25 Years Ago May 1985

25 YEARS AGO MAY 1985

This issue's fold-out cover opened to reveal a spectacular panoramic mountain backdrop as adventur-

ous Japanese motorcyclist Shinja Kazama traversed a ragged rock ridge aboard a Honda trials bike. The feature titled "Mount Everest Dreaming" recounted Kazama's bold attempt to ride to the highest place on Earth. Although he turned back short of his goal, his trip made for an epic tale of adventure all the same.

• Sharing the cover was a hot-rod comparison billed as the quick est streetbike ever sold against the fastest sportscar ever built. The dragstrip showdown staged at Carlsbad Raceway pitted the

newly introduced Yamaha V-Max against the leg endary Shelby 427 Cobra. In addition to a straight-up quarter-mile drag race, the contest also recreated the 0-to-i 00-to0-mph test of Cobra lore. With Technical Editor Steve Anderson in the saddle, Mr. Max clocked an

11.34-second/I 22.95-mph pass through the lights to the Cobra's 12.85/114.64 best. Results of the acceleration/braking contest cleanly beheaded the snake, with the bike posting a 12.35-second run to the 13.77 turned in by the Cobra with its dismayed owner behind the wheel.Those were the days...

• Of the remaining tests in this issue, the not-for-sale-in-theU.S. Honda CBR400F revved my own interest. I was club racing a 500 Interceptor at the time and will admit to being a reader who vowed if such a bike were imported I'd be all over it. Turns out, the Suzuki GSX-R750 swayed my allegiance the following year.

Don Canet