General Discussion Anything SuperHawk Related

A stupid question....

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Old 01-16-2007, 06:51 PM
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A stupid question....

Does anybody know what VTR stands for? I suppose "F" stands for "Firestorm", or maybe I'm wrong but I've been thinking about what VTR really means? Does anyone have a clue?

Sorry I know this was a stupid question to ask but I'm just curious to know.

Thanks!!
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Old 01-16-2007, 06:58 PM
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my take on some of Honda's nomenclature:
V- v engine configuration
T- twin cylinder
R- sport or race style

VFR- V config, Four cyl, Race
VT- v twin cruisers
CB- inline config, some twins, mostly fours
F on end of model designation is sporty street, CB900F CBR600F VTR1000F
and so on.
I like the CBX models. do they really mean to imply X for eXtreme?
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Old 01-16-2007, 08:21 PM
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Hmm?
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RC - Really Crap
RVT - lysdexic Superhawk owners



I don't believe Honda ever gave a reason for the letters.

On a side note, my insurance company mentioned that as long as there was no "R" in the model name, the insurance would be reasonably low.
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Old 01-17-2007, 02:13 PM
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Sorry, guys, but cannot resist this - DNA? What does it stand for? National Dyslexic Association.

The VT explanation is dead right. I strongly suspect that R is just because all the Japanese factories call sports or semi-sports "R" (GSXR, ZXR, R1..).

The F explanation is also correct, as I recall it - came in with the CB750F, CB550F, and CB400F in the mid 70s to designate sportier machines than the 4 into 4 piped CBs. (My shed contains a '76 400F and an '82 1100F.)
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Old 01-17-2007, 04:44 PM
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Question

In general honda's abbreviations appear to follow a pattern
VTR
V- V engine configuration
T- Twin cylinder
R- sport or race style
VFR
V- V engine configuration
F- Four Cylinders
R- Sport or Race style

VT-
V- v engine configuration
T- twin cylinder

But in the inline 4 cylinders, I have no clue what CB's stand for.
Carbon Based????
Crappy Bike????
Can't Brake????
Crank Broken????

If the X in CBX =Xtreme...what about the VTX? It that supposed to be "extreme" too?

Originally Posted by PJay
I strongly suspect that R is just because all the Japanese factories call sports or semi-sports "R" (GSXR, ZXR, R1..).

The F explanation is also correct, as I recall it - came in with the CB750F, CB550F, and CB400F in the mid 70s to designate sportier machines than the 4 into 4 piped CBs. (My shed contains a '76 400F and an '82 1100F.)
So R=Race/Sport but F= Even "sportier"?
Then The VTR1000F should outsport the RC-51 since the RC51 is just a plain VTR1000 (it's missing the "F" tag).
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Old 01-17-2007, 05:10 PM
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PJay; you got a sewing machine (CB400)? Sweet! never sell that pup, and if you do may I suggest a new owner screening that makes adoption look easy.
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Old 01-17-2007, 06:27 PM
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Hmmmm - yes, in my shed there are all sorts of things, including a CB77 (known in NZ as "the 305" or "305SS", but in the USA the first "Superhawk").

The CB designations came in a progression - C models in the 1950s and onward were largely commuter models eg C102 Supercub of which I have an early one; CA were, as I recall, pressed frame but twin carb twin cylinders, and CB, the sport model tube frame twins.

Later in the 1960s, the CB models became referred to by their capacity class eg CB350 (actually 325: yep, a 1968 one of them in the shed, too), and that was carried on for the fours.
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Old 01-17-2007, 06:33 PM
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All hail the keeper of the Honda Lore
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Old 01-17-2007, 06:38 PM
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Old 01-17-2007, 07:22 PM
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Ho ho ho - you wanna see me on TZ Y*m*h*s.
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Old 01-17-2007, 07:37 PM
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You're offering us to see pictures, Pete? Hell yeah!
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Old 01-18-2007, 03:53 AM
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Vee Twin Racing = VTR

Racing Concept 21st Century 1st model Vee 5 = RC211V

Racing Concept Model 51 = RC51

Vee Twin Racing Special Projects Model 1 = VTR SP1

Fast Interesting Racers Exclaim Supreme Torque Offers Racing Magnificance = Firestorm

Studious Understanding of Paranormal Explanations Reveal Hauntings Abound Within Kawasakis = Superhawk

Those kooky Japanese...
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Old 01-18-2007, 07:44 AM
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way back when I picked up my first bike, a '73 CB500F 4 cyl I looked at some books on them and Honda in general and per the books CB stood for "sportster" on those early models...
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Old 01-18-2007, 01:49 PM
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Just trrying to work out how to reduce the size of photo files to upload in to here. I have shots of me riding TZ350s and a TZ750 at Phillip Island, Australia, and a TZ750 at Pukekohe, New Zealand (in response to the invitation above).

Any tips or pointers, please?

(I am off to Phillip Island again next week, racing the '82 CB1100F on 26/27/28 January.)
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Old 01-18-2007, 01:52 PM
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Yes, Pete, I can help. Email them:

ghgc@austin.rr.com

I will resize them for you and post up. This little picture size is a major PITA and it took me lot of fiddling before I learned how to do it quickly!
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Old 01-18-2007, 03:21 PM
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Thank you - now sent.

NB there is no connection between PITA and my given name.
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Old 01-18-2007, 03:21 PM
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Virgins are Too Risky
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Old 01-18-2007, 03:24 PM
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Very True Remark
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Old 01-18-2007, 03:32 PM
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Here's a little background from Pete:

Hi, Nuhawk

Thanks so much for the offer.

In case you're interested in detail:

The TZ350D is the second model of monoshock TZ350. The particular photo was taken January 2005.

The TZ350F was the first of the factory "low" chassis TZ350s, and was (and is) notorious for a weak frame. This photo was taken in January 2004, when I won several races on this machine at Phillip Island, and won the <600 class overall for the meeting. When we returned the bike to the workshop after this meeting, the frame was broken in 3 places.

The yellow TZ750 "Monoca" is actually a special with 2 350 top ends on it. The frame is an early TZ750 witha Harris monoshock adapted to it. We did a lot of work on the motor, best power 148 rwhp on the Dynojet. Power delivery was bastard, though. It would smoke its rear tire whilst simultaneously wheelstanding in every gear up to and including fourth. Terrible through and just out of corners, but a blast down the straights. Timed at 191mph. First race was in the wet -timed at 183 on wets. Photo Phillip Island January 2005.

The red and white TZ750C was the actual machine that Mike Hailwood rode to see if he would like to return to racing before going to the Isle of Man and winning on the Ducati. This bike is just a pussycat - a lovely thing to ride. Photo Pukekohe, New Zealand, September 2004.

Cheers

Pete

OK here's the pictures:
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Old 01-18-2007, 03:36 PM
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Originally Posted by PJay
Thank you - now sent.

NB there is no connection between PITA and my given name.
No, no! It's just that the file size accepted by the board is so small it's not supported by any device so no matter how you take the picture, you have to convert is to their size requirements. It's a pain-in-the-*** and is the antithesis of technology. Sorry no offense intended.
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Old 01-18-2007, 04:05 PM
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Some more little comment:

The yellow bike is a 1975-ish TZ750 special (ie 4 cylinder 2 stroke) - has 2 TZ350 top ends, so is untamed by reed valves. It is 694ccs. Dynojet rear wheel hp curve sorta goes: 55hp at 8,400, 125hp at 9,400, 148hp at 10,600. At one stage in its development, we were seeing a 50hp increase from 9,200 to 9,400.

Described by someone who saw it as "that ICBM", and someone else as "that wheelstanding monster".

It weighs 155kg, and the frame is standard TZ750A converted to monoshock. Still all quite thin tubing.

In the 2 years I had to develop it for the owner, we destroyed about 6 clutches, despite using the clutch only for starts. There is not a helluva lot of room for replacement clutches, and the rules we operate under do not allow out-of-era major components. I ran through 6 rear slicks for every front.
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Old 01-18-2007, 04:27 PM
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One more from PJay:
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Old 01-19-2007, 03:11 AM
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Originally Posted by calitoz
Virgins are Too Risky
How about Very Troublesome Rider.......lol
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