TV - The Greatest Ever Motorcycles

**miSTa** · 21st November 2005, 20:06

They'd better mention the mighty ZZR1100, after all it was the fastest production bike around for quite a few years until Honda overgeared the Blackbird to claim the title (just).

**onearmedbandit** · 21st November 2005, 20:32

Race bikes would have to include an early 90's NSR500 or similar.

**pritch** · 21st November 2005, 23:17

Comments re Harleys...

I've seen a few peashooters (looked at buying one once) and have seen examples of the thirties vee twins.

All before my time of course, but in the 1930s our dollar was a much more "mucho" currency than it is now and Harleys seem to have been much more affordable.

Haven't thought about it a lot, but our currency had a huge, but temporary, high during the Korean war in the early fifties (high wool prices). There was apparently a considerable increase in imports of American cars but I don't remember seeing loads of fifties Harleys.

Never seen one yet in fact.

**pritch** · 21st November 2005, 23:22

It belatedly occurs to me that perhaps the sheep farmers who were the principal beneficiaries of the freak wool prices didn't fancy Harleys?

**Big Dave** · 21st November 2005, 23:24

Originally Posted by Oscar

That I got.

I don't - and never will.

**roger_doger** · 22nd November 2005, 11:52

Has to be GSX-R750. It revolutionised sports bikes when they came out and and then again every time they did a major model update. And they have been bloody popular over the years.

Also, to drag up the past, the Porshe definately deserved to win the best sports car award on performance alone. But as well as this, what other car hasn't changed it's shape in over 30 years but still still looks as gorgeous as ever?

**Big Dave** · 22nd November 2005, 11:54

and furthermore!
pooh pooh and I wave my private parts at your aunties on their step-thus, mini bikes and SL farken 125's.

We're talking 'great motorcycles' - not curios from some antipodean backwater stroll down a childhood memory lane.

machines that breathe fire - changed the course of history - milestones, markers on the road - icons of greatness - and you reckon a SL125 FFS!!!

Lamentable.

**Ixion** · 22nd November 2005, 13:18

Welll - those are different criteria. If it's "machines that breathe fire", that just then comes down to measurement - find the half dozen fastest ever bikes. Not much of a qualification for greatness , though

But if it's "changed the course of history - milestones, markers on the road - icons of greatness " then that's a whole different matter. because any of THOSE criteria can apply to motorcycles that are not fast.

If every Harley davidson model had not existed (as they were, or under some other designation) , motorcycling today would be pretty much as it is - none of the HDs were so germinal that their absence would massively change the motoring landscape.

But remove the Honda C50 and its equivalents , if THEY had never existed, the motorcycling world today would be VERY different. because they were the models that bankrolled the Japanese motorcycle industry. Without them , no Honda , Suzuki, Yamaha. Or at least those manufacturers would be very different. And it was the profits from the C50s that financed the tooling up for the CB750s (by way of the CB77 etc).

And along the way they also made motorcyling respectable , especially for women. Big "milestones, markers on the road" that.

Likewise, it may be hard to identify a specific model, since competitors jump in quick. But the DS3 Yamaha , T250 etc without them things would also be very different, because it was those early Jap two stroke screamers that destoryed the Brit industry. And financed the GSxxx, GSXxxx YZxxx etc . No DS3, no R1.

And the first DT125, TS250 (and SL125!) models had germinal significance also, becasue they pretty much invented off road riding as an urban pastime . Go up to Woodhill, and look at all the bikes being trailered in. 'Twas the early trail bikes that got city dwellers riding off roads, which led directly to those bikes at Woodhill.

Earlier, the Speed Twin had similar significance. It set the paradigm for 30 years of motorcycle design.

So, yeah, I'd say that teh SL125 was part of a picture that had far more "milestones, markers on the road" than any Harley.

Only a sprotsbiker would assume that "great" = "fast"

**Oscar** · 22nd November 2005, 13:20

Originally Posted by Big Dave

and furthermore!
pooh pooh and I wave my private parts at your aunties on their step-thus, mini bikes and SL farken 125's.

We're talking 'great motorcycles' - not curios from some antipodean backwater stroll down a childhood memory lane.

machines that breathe fire - changed the course of history - milestones, markers on the road - icons of greatness - and you reckon a SL125 FFS!!!

Lamentable.

Take a breath, Dave............chhhhiiiillllllllllllllllllllllll. ..

These "The Greatest Ever..." things are inherently stupid as they lack defintion.

If greatest meant size, then there's yer Munch Mammoth.
If it means number, we're back to C50's.

**Oscar** · 22nd November 2005, 13:22

Originally Posted by Ixion

Welll - those are different criteria. If it's "machines that breathe fire", that just then comes down to measurement - find the half dozen fastest ever bikes. Not much of a qualification for greatness , though

But if it's "changed the course of history - milestones, markers on the road - icons of greatness " then that's a whole different matter. because any of THOSE criteria can apply to motorcycles that are not fast.

If every Harley davidson model had not existed (as they were, or under some other designation) , motorcycling today would be pretty much as it is - none of the HDs were so germinal that their absence would massively change the motoring landscape.

But remove the Honda C50 and its equivalents , if THEY had never existed, the motorcycling world today would be VERY different. because they were the models that bankrolled the Japanese motorcycle industry. Without them , no Honda , Suzuki, Yamaha. Or at least those manufacturers would be very different. And it was the profits from the C50s that financed the tooling up for the CB750s (by way of the CB77 etc).

And along the way they also made motorcyling respectable , especially for women. Big "milestones, markers on the road" that.

Likewise, it may be hard to identify a specific model, since competitors jump in quick. But the DS3 Yamaha , T250 etc without them things would also be very different, because it was those early Jap two stroke screamers that destoryed the Brit industry. And financed the GSxxx, GSXxxx YZxxx etc . No DS3, no R1.

And the first DT125, TS250 (and SL125!) models had germinal significance also, becasue they pretty much invented off road riding as an urban pastime . Go up to Woodhill, and look at all the bikes being trailered in. 'Twas the early trail bikes that got city dwellers riding off roads, which led directly to those bikes at Woodhill.

Earlier, the Speed Twin had similar significance. It set the paradigm for 30 years of motorcycle design.

So, yeah, I'd say that teh SL125 was part of a picture that had far more "milestones, markers on the road" than any Harley.

Only a sprotsbiker would assume that "great" = "fast"

WHat the hell is germinal?

**Yokai** · 22nd November 2005, 13:50

Originally Posted by Oscar

WHat the hell is germinal?

Occurring in the earliest stage of development ...

Sort of like seminal but not really:

This is a seminal book = "This book spawned many ideas - it was the seed from which others sprang"

This is a germinal book = "this is a book that is in it's early stages of development - ie. it is in first draft form"

**Lou Girardin** · 22nd November 2005, 13:55

The greatest ever wasn't a motorcycle, it was a motorcycle ad campaign -
"you meet the nicest people on a Honda".
It changed the way the public viewed bikes and bikers.

**Ixion** · 22nd November 2005, 13:59

Tue. But if the bikes had been dirty noisy oily heavy great Briddish iron , instead of pretty , unthreatening , easy to start, easy to ride, reliable Honda 50s and 90s, the ads would have been a flop. The ads backed up the bikes, the bikes validated the ads.

**Big Dave** · 22nd November 2005, 14:19

Originally Posted by Oscar

Take a breath, Dave............chhhhiiiillllllllllllllllllllllll. ..

These "The Greatest Ever..." things are inherently stupid as they lack defintion.

If greatest meant size, then there's yer Munch Mammoth.
If it means number, we're back to C50's.

I'm cool - just stirring the pot.

It's like you know immediately the title starts with 'Worlds... dot dot dot' it's not going to be worth watching anyway.