I was going to say a 20 something in the early '70's couldn't afford any of those Superbikes A lot of them can now as 'mature' riders hence the high prices. 40 years on the Honda 750/4 would still make a good everyday bike.
Well, if the Squariel counts then surely the Vincent does. I have a perception, though, that "superbike" means not just high performance, but high volume also. If it is restricted to just performance then there are lots of small volume machines that could be considered. What about the Rudge Ulster , f'instance. The thing with the 70's superbikes, was that normal people (OK, so not me or Mr Motu, then) could afford them. Not many could afford a Squariel or Vincent or SS100.
I remember the assumption was that rich Daddies were buying spoilt brats these bikes. The rest of us started out on Superbikes like BSA Bantams or Frantic Bastards, they weren't going when we got them, and they weren't going all the time we had them, by the time we were ready for a fastish bike we had spent considerable time on something totally gutless....sort of a poverty enhanced learner scheme. Then kids were somehow on Mach III's, CB750's, Commando's et all. I saw the results of some horrific prangs back then, like a CB750 embedded in the back seat of a car....entry by way of boot. Totally inexperienced youth on Widow Makers....and had yet to score their first root. So then we got the learner scheme.
Of course the Germans were setting records too. Looks like something knocked up in a shed in Invercargill
It was the advent of hire purchase that put powerful but bad handling bikes in the hands of inexperienced riders. The Vincent was certainly an early superbike. I sold a Black Shadow in the USA to a guy who paralysed himself on ( or off) it. Maybe my old 1936 BMW 750 with its hydraulic tele forks, OHV and performance that few others at that time could emulate was a superbike. The bike in the above entry used the same engine.
