Camel's Top Ten Motorcycles
For no other reason than because they stand out
Carl Neracher's Ner-A-Car, thousands built, only one and a half survive in Australia. Feet forward at its best.
Yamaha YZ465 G
Insane power, dubious handling (because it was really a unicycle), king of the sand dunes. Broke more of my bones than any other bike.
Suzuki Re5
Suzuki's rotary engined experiment. Bald Hills TAFE had one in their motorcycle section. It had sat for years without being run. They let me wack a dealer plate on it and fog mossies along the SE highway after I got the cantankerous bitch going.
Kawasaki Z1 900
As an apprentice I rebuilt heaps of them, raced them at drags and on the beach, could do the cams blindfolded. Gotta love that 4000 RPM buzz zone.
Kawasaki GPZ 900
Revolutionary. And had a full fairing! Graham, if you're out there, I still remember that you owe me a head for one of these!
Kawasaki H2 750 Triple
How did Kawasaki hide the hinge in the middle of the frame? I know it's there somewhere.... and why did I agree to porting and running them on methanol?
Suzuki GT 750
The waterbottle or 'kettle'. Too close to the H2. But had a rubber frame instead of a hinge.
Honda CB750
Was rebuilding one a week for what seemed like a decade. This was a quantam leap in motorcycling. You've got to respect that. Even if it was out-accelerated by most cars. Didn't handle in the wet, that's why the rider is taking off his helmet. He'd rather walk home.
Kawasaki W2SS 750
I liked the W1 better, but couldn't find a decent photo, so I used this one. I could have used a photo of a BSA and photoshopped the badges, you'd never know. Japanese 'emulation' at it's best. Not long after everyone started copying the japs, (particularly Laverda), except the british. Who should have.
Honda CX650E
All Hail the CX. After the plastic CX 500's became commuter and courier's staple ride, the design reached it's zenith with the CX650 Turbo. I worked on too many CX500T's to appreciate them, so I bought not one, but two CX650E's. One day I'll finish the resto.
Honda CT110
Australia's best selling bike (thanks to you-know-who). Had a contract to service them. Tough as nails. Could be cartwheeled with barely any damage, run dry of oil and just keep on going (let the seized piston cool down first). Based on the Cub
Honda RC125M
Because they could and did.
Suzuki Hayabusa
Because it is the best bike ever made. And I can hack the ECU!
Camel