 Honda evoked the look of great 1960s British race bikes with its 1989 GB500 Tourist Trophy, but the strategy was less than a success. |
With the 1989 Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy motorcycle, Honda made that it sought to
bring back the flavor of the great British twins that were by the
late 1980s resigned to history.
As a result, styling of the 1989 Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy motorcycle closely followed that of racing bikes
from the racing glory years of England's Norton and Triumph.
Shunning the fairings and 16-inch front wheels of
contemporary Japanese sportbikes, the 1989 Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy motorcycle looked very
much the part of a 1960 British racer.
Standard-size spoke wheels, fork gaitors, clip-on
handlebars, blocky fuel tank, and single seat with tail
fairing were all part of the game.
Even the 500-cc vertical twin with two-into-one header
would strike a chord with fans of British machines. The front disc brake, however, was a nod to modern technology.
Despite Honda's best efforts and intentions, sales of the 1989 Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy motorcycle never
took off in the United States, and the GB500's life span
was short.
Go to the next page to see more pictures of the 1989
Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy motorcycle.
For more great motorcycle articles and pictures, check out:
