.
😎🇺🇲👍 If you want to turn up the fun on the boring old Vmax. Do what I did. Add a turbo. That wakes them up. I also found the stock RG frame and geometry a little dated. So I pulled the motor out and wedged it into a 93 NSR MC21. My little NSR 500 replica works great. 300 lbs with whatever a tuned and chambered RG motor makes for HP. Sits in my living room. It is an evil little thing. It brings out the hyper reckless child. The scariest bike I have is the 2023 KTM 690 SMCR. Not because it does anything scary. It's because it really wants to DO scary things. With double and even triple rows of roundabouts popping up here in the PNW. A simple trip to grab food becomes a giggle fest of lean angles. My Black Bike is definitely the scariest. GS 700 with a GS1150 motor, RG swingarm, first gen GSX-R fork assembly with 06 brakes and first Gen wheels, shortened WB , 23* head, aluminum tank and TZ tail. Very sketchy indeed. About 400 lbs of the most uncomfortable pile of rolling parts. It's a monstrosity of a rat bike. 😁
Boring 🙄 When it comes to bikes The excitement comes from what you do while riding it rather than the bike itself You can having an amazing time on a tiny bike on the right road As the saying goes it’s not what you’ve got it’s what you do with it that counts 😂😂
@@bikerdood1100 I was mostly being sarcastic. I'm aware of how to have fun on any bike. Big, small , over or under powered. When I started modifying the Vmax. It was because I had a Honda RC30 and I wouldn't touch it. So I went a little nuts on the Yamaha. Eventually I built a new chassis and changed to a belt driven blower with chain drive and a 12" rear rim. I like to tinker and modify. Sadly, the shop I was working with closed. The Vmax project was lost in the mess. That was years ago. It's a long story. At least I was able to save the NSR project and got it finished. ✌️
@@bikerdood1100 You should feel it with an extra 45+ HP. The RG motor didn't add as much extra weight as you'd think. I added as much lightness as I could afford at the time. It would keep up with modern bikes just fine. You're right. It is a bit of a tight ride for these old bones.😏
BS, no vacuum involved, they were/are pulled open by a cable attached to a servo motor which is controlled by a CDI box, servo starts at 5750rpm to take up the slack in the cable, chokes stats to open at 6K and are fully open at 8K, i had to rebuild mine so know how it all works, it's a primitive system but reliable.
@@bikerdood1100 In Aussie mate we also have Cr500 RE's here which can be registered as well how that came about is quite the story it nearly cost an Aussie Honda bigwig his job
I have had those two strokers of which the Gamma was by far the best but it's frame couldn't handle slicks......... No the by FAR scariest bike , by a long shot , I have ever ridden has been the rather good looking Suzuki 850 G , which the very moment the front titre passes half life , tries VIOLENTLY , to throw one off the machine at the mere suggestion of a corner EVERY TIME !! I really mean that!!! Worked at Suzuki when a uni those years , The owners brought them in saying they felt unsafe ...mostly not too experienced riders .So they had me testing them as I raced And WITHOUT EXCEPTION THOSE BIKES SCARED ME SHITLESS !!! We put new tires on them an re-sod them , and without exception , half a season later the scene repeated itself !! By FAR the most horrible contraption , even if it had a rather classic ,Gilera-ish look , Never tried a 1000 G ,those were probably less dangerous for some odd reason.
My bike in 1974 was a H2 750 Kawasaki trick heads and exhaust. I was wowed at that time by Dick Mann testing a Yamaha 2 stroke 4 cylinder 1000 cc bike at lime rock. He said the front wheel never touched the ground in the straight. Fearing lawsuits Yamaha cancelled the bike before production could start. Most dangerous bike I’ve ever ridden?, not even close, the Cushman scooter.
Rode a V-Rod once...horrible bike, not as quick as purported, sluggish handling and NO ground clearance. Back in the day, I rode both H1 and H2 Kwackers. The H1 was absolutely deadly, all engine and stunningly twitchy/flexy frame. H2 was better, but still awful...just shows cultists are almost always hallucinatory.
As a 17 year old know-it-all back in 1970 I latched on to the H1 version of that Kawasaki H3 500. Probably the most dangerous thing I have ever owned. Bad ergonomics, suspension that hated any turns above a few miles per hour, wobble at random times and roads, bad brakes that belonged on a Honda trail bike and a two stroke engine that did nothing but bog until 4,000-5,000 RPM. Then a split second to 9,000-10,000, shift, and back at 4,000 for a return neck breaking ride to the moon. Treat it right and you could keep the front wheel on the ground. But that took some finesse and skill. Once it hit that magic RPM there was almost no middle ground to redline. But as a 1/4 mile stoplight to stoplight street drag racer nothing could touch it. Even back then I was smart enough to get rid of that girl before she killed me. The V-Max is a beautiful one trick drag street pony. Not much good for anything else.
You are talking to a 1985 V-Max pilot and that's coming off the 1975 500 cc Mach III, two of the 5 on your list, lost my mind riding Doug Poland's 851 and would go on to the incredible 2002 998r that Suzuki was chasing with another bike on your list, but nothing could prepare me for MV's answer to Ducati's MotoGP desmosedici, the 1078 312 rr making the same numbers: "Maverick, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash"
Have ridden dozens of bikes for 60 years. The most scary thing I've ever ridden was a friends Vespa.
😂😂😂
Those tiny wheels take some getting used to
ROFLMFAO
@mick40m same I rode one 16miles on b roads. Rode it back after my sisters friend bought. It bounced all over the place, trucks passing me and the position of the rear brake pedal was horrendous. Will never go on another, those scooter boys have some balls and live in a different timescale.
If u can't handle a vespa in the rain then your not ready to ride yet.
A loaned Honda 50 stepthrough took it back and walked home
Had a 1975 Kawasaki H2C 750. Scary thing with spindly forks.
And the 750 was a fare bit better
The only bike I was ever afraid of running into was the gama 500 with my h2 750,and yes, it had denco stinger pipes on it.
I found the H2 easy to ride fast, and knew better than to try to ride a big early-70s Japanese bike fast through bumpy bends. Not the sort of bike I'd buy, though, because I treated the throttle like a control, not a switch. The H1 500? Now that really was scary, flexing frame and no brakes. Not a widow-maker, however, because most of its buyers/victims were single.
@@bertmeinders6758 ,
I built my H-1 into a drag-bike complete with Bill Wirges expansion chambers, Avon 4.00X18 slick, I traded it for a 427 Chevelle SS. When all said and done it was putting out between 90-105 hp, it was very scary, that's why I traded it, lol.
30 years ago a friend got a Vmax and a new nickname, he became known as "Clunk" because if he went around a tight corner there was often a clunk as he was in the wrong gear and dropped the Vmax😂
😂😂😂😂
A mate had one of the first RG500's. He offered to give me a lift home after I had dropped my bike at his workshop. He was an FN quick rider and in hindsight I should have known better from the way he was grinning as he made the offer... I made several promises to all the gods on the way home that I would be good hereafter if they would. please. not let me die a horrible death. With my weight on the rear it monowheeled most of the way when not on its side on the by-pass RAB's. Not even Vanish could have shifted the stains on my boxers. So why do I still want one...
😂😂 brilliant
A guy i met when we both used to do rider training lent me his TL1000. He used to race bikes, so he knew how to handle it. We both agreed that the main problem was actually the rider, not the bike. They never respected it, so rode it like an idiot and came a cropper. When I took it out, I just took my time to get to understand it before I pushed it. Yes, it was a hairy chested bike, but it was fun. When I dropped it back to him, I had a beeming smile on my face when I took my lid off.
Think it was a bike that would be well suited to a track day
I would whole heartedly agree with your comments, I found it to be a totally engaging ride and didn't understand why people demonised the TL.
I did however end up completely changing the front and rear suspension and felt it did make quite a difference, a more settled controlled feel and that motor was such a fine piece of engineering, its no wonder it's still around today
@@kahidunn7907 and that’s the thing
You ended up making changes. Shouldn’t it have left the factory like that so you wouldn’t need to
@@bikerdood1100 I've owned 23 motorcycles my brother many more. We've made changes to every bike we've owned so that they work better for us. Motorcycles are mass produced, humans are all individuals.
@@matauboy only 20 ?
Humans are indeed individuals
Well mostly
I do wonder about the extent of free will when everyone buys the same products
And slavishly follows trends
LOVED my TL1000s, 97 Model, Hyperpro rear damper unit sorted the handling, BONKERS Engine, Apparently tall, skinny blokes had problems with headshaking, due to front end , I was short and chunky, and we got on just fine! Love the channel. Cheers, DINO.
😂😂😂
Love that motor. In my '14 DL1000!
@@danweyant4909 yep
Sanitised doesn’t always mean worse
The engine works very well in the DL
Some of the scariest bikes I've seen were the ones ridden by my mates in the 90s/00s. Nothing special about the models, mostly Japanese 4s around 1000cc, but it was the condition of them and the attitude of the riders that was scary. Frame cracked? that will be ok - rear brake not working? I'll just take the pads out - front brake sticking on? I'll just open the bleed screw and let some fluid out. We used to go away for the weekend on group rides, and do 4-500 miles. I don't remember a single occasion when all the bikes made it back under their own power.
My T140 was the oldest and slowest (on paper), but I was a mechanic, and mine was the only bike that never broke down. As far as the others were concerned, maintenance was something that happened to other people, and you only fixed something if it stopped the bike running.
I still miss those days though, sitting at the roadside, trying to patch up someone's ropey bike so we could get back before dark, because someone else's lights didn't work.
😂😂
Well the fleshy component on top is very important
Sounds absolutely hairy . For this reason I don't do group rides .
@@charliepatterson9321 I used to ride at the back - it kept me out of the way of dodgy brakes, and I was there to collect up any stragglers.
@@charliepatterson9321 it’s all about the group
If you have middle age men try to be teenagers it’s going to be carnage 😂😂
@@rickconstant6106 my last group ride was a funeral for a friend . I was the last bike in the group . That was 5 years ago . Most riders were on Harleys in that group so my Honda at the back was appropriate in their eyes . Luckily nobody broke down .
My brother had a RGV 400 gamma, a Japanese 'grey' import. Very fast bike.
Still had quite a lot of power even in 400 form
Great video, really enjoyed it, what about the 250 two strokes of the late 60s and mid 70s 😮 , I’ve got a 1973 Suzuki GT250K resplendent in candy apple 🍏 green, i had the first one in Northern Ireland on my birthday in April of 73 and I still get a kick out of just looking at them.
I’ve got one in the shed that’s had a complete nut and bolt restoration, she’s still in bits, but come hell or high water I’m gonna try to git er built this year before I get any older 😮😊lol
Have covered 70s 260s previously
But will likely be covering them again
Get her lit
The original V Max had around 143 / 145 bhp, not 120. I remember it coming out, as I was 18 at the time. There was a lower power version imported to the UK initially ( a poxy 100 bhp, I believe!), but that was not a standard machine, obviously.
Back wheel dear boy 😂😂😂
In reality I’m being generous
I've got a 91 v max. Canadian import that runs 150 bhp. Lovely old girl that pulls like a train. Bit heavy in to corners, but a damp fine machine.
@@jamescourt4703The 85 Canadian and Aussie models were the most potent out of the box. Mine got exported to the Netherlands when i sold it.
120 at rearwheel. The restricted 100 hp version is basically the same engine but without the VBoost system. Still a strong bike though. My Canadian version does 240 kph on the clock on German Autobahn maybe 225 kph in real... and stable to top speed. It is mainly the pilot who cramps himself to the steering bar bringing in strange behavior of that bike at high speed. Just hold it smooth and it will bring you more fun than most other bikes.
I will NEVER sell the 1200 VMax even though I own the 1700 as well meanwhile.
@@henrydegan6204 nice comment. What do you think of the 1700 v compared to the old 1200? Im in two minds about owning one. I've had the 1200 16 years so its now a family member.
As far as I can remember, the scariest bike I’ve ever ridden was an old Harley Davidson Duo Glide Panhead. The absolute lack of brake force was mind boggling. It really didn’t have a place in modern traffic.
And I have ridden V-Rods, TL 1000, V-Max and the two 500 cc 2-strokes, so fast bikes wasn’t new to me. 250 kilos of steel and no brakes scared me. 😂
Fast wasn’t the problem
It’s all about how they got there and what happens if you pushed your luck really
The tech involved requires lots of engine internal parts for a NA 1100 GPZed. The turbobike was built stout, needs only turning the wastegate adjuster to make more boost. It does require clipping of one wire to put the ECM into "race mode:.
@@bikerdood1100
With modern rubber fast is a whole different thing on a turbo750. Pushing luck applies to all matters involved with humanity. Focus on the machine at hand always. Be it moped or turbo Hayabusa. Which is my oldman touring dream build. I am old, time to build one. Too much is just enough!
@@upsidedowndog1256 different mind set
A bike is how I get around and my passion
How fast it goes is surprisingly low down my list, especially when covering big distances
For me a bike is not and never has been a toy
Would I ever buy a Hayabusa
Hell no 😂😂😂
@@bikerdood1100
The island you live on would not necessitate such a machine, I am sure. Good doctors are 100 miles away for me. To get to CA from AR is about a 24 hour boring drive. Turn on the boost!My bikes are not toys.
The first motorcycle I ever sat on was my oldest brother's Kawasaki 500 triple in 1970. He was a drag racer and it was his first and only bike, I was a four year old and I was hooked! My roommate had an early Suzuki TL1000, as I recall it was almost immediately recalled to have a steering dampener installed. I noticed an aftermarket one on the bike you featured.
It's nice to have some association with a couple of bikes on your list. Maybe you could make a scariest vintage list, there were some questionable things going on in the early days, the Megola rotary engined machine or the Brough Superior come to mind. Perhaps the shortly lived Cyclone from my home town of St.Paul, Minnesota (1912-1917) with 45hp and 100mph top speed was the most criminally insane motorcycle of all time.
Well the Megola was just plain crazy
You do have to ask
Why ?
❤
Nice video , well done. I think the Suzuki TL engine is one of the most longlasting being used in slightly different tune and engine case materials, in the SV and DL types.
It’s a tough old beast
Long may it live I’d say
sure, yet the the TL 1000 isn't exactly a DL 650. One is certainly a lot more bland, but isn't trying to kill you, and isn't going to do it very quickly anyway :) Great bike still
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thank you very much.
Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the feedback
Nice! You forgot the hairiest bike ever made, the 84-85 Kawasaki 750 turbo. That bike was 25 years ahead of tire technology. I own one. The TL1000 morphed into the SV1000S, a great bike. I own one of those too. The 85 VMax was the only year that they made 140hp, after that they were neutered. I have ridden one. Kind of fun but too heavy, no reason to want one. The 750 turbo is king in my mind. Crazy power delivery, good chassis and brakes. Sounds badass.
Well Turbos were always a crazy idea
The SV was far more civilised
Thankfully 😂
@@bikerdood1100
Really? Have you ridden one? I bought mine in 2003. Every time I ride it I get the same thought from the 1st ride. How is this legal to ride on roads! 2nd gear exceeds all speed limits. 3rd makes it easier. 4th, 5th, and 6th (rarely used on my bike) are your ticket to jail time with a barely perceptible twist of the wrist. That settles it for me. I need a 2010ish CBR1000rrr, pre "rider aids"!
@@upsidedowndog1256 they are though in all honesty
A lot o& heat and tech to do what more cubes does better
Turbo or GPZ 900 ?
@@bikerdood1100
Turn up boost. No shortcomings. 900 is all it can be as built. 140+hp is easy on turbobikes.
@@bikerdood1100 I've never tried the Turbo 750 but I did have a Gpz 900R. Very fast back in the 80's , it handled well for a jap, good brakes but the anti-dive forks were a gimmick. Simply adjust them down to the minimum settings and it behaved like a normal bike instead of the front wheel bouncing across the road when braking going into a bumpy stretch of road.
I note that none of the bikes you have mentioned here are British or Italian. I wonder why I still ride an old Bonnie and a proper Ducati?
who do you think you are, barry sheene? 1970,s plod
😂😂😂😂😂
Bloody Mr Plod 😂
Years ago I rode my mate's V-Max and my life flashed in front of my eyes at the first corner I came to!
😂😂😂
Brilliant comment
Incredible engine surrounded by an utterly horrible motorcycle.
Yup! Had a 500 Mach 3 with aftermarket pipes. It was a white knuckle ride
with extreme frame flex & poor brakes! My friends never wanted to ride it a second time!🤔
😂😂
The Captain America Motorcycle had no front brake and wanted to flop over on its side.
You mean the superhero or Easy rider 😂
Of course the easy rider bikes didn’t handle
Erm HD 😂😂
I have actually heard of all of these bikes, but I cant think why but one bike would not go near even when riding in my prime is the MUNCH MAMMOTH, that 1200cc air cooled NSU car engine with a motorbike lashed to it just looks scary as hell to me stood still LOL, I seem to remember MUNCH bringing out many years Later (after it thought the brand was defunct in the MOto journals and whatnot) bringing out an 1800cc version so powerfull even highly seasoned riders were unnerved due to its constant desire to wheelie in any gear. Great video though , you explain why these bikes are scary.
It is a bid old Brute that includes some surprisingly clever engineering
I would ride one I& offered but own
No thanks
Instead of the LC pro am race series, Yamaha should have had the V Max series, obviously starting off with round one at Cadwell .
It would have been entertaining that’s for sure 😂😂
Interesting list. Back when my T595 Daytona was fairly new, I was on a road one night behind a guy on a V Max; I was surprised at how he started to pull away from me heading into a freeway entry, but was even more surprised at how hard I had to brake going into the curve because he was going so much slower than I was at that point! No idea how much of that was the bike and how much the rider, but he was considerably faster in a straight line than going into a corner! And as for the Mach III, years ago I recall reading an article saying the handling problems with early ones in particular were due to the chassis being a bit off, causing the front and rear wheels to track on different lines. Definitely does not sound like fun.
Well a tank ain’t a sports car 😂
I saw vid of guy doing a resto on one. When he disassembled the rear shocks he found they were adjusted differently at the factory. After a proper rebuild he stated that the handling was satisfactory.
Don't ever use Armour all on a motorcycle seat .
Is that a polish ?
Or a metal suit worn by knights ?😂😂
I’ll assume polish
A mistake only ever done once in my experience 😂😂
Not one Italian Bike in featured group...
Nope
Laverda could possibly earn a mention but in general Italian bikes Corner
@@bikerdood1100 Italian bikes have had their faults, but handling isn’t usually one of them….
@@brianperry well non o& the ones I’ve ever ridden that’s for sure
Great collection of crazy bikes for sure. I do miss those days of hold on for dear life. Thanks for sharing. Ride safe and take care. Cheers
Yes the did require the application of brain power
Kawasaki 1970 500cc triple fast as hell in a straight line would not turn in corners frame flexed like crazy
That is indeed their reputation
To be fair it did take the Japanese a while to get the chassis thing sorted
Curvey road was riding on ice handling .
@@stick9648 oh dear oh deary me 😂😂
Another good and well narrated video. Good selection. Agree with one poster that most scary bikes are those that have been neglected and ill setup by inexperienced owners.
That is so very true
My used CB400T was like that when I first got it!
@@derekp2674 was it new or used
There were some bloody hopeless dealers 😂
@@bikerdood1100 It was well used and did indeed come from a dealer who shall remain nameless.
@@derekp2674 😂😂
For touring i have an old FJ1200 very nice to ride . I only gave £1000 for it and you wont get better for that. I did have a ST1100 and it cost me a small fortune for a rotten swinging arm and then electrical issues . My fave bike of all time was my old Yamaha FZR1000 EX-UP. Very quick and you had to ride it and not let it ride you lol. Love your stream many thanks 👍👍👍👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it
FJ1200 is something of a classic I think
Great sports tourer for sane money
What’s not to like
The Yamaha FJ series would one I'm interested in seeing.
🤔
Not a bad suggestion
I took my TL1000S touring in Europe last year, with a pillion, it was faultless apart from having to share a rucksack and binning dirty socks at every hotel. Replaced it with something more suitable for touring though.
I will have another.
Not sure the pillion feels the same 😂😂
Beware broke rear subframes if you carry luggage on anything sporty
I rode a KH500….it is the worst handling bike I’ve ever witnessed…memorable, but not with fondness unfortunately
😂😂😂
The scariest bikes i ever rode were the ones with bent frames😂👍
And how did they get bent I wonder 🤔
@@bikerdood1100 yes I often wondered that ,I know of two that I managed to bend one on a pothole and the other a diesel spill on a roundabout ,learnt the hardway in my teens👍
@@derekdingwall all sounds a bit flimsy doesn’t it
I see what you mean scary for the time. My TST 765 would walk all over these... but is still a fun bike... all of these you listed needed serious rider input... eg skill. You had to realise what you had and adapt you to get the best out of of you and it. Even litre bikes were easier by comparison but again skill was required.
Well litre bikes are rider aided to the max
Given that most buyers are middle aged portly gents this shouldn’t surprise really
Hell I have a 1930s SV 250 which is much harder to ride that any litre class bike 😂
I just bought a low mileage one previous owner TL just like the silver one featured in this video. I always liked the look of it.
I got this one dirt cheap. MOT failure. On a dented rear wheel. £40.00 on ebay, same colour with a new tyre. Mot passed. I spent the last five months rectifying all the cock ups the previous owner did, indicators all different block/ spade / bullet / household electrical connectors. Under tray not secured/ butchered O.E underseat storage. The list goes on....
I remember having a go on my mates TL - R. It was set up for his weight. (He weighed more than me and my wife together) And it was VERY easy to get the front wheel of the ground.
But this one i own, is rather under whelming. I have ridden pretty much every bike from the 80s, to around 2017 working in the bike trade. And plenty of SV1000, cagiva raptor, DL1000. (I hated having to do a valve service on the DLs because usually the customer would bring it in with a full tank, and they are massive tanks and hold a large amount of fuel. And a lot of times previous people who had worked on them didn't seat plug caps correctly so reducing power. This is not the case with my one. Its just not as rapid as i hoped, or expecting.
But ultimately after spending time doing it up and finally getting to ride it, i hate it, it is a younger persons bike, Which I no longer am. It looks awesome. But getting off after 20 miles walking like John Wayne going "Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow,...." certainly doesn't look awesome
I also removed the steering damper to make it easier to manoeuvre around at low speed. I have had a couple of lively moments but nothing worse than i had experienced on early blades, KR1S, RGVs, R1s. If you ride like a moron, i dont doubt it would bite you in the butt. Just don't ride like a moron on public roads, expect the unexpected
Very true
Dealing with the work of previous owners is always a thing
I'm a teenager in the 70s. I buy a used Kawasaki 500 triple and I go to Syracuse University and this is my transportation.. forget wdowmaker, reviews on a motorcycle magazine said, "Sudden death on two wheels!"
All depends how fast
And where you ride em
Lots of corners here in the UK you know 😂
I've read the kh750 the wildest of the kh's, more power and speed=more madness and terror, and you know the TL was bad when they fitted a steering damper to calm it down., would still have one.
Owners generally say the chassis and engine are a bit less extreme
Still definitely on the wild side
No doubt about that
Don't forget,Suzuki had spent a lot of yen making the Ducati beating race engine for the TL, so to get some return on their investment they looked around and went " that BMW GS is popular; lets dumb down the engine, raid the parts bin, and make a dangerous copy (VStrom mk1). I bought one and it was terrific....and terrifying....kept it for 6 months and swapped it in for.....a GS🏍️💨💨💨😸
It’s often said that the TL engine was intended for superbike racing but oddly enough the engine was only ever intended for road use. Bimota used the engine in WSB but had a single victory in the wet in Australia As a road oriented engine it struggled with overheating and other problems because it was never designed for levels of performance required to win in WSB and was definitely not a Ducati beater at world level and nor did Suzuki ever campaign it in WSB if they did I blinked and missed it 😂
Suzuki weren’t really looking to race but to build a bike that would undercut Ducatis on the road which it definitely did of course The engine has definitely proved its worth however over the years and was a much better bet when sanitised a bit. A very underrated adventure bike
Lambretta sx 225, absolute death trap, did about 85 no brakes no handling, ended up in a old lady's rockery on her front garden, the fella walking his dog 😮
Ooops
I have a 95 V Max, you are right with the 120bhp at the rear wheel, the 145 bhp was crank hp. It is mosly an easy bike to ride, a bit like an XJR or a big Bandit until you hit 6K rpm and all hell breaks loose, absolutely fine if you treat it with respect. Interestingly the 1st gen Max runs the same1/4 mile time as a gen 1 Hayabusa (which i also have)
Interesting to hear from you thanks
V4 bikes have an insane amount of torque and the V-MAX was the largest. I have a 750cc Honda V4 and even that is a bit scary to ride. The V-MAX weighs more than my Harley Dyna, lol.
I rode a V-Rod once on a test ride. It was a pretty insane machine and I bought the Dyna instead. The problem was you had to rev it a lot higher than the typical Harley rider revs to get into the power band so everyone hated them. It is definitely too low and built like a drag bike. Not my cup of tea. With some mods to suspension, including a lift in the rear and running on open headers, the Dyna has plenty of clearance and the right damping rates for some serious canyon carving. You will have to shift your weight more than on a sportbike but that's just good exercise. Better to ride a slow bike fast than ride a fast bike slow!.
Oh, the TL1000. I rode one at a demo night in the early '00s. It is not at all suitable for the average rider. It is a twitchy bike even without the damper issue (I rode a late model). It is basically what you'd get if you went all out modding a SV1000 into a track bike. Makes a CBR1100XX seem easy to ride, another bike I've tried out before.
The V-rod never seemed popular with the traditional Harley owners
Bit too different
I did own Vmax,rg500, h1, I know very lucky,to ride this icon ,but I ride for 45years still and riding,but I think is down to attitude e common sense,yes the RG acceleration he brake terrible,vmax good but fiand a motorway,is character of the different machines the beauty,and enjoy
I’d prefer the RG to the Vmax any time,
But I’d sooner something Italian than either to be Honest
You missed the worst one. The Honda CT90 step through farm bike. My brother had one but his self esteem was very low. I was terrified that someone would think it was mine !
They have become cool these days
I've ridden all sorts of very powerful sports bikes on racetracks as well. Scariest, customised Hartley with high handlebars, noise that can't make you hear anything, virtually no brakes, weighing 500 or more pounds, vibrations that cancel any driving sensation, riding position as if I was on a deck chair. Fine in a straight line with no traffic, that's all, you're just a passenger.
Not my taste for a sports bike
Bit of a bus 😂😂
I used to have a BMW K1200r in black. The acceleration and the induction noise was so addictive that I began to fear for my soul. It handled like a canal barge on the Twisties but I think that was a lot to do with my rear tyre being squared off. Loved the futuristic looks and it was used in two films, Resident Evil and Bangkok Dangerous.
Was certainly futuristic and BMs colour schemes were
Interesting
A rubber framed wheelie monster with no brakes was a term used for the H2 750 a friend of mine brought an early H1 500 cheap and not running distributor model by reseting the timing I got it going another friend's father raced an AJS 7r in the 50s and took the 500 out for a spin came back with a huge smile and tears stream around to his ears from speed wonderful memories . The Airforce boys in the 70s in Christchurch NZ hand Z1 900s yoshimora modified to 1150 and used them. Men respect their weapons of choice fools do not know their limitations understand your vehicle.
Nice 👍🏻
The very first Ducati 1078 Streetfighter was so scary to ride with its light switch power band. The first VMax was scary to ride slow because of its relatively high center of gravity and bad turning radius. Both these bikes take a lot of getting accustomed to.
Those street fighters do have a reputation for silliness
They also have rider aids though
Back in the 90s I rode some demos at a bike rally in Canada. One was a new model; CBR900RR. It was great, if you like a torture rack that's extremely fast!
They certainly set the tone for late sports bikes
In fact they got much worse
Development of watercooled Kawasaki road bikes including and beyond the 900. I'd like to see that simply because I haven't seen it elsewhere.
Blimey
Interesting idea 🤔
Two stock are bestfor me I’ve had 9 bikes only one 4 stroke sr500 Yamaha two of my best a km400 and H1 modified by a Kawasaki track mechanic beating the H2
Only 9
slacking off mate
Need more that that 😂😂😂
Can’t have too much of a good thing in our book
Sr500,bigger seller stateside than here where it’s quite a rarity 👍
Xs1100 should be on that list , powerful ( for time ) but terrible handling . Using its top speed on race track of course ....could require most of the road to deal with I slight turn ! Great hairy chested bike
To be fair to Yamaha I don’t think they ever envisioned the bike as a competition machine. I am aware it was campaigned with some success in Australia,but they are obviously a bit mad down there 😂😂
Or brave
Probably both 😂😂
My friend had a V65 Magna. It was the first motorcycle I had ever seen, up close, that had key start, no chain, and was liquid cooled.
Well you did well to avoid all those Goldwings they sold ahead of it 😂
A guy I knew wrote off a brand new V rod in Glen Ogle in Scotland. An expensive mistake! I don't fancy any Harley TBH.
I’m more o& a corners person myself
We had a Harley for a few years and while it was pretty good I’m not sure we would have another. Replaced it with a Guzzi V7, a much better bike in all areas to be honest and we certainly don’t regret selling
Having ridden many bikes over the years, the original z1 kawasaki was lethal at speed but today i have a few bikes still and one is a vmax full power, it may be mad but i smile everytime the vboost cracks in!
You seem to distrust corners😂
I knew the VMax would be at the top of the list. It's really not the bike thats so dangerous. What's dangerous is when you have a loose nut behind the handlebars. The VMax promotes the theory of natural selection. Those that don't measure up are returned to the evolutionary drawing board.
Oh there’s no top,it’s t a top 5 at all and is in no particular order
That being said, it definitely deserves it’s place. If only because it proves Darwinism 😂😂
OK, I'll admit it. I had just turned on and hadn't fumbled my specs on. But when I saw "5 of the Scarlet Road Bikes" I thought "Scarlet Road bikes - that's a new one on me". Either way another enjoyable video 😉
😂😂😂😂
Well they could have all been Italian
I think those RG500s often attracted nutters, who rode them much too recklessly, which helped cement their reputation as scary bikes.
Often the case with bikes of that nature but the the Suzuki is aggressive in its own right
The early stainless steel undrilled brake discs used on the CB750 and various other Honda models were quite scary in the wet.
They were terrible
Italian bikes are scary because you never know where or when they'll break down, and how much they'll drain your bank account;)
Clearly you have never owned one
One had at least as many breakdowns on Jap scrap
But I’m sure you know better
I’ve only got the 10 bikes 😂😂😂🙄😂
I moved to Hastings in 1989 and I can remember going to the pub in the nearby village of Pett one evening shortly after we moved and seeing a Yamaha V-Max with Nitrous Oxide injection. What a beast..........
What a nutter I think 😂
The first blades with the 16 “ front wheel had a tankslapper on it ,nearly broke my arms ,near death experience
Rode one of the first one
Small wheel wasn’t the best idea but I found it pretty nimble
Aftermarket turbocharged Kawasaki Z1000 about circa 1979.
Oh dear
Kawasaki H500 was scary, but there was also a 750ccm version. Horrible
750 as I mentioned in the video was blessed with a better chasis
Well a bit 😂
Most if all of my buddies that ive lost over years that have gone down on is "The Grim Reaper" Yamaha R1
Well there’s no doubt that all litre class sports bikes are far too powerful for the road
Saw an interview recently with Carl Fogarty where he said exactly that and if a multi world Superbike champion says it you have to take it seriously
Kawasaki zzr600 was scary. Dreadful handling when cornering.
Never really thought of the handling as terrible
Certainly softer set up than it’s competitors
Shock can make a hell of a difference
The shock was terrible on my CBR as it aged
The qwaker is scary today, it was terror on the Japanese tyres of the day. That and the Bridgestone caused more grey hair than bleach perms
😂
Wanted a vmax so bad in my youth . I knew it didn't corner but it made up for that in the straights . The comment section did not disappoint
I’ll be honest
I didn’t 😂
@@bikerdood1100 lol . From your perspective and the ubiquitous British style there I get your drift .
British bikes are rare here.
It's mostly Harleys and Japanese bikes in my neck of the woods .
@@charliepatterson9321 you have my sympathies 😂😂
The Boss Hoss featured a V6 or V8 care engine stuffed into a motorcycle frame. It was a truly scary looking machine. I sat on one when I lived in Texas, but never tried to ride it.
They tried to sell them in the UK at one time
No5 many takers unsurprisingly 😂
I saw these beasts with Nascar V8s. Thats crazy!
Those bikes are for the guy who absolutely must win the dick measuring contest everywhere they go.
I agree ! I also sat on one but declined to ride it. Too damn heavy and unwieldy.
Nice from Tasmania Australia 🦘🇦🇺✅
👍🏻🇬🇧
Kawasaki 500 Mach 3 was my favourite bike ever. I had 7 of them.
Some people love the allure of the things
I had a KH500 which used to have some interesting handling traits.
So terrible then
My V65 was scary fast. My Bandit 1200S was more scary.
Bit of a brute the 1200
The 600 was far more user friendly
Lot less weight on the front
The only bike out of that lot that was scary was the RG 500 the rest just crap!!
Thanks for your leaned input 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I have had and still have a V Rod Muscle. Your assertion that the "radiator shroud" can "dig in" is total an complete BULLSHIT!
For a fat back tire (I've owned and ridden bikes since I was 12 years old and I'm now 73) and had over 35 different motorcycles, the V Rod is hardly the "scariest"
or terrible road bike. Of my personnel favorites for scariest would be the Kawaski H2 (750) I had was a terror in waiting. Tank slappers at 100+ and flexible flyer chassis. The V Rods (I'm on my second) were tame all the way up to 145 (gps measured) MPH.. Or I might suggest even the BSA 441 Victor was scary at even the very modest speeds it was capable of attaining... And even my BSA Lighting had a terrible chassis compared the V ROD!!!!
Not scary until you fret and ride it like a proper motorcycle
Only 35
Hey my biker friend, my 1976 Yamaha RD400 modified, bored.040 overbore(wisco pistons) polished ports, carbon fiber reed valve, DG race pipes, anode shocks, progressive coils, electronic CDI (63hp) would bury the needle(200kph) Lost bike in a shed fire!! miss the bike, nasty power band!! lol, Cheers.
Hardly standard now is it
Sounds a bit of a beast
I rebuilt a standard RD400. It lasted two weeks before seizing up (at 70mph). I scrapped it as the left hand prison had turned to granules. It was the last two stroke road bike I ever had. (I had a couple of much newer Gas-Gas trials bikes much, much later)
" a heady mix of technology and craziness. " words to live by...
Very true
They can be a dodgy combination 😂
Honda PC50 with plastic brake levers!
Well at least it was slow
Turbocharged bikes of the 80s should be number 1 😳
I’m saving them for a video on most stupid😂
Too much power for the chassis, too much heat and all round too much trouble
More cc’s instead I think. Especially in the 80s because the technology simply wasn’t there. We may well see them return in a much refined form I think
Today's modern riders can't ride as the modern bikes do everything
Can’t they ?
My son is 20 and went out on my 1930s bike yesterday, hand change, manual advance/ retard and a lever for a throttle. It also features 0 braking power and rear suspension, but he rode it brilliantly. Not sure many older riders would do as well in all honesty.
I do take your point however, modern bikes do have far too many gadgets, but you do still have to ride the thing at the end of the day. On modern roads the real skill is avoiding the blind idiot in a car 😂
Riders years ago had a lot less traffic to contend with
Lucky sods 😂😂
Not scary but some of those 2 stroke triples would make your eyes shake.
Not the most stable that’s for sure 😂
When I was 18, I lived at home, left school and got a job as a postman. My Dad ruled the roost and I asked him if I could buy a motorcycle. He told me I could have a motorcycle of 50cc or under or a scooter of any size I wanted. So I opted for a Lambretta 200. It was the biggest scooter around nearly 50 years ago. Quick up and down on the short road where the back entry to the shop was and I was on my way. It was an absolute piece of cr@p, but I rode it like a motorcycle, wearing leathers 'n all. Dreadful thing but I learned to ride on it. It handled so badly that I could ride most things after that... Got proper bikes as soon as I could after that. The wierd thing is how much these dreadful things make on the second hand market when their performance, handlung and build quality is so much inferior.
If you think the prices of these monsters is weird check out the prices of some mopeds
@@bikerdood1100 absolutely bizzare.
Allways thought that V Max motor could be competitive in a up to 1600cc race car class hill climber. Without needing 30k being spent on it. Cough Hyabusa
Certainly have the torque
@@bikerdood1100 Ye that's what I thought.
Years ago I had a GSXR1100 oil cooled, roller brg. crank. Good for the time, but when the V Max came out a buddy bough one, their punch out the corner almost made up for the lack of cornering speed.
A buddy of mine in H.S. had a Kawi 500, and it was a beast. Blew the fenders off my 750 Honda, then my 900 Kawi...that bike wast FAST...
Wonder how long that lasted 😂
@bikerdood1100 He never wrecked it..he sold it after HS when he left for college. He road that bike for 2 1/2 years...guy had balls..
2:05 I think you meant to say "You wouldn't be far from right"
Did I 😂
I always wanted a Kawa 500, no interest in the others it was the Kawa for me !
I wouldn’t get any personally
Like riding in a straight line and then taking corners properly 😂😂
Love my 98 Vmax! Nothing else like it and (mine at least) can hang with damn near everything up to 100mph.
In a straight line at least 😂
@@bikerdood1100 cant win em all, lol. Mines built to tilt though, and has no problem getting down on the Twisties.
I'd like to see a vid on tourers like the pan, subbed.
Nice idea 💡
Got a 92 vmax. It's for sale. I ride an R1 now.
Fan of the sensible then 😂😂
2 Stroke 250cc in the 70s and early 80s were lethal in the UK !! A 17 year old could just jump on one with a provisional licence and NO test or nothing !! I knew so many young many young men who died !
Legal I think you mean
True until 1981
@@bikerdood1100 Yes up until when the two part test came in for anything over 125 !! l knew a few who died after !! In my area some kids just carried on riding 250 on a provisional sut hoping the Police would never catch them !
@@Sam_Green____4114
Well I had a 125, not much fun
I think the industry is to blame really. Had they built sensible bikes only lik3 a wet Dream it would have been ok? And those bikes prepared riders better for larger bikes than a pesky 125. But they hade to build bikes like the RD making a change in the law inevitably
Yep the jap firms gave the cc/bhp limit on a plate to the UK gov. Really short sighted or short term thinking.
Cool video. I agree these bikes were quite intimidating to ride🫣
But may I also add the old Yamaha IT490 that had a powerband like flicking a light switch and would throw you off as soon as look at you and also (believe it not) the Honda CX500 v-twin that would get an extreme death wobble if you backed off to fast if you were going over 100 kmh (at least mine did anyway) I seriously almost shat myself the first time I experienced it🤯
Owned a CX
It would weave a tiny bit but your had to be hammering it, certainly well over 100kph and it was quite predictable.
The problem with many of the bikes on the list was that they were indeed genuinely dangerous. Like the HD if it grounded out, which HDs do far too easily then it lifted the front wheel, that’d more than a bit scary 😱
Have covered scary MX bikes before and may well return to it at some point.
Do something on a Honda RC51 please
Definitely one for the future 🤔
The zx11 ninja should be on this list.
Hmmm
Chassis is probably a bit too competent
😎🇺🇲👍
If you want to turn up the fun on the boring old Vmax. Do what I did.
Add a turbo. That wakes them up.
I also found the stock RG frame and geometry a little dated.
So I pulled the motor out and wedged it into a 93 NSR MC21. My little NSR 500 replica works great. 300 lbs with whatever a tuned and chambered RG motor makes for HP.
Sits in my living room. It is an evil little thing. It brings out the hyper reckless child.
The scariest bike I have is the 2023 KTM 690 SMCR.
Not because it does anything scary. It's because it really wants to DO scary things.
With double and even triple rows of roundabouts popping up here in the PNW.
A simple trip to grab food becomes a giggle fest of lean angles.
My Black Bike is definitely the scariest. GS 700 with a GS1150 motor, RG swingarm, first gen GSX-R fork assembly with 06 brakes and first Gen wheels, shortened WB , 23* head, aluminum tank and TZ tail.
Very sketchy indeed. About 400 lbs of the most uncomfortable pile of rolling parts. It's a monstrosity of a rat bike. 😁
Boring 🙄
When it comes to bikes
The excitement comes from what you do while riding it rather than the bike itself
You can having an amazing time on a tiny bike on the right road
As the saying goes it’s not what you’ve got it’s what you do with it that counts 😂😂
@@bikerdood1100
I was mostly being sarcastic.
I'm aware of how to have fun on any bike. Big, small , over or under powered.
When I started modifying the Vmax. It was because I had a Honda RC30 and I wouldn't touch it.
So I went a little nuts on the Yamaha. Eventually I built a new chassis and changed to a belt driven blower with chain drive and a 12" rear rim.
I like to tinker and modify.
Sadly, the shop I was working with closed. The Vmax project was lost in the mess. That was years ago. It's a long story. At least I was able to save the NSR project and got it finished.
✌️
So was I 😂😂
Mostly
That said I still think my old NSR 250 is the best sports bike I’ve ever ridden even though it’s the smallest
Love those corners
@@bikerdood1100
You should feel it with an extra 45+ HP.
The RG motor didn't add as much extra weight as you'd think.
I added as much lightness as I could afford at the time.
It would keep up with modern bikes just fine.
You're right. It is a bit of a tight ride for these old bones.😏
The V-Max "butterflies" were vacuum operated and one never knew when they would open.
When they felt like it I expect 😂
@@bikerdood1100 LOL !!! 🙂
BS, no vacuum involved, they were/are pulled open by a cable attached to a servo motor which is controlled by a CDI box, servo starts at 5750rpm to take up the slack in the cable, chokes stats to open at 6K and are fully open at 8K, i had to rebuild mine so know how it all works, it's a primitive system but reliable.
My road registered Yammy IT465 was a little hairy on the road
No way you could register one for the road here
Probably for the best really 😂
@@bikerdood1100 In Aussie mate we also have Cr500 RE's here which can be registered as well how that came about is quite the story it nearly cost an Aussie Honda bigwig his job
I have had those two strokers of which the Gamma was by far the best but it's frame couldn't handle slicks......... No the by FAR scariest bike , by a long shot , I have ever ridden has been the rather good looking Suzuki 850 G , which the very moment the front titre passes half life , tries VIOLENTLY , to throw one off the machine at the mere suggestion of a corner EVERY TIME !! I really mean that!!! Worked at Suzuki when a uni those years , The owners brought them in saying they felt unsafe ...mostly not too experienced riders .So they had me testing them as I raced And WITHOUT EXCEPTION THOSE BIKES SCARED ME SHITLESS !!! We put new tires on them an re-sod them , and without exception , half a season later the scene repeated itself !! By FAR the most horrible contraption , even if it had a rather classic ,Gilera-ish look , Never tried a 1000 G ,those were probably less dangerous for some odd reason.
Some bikes are very tyre sensitive
Anything with a sidecar.😂
Just takes practice
But I definitely take your point 😂
My bike in 1974 was a H2 750 Kawasaki trick heads and exhaust. I was wowed at that time by Dick Mann testing a Yamaha 2 stroke 4 cylinder 1000 cc bike at lime rock. He said the front wheel never touched the ground in the straight. Fearing lawsuits Yamaha cancelled the bike before production could start. Most dangerous bike I’ve ever ridden?, not even close, the Cushman scooter.
Well toughest hikes I’ve ridden are the really old ones to be honest
Rode a V-Rod once...horrible bike, not as quick as purported, sluggish handling and NO ground clearance. Back in the day, I rode both H1 and H2 Kwackers. The H1 was absolutely deadly, all engine and stunningly twitchy/flexy frame. H2 was better, but still awful...just shows cultists are almost always hallucinatory.
I find bikes are all too often never as quick as claimed.
But oh those Kwakers 😂
As a 17 year old know-it-all back in 1970 I latched on to the H1 version of that Kawasaki H3 500. Probably the most dangerous thing I have ever owned. Bad ergonomics, suspension that hated any turns above a few miles per hour, wobble at random times and roads, bad brakes that belonged on a Honda trail bike and a two stroke engine that did nothing but bog until 4,000-5,000 RPM. Then a split second to 9,000-10,000, shift, and back at 4,000 for a return neck breaking ride to the moon. Treat it right and you could keep the front wheel on the ground. But that took some finesse and skill. Once it hit that magic RPM there was almost no middle ground to redline. But as a 1/4 mile stoplight to stoplight street drag racer nothing could touch it. Even back then I was smart enough to get rid of that girl before she killed me. The V-Max is a beautiful one trick drag street pony. Not much good for anything else.
Well
Yeh 😂
You are talking to a 1985 V-Max pilot and that's coming off the 1975 500 cc Mach III, two of the 5 on your list, lost my mind riding Doug Poland's 851 and would go on to the incredible 2002 998r that Suzuki was chasing with another bike on your list, but nothing could prepare me for MV's answer to Ducati's MotoGP desmosedici, the 1078 312 rr making the same numbers: "Maverick, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash"
Well that’s all too deep for me 😂