Right on the money there,Pacojoseph.Honda set the benchmark with theCB750k,no denying it.
For me ,The big Kat was an unseen style before.I was lucky,one of my family had the Kat 1100 with wire wheels,it was awesome...................

 

I admit that I liked the looks of the Katana when it came out, and I was riding a 78 GS1000 at the time, the ultimate UJM (I guess I'm dating myself). But for pure aesthetics, let me nominate this Honda produced from 81 through 83 but never sold in the US, I believe.

[IMG]local://upfiles/16639/59C4B7E27E0D4E538FE57E838B8F84AD.jpg[/IMG]

 

Oh man........The Cb1100R[D] was very popular here in Aussie.Think there worth a fortune these days.........but saying that,not being biased either[lol] the CBR600F/1000F back in '88 set the benchmark,Honda-yet again ,with the Watercooled In-line 4,fully enclosed Fairings etc etc .

 

Theres 3 or 4 in the US, check www.cb1100f.net I go there often since I have a CB750 and a few guys on there have the 1100Rs, pretty bikes

 

The 1100R is secksi for sure.

 

NR
RC30

 

NO question, the Honda CB series bikes certainly changed the world of motorcycling. while the other 3 makers were focusing on 2 stroke bikes that would rapidly be replaced and phased out, Honda was working WELL ahead of the curve, in fact setting a new one with the CB series 4 stroke bikes. They, well back into the 60's set the benchmark for dependability and quality in a bike with the 4 stroke CB twins and fours they produced then.

Undeniably the CB550 and its big brother the 750 were two bikes well ahead of their time back in the day. I owned a 75 550K and let me tell you, for 70's tech those babies were SMOOTH and comfortable bikes, setting the standard for later bikes to try to reach.

Then I would certainly nominate the Hurricane 600 and 1000 as the new mark in performance for the sportbike category.

I must admit though Honda's 305 dream probably was the one bike that made everything happen. theres still people in places like cuba riding theirs daily.

 

I always thought that this one changed the world in '86. At least in the U.S.A. It came out in '85 elsewhere.