Factory bikes???

[Grunter215]

Was asked what the 'OW' stands for?....buggered if i know!! So what do the factory designations mean.I think Kawasaki SR is special racer?

[Doc]

I'm not so sure the designation of the japanese bikes ever meant anything Kiwi other than a numerical cataloging system.
I'll probably go to Hell for this next comment but, even Suzuki's PE series for 'pure enduro' I believe this to be a fictitious name that somehow stuck with some owners of said bikes. How would you explain calling a bike an RS for example?? no-one wants a Rat Shit bike! err..which they didn't sell many in suzuki's case but the RS250 Honda of the late 70's sold by the boat load here and overseas and Hond'a factory 125 and 250 GP bikes are the RS series. I've never seen any official factory comments that offer any suggestion that the bikes model designation actually means anthing other than a designation. I know if you have an R behind a name it's a fast bike and if it has 2 R's you better look out cause it's the race model! Seems to be the way most factories think these days and funny enough the name can help sell the bike   I think this practise maybe standard procedure in the auto industry as I've never seen any 'official' suggestions offered up that car designations mean much either

[LWC82PE]

RS i think is just the R from RM and S from TS or DS
 
somewhere i had a list of what the suzuki model letters stood for.

RM- racing machine/real motorcrosser

IT - international trials

DS - dual sport/dirt special

RH - real horsepower 

PE - pure enduro or production enduro

SP - soft powered/special purpose

TS -two stroke/too slow

RV - recreational vehicle

[holeshot buddy]

i thought pe stood for
piece of egg

[frostype400]

my dad has always said PE for perfect enduro but others say pure enduro doesnt matter a couple of letters dont mean much especially when its an awesome bike

[Nathan S]

OW is the noise you're supposed to make when you see it - but it lost a bit in translation from Japanese to English - it's supposed to be "ohhhhh" [with optional drooling noise].

Seriously, there's usually some sort of loose pattern to how bikes are/were named, and then a bit of fudge factor from the marketing department.

Honda dirt bikes for example:
R= race
X= Cross country/dual purpose.
L= Lame
C= Cross (as in motoCross).

[cyclegod]

Was asked what the 'OW' stands for?....buggered if i know!! So what do the factory designations mean.I think Kawasaki SR is special racer?

I was told long ago that "OW" is for "Official Works"

[E74]

Was asked what the 'OW' stands for?....buggered if i know!! So what do the factory designations mean.I think Kawasaki SR is special racer?

I was told long ago that "OW" is for "Official Works"

Absolutely correct Cyclo, I have it on "Good" authority that is what it stands for

[albrid-3]

 dont know

[evo550]

Husky cr- close ratio
         wr- wide ratio.

[LWC82PE]

and

XC- cross country
AE- automatic enduro

[VMX247]

XR = eXtra Recreational 

[Lozza]

The Honda's used to have RA(Race Automobile) and RC(Race Cycle) and the RS 125/250 GP is Race Series with the the added W designating Works. RR or SP(Sport Production) variations are usually pretty special.Yamaha used OW for a long time and ended(sob sob boo hoo) with the last of the YZR500 GP racers, AFAIK the only time an OW designated bike has hit the showroom is the OW01 FZR750 SP of about 89 or so.

[bigk]

Someone told me that the TTR Yamaha range was really only meant to be TR, but the guy who was in charge had a slight stutter. Only hearsay though....
Cheers,
K

[Wombat]

...but it lost a bit in translation from Japanese to English - it's supposed to be "ohhhhh" [with optional drooling noise].

That reminds me of the story associated with the 'Starion' when it came to Australia (I'm not a car person - who made the Starion a few years back - was it Mitsubishi?)
Apparently the Japanese Factory called the Aussie Distributor to discuss a name for the new vehicle about to be launched in our wide, brown land.

To his Japanese Bosses the Aussie suggested 'Stallion' would bring to mind a strong and exciting beast.

"Ah, STARION... I rike it - very good".