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Motorcycle Investor mag

RADD Take 2

Recidivism is becoming a bit of a theme in the Guido shed

When it came to looking for a Yamaha to add to the fleet, somehow the GTS1000 became an obvious choice...

(March 2024, Guy 'Guido' Allen

For reasons that are becoming a little hazy, the decision was made we need a big Yamaha road bike in the shed, preferably old enough to qualify for club plates. In Victoria, that means 25-years-old or more.

Given I'm now more than amply supplied with feisty little sports bikes, I really wanted something that could used for the odd long trip. I already have two heavy tourers, a cruiser and two adventure tourers. So the flawed logic meant adding yet another sports-tourer to the collection.

A 1994 GTS1000 popped up on the market at more or less the right price and I do have a soft spot for them, having owned chassis and engine number 1 (above) some years ago.

This whole recidivism thing has become a bit of a pattern over the years, with multiple ownership of Honda Blackbirds, Valkyrie Interstate, Triumph Daytona 1200, Suzuki GSX-R1100 slabbies...the list goes on. More often than not it's because I've made a hasty decision to sell and ended up regretting it.

In the case of the GTS1000, I felt the whole relationship with that bike was unfinished business. The exercise of getting the first one back on the road was exhausting and, after a couple of decent rides, we were kind of over each other. Or so I thought.

Whatever the reasoning, an opportunity came up to get a second – a relatively low miler with just over 20,000km on the odo. Bought over the phone, it was in okay shape, but there was a clear gap between the seller's and my perceptions of what constituted 'good'. He was extolling it with the aid of rose-tinted glasses, and I think he had a genuine affection for the thing, while I would have described it as in 'okay' shape.

Because it's been stored in a coastal region for a while, the alloy is generally dulled and needs bringing back to life. One of the annoying aspects was the main front swingarm pivot has an end-cap on each side and the one on the left was missing. I found another via the aftermarket – possibly the last in captivity as Yamaha no longer stocks them – at a steep price.

Along the way I also found a supplier in Germany who 3-D prints replicas, and scored a set of them as well.

A minor issue with these things is the mirrors are vulnerable to getting knocked around and the ABS plastic casings tend to crack with age. They're mounted via three snap-on studs, which has some practical value but also contributes to the stress cracks. I've tracked down a new pair via third-party suppliers at a price which suggests they're hand-carved from rare and exotic materials.

In general, service parts are easy to get and many are shared across the FZR1000 series. However bodywork and cosmetic pieces are more of a challenge.

On the plus side, the suspension, brakes and driveline are in good shape. The engine is a detuned five-valve FZR1000 unit, claiming 100 horses which in fact is enough to do the job. It's fuel-injected, is smooth and has a nice fat midrange. Fuel consumption is around the 17km/lt mark

Of course one of the main talking points for this machine is the James Parker RADD front end. It feels a little different – in some ways similar to the way BMW's telever front end can feel different at first meeting. Once you get your head around how it 'talks', the front works really well. It has a reassuring planted manner and is communicative.

This example is a grey import out of Japan – Australian-delivered machines had ABS and this doesn't. Braking from the big ventilated disc with six-piston caliper up front is very good.

I was able to establish the GTS had been previously registered in this country, which made putting it back on the road after a lay-off of a few years an easy proposition. Some fresh fluids and a new set of tyres, plus a roadworthy certificate, and it was ready to roll.

It's fun to ride, despite the considerable weight of the thing, and feels like a good decision. Now, let's grab a map and find somewhere to go...

More reading: see the story on our first example, which has a backgrounder on the RADD front end.

Yamaha 1994 GTS1000

Good
RADD front end
Smooth and reliable engine
Nice handling

Not so good
Big
Heavy

SPECS:

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled inline four with five valves per cylinder
Bore and Stroke: 75.5 x 56mm
Displacement: 1002cc
Compression ratio: 10.8:1
Fuel system: Electronic injection

TRANSMISSION
Type: 5-speed constant mesh
Final drive: Chain

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Omega-shaped main member
Front suspension: Parker swingarm
Rear suspension: Monoshock, preload adjustment
Front brakes: Single 330mm ventilated disc with six-piston caliper
Rear brake: 282mmdisc, two-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES
Dry weight: 251kg
Seat height: 795mm
Fuel capacity: 20lt

PERFORMANCE
Max power: 100hp @ 9000rpm
Max torque: 10.8kg-m @ 6500rpm

OTHER STUFF
Price new: Au$22,600 plus ORC (US$14,800, GB£11,700)