Top-Secret Struggles

Top-Secret Struggles

ROUNDUP

SOMEONE ONCH SAID THAT OUT OF struggle comes knowledge. If that’s true, the motorcycle manufacturers ought to be pretty smart at this point. Their struggles to keep their upcoming model lines secret are as intense as ever, and most of our usual sources have been more tight-lipped than in previous years. But by the same measure, we probably wouldn't put much stock in any socalled “top-secret" developments if we didn't have to struggle to learn of them. And our efforts so far have indicated that the 1987 models are going to be some of the slickest, most interesting bikes ever built.

As usual, motorcycling’s fiercest competition is centered on sport machinery. And for 1987. the 750cc sportbike class seems likely to be where the bulk of the action will be centered. For example, the long-

awaited 750 Ninja is no longer a rumor, but has finally become reality. Fhe key words for this machine are small and light; insiders tell us that it will be the hottest 750 on the market due to having a better power-to-weight ratio than anything else in its class. Styling is along the lines of the Ninja 1000. but with some areas bearing strong resemblance to the 250 Ninja.

Yamaha also will keep the heat on in the 750 class with a heavily redesigned FZ750. The engine will be left pretty much alone, but just about everything else will be new, including an all-aluminum Delta Box frame and all of the bodywork.

If an FZ750 does nothing for you. perhaps an FZ 1000 will get your fires burning. This liquid-cooled. 20-valve, inline-Four powerhouse also w ill be among the first Japanese

production bikes to be equipped with low-profile radial tires. The big FZ will be a more radical sportbike than an FJ 1200. but less extreme than, say a GSX-R 1 1 00.

Speaking of GSX-Rs, how does a GSX-R600 sound? Japan already has a 400cc GSX-R. and it would be no problem to slip a 600cc version of the engine into that chassis in a move much like Yamaha used to build the FZ600. If the bike is styled like the Japanese 400cc version, it should prove to be a formidable competitor in the middle-displacement class.

It'll have to be good, though, because the chances are that Honda will finally have a revised Interceptor in the 600cc range. The hot tip is that Honda, like the other manufacturers. w ill upsize a smaller model that is already available in Japan-in this case, the VFR400. Which means that Kawasaki’s 600 Ninja just might have a rough season against the VFRs and GSX-Rs. Our spies tell us that Kawasaki plans to make very few' changes to the 600’s engine, and will upgrade the midsize Ninja only by trading its steel frame for an aluminum one.

truder in the 1400-1500cc range will be available, and will vie with an equally large Kawasaki Vulcan for the honor of being the biggest VTwin ever built. One thing is for certain, though: Both will be targeted directly at the Harley buyer.

There’s excitement ahead in the touring field, too, for an all-new, 860cc V-Twin sport-tourer with shaft drive, a cantilever frame and monoshock rear suspension is slated for release sometime in ’87. The big news is that this bike will be coming not from Japan or Germany, but from Italy. It’s the Cagiva-Ducati GT, with a Pantah based engine.

BMW’s K 100 also will be revised, with four-valve heads, lighter pistons, reduced vibration and around 100 horsepower. What’s more, the R 100RS boxer will be revived and sport a monoshock chassis. And one final item from BMW: Look for an American-style, full-dress tourer based around the K 100 engine.

As far as dirt bikes are coneerned, the changes on Japanese-built models will be minimal. All the Honda

motocrossers, for example, will have disc brakes at both ends, but not much else will be changed. There still is, however, talk of a Honda 400cc enduro bike based on a CR500R motocrosser. Overat Suzuki, the RM 1 25 and RM250 will be redesigned, and there may even be an Open-class RM in the works. Finally, look for several manufacturers to build Honda Reflex-type dual-purpose bikes for the U.S.

There is one final fascinating rumor: Harley-Davidson and Buell seem to be very tight these days, and there is speculation that they are about to cut a deal that would allow Harley to compete in Superbikeclass roadracing.

You can’t always trust rumors, but this year they seem more reliable than in years past. In fact, the chances are very good that you will see all of these motorcycles in the coming year. Some we know are just around the corner; others, however, may still be in the final stages of design. In any case, the secrets are safe with us.

Not all of the excitement is in the sportbike category; things are hopping in the cruiser and standard-bike classes, as well. Yamaha wants to keep the King Kong power award, so the V-Max will have its displacement upped from 1200 to 1 300cc, but will not yet get the five-valve FZ-type heads. The greater displacement alone will allow Max to remain the musclebike. On a more civilized note. Suzuki should introduce some standard-style models that use GSX-R engines in Nighthawkish-style chassis. Look for both 750cc and 1 1 OOcc versions that will replace the air-cooled models.

There also are rumors of new VTwin models for next year, all with large displacements. A huge In-

Harley-Davidson Inc. goes public

If owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle doesn't give you enough satisfaction, you might want to con sider buying into the company. Be cause for the first time since the company was repurchased back in 1981, Harley is selling stock. It looks like the price per share will be in the neighborhood of 11 dollars.

Harley is selling the stock to raise the approximately $ 1 4 million needed to prepay several outstanding loans. With interest on loans being considerably lower now than it has been in recent years. Harley can save a tremendous amount of money by paying off its current debts and refinancing them at a lower interest rate. At this point, no one at Harley can comment on just what this

means for the company. It seems that a 1 933 regulation of the Se curity Exchange Commission prohibits anyone from talking about the deal for a certain period of time. The punishment for violation of this regulation is severe enough to si lence anyone in Milwaukee who has any real knowledge of the trans action. But at any rate, stockholders will at least have a way to help shape company policy.