My first 4 stroke was the Yamaha XS650, bought new in 1972. I went 2 up with my girlfriend from London to near Thesseloniki, Greece, for our summer holiday. A couple of years ago I saw one, and it surprised me how small it looked, that my 6'2"frame, my girlfriend, and our luggage fitted on one for a 3000 mile journey.
This was a great nostalgic video for me. Thamk you. I saw bikes I have not seen for decades. My first love affair with motorcycles came from a ride given to me by a 4th grade classmates older brother in a feild next to their house on a 250 cc Honda Dream. I'll never forget it. It was Navy Blue with a bright red seat. I was hooked. My older brother was also a motorcycle racer riding 175 cc 2 stroke Harleys with a steel shoe on a flat track. I started riding motorcycles in 1965 with my first bike a Yamaha 55 cc. I went to a Suzuki 80 cc, to a Yamaha 250cc ,to a Honda 160 cc Scambler, and so on . I rode mostly in the dirt at that time. In Croom, near Brooksville, FL. until I was 17 and got a steady girlfriend. I saw Montesa's, Bultaco's. Odessa's, Hodaka's, Harley 250 sprints, etc. I owned and rode many of them. I was a teen ager when the first DT-1 came out. It set the presedence for all future dirt bikes, on or off road. What a great creation from Yamaha. I owned numerous Yamaha, Honda, Bultaco, Hodaka, and Honda dirt bikes. I started riding street with a '69 Honda 750K, then a 71, 72, and lastly a '78- 750 Super Sport. In between those Hondas I owned and rode a 1967 ,650 Bonneville and a 1969 Norton Commando. My son was born in '83 and at my wifes insistance, I quit riding for 20 yrs, until my son was grown. In 2003 I bought my first BMW, an R1100RT. It was probably the best bike I've ever owned. I naively traded it ofr a 2002 BMW K1200R, a beautiful and smooth bike. I did end up buying a 2004 Limited Edition Hayabusa, a 2006 Harley Softtail Duece, and a 2006 Hayabusa Limited Edition.I traded for a 2003 K1200GT, then another BMW, an R1150 RT which I have at present. I have ridden many other brands and styles of motorcycles in my time, but, I'm stuck on BMW for their engineering, reliability, and handling. I loved them all and still do to this day.
I have resurrected quite a few motorcycles from the 70s .. Kawasaki H1 triple two-stroke, A couple Yamaha XS 650 twins, hey Yamaha XS 750 triple, several Yamaha RDs, Honda CB 400 F.. early 80s Honda CB 750 twin cam..a kawasaki 903 z1.. I would spot these motorcycles while working for the utility company. I just retired from recently. I always had my eye opened when I would be passing homes when they had the garage opened to see if there were motorcycles collecting dust in the back of the garage. I also would ask people if they had any motorcycles collecting dust in their garage when I would go to garage sales.. that’s how I found many motorcycles that we’re just rotting away.. each time I would resurrect a motorcycle, I planned on riding it for a while, because I remember them when they were new. But when I would get them running with fresh tires, all the fluids changed, clean the carburetors, new spark plugs, I never bought motorcycles that were modified or repainted, because that meant they were crashed usually. But every older motorcycle that I would bring back to life was a disappointment when I would start riding it… I was lucky that I actually found a Yamaha XS 750 triple that still had second gear. I bought it from the original owner. I spotted it in the back of his garage when I was driving past one day, and I slowed down when I saw him cutting grass and yelled over to him, would you like to get that motorcycle in your garage out of there… it was really really nice. I wanted to ride that bike for a while, but when I got it running, it was another disappointment. it was another dinosaur .. I have been spoiled by modern motorcycles with modern suspension, modern tires, water, cooled, bikes, bikes, with much better suspension, brakes, ignitions,everything.. I used to road race an RD, I actually wonsix Road racing championships and was two time national champion racing RDs.. I have enough spares, cylinders, engines, crankshafts, To keep one on the road for the next 50 years. But when I would get one running, even with new cramk seals,pistons, rings, and bore job. I wouldn’t even make it 500 feet on the road, and I would ask myself, what the hell am I doing. This thing is a dinosaur. It looks old and feels it… I don’t know how I ever thought these things were fantastic.. I sold motorcycles, part time for 17 years in several different motorcycle shops around town.. when people would come in to look at new motorcycles,just to see what they look like. They would come in on an older motorcycle. I asked them are you interested in buying a new one. They often say no, my bike runs fine. They might be riding some thing like an old cam eater CB 350 twin, or a Honda CB 500four-cylinder.. and I would always always tell them the same thing.. if you are satisfied, riding the machine, you are riding now, do yourself a favor, don’t ever ride anything new.. Don’t ever ride anything with four valves per cylinder, water, cooled, modern, electronic, ignition that gives you the spark at exactly the correct RPM with an advance that will advance that spark as much as 41° BTDC because of the high RPMs it does.. don’t ever ride a new bike with modern adjustable suspension, don’t ever ride a new bike with modern tubeless radial tires.. don’t ever ride a new modern bike with fork tubes that do not flex or with roller bearings in the steering head or ball bearings in the swing arm, pivot single shock, rear suspension.. don’t ever ride a modern bike that makes you feel like you’re part of the machine rather than sitting on top of a washing machine.. if you are satisfied with your old bike from the 70s. Don’t even think of testing anything modern, because if you do, you will realize what a relic of old technology you are settling for.. it’s just like the old cars. I like 57 Chevys and 1950 Fords just as much as the next old car buff. But you can’t really compare them apples to apples to the new cars. those days are not the good old days, they are just the old days, today right now, these are the good old days.. cars and motorcycles have never been better …..never.. Even if someone gives you a motorcycle from the 70s for free that has been sitting for the past 30 or 40 years. It might be cheaper and I know it’s definitely a lot less aggravation to buy a used 5 to 10 year old motorcycle that’s in good shape and has not been modified or crashed.. The price of parts and rebuild kits is extraordinary today.. About 15 years ago, I had a Kawasaki KLR 650… those things are pretty bulletproof. I bought it used with low miles. I wanted to check the Doohickey, anyone familiar with that bike knows exactly what that part is inside the primary Drive. You have to check those because if it malfunctions, it will literally destroy the engine… so before I pulled the side cover to check that, I stopped at the Kawasaki shop and bought an oil filter, oil, a spark plug, and I wanted to buy the side cover gasket just in case I ripped the gasket that came with the bike, which usually happens.. when I was standing there, and the parts man was adding up the cost, it turns out that that side cover gasket. It’s nothing special, it is a paper gasket about 8 to 10 inches round. 10 or 15 years ago that gasket alone just the gasket made of paper was $58… I told the parts man to hold the gasket, I’ll be back if I can’t get the cover off without ripping mine. Which I was able to do using a razor blade as I was trying to get the side cover off. But that is how ridiculous the price of parts has become… So if you have an older motorcycle from the 1970s, given to you for free, it could still cost you more than the bike cost new to get it back on the road when you add up the cost of tires tubes , plugs points, fork seals, chain sprockets, battery, oil , oil filter & air filter,carb rebuild kits , then there’s a list of things it may need repaired or replaced like seat, cover, rust inside the gas tank, treatment, fuel lines, valve, cover, and head, gasket replacement, clutch, brake, and throttle cables, maybe speedometer, and or tachometer are missing, maybe the tail light lense.. cam chain tensioners getting very old and brittle.. shift shaft and counter, shaft, seals, crank seal, wheelbearings, and dust seals. That’s not being cheap anymore… When you’re done, you still have tired, old, fork, springs, and overly sprung under damped old shocks, probably rusted out mufflers.. then, if you get it back together, they never ever feel as good as you remember.. Been there, quite a few times
@Jodyrides - Re your comment - " I never bought motorcycles that were modified or repainted, because that meant they were crashed usually. " - R-E-A-L-L-Y ? ? ? My experience of bikes is that for most factories "time is money" , so they skimp tolerances which would be time consuming to set up properly, also they build their bikes DOWN to a price (usually in areas that are well hidden ! ) So my attitude with a brand new bike is to start UPgrading it to MY standards ! - So, with your suspicious, negative attitudes, I can't see me EVER selling a bike to you !
It's true what you say, if you ride a new-ish bike the old one feels like crap. However, that then spurs me on to improving my old one. Most of the old one's crap feeling was down to high mileage suspension, etc. It never used to be like that, and when it was a new-ish bike it rode better - I'd got used to it going slowly downhill over the years. Now it goes where I point it and does it reasonably quickly.
Wow, longest comment ever on YT, but you are right. As I see it, no japanese bike from the seventies has really good roadholding. Old bikes need loads of work and money to be "ok." I am familiar with most of the bikes on this list, and one is staying with me, the Norton Commando 850 Roadster. Looks good, sounds good, reliable, a joy to ride.
@@sallhame I own a 1970 Norton 750 Commando. Yes, it looks good. sounds good and is quite a joy to ride but reliable NO ! Also have a 1979 Honda CB 750 K and had a 1980 Honda CB 750F both of which rode like they were on rails. A great bike on a winding road or my favourite, a cloverleaf. A 4 into one exhaust on the Hondas, and you are in sound heaven. Nothing, however, sounds like a properly running Norton at idle.
@@jimlyon7276 next time I will put it in metaphor form.. something like this: if you are satisfied, eating leftover cold hotdogs and beans out of the can for dinner night after night, do yourself a favor, never try a thick, sizzling fresh T-bone steak grilled over a hickory fire with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus, . Because you will never be satisfied, eating leftover cold hotdogs and beans out of the can again.. There’s another way to put it, you can never relive you’re youthful memories. They will always fail, you can’t go home again.
I got out of motorcycle mechanics school in 1983, we use to buy bikes anywhere from $80 to $500. Stayed away from old man so expensive BMW bikes. You have abgreat amount of knowledge and it's great to see these videos. To bad the old bikes are getting out if hand price wise.
Awe, some great memories. I put 50k miles on my 1971 Honda CB 750 back in the day. Pretty much rock solid. Also put a lot of miles on my 1977 Honda Gold Wing, another rock solid bike. I was a little surprised that you did not mention much about Yamahas. I bought a 1979 XS 1100 and a 1980 XS 850, brand new and still ride them even today. The XS 1100 was so maintenance free with its 4 cylinder in-line air cooled engine, shaft drive, triple disc brakes, electronic ignition and more. Same reliability factor on the XS 850. Thanks so much for the video, enjoyed it very much.
I owned two 1975 RD350's. I bought the first one new at $995 in early 1976. The second one I obtained in a trade for some bicycle wheels. GREAT bikes!. This is the first video of this type where the specs and the differences between the RD350's and R5 are correct. I've owned a 1975 CB750 Super Sport, 1981 CB750F which is the "little brother" of the CB1100F as well as a 1978 KZ1000LTD. Loved all of them! Very knowledgeable presentation. Thumbs up!
I was in the Navy in the first half of the 1970s and 5 of us used to ride Honda 350CLs along the Maine coast on weekends. We all bought new within a few weeks of each other.
I have a 77 KZ1000 LTD and it is not for sale. I owned a 78 KZ 1000 Lyd for years and put 45000 miles on it. A few of them miles were on the dragstrip. I was able to take it to the limit of the speedo. What a ride. I rode my brother-in-law's KZ 1000 with N2O injection on the dragstrip . I did the 1/8 mile in 6.19 @ 120 mph. That is a wild ride.
I have a Honda 400SS the cafe racer you showed , in red, my brother bought it new around 1976 It still has original paint… Good review, I love those GL 1000s…
Great list! A few of my favs and I had the '74 CB750 about 25 years ago. AWESOME bike. I tell you a real market sleeper, for power/speed/handling/price/availability is the Yamaha XJ750 maxim from the early 80's. Very reliable and rip harder than you'd think. Can find plenty in the 2-3k range ready to roll.
Getting ready to resto-mod an '82 VF750. Talk about ripping hard. Bought the bike from a buddy for just $100 and it almost killed me one time. I rode out first gear in a wheelie on a '05 CBR1000RR - to 80 mph during Demo Night, and that was tame by comparison. A truly boringly predictable bike. A harbinger of what was to come. Idiot-proof bikes are also fun-proof bikes. Turning the Sabre into a scrambler for riding dirt and gravel mountain roads. First year of production and, since it didn't succumb to the oiling issues with early production motors, it is a winner. Has well over 100k on the clock and outran the cops many times back in the day. A true streetfighter. While Nancy Reagan was saying 'just say no', that Honda was hard at work giving the people what they really wanted🤣 In fact, I won't be surprised if I find a little treat when I start tearing into the bike, lol.
Great list of bikes . Had a 76 (?) Suzuki GS400 when I was about 18 . That bike was a dream to ride. I felt like it wasa part of me . Have a Harly 883 sportster now ( im 63 ) But it will never feel as increadably natural to ride as that sweet 400 . Canada .
I'm in the UK I bought a brand new one in 78 for £770 on the road. Clocked up 20k miles on it, and then the plain bearing cams melted on a long high speed trip. Found a company that could convert it to needle roller bearings, rebuilt it and it was fine. Wife got pregnant so I swapped it for a car, and always wondered how long it would last. 20 years later I was wandering down a side street in my home town...and there it was, rusty as hell but it was still on the road after all those years. They were great bikes, it was later a GS425, light, handled, and nice and comfy.
My first was a '71 Triumph Tiger 650. Loved that bike, wished I'd never gotten rid of it. Currently own a '79 CB750 K (first year of the DOHC) and a mid-60s Yamaha Scrambler that I think is a 75 or 100 cc. Got it as a basket case and haven't had a chance to even think about putting it back together.
Ok, your cred went through the roof when you started with the BMW airhead. The ring-ding hits a hot button for me. Then the Honda Hawk. Dude you're killing it. I had a Suzuki GS750, my first bike.
Back around 1990, my uncle Ed gave me a 1974 Honda CL200 he dragged out of a salvage yard. The lights, fenders and anything unnecessary came off and knobby tires went on. We put about a zillion miles on it and absoloutely flogged it mercilessly. It still ran great when it got passed on to the next guy. I wish I still had it, especially 'cause it was a one year-only model. * CL was the on/off road version of the CB, having high-mounted exhaust, lower gearing and some other small differences. Displacement changed over the years, including 125, 175, 200 You don't see 'em as often as CBs, but could be had cheap fairly recently.
Didn't they have the reinforcement bar on the handlebars too? I think my brother had one of those. They used to call those an "enduro", now it's a dual-purpose bike.
A bit of a correction, the CB1100 Bol Dor (CB1100F) was sold for 3 years. I know as I bought one of the very first imported to Australia in '83 and then bought another brand new one at the end of '85. There was only ONE model though. I've had a lot of motorcycles in my time from many manufactures and these bikes (both of them) were by far the worst handling bikes I (or my friends) have ever ridden. They were actually dangerous, if you get one (most were crashed from the 'machine-gun tank slapper issue') then for gods sake fit an after market steering damper.
I owned a Kawasaki H2, a Suzuki GT500, an RD350 and a Suzuki GS550. The H2 was a monster with awful handling and ergonomics but it was quick and very, very pretty. The GT500 was the motorcycle equivalent of a late-60s big Oldsmobile, soft (rubber mounted bars), with decent, if lazy, power and was dead reliable. Back then (mid '70s) you could find one almost anywhere for $500, ride it for a year or two and sell it for $500. The RD 350 was fantastic, there's a reason why it's a classic, but mine fouled plugs regularly which happened at the most inopportune times. The Suzuki GS-550 was the epitome of the late '70 mid-size Universal Japanese Motorcycle, solid but kind of forgettable. I did, however, like the gear indicator. While I didn't own a Honda 650 Hawk, I did have a VTR1000 Superhawk which, of all the bikes I've owned (eleven and counting), was my favorite.
Mt first bike was a 72 H1 500 triple, didn't know how fast it was when I bought it. 1979, I bought a new 1979 CB750K. In 1983 I was fortunate enough to buy a Honda 600XL off the showroom floor for $2400 brand new. I almost returned it cause I didn't know how to kick start it. I got stuck at a gas station 5 miles from the dealership with a new bike that wouldn't start, lol. Anyway, over the course of the next three years I learned how to jump, powerslide, and hill climb that big thumper!!! Over the course of my lifetime I have fallen into some real classics.
Nice Video; I have owned many of the bikes you covered but my favorites, and the only two "old" motorcycles I own are my '73 Norton Commando 850 and my '76 Honda CB400F. In addition to those we have a 2018 Africa Twin, a 2017 BMW R1200RS, A 2015 Ducati Diavel, a 2019 Honda 750 and a 2014 BMW R9T. But the bike that is the most fun and the one I choose to RIDE most of the time is the little CB400F!
I rode the CB450 and XS650 back to back and although less powerful, I preferred the CB450. I liked the CB550, and spent a day riding a CB400F Super Sport four. But the CB750 was such a wonderful bike that I would pick that over all of these.
I respectively disagree with you. Back in 1972, there were 4 XS650's and 1 CB450 in my town and the CB450 would always come out the winner thru the 1/4 mile. I beat one of my friends XS 650's thru the 1/4 mile with my 1973 Husky 250WR
@@michaelhutchinson4021 Just to clarify, you "disagree" because the CB450 was faster than the XS650 in the 1/4 mile? I didn't know that. We were just accelerating from a stop light. The XS650 felt torquier. But good to know that the CB450 was quicker in the 1/4. But looking back on it, I wish I had bought a CB750 in the mid 70's and kept it the last 50 years. : )
If I can call my Rickman Honda CR a cb750 (it was) and a Commando basket case a motorcycle (It wasn't) between my father and I we have owned at least six of the bikes on your list (one of then twice). And I'm not finished watching. Great video! You may just have saved me a bunch of money.
I absolutely love the vintage Japanese & British bikes of this time period, but yes you definitely missed the YAMAHA XSEleven, now i know they dont get the love they deserve but once i bought my 1st one i was head over heals in love! It is a super comfortable, super reliable & in 78 was the fastest bike in the world (& believe me they're still fast enough) i rode in a M/C for 7yrs called "Ole Skool Riders" & I shocked a lot of ppl who underestimated the XS 11 because they really do run, great ⅛ & ¼ mile bike plus cruise all day. They are extremely reliable too. Ive had 3 just because they are great bikes...
If you are looking at RD350's, I ' d reach a little bit and get the RD400....had one, adored it! Revised front fork geometry, 6 spoke alloys, faster than a a cat on a skillet.... But I didn't disagree with any of your choices. Nice work!
The XS650s had standard styling through '79. XS-1 and XS-1B had drum front brakes. XS-2 (1972) had the disc. 1974-1979 all had the "new" frame, which handled somewhat better. '76-'79 had the calipers behind the fork legs. The "Special" models came out in' 78 and ran through the end in 1983.
Great video about some great bikes from my early days of riding. I drove my 1972 XS2 650 (red one) across the country in 1979 and it was great! Of course, I wish I never would have sold it but at the time a brand new 1981 KZ-750 E2 was my dream bike and in the end 5 years later I wish I never would have sold it also, but a friend hounded me for over a year so I finally sold it to him.
I wish I'd seen this video before I bought my 1982 Honda V45 Sabre the day before yesterday. Still a great bike in my eyes. I have had 3 or 4 of the bikes on your list in the past. It's a great hobby. Be careful. Lots of crazies out on the roads .
This was a fun list. Thanks for compiling and sharing it! At first I was thinking, "why isn't X, Y and Z mentioned?," before realizing - well, while pricing is dropping on newer bikes (or is supposed to be), they've gone crazy on select older bikes, which can be challenging to find under $5k at the moment (and not be a basket case). All the best!
The Honda Hawk is a Classic. I can almost smell the Oil and Old Rubber of those Old Bikes. It is a very unique smell. Like a Motorcycle Garage! The original Honda Sabre is also a crazy bike that is nice.
You won’t find a Norton Commando for anywhere near that in Australia. Even an average one will cost $15,000 plus. I’ve seen one listed for $75,000. I have a T140 Bonneville ex-USA which I bought for $5,000 but it was a basket case - now restored and a nice rider. I had to throw much money and time at it. I envy anyone in the US/Canada as prices seem to be more realistic. It’s the Aussie tax which seems to apply to anything worthwhile, with prices ridiculously hiked. A CB750 4 will go for silly money these days. Some of the early BMW bikes are reasonable but most have been molested by the hipsters.
I think the Kawasaki GPz range were remarkable. I had the GPz550 (first date with my now wife on that in England), the GPz750R and the ubiquitous GPz900R. There was also a 1000 and a 750 turbo. Since the 900 was a bit like an arsehole (everybody had one), you still find scruffy ones here in Australia for reasonable money. I too had a GT550 Suzuki triple. So quick, clouds of blue smoke and a fantastic exhaust note but it went round corners on the front wheel and an exhaust pipe, and the front brakes were seriously underdone. I added the second disk kit but that just gave 1/2 the stopping on two disks - bah! The gear indicator was always '3'. I blew a hole in the middle pot on the English M1, got it fixed and sold the dangerous mamma. If I could get a reasonable one now, I'd do it in a heartbeat but here in Australia they are very, very rare and expensive.
Very cool video. Nice to see the Yamaha XS bikes mentioned. Worth a mention if someone isn't worried about going fast, you can pick-up the 250cc and even 360 & 400cc XS bikes cheap, in decent condition. Even the small Honda Cb's from the mid 70s thru to the early 90s are pretty cheap too.
I've owned or rode several of these bikes. The Suzuki 550 two stroke was first marketed in 1972 (Wikipedia} No power compared to the Kawasaki H1 500. More of a cruiser. The Honda 450 twin and 750 {mine was a 73) were slugs vs the H1. The H1 shakes terribly, frightening to ride. Norton 750 accelerated very rapidly, no excuses, it was ready to roll, but was i ready for it? It was way better than the other bikes.
My first bike was a Triumph Mountain Cub 200 (stolen). Second bike was a Hodaka Ace 90 (stolen). Third bike was a BSA 441 Victor. Fourth bike was a Honda CL(?)175 Scrambler. Fifth bike was a Norton 850 Commando MkII Interstate (stolen). Sixth bike ditto on the previous. Next was a Honda CB1100F (piggish). Then a BMW K75T. Then.............. and so on. I owned a lot of bikes that are on your list. The rest are too new to be included.
@@thatsmrharley2u2 They were desirable bikes at the time and I lived in a tourist town with a crime problem. The first Norton was stolen in the Netherlands. I had to leave it in the bushes on a highway because it broke down. Wasn't there when I came back.
Nice Job! You did miss one point about Honda's SOHC4 bikes, though: Honda also made a CB250 SOHC4, sold only in Japan, because of the Four's popularity and Japan's very expensive bike licenses for more than 250cc machines. They made all of 17 HP and look like, even are mistaken for, the CB350 Four because they have the same frame size. Occasionally they show up in the USA, but in poor condition and mostly are a novelty today.
The toaster tank bmw R75/5, R60/5, and the R50/5 's were only made in 1972 and 1973. They also are all almost 10k unless they are all rusted out and broken. The earlier 1970 and 1971 R75/5 didn't have a toaster tank and is cheaper along with the later R75/6's which are a completley different motorcycle.
The Japanese fetishize what is to them the SR400. It was Yamaha’s late ‘70’s interpretation of the British cafe racers. In America it was an SR500 single. I know a bunch of people that race them and they’re amazing lightweight, torque, little beasts. Thousands of us love them and if you google the Japanese custom versions, they are art. Many custom builders use them as their base and go wild from there. The Japanese market has customized all parts of it.
I've owned well-over 40-bikes in my 70-years , many that you show here and others I couldn't afford to buy again . Little bikes should never be underestimated for 'fun-Factor' (and scooters ! ) . I still have my old 72-XS2 (currently a Cafe' ) but i mainly ride my 82 Yamaha XV1000 (TR1 in Europe ) and my newest-machine (a classic already ) an 03 W650 Kawasaki that are cheap in NZ 4-7k NZD( way-more expensive everywhere else ) I totally-agree ; There are always bargains to be had around that 5k-mark , irrespective of Currency/Country that you live in . Dave nz
The CB750 wasn't designed for pushing the envelope around corners. It was designed to be a reliable, powerful touring bike. However, an easy fix if you wanted to ride that way, was to replace the tires (especially the ribbed front tire) with some Dunlops and the front end wouldn't wash out quite so bad.
I can't believe you didn't add the Z50A and the CT70 to your list. Granted they are not the power houses made during this time, but, they are as iconic as they come. I had three Z50As and a CT70 when I worked for American Honda from 1970 through 1974. I used one of the Z50s for my pit bike when I was a mechanic on the motocross team (Gaylon Mosier's wrench) and had the other two for myself and my roommate to go to the beach or just tool around the neighborhood. I made a little trailer for the CT70 and used it to go to the market and just ride around town (without the trailer). Also, I had a CB750 K1, a CL77, a a CL450, a RD350 and a YZ80. I wish I had everyone of them back...loved them all.
You may want to check on your BMW model years. The /5 series bikes were made in a five year span 1969 to 1973, not the mid '70's to mid '80's. They came with "toaster tanks" (I have 2) or a larger tank with rubber knee grips. You should have mentioned the Honda V 65 Magna, a tremendous bike. It was the Worlds' fastest bike when it came out in 1983 and young men had as many posters of the V 65 on their bedroom wall as they did of a Ferrari or Farrah Fawcett. I enjoyed your video (it just popped up on my screen) but I just had to clue you in to the mis speak on the /5 series BMW's.
Yah I tried to find production years I should have looked harder but they didn’t come up because perhaps I was searching too broad. Also my dad has a magna it’s not my style great bikes but not for me atm.
When I was in high school I wanted the Blue Honda 400 four so bad but, couldn't afford a new bike so I ended up getting a used 72 stock RD250 that turned out to be pretty fun. I stepped up to a race prepped RD350 that no 400 Four would have touched because not even the 750-4 could from stop light to stop light. The 1st 750 to beat me doing that was the VF750.
the big 4 all had 250 4cyl during the 80-90's in their home market. I myself own a gsx250s katana from 91, but with the 80's styling. Benelli had the smalledst 4pot indeed, called the 254 (also produced by moto guzzi), but it's a 231cc bike. (All the 4 bangers from the japanese were 248cc)
RD400, H1 500 Kawi Triple, were bikes I wish I 'd had, also liked the TX750 Yamaha, but it had issues. I liked the widow maker triple 750, but it also supposedly got 18 mpg. I quit riding 2 years ago as I was almost hit by distracted drivers 5 times in 3 years. Which is good since the next bike I planned on was a Yamaha FJ1200.
Good luck finding any of those two-strokes in running condition for under $5000. A nice well-cared for or restored example will command quite a bit more than that. Just like that Honda GB500 you're in front of. Those things pushed through the $5000 dollar mark quite a while ago. I've seen mint ones command $8-9000!
That’s why the gb isn’t on the list. Plus it’s too new. But those 2 strokes other than maybe h1 you can find all of them under 5k in good running original nice condition. (I’ve even seen a few water buffalo under 5k running but rough)
Great list. You"ve included some of my all time favs. The Honda 400/4 was one of the nicest daily riders I ever owned back in the day. How about the Kawasaki KZ650? Looks great seems pretty tough.
The HONDA CX 500/650 has the best Sport Turing rider position of any motorcycle ever produced. You can ride one on the on super slab like Goldwing all day long or make multiple runs on the Dragon's Tail until the sun goes down. You will be comfortable and capable doing both. Also, for the size of the fairing, HONDA did fantastic aerodynamic work creating low drag but excellent rider protection. The Turbo is best experienced during "roll-on" acceleration at freeway speeds. You can walk a Corvette into and tiny dot in your rearview. If you think these bikes are "garbage" you lack experience and therefore perspective. They represent the epitome of HONDA technical brilliance at that time. Their is no substitute for seat time and wisdom gained through that experience. "Owning" something does not make you experienced with it. Your list, for me (even though I agree with you on almost all your choices above 449ccs) , is more a "magazine-mind" perspective. For example, you mention several of the ultra cool Hodakas, but you completely missed the train failing to mention the DT-1 Yamaha without which there never would have been a "dual sport" (and now "adventure bike") market, and all the future MX riders that grew out of taking the lights off and snuffer out of their DT-1s. Further, the "dirt bike/trail bike" market was initially seeded by the HONDA CT-90 which has the never-again-repeated in motorcycle history honor of being an "all generations" motorcycle: many young children had their first ride on a motorcycle by a grand parent or other adult on the back of a CT-90 and then went on to have their first time riding, ever, riding one themselves. The CT-90 could be on the back of grandpa's motorhome/truck camper or in the garage or barn of the hunter or farmer. It had/has universal appeal unlike ANY other motorcycle (you are, understandably, just too young to understand this). Why do you think HONDA recently re-introduced it in a modern larger version with all the original style...?
The RD350, I get it, but I had the RZ350 Kenny Roberts Special in yellow and black so it's hard to go back! You said you made sure these were attainable and also that you hadn't seen or found a Suzuki t500...what da? I rode the NT650 Hawk GT and was non-plussed in spite of all the hype. The answer came out with the Suzuki SV650, very impressive. I was very excited about the K100 but the right foot peg vibrated intolerably, have never heard a report of this. I've ridden the XS650 and it was no Bonneville, but it was a heck of a paint shaker! Unacceptable! The wonderful Suzuki GS750 was superseded by the GS850, but the little known/appreciated GS1000 essentially used the GS850 frame as opposed to the well known GS1100 which was heavier and larger.
I mean I haven’t seen them in real life and hands in experience. Seen plenty for sale. Also the rz350 isn’t an under 5k bike anymore unfortunately. Those clean are 7k plus
You got it right about the BMW R100. I have two with over 100k miles. Never rebuilt, but the top end is pretty easy job. Smooth riding! Also have a 79 Triumph Bonneville, just like the blue one you showed. Available around your price point. Nortons under $5k not unless you get one that has been bastardized into a chopper.
Great pleasure seeing your choices. I've had many bikes in 59 yrs of owning M/C. The BMW K-100 and K-75 are renown high mileage capable machines. I've seen them with over 275,000 miles in the US where I live.
I’ll drop a little treat on you. I own a 75’ Z1b. I picked it up for a ridiculously low low low low price, $50.00. I haven’t restored it yet but it’s all there cleaned up and in running condition. I’d rate it a 9/10. Not quite ready to give it up yet.
Wow yah I wish I had a z1. They are falling like crazy in value though, I think they peaked about 3 years ago. But if you ever want to sell yours let me know maybe I’d be interested haha. Also if it’s a 9/10 don’t restore it leave it original
I used to have the Honda CB1100F. It was rated at 110 ps. It went pretty well but it was a revver. Compared to Katana, 1000 rpm higer at 160 kph, but its redline was 10500. It was at a time of crossover with radial tyres. The rear wax 17 inch and radial tyres were new back then (mine was 1983) . Fronts were 18 inch and there were no radials a scary mix ! I had a CB400 four prior to that and CB750F1 (yellow) ..if i could keep any of them....definitely the 400 four. Only red or blue in Australia It was a great fun bike. There was a CB900F and an F2 with a full fairing. As far as I know only red/white. I am talking Australia here
The Yamaha R5 did not have the same engine as the RD350, although they shared some common parts. The R5 had all port intake/exhaust and a 5-speed transmission, while the RD had reed valve intake and a 6-speed transmission. both are desirable, the R5 is actually a bit rarer.
The Yamaha RD series bikes all had 1 thing in common. The front wheel at some point could easily be pointed skyward. These small bikes pack a punch that Has to be respected. Yamaha knew what they doing by building these bikes. They Were Not Inexpensive bikes bought new. Great bikes.
Love this stuff & wish I had my bike again but I don't know that I'd want to ride her too much, perhaps at lower speeds in a city environment? My 1st bike was a 1980 Kaw Kz1000, maroon w/ gold rim wheels. There were a lot of different runs of this bike from what I saw back then & possibly certain versions were sold in different areas of the United States but I know many different variations were photoed of these. I rode her at 125 although some say it goes faster, the road I took didn't have anymore room for me to push it & doing 125 on that yr of bike might be like 150-160 on today's bikes? But hearing them, feeling the vibrations, and the smells all contributed to the wild arse'd ride we took .... good video
Let's face it, the UJM was the best motorcycle ever. You could just ride around town, add a windshield or fairing for long highway trips, go two up easily and comfortably, and go anywhere. Ground clearance was good usually enough that dirt roads or riding around the farm wasn't an issue. You could make them what you wanted, with hundreds of accessories that fit almost all of them, like luggage racks, backrests, saddle bags, crash bars, and such. It is almost silly not to have a crash bar on these, as you could drop them and do a lot of side cover damage far too easily. Plus you could mount a pair of highway pegs on the crash bar to have that extra stretch on any trip longer than around town trips. Sure, the sport bikes came in, to be the track racer version on the street, but one of those on a 100 mile trip for the day isn't the greatest ride. And if you have your girl on the back, she wasn't that comfortable either. The UJM basically needed the water-cooled engines for longevity and suspension/frame improvements from the '70s. I think this is one of the biggest reasons the Harley following has grown so much is that people want to be comfortable on a ride and not be Ricky Racer. Ricky Racer is fine when you are 16 to 18 but any grown-up realizes you can't do that all of the time.
I wish I knew how to put a photo or two on here of my Supercharged Valkyrie. Yeah I know, I took one of the worlds most dependable motorcycles & I made a jelopy hot rod out of it but hey, it’s fun. At least I used to have a blast riding it before I seriously injured my lower back 5 years ago & I’m not so sure if I’ll ever ride again, especially heavy bikes. I used to have a 650 twin Yamaha with kick starter & it was a standard like you showed. I wish I hadn’t sold that. That was an awesome bike. Yamahas counter to the Triumph something. I know flat track racers used to put a 750 kit into the 650 & absolutely whip up on the Harley flat track racer’s. I love Harley & still have one but am going to get rid of it for an older version just to have a potato maker, yes, a slow but fun bike. Story: Once I broke my left leg & foot when I did an accidental wheelie in a parking lot when I poked my ZRX11 while getting back to the little driveway that led to & from the parking lot. Anyway, for too long, ppl would come up to me, especially seeing me for about 2 months using a cain. They would approach me & excitedly, with great concern, say “Hey! We heard you had a wreck & broke your foot” which is what was being spread, & I would kindly proclaim “No I Didn’t I broke my leg” because I honestly didn’t know until years later that yes my foot was broken in 3 pieces and I just didn’t know it & the dummy orthopedic doctor only had ex rays made where I complained I was in great pain when it would buckle when I tried to stand up. Another story. I forced him to have a second look & then the dummy say where the small bone just below where it connected into the socket beneath my knee, it has a clean snap, broke it, & it went back together nicely therefore I just wore a nice brace for seems like almost 2 months. Sorry, long story. But when these mostly much younger riders would ask “how bad did you wreck the bike”,😆there would be silence, could hear a pin drop when I quietly replied “oh the bike’s fine I didn’t put a scratch on it. I didn’t wreck it just broke my leg.”😵💫They had that deer in the headlights look for a moment or two & would say, confused, “what do you mean “ & I would reply “oh I didn’t wreck the bike, no way. I saved the bike.” 😆Again 😵💫, then they would gently smile & say, “Well, that’s good.” But they still seemed to be lost in space. 😆I was hurt but I experienced some humor while I was healing. I spare you the funny moments when I would roll up & slowly lean the Valkyrie to the right, landing my right foot down easy as a old pack mule, put the kick stand down which required no pressure to my injuries, then slowly roll the behemoth over onto the kickstand, and hobble off as my left broken lower legs knee was on the seat, as I’d swing the right over onto the ground as easy as pie. Undo the tie straps that held the cain on & come up on my right foot as I was propped up by the cain on the left. And if at any public gathering place, a crowd would be gathered and greeting the crippled man that was NOT letting his problems keep him from the love of riding a fine motorcycle.☝️ By the way, I subscribed because, well, you’re a gear head as you mentioned you have a car channel. I’ll go over there & subscribe. Excellent video with excellent research. Thank you!
You can find BMW bikes for under $5000, but BMW parts are WAYWAYWAY more expensive than Japanese parts. I owned a new '76 R90/6 and an '80 R100S. I took both of them beyond 100K miles. I rode the 100S to Inuvik above the Arctic Circle in 1985 when it already had 135K on the odometer. Took my R1100RT to only 85,000. Every one of them was bulletproof, but when they do break...parts are brutally EXPENSIVE. Keep that in mind if you're restoring one that cost only $5000 or less.
I want a Honda 400-4 SuperSport. That four into one exhaust has an awesome sound. Almost as good as a V-12 F1 car, especially with an aftermarket header and megaphone. I would also buy that Yamaha RD-350 you showed, I had a RD-250 that had some issue I never worked out that made it a dog and kept fouling spark plugs, probably the oil injection, but I didn't want to have to pre-mix the fuel/oil. My brother had the same bike but had someone send the cylinder to California for porting and his was twice as fast as mine. I knew a guy with a 350 but never got to ride it and always wished I had a 350 instead of the 250, I love the sound they made. I liked the Daytona Special Kenny Roberts 400 also but they were way out of my price range, probably still are. Where's the Honda VFR mention. I have a 1987 VFR700f2 Interceptor (Blue and Silver) and a 2000 GSX1300R Hayabusa, so all those guys that wouldn't let me ride their bikes in the 70's can suck it.
I once owned a GS750 EN for several years from new…. triple discs, mag wheels I soon found a Dunstall 3/4 fairing which had something like three U-bolts…. took maybe 1/2 hr to fit !! (I kinda pre-empted the introduction of faired road bikes by 10-15 years…) while I enjoyed the video overall, I have never repeat NEVER !! Clicked the fast forward button so many times so quickly in such a brief period !! NEVER !! I came here wanting to look at motorcycles, not some guy yakkin in a microphone !! think about it….
Regarding the RD350 you might as well look for the Indian version Rajdoot 350 which was produced until '90 .It will be in better shape and even when imported it will be cheaper than a North American RD.
The Indian version was made cheaper than the us version. You can get them for under 5k like the topic of the video in good condition. It will cost pretty much that much to ship and import, 2-5k for an inferior product. They have good character but they have drum breaks and my dad actually had one and mentioned he had a lot of electrical issues that would need to be worked out.
I love this video, but must mention that BMW is not a little more expensive to service than Honda, more like 4 to 8 times cost, due to things like valve shim adjustments on BMW requiring cam removal.
I agree with a lot of the choices. I'd add the Yamaha Seca 650 as a sure fire choice ,Kawasaki GPZ550 as a no brainer, the Kawasaki KZ650 and the Yamaha RD400 and Suzuki GT380 .
Honestly the reason the rd400 didn’t make the list is because I don’t see them being listed too often in the states and when listed they are usually closer to 6k. The others are great options.
I bought a first year Honda VF750 for $100. I looked up the VIN and it was built about a week after I was born. Well used but turned over and the acquaintance I bought it from had been riding it since the '80s. One night, about 15 years ago, that bike almost killed me when I decided to take it for a spin around the block when I was at the bar. I've never been more thankful for crappy tires on a bike. It just fishtailed, swapped ends and fell over. If I'd looped it, I would have been dead because I was stupidly riding without a helmet. I've looped a bike before, at 50mph or so with full gear. I walked away from that because the gear did its job. Plan to resto mod into a scrambler for riding primitive mountain roads. A lot of the plastic is just too sun damaged for it to be a factory restoration. I also want to have the freedom to use the suspension necessary to make it fit for purpose. As technologically advanced as it was for the time, the front suspension just won't cut it for rough roads. Need something from a large dirtbike (V-Strom, perhaps?). The original brakes are fine but I think I'll put a Brembo up front for good measure. The equal radius shaft drive is perfect for a bike that will be on dirt and gravel roads a lot. I really don't have the mobility or pocketbook to be constantly fretting over a chain drive. No matter how I slice it, I'm gonna be riding a race derived vintage Honda V4 in the near future and that's something special. Also planning to build a bike around a 2 stroke Rotax 503 aero engine. I've been debating forced induction but it would probably be better to shave the block/head and maybe decrease crankcase volume a bit, along with FI. Would only be CFI but that's a lot easier to tune than a carb. The later Bonnies aren't worth buying. They're garbage. They were built at a time when British industry was rife with strikes and quiet quitting. It is like buying a Mauser K.98 that was built in 1945. You really don't want one and if you own one, you're gonna end up babying it so it doesn't blow up. I spent my teen years in the UK and had the chance to buy a cherry, all original '71 Bonnie for around $1600. My mom freaked out and got in the way, even though I was willing to wait until 21 to ride it. Didn't keep me from riding; she just kept me from having a now valuable classic. Would have been immediately worth 3x what I would have paid in the late '90s, just simply because I brought a British spec bike to the US. My dad's employer would have paid the cost to ship it. It was red and creme and one of these days I'm gonna own a classic Bonnie in those colors. I also want a yellow Commando Interstate 850. I rode one once. Amazing bikes. Definitely better than the early Hondas. Expect to do frequent maintenance but it is totally worth it.
Sigh, you forgot the CB650......owned one as my last M/C courier mount.....lovely bike....sadly it ended it's life under the front end of a Ford F-150 that ran a red light......also, where's my KZ550? Had a couple as courier mounts as well.....nice bike.
