25 Years Ago March, 1983

25 YEARS AGO MARCH, 1983

ROUNDUP

The heritage of Harley-Davidson flat-track success was expressed in the form of a production streetbike called the XR1000, said to be an “honest motorcycle” in every sense. Even so, editors couldn’t decide if it would be as fun to ride “if it didn’t vibrate, cook the left leg and make the rider work to use the turnsignals.” Production of the $6995 machine was limited to 1000 units.

• Dirt-heads got their fill with a test of the Honda CR480R—a fullon motocross racebike that was deemed imperfect on several levels. Although the bike was rarely parked in the garage, complaints were many as the exhaust burned some riders’ left legs when they were standing on the pegs, the clutch would overheat if slipped more than once and the left-side kickstarter made firing the bike up difficult for some.

• Even more testing included the Suzuki GS450E (“Sporting simplicity, for those to whom too much is more than enough”). Also included was a Honda VT750C Shadow (“Handling is more than adequate fora cruiser”) and the Maico 250 Spider (“Quick revving, powerful and magic in the turns"). • Deep in the classified ads of CW Showcase in among $1.96 switchblades, “Inventions Wanted” and the Cycle-Kamp tent/trailer was an ad for the Magni BMW MB2, “Bringing together the very finest in Italian & German engineering.” No price was listed for the frame kit offered by Arturo Magni, MV Agusta’s former racing department manager. What price art?

—Ryan Dudek