Anyone here like older sporty bikes?
Discussion
My 2 wheel interest at the grand old age of 54 is older bikes as i can't trust myself on modern sports bikes. I have 5 such bikes, i'll try and find a photo of one i bought during lock down, a Kawasaki 500 triple 2 stroke. It feels fast but of course isn't. I just sold a 5 year old GSXR1000 that was like twice as quick, but i still enjoy the old stuff loads. Anyone else still ride and love the 70s and 80s stuff?
NS400R said:
I agree. Like i said, i just sold a 185 bhp GSXR1000 so i know modern bikes are faster and better, they are just not as much fun at sane speeds. I had the Suzuki for 4 years and did everything on it from a trip to Oslo to track days. The point i'm making is that older bikes offer something different and there's nowhere in the UK to safely use that GSXR1000 anywhere near it's potential in any case. Witness in point a mate recently got banned for 2 years for speeding on his S1000RR where he though it was quiet and safe.Just like modern cars are better, my wife has a company car E Class which is better in every way than my C6 but the Citroen is like 100% more interesting.
I remember them fondly. A friend has a Kawasaki collection, all the Z range he restored and a few others. Ive ridden his Z1 and its still a nice bike to cruise around on. He has a mint KR1-S which is fun too. Ive also had more Kawasakis over the years.
I had my favourite 1990 ZXR750h1 until 6 years ago, but I just wasn't riding it due to various ailments, not comfortable anymore
You can run modern tyres on an older bike and get them setup well, but I find the brakes the biggest difference compared to modern stuff.
I had my favourite 1990 ZXR750h1 until 6 years ago, but I just wasn't riding it due to various ailments, not comfortable anymore
You can run modern tyres on an older bike and get them setup well, but I find the brakes the biggest difference compared to modern stuff.
I've got to the point in my biking (54 years ancient) where as long as a bike will do a ton mph plus, easily, without trying, sounds great, looks great and doesn't handle so bad it's dangerous, i'm happy with that. I've got an early XJR1300 with only about 100 bhp, way short of on paper bhp nowadays but i love the big power band the large motor has and it'll fly past 130 with ease, so, more than enough. Maybe i'm getting too old too quick. (I'm still no angel!).
blade7 said:
Quirkycars1967 said:
The point i'm making is that older bikes offer something different and there's nowhere in the UK to safely use that GSXR1000 anywhere near it's potential in any case. Witness in point a mate recently got banned for 2 years for speeding on his S1000RR where he though it was quiet and safe.
You could get a 2 year ban on a 40 year old 1000cc bike, so the point you're making is typical old duffer logic. The fact is that race replicas are not comfortable until you are doing silly speeds and the clip ons and silly high pegs only come into their own at high speed, which is obviously totally out of step with use on the public road. Or are you one of those who do 150 on the public road regularly?
The point you cannot grasp, but others clearly can, is that older bikes do not encourage you to ride on the road as you would on the track something like a S1000RR was essentially designed for. Older bikes are great fun even at lower speeds whereas my GSXR1000 was never happy at town speeds, walking pace and other lower speeds the PUBLIC roads enforce on us. Complete with the humps and cameras, etc.
You'll understand at some point. How old are you? 22?
Quirkycars1967 said:
Not at all. You miss the point entirely.
The fact is that race replicas are not comfortable until you are doing silly speeds and the clip ons and silly high pegs only come into their own at high speed, which is obviously totally out of step with use on the public road. Or are you one of those who do 150 on the public road regularly?
The point you cannot grasp, but others clearly can, is that older bikes do not encourage you to ride on the road as you would on the track something like a S1000RR was essentially designed for. Older bikes are great fun even at lower speeds whereas my GSXR1000 was never happy at town speeds, walking pace and other lower speeds the PUBLIC roads enforce on us. Complete with the humps and cameras, etc.
You'll understand at some point. How old are you? 22?
I get your point but people can do both, in 1973 the person who bought your H1 could have said modern bikes are too fast and uncomfortable....I'll buy a 1920s bike instead. There's lots of places in this country where your 50 year old bike would be way out of its depth and you'd be hoping you were back on the GSXR. The fact is that race replicas are not comfortable until you are doing silly speeds and the clip ons and silly high pegs only come into their own at high speed, which is obviously totally out of step with use on the public road. Or are you one of those who do 150 on the public road regularly?
The point you cannot grasp, but others clearly can, is that older bikes do not encourage you to ride on the road as you would on the track something like a S1000RR was essentially designed for. Older bikes are great fun even at lower speeds whereas my GSXR1000 was never happy at town speeds, walking pace and other lower speeds the PUBLIC roads enforce on us. Complete with the humps and cameras, etc.
You'll understand at some point. How old are you? 22?
Quirkycars1967 said:
Not at all. You miss the point entirely.
The fact is that race replicas are not comfortable until you are doing silly speeds and the clip ons and silly high pegs only come into their own at high speed, which is obviously totally out of step with use on the public road. Or are you one of those who do 150 on the public road regularly?
The point you cannot grasp, but others clearly can, is that older bikes do not encourage you to ride on the road as you would on the track something like a S1000RR was essentially designed for. Older bikes are great fun even at lower speeds whereas my GSXR1000 was never happy at town speeds, walking pace and other lower speeds the PUBLIC roads enforce on us. Complete with the humps and cameras, etc.
You'll understand at some point. How old are you? 22?
I wish I was 22. I have ridden only race reps for decades, bikes don't encourage riders to ride fast, that is your narrow perspective. Don't judge everyone else according to your obvious lack of control. I had a KH400 years ago, it was crap , had a ride on a H1500 around the same time, that was crap too.The fact is that race replicas are not comfortable until you are doing silly speeds and the clip ons and silly high pegs only come into their own at high speed, which is obviously totally out of step with use on the public road. Or are you one of those who do 150 on the public road regularly?
The point you cannot grasp, but others clearly can, is that older bikes do not encourage you to ride on the road as you would on the track something like a S1000RR was essentially designed for. Older bikes are great fun even at lower speeds whereas my GSXR1000 was never happy at town speeds, walking pace and other lower speeds the PUBLIC roads enforce on us. Complete with the humps and cameras, etc.
You'll understand at some point. How old are you? 22?
Edited by blade7 on Saturday 17th July 16:21
blade7 said:
, bikes don't encourage riders to ride fast, that is your narrow perspective.
You have totally missed his point again. And you may have great self restraint but a modern litre sports bikes is dull as fook ridden slow. If you can ride one and get enjoyment within the confines of or just above the acceptable limit between ban and jail time time then fair play. Edited by blade7 on Saturday 17th July 16:21
I cant, but i also don't think i could enjoy riding an old bike either
mak said:
You have totally missed his point again. And you may have great self restraint but a modern litre sports bikes is dull as fook ridden slow. If you can ride one and get enjoyment within the confines of or just above the acceptable limit between ban and jail time time then fair play.
I cant, but i also don't think i could enjoy riding an old bike either
You sound like a real straight line hero. I cant, but i also don't think i could enjoy riding an old bike either
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