Do you miss anything from the "good 'ole" days of motorcycling?

[vuu16v]

Although I can't say I miss it all of the time, there's something almost magical about kick-starting a bike. From the first slow sweep through the cycle, to gently finding TDC and then giving it a hard but fluid kick, all culminating into those sweet sounds and smells. Might be time to borrow Dad's Norton for a day or two? Anyone else have anything they miss from the days before CPU's?

[Drifter]

Yeah... I hear ya. Guess that's why I have old bikes and new ones. Funny thing is, whenever I get the chance to go for a spin, it's the old stuff I lean toward. It's kind of scary on the one hand, and kind of funny on the other, to think about the fact that I know that if on the rare occasion the bike doesn't start on the second kick, it's going to kick back on me on the third; to think that the rattling I hear at higher speeds is just the clutch cable vibrating on the headlight; to think that it's perfectly normal for the forks to vibrate forward and back a bit at 63 mph; to think the fact all of the oil drains from the tank into the crankcase after a long, hot ride is perfectly normal; to think that all of the clattering, clackety noises are simply the rockers slamming the valves open and shut under those thin little covers; to think that I ride with the expectation that at any minute something major is going to fall off; to think that despite the fact the bike is older than I am, I can still rap that engine out to 6k rpm in every gear without a second thought; and to think that, no matter where I go, I'm almost guaranteed that some old tater is going to ask me to pull over so he can b.s. with me about the ol' dog. Lastly, I think that the smell of an old bike just cannot be matched; you know, that combination of leaked-out gas and engine oil and grease that accumulates in the cracks and crevices and heats up after the bike has been running for a while, emitting that old familiar aroma? These are the reasons I like the old stuff and the reasons I keep them on the road.

[bumblebee]

I have a '74 CB 750 K4 that has been a true joy. When its cold, I lift the choke up and give it a kick. On the second kick it starts every time! After it has warmed up, you can grab the kick starter with your hand, and you can push it down and the bike will start. It is that smooth. The electric starter quit about 4 years ago and when they quoted me prices to replace it, I said kick it!! I have owned it since I bought it new off the showroom floor and I will probably still have it when my other bikes are gone.

[bomma]

Originally Posted by vuu16v

Although I can't say I miss it all of the time, there's something almost magical about kick-starting a bike. From the first slow sweep through the cycle, to gently finding TDC and then giving it a hard but fluid kick, all culminating into those sweet sounds and smells. Might be time to borrow Dad's Norton for a day or two? Anyone else have anything they miss from the days before CPU's?

yup, being an old git I remember all that

remember 'tickling' the old 'Amal eccentric' carbs on your Triumph Bonnie ?

you do realise that 'finding TDC' is a completeley alien language to most on here don't you ...nice that there's still some of us out there and still on two wheels.

ps. got a sprained ankle from kicking over my mates 750 Commando once.

[TheSollyLama]

I do. Strange as it sounds, I miss the days when riding a chopper, or an HD in general meant only one thing- biker low life.
Because at least then it was real. It was pure. If you saw a guy in black leather and an HD t-shirt, you could bank on that guy actually owning a bike.
Back when people would ride a bike past the local posing spot, actually change their own oil, or even tear down a top end with a couple buddies and a case of beer.
But when HD made the big move into the yuppie market in the 80's, pretty soon every slack jawed queer went from the board room to the showroom and slapped down a gold card.
Prices shot up because morons buying bikes for status symbols and such haven't a clue and paid any amount for anything. Of course retailers went where the money was and soon, real bikers couldn't afford a thing.
So I went from people rolling up their windows and eyeballing me expecting me to kidnap their wives and sodomize their pets- to balding rich guys pretending to be 25 again culd roll up at a stop light and say
"Hey, bro" to me.

Go back to your frigid wife and below average kids, geek.

Shortly after all the CEO fags got into Harleys, there was a flood of goody goody events like toy runs and crap.
And, just like here, suddenly our 'image' became important, and people who had a passing connection to riding insisted on cleaning up a scene they only posed at being part of. Whatever happened to the drunken bonfire parties with kegs upon kegs? They disappeared to make room for people with 25 miles under their belts and more money in 'official authorized' clothing, jewelry, and chrome bolt on bullsh1t than in the bike itself to try to paint a happy face on a culture that pretty much was the antithesis of that happy face image.
It's kind of like the cosmic comedy that is vanilla ice and his son, eminem. They come in, make a parody of something that is serious for alot of people, and basically embarrass the entire scene by being a caricature of the real deal.
I was so glad that the yuppie scum finally moved on to the next fad of the nanosecond (SUVs and Hummers) and left alot of used bikes for sale to real bikers that will really ride them, and not just to attend some sanitized charity event. If I wanted to have some clean image, I'd join the freaking boy scouts.

And old school- I miss two stroke street bikes! I'd take a loan out tomorrow for a mint RZ350.

[Baldman]

If I had to pick ONE thing:

the absence of stupid squids and morons causing our insurance rates to increase, while drawing negative attention to the style bike we ride - creating reaction from law enforcement for mature riders just because they ride the same style bike as the idiots.

[Drifter]

I'm with Solly. Wish the rich folks could have picked something different for their newest image enhancer. I was old enough to be on the receiving end of a lot of "I wish you were dead, sleazeball" looks in the early 90s, and I've been fortunate enough to be escorted out of town (Gatlenburg, TN at 5 am on a Sunday morning) on one occasion, simply because I was on my Harley. Made my whole day. Those are great stereotypes, in my opinion, because I was left alone when on my bike; because non-riding people never came up to me to ask me who did my motorwork; because I never had any close calls on the freeway as some jerk tried to get his SUV as close to my bike as possible at 70 mph to get a better look at my chrome, and mostly because every biker I ran into while on my bike was into riding for the sheer pleasure of riding. Oh well. At least when the fad is gone the market will be full of wicked machines all priced to move, and I'll be there with cash in hand -

[Ghost Rider]

I miss kick starters, and simpler bikes kike the old CB750 four.
I also miss the open roads; there's more and more traffic and unmarked cop cars every year.

[BadNatured]

The whole HD thing is fucking stupid. You know what? My dad happens to be one of those guys. He got into riding as a way to spend time with me. But he's too old to ride a sportbike so he bought what was easy and fun for him. A harley. Since when does a hobby have to be your life? Why can't someone just ride because they like it? Why does he have to be a badass with tats all over. Why is it bad to be a yuppy? It's a personal decision. If he's happy with it you should be to. The reason I got into biking was because of those sleazy harley's and in the mid 90's the sportbikes became more popular. My parents always told me that if I got one I'd have to move out. But now my pop's right beside me. Everyone bashes middle aged men on bikes and says they shouldnt be riding but at the same time your the first guys to pipe up and tell the government to stop telling us what to do. So your opnion counts but everyone else's doesn't? Give me a break. Almost as bad as the gear nazi's is the biker elititists. I for one am happy that when I go "i have a bike" people go "cool I want to get one too they look fun".

[vuu16v]

Originally Posted by BadNatured

The whole HD thing is fucking stupid. You know what? My dad happens to be one of those guys. He got into riding as a way to spend time with me. But he's too old to ride a sportbike so he bought what was easy and fun for him. A harley.

Did he buy a new Harley and for how much? Sounds like he did, he paid too much (there's hardly another way to buy them new, no?) and he's into it for the first time at an older age. Sorry, but if what I've surmised is true, he very much is the RUB we bitch about. Now he is probably a great guy and father, but that's not crux of the issue. The fact is he's very much one statistic (a RUB) waiting to be another (part of the largest segment of MC wrecks, possibly even fatalities). What I can't understand is why people insist on being stereotypes instead of breaking them?

[beowulf2k]

I miss the following "superbikes" of the past:
GS1150E/ES
GPZ900 Ninja
GPZ750 Turbo
VF1000F and the whole "Interceptor" series
Turbo Seca 750
XS1100 / FJ1100
GS750/1000 Katana (the real Katanas)
V65 Honda Magna/Sabre
900 Kawasaki Eliminator.
Honda Hurricanes
Original Gold/silver Wings-Aspencades.
Now...the people, places and things. -Kenny Roberts, Jay "peewee" Gleason, Laguna Seca, L.A. Raceway, Corbin seats, 550lb motorcycles, Vetter Fairings, half-faired motorcycles, Kerker / Vance & Hines, Barnett Clutches.

Ok I can be here all day, but thats the memories!

[jim schmidt]

I miss nothing. Bikes are SO MUCH BETTER now. Hard dual shocks good for 10,000 miles, gooey bias ply tires, Forks that could be improved by air caps, air cooled motors that showed their age at 20,000 miles, spindly swing arms, wobbly cradle frames, electrical gremlins, points, rocker arms, 40 horsepower, shitty headlights.

These are the good old days.

[taziscool]

I miss street legal 2 strokes being sold NEW.

[BadNatured]

Originally Posted by vuu16v

Did he buy a new Harley and for how much? Sounds like he did, he paid too much (there's hardly another way to buy them new, no?) and he's into it for the first time at an older age. Sorry, but if what I've surmised is true, he very much is the RUB we bitch about. Now he is probably a great guy and father, but that's not crux of the issue. The fact is he's very much one statistic (a RUB) waiting to be another (part of the largest segment of MC wrecks, possibly even fatalities). What I can't understand is why people insist on being stereotypes instead of breaking them?

First off, he has full gear already. Full face helmet, jacket, etc. He took the MSF course as well. On top of this he has the money to buy new so why not? Why buy someone's hand me down when his dream is to buy a brand new one? He used to ride actually, but my mother made him get rid of it. He almost got killed TWICE on his bike when he was my age. What about him is so stereotypical? He's not having a mid life crisis, he's riding for the same reasons we are just on a different bike. What makes you so much better that you can judge him since you have been riding longer?

[Napalm]

I have to agree with the kickstarter. As much of a pain as they were, there was just something about going out and stomping on the kickstarter.