The Golden Age for Japanese motorcycles was the 1970’s. Beginning a year
earlier when Honda stunned us with its CB750, a new standard for performance was
set. 750 cc’s, inline four cylinders, front disc brake, and smooth reliability,
it sent England’s new triples to the back of the line quickly. Even creating an
instant collectible by the first engines being sand cast, as they never thought
it would sell in the numbers it did, so passed on the tooling. But with an
initial sub 13 second quarter mile time, even the mighty Sportster, the bike one
magazine once said “was so fast it would part the hair on your chest, and if you
didn’t have any, give you some,” was slow. The Honda was the bike to beat on
the street, and soon it was winning on the track too, and after market parts and
industries soon followed. It was the first, and no one would ever surpass its
power and grace.....
Until 1973, and Kawasaki gave us the Z-1. A company famous for it two
strokes, that were quicker than the Honda, but shook and vibrated, drank gas and
oil by the gallons per mile, and wheelied while it felt like the frame was
hinged in the middle. But the Z-1 changed all that, and suddenly the rules were
changed, and a new King crowned. Initially it was to be a 750 like the Honda,
but went to 903 cc’s, with double overhead cams, 82 hp, and it ran 12.2’s right
out of the crate. Maybe a bit expensive at $1895, some $400 more than the
Honda, but soon the new King had taken over, and in every aspect of motorcycling
from touring to racing to Daytona, you ran one or finished second. BH had been
king for a short time on his Honda, Bouke took over on his Z-1. While I rode my
R90S, we were three fast guys in search of good times, never looking back, we
felt our bikes would be keepers, and then Suzuki had something to say.....
Surprising everyone in 1978 with its GS1000, even the E model with cast
wheels and dual front disc brakes, the reign of the Z-1 was over. Faster,
quicker, and better handling, in less than ten short years. First Honda, then
Kawasaki with its first four stroke, and now Suzuki with its second new four
stroke in two years dominated. With each new model bringing along a newer
criteria for speed and reliability. Three new Kings of performance motorcycling
in a short ten years, it was a great time to be alive, and an even greater time
to ride. And for one brief decade there it was paradise.....
With each new performance king, based on quarter mile times and top speed,
more reliability also came with it. As a new King took over, the old Kings
polished their products, smother, better handling, updated styling, and the
thing that had made them the King of the Quarter Mile, speed, diminishing.
Honda got slower, as did Kawasaki, not much, and soon Yamaha gave us the
excessive Eleven, and big motors were the way to go to get speed. But
technology would bring us smaller engines with more power, for less money, and
it was judgment day for big motors, as Honda gave us the CB650, quicker than the
original Z-1, with shaft drive, Kawasaki gave us the KZ650, a downsized Z-1, and
Suzuki gave us the GSXR750, a race bike for the street. A new decade meant new
performance, and it drove us crazy trying to raise a family and keep the fastest
set of wheels in our garage, with little time to ride. Things were changing and
so were we, but we would never forget our first rides on those Superbikes of the
Seventies, and as we got older and slower, in our memories they got faster. The
Kings of our past were dead, long live the Kings....
But as fast as those bikes were, it always came down to the nut behind the
bars, the one twisting the grip, the one who sometimes might get into trouble
running his mouth before his motor. One afternoon when BH couldn’t stand the
smoky exhaust from a Mach IV, at the light the race was on, and he was beaten,
making it worse was the Kawi had a passenger. It seems that there is a time to
speak and a time to stay quiet, but do we ever learn? Out of his mouth that day
came bragging at first, that soon turned to cursing after his loss and
embarrassment. Seems we all like to be King, we just don’t like the
competition. Or being embarrassed. The same mouth that can produce praise can
also produce cursing, just as God warned us. No berating of his bike would make
it go faster, and his relationship with it ended soon after with a Suzuki
GS1000, his pride injured, and also his wallet. Maybe Paul’s advice here would
help, only tell the truth. THE truth, opinions are like Hondas, everyone has
one. Do not let any unwholesome words come from your lips. We all fail here.
But only use words to build up, not break down. Getting rid of the trash,
getting rid of bitterness, slander, rage, anger, and all forms of malice. A
great philosophy, you say, but without an example just that. Then Jesus came
along.....fulfilling the words of scripture, and telling us we can do the same,
but not on our own. A new King can be crowned, one of the control of the mouth,
which can praise or curse God also. It can either give credence to the holy
spirit, or deny him. It can save us from hell, or condemn us to it. For out of
the mouth comes what is on our hearts. I can only hope you never hear me not
getting my own way....and we cannot do it alone, for like a performance
challenge, one is always waiting for us. You can be the Captain Kirk of your
Enterprise one minute, and drowning in defeat soon after. One slip of the
tongue can either give you a reputation or ruin one. It is only by the spirit
we can tame the tongue, and in the battle of wills, the tongue will be the final
say every time. Judgment Day, blessed one day, cursed the next. The battle for
speed and your soul never quits.....
But with the tongue we can also speak forgiveness, maybe the nicest words
Jesus spoke were to a woman caught in sin, “you are forgiven, go and sin no
more.” He was consistent in his words and actions, and we can be too. Put down
the how to books, drop the studies on how to be nice, and admit your sin, ask
Jesus to help, then let him. Repenting again when you slip, because you will,
but each time the words hurting you, because of their sinfulness. Suddenly it
is not about us, but about Jesus, and when that occurs, our actions along with
our words will change.
And so God has given us his spirit to help, to aid, to guide. And bikers
the full face helmet. Many cuss words have gone unheard because of the face
shield muffling them, but God hears all. Imagine a Golden Age of Hearing, where
only kind words were spoken, no one cursed God, but only praised him. With a
change of heart it is possible, but not on our own. Can you imagine the
bragging about how nice I speak? Or how I only say nice things? All with a
hard heart. Word of mouth advertising will always be the best, once the word on
the Z-1 hit the streets, Honda knew it was over. Judgment Day had arrived.
Judgment can be harsh, but it can be rewarding also. It depends on your choice,
and the words that represent your God. Hearing is the last sense to go before
death, and you cannot control it. You can your mouth. Proven one day at the
stoplight.....when the flag drops the BS stops...many will try to steal your
peace, only in Christ will it be secure. The battle between throttle and mouth
continues....there will always be someone quicker or faster, but not in God’s
spirit. Even thousands of years ago he warned of racing, and its consequences.
“Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit,” says the Lord. Or do we not
remember what scripture says about having a conversation with a fool....
And I bet you didn’t know quarter mile times aren’t done on the track any
more, but on the dyno.....which never lies! Oh, those were the days!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com