Kawi2strokes.com Forum

Its all relative. As for the difference between modern and vintage bikes.....
I can mostly relate to dirt bikes. I do own an S2 triple, but I have little seat time on a modern sport bike. With the motocross bikes, heres how I see it.

Lets take my YZ465 vs a YZ450f. The 450F has a few more ponies and is in every way a superior machine. But, its too well mannered for me. My buddy has a 450f and I have ridden it some. The way he talked it up, I was scared to get on it...dont get me wrong, its fast and powerful, the power is always there, hooks up well, but it just was not nearly as thrilling as trying to hold on to my 465 when it comes on. Or my KX400 for that matter.

I will say this, 80mph feels PLENTY fast on my little S2 but I bet its boring as hell on a 'busa.
I dont really need or want to go 190 mph anyhow. The problem with modern sport bikes, as well as modern dirt bikes, is that any novice can climb on one and go too fast. They are sooo forgiving, I see MX riders on modern stuff riding sloppy, because they can. Landing short on jumps, suspension eats it up. Ive seen people make mistakes on a modern motocrosser that would have me bouncing over the bars and breaking my back on my '72 F9.. I imagine its the same for old vs new street bikes.

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug

I do have a problem with the fact that any kid with a driver's license (16 in many states) can buy a ZX14 or Busa. Countries that have smaller displacement rules are controversial but all you have to do is go on Ebay or Craiglist and type in Busa or ZX14 motor and you can buy either for cheap and most of them say "Less than 1,000 miles". You can draw your own conclusions.

As for the technology that goes into these engines....the ZX14 is narrower than an H2, weighs about 60lbs more, makes 160 rear wheel, bone stock. And if you blow it up you can buy one with less than 1,000 miles for about $2,000. I bought one six weeks ago for $500, complete with the throtttle bodies and header.