My Uncle worked at a Honda dealership when the SL125 came out. He got a great deal on one, in the crate, because it was missing the carb & had a dent in the gas tank. Fixed it & seven boys learned to ride a larger bike with a clutch, after we graduated from a 1969 Mini Trail 50. A great all purpose bike,
I stumbled on these cool videos over the weekend. I started riding when I was 13... I'm 81 now and still riding. I knew many of these bikes when they were new. Thanks for all this!!
11th Yamaha SX 650 Twin ! It was their first big four cycle engine motorcycle introduced into the states and sold in the states from 1969-1983. The after market possibilities were wonderful as well.
I had a GS750. Loved that bike! Some friends had the GT's with Ram Air 😅. Don't see them at all these days. Market is focused on RD's and trilpes. I remember Zukis' known for their enduros and MXer's
I have an original 79 GS1000L. I love it. When new it was briefly the fastest thing on the road. Today it's a well balanced easy to ride bike that runs on regular gas with good power for 2-up riding but nothing spectacular. It only goes 137 and can do 11 sec 1/4 miles.. Amazing how 40 years of development and changing perspective can turn a widow maker into a docile cruiser.
@@perrycalabrese3475 the GS750 was the gem of the GS series. I had a GS500 for a long time and I loved it. I still have my GS1000L and love it. Suzuki gave the most value for the money back in the air cooled days.
I would love to ride a GS450 from the 1970's. Today's equivalent of a Royal Enfield twin but totally reliable. I like riding a 40HP twin cyl or general purpose bike by myself. I never ride in groups. Begging for crashes.
All the roller crank fours. Best of their kind. Handling etc. I've looked for a GS400 or 450 for my wife, but no joy. In Canada they had 8 valve heads on 400s.
I've had a bunch of classic bikes in the past few years. The most fun for the buck I think are the 175cc Hondas. CB175, CL175, CD175. Very reliable and very easy to work on. A lot like the CB125 but with more power. 80MPH and still 80MPGs! Small twin pistons so there is next to no vibration. Lastly the sound is something else. Highly recommend these to anyone.
I had a 1968 175 scrambler, tangerine color and it was a lot of fun and could beat most cars off the lights and go on off road trails as well. Great time to be a kid.
The Yamaha XS2 and really any XS650 from 72-83 are excellent bikes. They are a good sized bike and have a very sweet 360 degree twin 44-53 hp engine. The XS2 likely has 53 hp as it was the most powerful with a nice rowdy cam that the EPA required to be tuned down in 1973. I had an XS2 and it was at least 50 hp and they were exhilarating to ride.
I love the Daytona. My only issue is they got rid of the "pea shooter" mufflers for the "megaphone" types. the pea shooters are way cooler. I had a T100C (1970) for many years and love it. I now have an A65 BSA. Beautiful and fun to ride (as long as you don't need to stop quickly haha)
I really liked your short where you took your daughter for her first ride on the triumph 500. I did the exact same thing with my daughter when I was about your age and she was about your daughter‘s age. Pretty much had the same results as you did! Very cool. Fast forward to today, my daughter is 30 years old and loves motorcycles and she blames it on me lol
There's no reason to exclude the Kawasaki, Yamaha, & Suzuki motorcycles from the same time periods. Personally, I think the modern Royal Enfield motorcycles with fuel injection & ABS are quite appealing for their price point. Regardless, I prefer the classic look of older bikes.
When I was young I had an early 70's Honda 550four. It looked a lot like my brothers early 70's 750four. It didn't feel that much smaller. But it was a bit, maybe more then a bit slower then his 750. But I loved that 550four.
I’ve got a Yamaha SR500, 1978 (first year, at least in the states) and I got it for I think $2300. It’s basically the bike that got Yamaha to start moving away from two strokes and getting into street bikes. It’s a very important model in their history, and it has basically been in production up until a couple years ago. The modified it (I think stroke) to 400cc and at some point added fuel injection, but otherwise fundamentally the same bike. They’re absolutely great, they’re fun to ride, and they’re so simple it’s really rewarding. Slightly heavy, but still fantastic. It’s a big single, so it’s not smooth really, but I feel like that’s part of the charm.
i've had 2 of the old SR's. a 78 and an 81. if ya flooded it trying to get it started best find a big hill, coast down, pop it into 2nd drop the clutch. or you could spend the next half hour and wear out yer leg with the kick starter. yamaha ruined it when they made it into a 400. they also made a SR250. same bike, smaller engine.
@@tzackaria7 - No need for the big hill, just take out the plug, dry it with gas lighter and it will fire right up. Never open the throttle on SR-500 when kick starting, also only choke when cold. Never had much problem getting mine started, I have owned my '81 since 1988. Great handling bike that is used by flat track racers and was designed by Kenny Roberts for his fun trail bike when he was riding for Yamaha.
I'm actually looking into getting an SR500 sometime soon, but I'm wondering if it's fine for taller folks, I'm about 196 cm (6'4''), do you think I might be a bit uncomfortable, or would I probably fit fine?
My first motorcycle was a Sears/Gilera 124 circa 1967. Sears sold tons of them and they look a lot like the Gilera in this video. They were 4 stroke singles with five speed transmissions and could make 60mph easily.
The definitions of vintage, classic and retro are really variable, it seems. When it comes to bikes, I think pre-WW1 is veteran, WW1 to WW2 is vintage, post-war is Classic, 70s and 80s are retro and anything after that, but not new, is just 'old' hehe. I don't know, but once bikes got to a certain point of performance and quality, they seem to not really be different enough to classify. Maybe I'm just showing my age, but pretty much all late 80s and later bikes seem 'modern' to me. They all out-perform the roads they ride on by a large margin. Unless you race them on a track, the differences for decades are pretty much immaterial apart from them becoming safer and more reliable?
They really were making bikes "that people wanted to buy". Im 32 and im constantly eyeballing the 60s and 70s bikes because there is no available modern equivalent that appeals to me. Maintenance is part and parcel of the motorcycling experience to me.
I have owned three Sportsters, a '74 a '79 and a '85. These were all very reliable and all were iron heads. If the manetanance was kept up they were just as reliable as my 1969 Bonneville. Good video.
My early motorcycle days in the late 1960's, I was a fan of Japanese 2 strokes. In particular, my brother & I had a 1971 Yamaha 200 twin. With 2 strokes, you don't need too many speed parts to make them more powerful. We tweaked the ports, installed 2 larger carbs from 125 Suzuki single. Changed transmission gear ratios & a racing clutch (stock clutch slipped). Fabricated expansion chamber exhaust pipes & it was as fast as a stock Yamaha RD 400 (lighter weight too) .
One seriously overlooked series of bikes were the Honda 400/450 twins from 1978-1986: Hawk, Hondamatic, Nighthawk 450, Rebel 450, etc. Available in standard and cruiser variants. Standard or automatic. Plenty of power, parts are easy to find, typical Honda reliability...and best of all? Cheap! :)
I think 60's or 70's Honda CBs are great first vintage bikes. When I looking for my first bike a few years ago I really wanted an old Triumph but a motorcycle mechanic told me to start with an old Honda if I wanted vintage... then get the Triumph once I had acquired some mechanical know-how. I found a 1975 CB750 on Ebay that I paid 2 grand for. It doesn't have the stock paint job or stock 4 into 4 pipes, but it's a nice-looking, clean bike that runs great. Last year I finally got my Triumph, a 1964 TR6. I saw it pop up locally on Marketplace for 5 grand so I had to jump on it. (Seems like the good deals are always thousands of miles away… so after shipping costs they’re not as good a deal. It's nice when they're local.)
Not really sure if it counts. But my dream old-bike is a honda magna from the 80's. That V4 is amazing, definitely looking for the 700 or 750 model. I don't like the revived version they did in the mid 90's. 80's ones seem to be between $2000-$3000
I found a nice '84 Magna 700 last summer, and have been riding it ever since. It's a beautiful bike, reliable, and very fun to ride! Get one if you can, you won't be sorry.
What do you think of the early Yamaha 650 XS's? I love those things. I remember Kenny Roberts using those as the base for those TT races back in the early 70s. Loved the sound they made. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ayA1w_ex75k.html
I've owned all three of the British bike brands made in the sixties, and seventies. They had their charm, but were a pain in the ass. Unless you are a very good DIY'er stay the hell away from old Triumphs, BSA's, and Nortons They may get you to point B, but rarely get you back to point A. There is a reason the old British bike mfg's went out of business. Amal carbs leaked even when brand new, and Lucas Electric wasn't called 'The Prince of Darkness' for nothing. After I bought my first Honda 750 in 1974, I never went back.
Maybe I'm lucky live in Indonesia and had a little know later mechanic thing,I just got an gt 380,1974,from original owner for $2000,full paper and run good...just buy from the owner, dealership will add 200-300%price,just be patient when you looking for one
Had a 72 SL 350 in the mid 80s . I've had many bikes and it as capable off road as it is on road . It's in the ranks of my slowest bikes , it's also in the ranks for the highest torque. Thing would climb a wall if you could hold onto it.
I loved the SL350s, especially the later ones that were a bit lighter with the double cradle frame , 21" front wheel, slide carbs, and no electric start. I remember going to a motocross race once in the early 70s and two guys from the local Honda dealership showed up on shiny brand new SL350s that appeared to be completely stock. Everybody was laughing at them until one of the guys took the lead and held off all the Huskies and CZs and Maicos for several laps until he fell landing in a muddy patch over a jump. He got back on and managed to regain some of his lost ground by the end of the race. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
The CB 500 does truly intrest me. The CB 750 was a wonderful machine but always too heavy and with a high seat was always a handful at slow speeds for a short rider.
I rode my 1981, Kz 550 LTD, From England to my knew home on Rhodes (Greece) 14 years ago. I still have her. I think bikers will go back to these, purely for the simplicity. Bikes now (Imho) are too hi-tech.
I had 3 CB 500 Four, it's a wonderful motorcycle even when it just awakes in high engine speed ... but you are right, it's nice to just cruise around with it ... Anyway, still have a beautiful Yamaha XT 250 from 1983 which is one of the last motorcycles hold in that beautiful design of the 1970s. :)
Great information.. never too old to ride. I'd just received my drivers permit in the summer of 1971, so my parents bought me a new candy-apple red 1971 Honda 175 SL ($686) ..been riding ever since.
I had a Honda 500 4 in 1976.........scrap on wheels..........it was heavy.......it was fitted with a Marshall 4 into 1.......even in the 70's the exhausts were over a grand.........and lasted about three years.....big money when youre an apprentice........the 400 4 was a lot nippier ....My pals rode RD 350....very quick..........another had an H1E.......the nearest thing to a magic carpet you could get.......but 20 m.p.g............another had a KH250........a ghost of the original .S1.......The Z1 was king of the road.......but was left for dead when the GS1000came out........great vids by the way
Hated myHonda 550, or whatever it was. Metal flake gold like a bass boat otr a drum set. Heavy slow nd really heavy. Compared to my Commando it was a bad heavy smell. I think it was some kind of trading deal. Don't remember why I had it.
I restore vintage motorcycles mostly Japanese and British, and the easiest ones to find parts for by far are the British. Lots of suppliers and specialty shops and you can get readily available and reasonably priced parts. If you want to get into a vintage bike consider doing a fix up on an older model. You will save on the initial cost and probably the over all cost plus you get to know your machine and other people who are into the vintage scene. These older bikes were built with the intent that the owner would be doing the service work on them and so are pretty simple to work on with basic tools and a manual. The undeserved bad reputation that they had as far as reliability goes came from the absence of maintenance on the part of their owners. This is the big reason that the Japanese bikes were such a hit; no tools required. It isn't YOUR bike 'till you work on it! Tim.
Yes. Considering that classic original Commandos are still in production at Norvil, and new heads are available from Austrailia too, and tanks and side covers pre painted from India, Yes. Main stream brit bikes are easy to own relatively.
I once bought a 175 Bantam when I was 14 with my pocket money plus a little bit made by gardening. It was in scrambles trim as well with knobblies, plastic mudguards and motocross bars. Three speed box if my memory serves me and great fun off road.
I got my 1970 CB450 for $2k and it’s exactly like you said about the 500: runs easily, fun to ride, and perfectly usable in modern traffic. Amazing for a bike that’s over 50 years old.
@@alecnull it’s not a very big bike. I’m 5’8” and it fits me ok but if I were much taller it probably wouldn’t work well. I also only use it around town for short, low speed trips.
Agreed! My first bike, at the ripe age of 67, was a nicely modded ‘86 CB450 Nighthawk. With 14k on it, it runs beautifully, doesn’t leak a drop of oil, and is totally reliable. It’s the perfect starter bike, enough power and very manageable. Great on pavement but not on the logging roads here. I’ve added an ‘89 NX650, and it handles the gnarlies great, and will cruise at highway speeds all day.
I had a 1972 Honda CB500 in the late 70’s. Went to Stuges SD from Des Moines Ia in 1979. Also my first motorcycle was a Honda CL 125 that had the high muffler. I think it was called a Scrambler.
In my youth, I went from Yamaha mini-enduro,to 250 BSA,to 500 Triumph. And then, when I got older (24),I got the big dog;the 1968 Triumph T120 twin carb 650 Bonneville. I did have that 500 up to 96 mph once, but it was the early 80's and all my buds has the Kawy 900 LTD's. Only my 650 could hang with them, and out cool them.I miss her every day.
Not really a copy. It is the real thing in a different factory, like the first Yamaha. According to what I have read, Royal Enfield, real not India, started copying the DKW before the end of WWII. Had to do with the Nazis and the religion of a distributor somewhere in Northern Europe.
I had a 69 500 Triumph Trophy in early 1976. Promptly got hit by a pickup shortly afterward! Still riding ! Also had an ironhead sporty a couple years later. You know your bikes, very cool!
I have a CJ360T in my garage, it’s been sitting there for oh my God 20 years. I think this summer is the time for me to get her going, if that’s gonna be possible. I used to ride way back in the day, but know zero about bike maintenance. We shall see…
Got a 72 honda cl350 and a 76 honda cb750!!! Both are awesome bikes. I also got a 71 yamaha A1 175cc which is a fun little dirt bike. It's nice to be able to work on them compared to motorcycles today
I have a mint 71 Shovelhead that I bought new. Dating myself I know. AMF actually saved Harley-Davidson by upgrading their plants that had not received any Renovations since 1952. Where AMF got a bad rep was they did not Harden the valve seats and guides to compensate for the unleaded fuel that came onto the market. many problems surfaced relating to that. By 1976 all the bugs were worked out. As far as the old Harleys leaking oil , that was usually the chain oiler. If you kept up on your preventative maintenance, one had no problem. My first bike was a BSA 441 Victor. We called them "half a Harley"
OK... I'm a long-retired dealer, so my opinions are based on experience, not something I saw online or read in an old magazine. 1) I'd stay away from the Sportster because it's not much to ride, the parts are expensive and it's a magnet for thieves; it's also hard to find good ones for cheap. 2) ANY older Honda should work because you can almost always find mechanical parts and they are dependable; this is mostly true of Yamahas/Suzukis/Kawasakis as well, but there are simply more Hondas. 3) The little old English bikes are NOT dependable, and parts are hard to come by. 4) The 250cc Triumph/BSAs are pretty, but SLOW and parts are pricey and hard to find. 5) You will probably NOT find a nice Daytona for under $5K, and (again) parts are pricey and getting harder to find. 6) If you REALLY want something for which there are NO parts, buy a Gilera. And I hope you love it, because it will be HARD to sell. 7) Better than a 250RR is an Interceptor 500, faster and cheaper and easier to find parts. 8) If you want an SL, get a 350, which is faster and smoother...or find an XL350, which is a really nice, simple bike that is freeway-legal. 9) If you really have to have an old CB, stick to a 350 twin or a 450 if you can find a clean one. Both are FAR better than the tiny single and you can actually ride one 100 miles without dying of boredom. 10) Any old 650 Yamaha or RD350/400 (not LC) is a great choice as they're reliable and fun to ride and the RDs have splendid handling and brakes.
Although built in England the BSA Bantam was actually a German design - the DKW RT125. Blueprints of the design were taken up by BSA as part of the reparations following World War 2. There were also Russian and American versions of the design but the Bnatam was the most successful variant.
I really have no interest in the old euro bikes. But from about 1966 or so and newer us and japan are the bikes of interest to me. They would include: Yamaha 2 stroke RD350 (very fast), 80's goldwing SE's, 900 Kaw's, Hodaka 100, 82-3 Honda V65 Magna&Sabre 1100cc w/105 ponies @ 9500rpm and 10k redline, liquid cooling, 6speed overdrive trans w/shaft drive. Awesome Baby!!! Way ahead of their time in 1983.🦂
Early RD350's had a very narrow power band. It could catch you out - one minute your pootling along, drop a gear to overtake and suddenly the front wheel's lifting. I only rode a mates once, but it really startled me how quickly it could transform from sensible to howling beast with just a litttle twist of the throttle.
For the "Classic Bike" experience for WAY less than $5,000, consider the "engineering fossil" that is the original model pre-unit Iron Cylinder Engine Royal Enfield Bullet 500 or (rare in the States) 350 single. Made in India until about 2006 or so for export, they are basically your Grandaddy's Bike, virtually unchanged in design since 1954. I got mine for just $1,200 about 4 years ago with "minor issues", and have put about 15,000 happy miles on it since then. So, one shouldn't merely accept the commonly-heard harsh criticism of the marque, typically coming from folks who've never even ridden, let alone owned one. Mine's been no more challenging to fettle than any other British Iron I've owned. Quite decent examples can easily be had for under $3,000. Riding-wise it rather reminds me of my old Norton 750 twins, if lacking their "Mongol Horde Oompf". If you want "elemental" or even "equestrian", it doesn't get more "El Primitivo" than an old Bullet. Really, if you know which end of a screwdriver to hold, you'll be fine.
I bought a new 04 500 CC military model with the steel panniers and brush guard to hang a rifle scabbard on it it had carburetor issues I finally put a mukini carb on it to remedy the loading plug fouling problem liked the neutral finder it was just a 4=speed transmission they a year later added a 5th gear it had a a lot of bottom end power and was a hoot to ride and simple to work on
My first 'big' bike was a Honds CB500T and I loved it. We loaded it up for camping trips many times. It was comfortable and went well two up and all our gear. I can't remember why I sold it but I bought another quite soon after. I never see them mentioned anywhere these days. Many years ago a friend gave me a Honda CJ250. Great little bike for commuting to work but it finally gave up. I still ride but keep my bikes for a very long time now.
Here in the US we got the CJ360, but it was only sold here in 76 and 77. I put a hotter cam and a glass-pack muffler on mine and it was almost as fast as my friend's RD350. I could usually stay ahead of him leaving a stop sign up to about 45 mph, which really annoyed him LOL!
Thing is, owing to motorcycle licensing (or properly, "licencing") restrictions in the UK until the early '80s or so, when new riders were limited to bikes of 250cc or less, that quarter liter or less class was a HUGE and highly significant segment yonder, but never really a "thing" here in The Land of the Plastic Spork. Sure, they sold them in the States, but far fewer of them proportionally. This explains why there may be an old BSA Bantam or Triumph Cub mouldering away in every 3rd or 4th garden shed over there, but they're "rare collectibles" here. If you DO get a pre-'80s 250 or less in the UK, be prepared with many, if not most, for a full-on rebuild and resurrection. A lot of those poor little bikes were ridden mercilessly and with indifferent or no maintenance--being considered "temporary" and mostly unloved, even reviled, by their short-term owners, who only yearned to take their full driving test after about a year, shed that big Scarlet Letter "L" or "Learner" plate, and be able move up to something bigger and "proper". In their day a lot of these little bikes might swap owners like 5 times in 5 years for just a couple of pints and a handshake at the local pub, and nary a single owner might ever think to change that oil, lubricate the chain or adjust the brakes. That said, a Triumph Cub would be totally worth the trouble of reviving...prettiest little soulful and elemental bike ever if they've been cared for and dialed in properly and you don't mind burbling along dodging the butterflies in the 40s or low 50s.
@@richardbartlett6932 Not suspect. Not at all. Plenty of cam, compression and carb, but no oil. If you used the power and speed a failure was going to happen. Personal experience. They kept making that crap 250 to the end. They had to shange the crank case to make it fit into the later B50 frames. They did.
Thanks. My first big bike was a 1982 sohc Honda CB 650 Night Hawk . I was running it back in the day next to my Kawasaki KH 250 triple. I had to sell the triple at short notice..My parents wanted it out of the Garage. So it went for £4:00 . Sad because it was worth much more. Today it’s would be worth ALOT. Last week I saw another82 650 Honda and bought it for low money…They are a good buy , Reliable, quick , and good looking. Go for the 82 if you can.
Rather than the Honda CBR250RR, I prefer the 400, 0-60 in 4s and 140mph top speed, but only revs to 14,500 (inline 4 cylinder, 16 valve, gear driven cams and 60bhp)!
Can’t get over you buying that 500 Four for $3,000 - bargain! The Triumph Daytona is great little machine and they’ll give you the authentic Triumph experience. Never selling my T-140V!
The absolute most fun I ever had was on my first bike....a new gold 1970 Honda SL 125. Later traded it and $50 for a SL 175. Later had bigger bikes, up to a Kawasaki KZ550. But most fun was with my first, kind of like that first girl that.....
In March I saw and fell in love with a 62 triumph tiger cub trials. A friend had restored it and had to get it certified from triumph as it had never been on the Rd, then dvla registered with a cool number plate. I paid £3,500 and she is so cool 😎 Taken it to bike nite on the seafront a few times this summer and gets a lot of attention, a lot of guys reminiscing about owning one in the 60's and looking back with fond memories. She is tiny but so cool 😎👍
The reason the early Honda's (and all the other makes) ran so smoothly is because they were correctly jetted/fueled. Thats not to say fuel injection couldn't be every bit as good (maybe better?), the problem with most modern bikes is they are fuelled so lean they often run badly.
Here in western Pennsylvania, you used to be able to find tons of "backyard bikes" for a buck a cc. I rescued a Z1 and a KZ650 like that. Thanks to the internet, everyone wants a million dollars for the bike that hasn't been used since Nixon was the president but has been under a tarp in the backyard. A word of caution: unless your mechanical skills are really good, you have a lot of tools and a dedicated place to work on it, avoid old Britbikes and Harleys. If you're considering a vintage bike to ride more than work on buy a Japanese bike. Now for a dose of value: the local Craig's list has a ton of Evo Sportsters for cheap. The 2004-up ones are the best value for the money.
in EU the CT were called DAX, had 50 than, now a 125 Skymax (chinese) for my holiday house in Sardinia......at home I've a Aermacchi-HD SS 350 from 1972......
One of the best motorcycles ever built and very affordable is a Rickman 125 Zundapp. Great still off road and many can be street legal. A model of the bike in the seventies was used as a police interceptor. None better.for price and reliability and parts are still produced, even body panels. 😎
CANNOT argue with the Daytona (or Tigers or, well, any of the 500 to 750 Brit twins) Or the CB 500 four - Superb. What puzzles me is Honda VFR & RVF 400s aren't included? Here in the UK they're cheaper than all those other 'best' options despite being all aspects of performance way better. And then you've all those sub-500cc Japanese two strokes and ............
Shiiit let me get ahold of those old two strokers….. 180/130/25 aux transfers boostports upgrade head and carb add a good expansion chamber… hit 125 lol jk but only needs one gear for me to hit 60
Good one Bart !. Also Yamaha RD 250, or RD 350, or RD 400. Also Kawasaki H1 500, or H2 750. Grab any one of these and keep it original (no cafe racers. No hack jobs) they ALL appreciate !!!
I paid 700$ for my 500 T 100 c in '76, cool classic Triumph! Found a Matchless G 80 cs in '86 running , dirt cheap! Rode it for 2 years. Sold them to buy a new a new home with the " Wife" and new house.... Motorcycles rule, women don't! Haaaa...
the Bantam isn't even a British bike xD... it's a 1 to 1 copy of a German prewar bike, including the suspension and fork... but I guess you did not know that
As always Ima suggest the 1983 to 1986 Honda Sabre VF1100S, parts are cheap and plentiful. If you find one in mint itll be around 5k, or a little rough for 1500. Find one not used as a cruiser as they have low oil circulation to the cams under 3500rpm, if the owner moded it or knows this fact get the bike. The v4 sounds amazing at 9k, has great 0-60 times, and its almost always the only one in the ride. Everyone is always stopping to talk to me about it.
The CB 500 was slow and the cam chain was noisy. But it handled well enough. The CB 550 was somewhat better. But Suzuki destroyed Honda's 550 sales when they came out with the GS550. Twin cams, loads of power, excellent handling and 6 speed gearbox. Way better. Find yourself one.
A nit - Gilera is pronounced like JEE-le-ra. I bought a leftover new '86 Yamaha SRX-6 in early '88. Still have it. Singles are skinny and don't take up a lot of garage space. 😁 I was going to list bikes that I've owned that I wish I still owned, but I realized that applied to just about all of them. I need a bigger garage. And budget.
10: 55 - , did you have a Honda 350 SL ? Great bikes. A bit heavy for off road compared to a 2 stroke, but the Honda 350 SL was a smaller version of a Triumph 500 or 650. Honda was wise in making them, they were popular. I don't know about now, but then Honda was the most capable motor company on earth.
The bike you were thinking of but couldn't remember - tha tlooke dlike the Honda SL125 may have been the Honda 250 Elsinore (SL250??). First time I saw one, all us kids sharing one 100cc kawasaki got showered by an Elsinore with the first ever rooster tail of mud that we had ever seen. Unforgettable.
When I first started getting into bikes I picked up a 74 Honda CB550F. I ended up trading it for a guitar. I kick myself every time I think about it. Still have the guitar and it is one of my favorites but still…
Hard to argue with those picks considering I have owned 3 of the bikes listed: 5:49 Triumph 200 cc Tiger Cub (street version) in blue. 6:48 Triumph 500 cc Daytona, 1973, in red/white (similar to that shown at 8:06 but with a more vibrant red). Best looking and, with Dunstall exhausts, sounding bike ever IMHO. 10:15 Honda SL125 in silver/red (like the one at 10:37 but with the high exhaust like that shown on the green one at 10:31). I started off with a Yamaha 50 cc two-stroke. However, not too surprising that did not make your 10 coolest list. 😉
What's with this fetish for so many of these relatively slow vintage Hondas? You do know there are 3 other Japanese Motorcycle manufacturers, right?? I understand you posting a Triumph or two, for their time they handled better than many. The rest pale in comparison to the best lightweight, exciting 2 strokes. Hell no, I DON'T mean exciting as in the Widowmaker H1 and H2 Kawasaki, since in stock form they handled like a dead fish, only good for straight line antics for the "any fool can twist a throttle" crowd. I'm talking mainly about basically the best handling bikes of the early to late '70s: The cream of the crop, Yamaha RD350 and RD400. There is even a famous ad for the RD350 in 1975, where a guy is sitting at a bar stunned after he got smoked in the twisties by an RD350. The ad read, "Don't feel bad....you're not the first 750 rider to get blown off by a Yamaha 350." It was entirely reflective of what went on both at racetracks with the TZ350, and on many a twisty road during the time. The frame geometry for the RD and TZ was identical, but the tubes were stouter on the RD. If you've never ridden an RD, well.......I feel sorry for you.
Yea, I too, had an 1977 RD 400 Yamaha. It was quick & was a blast to ride on the twisty mountain roads! Had a 1969 H1 Kawasaki 500 triple (terrible handling & weak drum brakes).
I love the Honda CB125 and CB 250. What site or place is good to go and buy one of those? I live in Houston, TX. Any recommendation will be very helpful. Thanks!
I would like a T140 V E or D Oil in Frame 70s or early 80s Triumph Bonneville. Plenty of examples sell for around 5k in the USA . I just had a look . !
Interesting to see the CB 125 in there. A great mod to do with them is to drop a XR200 motor in. It goes straight in with a bit of shoe Horning and the only thing that gives it away is the engines black. Doubles the ho, and 6 speed, a genuine 100mph out of them. Unwise tho, the brakes and forks aren't up to it, but it'll waste many a modern bike of the lights!
