Predictions `85: Up Dated And Amended

Predictions `85: up dated and amended

ROUNDUP

DAVID EDWARDS

Six months ago. when the factories were treating new-model information as though it were as secret as the formula for Coca-Cola, the clairvoyant staff of this magazine pondered the coming model year in September's "Roundup."

Now that most of the `85s have been released, a tabulation of our predictions is in order. Turns out we did fairly well, batting a little over .500. If we played baseball, we'd be in the Hall of Fame; if we bet big in Las Vegas, we'd be rich; and if we turned our attention to earthquakes and unsolved murders, we'd be on the cover of the National Enquirer.

Still, we dropped the ball a few times. For example, who would have suspected that Yamaha or Kawasaki would have the, uhh, strength of character to unleash dragbike-clone models such as the V-Max and Eliminator on the unsuspecting American public. Talk about your clash of the titans!

Then there's the case of Honda's Interceptors. We guessed that the 750 would be dramatically different: It is not. And, we continued, the 500 would have to enlarged to keep up with the 600s: It was not. But before you totally write off those predictions. here this: Sources inside the industry tell us that there was a new 750, but Honda was holding it back until the world-wide allotment of unsold `84 Interceptors was taken care of. Then, the story goes, all heck broke loose when Yamaha un veiled its FZ750 and Suzuki cut loose with the radical GSX-R750; it seems that perhaps the new Honda might not have had enough of the right stuff to keep up with the two new interlopers. Interesting stuff, eh, if more than a little murky and unsubstantiated.

Still, Honda doesn't like to be upstaged. Look for a new Intercep tor 750 and 600 stablemate to hit the ground running in 1986. We also mentioned a new Honda touring bike, shored up with all manner of goodies, most notably a vastly redesigned engine and an automatic transmission. Not this year. but it is coming. Trust us.

Sadly. we were wrong about Yamaha's RZV 500 two-stroke square-Four making a U.S. showing. Yamaha tried, but problems with the EPA-pleasing catalytic convertors snuffed the project. We got the FZ750 on the head, though, even if we missed the boat by predicting that the FJ600 would get a perfor mance facelift. It's hard to imagine, however, that Yamaha doesn't have an FZ600 waiting in the wings.

Suzuki. You'll remember that Suzuki likes to play cat-and-mouse games when it comes to introducing new bikes, so even at this late date not all its `85s have been shown. As with Yamaha, we were right about a new 750-class sportbike. although it remains to be seen if the GSX-R750 will be sold this year or next, and if it's a full-house 750 or a downsized 700. And still don't bet against a 600cc version of the aluminum framed, oil-cooled beauty.

The new Suzuki touring V-Four is coming. a huge, 1400cc over-the road behemoth, bristling with all sorts of horizon-chasing goodies. Suzuki calls it the Cavalcade.

And here's a semi-scoop: Suzuki will have a new cruiser, probably a 700 at first, called the Intruder. The bike is powered by Suzuki's first V Twin. a 45-degree, liquid-cooled, four-valve-per-cylinder unit that mates to a shaft final drive.

The folks at Kawasaki, bless their hearts, did everything we said they'd do. Oh, they neglected to bring in the Ninja 750, but that was because the bike would further muddy the already-confusing marketing strat egies of having GPz5 SOs and Ninja 600s, GPz75Os, Turbo 750s and Ninja 900s all vying for the sport bike dollar. Depending on sales, `86 may see the GPzs dropped and the 750 Ninja brought in.

But then, we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. Most of 1 985's most interesting new hard ware hasn't even hit these shores yet. so predicting what 1986 might bring is a bit too iffy at this point. Gotta protect that .500 batting av erage. you know.