The 1980s Sportbike Craze That Disappeared Overnight
55K views · Aug 21, 2026 · Autos & Vehicles
Comments · 153
@GPz84 · 1 month ago
Owned a GPz 750 and 750 Turbo. Both handled like boat anchors due to having 18' wheels, but that turbo was a freaking missile back in the day.
25
@AFJDM · 1 month ago (edited)
The H2 was Kawasaki being Kawasaki, but Honda's electric supercharger isn't just about power, but about creating a more fuel efficient high-power bike where boost is efficiently controlled to optimize fuel and air ratios in combustion to reduce emissions. Porsche is doing the same with the 911 for the same reasons, despite both companies being able to produce wild power figures without such systems. Also a V3 is awesome and it's a great return of Honda to the crazier side of their innovation!
12
@dmstrobel · 1 month ago
I did! I owned a Suzuki XN85. Lovely bike, good handling, good powerband. Felt like a 900 in power and weight, and it cost about the same as a 900, so there really wasn't any advantage. The turbo lag was detectable but not obnoxious, at least to me. I sold it to get a ZX-10, which is still running and in the family.
26
@trapperjohn3488 · 1 month ago
I had an 83 Seca Turbo. Pressurized carburetors. Poor steering. Weak brakes. Crappie suspension. I still miss that bike. The feeling of the turbo kicking in was incredible
15
@Gassit · 1 month ago
The CX500 was popular in the UK as a courier bike.
12
@Xt1000 · 3 weeks ago
I assembled and Test rode everyone of these bikes. I was the assembly guy at a Japanese dealership. Early 80's.
2
@natedostalik3538 · 1 month ago (edited)
Realizing Fluump has a car and bike channel in 2026 is like finding out an old friend has a secret Formula 1 career
13
@getadoglittlelonggi7333 · 1 month ago
The design language of motorcycles peeked in the 80s no question
7
@klugshicer · 1 month ago
„No more turbo puns“<br>„That‘s where Suzuki was“<br>You‘re on goddamn fire today 🔥 <br>(Or: congratulations on becoming a father maybe I suppose)
8
@evelcustom9864 · 1 day ago
That CX500 turbo is beautiful. It is as quintessential a design of the 80s as the Lotus Esprit Turbo.
@BrettB-n1s · 1 month ago
The GPz 750 Turbo was my dream bike for many years. I did own a GPz 750 eventually, never the turbo which was probably just as well. There was an aura to the Turbo tho back in the day.<br>Thanks for the coverage on the turbo bikes and their short reign.
2
@ScoutSniper3124 · 4 weeks ago
Owned a 1986 GPZ 1000 and it was a FAST BEAST. Then traded up to a 1988 ZX-10 which was and is a REFINED FAST BEAST. It's sitting pristine in my garage, just waiting for me to take it out for a ground flight. Beautiful bike.
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