Why...

[Honclfibr]

Are sportbike manufacturers obsessed with the last three letters of the alphabet?

It's an eerie trend.

YZf
eX
ZX
fZr
gsX
gsXr

OK, I understand the Y, that's for yamaha. But what about Z and X? These are just stupid letters. No real words use them. How did they end up in sportbikes?

[JJ]

Haven't you ever seen those car ads on tv...ZOOM-ZOOM-ZOOM and racer X=ZX.

[Stoneman]

"X" "Z" "R" all sound good. They're only model and/or R&D designations anyway. But they usually stick all the way down to marketing. Those letters sound more appealing than say, "B" "E" or "L"...

But I'm sure you'll correct us all on this soon enough...

[benVFR]

Z - Association with Nissan Zs ?

X - Some kind of association with "X" planes?

I don't know... probably some weird marketing to try to get people to associate a fast bike with other fast things.

They also have built up these silly acronyms to show the evolution of the models over the last 30-40 years.

GSX-R somehow evolved from:

GS - early suzuki air-cooled inline 4s?
GSX-F - Katana family? (air/oil cooled?)
GSX-R - When they went water cooled?

Hondas are fairly explainable by engine type.

CB - inline - R got tacked on with the Hurricane?
VF - V-four - R got tacked on with the first interceptor?
VT - V-Twin ala Ducati, they also had CX for V-twins that were arranged like a Guzzi.

Kawasakis started with a Z way back with their first big bike, the one that dethroned the CB750. It was the Z1 or something. It may be similar to Suzuki with the X getting tacked on later to denote some new architectural change.

I know almost nothing about Yamaha history, can't guess anything there.

Ben

[TLRMan]

"S" designates "Sport"
"X" designates "Experimental"
"R" designates "Racing" and is good for another 15 extra Horsepower...So go out and buy the Letter "R" and tape it to your car.....You'll go faster...

[Zero]

I ride a RF and a TL.

[Honclfibr]

Originally posted by Stoneman
"X" "Z" "R" all sound good. They're only model and/or R&D designations anyway. But they usually stick all the way down to marketing. Those letters sound more appealing than say, "B" "E" or "L"...

Allright, I'll buy that, Z and X sound cool. Now that I think about it, alot of cars have Z and X in their name, 300ZX, RSX, etc...

But I'm sure you'll correct us all on this soon enough...

Was this directed at me? What'd I do? It's because I'm not Jewish, isn't it?

[Half Squid]

Originally posted by Mystery Squid
Or "GT"?

GT is for Grand Torismo, only seen with cars. I am pretty sure it was a General Motors generated term.

Now what does Grand Torismo Mean???
I know grand is realating to having a large HP engine, but no idea where torismo came from? Maybe a origonal designer?

[Honclfibr]

Originally posted by Half Squid
GT is for Grand Torismo, only seen with cars. I am pretty sure it was a General Motors generated term.

I thought that was eye-talian, Gran Turismo, meaning grand touring. The upgraded package for motoring about the countryside in style. That's what my roommate said, at least. But he was italian, so he claimed everything was invented by the italians.

[VIPERSRT1]

Originally posted by benSV


GSX-R somehow evolved from:

GS - early suzuki air-cooled inline 4s?
GSX-F - Katana family? (air/oil cooled?)
GSX-R - When they went water cooled?

actually the R is for racing edition,, because my gixxer is still air/oil
cooled.....
the can of tuna im not sure of. but I have heard of an old gsxr 750r,, that is supposed to be really tricked out might be a myth though..kinda like that guy that stuck paper towell tube to a white horses head and invented the unicorn, go figure
Ben

[VIPERSRT1]

Originally posted by Mystery Squid
Yeah, can you imagine instead of:

Suzuki GSXR

it was something more appropriate such as:

Kawasucki BSxr

bwaaaahhaaaaaa!!!!

[RSVMILLE661]

I would much rather ride something with an R or Z or X than Q W or L

The all new Suzuki.. LMNOP 600.. Coming to a dealership near you.


Or the Honda UDH1000Q it just doesnt flow off the toungue the way CBR/ ZX / YZF/ GSX-R does..

[SEVENSGT]

Originally posted by Honclfibr
I thought that was eye-talian, Gran Turismo, meaning grand touring. The upgraded package for motoring about the countryside in style

You am right der brudda.... GT= greand touring

tl=twin liter
sv=Suzuki v-twin
tl+r=twin litre racing
tl+s = twin litre sport
vfr=v-four-racing
vtr=v-twin-racing


all the rest have absolutely no meaning to me

[SEVENSGT]

SVT
TRD
FFV




comon smart asses

[JJ]

SVT=Special Vehicle Team(formally know as Special Vehicle Options)
TRD=Toyota Racing Development
And FFV is something to do with Ford's new fuel system cars that run on different types of fuels(don't remember what it is called right off the top of my head).

[Zero]

tl=twin liter

Actually it stands for Twin - L Configuration (90 degree).

[Borislav]

ROFL

SUZUKI BSxr

[ancientkawi]

[Borislav]

[Half Squid]

And now it's time to

[SEVENSGT]

Originally posted by Zero
Actually it stands for Twin - L Configuration (90 degree).

Are you sure?? then why the 1000 instead of 996? 1000=litre right???

[Zero]

Are you sure?? then why the 1000 instead of 996? 1000=litre right???

TLRMan can correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how I understand it. Why is your bike a VTR1000 then? Why is a GSXR 1000 only 988 cc's. It's just a name.

[TLRMan]

Originally posted by Zero
TLRMan can correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how I understand it. Why is your bike a VTR1000 then? Why is a GSXR 1000 only 988 cc's. It's just a name.

Well it would be kinda silly calling it A Twin Liter 1000 (liter)
Got too many liters!

It's an "L" configuration..... 90 degress....
Just like an "I4 " (inline 4)...

[snowborder]

Actually the manufacturers should smarten up with how they identify motorcycles.
I hear a class action lawsuit for misrepsentation of bike cc's...

Just like they did on computer monitors... why does a 15" monitor now require to say 14.1" viewable etc...

[Stoneman]

I just can't wait for the new JBD-U's to come out. Those are gonna be the nutz!!!