IMPORTANT Dakar have hit me with a copyright strike so ive had to delist some of the videos just in case i guess they got pissed that mine were better because of the MOTOGP one before xmas that means im really vulnerable now and the channel could be removed at any time I have set up this backup channel so please go and follow it NOW, this could all be removed at any moment now so it is critical to stay in touch via the backup channel here th-cam.com/channels/CSl6i-tZJNC5DQ38vgCtvw.html sorry for this if i get another strike it wipes out all my work all my old videos will be removed I wont be posting anything much on the new channel unless this goes down but this is a just in case because it really could go down at any point the videos are still visible if you have a link so if you have problems message me for links so you can still watch them, if you follow the channel and this one gets taken down you will be able to find me there sorry if thats a bit garbled ive just woken to this but i guess i could have had the channel taken down already so i should be thankful ride free everyone
The official Dakar coverage was awful IMHO, I'm thankful for people such as yourself who put out watchable, engaging content. Oh & don't forget the C90's bigger brother the mighty CT110!
@@Free_Ranger_CT110 not the 110, but i featured the CT125 here th-cam.com/video/V2m6tF0rZKQ/w-d-xo.html as to Dakar, a lot said similar, i think its the fact their focus isnt on the bikes, and certainly not the lower classes of bikes, the whole rally coverage is now up on the platform that cant be mentioned lol. i just cant put a link up here or youtube will crucify me again lol, if you message me via the contact page on the website i will send you a link, cheers as always
In my humble opinion the 650 Suzuki v twin is one of the greatest engines of all time. I had a Vstrom for a few years and thought the performance was far greater than you would expect from this engine.
Too trure Peter. I was just saying exactly that to my youngest (who's got a CB500). I've been riding since 1975 and had lots of bikes the SV650 engine is in a different ball park to those of us brought up on fours. If you want to have the max fun without wiping yourself out, buy an SV 650 or one of the derivatives. They are the business.
I’ve said all along that the SV650 is the best motorcycle ever made. My ‘99 has never required a valve adjustment. Still have it and love it. I had a ‘06 fuel injected SVs for a while as well. I’ve taken many 3,500 mile rides, one 6,500 mile ride. It has been as reliable as a stone axe.
I have been a bike mechanic for 50 years. Most bikes are killed by neglect. Modern bikes arrived in the 1980s and if you ride them and make sure the oil and air filters are clean they will last a very long time. I had a 1982 Yamaha Xj650 Seca since new, sold it 10 years ago, running fine at 337,000 miles. My current daily is a 2004 Honda 919 or Hornet as it's called across the pond. Had the valve cover off 3 times, and found 1 valve .05 mm tight once. 176,000 miles and counting. Oil & filters ( full synthetic) every 6 k miles. Air filters 20 k. Tires, chains & sprockets, brake pads, front disks 100k. Steering head bearings 100k, wheel bearings every 50k. Simple to work on by modern standards, but doesn't need much. Original clutch also.
I bought an 82 Seca 650 new as well. Never should have sold it. I loved that bike and I didn't ride it hard but never got more than 10,000 miles or so out of a rear tire. I don't believe you can make motorcycle tires last 100k miles. Not even Michelins.
Spot on with the Honda Cub. I had one many, many years ago using it to do my 30-mile round trip to work and back, whatever the season. It never let me down, but did get me worried when on the odd occasion I had to kick it a second time to start it. At the age of 86, I now ride a Yamaha MT-03 (big enough for a little old man) My 70-year-old wife rides a Honda Rebel 500 (well, she's younger than me lol) both bike being super reliable.
@ barrie shouldn't you be considering something with 4 wheels ...and a chauffeur.. man you shouldn't be riding but being driven around 😂😅😊 well u n your rebel too ❤ the story
I brutalized an ancient Cub 90 for half a decade when a youngster... Tearing around of road.. Kept plodding on no matter what I did to it.. Only a puncture during 5+ years daily abuse.. 😂 *Crap Game* 🎉
That GPZ500 entry made me smile. I've ridden literally hundreds of motorcycles and basically everything from the big four Japanese manufacturers until around 2001. The GPZ500 was the most pure fun. That thing was featherweight, handled like a dream, had nice torque and midrange. It is my 'secret favorite' motorcycle, yet I never owned one. Such a well conceived motorcycle.
The Honda CB750. It sold in about 1 million examples over the years. It would run forever and was easy to work on. You could get big bore kits of 812cc (Yoshimura) 836cc (Norris) and even 900cc (MTC) and the engine could still take a beating and be very reliable over many years. Mine was a Norris 836 with an RX2 cam, rebuildt engine head and 32mm Dell'Ortos, giving it 110 HP in the bench.
All the early CB fours were special. I had the 500 with Dunstall additions :-) and one of the subscribers has been talking about his 350 four too, engineering delights all of them Cheers for watching mate :-) enjoy the ride
@@barebonesmc Thanks for your answer. I remember Paul Dunstall, a former race driver. And David Dixon, also a former race driver that sold the Yoshimura parts for my CB500. I had a CB500Four with a Yoshimura 550cc kit and a Yoshimura Daytona or Road&Track cam, that raised the power with 50% (75hp) and I had a Dunstall body on top of that. Clip on handlebars, swedish Sivert Raask footpegs and a Hooker exhaust. Great fun :) Now I ride a Guzzi Le Mans II and an 850 Commando Roadster.
@@ETALAL the 750 was a bit of a boat but i thought the 500 i had handled beautifully for its time, it had clip ons and rear sets so weight was more forward and the 4 exhausts were replaved by a lighter 4 into 1 but little else was done other than tuning, 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate, ride free
I bought a BMW R80 RT which had been sitting around in a shed for 12 years with 80000 km. I changed the oils, fitted new seals which was easy due to the accessibility of everything on the bike, and have been driving it ever since. The air cooled boxer engine is definitely one of the most reliable and easy to service engines, with easy access to spare parts and information.
the air heads definitely got more comments than any other bike, did you see the honourary mention :-) th-cam.com/video/c4n0iL9mUW8/w-d-xo.html 🙂Cheers for watching mate, ride free
The CD175 had a 360 degree crank. If you fitted Dunstalls or other less restrictive silencers than the Honda originals, the sound of the CD175 could get surprisingly close to that of a big British twin. They were great, rugged little bikes.
As a 20-year owner of a '94 VFR750, will 107K miles now, I can say that there is not often reason to remove all of the plastics, but when I do, it is part of the pleasure of the bike. I'll never get rid of that bike. (No, the VFR is not my only bike, just my favorite.)
Try fitting black widow exhaust. The studs in the head seize and I was lucky to get the old ones out. Yes copperslip is a must on the threads where steel bolts go into aluminium heads. Also what a pain to get to the rear exhaust clamps. There's no room and fitting it took 4 hours.
I'd add the Honda NC700/750 series to the list. Maintenance is a breeze, the spark plugs are accessible without removing anything and the valve clearance only required the removal of the radiator (and they're screw and lock valves too!). They're absolutely bulletproof, I have roughly 150K KM on mine and spoke to guys with double (and more) the mileage and they all claim no issues whatsoever.
My brother and his wife had the NC 700 and NC 750. I have a Honda CTX 700 and my sister has a Honda CTX 700 hers is the automatic. Brilliant. Little bike I'll be keeping mine .
CB750F. I maintained mine very meticulously , and besides charging issues, it has never let me down for over 100,000 km. I had it. GS1000G and GS1000S were bullit proof. Most 50cc bikes from the 80's and 90s were all very reliable, taking into account that they were almost all the time full throttled and hardly serviced. Suzuki B120, tractor of its time, would get you there every day slowly. Thanks for the videos, keep doing it the way you do.
In my 40 years of riding the TDM 850 has been by far the best bike I've ever owned. Town, touring and scratching. It does them all superbly. The engine is bulletproof but coils go regularly and carbs difficult to access.
Had one also. For an engine that could do pro-twins, it was amazingly reliable. Access under the plastics and weird headlight bulbs were the only flies in the ointment.
A friend was struggling to get a bike to get around on due to being unemployed. So I picked him up a Honda CT110 from the auctions and let him pay it off. He rode that bike for several years and never had an issue with it, just regular maintenance. Our postal service used them for decades also here in Western Australia, perhaps they still do in some areas, though some are electric now.
I rode a CG125 on 'L' plates while taking my full bike lessons then brought a DL650 which has proven to be quite the chameleon, rides well with or without luggage in urban riding, A-roads, B-roads or motorways seems happy to do all of the above. Good range and fuel consumption too which fits my needs perfectly.
Until you are with your lady and luggage and try to overtake on an uphill… 😂😂😂😂😂😂 I’m sorry but I might be the only unhappy Vstrom owner… can’t wait to get rid of it
@@danielhristov6175 68hp is definitely borderline to being under powered for a 200kg plus bike, I just leave the wife at home and its perfect 😂 I keep looking at other bikes, then I compare them to the V-Strom and for the money I paid there are very few bikes that can match it, the Yamaha FZ6 Fazer is a step up in power and a similar bike. Hope you get the bike that fits well for you, ride safe.
@@danielhristov6175 did a 6k mile tour around Europe (7 countries across several mountain ranges with far too much luggage last year and never had an issue mate, always carry a passenger. Its probably one of the best pillion bikes ive ever owned and ive had a few 🙂
I passed my test on a CG, rode from North Wales too Hull to do a training session for both parts of the then test, part 1 training, and test, and all part two training, came home and easily passed my test, then got a GS550, which I loved until a CB900 took my fancy. Good if looked after, all.
Very interesting video. I have ridden a lot of different bikes over my 82 years of riding. My 99 Harley Softail Custom only has 65,000 miles on it, but it has never let me down. It is about as low of maintenance as my 1968 Honda 165 scrambler was. I started riding on a friends Whizzer motor bike when I was 8. Bought my first Harley, a 1942 Flat Head when I was 14. Lots of different bikes in between.
I currently ride a Vstrom - rode it to Alaska and back - dead reliable. Also have a ST1300 - best bike I ever owned. One you may have missed, though, is the Honda XL 600. Absolutely bombproof. I rode one of these and its offroad version for many years and it never made me walk.
Back in the late-1950's-early 60's, Jawa-CZ were always taking out the Team prize in the ISDT, always a great indicator of reliability, so in June 1963 I bought a new Jawa 250, which was 100% reliable. It lived ouside in the snow and ice, but never failed to start or get me home on the 75-mile each way weekly commute from my military base. In 1984 I bought a very neglected 1970 Jawa 350 twin, (filthy inside and out, glue-like oil, shot fork seals, L/H cyl firing about every 18th lamp-post, etc), refurbished it and ran it for the next 15 years with total reliability. These days, at 77, I'm riding a 2011 Suzuki VL250, which has also proved itself reliable.
I started watching your channel today - 1st time. Love the content and reviews. I agree with your list and I have settled on a DL1000 V Strom after 6 other bikes, and my daughter rides a DL650. We love our bikes and the all round capabilities of the V Stroms. Thank you for your efforts and videos - much appreciated.
Back in the day I owned 3 of these motorcycles. The C90, CG125 and the CD175. Each supremely reliable as my daily transport. Great to see these lowly machines make it into your hall of fame.
Your channel is not just about motorcycles... it's about motorcycle history. Your knowledge and love for bikes is much appreciated. How can I not subscribe? Thank you!
So many bikes have graced the stall. Started with a CL70. Then a yamaha 100 enduro 2 stroke. Graduated to a CB350 Four, then 550 Four, then 750 Supersport and then the venerable goldwing 1000 and 1100. Took a hiatus and raised a family. Re entered with a GL1500 valkyrie in 1998. Had several of those, including the interstate bagger fairing model. Also owned an Aero 1100 for a moment and have now owned the VL1500 suzuki and C90 x 2. 3 Vstoms all in 1000 mode. Have had 2 GL1800 wings. Now I'm back to the Vstrom 1000 2012 model and C90 2006 model. To say that I've been blessed is an understatement! The St1300 still calls to me, and we'll see if I answer it. But at 62 yo, I have to be more frugal now in life. "Heavenly Father, thank you for the experiences that you have afforded me on 2 wheels. Stay safe, everyone, in these crazy times. From Texas with a hat tip. Texf6s
It seems that you don't keep motorcycles long enough to learn if they are reliable. I'm about the same way. Many of my machines have been kept about eight-thousand miles. One was traded because it was proving to be poorly made (SSR Razkull 125). A Honda XL250S was sold because I mostly used a car in 1983. The other sales were because it was time to move to something different; until I moved to snow country. I sold a 250 cc Honda Reflex because I wasn't using it six months of the year and didn't have a garage. Now I own a 125 cc KYMCO Agility scooter and want to sell it to get a motorcycle with larger diameter wheels, just to not die if I hit a deep pot hole here in the Dallas Texas area. The scooter has only 4300 miles and still runs well. No more cars for me. They're too expensive.
What is it with old bike riding gits named Jones ? I’m 70 this year and facing cataract surgery next year - fingers crossed it works out and I can get back in the saddle.
Great video. You should have included the KLR 650. Look after it and it will last forever. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance is the silver bullet for any motorcycle. They treat you the way you treat them.
Honda CX500 - bike of choice in my courier days - '80 to '86.. Never a single problem, day in, day out reliability, as near to bulletproof as you can get. I'd love to see a modern version (maybe the new Moto Guzzi Mandello?).
I'm still learning to ride and plan on getting my license before September ends, but I already bought my first bike. Her name is Nina and she's a 1995 Kawasaki GPZ 500S. One of the reasons why I chose her is because there are a lot of them out there, so parts and information/instructions are easy to find. I wasn't aware they were very reliable, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it on this list! I can't wait to start riding!
they are a solid engine mate so good choice, check the exhaust studs though, but dont try and force them, give em a good soaking in duck oil ( or equivalent) and leave to soak for a day or 2, then often the best way is to tighten them a fraction to free the threads, just a fraction to crack them, then they should come out ok, dont ask me why but it seems like the threads are less likely to strip if you tighten them first rather than just trying to undo them. Maybe one of the better informed subscribers can explain why that seems to work 🙂 welcome mate, and enjoy the ride when your licence comes 🙂
Your channel is great..the passion expressed through your tone, and shake down of the models..fires me up..and ignites my soul just like the first time I threw a leg over my first mc at 12 years old..Thank You
A Cub 90 was our "family car" in South America. Mom, Dad, sister, and little me ventured all over the place on that machine in the 70s. I started riding on the Cub 70 (owned by Dad) at age 14, beat that thing like a rented mule (Dad never knew that part), and it was invincible. I then bought my first bike at 16 - a Honda CG125. Sold the CG way too soon (we're all entitled to youthful mistakes, no?), and later in life owned the KLR650 for several years. Now I have an older V-Strom 650 that I absolutely love. I figure being 4 for 10 on this list is probably not too shabby. Thank you for a great video!
Some may laugh because of the brand’s overall reputation not being so great, but the 1986 to 2003 Harley Sportsters are bulletproof bikes. Carbureted, little in the way of electronics, and rigid mounted engines. They have been known to rattle a few fasteners loose from time to time, but my 2003 model has never wanted anything more than oil and tires, and once I had to replace the starter. It’s a great bike that’s very overlooked.
TDM900 is a fantastic bike, I got mine at 30000 miles, rode it to 62k and sold it to get a Super Tenere, looked up the reg the other day and was pleased to see its now on 83k and has a valid MOT. Super capable and comfy machine, I loved it.
The four cylinder Yamaha 5 valve engines are all super reliable, as well, bulletproof. Yamahas build quality from the 80s early 90s is a bit iffy, but the engineering is awesome. Yes it is a time consuming job checking and setting the shims, but the intervals are long. 42,000 km (28,000 mls) was unheard of in 85 when the FZ750 came out, so much so that journalists didn't believe it possible, they also went on about the five valve head being a gimmick and had to eat their words once they rode the bike.
@@uhtred7860 having 2 EXUPs I am bound to agree lol. but yes, the Genesis engines were fantastic, if a little oil hungry at times 🙂 Cheers for watching mate 🙂 Ride Free
I'm under the impression that the 850 (4TX) marginally beats it for longevity, primarily because it's slightly less electronic (carbs). I'd still have one though!
Them super tenere 1200 are the mutts but the valve job doing shims looks like a nightmare otherwise they're amazing tourers very similar to the 750 tenere and TDM motors. They look so well built and just don't go wrong and 150000 isn't a lot on them. Shaft drive too. I wonder if those Tiger 1200 shaft drive triumphs are really good. Some are less than 5K secondhand and seem like a good machine but I imagine things like brake rotors and the servicing of the rear shock linkage must be not easy. Do they seize up like on the old speed triples. They MUST be greased religiously at the 12000 service and shims would need checking too but what a lovely machine those speed triples were. I had a 1996 Daytona and I loved it but with no centre stand getting rear wheel out etc would mean getting a paddock Stand. Too much plastic fairings to get off which I hate after having vfr750 and 800s. They ate voltage reg rec for breakfast, one packed up at 12k the other at 15k and the next at 19k so I fitted a electrex MOSFET one which solved the problem but they're double the price of Honda ones but it's the best upgrade ever. It has been amazing since
Wow! I deeply sincerely hope you stay on YT because your reviews and videos are the most direct, down to earth, practical and honest presentations I have ever seen anywhere. Really!! We're from the same era I think and that mention of the CD 175 brought me back to my childhood bike, my second bike (in Zambia - my first was a BSA Bantam 125). This was a Honda CB160, SOHC, twin carb. It had straight through megaphones and I revved it so high it dropped its cam chain frequently. Thankfully no damage and it taught me to redo the cam timing on a regular basis. Great memories 😢
Cheers mate. And welcome aboard. I’ll be here until they throw me off lol. And I do my best to appease them 🤣🤣🤣 do make a note of the website just in case though. They’ve been at me all year this year and it is a battle. Cheers for adding your story too
Rode a DR650 to the Saraha and back from 🏴 Really good bike. Cg125, cd175, gpz500, kle500 and xl250 all others I've owned. Still have xl250 same colour as picture. 👍
I started riding on a Suzuki GS500E, an air cooled twin that made about 40 hp, but handled quite well and was a blast to ride. Changing the oil, lubing the chain and filling the gas was all it took. Ditto for my Suzuki Bandit 600. These motors can go forever, with little more than oil changes for maintenance.
Suzuki DRz 650's little brother the DRz 400 is a magnificent bike too. The DRz 400-650 people put extra capacity Acerbis fuel tanks on them & rear rack to take anyway without the weight of a Adv.Really popular in NZ 🇳🇿 for Adv adventures.
i know people luv em, i prefer the older design of the 650 to be fair despite its extra weight. i guess im a bit of a luddite lol, Cheers for watching mate 🙂enjoy the ride
The DRZ400 has a few short comings but are cheaply and easily addressed like the Cam Chain Tensioner, and Counter Shaft Sprocket, I took one to over 40,000miles and then got another but didn't keep it nearly as long.
I rode a Honda XL250 for several years - one of my biggest regrets is "trading-up" - ultra reliable, cheap to run, easy to maintain. Seriously, I would trade my fuel injected, ABS, ride mode selectable, full digital instrumentation etc, etc bike for an old XL250 any day.
My first bike was the original Honda Monkey Mini trail. I sold it after 4 fun years and bought a Honda XL100. I had a field job then and my Honda saved me a lot of gas and maintenance money while traveling around the city and nearby provinces for 9 trouble free years.
I think you nailed it with this list 👍, i m looking to buy back a Transalp 600, made a road trip in South America 20 years ago , 22000 km without even a puncture , loved it
FZ 600 AND FZ 1000, fasssst as well. My 2008 FZ 600s Fazer has only 26000 klm,s but I have seen 600,s with 250000 klms with no major flaws, just change the oil and let them hit the 14,000 rpm redline occasionally! Love the channel. Thanks for all the effort you go to. Cheers from Australia.
I grew up on dirt bikes and didn't ride again until I was 45. Got a new DR650, customized it and never looked back. 10,000 miles later and I have no wish to get anything else. It does it all, and it's rock solid. I love my bush pig!
Totally agree about the honda vfr. I had the 5th gen, totally reliable however a knightmare to work on. My favorite is my honda cbr900rrx. So easy to work on, loads of space to get your hands inbetween the wide frame and engine. Doesnt even have a fuel pump to worry about....love it.
A very comprehensive & accurate list - many of these bikes were despatched to within an inch of their lives, so they went forever without proper maintenance! A friend had a CD175 years ago, he called it 'the dum-di-dum', as it was so boring to ride. It never let him down though, whatever the weather!
1970 Honda Trail 90, with a Rocky 110 bore. Went every where any day with minimal maintenance. Easy to muscle around/lift when necessary. Best adventure bike ever.
Hi and thanks for the roundup. To answer you question I actually prefer you style of best fist. I find it frustrating when the first 50% of the video is not answering the question, its like clickbait. I loved your choices and interestingly have had almost none of the bikes you mentioned (despite having had a few) Hats off to you sir.
Nice list . I’ve been a rider for 50+ years and have owned most of these and actually still do . Today my favorite is the Honda VFR -800 I’ve had two and just love them . As you say not the easiest to work on but man is it fun to ride . Thanks for sharing.
Great video. I had a KLR and a DR 650. I preferred the Suzuki because it’s quite a bit lighter and seem like it had more power, but both are great bikes.
You are so right when you note that "complicated electronics" is the achilles heal of modern bikes (vehicles). I would include the Kawasaki Verseys 650 in the list I think. Older non electronically flawed BMWs ought to be there too in a sense - but they have a dirty little secret BMW die hards seem to refuse to even speak of - they occasionally strip the shaft drive spline. I know from personal bitter experience.
My CG125 is a bike I still miss. It wasn't quick, wasn't comfortable for long rides. However the flat rear seat meant the luggage capacity was huge. It was easy to bump start, didn't need to get above a moderate walk. Also I miss how infrequently I had to put fuel in it. The only downside to a gpz500 is that the carbs are a pig to get at and that you need to be careful with the lugs when removing panels. If you buy one I'd suggest a stainless exhaust, give the wires a refresh (had my ignition wires start failing and had the bike cut out and bump start at 70mph. Not pleasant) drain the tank and clean your fuel system. Then enjoy!
@@barebonesmc I was lucky that someone had replaced the exhaust bolts at some point and cut out the exhaust collector pipe (I'm sure it's hidden by the bellypan just to sit in damp until the day it rots through). I'm not sure what the next bike will be. Nothing has really been the bargain I look for.
I had a BMW 1150 GS that had 100,000 mile 3 year warranty that was out of warranty before the 3 years. I drove the snot out of it. Last time I dropped it off at the shop, it was pretty worn out with right at 250000 miles on it. It wasn’t a cheap ride - services and tires & premium gas added up. I never got tired of it. Great bike.
It seems odd, to have a list of the most reliable motorcycles ever built, without a BMW Airhead or Oilhead bike anywhere on the list, because they are, in fact, the most reliable bikes ever built! I have owned several of the bikes on your list, and started riding bikes at 8 years old, on a 90 Cub, so several of these bikes have a special place in my heart.... This seems more like a "Favorites" list of yours without an R bike on it, somewhere... Still, it's a list of bikes that are really cool, iconic, even, in some ways...but, like everything else, it is subjective, what is, and what is not good, or reliable, in this case...anything you may want to categorize. LOVED the footage at the beginning, as I got a rush, vicariously, feeling the rush! Thanks for the cheap thrill! 🤣
If you read the comments you will see i got a lot of stick from the Airhead and K series owners, and put my hands up to the fact that honestly, i know less about BMW than tha Japanese and Italians. But i did include the K75 and airheads here th-cam.com/video/c4n0iL9mUW8/w-d-xo.html with an apology 🙂
Well Mister Barebones, I'm impressed and feel in great company now! You've just mentioned most of my bikes, as I started with a reliable '81 XR100, then '74 CD175, to '79 XS400, '87 XL600V (x2), '85 GS1100GK, '91 XTZ750, then '05 DL1000! I still ride the last 2, because as you said, these gems are so reliable : )
For those who like V-Twins & Cruisers , I'll throw in the 600 - 1100cc Honda Shadows & VTX1300 which are enjoyable to own , FUN to Ride & easy to perform DYI maintenance on . Add the brawnier VTX 1800 BIG V-TWIN HONDA CRUISERS to the list too !
Agreed with the VTX 1300 suggestion, easy to service at home with a few tools. I've owned over 50 bikes in my life but never has a bike like the VTX 1300 (C) encouraged me to put so many miles a day on it. Presently crossing Canada on mine.
Great video, biker for 45+yrs, my 2n was a honda cb500, had it for 8yrs, a sewing machine but hated the chain....my 3rd bike was/is a beamer, still have it; as you say only oil changing. Made few changes for all weather but use it on the road. Furthest was Maroc. Most work and maintenance can be done on a campsite and you don't need to drag a workshop with you. Talking about load, I enjoy it with my partner on the saddle too. Some other eastern europe bikes are also nearly indestructible, easy to maintain. Keep biking, its good for your health and your marriage!
I had a DR600 and a KLR600 th-cam.com/video/W7Sw0_Ib5ho/w-d-xo.html and i cant imagine not having my Vstrom now 🙂 great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
@@keithrobinson686 is that Ketch? and yes, the VT500, CX 500 and a few others earned their stripes in the world of couriers :-) Cheers for watching mate 🙂 enjoy the ride
Fantastic video thanks for making it. Being a 65 year old bike rider and enthusiast, l remember all these wonder bikes. I'm not a fan of modern technology on bikes that loke like jet ski's, keep it simple, affordable and customisable 😊
Welcome aboard mate, the next one will be a long coffee break lol, youll have to start making excuses for why your late back lol enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
Great video! ive owned most of these bikes in my 62 years, 48 of them on 2 wheels. My all time favorite bike tho would be the 76 DT175 which I owned in the 80s on Ascension island. Im currently riding a 2008 XT250, 1975 BMW R75/6, 83 XL650R (when I can kick her) and a 76 TT500.
I’m 99% positive that final CD175 was One my father owned about 40 years ago in South Wales. He used to take the baffles out and loved to run it to its max. He replaced everything but those bakerlight brittle side panels. Thanks for the memory
Great list and one I’d definitely add is the Honda NC750X. Lots and lots of videos on TH-cam with people who have done over 250/300,000 miles on these without fault. Didn’t sell In as big numbers of some in this video but sure to become legendary. Oh and anything with Yamahas cp2 700 twin as this is showing the signs of being one of the most reliable engines ever made.
In 1981 I bought a 1980 Yamaha XT250 demo model from the dealer. I got my licence on it and road it hard all over British Columbia until 1989 when I finally got a car. All I ever changed was oil, filtres, tires, and exhaust resonator tip twice. I sold it to an RCMP officer who I'm sure put many more miles on it too. Best bike I ever owned.
The subtitle predictive text was entertaining, honourable mention to the Yamaha FZS600 Fazer, I've had mine 19 years, ride it all year round and it's never let me down!
great bike, its been the Diversion thats actually come up more in the comments to be fair and yep, without the auto translate id have no time to do the subtitles but its not the best, glad it made you giggle though 🙂 🙂 Cheers for watching mate, Ride Free
Thank you for such an in-depth and down to earth video 👍👍👍 I know it's unpopular but my Honda NX650 "Dominator" (Honda's answer to the KLR650) has served me for more than 30 years without any major repairs. Jobs like new clutch, valve clearances, plug, re-jetting the carb (I moved up a mountain 🤪), recently putting on a bigger tank etc. are all easily done in an afternoon or less. We've grown old together and yes, it's a tractor, but I will never change it 🙂 p.s. check out the early "Marc travels" videos for an example (except mine is black).
Excellent list and video! I've owned three of the bikes in your top ten and love them all. At the moment I have a dusty 2008 DR650 in the garage that has accompanied me on many adventures over the past 13 years. A little maintenance now and then is all it asks. Next to it is a Royal Enfield 500 Classic boat anchor that's currently for sale, CHEAP. I don't care how "cool" a bike is, if you can't depend on it it's not worth having.
Great job. You do know your motorcycles. My first was a 1973 CB 175 twin with 2 carbs. After 50 years riding,, bought a 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Fireball. Mmmm back to the days. 😎
I have ridden Yamaha FZR600 and FZR600R for many years and have had great service from them. The 98 to 03 Fazer 600 has basically the same engine, but more accessible to maintain. The old FJ1200 is another bomb proof Yamaha that goes on forever, although it is a bit thirsty compared to the economical FZR600.
Previously owned Sv650 s Drz 400 V storm 650 Xlv700 ....and others Japanese bikes... Currently DR 650 SE and GSX 1250 FA happy owner. I'll always keep reliability in my mind when I choose my ride .. Totally agree with you. CHEERS from Italy
I still ride my 2003 KLR650 that I bought new, and it now has 81,000 miles. Had to rebuild the carb at 50,000, and that was really the only “major” repair. I’m kind of OCD with keeping it cleaned and maintained, so I’m sure that’s helped with longevity. I also have a 1972 CT90 that was my first road legal bike, that I bought in 1976, the year I could get my license. Took the car driving test, and motorcycle test on the same day. I was a nervous wreck!😂. I still use that little bike for town errands and light trails. It’s quite a conversation piece with other “old guys” whenever I park it at the market! Great video, by the way!
Great picks. I owned some of the bikes you mentioned. (2) klr 650's (2) Kawi Ex 500 Suz. 650 DL and 1000 DL ( I enjoyed the 650 for all round riding more so than 1000 ). Plus many more over my 30 years of riding, now in my 50's I no longer ride. Lost my love for riding, plus the expenses of owning bikes has gotten very pricy and finally my neighbor being a paramedic always gave me the look. The look that says "the things I've seen in my career regarding motorcycles". So after 30 years of enjoyment it was time to close that chapter in my life. Now it's cycling, gym, ice hockey and more of an active lifestyle for me :)) Safe riding to all :)
I reckon ice hockey looks more dangerous than riding lol but if we all thought the same it would be a boring world mate, 🙂Cheers for watching mate. enjoy life, thats what matters 🙂
Hockey definitely is risky, but being a Canadian I do believe there's some immunity to injury lol (joking). Yes finding that passion is what it's all about, agreed. @@barebonesmc
An awesome video. Thank you. After 40+ years of riding, I’ve either owned or at least ridden all bikes on this list. The old and new big thumpers will just keep going if the tractor life is what you’re after. The VFR-750 from the 90’s was a stand out for me. If you haven’t already put together a list of bikes from the 90’s till today or each decade, then this would be of great interest. Great work, recently subscribed. 👍😎🇦🇺
after doing this i did think i could have done it per decade, so it might be something i consider in future :-) :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
Still riding an XL250S 1981, just change the oil and check the chain tensioners regular. Moto Guzzi V7 should be on the list as a modern and only alternative to a Honda CX500.....very home serviceable, and shafts are better than chains. Honda Revere/NTV 650 was bullet proof, sold mine a few years back due to weight issues.(the bikes)
I currently have 3 bikes, all on your list, one too many. Out of my dr650, sv650 and Versys 650 it’s the Kwaka I’m going to cull. It’s done 80k but had a weird fault with the (aftermarket ) blinkers not working in cold weather. Found the dodgy joint but that makes it the least reliable! I’d add a vote for the CX500, then known as the “plastic maggot”. Of my steeds, it did the most miles with the least spannering. Shaft drive, so only needed spanners for tyre changes. Nothing ever went wrong. It sang like a canary and I rode it for miles and miles. It made way for another shaft drive vee twin. Moto Guzzi 1000. My all time favourite but it demanded love in the form of spanners.
I never liked the maggots to be fair, but they did prove themselves :-) as did the later VT500 Eurosport, another couriers friend 🙂 Cheers for watching mate 🙂enjoy the ride
@@soaruk3697 being totally honest i just wasnt a fan of the maggots, i preferred the VT500 that came later but it had a few flaws too but was so much more nimble
@@johncallow22You're right that the CX was ohv, but an ohv still needs a camshaft to run the pushrods, usually driven by a gear. But in the case of the CX, by a short hyvo cam chain, hence the need for a tensioner which gave a lot of trouble and several factory recalls. Yes, you heard that right, Honda even managed to have camchain issues with an ohv engine 😅
I had A DR-650 and a KLR-650. I prefer the DR. Lighter, and runs up to 100mph easier. The KLR was twitchy above 70mph on dirt and the DR was rock solid stable. The DR with a bigger tank and different seat would be my pick to go around the world.
Whilst I generally agree with you on the Honda XL650, it does have one serious issue. Lots of them get scrapped purely because the Gbox output shaft strips. It can be prevented by a 'super pinion' front sprocket.
not an issue i knew about, was that all years or just at the start? if all years does it affect the Deauville, NTV and other engines too? 🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
I always come back to Honda eventually. Escaping NYC/ North Jersey on the weekends on my 81 Kawi 750 LTD, made for a long cold ride back from Upstate NY on Sunday nights in November. A low mileage 75 Honda GL1000 Goldwing with aftermarket Full Fairing Hard Bags and a Big Comfortable Seat solved All My Problems! After 5 weeks building Woodstock 94, I started craving something 'Sporty". I was looking for a Honda VF500f Interceptor for the back roads of the Catskill Mountains, couldn:t find one My Lady remembered mentioning"Interceptor" and spotted one in the Albany paper. I borrowed a trailer and put some "Woodstock Cash" in my pocket and found what turned out to be an 84 Honda VF1000f Interceptor. It needed a little love, triple tree bearings and a new set of Bridgestone BattleAxe tires, but for $950, I had reliable, comfortable and to me, a Very Fast Sport Touring Machine that served me well for 16 years.The next Honda to come my way was found by My Mom! at a Yard Sale. Parked in a field for 15 years a 73 Honda CB200t caught my Mom's eye! $25 later she took the motorcycle and a Clean Title home! She stuck it in the garage and showed it to me the next time I stopped by. Drained the tank, popped in a new battery, pushed the starter button and it Immediately Started! I don't mean it turned over a few times and sputtered to life. One Revolution and it Started and held a Smooth Idle!!! 8 will say, that it wouldn't accelerate, the high speed jets needed cleaning. I shut it off and forgot about it until my friend Don saw it and Fell in Love with it! He kept asking what I wanted for it. I signed it over and told him" Just give it back when you are done with it! He commuted to his job at the VA Hospital on it , rain or shine for 2 years! When we made our Annual Run to Laconia in New Hampshire and camped at the track,he made the trip on the 200! One of the Manufacturers had a Dyno that the public could get a read out on their bikes for $20. The CB 200t made 14hp at the rear wheel! The crowd cheered louder for the little 200 than for all the monster Ninjas, Gsxr's , Hayabusa etc!
Its a TDM, 850, but not me on that one lol, im not even that quick round a track 🙂 He is a very quick rider who knows the roads and his bike very well. balls of steel I would say lol
What a pleasure to see a TDM being enjoyed with a bit of enthusiasm. Definitely fly under the radar and startle a few sprot bike riders in the twisties. Love mine!
My garage is getting renamed "The Last of Us". Late 2021 DL650 V twin..now replaced in by an inline twin. CBR900RR 954, last of the Tadeo Baba designed 'blades. Totally agree with your list. I guess good engineering, like wine, takes time to mature and be appreciated 😊
mine is full of first gen's lol, a series 1 Vstrom a series 1 EXUP first fuel injected 955i Daytona, aprilia Pegaso Cube ..... lol we just need everyone else to fill the middle of the lists :-)
A good list there, I’d like to add a vote in for the Honda NTV650 Revere, they are shaft drive so no chain maintenance, all the service items are easy to get at and work on and they are capable of high miles many on the road still with over a 100, 000 miles on the clock, I have one myself 28 yrs old and 92000 on the clock, one of the best bikes I’ve owned.
@@barebonesmc Yes, pretty underrated, you mentioned the TDM900 another underrated bike, I had one before the NTV and all in all it was a very reliable bike, not quite as easy as the NTV to work on and I found it a tad too tall and too top heavy but a powerful and nippy bike nonetheless, so yes it deserves that place on the list.
Suzuki GSX750F I did 156.000 km and only had to replace the exhaust because of the wet climate in Ireland. Sold it to a young lad who kept driving it for god knows hoe long
Great video! While I agree with most of your choices, I would suggest adding the Kawasaki 550 GT to the list instead of the Gpz 500. The 550 GT had a reputation for covering high mileages without major issues and was a popular choice among couriers due to its exceptional reliability and ease of maintenance.
great bike, but the engine didnt last anywhere near as long if you consider the ER6 and Versys as the same engine block, but was that the engine later used in the Zephyr 550?
Totally agree about the small capacity Hondas. I like the later Moto Guzzi 1100 Californias. Marmite styling but a doddle to run every day. Had a few and they never let me down.
I’ve had them all with no regrets , they’ll all do the distance with proper maintenance……. as far as preference / dependability & durability , I’m partial to my Moto Guzzi 1100i , took that beast at 2 up to every state in the Union on the continent , then to Europe (twice) from the UK to Turkey (Istanbul) and N.Africa , never missed a beat , even crisscrossing the Alps several times ……… . Priceless . Bottom line ; it ain’t what ya ride , it’s how ya ride .Im sure any of my bikes would have made it because I know my bikes , clean oil , no excessive RPM’S …… and no F’en pot holes …..….. basically that’s it .
There is a good number of BMW R80, R90 and so on who would take issue with your list!! However I enjoyed this video immensely for your most practical approach to the subject. I agree with all of them. I have a 1984 Honda VF750S which is still so beautiful but I absolutely hate working on it.
they already have lol, and the K series owners :-) Im not as up on the BMW's to be fair but the air heads probably should have got a mention 🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Hello here and cheers for the video. Very well made I believe and awesome commenting. As far as I'm concerned, I've had quite a few bikes myself and reliability wise, the late 80s early 90s Yamaha XJ series are what I would call bulletproof. Ticked over 200 000kms on the ol 900, checked the valves... Nothing moved... Doesn't eat oil... Maybe change your clutch cable every 100k kms as they tend to wear and get stuck but that's about it. Regular maintenance will keep it alive forever and I think that it's a very under rated bike. Pretty easy to work on too
after the Air Heads the XJ 9 has probably been the next most commented about bike. there will be more to come and im sure it will get a mention somewhere :-) 🙂cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
Only the older ones. The new Super Cub has an electronic key. I doubt it will last ten years. The replacement cost for the plastic rear fender in the USA is $400. Get the Trail 125 over the Super Cub.
Good list, 100% agree with the cub, and I would add it's relative the ct110 postie bike. No list is complete without the Suzuki GS500 however. Simple air cooled twin cylinder, carbs, low stressed engine. A more obscure entry would be the Yamaha Scorpio 225. Any bike that sells in large numbers in Asia is probably reliable and repairable. 👍🇦🇺
I'd have to add 1970's Air-cooled 2-Strokes to any " last days" motorcycle collection. I'm especially fond of every Yamaha from the DT1 thru the DT 400. The way the "power band" kicks in , It's a hoot & extremely exciting ! Even the little 80 & 100 cc models are fun to ride. They seem to still be relevant , as I do see them cruising around more frequently & of lately they're fetching top $ on the auction market in pristine reconditioned condition.
@@tdgdbs1 It's a two stroke, 25k miles is rather good, rebuilds are quite easy and cheap. A 4 stroke making the same horsepower per cc, needs rebuilt just as often, but it generally costs 5x as much.
I had a DT400 and my first bike was an RT360, the RT had a decompression lever for starting and if you didn't get it right you could end up with a leg injury:-)
Keep up the great work mate , we are on the same wavelength for sure , I have owned many of your mentioned bikes or similar variants , TRX 850 etc . Bought a Honda CL500 6 weeks ago and am fabricating a fully enclosed chaincase as on the old stepthroughs ( plus scottoiler ) , so as to be able to lubricate the chain without it spraying oil all over the back wheel , no mainstand on CL500 to aid chain maintenance, bike is proving to be a good allrounder, many thanks .
glad you enjoyed it mate. the TRX is a stunning bike, only now becoming more appreciated 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel and the website too, let me know what you think. hope youll climb aboard. We do have a great bunch as subscribers and i can thoroughly recomend reading some of the comments too, some funny and most informative too. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
IMPORTANT
Dakar have hit me with a copyright strike so ive had to delist some of the videos just in case
i guess they got pissed that mine were better
because of the MOTOGP one before xmas that means im really vulnerable now and the channel could be removed at any time
I have set up this backup channel so please go and follow it NOW,
this could all be removed at any moment now so it is critical to stay in touch via the backup channel here
th-cam.com/channels/CSl6i-tZJNC5DQ38vgCtvw.html
sorry for this if i get another strike it wipes out all my work
all my old videos will be removed
I wont be posting anything much on the new channel unless this goes down
but this is a just in case because it really could go down at any point
the videos are still visible if you have a link so if you have problems message me for links
so you can still watch them,
if you follow the channel and this one gets taken down you will be able to find me there
sorry if thats a bit garbled
ive just woken to this but i guess i could have had the channel taken down already
so i should be thankful
ride free everyone
The official Dakar coverage was awful IMHO, I'm thankful for people such as yourself who put out watchable, engaging content. Oh & don't forget the C90's bigger brother the mighty CT110!
@@Free_Ranger_CT110 not the 110, but i featured the CT125 here th-cam.com/video/V2m6tF0rZKQ/w-d-xo.html as to Dakar, a lot said similar, i think its the fact their focus isnt on the bikes, and certainly not the lower classes of bikes, the whole rally coverage is now up on the platform that cant be mentioned lol. i just cant put a link up here or youtube will crucify me again lol, if you message me via the contact page on the website i will send you a link, cheers as always
The B word ?
In my humble opinion the 650 Suzuki v twin is one of the greatest engines of all time. I had a Vstrom for a few years and thought the performance was far greater than you would expect from this engine.
I second that, 2021 dl650 owner here. Superb machine.
Ditto, I also own a 650 VStrom
Too trure Peter. I was just saying exactly that to my youngest (who's got a CB500). I've been riding since 1975 and had lots of bikes the SV650 engine is in a different ball park to those of us brought up on fours. If you want to have the max fun without wiping yourself out, buy an SV 650 or one of the derivatives. They are the business.
I’ve said all along that the SV650 is the best motorcycle ever made. My ‘99 has never required a valve adjustment. Still have it and love it. I had a ‘06 fuel injected SVs for a while as well. I’ve taken many 3,500 mile rides, one 6,500 mile ride. It has been as reliable as a stone axe.
Yeah. I own one too. Feels like a bigger engine.
I have been a bike mechanic for 50 years.
Most bikes are killed by neglect. Modern bikes arrived in the 1980s and if you ride them and make sure the oil and air filters are clean they will last a very long time. I had a 1982 Yamaha Xj650 Seca since new, sold it 10 years ago, running fine at 337,000 miles.
My current daily is a 2004 Honda 919 or Hornet as it's called across the pond. Had the valve cover off 3 times, and found 1 valve .05 mm tight
once. 176,000 miles and counting. Oil & filters ( full synthetic) every 6 k miles. Air filters 20 k. Tires, chains & sprockets, brake pads, front disks 100k.
Steering head bearings 100k, wheel bearings every 50k. Simple to work on by modern standards, but doesn't need much. Original clutch also.
:-) Cheers for adding your bit mate, ride free
The seca xj650 were/are great machines for their day, I think mine was an 83, silver with blue and white stripes
@@ccreations123 82. I had one too. Every year Yamaha changed paint schemes.
I bought an 82 Seca 650 new as well. Never should have sold it. I loved that bike and I didn't ride it hard but never got more than 10,000 miles or so out of a rear tire. I don't believe you can make motorcycle tires last 100k miles. Not even Michelins.
@@ccreations123 indeed, there was a great 400 version too that later got turned into the XJR400. great bikes
Spot on with the Honda Cub. I had one many, many years ago using it to do my 30-mile round trip to work and back, whatever the season. It never let me down, but did get me worried when on the odd occasion I had to kick it a second time to start it. At the age of 86, I now ride a Yamaha MT-03 (big enough for a little old man) My 70-year-old wife rides a Honda Rebel 500 (well, she's younger than me lol) both bike being super reliable.
:-) Cheers for watching mate, enjoy them, I do like the older MT03 :-) not ridden the new smaller one . ride free
I hope I'll ride until the day I reach that great twisty road in the sky…
Keep a sharp eye on that young girl 86'r ;)
@ barrie shouldn't you be considering something with 4 wheels ...and a chauffeur.. man you shouldn't be riding but being driven around 😂😅😊 well u n your rebel too ❤ the story
I brutalized an ancient Cub 90 for half a decade when a youngster... Tearing around of road.. Kept plodding on no matter what I did to it.. Only a puncture during 5+ years daily abuse.. 😂
*Crap Game* 🎉
Had a Honda VFR 750 for 28 years now - 60,000 miles on the clock and still going strong.
good on you for keeping it going mate , ride free
That GPZ500 entry made me smile. I've ridden literally hundreds of motorcycles and basically everything from the big four Japanese manufacturers until around 2001. The GPZ500 was the most pure fun. That thing was featherweight, handled like a dream, had nice torque and midrange. It is my 'secret favorite' motorcycle, yet I never owned one. Such a well conceived motorcycle.
Glad I surprised you mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
The Honda CB750. It sold in about 1 million examples over the years. It would run forever and was easy to work on. You could get big bore kits of 812cc (Yoshimura) 836cc (Norris) and even 900cc (MTC) and the engine could still take a beating and be very reliable over many years. Mine was a Norris 836 with an RX2 cam, rebuildt engine head and 32mm Dell'Ortos, giving it 110 HP in the bench.
All the early CB fours were special. I had the 500 with Dunstall additions :-) and one of the subscribers has been talking about his 350 four too, engineering delights all of them Cheers for watching mate :-) enjoy the ride
@@barebonesmc Thanks for your answer. I remember Paul Dunstall, a former race driver. And David Dixon, also a former race driver that sold the Yoshimura parts for my CB500. I had a CB500Four with a Yoshimura 550cc kit and a Yoshimura Daytona or Road&Track cam, that raised the power with 50% (75hp) and I had a Dunstall body on top of that. Clip on handlebars, swedish Sivert Raask footpegs and a Hooker exhaust. Great fun :) Now I ride a Guzzi Le Mans II and an 850 Commando Roadster.
@@sallhame enjoy them mate :-) Cheers for watching
Pigs to ride I hated them because of that
@@ETALAL the 750 was a bit of a boat but i thought the 500 i had handled beautifully for its time, it had clip ons and rear sets so weight was more forward and the 4 exhausts were replaved by a lighter 4 into 1 but little else was done other than tuning, 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate, ride free
I bought a BMW R80 RT which had been sitting around in a shed for 12 years with 80000 km. I changed the oils, fitted new seals which was easy due to the accessibility of everything on the bike, and have been driving it ever since. The air cooled boxer engine is definitely one of the most reliable and easy to service engines, with easy access to spare parts and information.
the air heads definitely got more comments than any other bike, did you see the honourary mention :-) th-cam.com/video/c4n0iL9mUW8/w-d-xo.html 🙂Cheers for watching mate, ride free
There's a reason why they were first choice for world touring for 50 years. I wonder what the reason for this would be??
A friend of mine (mechanic and vintage bike racer in Canada) has an R60 boxer that has done over a million km, still going strong.
I've owned many bikes over the course of many decades. I most regret selling my r75. BMW and Honda have great engineering and quality manufacturing.
The CD175 had a 360 degree crank. If you fitted Dunstalls or other less restrictive silencers than the Honda originals, the sound of the CD175 could get surprisingly close to that of a big British twin. They were great, rugged little bikes.
they were indeed great little bikes :-) 🙂 cheers for watching mate , Ride Free
Brilliant machines
@@Ian-bq7gp ejoy the ride mate, cheers for watching, Ride Free 🙂
As a 20-year owner of a '94 VFR750, will 107K miles now, I can say that there is not often reason to remove all of the plastics, but when I do, it is part of the pleasure of the bike. I'll never get rid of that bike. (No, the VFR is not my only bike, just my favorite.)
As I said mate they are a great bike :-) Cheers for watching
Try fitting black widow exhaust. The studs in the head seize and I was lucky to get the old ones out. Yes copperslip is a must on the threads where steel bolts go into aluminium heads. Also what a pain to get to the rear exhaust clamps. There's no room and fitting it took 4 hours.
I'd add the Honda NC700/750 series to the list. Maintenance is a breeze, the spark plugs are accessible without removing anything and the valve clearance only required the removal of the radiator (and they're screw and lock valves too!). They're absolutely bulletproof, I have roughly 150K KM on mine and spoke to guys with double (and more) the mileage and they all claim no issues whatsoever.
great bikes, i probably should have given them a mantion 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
My brother and his wife had the NC 700 and NC 750. I have a Honda CTX 700 and my sister has a Honda CTX 700 hers is the automatic. Brilliant. Little bike I'll be keeping mine .
CB750F. I maintained mine very meticulously , and besides charging issues, it has never let me down for over 100,000 km. I had it. GS1000G and GS1000S were bullit proof. Most 50cc bikes from the 80's and 90s were all very reliable, taking into account that they were almost all the time full throttled and hardly serviced. Suzuki B120, tractor of its time, would get you there every day slowly. Thanks for the videos, keep doing it the way you do.
:-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
A new B120 was my first bike in 1975, followed by an RD200 and a CB750K2.
The double overhead cam cb750f was renouned for stator and regulator rectifier failures, I know I had it happen to me over and over again.
Those gs 1000 850, 750 and 555 and even 425 400 were amazing. The gs850 was perfect and comfortable with good economy
@@Ian-bq7gp there was a GS to suit most people 🙂ejoy the ride mate, cheers for watching, Ride Free 🙂
In my 40 years of riding the TDM 850 has been by far the best bike I've ever owned.
Town, touring and scratching. It does them all superbly. The engine is bulletproof but coils go regularly and carbs difficult to access.
battery access on the series 1 850 was a pig too 🙂 Cheers for watching, ride free
Had one also. For an engine that could do pro-twins, it was amazingly reliable. Access under the plastics and weird headlight bulbs were the only flies in the ointment.
Agree, my TDM 850 was sound, excellent manoeuvrability and visibility too, rode it into to central London everyday.
Here I am just started on a TDM 900 from 2005
Well done. Enjoy it and ride safely! @@merzto
A friend was struggling to get a bike to get around on due to being unemployed. So I picked him up a Honda CT110 from the auctions and let him pay it off. He rode that bike for several years and never had an issue with it, just regular maintenance. Our postal service used them for decades also here in Western Australia, perhaps they still do in some areas, though some are electric now.
a grand little bike :-) Cheers for watching, ride free
I rode a CG125 on 'L' plates while taking my full bike lessons then brought a DL650 which has proven to be quite the chameleon, rides well with or without luggage in urban riding, A-roads, B-roads or motorways seems happy to do all of the above. Good range and fuel consumption too which fits my needs perfectly.
welcome to yet another fellow Stromtrekker 🙂🙂cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
Until you are with your lady and luggage and try to overtake on an uphill… 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I’m sorry but I might be the only unhappy Vstrom owner… can’t wait to get rid of it
@@danielhristov6175 68hp is definitely borderline to being under powered for a 200kg plus bike, I just leave the wife at home and its perfect 😂 I keep looking at other bikes, then I compare them to the V-Strom and for the money I paid there are very few bikes that can match it, the Yamaha FZ6 Fazer is a step up in power and a similar bike. Hope you get the bike that fits well for you, ride safe.
@@danielhristov6175 did a 6k mile tour around Europe (7 countries across several mountain ranges with far too much luggage last year and never had an issue mate, always carry a passenger. Its probably one of the best pillion bikes ive ever owned and ive had a few 🙂
I passed my test on a CG, rode from North Wales too Hull to do a training session for both parts of the then test, part 1 training, and test, and all part two training, came home and easily passed my test, then got a GS550, which I loved until a CB900 took my fancy. Good if looked after, all.
Very interesting video. I have ridden a lot of different bikes over my 82 years of riding. My 99 Harley Softail Custom only has 65,000 miles on it, but it has never let me down. It is about as low of maintenance as my 1968 Honda 165 scrambler was. I started riding on a friends Whizzer motor bike when I was 8. Bought my first Harley, a 1942 Flat Head when I was 14. Lots of different bikes in between.
Cheers for watching mate. enjoy the ride, Ride Free 🙂
🙏😎
I currently ride a Vstrom - rode it to Alaska and back - dead reliable. Also have a ST1300 - best bike I ever owned. One you may have missed, though, is the Honda XL 600. Absolutely bombproof. I rode one of these and its offroad version for many years and it never made me walk.
I hadL at least an honoroury mention :-) Cheers for watching mate :-) enjoy the ride
Back in the late-1950's-early 60's, Jawa-CZ were always taking out the Team prize in the ISDT, always a great indicator of reliability, so in June 1963 I bought a new Jawa 250, which was 100% reliable. It lived ouside in the snow and ice, but never failed to start or get me home on the 75-mile each way weekly commute from my military base.
In 1984 I bought a very neglected 1970 Jawa 350 twin, (filthy inside and out, glue-like oil, shot fork seals, L/H cyl firing about every 18th lamp-post, etc), refurbished it and ran it for the next 15 years with total reliability. These days, at 77, I'm riding a 2011 Suzuki VL250, which has also proved itself reliable.
The old CZ's got a bad rap on reliability :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
I started watching your channel today - 1st time. Love the content and reviews. I agree with your list and I have settled on a DL1000 V Strom after 6 other bikes, and my daughter rides a DL650. We love our bikes and the all round capabilities of the V Stroms. Thank you for your efforts and videos - much appreciated.
welcome aboard 🙂 Stromtrekkers always welcome 🙂 Cheers for watching mate, Ride Free
Back in the day I owned 3 of these motorcycles. The C90, CG125 and the CD175. Each supremely reliable as my daily transport. Great to see these lowly machines make it into your hall of fame.
Likewise and they were cheap in the 80's, I got a CD175 for $10 in '84.
Ditto! C70, cg125, cj125, cb125. The Benley best looking. None of these wee Hondas ever failed 👍
credit where credit is due eh lads :-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
CD175 was incredibly ugly, but incredibly reliable
@@LabRat6619 lol, i think the term is Fugly lol. Cheers for watching :-) Ride Free
Your channel is not just about motorcycles... it's about motorcycle history. Your knowledge and love for bikes is much appreciated. How can I not subscribe? Thank you!
Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
So many bikes have graced the stall. Started with a CL70. Then a yamaha 100 enduro 2 stroke. Graduated to a CB350 Four, then 550 Four, then 750 Supersport and then the venerable goldwing 1000 and 1100. Took a hiatus and raised a family. Re entered with a GL1500 valkyrie in 1998. Had several of those, including the interstate bagger fairing model. Also owned an Aero 1100 for a moment and have now owned the VL1500 suzuki and C90 x 2. 3 Vstoms all in 1000 mode. Have had 2 GL1800 wings. Now I'm back to the Vstrom 1000 2012 model and C90 2006 model. To say that I've been blessed is an understatement! The St1300 still calls to me, and we'll see if I answer it. But at 62 yo, I have to be more frugal now in life. "Heavenly Father, thank you for the experiences that you have afforded me on 2 wheels. Stay safe, everyone, in these crazy times. From Texas with a hat tip.
Texf6s
Amen brother 🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Amen. God is great.😎
It seems that you don't keep motorcycles long enough to learn if they are reliable. I'm about the same way. Many of my machines have been kept about eight-thousand miles. One was traded because it was proving to be poorly made (SSR Razkull 125). A Honda XL250S was sold because I mostly used a car in 1983. The other sales were because it was time to move to something different; until I moved to snow country. I sold a 250 cc Honda Reflex because I wasn't using it six months of the year and didn't have a garage.
Now I own a 125 cc KYMCO Agility scooter and want to sell it to get a motorcycle with larger diameter wheels, just to not die if I hit a deep pot hole here in the Dallas Texas area. The scooter has only 4300 miles and still runs well. No more cars for me. They're too expensive.
Now I'm an old git, I look back in fondness at the simplicity of older bikes with carb's and lock nut and screw adjustable tappets. Great video.
What is it with old bike riding gits named Jones ? I’m 70 this year and facing cataract surgery next year - fingers crossed it works out and I can get back in the saddle.
@@jonesmike53 Hope you get there.
apparently the NC700/750 has proper tappet adjusters and i never even realised lol :-) Cheers for watching , and enjoy the ride :-)
Great video. You should have included the KLR 650. Look after it and it will last forever. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance is the silver bullet for any motorcycle. They treat you the way you treat them.
i did, at 09:12 I preferred the KLR600 myself which i feature here in an older video th-cam.com/video/W7Sw0_Ib5ho/w-d-xo.html enjoy the ride
Honda CX500 - bike of choice in my courier days - '80 to '86.. Never a single problem, day in, day out reliability, as near to bulletproof as you can get. I'd love to see a modern version (maybe the new Moto Guzzi Mandello?).
I think the V7 is a closer match. Cheers for watching mate. Ride free
The cx500 cafe by the aussie, steve foster looks like a goose too. Great bikes.
@@robcampbell3235 ill have a search 🙂
I agree cx500 is a awesome bike u. I have a cx500 custum and a cx 500 E (Eurosport)
Ive really enjoyed your series of videos. First class, brings back lots of memories after 55 years on Two wheels.
im glad you are enjoying them mate, cheers
I'm still learning to ride and plan on getting my license before September ends, but I already bought my first bike. Her name is Nina and she's a 1995 Kawasaki GPZ 500S. One of the reasons why I chose her is because there are a lot of them out there, so parts and information/instructions are easy to find. I wasn't aware they were very reliable, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it on this list!
I can't wait to start riding!
they are a solid engine mate so good choice, check the exhaust studs though, but dont try and force them, give em a good soaking in duck oil ( or equivalent) and leave to soak for a day or 2, then often the best way is to tighten them a fraction to free the threads, just a fraction to crack them, then they should come out ok, dont ask me why but it seems like the threads are less likely to strip if you tighten them first rather than just trying to undo them. Maybe one of the better informed subscribers can explain why that seems to work 🙂 welcome mate, and enjoy the ride when your licence comes 🙂
Your channel is great..the passion expressed through your tone, and shake down of the models..fires me up..and ignites my soul just like the first time I threw a leg over my first mc at 12 years old..Thank You
thanks mate, if i can do that then im a happy man, as always enjoy the ride my friend 🙂 cheers for watching and have a great week
Thanks
You are welcome mate :-) Cheers for watching, and enjoy the ride :-)
A Cub 90 was our "family car" in South America. Mom, Dad, sister, and little me ventured all over the place on that machine in the 70s. I started riding on the Cub 70 (owned by Dad) at age 14, beat that thing like a rented mule (Dad never knew that part), and it was invincible. I then bought my first bike at 16 - a Honda CG125. Sold the CG way too soon (we're all entitled to youthful mistakes, no?), and later in life owned the KLR650 for several years. Now I have an older V-Strom 650 that I absolutely love. I figure being 4 for 10 on this list is probably not too shabby. Thank you for a great video!
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
The only thing that convinced me to sell my 2009 KLR 650 to my buddy who always wanted it was the 2022 KLR 650 Adventure. Now we're both happy!
happy days :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
Some may laugh because of the brand’s overall reputation not being so great, but the 1986 to 2003 Harley Sportsters are bulletproof bikes. Carbureted, little in the way of electronics, and rigid mounted engines. They have been known to rattle a few fasteners loose from time to time, but my 2003 model has never wanted anything more than oil and tires, and once I had to replace the starter. It’s a great bike that’s very overlooked.
That Sportster Sickness. I know what its like i run an FXDX mate :-) :-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
42 000 km on mine without a hitch before it got stolen…
@@pateris enjoy it mate
@@barebonesmc Now I have a Triumph Street Twin, which is basically a Harley, just better ! 😁
@@tieredlabsllc5728 :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
TDM900 is a fantastic bike, I got mine at 30000 miles, rode it to 62k and sold it to get a Super Tenere, looked up the reg the other day and was pleased to see its now on 83k and has a valid MOT. Super capable and comfy machine, I loved it.
you have to love those Genesis engines 🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
The four cylinder Yamaha 5 valve engines are all super reliable, as well, bulletproof. Yamahas build quality from the 80s early 90s is a bit iffy, but the engineering is awesome. Yes it is a time consuming job checking and setting the shims, but the intervals are long. 42,000 km (28,000 mls) was unheard of in 85 when the FZ750 came out, so much so that journalists didn't believe it possible, they also went on about the five valve head being a gimmick and had to eat their words once they rode the bike.
@@uhtred7860 having 2 EXUPs I am bound to agree lol. but yes, the Genesis engines were fantastic, if a little oil hungry at times 🙂 Cheers for watching mate 🙂 Ride Free
I'm under the impression that the 850 (4TX) marginally beats it for longevity, primarily because it's slightly less electronic (carbs). I'd still have one though!
Them super tenere 1200 are the mutts but the valve job doing shims looks like a nightmare otherwise they're amazing tourers very similar to the 750 tenere and TDM motors. They look so well built and just don't go wrong and 150000 isn't a lot on them. Shaft drive too. I wonder if those Tiger 1200 shaft drive triumphs are really good. Some are less than 5K secondhand and seem like a good machine but I imagine things like brake rotors and the servicing of the rear shock linkage must be not easy. Do they seize up like on the old speed triples. They MUST be greased religiously at the 12000 service and shims would need checking too but what a lovely machine those speed triples were. I had a 1996 Daytona and I loved it but with no centre stand getting rear wheel out etc would mean getting a paddock Stand. Too much plastic fairings to get off which I hate after having vfr750 and 800s. They ate voltage reg rec for breakfast, one packed up at 12k the other at 15k and the next at 19k so I fitted a electrex MOSFET one which solved the problem but they're double the price of Honda ones but it's the best upgrade ever. It has been amazing since
Wow! I deeply sincerely hope you stay on YT because your reviews and videos are the most direct, down to earth, practical and honest presentations I have ever seen anywhere. Really!!
We're from the same era I think and that mention of the CD 175 brought me back to my childhood bike, my second bike (in Zambia - my first was a BSA Bantam 125). This was a Honda CB160, SOHC, twin carb. It had straight through megaphones and I revved it so high it dropped its cam chain frequently. Thankfully no damage and it taught me to redo the cam timing on a regular basis. Great memories 😢
Cheers mate. And welcome aboard. I’ll be here until they throw me off lol. And I do my best to appease them 🤣🤣🤣 do make a note of the website just in case though. They’ve been at me all year this year and it is a battle. Cheers for adding your story too
Will do. I really appreciate your research and comparisons
@@alant383 i try and be balanced mate, and i just love bikes, cheers for the support, much appreciated
Rode a DR650 to the Saraha and back from 🏴 Really good bike.
Cg125, cd175, gpz500, kle500 and xl250 all others I've owned. Still have xl250 same colour as picture.
👍
you like em reliable then mate :-) good choices 🙂Cheers for watching, have a great day
I started riding on a Suzuki GS500E, an air cooled twin that made about 40 hp, but handled quite well and was a blast to ride. Changing the oil, lubing the chain and filling the gas was all it took. Ditto for my Suzuki Bandit 600. These motors can go forever, with little more than oil changes for maintenance.
great bikes. the 500E is the equivalent of the CB500 in many ways. the Bandit's are great bikes too 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Suzuki DRz 650's little brother the DRz 400 is a magnificent bike too.
The DRz 400-650 people put extra capacity Acerbis fuel tanks on them & rear rack to take anyway without the weight of a Adv.Really popular in NZ 🇳🇿 for Adv adventures.
i know people luv em, i prefer the older design of the 650 to be fair despite its extra weight. i guess im a bit of a luddite lol, Cheers for watching mate 🙂enjoy the ride
The DRZ400 has a few short comings but are cheaply and easily addressed like the Cam Chain Tensioner, and Counter Shaft Sprocket, I took one to over 40,000miles and then got another but didn't keep it nearly as long.
@@OldBeaterGarage they are good bikes. just that personally i prefererred the DR650, have a good day mate
@@waynepantry7023 plenty of people swear by them mate and id prefer it to many, :-) Cheers for watching , ride free
@@waynepantry7023 I have never known one to do this. What is the weakness ? I would like to check mine since it now coming up to 68,000 km.
I rode a Honda XL250 for several years - one of my biggest regrets is "trading-up" - ultra reliable, cheap to run, easy to maintain. Seriously, I would trade my fuel injected, ABS, ride mode selectable, full digital instrumentation etc, etc bike for an old XL250 any day.
Cheers for watching mate. Ride free
My first bike was the original Honda Monkey Mini trail. I sold it after 4 fun years and bought a Honda XL100. I had a field job then and my Honda saved me a lot of gas and maintenance money while traveling around the city and nearby provinces for 9 trouble free years.
I think you nailed it with this list 👍, i m looking to buy back a Transalp 600, made a road trip in South America 20 years ago , 22000 km without even a puncture , loved it
the old one runs a damn site cooler than the new one too 🙂
FZ 600 AND FZ 1000, fasssst as well. My 2008 FZ 600s Fazer has only 26000 klm,s but I have seen 600,s with 250000 klms with no major flaws, just change the oil and let them hit the 14,000 rpm redline occasionally! Love the channel. Thanks for all the effort you go to. Cheers from Australia.
Thanks for sharing mate and welcome 😊 we have a STRONG antipodes contingent 😊💪👍👌
I grew up on dirt bikes and didn't ride again until I was 45. Got a new DR650, customized it and never looked back. 10,000 miles later and I have no wish to get anything else. It does it all, and it's rock solid. I love my bush pig!
great bikes. I had a DR600, it was a love hate relationship with kick start only lol 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Totally agree about the honda vfr. I had the 5th gen, totally reliable however a knightmare to work on. My favorite is my honda cbr900rrx. So easy to work on, loads of space to get your hands inbetween the wide frame and engine. Doesnt even have a fuel pump to worry about....love it.
:-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
A very comprehensive & accurate list - many of these bikes were despatched to within an inch of their lives, so they went forever without proper maintenance! A friend had a CD175 years ago, he called it 'the dum-di-dum', as it was so boring to ride. It never let him down though, whatever the weather!
lol , even the later 185 and 200 were good but the original 175 was the king of indestructible :-)
1970 Honda Trail 90, with a Rocky 110 bore. Went every where any day with minimal maintenance. Easy to muscle around/lift when necessary. Best adventure bike ever.
i dont think the gorgeous one would like sitting on the back though 🙂🙂 Cheers for watching mate, Ride Free 🙂
Hi and thanks for the roundup. To answer you question I actually prefer you style of best fist. I find it frustrating when the first 50% of the video is not answering the question, its like clickbait. I loved your choices and interestingly have had almost none of the bikes you mentioned (despite having had a few) Hats off to you sir.
Glad I surprised you mate and thanks for the support 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Nice list . I’ve been a rider for 50+ years and have owned most of these and actually still do . Today my favorite is the Honda VFR -800 I’ve had two and just love them . As you say not the easiest to work on but man is it fun to ride . Thanks for sharing.
Cheers for watching mate,The VFR is a good old girl :-) Ride Free
Great video. I had a KLR and a DR 650. I preferred the Suzuki because it’s quite a bit lighter and seem like it had more power, but both are great bikes.
depending on the year, the KLR got a lot heavier as the years went by, :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free :-)
You are so right when you note that "complicated electronics" is the achilles heal of modern bikes (vehicles). I would include the Kawasaki Verseys 650 in the list I think. Older non electronically flawed BMWs ought to be there too in a sense - but they have a dirty little secret BMW die hards seem to refuse to even speak of - they occasionally strip the shaft drive spline. I know from personal bitter experience.
The Versys does come in with the GPZ family 🙂cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
My CG125 is a bike I still miss.
It wasn't quick, wasn't comfortable for long rides. However the flat rear seat meant the luggage capacity was huge.
It was easy to bump start, didn't need to get above a moderate walk. Also I miss how infrequently I had to put fuel in it.
The only downside to a gpz500 is that the carbs are a pig to get at and that you need to be careful with the lugs when removing panels. If you buy one I'd suggest a stainless exhaust, give the wires a refresh (had my ignition wires start failing and had the bike cut out and bump start at 70mph. Not pleasant) drain the tank and clean your fuel system. Then enjoy!
all good advice, those exhaust bolts were made from cheese im sure lol 🙂cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
@@barebonesmc I was lucky that someone had replaced the exhaust bolts at some point and cut out the exhaust collector pipe (I'm sure it's hidden by the bellypan just to sit in damp until the day it rots through).
I'm not sure what the next bike will be. Nothing has really been the bargain I look for.
I had a BMW 1150 GS that had 100,000 mile 3 year warranty that was out of warranty before the 3 years. I drove the snot out of it. Last time I dropped it off at the shop, it was pretty worn out with right at 250000 miles on it. It wasn’t a cheap ride - services and tires & premium gas added up. I never got tired of it. Great bike.
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
It seems odd, to have a list of the most reliable motorcycles ever built, without a BMW Airhead or Oilhead bike anywhere on the list, because they are, in fact, the most reliable bikes ever built! I have owned several of the bikes on your list, and started riding bikes at 8 years old, on a 90 Cub, so several of these bikes have a special place in my heart.... This seems more like a "Favorites" list of yours without an R bike on it, somewhere... Still, it's a list of bikes that are really cool, iconic, even, in some ways...but, like everything else, it is subjective, what is, and what is not good, or reliable, in this case...anything you may want to categorize. LOVED the footage at the beginning, as I got a rush, vicariously, feeling the rush! Thanks for the cheap thrill! 🤣
If you read the comments you will see i got a lot of stick from the Airhead and K series owners, and put my hands up to the fact that honestly, i know less about BMW than tha Japanese and Italians. But i did include the K75 and airheads here th-cam.com/video/c4n0iL9mUW8/w-d-xo.html with an apology 🙂
Well Mister Barebones, I'm impressed and feel in great company now! You've just mentioned most of my bikes, as I started with a reliable '81 XR100, then '74 CD175, to '79 XS400, '87 XL600V (x2), '85 GS1100GK, '91 XTZ750, then '05 DL1000! I still ride the last 2, because as you said, these gems are so reliable : )
nice, i do love the original Super Tenere too 🙂 all the Genesis engines were stunning 🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
The DL 1000 is also extremely nimble for a big bike…
I was very surprised not to see the Honda CX500 not on the list, the despatch rider bike of the 90's
:-)It was indeed. and yes it probably should have had an honourary mention. Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
For those who like V-Twins & Cruisers , I'll throw in the 600 - 1100cc Honda Shadows & VTX1300 which are enjoyable to own , FUN to Ride & easy to perform DYI maintenance on . Add the brawnier VTX 1800 BIG V-TWIN HONDA CRUISERS to the list too !
Cheers for watching mate 🙂enjoy the ride
Agreed with the VTX 1300 suggestion, easy to service at home with a few tools. I've owned over 50 bikes in my life but never has a bike like the VTX 1300 (C) encouraged me to put so many miles a day on it. Presently crossing Canada on mine.
Great video, biker for 45+yrs, my 2n was a honda cb500, had it for 8yrs, a sewing machine but hated the chain....my 3rd bike was/is a beamer, still have it; as you say only oil changing. Made few changes for all weather but use it on the road. Furthest was Maroc. Most work and maintenance can be done on a campsite and you don't need to drag a workshop with you. Talking about load, I enjoy it with my partner on the saddle too. Some other eastern europe bikes are also nearly indestructible, easy to maintain. Keep biking, its good for your health and your marriage!
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂Cheers for watching and happy riding.🙂
I agree! I have owned 2 -DL 650s and 4-KLR 650s and 1-DR 650. 👍🏻🙏🏻😀
I had a DR600 and a KLR600 th-cam.com/video/W7Sw0_Ib5ho/w-d-xo.html and i cant imagine not having my Vstrom now 🙂 great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I've an 06 V Strom 650, 89k on it and it runs the same as when it was new. Incredible bike, happy on a B road or a Motorway.
the Wee Strom always raises a smile 🙂
Kawasaki GT550/750 and air cooled BMW boxers go on forever.....Honda CX500 and Yamaha XJ 900, all good proven tough machines.
the old air heads do go Pretty damn well, cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Kwacker gt750 was worst bike ever owned bought it for shaft, so slow for 750
Courier bikes
@@keithrobinson686 is that Ketch? and yes, the VT500, CX 500 and a few others earned their stripes in the world of couriers :-) Cheers for watching mate 🙂 enjoy the ride
Yam XJ, absolutely. I've had three of them over the years and they are just indestructible!
Fantastic video thanks for making it. Being a 65 year old bike rider and enthusiast, l remember all these wonder bikes.
I'm not a fan of modern technology on bikes that loke like jet ski's, keep it simple, affordable and customisable 😊
Glad you enjoyed it! cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
And easy to maintain.
Thank you. I agree with the humble cub. And the vfr . Then again your whole list is acurate
🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. what were your favourite bits? were there any surprises? Ride Free 🙂
Another wonderful film! Keep them coming, my coffee breaks will never be the same again since I found you and your films👍😎
Welcome aboard mate, the next one will be a long coffee break lol, youll have to start making excuses for why your late back lol enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
Great video! ive owned most of these bikes in my 62 years, 48 of them on 2 wheels. My all time favorite bike tho would be the 76 DT175 which I owned in the 80s on Ascension island. Im currently riding a 2008 XT250, 1975 BMW R75/6, 83 XL650R (when I can kick her) and a 76 TT500.
I rode a mates TT600 quite a lot but not the 500, solid bikes, cheers for addng your bit
I’m 99% positive that final CD175 was One my father owned about 40 years ago in South Wales. He used to take the baffles out and loved to run it to its max. He replaced everything but those bakerlight brittle side panels. Thanks for the memory
:-) Cheers for watching mate and thanks for the comment, enjoy your weekend
Great list and one I’d definitely add is the Honda NC750X. Lots and lots of videos on TH-cam with people who have done over 250/300,000 miles on these without fault. Didn’t sell In as big numbers of some in this video but sure to become legendary. Oh and anything with Yamahas cp2 700 twin as this is showing the signs of being one of the most reliable engines ever made.
the NC750 has had a few comments made, being honest it flew under my radar a bit, im taking more notice after the comments 🙂
Without a doubt. My Nc750 is great on fuel, grunty on power and reliable plus the engine is very strong
@@Markdmarque 🙂 Cheers for watching, ride free
In 1981 I bought a 1980 Yamaha XT250 demo model from the dealer. I got my licence on it and road it hard all over British Columbia until 1989 when I finally got a car. All I ever changed was oil, filtres, tires, and exhaust resonator tip twice. I sold it to an RCMP officer who I'm sure put many more miles on it too. Best bike I ever owned.
great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
The subtitle predictive text was entertaining, honourable mention to the Yamaha FZS600 Fazer, I've had mine 19 years, ride it all year round and it's never let me down!
great bike, its been the Diversion thats actually come up more in the comments to be fair and yep, without the auto translate id have no time to do the subtitles but its not the best, glad it made you giggle though 🙂 🙂 Cheers for watching mate, Ride Free
Thank you for such an in-depth and down to earth video 👍👍👍 I know it's unpopular but my Honda NX650 "Dominator" (Honda's answer to the KLR650) has served me for more than 30 years without any major repairs. Jobs like new clutch, valve clearances, plug, re-jetting the carb (I moved up a mountain 🤪), recently putting on a bigger tank etc. are all easily done in an afternoon or less. We've grown old together and yes, it's a tractor, but I will never change it 🙂 p.s. check out the early "Marc travels" videos for an example (except mine is black).
A solid dependable old donkey of a bike. Cheers for watching mate, 🙂ride free
I had two and if they were still available new I would buy another. Great bikes.
Absolutely love the NXs!
Excellent list and video! I've owned three of the bikes in your top ten and love them all. At the moment I have a dusty 2008 DR650 in the garage that has accompanied me on many adventures over the past 13 years. A little maintenance now and then is all it asks. Next to it is a Royal Enfield 500 Classic boat anchor that's currently for sale, CHEAP. I don't care how "cool" a bike is, if you can't depend on it it's not worth having.
🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I learnt to ride on a CG. Great bike.
Currently riding an FJR13. Another very reliable bike that keeps on going😁
nice :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
Great job. You do know your motorcycles. My first was a 1973 CB 175 twin with 2 carbs. After 50 years riding,, bought a 2021 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Fireball. Mmmm back to the days. 😎
Cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
Another first-rate video! Keep up the great work, mate! Long may you run and as always: Ride Free!
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
I have ridden Yamaha FZR600 and FZR600R for many years and have had great service from them.
The 98 to 03 Fazer 600 has basically the same engine, but more accessible to maintain.
The old FJ1200 is another bomb proof Yamaha that goes on forever, although it is a bit thirsty compared to the economical FZR600.
the gen 1 FJ1200 is a lovely bike, love the rear end design on that one lol Cheers for watching 🙂 enjoy the ride
I had a 87 Fazer. Most sophisticated bike I ever owned.
@@samfeldman1508 for us that was the FZX 750, again that Genesis engine is a peach 🙂
CB 919 of early 2000's was one of my favorite overall bikes. Very reliable, never had to do anything but regular maintenance.
great bikes 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Previously owned
Sv650 s
Drz 400
V storm 650
Xlv700 ....and others Japanese bikes...
Currently DR 650 SE and GSX 1250 FA happy owner.
I'll always keep reliability in my mind when I choose my ride ..
Totally agree with you.
CHEERS from Italy
Hi Italy :-) Welcome. All great rides :-) Cheers for watching mate. Ride free
I still ride my 2003 KLR650 that I bought new, and it now has 81,000 miles. Had to rebuild the carb at 50,000, and that was really the only “major” repair. I’m kind of OCD with keeping it cleaned and maintained, so I’m sure that’s helped with longevity. I also have a 1972 CT90 that was my first road legal bike, that I bought in 1976, the year I could get my license. Took the car driving test, and motorcycle test on the same day. I was a nervous wreck!😂. I still use that little bike for town errands and light trails. It’s quite a conversation piece with other “old guys” whenever I park it at the market! Great video, by the way!
:-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free :-)
Original doohickey?
Great picks. I owned some of the bikes you mentioned.
(2) klr 650's
(2) Kawi Ex 500
Suz. 650 DL and 1000 DL ( I enjoyed the 650 for all round riding more so than 1000 ).
Plus many more over my 30 years of riding, now in my 50's I no longer ride. Lost my love for riding, plus the expenses of owning bikes has gotten very pricy and finally my neighbor being a paramedic always gave me the look. The look that says "the things I've seen in my career regarding motorcycles". So after 30 years of enjoyment it was time to close that chapter in my life. Now it's cycling, gym, ice hockey and more of an active lifestyle for me :))
Safe riding to all :)
I reckon ice hockey looks more dangerous than riding lol but if we all thought the same it would be a boring world mate, 🙂Cheers for watching mate. enjoy life, thats what matters 🙂
Hockey definitely is risky, but being a Canadian I do believe there's some immunity to injury lol (joking).
Yes finding that passion is what it's all about, agreed. @@barebonesmc
@@lv2keepfit493 have a great week my friend
lol or offrd
Absolutely adore my CG125, it's just taken me from Conwy to Ullapool via skye and Applecross 6 days non stop all on less than 140 quid in fuel ⛽ 😅
respect mate :-) cheers for watching , ride free
An awesome video. Thank you. After 40+ years of riding, I’ve either owned or at least ridden all bikes on this list. The old and new big thumpers will just keep going if the tractor life is what you’re after. The VFR-750 from the 90’s was a stand out for me. If you haven’t already put together a list of bikes from the 90’s till today or each decade, then this would be of great interest. Great work, recently subscribed. 👍😎🇦🇺
after doing this i did think i could have done it per decade, so it might be something i consider in future :-) :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
I have a dl 1000 v strom with 176000+ miles onit now...😮.....bought it on 21000 in 2007👍
@@evssv Thats a lot of riding 🙂 You have to love the Vstrom 🙂cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
@barebonesmc thks..bought it in 2007....short vid below
@@barebonesmc th-cam.com/users/shortsvIt23vZhYvc?feature=share
Still riding an XL250S 1981, just change the oil and check the chain tensioners regular. Moto Guzzi V7 should be on the list as a modern and only alternative to a Honda CX500.....very home serviceable, and shafts are better than chains. Honda Revere/NTV 650 was bullet proof, sold mine a few years back due to weight issues.(the bikes)
the NTV was a very underrated bike :-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
Talk about blast from.the past. Great video mate. A lot of these also featured on my list.
Cheers mate :-) Thanks for watching , ride free :-)
Honda CT/SL '70's? Whoops! I guess you covered that when you mentioned the early Honda Cub '50s and '90s. Never mind. Nice video.
great bikes,i featured them here th-cam.com/video/V2m6tF0rZKQ/w-d-xo.html 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I currently have 3 bikes, all on your list, one too many. Out of my dr650, sv650 and Versys 650 it’s the Kwaka I’m going to cull. It’s done 80k but had a weird fault with the (aftermarket ) blinkers not working in cold weather. Found the dodgy joint but that makes it the least reliable!
I’d add a vote for the CX500, then known as the “plastic maggot”. Of my steeds, it did the most miles with the least spannering. Shaft drive, so only needed spanners for tyre changes. Nothing ever went wrong. It sang like a canary and I rode it for miles and miles. It made way for another shaft drive vee twin. Moto Guzzi 1000. My all time favourite but it demanded love in the form of spanners.
I never liked the maggots to be fair, but they did prove themselves :-) as did the later VT500 Eurosport, another couriers friend 🙂 Cheers for watching mate 🙂enjoy the ride
@@barebonesmc Camchain tensioner used to go on CX500's. Used to do 1-1500 miles a week on mine when despatch riding.
@@soaruk3697 The CX500 was OHV, not OHC.
@@soaruk3697 being totally honest i just wasnt a fan of the maggots, i preferred the VT500 that came later but it had a few flaws too but was so much more nimble
@@johncallow22You're right that the CX was ohv, but an ohv still needs a camshaft to run the pushrods, usually driven by a gear. But in the case of the CX, by a short hyvo cam chain, hence the need for a tensioner which gave a lot of trouble and several factory recalls. Yes, you heard that right, Honda even managed to have camchain issues with an ohv engine 😅
I had A DR-650 and a KLR-650. I prefer the DR. Lighter, and runs up to 100mph easier. The KLR was twitchy above 70mph on dirt and the DR was rock solid stable. The DR with a bigger tank and different seat would be my pick to go around the world.
:-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
older klr is lighter n loq coold
@@TraveladvRajanSRai the older KR is still 50 pounds heavier than a DR
Whilst I generally agree with you on the Honda XL650, it does have one serious issue. Lots of them get scrapped purely because the Gbox output shaft strips. It can be prevented by a 'super pinion' front sprocket.
not an issue i knew about, was that all years or just at the start? if all years does it affect the Deauville, NTV and other engines too? 🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
I always come back to Honda eventually. Escaping NYC/ North Jersey on the weekends on my 81 Kawi 750 LTD, made for a long cold ride back from Upstate NY on Sunday nights in November. A low mileage 75 Honda GL1000 Goldwing with aftermarket Full Fairing Hard Bags and a Big Comfortable Seat solved All My Problems! After 5 weeks building Woodstock 94, I started craving something 'Sporty". I was looking for a Honda VF500f Interceptor for the back roads of the Catskill Mountains, couldn:t find one
My Lady remembered mentioning"Interceptor" and spotted one in the Albany paper. I borrowed a trailer and put some "Woodstock Cash" in my pocket and found what turned out to be an 84 Honda VF1000f Interceptor. It needed a little love, triple tree bearings and a new set of Bridgestone BattleAxe tires, but for $950, I had reliable, comfortable and to me, a Very Fast Sport Touring Machine that served me well for 16 years.The next Honda to come my way was found by My Mom! at a Yard Sale. Parked in a field for 15 years a 73 Honda CB200t caught my Mom's eye! $25 later she took the motorcycle and a Clean Title home! She stuck it in the garage and showed it to me the next time I stopped by. Drained the tank, popped in a new battery, pushed the starter button and it Immediately Started! I don't mean it turned over a few times and sputtered to life. One Revolution and it Started and held a Smooth Idle!!! 8 will say, that it wouldn't accelerate, the high speed jets needed cleaning. I shut it off and forgot about it until my friend Don saw it and Fell in Love with it! He kept asking what I wanted for it. I signed it over and told him" Just give it back when you are done with it! He commuted to his job at the VA Hospital on it , rain or shine for 2 years! When we made our Annual Run to Laconia in New Hampshire and camped at the track,he made the trip on the 200! One of the Manufacturers had a Dyno that the public could get a read out on their bikes for $20. The CB 200t made 14hp at the rear wheel! The crowd cheered louder for the little 200 than for all the monster Ninjas, Gsxr's , Hayabusa etc!
The CB200 was a cheeky little bike :-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
Great video! What bike exactly are you driving in the intro? The sound is spectacular!
Its a TDM, 850, but not me on that one lol, im not even that quick round a track 🙂 He is a very quick rider who knows the roads and his bike very well. balls of steel I would say lol
What a pleasure to see a TDM being enjoyed with a bit of enthusiasm. Definitely fly under the radar and startle a few sprot bike riders in the twisties. Love mine!
always the sleeper :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free
Hi, what about Yamaha XTZ 750 S10, might be reliable engine similarly as TDM 850?
My garage is getting renamed "The Last of Us". Late 2021 DL650 V twin..now replaced in by an inline twin.
CBR900RR 954, last of the Tadeo Baba designed 'blades.
Totally agree with your list. I guess good engineering, like wine, takes time to mature and be appreciated 😊
mine is full of first gen's lol, a series 1 Vstrom a series 1 EXUP first fuel injected 955i Daytona, aprilia Pegaso Cube ..... lol we just need everyone else to fill the middle of the lists :-)
A good list there, I’d like to add a vote in for the Honda NTV650 Revere, they are shaft drive so no chain maintenance, all the service items are easy to get at and work on and they are capable of high miles many on the road still with over a 100, 000 miles on the clock, I have one myself 28 yrs old and 92000 on the clock, one of the best bikes I’ve owned.
a very underrated bike, i had a shadow 600vlx that had the same engine block, they tune really well too :-)
@@barebonesmc Yes, pretty underrated, you mentioned the TDM900 another underrated bike, I had one before the NTV and all in all it was a very reliable bike, not quite as easy as the NTV to work on and I found it a tad too tall and too top heavy but a powerful and nippy bike nonetheless, so yes it deserves that place on the list.
Really I never had problems with the zzr 1100 (except breaks 😂) as long as you kept the oil level correct. I love them.
me too 🙂 Cheers for watching mate, ride free
Suzuki GSX750F I did 156.000 km and only had to replace the exhaust because of the wet climate in Ireland. Sold it to a young lad who kept driving it for god knows hoe long
😊😊 great story. And they are great bikes. Still cheap too 😊
Great video! While I agree with most of your choices, I would suggest adding the Kawasaki 550 GT to the list instead of the Gpz 500. The 550 GT had a reputation for covering high mileages without major issues and was a popular choice among couriers due to its exceptional reliability and ease of maintenance.
great bike, but the engine didnt last anywhere near as long if you consider the ER6 and Versys as the same engine block, but was that the engine later used in the Zephyr 550?
The GT was once popular among Courier riders.
In my time, I used BMW's K100RS.
Totally agree about the small capacity Hondas. I like the later Moto Guzzi 1100 Californias. Marmite styling but a doddle to run every day. Had a few and they never let me down.
they have their fans 🙂 Cheers for watching mate, Ride Free 🙂
I’ve had them all with no regrets , they’ll all do the distance with proper maintenance……. as far as preference / dependability & durability , I’m partial to my Moto Guzzi 1100i , took that beast at 2 up to every state in the Union on the continent , then to Europe (twice) from the UK to Turkey (Istanbul) and N.Africa , never missed a beat , even crisscrossing the Alps several times ……… . Priceless . Bottom line ; it ain’t what ya ride , it’s how ya ride .Im sure any of my bikes would have made it because I know my bikes , clean oil , no excessive RPM’S …… and no F’en pot holes …..….. basically that’s it .
There is a good number of BMW R80, R90 and so on who would take issue with your list!! However I enjoyed this video immensely for your most practical approach to the subject. I agree with all of them. I have a 1984 Honda VF750S which is still so beautiful but I absolutely hate working on it.
they already have lol, and the K series owners :-) Im not as up on the BMW's to be fair but the air heads probably should have got a mention 🙂 cheers for watching mate, enjoy the ride
Hello here and cheers for the video. Very well made I believe and awesome commenting.
As far as I'm concerned, I've had quite a few bikes myself and reliability wise, the late 80s early 90s Yamaha XJ series are what I would call bulletproof. Ticked over 200 000kms on the ol 900, checked the valves... Nothing moved... Doesn't eat oil... Maybe change your clutch cable every 100k kms as they tend to wear and get stuck but that's about it. Regular maintenance will keep it alive forever and I think that it's a very under rated bike. Pretty easy to work on too
after the Air Heads the XJ 9 has probably been the next most commented about bike. there will be more to come and im sure it will get a mention somewhere :-) 🙂cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
@@barebonesmc cheers mate. And you as well 👍
@@simonvigouroux2462 i got a bit of a ride out so all is good 🙂
Yamaha 1200 Super Tenere should be on the list. Very under stressed engine and driveline so a number of them now have over 200,000 miles.
they are a great bike, ive featured them somewhere in one of the ADV bike videos im sure :-) the XTZ750 too somewhere, both great bikes
Great list, and as much as I love my DL650 I have to admit the Honda club is the perfect doomsday machine. 👍
i think thats one nobody can argue with :-) cheers for watching mate :-) ride free
Only the older ones. The new Super Cub has an electronic key. I doubt it will last ten years. The replacement cost for the plastic rear fender in the USA is $400. Get the Trail 125 over the Super Cub.
Good list, 100% agree with the cub, and I would add it's relative the ct110 postie bike. No list is complete without the Suzuki GS500 however. Simple air cooled twin cylinder, carbs, low stressed engine. A more obscure entry would be the Yamaha Scorpio 225. Any bike that sells in large numbers in Asia is probably reliable and repairable. 👍🇦🇺
true words mate :-) Cheers for watching mate, and enjoy the ride :-)
I'd have to add 1970's Air-cooled 2-Strokes to any " last days" motorcycle collection. I'm especially fond of every Yamaha from the DT1 thru the DT 400. The way the "power band" kicks in , It's a hoot & extremely exciting ! Even the little 80 & 100 cc models are fun to ride. They seem to still be relevant , as I do see them cruising around more frequently & of lately they're fetching top $ on the auction market in pristine reconditioned condition.
indeed, prices are getting silly now, they were great bikes though, Cheers for watching mate 🙂enjoy the ride
The DTs will self destruct if you rerv them too high; my DT350 needed rebuilt at 25K miles.
@@tdgdbs1 It's a two stroke, 25k miles is rather good, rebuilds are quite easy and cheap. A 4 stroke making the same horsepower per cc, needs rebuilt just as often, but it generally costs 5x as much.
I had a DT400 and my first bike was an RT360, the RT had a decompression lever for starting and if you didn't get it right you could end up with a leg injury:-)
@@tonyjourneyman1944 my old DR 600 tried that trick a few times lol :-) Cheers for watching mate, ride free 🙂
Keep up the great work mate , we are on the same wavelength for sure , I have owned many of your mentioned bikes or similar variants , TRX 850 etc . Bought a Honda CL500 6 weeks ago and am fabricating a fully enclosed chaincase as on the old stepthroughs ( plus scottoiler ) , so as to be able to lubricate the chain without it spraying oil all over the back wheel , no mainstand on CL500 to aid chain maintenance, bike is proving to be a good allrounder, many thanks .
glad you enjoyed it mate. the TRX is a stunning bike, only now becoming more appreciated 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel and the website too, let me know what you think. hope youll climb aboard. We do have a great bunch as subscribers and i can thoroughly recomend reading some of the comments too, some funny and most informative too. Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂