What would

[Willopotomas]

The old Brit bikes lost a lot of character after they had to compete with those boring new jap imports that didn't pack up after 10 miles.

Unless you bought a Suzuki, and it packed up in less than 5. l

[mangocrazy]

This is a trip down memory lane for me. I was a bike-mad teenager in the 60s and was weighing up the British vs. Jap debate on a daily basis in my head. In the end the Jap bikes won out for me because they didn't leak oil, were reliable and managed to combine 'non-threatening' with 'exciting'. They also made small (i.e. less than 125 cc) bikes that a penniless teenager could just about afford and not need a king's ransom to keep running. And a Jap 100cc or 125cc would see off anything British up to 250cc - an important point when you're a stats-obsessed teenager.

I nearly fell for the charms of a Norton Dominator 600, but something told me that if I succumbed I'd be heading into something way over my head on the reliability, servicing and spares front. So I walked away. And to be perfectly honest, I've never regretted it.

And there was one final clincher - the fastener sizes used by the respective bikes; nice, easily understood and logical Metric on the one hand, and totally arcane, indecipherable and incomprehensible BS and Whitworth on the other hand. You can stick yer Imperial fasteners where the sun don't shine as far as I'm concerned; I want no part of it.

[Willopotomas]

And there was one final clincher - the fastener sizes used by the respective bikes; nice, easily understood and logical Metric on the one hand, and totally arcane, indecipherable and incomprehensible BS and Whitworth on the other hand. You can stick yer Imperial fasteners where the sun don't shine as far as I'm concerned; I want no part of it.

Fully agree with you in terms of use.. It can be a bit taxing on the old grey matter when you've got 3 different types of thread on one bike. But it makes perfect sense as to why they did it like that. Metric is easy, which is why it became popular.. Doesn't make it any good though.

[tommy]

1. Ducati monster S4RS
2. New norton commando
3. And don't laugh - some sort of hayabusa engined bobber

[mangocrazy]

Metric is easy, which is why it became popular.. Doesn't make it any good though.

That's just begging for an explanation... So pretty much the whole of the civilised world is using a rubbish system of automotive fasteners...?

[D-Rider]

Woo hoo ! Thread back on track


(now is that thread metric or imperial ? ...... nooooooooooooooooooooooo....)

[HowardQ]

The Brit bikes from the mid to late 60s and early 70s got better in the design sense, which meant that the later unit construction bikes were better than the separate engine and gearbox versions, they leaked a bit less, plus things like electrics got better so it was sometimes possible to go out at night!
However, by this time all the original manufacturers had gone bust, merged with others then merged again, (possibly yet again), turned themselves into the local CO-OP or whatever and quality control was shot, (or was that with an "i"). So they went back downhill from here to their final demise.
If you own one now, there are many ways you can improve them, you can get more reliable parts made and convert electrics to 12volts, fit better quality bearings etc., and generally look after them better, because you understand the dodgy bits and are normally a committed enthusiast.
In this way they are pretty viable and a lot of fun, but they don't do what modern bikes do and you have them for a different reason.
Plus the really nice sorted ones cost you an arm and a leg.
Spares are normally viable but you have to get them when you can.
There are people who make up exhausts and other bits for 1950 Vincents and the like, but they may only build a batch every 3 years or so, so you grab em when you can, as next year it will be some other part.
Then again any of our Falco users will be used to waiting for parts.
Imagine ordering a sprag cluch in 2070!
It's just great that so much of the old Brit stuff is still around so we can remember how we used to ride them to all the wonderful seaside resorts in those days of never ending summers and empty roads.
Pair of Levis, Lewis Leathers jacket a scarf and a pair of cool sunglasses, (no helmet).
In reality we strapped all the camping kit on the back, got piss wet through and the journey often ended with drowned out electrics 10 miles from home on the way to Mablethorpe!
(I was always fascinated by the colours that came out of the dye in the jackets when the got that wet. I can rember us all stripping off the wet leather jackets and stuff when we got there, some of us were died blue (me), some were black and some were even green and it took days to wash off!
What made it worse was that you used to go in a big group with older brothers, with more mechanical shills, so if (sorry WHEN), the younger members broke down, they were there to help out. This was actually very silly, as the idea that a group of 10 or even 20 Brit bikes all staying running for an 80 mile trip to Mablethorpe was absolutely impossible. The Villiers 2 stokes were usually the first to go, overheating whilst trying to keep of with the high average speeds of their mates on 650s (probably about 40 to 45mph). So you never got very far very quickly.
Getting to Mablethorpe was something as likely to getting to Outer Mongolia, only not as nice when you get there!
Still if you did finally manage to get there you could take out all your frustrations on the other two wheeled lot on scooters, chase em down the seafront and kick the shit out of them.
The satisfaction was not long lasting when you worked out that all the nicest females at the "seaside" were Mods, and did not want to know "Rockers".
As a teenager with "hormones", the dream of riding a young lady, whilst at the seaside, was even more attractive than riding the bike! (But in reality this was much less likely than just getting to "Mablethorpe")

Who got me started on this lot anyway, (You're probably thinking the same Andy!).

But I wouldn't have missed it for anything, it is why I am still riding bikes now!
I just love 'em, and can remember something about every one I've ever owned.
Ain't it great to be a biker!

[Samray]

I think Howard just spoke for a lot of us.

[Kwackerz]

If its any consolation, having ridden both sides of the fence, bikes and scooters, nowadays all the girls with the scooter lot arent quite as mary quant as they used to be. Nowadays I think youll find the bikers have the fit chicks and the scooter lot... well.. beauty is in the eye of the beholder..?

or i could just be saying that to make you feel better...

[Willopotomas]

Metric is easy, which is why it became popular.. Doesn't make it any good though.

That's just begging for an explanation... So pretty much the whole of the civilised world is using a rubbish system of automotive fasteners...?

Yup..lol. I'm not discounting metric threads, infact it's very similar to UNC thread. It's good for stuff that doesn't move or vibrate. It's all about the TPI and angle of the cut. A finer thread (fine metric is brilliant, but not used much) will not come undone as easily as a courser thread. The nyloc nut has helped a lot in the use of metric as it locks on to the thread to stop it coming undone. Metric became popular as it's easy to understand, easy to apply and because there's only two variations. It can be more widely mass produced making it cheaper. The Yanks still use imperial threads.. If a Harley was to use metric fasteners, it'd shake itself to pieces before it broke down. The more easier, popular and cheaper things become, no matter what the quality, they'll always come out tops. Remember the old VHS vs Betamax war? VHS came out tops, but Betamax was far far better quality.

Metric has made it's place in the automotive world and is here to stay. Still doesn't make it any better

Back to topic before i get told off..

Against the rules, but i'd also like a TL1000S.. A red one..

And a Vincent Black Prince

And a Quasar

And a Bitton

And a ....... the list is truly endless!

[BikerGran]

If its any consolation, having ridden both sides of the fence, bikes and scooters, nowadays all the girls with the scooter lot arent quite as mary quant as they used to be. Nowadays I think youll find the bikers have the fit chicks and the scooter lot... well.. beauty is in the eye of the beholder..?

or i could just be saying that to make you feel better...

Well you should know!


And just to add to what Howard said - the old Brit bikes were simple and easy to work on - I'm judging by the time I did the Natinal Rally with a mate on an old Triumph - it didn't like being asked to do a steady 50 down the M50 so it started spewing out LOTS of oil rather than the usual trickle - and he practically rebuilt it by the roadside!

[HowardQ]

If its any consolation, having ridden both sides of the fence, bikes and scooters, nowadays all the girls with the scooter lot arent quite as mary quant as they used to be. Nowadays I think youll find the bikers have the fit chicks and the scooter lot... well.. beauty is in the eye of the beholder..?
or i could just be saying that to make you feel better...

I'm too old to bother either way now and have a great wife so I don't need to bother!
Then again, I started out with a scooter when I was 16 and had lots of Mod friends as I spent much of my time in the early R&B clubs in the 60s. Just moved on from scooter to bikes and loved them to bits, so I had to have a split personality!
Actually fought for both sides on a number of occasions as well, although in most cases there was a lot more posturing and chasing than actual fighting, and a kicking then was a lot more "friendly" than these days, you did it to hurt em a bit and let them know who was boss, not to kill the buggers.

[Aladinsaneuk]

I still remember NBSC with the yellow helmets with camo netting on....

and the tussles were fairly friendly....

[Kwackerz]

Still going strong.

Dont think I'd put a lambretta or vespa in the garage choice of 3 though. although the twin targa lambretta is the dogs testicles. two lammy engines joined together, 100mph + top speed. certainly give a few 500 bikes a run for their money with a wonderful blue haze of 2 stroke flowing behind it..

http://www.lambretta.co.uk/targatwin.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ356zWnYX4

[Samray]

..your choice be were there to be 3 bikes you could have in your garage?

Brough Superior SS

You missed this one Mart.