Never Say Never Again - Old Bikes don't make us younger, but...

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Here's the latest "Tuesday With Nick".

He's a guy who will never be writing for the New York Times. He's about as unpolitical as they come. But the words really are straight from the heart (whatever and wherever that is!).

This time he buys a used 1985 FZ750 and waxes nostalgic about what a great machine it was. I love the 750-class and had a lot of them, but always shied away from the extreme examples, like the early GSX-Rs and the FZ750 and YZF750. VFRs and Katanas were more my style. The Ninja 750 was also a very good all-rounder. A lot of guys were throwing the Gixxers down the road as well as the Yamahas. Not many of them left these days, but as Nick's buddy says,

"Funny thing is the guys that sold that stuff to me 15 years ago are now dying to revive their youth and wheelie that old Katana down the street again. That’s were I come in. I’m the dude that can pump up the blood of those aging 50-plus dudes with these bikes.”

Me, I don't buy old junk any more. I want something that runs and is modern. But it's fun reading about someone else's experiences, especially when they are in my locale and somewhat run parallel to my own.

What really strikes me about Nick is how enamored he is of this stuff. Guys are now willing to pay handsome sums of money to get their hands on this worn-out, archaic hardware, with its dripping, messy, smelly carburetors, lousy suspension, and skinny tires. Anyone remember how much work it is to rebuild a bank of four carbs, and the amount of gas and carb cleaning fumes inhaled in the process? Screw that, leave it to the sentimentalists, I say!

I do look forward to his work every week, though.

 

[rboe]

I bought a buddies old CB350F (the four cylinder one - the fast red one). Carbs were a royal pain and I was a bit tall for it so it went. It also liked to have its' neck wrung just to go anywhere which is not my style of riding. It did cure me, for the most part, of the lust for old machines. At the very least it removed the rose coloured glasses.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

My '73 RD350 had the same effect. I don't miss it.

 

[4 Paws_imp]

Same thing with some of the "classic cars", more fun if your buddy owns one.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Same thing with some of the "classic cars", more fun if your buddy owns one.

Oh yeah

 

[dirt road_imp]

I miss my 67 Plymouth GTX and my '70 Duster 340. And I miss my '80 CBX and my '82 CBX . but I do NOT miss my !%@&&#36^$#+ ) Ossa Pioneer 250. Out of my 68 motorcycles it was the worst.

 

[kballowe_imp]

Oh yeah.

Well I restored a 1973 BMW R75/5. It turned out perfect. How come they don't ride as well as they look?

Hahahahahahahaha

They don't make 'em like they used to - and I'm GLAD !

That was an easy lesson to learn. No more old motorcycles for me !

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Oh yeah.

Well I restored a 1973 BMW R75/5. It turned out perfect. How come they don't ride as well as they look?

Hahahahahahahaha

They don't make 'em like they used to - and I'm GLAD !

That was an easy lesson to learn. No more old motorcycles for me !

:rofl:
New motorcycles that look old, that's us.:beerchug:

 

[kballowe_imp]

Oh yeah.

Well I restored a 1973 BMW R75/5. It turned out perfect. How come they don't ride as well as they look?

Hahahahahahahaha

They don't make 'em like they used to - and I'm GLAD !

That was an easy lesson to learn. No more old motorcycles for me !

:rofl:
New motorcycles that look old, that's us.:beerchug:

:rofl:
New motorcycles that look old, that's us.:beerchug: .
.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

OK, old motorcycles that look new!

 

[Rocky_imp]

To each his own of course, but I'm biased towards old (vintage) motorcycles and own two that are ridden regularly.
Both were restored to a high standard with the best available products and I frequently ride upwards of 200 miles in a day on club outings. I have complete faith in them and neither one has ever let me down in the combined 37 years I've owned and ridden them.
They only ever need the usual maintenance and are not the chore to keep going as many may think. Keeping them on the road and enjoying them is all part of the hobby for me, but as I said, it's not for everyone.
For me, they are the essence of motorcycling from another era and they bring many smiles as I potter along an perhaps 55 mph on rural and coastal roads.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

To each his own of course, but I'm biased towards old (vintage) motorcycles and own two that are ridden regularly.
Both were restored to a high standard with the best available products and I frequently ride upwards of 200 miles in a day on club outings. I have complete faith in them and neither one has ever let me down in the combined 37 years I've owned and ridden them.
They only ever need the usual maintenance and are not the chore to keep going as many may think. Keeping them on the road and enjoying them is all part of the hobby for me, but as I said, it's not for everyone.
For me, they are the essence of motorcycling from another era and they bring many smiles as I potter along an perhaps 55 mph on rural and coastal roads.

Kudos to anyone keeping these relics snorting.

 

[kballowe_imp]

I agree.

I love to see those old bikes.

 

[rboe]

Most of us qualify as relics.......

Bikes born in the 70's can be good machines but dang, the fettling on the carbs can be a PITA. I prefer riding to puttering on bikes (my 650L disagrees with this and we're in the middle of a huge discussion now, thank goodness it has but one carb) the older I get. I like some wrenching, but I really dislike repeating a job, especially if it comes too soon again.

And modern brakes!!!! Oiy!

But I gotta say, there are lot more good looking bikes back then than today.

 

[Ole]

I like the challenge of buying old bikes right, then getting them going to the best of my ability. Like the above poster, I truly wish they had modern brakes. Some of those old goats are scarey getting em stopped!

 

[use2b_imp]

I just like the simplicity of the old stuff and find them easy to maintain.
My CB750K6 is a pleasure to ride [ last month photo ] and the new brake pads make it stop like new.
my daily driver is a 1933 Ford Truck with a 50 YO engine in it that will embarrass most new trucks off the line.
HiPo 289 , no power anything and easy to keep tuned.
sell me all your good old toys if you don't want them anymore.