Progress

[Carlsv8]

Have bikes really improved. I've been looking at the Gen 1 1000, last of the VFR 750s, the Blackbird, the 2002 Fazer 600, DRZ400 and the late carbed FireBlades. I reckon if these were still available new they'd sell by the bucket load (emission tests abandoned). Compare the new Z1000SX, a brilliant bike, with the Gen. 1 1000 and they aren't that far apart. If anything the Yamaha is superior in a lot of areas.

[BBROWN1664]

Emissions tests may not have started yet, but there was/is a worldwide drive to reduce vehicle emmisions. These bikes were deemed to be too dirty to continue production but completely agree, they are much better than the current crop.
I remember when catalysts were first added to cars. My company 1.6 Cavalier (pre-cat) was significantly more powerful than the one that replaced it with the 1.8 catalyst engine.