dfz@sri-unix (12/14/82)
Anyone interested in news on new motorcycle models for 1983? I have some limited information: Yamaha is introducing several new street models. First, they are expanding their successful V-twin line downward by introducing the Virago 550 (or is it a 500?). It is yet another 75-degree V-twin "curiser" style bike; I think it will be nice to have a 500-class bike with some low-end "grunt" for a change. Yamaha is also moving to fill the gaps in their selection of large bikes: a 900cc Seca is available, the larger brother of the successful 750. I think it's a chain drive but I'm not sure. It looks like direct competition for the popular Honda CB900F. Perhaps most interesting is the *very* high end. It appears that Yamaha is no longer content to give the entire touring market away to Honda. Yamaha has introduced a 1200cc water cooled shaft drive V-4 with four valves per cylinder. It's called the Venture and comes in two models, a $5500 standard and a $7000 version with all the goodies. Not surprisingly, these two are direct competition for the Honda Interstate and Aspencade, respectively. The standard version is even the same color as the Interstate; the basic differences are in the engines and in Yamaha's tendency to style its bikes as though they came from Mars. Honda is introducing a bunch of flashbikes; I don't remember any details. They've made the CX500 into a 650; sounds like an improvement to me. In general, it seems we will be seeing a lot of turbocharged 150-mph hyperbikes in this land of the double nickel. I am very curious as to what anybody over here is going to do with them. I plan to post reviews of any new bikes I ride & would appreciate it if others would do the same! -Dave Ziffer ...!iwlc7!dfz