5 Forgotten Sports Bikes That Were Ahead Of Their Time

Ever since their inception, sports bikes have always pushed the boundaries of innovation. And at some point in time, nearly all major manufacturers have tried to push these boundaries for the ultimate bragging rights. But with depleting attention and memory spans, it’s easy to forget a few heavy-hitters. For example, everyone remembers the Suzuki Hayabusa. But no one really remembers the Kawasaki that came right after that, which almost beat it, and was more innovative. On that note, here are five such forgotten sports bikes you might not remember but certainly should. We’re going from newest to oldest.

BMW HP4

Year: 2012

BMW

Electronic suspension that adapts to riding conditions on the fly is the new norm for premium superbikes today. The Ducati Panigale V4 S, Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, Yamaha YZF-R1M, and Aprilia RSV4 Factory all have these. But it all started with the BMW HP4. Called DDC (Dynamic Damping Control), BMW claimed: “the damping is adapted to the current manoeuvre or road surface by means of sensor-supplied parameters via electrically controlled regulation valves”. It worked in tandem with the ECU, ABS, and traction control sensors.

BMW

Aside from this, the HP4 also impressed in terms of performance. The 999cc, inline-four engine produced 193 horsepower and 82 pound-feet, with the latter peaking at just 9,750 RPM. Add to that the 438 pounds curb weight (lowest in the four-pot class at the time), and you have a fire-cracker of a motorcycle. The credit for the low weight went to a few nifty upgrades over the standard S 1000 RR, such as:

• Lighter battery
• Titanium exhaust
• Forged alloy wheels

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Ducati Desmosedici RR

Year: 2008

Ducati

Most of you would think Ducati’s V4 journey began in 2018 with the debut of the Panigale V4. But you’d be quite wrong. The Italian giant’s first V4 machine actually came around 12 years earlier in the form of the Desmosedici RR. This was the world’s first MotoGP replica motorcycle, and it was literally a road-legal version of Ducati’s then-race-winning MotoGP bike.

Among the things that made it special was the V4 engine. It displaced 989 cubic centimeters, had desmo valves, and revved to over 14,000 RPM. As a result, the output was 200 horsepower and 85 pound-feet—a figure that is still respectable by new-age superbike standards. Add to that its sub-380-pound dry weight, and the RR was capable of hitting around 190 miles per hour. Oh, and Ducati also had a race-spec titanium exhaust to boost performance further.

Ducati

At the time, only 1,500 of these went into production. This, along with the fact that we’ve barely seen any MotoGP replicas since then (from any manufacturer), makes the RR a highly collectible machine. The average price is over $50,000, and super clean examples can even breach the $80,000 mark. Pretty understandable, considering the Marc Marquez Edition Panigale V4 costs over $90,000, right?

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R

Year: 2000

Kawasaki

The Ninja ZX-12R is forgotten for a few reasons. First, it came right after the Suzuki Hayabusa had already become super popular as the world’s fastest motorcycle, and its popularity was only rising in 2000. Secondly, the 12R could never really prove its mettle in a straight line to take away the Busa’s honors, thanks to the Gentleman’s Agreement (186-MPH top speed limit).

However, it was ahead of its time, courtesy of the innovative chassis. While the world drooled over twin-spar frames, the ZX-12R featured the world’s first mass production monocoque frame. Yes, the same kind of frame that Ducati made popular with its Panigale range, but almost a decade before the Italians.

Kawasaki

At the same time, its fairing had small aerodynamic wings near the belly pan area (even MotoGP bikes didn’t have these at the time). Another interesting touch was the fuel tank that extended under the rider’s seat. As for performance, the ZX-12R featured a 1,199cc inline-four engine, good for 190 horsepower (with RAM air) and almost 100 pound-feet. That helped achieve a top speed of close to 190 miles per hour (if you removed the limiter).

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Yamaha YZF-R7

Year: 1999

Iconic Motorbike Auctions

The new Yamaha YZF-R7 is a usable sports bike for the real-world. Thus, sportiness is part of its duty rather than being a key focus area. The OG YZF-R7, however, is famous for an entirely different reason. It was a proper track tool built as a homologation special for racing at the world stage. Accordingly, there were a lot of special components all over, chief among them being the engine.

The ‘99 R1 featured a 749cc, liquid-cooled inline-four powerhouse. Five valves per cylinder, titanium connecting rods, twin injectors, and forged-aluminum pistons with nickel-coated crowns were all present inside the mill. The result? An output of around 160 horsepower (145ish at the wheel) with the race kit. That’s comparable to what the latest MV Agusta F3 Competizione claims. The road-legal bike had just 105 ponies to meet international sales norms, though.

To help you use all that oomph, Yamaha further drizzled the R7 with top-shelf parts. An Ohlins 43 mm USD fork and Ohlins monoshock made up the suspension, while being tied up to Yamaha’s aluminum Deltabox chassis. Four-piston calipers with 320 mm rotors made up the braking package. Some of these elements are still rare on new-age supersport bikes, even though this R7 is technically from the previous century. Ahead of its time enough?

Honda NR750

Year: 1992

Honda

Honda is one of the most sensible motorcycle manufacturers today. But it has had its fair share of woo-worthy creations. The NR750 remains probably the biggest example if you look at its sports bike story. This was special for several reasons, and we have to start with its bizarre engine.

It featured a 748cc liquid-cooled 90-degree V4 engine, loaded to the teeth with cutting-edge tech. Oval pistons were the highlight, while it also had the world’s first electronic fuel injection setup. Two spark plugs, eight valves, and two throttle bodies were also present. Power output was a measly 125 horsepower in road-legal trim, though.

Other than that, the NR wooed elsewhere, too. It had 45 mm upside-down forks–a first for production bikes at the time–joined by a single-sided swingarm. In addition, the wheels had a magnesium construction, the fairings were carbon fiber, and there were side-mounted radiators. Considering Honda hasn’t made such an over-the-top machine again, the NR is really pricey in the used market. Iconic Motorbikes even sold one for $150,000!