motorcycle abbreviations

[soilworker64]

im new to the whole motorcycles thing, following in my grandfather, father and brothers footsteps but their into the harleys and road bike while me and my bro are more sport bikes guys. My question is that do things like CBR, RR , GSX-R stand for somthing and if so what.

[totalmotorcycle]

im new to the whole motorcycles thing, following in my grandfather, father and brothers footsteps but their into the harleys and road bike while me and my bro are more sport bikes guys. My question is that do things like CBR, RR , GSX-R stand for somthing and if so what.

Let me start off by saying...

to the Total Motorcycle community!

I think it's really neat that you are following in your grandfathers, father and brothers footsteps, but make sure riding is something you want to do, not something you feel like you have to do.

No matter what bike you ride, you are welcome here.

I'll just basicly say (so others can contribute), manufacturers like to use letters after motorcycle models, sort of like car manufacturers do, but the letter are not always abbreviations.

I'll take RR for example. It is commonly thought it is for "Race Ready", and while an RR bike, like a CBR600RR might indeed be a racing bike it's RR may not mean this by the manufacturer, it basicly means "more sporty" then an R. It's also a great marketing tactic.

A bit of history... Racing bikes (sport bikes) at first never had an R designation they were just named 1969 CB750 or 1978 CBX1000 for example. The "R" followed the names around 1980, with 1982 XJ650R amoung other bikes. Then you had the "RR" appear around 1990's with 1996 ZX7-RR for example. R (I believe) just means "sporty", the R wasn't "sporty enough" to describe certain models so they added another R (RR) to say its "more sporty". With honda the CBR600RR actually contains 3 R's because the base model (CB650 for example), then the CBR600, CBR600R and then the CBR600RR... Maybe they will have 4 R's in the future or go with XX's like the CBR1100XX

Mike.

[CORSCO]

Here are the one's for Honda:

CB = City Bike
CBR = City Bike Racing
CR = Competition Racer
VF = V-Four
VFR = V-Four Racing (next generation)
VT = V-Twin
CX = V-Twin transverse
GB = Great Britian (as the GB500 styling)
XL = on/off road
XR = off road
NX = on/off w/ electric start
V30 = angle of the cylinders in degrees (500cc Magna)
V65 = (1100cc Magna/Sabre)
VLX = 600cc V-Twin with single-pin crank
CT = Trail Bike
GL = Gold Wings

[Kal]

Plausable and I like but dosnt sem to hold true for all Hondas...

Just in the 125cc selection there is

CA125 (Rebel),
CG125,
LS125 (Varado),
NSR125 (Two stroke precursor to the CBR125),
CRM125 (Off road machine),

Although I can see a case for

CM125 (Factory Custom),
MTX (125 Trail machine)

[soilworker64]

thanks guys real helpful and yeah motorcycles are deffinetely somthing io love and im not just doin it cause of others.

[Scoutmedic]

[Shiv]

A few things I got from asking this same question:


EX is the ninja 250/500 (and now the 650 too; the 650 wasn't released when I copied this list)

GS is suzukis term for a standard.

GSF is the bandit

GSX-F is the suzuki katana.

GSX-R is the gixxer

RM is suzukis MX bikes

DR is suzukis enduro and dual sports

SV is suzukis v-twin standards/sportbikes

CB is hondaese for a standard

CBR is hondaese for a 4 cylinder sportbike

VFR is honda speak for an interceptor

VF is the smaller honda shadow models

VTX is the bigger shadow models

RVT1000 is honda speak for the RC-51

CR is honda speak for a MX bike

XR is honda speak for an enduro or dual sport bike

GL is the honda term for the goldwing

EN is kawasakis term for the eliminator and vulcan 500

VN is kawasaki speak for the v-twin vulcans

ZX is kawasaki speak for the sport sport ninjas

ZZR is kawasaki speak for their lower line sport bikes

KX is kawasakiese for an MX bike

KLX is kawasakis enduro bikes

KLR is kawasakis dual sports

KZ is kawasaki for their older standards

Z is kawasaki for their newer standards

YZF is yamaha speak for their sportbikes

YFZ is yamahas sport ATVs

YZ is yamahas MX bikes

WR is yamahas enduro bikes

TT-R is yamahas dual sports

XV is the virago and I think the v-star

FZ is yamahas newer standards

FJ is yamahas older standards

Some H-D soup...
XL = Sportsters
FXD = Dynas
FXST = Softails
VRSC = V-Rods
FLHR/FLTR = Touring
With a side of Buell:
XB = Ulysses/Lightning/Firebolt
Blast = Blast...

[totalmotorcycle]

and don't forget the end letter abbrivations as well:

L = Low rider (GS850L)
C = Custom (ahh, I can't remeber the model that end with this..help!)
R = Sport (ZX-6R)
G = Shaft Drive (GS1100G)
RR = More sport (race) (CBR600RR)
T = Touring (CB400T)
XX = Like RR (Like CBR1100XX)
E = Upgraded model (like GS500E, GS550E)

I know there are more... but the above list is a general list.

Mike.

[sharpmagna]

and don't forget the end letter abbrivations as well:

L = Low rider (GS850L)
C = Custom (ahh, I can't remeber the model that end with this..help!)
R = Sport (ZX-6R)
G = Shaft Drive (GS1100G)
RR = More sport (race) (CBR600RR)
T = Touring (CB400T)
XX = Like RR (Like CBR1100XX)
E = Upgraded model (like GS500E, GS550E)

I know there are more... but the above list is a general list.

Mike.

VF700C = 1987 HONDA MAGNA
VF750C = 1987/1988 HONDA MAGNA

[MikeyDude]

Some H-D soup...
XL = Sportsters
FXD = Dynas
FXST = Softails
VRSC = V-Rods
FLHR/FLTR = Touring

Also...

FX = Skinny front tire
FL = Fat front tire