Let's celebrate the performance of today's bikes!

[sapaul]

At least you guys could get yourself home from a breakdown. I may have to stand around like an idiot,"drinking tea" and wait for the man with the trailer to fetch the bike, take it to the workshop, stick a computer up it's orifice and then tell me whats wrong. Something like" I am sorry but your electromagnetic transponder arial ring was not communicating with its counter part" (in German) Sounds more like a wobbly to me.

[gsJack]

Back in the 50's and 60's a 650cc Bonnie was considered a standard size bike and people rode all over this country on them. Now half a century later a GS500 is considered a small beginner's bike.

It's amazing how close the two are in size and weight and how different they are in performance, particularly braking. And the GS is one of the slower 500cc bikes on the market today and it's late 70's engine design is considered outdated.

http://members.aol.com/jcprrp/GS500vsT120.txt

Much progress has been made over the years.

[moshee]

On the other hand, I find my 130 mph (absolute max), 13.1 sec quarter mile, 1974 BMW R90S more than adequate, what with the 70 mph speed limits around here. No, it can't wheelie in 5th gear but I prefer to keep both wheels on the ground. Its handling is adequate for my needs.

I frankly don't need the performance of todays mega fast bikes nor their accompanying complexities. I prefer the simpler bikes of yesteryear, you know, the kind that you could understand and fix. I prefer carburators over EFI. I like the simplicity of gravity fed fuel systems over pumps. Air cooling is fine, if adequate. Don't need radiators and fans.

I even replaced my Boyer Bransden electronic ignition when it went pooof and left me to push the bike 5 miles back home. I re-installed the point and condenser which may go out but will give you warning and not leave you stranded (besides, I always carry an extra point & condenser when I ride).

This is not to mean that modern bikes are not amazing in their performance and reliability. However, its not my cup of tea. Now if someone made a simple, reliable, modern bike with adequate performance, I might be interested.

This year has also experienced a carnage of motorcycle accidents. I don't recall hearing of so many in previous years. I'm sure that the high performance bikes of today in concert with less than mature, sane riders have contributed to the accident rates. This is not to say that performance is the only factor. There is of course liquor and the ever present cager.

Just my opinion though. I'm sure most of you disagree. Hell, my son thinks I'm a dinosaur.
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Rare Diseases Forum

[moshee]

I can't comment - I still ride one of yeterday's bikes

Nothing wrong with riding a CB360. Its still great for around town riding and adequate for an occasional freeway foray.

I used to ride my wifes Hondamatic 400 Hawk on the freeway to work and it was just fine. In town, it was nimble and easy to ride.

Sometimes, in our pursuit of the performance god and the latest and greatest thing in motorcycledom, we forget the essence of what motorcycling is all about. Its not just the speed, but the feeling of freedom, the feeling of being part of the environment around you.

I guess I'm starting to ramble.
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household budget

[cb360]

I can't comment - I still ride one of yeterday's bikes

Nothing wrong with riding a CB360. Its still great for around town riding and adequate for an occasional freeway foray.

I used to ride my wifes Hondamatic 400 Hawk on the freeway to work and it was just fine. In town, it was nimble and easy to ride.

Sometimes, in our pursuit of the performance god and the latest and greatest thing in motorcycledom, we forget the essence of what motorcycling is all about. Its not just the speed, but the feeling of freedom, the feeling of being part of the environment around you.

I guess I'm starting to ramble.

I agree. I like working on my bike. And I like riding something I thought was cool when I was a kid. And I like having something that's thirty-two years old and still runs like a top. I would like a bigger bike for the freeway but I live in a big city now and my daily rides rarely take me too far over fifty. I can get anywhere in the city faster on my bike than my car and it's light and easy to park, cheap to insure and is not a likely theft target. I think it's the perfect urban bike for me at this point. I'm sure I'd enjoy some bells and whistles but I honestly think I'd really miss this bike if I got a newer one. I know it's nothing really special but it's the first non-runner I brought back to life so I'm probably over-sentimental about it.

[moshee]

cb360,

Think of the money you've saved by not chasing the latest and greatest. Nothing wrong with sentimentality.

I've many memories attached to my 31 year old bike. I've used it for commuting, touring, and racing. It was a bike for my healthier, youthful days and will be with me in my senior years.

Its a bike I understand. No need for $70/hr mechanics. I can keep it maintained better. Knowing your bike intimately is a part of motorcycling that has been lost with todays sophisticated bikes.
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household budget

[cb360]

Knowing your bike intimately is a part of motorcycling that has been lost with todays sophisticated bikes.

That's certainly true enough. Same with today's cars. I used to be able to work on my 78 thunderbird and 86 toyota pickup. My '03 Subaru.... not so much

[ronboskz650sr]

I like them all...I really do. My son's hurricane seems to be a great in-between technologies bike. It handles fantastic, jumps out from a stop like a scared rabbit, sounds way cool, wheelies if you want to, but not if you don't, gets over 50 mpg on our latest highway trip, rides smooth, but not too soft, has great ergos. The year...1987. My bike was great as a standard UJM, and I like it even better as a drag/cafe mongrel. I'm just thankful some smart person invented motorcycles.

[moshee]

I like them all...I really do. My son's hurricane seems to be a great in-between technologies bike. It handles fantastic, jumps out from a stop like a scared rabbit, sounds way cool, wheelies if you want to, but not if you don't, gets over 50 mpg on our latest highway trip (mine got 48), rides smooth, but not too soft, has great ergos. The year...1987. My bike was great as a standard UJM, and I like it even better as a drag/cafe mongrel. I'm just thankful some smart person invented motorcycles.

I like them all too (old and new). I can appreciate the modern motorcycles performance (speed, acceleration, handling, and braking), sophisticated electronic/fuel systems, suspension, frame technology, and convenience items.

While I can appreciate the modern motorcycle, I can't understand them. That is my failing. I prefer a bike I can understand enough to repair and maintain. Add to that, a bike that will have parts availability for a long time to come. I hate it when I see perfectly good bikes junked for lack of a few parts.
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Temporomandibular Join Disorder (TMJ) Forum

[BuzZz]

Even understanding a modern bike won't do you much good on the roadside. You need sophisticated diagnostic equipment to fix them most of the time. But that don't happen very often, and they sure make some nice bikes these days.....I would love to have a brandnew, hightech bike like the 990 Duke or similar, but that just ain't an option at this piont. But I'm still happy with my 15 year old bike, and I'll be even happier with the 16 year old in my backroom. (dirty minded 'riding a 16 year old' joke inserted here..... )