Radian Way Cool

[tmst08]

I was just reminded of how cool I thought the Radian was when I first saw it, and this is a good way to test out polls.

Here's a link to a Radian like first impressed me:http://www.badrad600.com/JQ7S6325.jpg.

Funny that the first bike I've really loved (after owning a Suzuki, a Kawasaki and a Honda) is also a Yamaha...

-Tom

[Ratchet_72]

The Radian is a cool bike.  One of the other bitchenest bikes around was the Fazer. Not the FZ but the FZX700 or 750 if in Canada.  Some people called it the minimax but it had no real similarities.  Have had two of em and would love another.

[racerman_27410]

not too many choices in the poll but the radian was cool with the genesis 5 valve motor and bad boy styling.... my friend Mark (140lbs) had one and he was pretty good at hustling it down a twisty road.


Frank

[tmst08]

The Radian is a cool bike.  One of the other bitchenest bikes around was the Fazer. Not the FZ but the FZX700 or 750 if in Canada.  Some people called it the minimax but it had no real similarities.  Have had two of em and would love another.

I knew there was another cool Yamaha around that time period but couldn't remember the model.

[Dan Filetti]

Handsome bike -not the 'coolest' but handsome.  I'd ride one.

Dan

[Bill_Rockoff]

I thought the Radian was a neat all-rounder, but my heart belonged to the 500 Interceptor and the GPz lineup at the time.

Frank, maybe the bike your friend had was a Fazer?  (700cc 5-valve liquid-cooled Genesis engine.)  The Radian was an air-cooled 600 4-valver. 

All the major manufacturers were going their own way back then - it was a golden era, of sorts.  Yamaha was putting their 5-valve Genesis FZ750 motor in all sorts of unlikely things.  They did the Fazer, and John The Beer Scientist had a Maxim X - shaftie cruiser with a 700cc version of the FZ motor.  Yamaha also did a liquid-cooled V-twin sport tourer, the Vision. 

On the air-cooled side of things, they were doing the various Secas including the turbo and the well-rounded Seca 750. 

And of course, that was the heyday of the V-Max and the FJ, both of which had long production runs.

[racerman_27410]

BIll,

you are correct sir it was a Fazer that Mark had...saw the picture of it a few posts up..... like a mini Vmax in looks..... but handled surprisingly well.


Kookaloo! 

[86fj1200]

Back when the radian came out a friend of mine bought one and it sucked it was a slow crappy bike compared to my little fj600. I wouldn't even ride with him unless, he would ride his 1976 kz900 or 1000 at least Then he could keep up.

[rktmanfj]

The Radian is a cool bike.  One of the other bitchenest bikes around was the Fazer. Not the FZ but the FZX700 or 750 if in Canada.  Some people called it the minimax but it had no real similarities.  Have had two of em and would love another.

I've had to take a pass on a couple of very nice Fazers over the past few years... the next one won't get away.   

Neither will the next nice SRX600, either.

Randy T
Indy

[higbonzo]

Back when the radian came out a friend of mine bought one and it sucked it was a slow crappy bike compared to my little fj600. I wouldn't even ride with him unless, he would ride his 1976 kz900 or 1000 at least Then he could keep up.

The Radian was actually a nice little bike.  I am wondering if it was the rider of the Radian, and not the ride itself.  The Radian was not quite as fast as your fj, but only by a few tenths in the 1/4 mile and a few mph on the top end. And it was a probably not way of the mark in handling either. It's easy to go fast on a fast bike, it takes some skill and effort to stay up with a smaller cc cycle.  I used to ride the 86 FZ and it would only run out at 135 mph.  But I would toast most guys on the liter bikes just out of pure nerve and skill. That and I only weighed 135 lbs. fully dressed.  Oh, and I was crazy. And "was crazy" could be arguable as still crazy.  

It seems you road your fj600 in the same fashion, hence your friend needed a bigger bike to stay up.

Later.......

[threejagsteve]

I also used to have an '86 FZ750... It used to whisper to me, "Faster! Faster!"   

[Ratchet_72]

I also used to have an '86 FZ750... It used to whisper to me, "Faster! Faster!"   

Something about the half fairing on the FZ750 that was just so cool, and it could MOVE.

[Ratchet_72]

The Radian is a cool bike.  One of the other bitchenest bikes around was the Fazer. Not the FZ but the FZX700 or 750 if in Canada.  Some people called it the minimax but it had no real similarities.  Have had two of em and would love another.

I've had to take a pass on a couple of very nice Fazers over the past few years... the next one won't get away.   

Neither will the next nice SRX600, either.

Randy T
Indy

I see them here in Cali every so often. Sometimes in San Fran although those Bay Area bikes area usually used up. There's one on the Sacramento Craigs for $1300, at least that's what he wants. I'll take a look if you want.

[the fan]

The really cool part about the Fazer is that the FZR1000 motor will bolt right in.....

[Ratchet_72]

The really cool part about the Fazer is that the FZR1000 motor will bolt right in.....

Ohhh GOD NO! You really shouldnta told me that. Shit. The wife already hates Craigslist, now I feel another mission comin on.