riding in the 80's

[Da Bird]

Ah, the 80's... when I first became addicted (at 14) to motorbikes through the "Kiwi Rider" magazine, drooled over the new Honda CBX750F and finally got my first bike, a Suzi GP125 which I successfully stalled doing a hill start for my licence in front of the traffic cop.
The late 80's... when I first started thinking if I could be a traffic cop, I could get paid to ride bikes (funny how things turn out!)... Also have memories of taking my brother's Honda MVX250F out to see how fast it would go and thought I was going really fast when it hit 140km/hr.

I've nearly always had a bike bar a year here and there...

[750Y]

ahh the reminescing thread lol. it was all good except for the bad bits.

[SPman]

To me, it was all bad, except for the good bits!

If there were any!

SP

[Lou Girardin]

One instance encapsulates riding in the 80's for me.
Carving a perfect line through left hand sweeper at the end of Takanini straight at 215 - 220 km/h on my GPz while a mate on a VF750 is using both lanes to control the weave. Mad, bad times. But we survived.

[bloodnut]

The eighties (through to early ninties) was the best era for road racing in New Zealand, full fields, lots of tracks and even tv coverage.

Also two stroke road bikes ruled- love that smell.

cheers
Red

[What?]

The eighties (through to early ninties) was the best era for road racing in New Zealand, full fields, lots of tracks and even tv coverage.

Also two stroke road bikes ruled- love that smell.

cheers
Red

Funny, I would have thought the first half of the eighties way better than late 80's, early 90's; live coverage of Wanganui on boxing day stopped around 85(?). Delayed coverage of the 6 hour went from an hour in 85 down to a few minutes in 87. In the 1988 (last) 6 hour, I think there were about ten spectators and even less competitors. In the 1978 6 hour it was a struggle to find somewhere to sit.
The National points races at Puke were a similar scene - huge crowds up to about 84, then it started dwindling to the pathetic turn-outs we see now. The only crowd-pulling bike meet at Puke these days is the Classic Rally.

[Hooks]

Yeah the 70's & 80's !! that was where the fun was for me .... and getting hold of the bike I have now was a big aim which I achieved just before the 80's ended !!
Before I did the responsible thing and became a family man I was always out on a bike of some description or other ... PE 500, XL 450, CB 360, GT380 & 550, GS550, RD 350 & 400 .... they all had their good points, the best of which was that they had 2 wheels and were mine !! :spudbooge It was cheap to get them on the ferry and cruise the South Island and the roads were mainly empty & great for nailing it on !! .... Then came reality ... and marriage .... :sneaky2:
Now it's back into it .... but without freedom factor !! ... too many kids at home still ...

[scumdog]

I still have one 80's car at home with an AM only radio. I was never really into music and my car through the 70's I never even had a radio in it. My kids have trouble understanding that but I say I was more interested in hearing the sweet sound of the engine and concentrating on my driving.

HAH! I still have one 80's car at home - it's our NEWEST car! the rest are 50's and 60's.
I know where you're coming from regarding not bothering with a radio/stereo too!!

[Sparky Bills]

I was born in the 80's!!
But still learnt how to ride then too.
Good old PW50!!
Was able to ride that by 3years old I think!

[bloodnut]

Funny, I would have thought the first half of the eighties way better than late 80's, early 90's; live coverage of Wanganui on boxing day stopped around 85(?). Delayed coverage of the 6 hour went from an hour in 85 down to a few minutes in 87. In the 1988 (last) 6 hour, I think there were about ten spectators and even less competitors. In the 1978 6 hour it was a struggle to find somewhere to sit.
The National points races at Puke were a similar scene - huge crowds up to about 84, then it started dwindling to the pathetic turn-outs we see now. The only crowd-pulling bike meet at Puke these days is the Classic Rally.

I guess we all favour our particular era, however I was refering to the quality of machinery and riders competeing.

I remember lining up beside the likes of Robert Holden, Jason McQ and stroudy on the brittens, Tony Rees and Chris Haldane, Russell Josiah, Simon Crafer and such international riders on very expensive machinery.

Racing at Manfield alongside all the World Superbike Stars on there factory machinery.

Now what have we got?


Cheers
red

[What?]

All is not lost - Tony Rees is back on 2 wheels this summer!
I agree about the quality of racing late 80's / early 90's. Shame the public never really supported it like they had in previous years. Last big turn-out I saw was the pan-Pacific meeting at Manfield.

[gsxr750]

the 80,s ... music was crap... bikes just got faster. was a courier in melbourne in the 80's, london in the 90's now I'm back here driving trucks. Always said: whern i get to old for dogeing the .... I'll drive a truck and they can dodge me. hasen't worked like that , am dryer in a truck but still get the needed buzz you can only get doing a corner just right on a bike.
Nick

[swanman]

I am 36, and was brought up in the UK. I got my first bike at 17, and have been riding pretty consistently ever since. Funnily enough when I first came to New Zealand years ago I bought the bike that I lusted after when I was 16, a gpz 1100.
I remember drooling over this bike in the magazines in 1984, and journos being blown away by the speed ("the world going backwards") and its solid handling.
Anyway by the time I got on it, hey it was still a fast bike by any one's standards, and stable. But god it was heavy, a slow handler, and had very average brakes. The other big change is what was considered sports riding position then would be considered touring now. Ironic as the human body hasn't changed in 20 yrs.

Still to say all bikes in the 80's were overpowered and poor handlers is wrong. The rd350, 500, rg500, ninja 900, cbrs and gsxrs were all good handling bikes as an example. At the beginning of the 80's you had gs1000's and z1000's etc by 1989 you had single shock swingarms, great brakes, wrap around frames and racy bodywork. Imagine the FZR1000 came out in 1987 (I think) 150 mph plus, delta box frame and good brakes ( I have ridden one and they are good).

As for the music well I thought it was pretty good, it was the music of the time and it was the time I was a teen, what else was I going to like?

[Jinx3d]

I agree that the cheap car has spelled the end of bikes. We will be the last generation of m/cycle riders. The ones left will be too few and the paul swains of this world will out law it "for our own good."

The poor racing turnouts and lack of telly coverage are just a reflection of the fact that there are no grass roots.

We lived in the golden era of motorcycles and when we die no one will remember or care.

Pass the beer.
oh yeah, - channel 4 is not a reflection of modern music, its a reflection of what 14 yr olds listen too.

Tell me I'm wrong...I hope I am.

[hondav2]

I started riding in 1967 nickin the old mans bike and going for a fang.Denis Ireland (Isle of Man winner ) went to same school. Bought a CBR350 Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaa, no brakes ,skinny tyres 80mph every where. Guy I bought it off got a Kwaka 500 triple but sadly got killed on it. Had a collection of trail bikes and after the mid life crissis bought 3 bikes, I hate selling something I like so keep them . Planing a trip to Alaska ,Canada, Rockies and Sturgis starting June 05.Met 2 bikers from there a month back and they invited me to a bike rally at Dawson City on longest day so gotta go. I have found that since trading sex for food Im having trouble getting into my own pants now. Cheers Toddy