Is it a "cause I'm getting old" thing or what?

[98tls]

Freezing cold here downunder this afternoon so spent some time browsing some pics,As ive got older new bikes have lost there appeal in many ways ie give me a 78 SS Duc over the latest and greatest anyday etc,came across these 2 pics and yea the red one appeals far more than the other,cant compare them i know and by all accounts the new ones an amazing bike i know.Any other getting crusty buggers out there that just cant get excited about the late model offerings?As good as they may be.Was all heated up about a KTM awhile back and wasnt that far off buying one but then it faded,might just accept my fate and go buy an old 850 Commando and be done with it.:laugh:

[ajturbo]

i actully like the old Ducati Pantah....

[CB ARGH]

Can I just say something. I just graduated from Radio Broadcasting school, and we had to understand the target audience demographic (however you spell it)... Ever noticed that you may hate the new "King Wazzahhp Unit" 's single that all kids under 16 love? And that you still like hearing music from back in the 80's? Music is just like other things in life. You grew up around these types of bikes so it's very likely that you will stick with them.

Just like 'ol Burt Munroe and his Indian :banana:

EDIT: And it could be because there's a few strands of grey forming on your scalp.

[98tls]

Yea nice mate,This SS i would have to say is the love of my motorcycling life,actually read as my life.:niceone:

[Gubb]

Saw a Black 1100 today in Ponsonby, it was amazing. Such a cool looking bike.

[ajturbo]

mmmmm yer... i see where your coming from...

for some reason though.. the smaller one does it for me.. but saying that .. having both in my garage..... with the buell....
i would not need a woman!...(yer right.. someone would need to cook)

[Bonez]

The new "retro" Triumphs appeal. Ride on regular basis with a guy who owns a Pantah 500. To be perfectly honest I prefer to ride the GB or the 550F.

Yeah I have a few oldy jappas keep me in my happy place.

[Mountlocal1]

Yea nice mate,This SS i would have to say is the love of my motorcycling life,actually read as my life.:niceone:

Mmmmmm that is gorgeous. Id throw a leg over that anytime...

Im only 30 (which is farkin old according to anyone under 20) and Im with you. Ive been looking at new bikes last few weeks. Cant find anything that tickles my pickle.

[98tls]

Can I just say something. I just graduated from Radio Broadcasting school, and we had to understand the target audience demographic (however you spell it)... Ever noticed that you may hate the new "King Wazzahhp Unit" 's single that all kids under 16 love? And that you still like hearing music from back in the 80's? Music is just like other things in life. You grew up around these types of bikes so it's very likely that you will stick with them.

Just like 'ol Burt Munroe and his Indian :banana:

EDIT: And it could be because there's a few strands of grey forming on your scalp. Mate i grew up looking at Raquel Welch but i wouldnt swap Gwen Steffani for her.:msn-wink:

[98tls]

EDIT: And it could be because there's a few strands of grey forming on your scalp. Whats these "strands of grey forming on your scalp" things you talk of ?mate if i could get hairs of any colour to form on my scalp instead of falling off i would be well chuffed:2thumbsup

[JimO]

freezing cold you say?? perhaps you should should shift to sunny dunedin:sweatdrop

[98tls]

freezing cold you say?? perhaps you should should shift to sunny dunedin:sweatdrop To cold down there for these old bones mate.Besides as cold as it is we eventually get this thing called summer up this way.:2thumbsup

[AllanB]

Yep that new Buell is a ugly duckling - and that's coming from someone who owned a Suzuki GS1200ss.

The Triumph Bonnies are another example - they missed something on the new ones - I suspect it was shedding about 40kgs!

(yes the new one is a infinitely better bike but we are talking looks here)

Me I have a thing for bobbers - one day I'll own one.

[Motu]

I am thinking the exact same thing today.I got a book out of the library called Japanese Motorcycles 1959 to 2007 by Doug Mitchell.Wow,this is going to be some good reading I thought,catching up on all the bikes I don't know about.

But it seems I can only read to the end of the '70's on each manufacturer,and even the late '70's are a bit tedious.Seems I am only interested in those early bikes - new bikes got pretty boring for me after the '70's,and it appears I'm still not interested in the slightest.I only go into bike shops for parts or gear,I just walk past all the bikes without looking.Takes a bit to make me look twice...last time it was the Tracker at Boyds.

[98tls]

I would seriously consider parting with even my old dog Mac for this.<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BxCp_vLap9o&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BxCp_vLap9o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Not really but it is a beauty.

[98tls]

I am thinking the exact same thing today.I got a book out of the library called Japanese Motorcycles 1959 to 2007 by Doug Mitchell.Wow,this is going to be some good reading I thought,catching up on all the bikes I don't know about.

But it seems I can only read to the end of the '70's on each manufacturer,and even the late '70's are a bit tedious.Seems I am only interested in those early bikes - new bikes got pretty boring for me after the '70's,and it appears I'm still not interested in the slightest.I only go into bike shops for parts or gear,I just walk past all the bikes without looking.Takes a bit to make me look twice...last time it was the Tracker at Boyds. About sums it up for me to Motu,i applaud new bikes and there performance etc although to be honest the most fun ive had with them in recent years is planting my old TLS on ones arse through the good bits and having a chuckle with the blimp suit adorned young guy riding it on the odd occasion.Motorcycles have provided me with immense joy since i can remember and thanks to an old man who had plenty of them the seeds were sown early,cant remember but i used to get tucked down a swannie with a set of goggles round my head and away through the Hundaless we would go (apparently) on whatever Brit bike he owned at the time,funny how things are evolving eh,i had a bald head then and all i want to do know is ride something old.....with a bald head now.:cool:

[TLDV8]

Freezing cold here downunder this afternoon so spent some time browsing some pics

Mike i know what you are saying,it has been getting down to 18C some nights,at least its still around 30C in the daytime. :cold: :D

Near all modern bikes are done with a cookie cutter,seen one you have seen them all.
One reason i am digging the DR so much,kind of old school,less is more.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/ADV2.jpg>

It will have to wait.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/GTagain.jpg>

[sinfull]

Now thats pretty !!
Mate picked himself up a nice 74 duke that is all but original and has me envious !!
Friend has a rolling frame for a triumph that they trialed with (Spelling here) Isolastics like the nortons ! Only a few built and never put into production !
Did it for a 750 twin and 1000 triples apparently !!
Been thinking about buying it off him as a twenty year project !

[sinfull]

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/GTagain.jpg>
Yeah like that but with a motor in it !~

[98tls]

Mike i know what you are saying,it has been getting down to 18C some nights,at least its still around 30C in the daytime. :cold: :D

Near all modern bikes are done with a cookie cutter,seen one you have seen them all.
One reason i am digging the DR so much,kind of old school,less is more.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/ADV2.jpg>

It will have to wait.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/GTagain.jpg> <_<yea laugh it up you.....you have to come back sometime:laugh:Lucky you with the GT.......gorgeous.Must be going through "change of life":laugh:but i seriously need an old Norton i think,may well have a sell up of a few things and have a look around,there is some serious stuff out there for someone with the modding disease.

[98tls]

Yeah like that but with a motor in it !~
Have no doubts he got the motor.Actually for what that guys got in his shed i would sell my old dog Mac for..........maybe.

[TLDV8]

Yeah like that but with a motor in it !~

The engine is ready for assembly (when i get home)
The rolling chassis will be redone as it is not to a high enough standard.
Anyone who is into older Ducati's will know how hard it can be to find good parts.
Try finding new Aprillia switch gear,Inox S/S mud guards etc etc (I did)
Once this is done it will be time to get the Vee Two Australia SD back on the road then move on to other bikes tucked away,nothing newer than the mid 1970's. :scooter:

Mike,part of the problem for me was,it was becoming a problem to sit on the open road speed limit (even a TL is idling along at 100kmh)
At least on an older bike you can have fun and keep your licence.

I could send you a key to the lock up.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/DSC05906Small.jpg>

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/DSC05916Small.jpg>

[megageoff76]

Hell, you know your getting older when you'll happily read Classic Bike magazine and see
lots of bikes you've owned, and ones you wish you had.

[98tls]

Agreed mate though lately in search of some inspiration ive regressed to youthdom antics;)Some great pics here.http://www.caferace.com/cafepix.html

[98tls]

I could send you a key to the lock up.
When you get home i might just come up and have a gander mate,pics are great but theres nothing like the real thing.

[dwnundabkr]

would have to agree i like bikes even like some of the new ones but would like to have a 850 commando in the garage for tinker days or even a old ss900 duke the era when bikes had leaks, rattles, shakes, and has sole you know your right sole when the bitch would not start moisture in the points, flooded carb but thats half the fun character bikes

[Subike]

If I could affor one I would have the MT-01 as a new ride. ( first pic)
But I cant,,,,,,,bugger

[98tls]

would have to agree i like bikes even like some of the new ones but would like to have a 850 commando in the garage for tinker days or even a old ss900 duke the era when bikes had leaks, rattles, shakes, and has sole you know your right sole when the bitch would not start moisture in the points, flooded carb but thats half the fun character bikes Reminds me of pulling into a garage in Ashburton a few years back for gas and alongside me an 80SS pulls up,wanting to hear it i parked up close and waited...waited....waited after watching the guy kick it over for a bit i wandered over and in conversation mentioned that the old man had one and every time it was filled to the brim it was a bitch to start etc.......when he finally got it going (glorious) he asked who the old man was..i told him and we both had a chuckle when he told me it was "his old bike"

[sinfull]

Have no doubts he got the motor.Actually for what that guys got in his shed i would sell my old dog Mac for..........maybe. Had no doubt !
The problem your gonna have is finding someone to pay for Mac !


The engine is ready for assembly (when i get home)
The rolling chassis will be redone as it is not to a high enough standard.
Anyone who is into older Ducati's will know how hard it can be to find good parts.
Try finding new Aprillia switch gear,Inox S/S mud guards etc etc (I did)
Once this is done it will be time to get the Vee Two Australia SD back on the road then move on to other bikes tucked away,nothing newer than the mid 1970's. :scooter:
The rolling frame looks newer than a new one (by pic that is) Know someone who would give his rear teeth for a few 74 chassis bits !
My hat goes off to someone whos willing and able to put that sort of time into a nice bike !
Not being a techs arsehole, i have always held off with projects ! (but then it's not like i'm to old to learn aye !)

[98tls]

Had no doubt !
The problem your gonna have is finding someone to pay for Mac !

The rolling frame looks newer than a new one (by pic that is) Know someone who would give his rear teeth for a few 74 chassis bits !
My hat goes off to someone whos willing and able to put that sort of time into a nice bike !
Not being a techs arsehole, i have always held off with projects ! (but then it's not like i'm to old to learn aye !) Les has a habit of making things look newer than new.:2thumbsuphttp://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/Clutch/SCT40.jpg

[Max Headroom]

I think some of the best stuff came out of the 1970's.

The manufacturing standards were high, yet the bikes were designed to be stripped down and repaired.

The performance and handling of the '70s bikes are still more than adequate for current traffic conditions, and reliability is good.

Better than any retro!

[Ixion]

Y'all too old. Y' need some herbal products.

Yeah, the old ones are nice and nostalgic. "Oh gee, how I lusted after that when it was new"

Reality is , they were a load of crap

Unreliable, slow, vicious handling, non existent brakes.

Nice to have one to take out a few weekends a year. But for practical day to day riding, they're crap.

[98tls]

I think some of the best stuff came out of the 1970's.

The manufacturing standards were high, yet the bikes were designed to be stripped down and repaired.

The performance and handling of the '70s bikes are still more than adequate for current traffic conditions, and reliability is good.

Better than any retro! I recall the old man saying of old Brit bikes that 1/2 the problem was when buying them second hand was that they were so easy to work on that even people with the mechanical ability of "your grandmother" tried and those owners down the line had to fix up the mess.

[98tls]

Y'all too old. Y' need some herbal products.

Yeah, the old ones are nice and nostalgic. "Oh gee, how I lusted after that when it was new"

Reality is , they were a load of crap

Unreliable, slow, vicious handling, non existent brakes.

Nice to have one to take out a few weekends a year. But for practical day to day riding, they're crap. Practical for day to day riding is a GN250 but no thanks.I long ago lost any urge to ride a bike to work along roads filled with cars etc.As i said earlier i am well aware of the latest and greatests good points the point of this thread was they excite me as much as a slap in the face with a wet flannel.Non existant brakes and vicious handling sounds bloody good to me at this stage.I still like to go to the odd bike rally and generally dont notice the sea of plastic and head off to look at what it seems everyone else is standing round,some gorgeous old slow vicious handling, non existent braked thing.

[martybabe]

Y'all too old. Y' need some herbal products.

Yeah, the old ones are nice and nostalgic. "Oh gee, how I lusted after that when it was new"

Reality is , they were a load of crap

Unreliable, slow, vicious handling, non existent brakes.

Nice to have one to take out a few weekends a year. But for practical day to day riding, they're crap.

Can't argue with that, the older I get the better the 70s and 80s were and the bikes I lusted after back then are the best bikes ever made.

Sadly, the reallity is as Ixion says, they wern't that good but a couple in the garage alongside some modern stuff would be nice.

Heres a few I woulda killed for as a yoof. :yes:

[Big Dave]

I did a series of comparisons a few years ago. Old V New.
Short conclusion:
Taking money out of the equation, underbraked, lead clutched, skinny tyred, old ferckin' dungers that you spend all week getting ready for a few hours on Sunday are not worth the effort.
Nice things as your 'third' bike.

Edit - I hadn't read Ixions post either.

[Big Dave]

And the Buell is not too bad looking in the flesh. But it's a track bike mainly too.

[vifferman]

Yea nice mate,This SS i would have to say is the love of my motorcycling life,actually read as my life.:niceone:
I thought about buying one of those back in 1994 (identical paintjob to the one in your pic), but thought about it too long and someone else bought it instead. Beautiful looking machine, but high-maintenance by most accounts.

You're not alone in how you feel about bikes - that's why the manufacturers can keep selling 'retro' bikes.

[buellbabe]

...is it a "cause I'm gettin too old" thing or what?

hahahahaha well... there are definately some things that you are getting too old for but we won't get into that... LOL

I reckon its just a case of knowing yourself and knowing what ya like and being happy with your choices...

I am surprised how many people still ask me when I am gonna trade the old girl in on the latest model...

WHY? I love what I've got and I'm sticking with it.

I reckon old bikes with lots of mileage on them have waaaaaay more character.

[xwhatsit]

I did a series of comparisons a few years ago. Old V New.
Short conclusion:
Taking money out of the equation, underbraked, lead clutched, skinny tyred, old ferckin' dungers that you spend all week getting ready for a few hours on Sunday are not worth the effort.
Nice things as your 'third' bike.

Edit - I hadn't read Ixions post either.
Nah -- I'm here in Aus, riding a modern, vibration-free, massively-braked, electric-start, faired, powerful TRX850. It goes, it stops, it does it all without a whisper of complaint. Carburettion is impeccable and no matter how hard I push it through the (rather sparse) twisties here -- pegs scraping or not -- neither end gives any sort of shake or flex or gives any sign of being under strain.

Still, except for the odd Gold Coast motorway run (tens of kilometres of 5-lane wide 110kph carriageway), I'd far rather be on my shaking, rattling, flexing CB250RS -- or GiJoe1313's RD250LC, or an old CB750 or even that Matchless G80.

It's just too easy on these big modern bikes. It'll be different on a track, of course, but going along at the speed limit, even on a relatively low power bike like the TRX, is just tedious. Even if you do miserably in the twisties, all you need to do is crack the throttle and they're far, far behind before you hook next gear.

There's no challenge, you don't feel like you're actually riding. You get off the bike after a 600km day and you feel relaxed and untaxed in the slightest. It's all numb, isolated, insulated, like being in a car. I'll have an old piece of shit any day <_<

[Big Dave]

Nah -- I'm here in Aus, riding a modern, vibration-free, massively-braked, electric-start, faired, powerful TRX850.


Yada yada yada. Compared to what you were on it's a hyabusa.

Don that conspiracy theorist hat for a minute and ponder 'Planned obsolescence'.

[Big Dave]

I reckon old bikes with lots of mileage on them have waaaaaay more character.

I reckon old bikes with lots of mileage on them have waaaaaay more character building.

[tri boy]

A Rickman framed Z900, Round case 750, or even a Laverda Jota would find a home at my place.
Old, troublesome, n cantankerous. Bit like the riders that remember them.:sunny:

[forkoil]

Freezing cold here downunder this afternoon so spent some time browsing some pics,As ive got older new bikes have lost there appeal in many ways ie give me a 78 SS Duc over the latest and greatest anyday etc,came across these 2 pics and yea the red one appeals far more than the other,cant compare them i know and by all accounts the new ones an amazing bike i know.Any other getting crusty buggers out there that just cant get excited about the late model offerings?As good as they may be.Was all heated up about a KTM awhile back and wasnt that far off buying one but then it faded,might just accept my fate and go buy an old 850 Commando and be done with it.:laugh:
Nah, never liked the 850, preferred my 750 any day, 850 was detuned and slow...;-)

[martybabe]

Coming back to reality for a mo, if ever there was a cure for motorcycle nostalgia, for me, it would be the brand new XS500 I owned.

If I lived five lifetimes and became as senile as an old senile thing, I could never, lust for, or forget, how crap that bike was.

30 something years ago and I still wanna take a shotgun to the bastard.:mad::bash::ar15:

I do think we've lost the beautiful sounds of the old days though.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iJjGM5r40sc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iJjGM5r40sc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[Motu]

old ferckin' dungers that you spend all week getting ready for a few hours on Sunday are not worth the effort.
Nice things as your 'third' bike.


Some people may have been scared of learning about things like points and tappets - but these days it's something I'm scared about forgetting! Definitely nice as the third bike.

[Big Dave]

Some people may have been scared of learning about things like points and tappets - but these days it's something I'm scared about forgetting! Definitely nice as the third bike.

It never stranded me, but only because it was the evenings in the shed that kept my Bonneville and the 'mighty' GS850G on the road.

Swing arm bearings, cam chains and all that other 'every 100,000km' stuff have a habbit of getting in the way of the romance. And the corroded electricals and the...

If you can get one that someone like you has owned then it might not end in tears - but I know of some horror stories of inheriting other bloke's bodgey work.

[MaxB]

It is not all that bad FFS. My 30 year old airhead BM is still used for rallies, tours and commuting. At Easter I put on another 2000 kms on tour.

Back in the day when 80mph wasn't considered a crime up there with genocide you could pitch it into corners and it would stay where it was put. No fuss or drama.

I had to do heaps to it to stay in touch, things such as new rims for more modern rubber. But doing stuff to it is part of the fun and the reason I do it at all is that it is a bloody riot to ride. I guess will always have a big bore Jappa 'cos I love them but there is something special about getting the ride just right on an older bike.

[mstriumph]

mmmmm yer... i see where your coming from...

for some reason though.. the smaller one does it for me.. but saying that .. having both in my garage..... with the buell....
i would not need a woman!...(yer right.. someone would need to cook)

except that any woman worth her salt would be OUT on the buell :devil2:






.... so can you have those eggs cooked over easy for when i get back, Honey, please? :dodge:

[BigG]

Agreed mate though lately in search of some inspiration ive regressed to youthdom antics;)Some great pics here.http://www.caferace.com/cafepix.html
That was delicious, I like the Dresda Triton one little boys dream.

[Thunder 8]

I did a series of comparisons a few years ago. Old V New.
Short conclusion:
Taking money out of the equation, underbraked, lead clutched, skinny tyred, old ferckin' dungers that you spend all week getting ready for a few hours on Sunday are not worth the effort.
Nice things as your 'third' bike.
Theres old and theres "old". Lots of awesome motorcycles have been made over the years some of them better than others but putting handling etc aside styles gone out the fuckin window.Youve got the style fairies tryin to redesign the wheel adding features to bikes that look like a kid designed them and the lovely metallic paint jobs that are becoming matt paint botchups that to me just look cheap and shitty.
The buell at the start of this threads got an exhaust like a belly pan
blah blah blah......
Im not knocking new bikes some of them are farkin awesome but theres a lot that just arent.:angry2:Rant over.

[Big Dave]

Im not knocking new bikes some of them are farkin awesome but theres a lot that just arent.:angry2:Rant over.

Name one.

Name a new bike that doesn't do what it is designed or budgeted for - better than one did 20 years ago.

?

[Ixion]

But that is acircular argument. New bikes may do what they are designed to do well enough. But that "what they are designed to do" may not be so well suited to the users needs as that provided by an older bike.

To give one rather extreme example - where is the new bike that will do as good a job of hauling a DA sidecar as an older bike (say, an A10 )? Granted that is a specialised and extreme example, but there are other less extreme ones.

One reflection of this is the ongoing popularity of machines like the Maggot - simply because no new bike provides the same degree of cheap reliable commuting performance.

It has changed somewhat in the last two or three years, but for many years motorcycle manufacturers concentrated almost exclousively on four "what they are designed to do"

City commuter and scooters. Fine for riding round town but very limited beyond that
Sprots bikes. Designed simply to go as fast on the track as possible with all else sacrificed to that
Harleys and their clones, designed for the "look"
Off road competition machines

With the repetoire rounded out by a few specialised rare and expensive niche market marques like BMW.

Anyone whose requirements were not catered for by one of those four would be faced by a short list indeed. Such machines as were on it were usually just 'munged' versions of one of the four types , eg a 'tourer' made by taking a now obsolete sprotsbike and changing the handlebars.

Not every road rider's requirementsfall into a choice between 'speed speed and speed' ; scooter ; or 'who cares how it rides, what's it look like'. And riders with such unmet requirements have often found that older machines, from an era when motorcycles were designed to cater to a wider audience, may well better suit their needs.

And what new bike will you put forward that matches an RZ350 or RGV250 for sheer "fun". On a low budget.

[Thunder 8]

Name one.

Name a new bike that doesn't do what it is designed or budgeted for - better than one did 20 years ago.

?
Did i mention anything about not doing what they are designed for??.

[Big Dave]

Did i mention anything about not doing what they are designed for??.


>>some of them are farkin awesome but theres a lot that just arent<<

[Big Dave]

And what new bike will you put forward that matches an RZ350 or RGV250 for sheer "fun". On a low budget.

A late model 250 motarded.

Do you blokes have a supply of rose tinted, backward facing visors somewhere?

UJM - bolt what you need on and job done - remember?

[Thunder 8]

>>some of them are farkin awesome but theres a lot that just arent<<
Yea thats right some are not awesome.:eek5:

[Max Headroom]

I write this at the risk of sounding like I'm trying to justify my opinion. Maybe I am, but anyhooo, here goes.....

I ride an old bike. It's almost 33 years since it rolled out of a factory. Although it happens to be a BMW, this diatribe could apply to many bikes of the 70's. Who knows how many miles my bike has done or what it's suffered at the hands of previous owners.

So, why fester around with an old bike? Well, in my opinion it was built at a time when bike manufacturers were never quite sure what their products were going to be used for, so they built bikes that were capable of performing many tasks competently and their customers were happy to adapt a bike for their specific purposes. If it happened to be touring, the bike would be fitted with a huge barndoor aftermarket fairing and panniers. If was club racing, the lights would be taped up, mirrors and indicators removed and an aftermarket airfilter and muffler would go on. If commuting was the priority, an aftermarket clear windshield would be fitted. While that still happens these days, modern bikes have become much more specialised, with market categories within categories. The current focus is mostly on recreational use now, whereas until 30-40 years ago there was a much greater priority given to cummuting/general purpose needs. Any competition-oriented bikes were usually hand built factory specials not generally available to Joe Public.

The result for me is that there aren't many bikes currently available new that offer the range of capabilities that I'm looking for, in a package that "ticks all the boxes". In an age of laser guns and police helicopters I don't need high speed mega performance. (I'm probably not as fast as I think I was anyway!). I don't want expensive fairings that get damaged if the bike falls over, or require tedious removal just to do basic maintenance. I don't want to visit a chiropractor after a weekend ride. I want to be able to take a pillion who feels like he/she is sitting on something that was actually designed for the task rather than an afterthought. And maybe I'm picky, but for me the few genuine all-rounder bikes from Japan and Europe these days just don't spin my wheels/tickle my pickle etc. I am one of these weirdos who believe that any more than two cylinders is unnecessary. Most modern bikes have too many cylinders, cams, valves and black boxes for my liking.

With my engine reconditioning background, I'm a firm believer that form follows function. I also appreciate the words of a clever American inventor, Charles Kettering who once said "parts not fitted cost nothing, and never fail." Like him, I like things to be strong and simple. I also like things that were designed to be dismantled and repaired. For me, many modern bikes are manufactured with a "disposable" mentality, and that bugs me.

So, why don't I ride a modern "retro" like a Kawasaki W650 or a Triumph Bonneville?

Those bikes weren't available when I started restoring my bike, dammit. I had already spent too much on the restoration and had gone well past the point of no return.

In hindsight, I suppose I like the fact that it's the Real McCoy, not a modern copy. And with a few discreet updates to the brakes, clutch and gearbox by using later components that conveniently retro-fit, it is much nicer to ride than it used to be. The brakes are quite capable within the limits of both me and the bike. The clunky gearchange (a real frustration with older BMW's) is gone, and the effort at the clutch lever is now only a two-finger exercise.

Reliability hasn't been an issue either since it went back on the road just over two years ago. Apart from regular oil changes and a failed tail light bulb, it has proved to be very undemanding and easy to live with. It is a first time starter from cold or hot.

Any regrets?

Whether I like it or not I'm stuck with it for life, partly to recover some value from my outlay (I went substantially over budget!), and partly because my kids are already arguing about who's going to inherit the thing upon my demise.

Can this philosophy work for others? I think it can, but it is definitely better financially if you can do the majority of the work yourself. Paying someone else to do a restoration on your behalf can make the cost of any project blow out. Anyway, it's difficult to describe the sense of satisfaction completing a project like this.

Anyone remotely interested can view a few photos in my album.

[The Lone Rider]

There an '86 softtail on trady that I've had my eye on for yonks.

Sure I can get a boulevard for less and more power and fuel injection and easy parts

But man that '86 softtail low rider with flames and mini apes screams sexy to me.

[Ixion]

..
I am one of these weirdos who believe that any more than two cylinders is unnecessary. Most modern bikes have too many cylinders, cams, valves and black boxes for my liking.


One's enough; two's plenty; three's luxury; four's a car.

All four strokes have too many valves and cams and black boxes. But I wouldn't call a 1976 model 'old' .

[Max Headroom]

But I wouldn't call a 1976 model 'old' .


You have no idea how mortified I was to see bikes like mine featuring in classic bike magazines over ten years ago.

Bikes seem to "age" faster than cars. No facts to prove it, but I suspect the attrition rate for bikes is much higher due to total loss accidents. Then there's over-enthusiastic owners who dismantle bikes with good intentions of rebuilding but never progressing beyond the pile of bits.

I've bought many parts from both sources over the years......

[Big Dave]

I have a mate that couldn't put his Panhead back together because if he did the Patches would come and take it.
Dark ol' world that one.

[Taz]

I like old bikes. I have two bikes from last century, a 97 and a 99.

[slowpoke]

Hmmm, it's a tough (unfair) comparison really.
There are some good points to owning older bikes: low depreciation and even possible appreciation, low insurance premiums, no performance pressure when out riding etc but the obviously outdated performance can ruin the experience if you expect too much.
For me it's about class and aesthetics. The first CB750's do nothing for me but a Z900 just looks so much better. The first GSX1100 looks a bit bloated nowadays but the slower CB900 has aged better aesthetically. A wire wheeled Katana is still stunning.
As always standard is a last resort in my household so a Cooley rep GS1000 or Spencer rep VF750 would be my ideal project (to paraphrase John Rowles: if I only had time.....)
The wogs seem to have always had a way with the design pen that appeals to me, unlike the Poms with there fetish for parallel twins which just leave me cold
Maybe it's to do with the era you grew up in but I can name bikes from just about any era that are appealing, although I've gotta say that most of 'em aren't worth pissing on if they catch fire: just 'cos it's old doesn't make it "cool" (for want of a better word).
I dunno, some bikes have just got "it". Just like the ol' mustang in the shed which handles poorly, steers atrociously, stops better than I thought, drinks more than George Best in his prime and has virtually no creature comforts, for some indefineable reason I find myself with a stupid grin on my face every time I open the shed door..........and so it is for some bikes.

[Bonez]

Tis nice to park the ol girls up after a ride and somebody comes up and mentions their son/brother/sister/father/daughter/cousin/mum/dad owned sommit similer back in the day.

[alanzs]

I went looking for a newer bike a while ago. Nothing really caught my fancy. I guess my lusting for "things" has changed a bit over the years. :calm: