What's your favourite era?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Absolutely. Ignoring nostalgia value almost any bike today is better than any bike made a decade ago, and that's been true for as long as I've been riding.
.

Only a total mongol wouldn't agree with ya. But despite that...is *better* really better? So many bikes now are so good, they're almost sterile. They're almost so similar, that take away the badge...and there's no difference. I find myself loving bikes of a bygone era. Where the rider made the difference. You ride around it's flaws. Embrace it's quirks. Love it's looks. Most modern bikes look the same. Same couldn't be said for the bikes of old.

[caspernz]

My favourite era is now.

Yep, like the song goes: "These are the good old days."

I can fondly recall some bikes from my younger years, but in practical terms newer is better to me. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate old stuff, but for day to day use nothing old beats up to date gear.

[Blackbird]

Only a total mongol wouldn't agree with ya. But despite that...is *better* really better? So many bikes now are so good, they're almost sterile. They're almost so similar, that take away the badge...and there's no difference. I find myself loving bikes of a bygone era. Where the rider made the difference. You ride around it's flaws. Embrace it's quirks. Love it's looks. Most modern bikes look the same. Same couldn't be said for the bikes of old.

That's hit the nail squarely on the head!

No-one would deny that modern bikes are better in every respect than my favourite era of the late 60’s and I certainly wouldn't want to swap now for then. However, those were the formative years that got me into bikes and naturally had a lasting impact. Racing in particular as it wasn't just a case of buying performance gear off the shelves - you had to be innovative.

As for modern bikes maybe being a bit sterile, have to agree with you. My current Suzuki has got all the fruit, goes like hell yet is maybe too perfect as it doesn't do as much for me as the old Street Triple. Hard to define "character", innit?

[Voltaire]

not even a favourite that might have stuck in your mind? i'll admit to liking one model of harley.......
there's a lot of bikes i like that aren't in my shed, and the odd one in my shed i occasionally have a love hate relationship with

First bike I had was an SL125, then a Honda 500/4, Z1000j, briefly had a CB125 for riding to work in London, then a Kawasaki 550 work bike...til it was stripped for parts outside my house one night.
Had a GPZ 900 for a while in 2007, but no longer keen on car engined bikes
I do like the new Triumph Thruxton.

[Voltaire]

Only a total mongol wouldn't agree with ya. But despite that...is *better* really better? So many bikes now are so good, they're almost sterile. They're almost so similar, that take away the badge...and there's no difference. I find myself loving bikes of a bygone era. Where the rider made the difference. You ride around it's flaws. Embrace it's quirks. Love it's looks. Most modern bikes look the same. Same couldn't be said for the bikes of old.

Hi from Mongolia
The bikes I like are as SCB observed from my early 20's, I have no interest in modern ones.
My fav engines are the air cooled BMW twin, the Bevel Ducati Twin, Guzzi V twin and the Norton/Triumph Parallel twin.
I like riding them,working on them, listening to the engine and exhaust sounds and just looking at them in my shed.
Been racing an early 70's BMW for a bit, the people you meet along the way sure are interesting.

[jim.cox]

I find most modern bikes just do not appeal to me at all

They are A: overly complicated and B: bloody ugly ( BMW's especially so )

I can think of only one or two that would actually want to spend money on

Guess I really am an old fashioned Luddite

[Ocean1]

Only a total mongol wouldn't agree with ya. But despite that...is *better* really better? So many bikes now are so good, they're almost sterile. They're almost so similar, that take away the badge...and there's no difference. I find myself loving bikes of a bygone era. Where the rider made the difference. You ride around it's flaws. Embrace it's quirks. Love it's looks. Most modern bikes look the same. Same couldn't be said for the bikes of old.

The bike I lusted after waybackthen was something like a Cheney B50 MX.

I could probably organise to own one now, but here's the thing: Every bike I liked then and have subsequently owned or ridden has never lived up to my expectations.

I know damn well that I'd be spending more time fixing a B50 than riding it. And I know damn well that it's not half the bike my 525 is.

Bit like old girlfriends, better off with the memories than the replay.

[Grumph]

Only a total mongol wouldn't agree with ya. But despite that...is *better* really better? So many bikes now are so good, they're almost sterile. They're almost so similar, that take away the badge...and there's no difference. I find myself loving bikes of a bygone era. Where the rider made the difference. You ride around it's flaws. Embrace it's quirks. Love it's looks. Most modern bikes look the same. Same couldn't be said for the bikes of old.

To my way of thinking, a lot of modern bikes are appliances...characterless.

Couple of years back i had a mates latish Triumph Sprint out here for a bit of work. Sorted it and rode it, like a big electric motor, dead straight power curve...
I told him what i thought of it and said I'd let him have a ride on a good GS1000 road bike next time it was here...
I did. He now owns a restomod GS1000S which is absolutely gorgeous - and thanks to some tweaking, has a very nice step in the power curve, above which it is mental....below which it is as nice as you'd wish for a road bike in modern traffic.

And Ocean - raced a Cheney B50, you'd have liked it at the time - I did.

[Crasherfromwayback]

That's hit the nail squarely on the head!

No-one would deny that modern bikes are better in every respect than my favourite era of the late 60’s and I certainly wouldn't want to swap now for then. However, those were the formative years that got me into bikes and naturally had a lasting impact. Racing in particular as it wasn't just a case of buying performance gear off the shelves - you had to be innovative.

As for modern bikes maybe being a bit sterile, have to agree with you. My current Suzuki has got all the fruit, goes like hell yet is maybe too perfect as it doesn't do as much for me as the old Street Triple. Hard to define "character", innit?

Aye. Hey, I get to ride all manor of modern stuff, and don't get me wrong, I do like them. But yeah...this shit is me. About to build a Katana similar to this, my Slabbie is as fast as I need to go now. And big air cooled MX bikes are fun as fuck to ride, and easy/cheap to maintain compared to a modern four stroke (I do love modern 450's though. Beastly!) Way sexier too I feel.

[pritch]

The bike I lusted after waybackthen was something like a Cheney B50 MX.

I wish I knew you when I had one for sale.

[onearmedbandit]

And yet they all looked the same.

Interesting isn't it. While I love the old muscle bikes from the late 70's early 80's, they all had a 'common' look, black tubular frame, big tank, side covers, single round headlight etc etc. For those that grew up in the era they can no doubt immediately spot the individual models but to others they can end up looking the same. Whereas someone who grew up with 90's to 00's bikes can immediately spot the individual models with ease.

[Crasherfromwayback]

. Whereas someone who grew up with 90's to 00's bikes can immediately spot the individual models with ease.

So if a GSXR 600/750/1000 K7 rode past you at a semi good speed...you'd know which one it was?

[Crasherfromwayback]

The first bike I lusted after was the Ducati Darmah, front cover of a 1979 Two Wheels mag.
Attachment 323007
Picked this one up in Sydney in 1986.

The others on the list were the Norton Commando Interstate, BMW R90s and the Mk 1 Lemans.....
The 90's passed me by with getting married, kids, DIY ....but I still had the same wish list

Attachment 323011
Favourite is a parts bin racer built in 2011.

Very cool mate.

[onearmedbandit]

So if a GSXR 600/750/1000 K7 rode past you at a semi good speed...you'd know which one it was?

Quite possibly not, but not really my favourite or most influential era. Regardless, Suzuki are not a great example, they've been producing identical looking models for decades now, I remember when my two elder brothers had at the same time early 80's GSX250 and GS450 models. So identical you could interchange the side covers, tail unit, seat and tank.

Equally so if an early 80's Katana went by me at a semi good speed I'd struggle to know whether it was a 750 or 1100. And to confirm that I google imaged the two, and to the casual observer there ain't much difference. Yes I know those who know the models well will scream there is obvious differences, but they know what they're looking for. Kind of like I could tell the difference between a K2 GSXR600/750/1000 with ease.

[Ocean1]

And Ocean - raced a Cheney B50, you'd have liked it at the time - I did.

Aye, no doubt.

I'd have probably liked a 525 more, with gear 30 years better than the rest of the field I might have even won some races.





Nah, probably not...