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Horsepower Unlimiteds 880cc, 230hp, 9.34 quarter- mile GPz Turbo Page 31 h t t p : / / w w w. v n i . n e t / ~ m c l / t b o / t m i o a . h t m
A PUBLICATION OF THE TURBO MOTORCYCLE
INTERNATIONAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION
DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF ALL
TURBOCHARGED MOTORCYCLES
ISSUE 24
FALL 1996
Horsepower
Unlimiteds 880cc,
230hp, 9.34 quarter-
mile GPz Turbo
Page 31
Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo
Technical Training Manual,
Part I
Page 15
Members Collection:
Dennis Harrison, Covina, CA
Page 10
More photos from Rally in the
Valley 5
Page 13
Turbocharger help from
Mr. Turbo of Houston, TX
Page 36
CX500 Turbo discount parts
Page 28
They shoot Turbos, dont they?
A short story by Mike Abraham
Page 8
Colum-Boost
Day Weekend
Rally in
Oklahoma!
See Back Page
Colum-Boost
Day Weekend
Rally in
Oklahoma!
See Back Page 2
TURBO MOTORCYCLE INTERNATIONAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION FALL 1996
Turbo News is published four times a year
by the Turbo Motorcycle International
Owners Association
Dedicated to the preservation of all
turbocharged motorcycles
Robert Miller
President/Treasurer
Steve Klose
Editor
Arlie D. Rauch
Membership Director
Andy Gaul
Printing & Circulation Director
Annual dues is $20 ($35 foreign) in U.S. dollars.
Membership entitles you to four issues of
Turbo
News and a Directory listing the names,
addresses and phone numbers of members as
well as information on members willing to help
with roadside assistance.
For a membership application write to:
TMIOA
P.O. BOX 385
WESTTOWN, PA 19395
The TMIOA was started in 1987 by John Nee of Mt.
Pleasant, MI, when it was known as the CX-Turbo
International Owners Association. In December of
1988 the name was changed to the Turbo Motorcycle
International Owners Association and its focus broad-
ened to include coverage of all the factory
turbocharged motorcycles. Allen Lough of Penn Laird,
VA, took over the reigns of the club in December of
1991. It was Allen who started the ever-popular Turbo
Rallies which continue to this day. Club responsibilities
were assumed by Bob Miller of West Chester, PA, in
March, 1995. Duties are now split among four
members who are striving to continue the leadership
and dedication set down by John and Allen.
Boost Gauge
A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Turbo Summertime Blues
The rainy weather that dampened Turbo Rally V in
Virginia in June lasted well into July here on the East Coast.
We had it relatively good here above the Mason-Dixon but my
more southerly sources reported an over abundance of the
wet stuff. In Jefferson, PA (a stones throw from the Maryland
border), in mid-August for the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle
Clubs swap meet the ground felt like a huge sponge (quite
comfortable to the feet, actually). If two more people spit it
wouldve officially being classified as mud.
The bad weather gave me time to care for my ageing (GPz)
and ailing (XN85) Turbos.
First up was the Suzuki. As I reported last issue the Suzi
blew what appeared to be a stator two weeks before the June
Turbo Rally. A week earlier my then 52,000+ mile Kawasaki
blew its turbocharger so the XN was to be my backup bike to
ride the 400+ miles to the Rally. When the XNs electrical
problem nearly left me stranded on the NJ Turnpike I opted
to repair the Kawasaki and ride it to the Rally simply
because the friendlier ergonomics make it a more comfort-
able ride for my 40 year-old body.
I knew I had either a blown stator or rectifier on the XN
but had assumed it was the stator because, well, it costs more
(Steves Rule of Motorcycle Repair #1: when confronted with
the possibility of either of two parts causing mechanical or
electrical failure the faulty part will always be the more
expensive of the two). When I finally got around to checking
the cause of the failure, rectifier first, with my rusty I mean
trusty Sears Multi-Tester, lo and behold the part came up
short (pun intended). This can only mean one thing BOTH
PARTS HAD FAILED! (Steves Rule of Motorcycle Repair #2:
blessed are those who expect the worse for they shall not be
disappointed).
Well, imagine my surprise when taking Multi-Tester leads
to the stator and revving the engine as prescribed in the man-
ual the part checked out perfectly!
Now most people would still be pissed because they would
have to shell out $106 (Bonzai Parts, Wisconsin, cheapest
price I could find) for a lousy rectifier that probably cost $3
to manufacture, originally sold for $30 bucks back in 1983,
but, not unlike a fine wine, has increased in value in direct
proportion to its time gathering dust on a shelf (Can I inter-
est you a lovely flat-black rectifier, sir? Would you care to
sniff the box?). But not me. The way I looked at it, I just
saved myself over $200! (the price difference between a new
rectifier as opposed to a new stator). I cant remember the
last time I was so happy to be so wrong! Yes, ignorance is
bliss, thank heavens.
And now, once again, I have two road-worthy Turbos at my
disposal (three if you count the other XN thats up for sale),
just as life should be.
Now if I only had time to ride the darn things.
Speaking of the VJMC Swap Meet please note that the
Honda CX500TC and Yamaha XJ650LJ Turbos will be eligible
as concours entries at next years event (theyll be 15 year-old
bikes how time flies!) according to Swap Meet regular Paul
Brown (MD). Id be curious to see if the bikes generate any
interest from a crowd that appears uninterested in anything
post-Kawasaki Z1. Id like to get a few (or more) TMIOA mem-
Turbo News design and layout by...
Continued on page 12 TURBO MOTORCYCLE INTERNATIONAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION FALL 1996
3
Wastegate
BY BOB MILLER PRESIDENT/TREASURER
This July I had the opportunity to visit Mid-Ohio Race
Car Course for the first time. My intent was to attend
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days and see how this event
had changed since I last saw it as AMA Homecoming in
1991. Wow! What a difference! It had progressed from a
small road rally without a focus to a gigantic celebra-
tion of two-wheelers in America. Demo rides, racing
school, concours delegance, bike auction, swap meet,
self-guided tours, Lap of the Track, Quiz Run, Battle of
the Legends, vintage motocross, trials, and roadrace
competition. It was three days and nights of vintage and
classic motorcycle overload.
Mid-Ohio is a wonderful facility for this event. Access
to the up-close spectating in every paved corner com-
plemented by the in-your-face vintage trials and
motocross competition. The 2.25 mile track is laid out
on 200+ acres of Ohio farmland. The pit and paddock
areas are open to everyone and were an autograph
seekers delight. The relaxed atmosphere of vintage rac-
ing allowed you to see popular personalities just
strolling about. You never knew whose elbow youd be
rubbing next. Food and beverage vendors were plenti-
ful. Theres even camping at the track.
Running between the parking, vendor, and infield
areas I must have seen a hundred people I recognized
it seemed half of them were Turbo owners! With contin-
uous roadracing as a backdrop, you try to fit as many
things in as you can. It was impossible to see it all. And
next year theyre going to make it even harder by com-
bining the AMA Superbike Race (July 10-12) with
Vintage Days (July 11-
13). There were twelve
classes of vintage pave-
ment racing, including
Battle of the Twins,
Sound of Singles,
Sportsman, Formula
and BEARS. Alas, no
Turbo class. But were
going to change that.
After relating the
sights and sounds of
the event to Turbo News
editor Steve Klose, he
said, Why dont we
have the Rally there
next year? Being mas-
ter of the obvious, I
said, That sounds like
a good idea. And the
wheels started rolling,
or turbos spinning, I
should say.
A letter was fired off to Public Relations Manager
Steve Bidlack. Im told our chances for a choice infield
spot with corralled TMIOA parking is good. We should
know by the end of the year. Im would like to have
some kind of reception area with awning and refresh-
ments for Turbo enthusiasts, Association members and
passersby. Wed need a few Ohio volunteers to pull this
off. Perhaps our
own Concours
dTurbo. With the
effects of last
years Turboville!
article almost worn
off, we could use
the exposure to
20,000+ motorcycle
maniacs. Maybe
mass Turbophilia
would be the
result. We can only
hope.
If we get the
green light,
arrangements will
be made to reserve
a block of rooms at
a nearby motel-
hereafter known as
Turbo Central. This
year the AMA
picked several
local attractions,
including The
Amish Country,
Draculas Castle,
and Malabar Farm,
and created route
sheets for them.
Perhaps we could
pick one of these
for an organized
ride. After working