The "Good Old Days"...

**martybabe** · 24th April 2009, 08:40

Drum brakes when the water made it's way in, took fourteen years and three months to dry out again.

Tyres that lost grip at even a hint of moisture on the road.

What happened to the loose dogs, couldn't ride anywhere without some maniac dog trying to bite the legs off my belstaffs.

Wax cotton gear freezing cold, not waterproof unless you kept applying goop and left stains everywhere.

Rusty spoke wheels, no alternative back then.

Goggles with a join in the middle of the eye piece.

Mirrors with added vibrators

Choke buttons and leaving them open

Happy days

**Big Dave** · 24th April 2009, 11:34

They were called Dildos back then.

**slofox** · 24th April 2009, 12:46

Originally Posted by Paul in NZ

Besides, when most of us got our hands on these mechanical marvels they were already 30 years old and well thrashed.

Mine was only 14 years old when I got it but the suspension was still useless...all the same, it never stopped, that bike - ever...not even when the crank pin was in backwards so that there was no direct oil feed to the big end...amazing...

**Tone165** · 7th May 2009, 13:09

The Police had Ariel square 4's (so I have been told) which had a nasty habbit of seizing if ridden too fast for too long. Probably due to the oil feed setup mentioned above!

**Dodgyiti** · 7th May 2009, 13:35

Looking back to when I first started riding late 60's & 70's machines in the early 80's the worst things I can think of that have changed for the better are tyres and riding gear.
Staying perfectly warm and dry in the most horrific of weather and being able to find good grip even when the roads are flowing with water.
All the stuff about the bikes of the time could be fixed, modified or replaced with better as mentioned

Amal carbs= Dellortos
Sprung hub frames= skip bin
Drum brakes= wedged into the bumper of the car in front of you

**slofox** · 7th May 2009, 14:24

Originally Posted by Tone165

The Police had Ariel square 4's (so I have been told) which had a nasty habbit of seizing if ridden too fast for too long. Probably due to the oil feed setup mentioned above!

The back pair of cylinders suffered from overheating problems due mainly to lack of airflow - there used to be many articles in magazines about how to fix this problem...some quite ingenious...

**MSTRS:Me** · 7th May 2009, 14:42

Originally Posted by slofox

The back pair of cylinders suffered from overheating problems due mainly to lack of airflow -

Like the middle cylinder on the aircooled 2 stroke triples and the original Tridents.
My pet hate on the Saint I owned was the individual needle rollers the clutch basket ran on.

**3umph** · 7th May 2009, 15:35

Originally Posted by dipshit

Petrol stations closed on Sundays.

petrol stations with full service on the forecourt, a working workshop and useful parts in stock

**MSTRS:Me** · 7th May 2009, 15:57

Originally Posted by 3umph

petrol stations with full service on the forecourt, a working workshop and useful parts in stock

You don't miss those? In which case, I don't miss oil in the glass bottles with the long tapered neck attached...NOT!!

**vgcspares** · 7th May 2009, 16:09

German Jack-Boots
Drum brakes
Shorrock Superchargers
Goggles
Pith helmets
White scarves
Waxed cotton wet weather gear
Black plastic bags
Open crancase breathers
No oil filters

But you could get high octane leaded fuel

and the cops weren't quite so anal (or at least not all of them)

**Brian d marge** · 7th May 2009, 17:09

sex

Stephen

**Ixion** · 7th May 2009, 21:45

The rain was a lot wetter back then.

**Skyryder** · 8th May 2009, 11:55

Originally Posted by MSTRS

You don't miss those? In which case, I don't miss oil in the glass bottles with the long tapered neck attached...NOT!!

I got one of them. Castrol with tin spout that screws onto the glass. Still use it. Best oil filler ever. You can see how much oil you have left in the bottle.

Skyyrder