Classic Forum

[Voltaire]

Welcome to the Classic Forum. Thanks KB and Mental Trousers for setting this up, and you the classic bike fans for the support to get it.

[Subike]

awsome , good to see this happen.
Now
what is classed as a classic?
A bike that is X years old?
Or a bike that is of a type that was special for its year?
Obviously anything pree 1980 that was british/ european would get in there
And any Harley Davidson pre the Evo engine era would be a classic too?
Quite a few early 2 stroke Jappas should be classis IMO.
And then any trail bikes that were twin shock framed?
Or how about any model of bike that won the "bike of the year award" say before 1990.
It will be very interesting to see what KB'ers concider to be a classic.
If I was to look at a classic for myself it would have to be a pre WW2 Harley, as that is what My father and Uncles use to ride , would reallylove one, but I know that apart from almost being non existant, I could not afford the price they demand. So I'll just dream

[Voltaire]

I suppose this has to be aired......
Paul had the best definition.
along the lines of...
" when you own a bike even it if it makes no economic sence."

Is a brand new Enfield a classic bike?????
or a Chiang Jiang...
or a Retro Triumph...

I think yes...if you want it to be.

[cs363]

I suppose this has to be aired......
Paul had the best definition.
along the lines of...
" when you own a bike even it if it makes no economic sence."

Is a brand new Enfield a classic bike?????
or a Chiang Jiang...
or a Retro Triumph...

I think yes...if you want it to be.

I believe the accepted criteria is 25 years or more old, country of origin should have no bearing. I have no time for the elitist types that think that the country of origin of their bike somehow makes it better than another.
They are all motorcycles - get over it!

I agree that Paul's definition is still the best that anyone has come up with so far.

[Highlander]

I believe the accepted criteria is 25 years or more old, country of origin should have no bearing.

As you are too late to order your 2009 Kiwi Biker calendar that means 1984 or earlier....

[laserracer]

WooHOO well done.. can't wait for some articles and some pics

[Bonez]

Well done. Hope it isn't inundated with anoraks though .

[Voltaire]

Well done. Hope it isn't inundated with anoraks though .

You mean like:

" the nut holding the generator on a 58' T110 should be plain, not domed"


" he was a man with....anoraknophobia....."

[Max Headroom]

Wow! Our own place....looks a bit plain for now, but it should tidy up OK once the furniture is in!

Big thanks to Mental Trousers for the generous gesture.

[gunrunner]

Was just a matter of time that this sub-forum appeared. Me ive got 4 years to im entitled to be in here , but they bike i always wanted and it took 23 years to get round to getting it i will just say this it will still be in my garage when its 20 years old .
This will get well used its just a matter of time , as i see the old harleys, nortons and indians come thru town most sundays

[gunrunner]

I thort a classic bike has to be 20 yrs and over

[Brian d marge]

Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield......... Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield


ohhhh boy that felt goooood


Stephen

[Voltaire]

Brian....care to expand on that...
You must have some good Tokyo biker stories??

[laserracer]

Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield......... Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield,,,,,,,,,,,,,Royal Enfield,,Enfield , Royal Enfield, Enfield ,,,,,Bullet , Royal Enfield


ohhhh boy that felt goooood


Stephen

Man you've got a bad STUTTER ..Wheres the pics of the ENFIELD ???

[Max Headroom]

I thort a classic bike has to be 20 yrs and over

This is a debate that could go on for quite a while. Generally as a guideline for most purposes, the rule of thumb for determining a classic is by age i.e. 25 years or more.

However, beyond the guidelines are the grey areas. For example, a dealer not far from my work has a 1989 GSXR1100 for sale. While still a formidable machine, this isn't a bike that would easily keep up with a current big capacity Gixxer on a track (or ridden in anger on the road) due to performance, handling and braking deficiencies by comparison. And the owner of such a bike as a late '80s Gixxer or VFR750 or RG500 will in all probability share more in common with classic bike owners than the owners of current machinery. In fact, I suspect that the owner of a '70s Guzzi, BMW or Ducati would probably have better access to spares than the owner of a late '80s/early '90s Jap bike....

I think that the type of person that will fit here comfortably is the one who's more inclined to do at least basic maintenance such as oil and filter changes on his/her bike, and maybe stuff like fork seals, brake pads and valve clearances. While there are already forums for those subjects, the challenges of knowing where to get stuff for older bikes or how to find specialists are universal for classic bike owners. Personally I'd rather be heading that direction then agonising over which polish to use....

Another other thing I'd like to see is threads focussing on restorations, so that we can vicariously follow the highs and lows of bringing dead machinery back to life.

We already have the Blast To The Past rides ably co-ordinated by Psyguy, and there are opportunities for more to participate in those rides or organise similar rides in other locations. The opportunity also exists for a KB Classic Rally further down the track if there's sufficient interest.

So what's a classic? Although it may be tricky to come up with a definitive policy of what a classic is, we'll know when we see something that isn't....