.Bike of the YearKawasaki’s ZZ-R1100 wasn’t simply the fastest superbike the world had ever seen, it brought a whole new dimension to warp-speed riding. The Big K’s engineers used all their conventional tuning tricks on a new 1,052cc, 16-valve motor, then added a

success was the Formula One world championship won in 1987 by Virginio Ferrari aboard the FZ750-engined YB4. In 2000, Australian Anthony Gobert won a World Superbike round at Phillip Island on a TL1000-engined SB8K.But by then Bimota was deep in another

1979“This is the Golden Age of motorcycling,” proclaimed one mag in 1979, celebrating the 100bhp output of superbikes like Kawasaki’s giant Z1300 and high-barred “factory customs” such as Yamaha’s XS650. The mags carried ads for Paddy Hopkirk lids

either.BEST REVAMPTwo years after launching the FJ1100 as a sports bike, Yamaha revamped the aircooled four in fine style to create the FJ1200. Its 16-valve engine was enlarged from 1097 to 1188cc, retaining its 125bhp max and adding more midrange. The FJ

in Kawasaki’s own range. Its 908cc engine’s 113bhp max was five horses down on the 1,089cc unit of its aircooled, eight-valve sibling the GPZ1100. And the Ninja was far less complex than the 3bhp less powerful Z750 Turbo. But they were dinosaurs

.END OF AN ERAAs several new superbikes arrived, two old warriors died. Honda, who’d started the superbike revolution in 1969 with the original CB750, ended that bike’s line of SOHC fours with the CB750F2, which livened up the previous year’s stylish but slow 750F

. But fourvalve heads were on their way.BIKE OF THE YEARSuzuki’s GSX1100 wasn’t much to look at; its bland styling made worse by a strange headlamp nacelle. But boy, did it go — both on the straights and round the bends. Suzuki’s first 16-valve four made 100bhp

straight World Superbike title. The only racer arguably tougher than King Carl was Michael Doohan, who overcame his mangled leg to win a second 500cc GP championship. Elsewhere Joey Dunlop’s two TT wins took his total to 19, while a fellow named James

were quick, light and hideously expensive.DECENT PLONKNew Jap fours were led by Kawasaki’s ZX-10, which improved on the previous GPZ1000RX with an aluminium frame, plus an extra 16 horses that brought the claimed max to 137bhp. Suzuki’s uprated GSX-R750

1986Things were moving fast in the two-wheeled world in ’86, with Japan Inc churning out new models that were generally faster, flashier and better than last year’s crop. Fairings and monoshock rear ends had taken over; engine cooling methods ranged