The Kawasaki Turbo tried to beat the Superbikes

The idea of a forced induction motorcycle has long recorded the imagination. Although Kawasaki has effectively proven supercharging as the real solution with the Ninja H2, all major Japanese manufacturers in the 80s experimented with turbo charger. At the time, high rates were placed on all Japanese bicycles with a relocation of more than 700cc. Offering a high-quality model while the relocation under the magical 700cc marking had the potential to be profitable. Or they thought so.

After initially starting the development with a 650cc engine, Kawasaki decided against this approach and simply discussed the performance. By taking the already proven GPZ750 and this too turbo compressor, the performance figures of the GPZ1100 at that time agreed. Of course there was much more than just hit a turbo, but the end result was no different than what you could imagine – a serious fast motorcycle!

The Kawasaki GPZ750 was the fastest motorcycle with turbo compressor

Quarter-mile time: 10.7 seconds

At a certain moment in history it was not only the fastest turbo vig, but technically the fastest production engine bike. However, this impressive quarter miles must be taken with a pinch of salt. In the 1980s, brands were notorious for tuning test bikes, and this time it was reached during a promotional event and was not repeated once tested by independent points of sale. The real time was just over 11 seconds, which is still powerful impressive for a bike that is now more than 40 years old.

Honda received the mass market bar with the CX500 Turbo in 1982. At first glance, a 500cc transversal V-twin seemed like a strange choice, but it was able to produce an impressive 80 hp, almost twice as much power as the naturally extracted version. Yamaha followed the example with the XJ650 Turbo, which supplied a similar power figure with a small weight advantage. Suzuki then waded in with the XN85, which was made in limited numbers, and although it also produced similar power, someone could not impress.

Honda is not willing to give up at the first obstacle, hit back the following year with the CX650 Turbo, which, according to all bills, was an important step forward for turbo bikes. Well, until Kawasaki came to stake quite late. Of the Big Four, Kawasaki was the last to arrive at the Turbo scene, but was also the only brand it did in the right way. Instead of limiting the displacement, the engineers were allowed to develop what they thought was the best Turboot bike, and that turned out.

Turbo compressor Rivals

• Honda CX500/CX650 Turbo

• Yamaha XJ650 Turbo

• Suzuki XN85

The GPZ750 Turbo delivered Big-Bore performance

Power: 112 hp

While he was late in the mass market turbo game, Kawasaki had some experience with turbo engine bikes. In the late 1970s, some dealers offered a turbo kit for the too many powerful pre-own-good-good Z1-r. The results were, as you can imagine, pretty disastrous. Tire and chassi technology was not nearly enough advanced enough to process its 130 hp, but this overwhelming machine certainly proved that turbo corates was indeed possible.

With the leading competitor – the CX650 Turbo – only made 100 hp, Kawasaki good and really raised the bar with the GPZ750 Turbo, which achieved an elevated 112 horses. It was not only more powerful, but it was also considerably lighter than the competition, let alone the hefty Honda. Kawasaki already had a very good basis in the form of the GPZ750.

The naturally extracted bike already had more than 80 hp. To achieve performance, Kawasaki reduced compression, added fuel injection and of course a Hitachi HT10-B turbo. The bike also had several pistons and a cylinder head of a KZ650. Easy to add more boost to these bikes reportedly increased power considerably, but reliability and driveability – which was already limited – members.

Specifications

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The GPZ750 was the last turbobik

The rise and decrease in turbo

Although the allure of easy, affordable performance might have been rolling the TurboTal, the reality could not be further from the truth. In the car world, Turbo -Charging was a runaway success, but the dynamics and pure lack of space limit their effectiveness on a motorcycle. The extra weight involved in adding a turbo in the 1980s was priceless, not only in the form of sanitary facilities for the turbo but also in terms of frame reinforcement. Although it is possible that we look back on the concept, it is largely a fruitless endeavor, because the extra weight is far over the real or observed performance benefits.

The actual performance was a different story. Although everything can swim in a straight line, it becomes a corner where a motorcycle is the most vulnerable to changes in traction, turbo delays an alarming problem. The crowds of version that is supplied by a turbo is perhaps intoxicating, but the non-linear nature is simply dangerous on two wheels. Before that power in power it felt slow, less like a superbike and more like an overweight 400.

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All this, in combination with the reduction of rates for bicycles of more than 700cc, meant that there was also little financial incentive to pursue Turbo -Charging for the other three brands. All these bikes were already expensive to produce, and while cars decorated with “turbo” on their fenders that were sold well, the sale of turbietjes was almost catastrophic bad. It turned out to be a solution to a problem that simply no longer existed. In 1984, Kawasaki introduced the GPZ900 Ninja, who had more power, was lighter and much more claimable – not to mention cheaper! By 1985 we also had the Suzuki GSX-R750, which was perhaps less powerful, but it turned out that decade was the real game changer.

Dimensions and weight