GB500TT
Nowadays motorcycles are great, but there were many great and fun motorcycles in the past. I'd like to take a look back at some of the motorcycles that I wish were around today, based on my own experiences. The article is about the Honda GB500TT.
The name of GB, which is reviving after a long absence, had its roots.
The most talked-about motorcycle these days is the new GB350 from Honda. Powered by an air-cooled single-cylinder engine, its nostalgic design is sure to be popular. And the GB initials instead of the traditional Honda CB. It's been a while since we've heard anything about the GB, but it's actually one of Honda's most famous motorcycles of all time.
GB250 Clubman
The GB250 Clubman, the first model in the GB series, was born in 1983. This was a time when motorcycles were best-selling in Japan. It was the heyday of racing, and the motorcyclist was turning their attention to full-cowl models, but the appearance of an "old-fashioned" motorcycle seemed to go against that trend, and I, who was 20 years old at the time, thought, "Why now?".
Japanese Version British Racer Replica
The origin of GB is Great Britain, or British motorcycle. According to Honda's release at the time, the GB series was a "road sport motorcycle that inherits the traditional style and offers the powerful taste of a single-cylinder engine". It is a harmonious combination of the style of the road racing models (with single-cylinder engines) that were used in Britain in the 1960s and the powerful ride at low and medium speeds that takes advantage of the latest technology.
In other words, the GB was a Japanese version of the British racer replica, a nostalgic tribute to the British brands of Matiless, BSA and Norton. It is also said that the name GB was chosen to differentiate it from the CB, which had already become synonymous with Honda's sports models at the time.
I understand the meaning of GB, but what is "clubman"? There are various interpretations, but if it is used in the world of motorcycles, it is appropriate to say a member of a motorcycle club. Motorcycle enthusiasts gathered at salons and cafes, and eventually began to recruit friends to participate in grass races held in various locations. This sport was also originally created in Britain, the birthplace of motorsports, as an aristocratic alternative to riding.
The TT had the spirit of amateur racing.
The star of the show this time is the GB500TT, which was launched in 1985, two years after the GB250 Clubman. The GB500TT was a scaled-up version of the GB400TT, which debuted at the same time, with a larger displacement and was aimed at large motorcycle users. The name "TT" was given to this model instead of "Clubman".
GB400TT MKII
TT is an abbreviation for Tourist Trophy, and many people must have heard of it from the "Isle of Man TT Race" or the "Tsukuba Tourist Trophy" in Japan. TT refers mainly to public road racing, a category that also originated in the U.K. and was traditionally competed in by machines modified from production motorcycles; if GP (Grand Prix) is a professional competition between manufacturers' prototype machines, TT has a more relaxed meaning of amateur racing. The term "TT" is used to describe a more relaxed form of amateur racing. I think Honda's developers were projecting their feelings about the public road racers of the past onto the TT.
It is the same level as CBR250RR in the specification!
The GB500TT was a traditional sports model with a 498cc air-cooled, 4-stroke, single-cylinder, SOHC, 4-valve engine mounted on a steel semi-double cradle frame. The 500 was fitted with a racing seat from the start to show its pride as a large motorcycle. It had clip-on handlebars, a rearset, 18-inch spoke wheels front and rear, and 90/110 front and rear tires, which would be unthinkable today.
In contrast, the GB's handling was gentle with the flexibility of the steel frame and the stability of the large-diameter wheels, and the narrow tires provided a clear sense of contact with the road. In addition, the narrow tires provide a clear sense of contact with the road surface and light footwork when turning.
It weighed 167kg, which was the same as today's 250cc class and 2kg lighter than the GB400TT, but the peak power was 40ps, which was 4ps more than the GB400TT. The power to weight ratio was almost the same as the modern CBR250RR!
Hoping for the return of the big-displacement single-sport
GB500TT
Recently, I had a chance to ride GB500TT for the first time in a long time, and it has a good forward-leaning style with clip-on handlebars and a long tank. Feeling the beat of the now almost extinct big single and the torque kicking out from the road surface, cornering with the throttle open and open was an indescribably fun and uplifting experience.
It may be an exaggeration to say that it conveys the ride quality of the sports models of the 60's to the present, but we felt that it was a machine that allowed us to experience such a precious time slip.
It's a neo-classic motorcycle, but it would be great if they could recreate it as a sports model with an air-cooled single-cylinder engine, which is the origin of motorcycles.
See HONDA Moto Index Page
See Accessories for HONDA GB250 CLUBMAN
