The 10 coolest vintage motorcycles for under 5k
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- These are some cool vintage motorcycles that won't break the bank
📚Check out my Children's Motorcycle Book!
rb.gy/bdh14b
Support the channel!
☕ www.buymeacoffee.com/bartcycle
Subscribe for more Motorcycle content! ➔ tinyurl.com/ybuffutr
📷 INSTAGRAM ➔ / bart.cycle - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 68 | คู่เอก "พระจันทร์ฉาย vs โจนาธาน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/F3IM3w-XchI/mqdefault.jpg)
My Uncle worked at a Honda dealership when the SL125 came out. He got a great deal on one, in the crate, because it was missing the carb & had a dent in the gas tank. Fixed it & seven boys learned to ride a larger bike with a clutch, after we graduated from a 1969 Mini Trail 50. A great all purpose bike,
Honda.xl 350
I stumbled on these cool videos over the weekend. I started riding when I was 13... I'm 81 now and still riding. I knew many of these bikes when they were new. Thanks for all this!!
You sound like my late Danish friend who rode to about your age as you. God bless and enjoy your riding.
Jorma, are you the musician from Hot tuna?
Indeed. Vroom.
11th Yamaha SX 650 Twin ! It was their first big four cycle engine motorcycle introduced into the states and sold in the states from 1969-1983. The after market possibilities were wonderful as well.
Yes. And they run forever with good maintenance. The engine was built to last. Ball bearings everywhere.
I've had a bunch of classic bikes in the past few years.
The most fun for the buck I think are the 175cc Hondas. CB175, CL175, CD175. Very reliable and very easy to work on. A lot like the CB125 but with more power. 80MPH and still 80MPGs!
Small twin pistons so there is next to no vibration.
Lastly the sound is something else. Highly recommend these to anyone.
I had a 1968 175 scrambler, tangerine color and it was a lot of fun and could beat most cars off the lights and go on off road trails as well. Great time to be a kid.
The Yamaha XS2 and really any XS650 from 72-83 are excellent bikes. They are a good sized bike and have a very sweet 360 degree twin 44-53 hp engine. The XS2 likely has 53 hp as it was the most powerful with a nice rowdy cam that the EPA required to be tuned down in 1973. I had an XS2 and it was at least 50 hp and they were exhilarating to ride.
I really liked your short where you took your daughter for her first ride on the triumph 500. I did the exact same thing with my daughter when I was about your age and she was about your daughter‘s age. Pretty much had the same results as you did! Very cool. Fast forward to today, my daughter is 30 years old and loves motorcycles and she blames it on me lol
I love the Daytona. My only issue is they got rid of the "pea shooter" mufflers for the "megaphone" types. the pea shooters are way cooler. I had a T100C (1970) for many years and love it. I now have an A65 BSA. Beautiful and fun to ride (as long as you don't need to stop quickly haha)
Really really awesome channel. I’m super glad I discovered it. Your content is right up my alley and the way you talk about your topics is very informative and relaxing. You make me want to keep listening and pay attention. I definitely subscribed. Keep up the good work.
I’ve got a Yamaha SR500, 1978 (first year, at least in the states) and I got it for I think $2300. It’s basically the bike that got Yamaha to start moving away from two strokes and getting into street bikes. It’s a very important model in their history, and it has basically been in production up until a couple years ago. The modified it (I think stroke) to 400cc and at some point added fuel injection, but otherwise fundamentally the same bike. They’re absolutely great, they’re fun to ride, and they’re so simple it’s really rewarding. Slightly heavy, but still fantastic. It’s a big single, so it’s not smooth really, but I feel like that’s part of the charm.
i've had 2 of the old SR's. a 78 and an 81. if ya flooded it trying to get it started best find a big hill, coast down, pop it into 2nd drop the clutch. or you could spend the next half hour and wear out yer leg with the kick starter. yamaha ruined it when they made it into a 400. they also made a SR250. same bike, smaller engine.
@@tzackaria7 - No need for the big hill, just take out the plug, dry it with gas lighter and it will fire right up. Never open the throttle on SR-500 when kick starting, also only choke when cold. Never had much problem getting mine started, I have owned my '81 since 1988. Great handling bike that is used by flat track racers and was designed by Kenny Roberts for his fun trail bike when he was riding for Yamaha.
I'm actually looking into getting an SR500 sometime soon, but I'm wondering if it's fine for taller folks, I'm about 196 cm (6'4''), do you think I might be a bit uncomfortable, or would I probably fit fine?
I think 60's or 70's Honda CBs are great first vintage bikes. When I looking for my first bike a few years ago I really wanted an old Triumph but a motorcycle mechanic told me to start with an old Honda if I wanted vintage... then get the Triumph once I had acquired some mechanical know-how. I found a 1975 CB750 on Ebay that I paid 2 grand for. It doesn't have the stock paint job or stock 4 into 4 pipes, but it's a nice-looking, clean bike that runs great. Last year I finally got my Triumph, a 1964 TR6. I saw it pop up locally on Marketplace for 5 grand so I had to jump on it. (Seems like the good deals are always thousands of miles away… so after shipping costs they’re not as good a deal. It's nice when they're local.)
Honda single cams have way easier valve adjustments than the later twin cams with shims from Honda and the other manufacturers
I started out on a tiny honda SS50 but that beast packed a ton of power and made me fell in love with motorcycles
One seriously overlooked series of bikes were the Honda 400/450 twins from 1978-1986: Hawk, Hondamatic, Nighthawk 450, Rebel 450, etc. Available in standard and cruiser variants. Standard or automatic. Plenty of power, parts are easy to find, typical Honda reliability...and best of all? Cheap! :)
yep he missed one
My early motorcycle days in the late 1960's, I was a fan of Japanese 2 strokes. In particular, my brother & I had a 1971 Yamaha 200 twin. With 2 strokes, you don't need too many speed parts to make them more powerful. We tweaked the ports, installed 2 larger carbs from 125 Suzuki single. Changed transmission gear ratios & a racing clutch (stock clutch slipped). Fabricated expansion chamber exhaust pipes & it was as fast as a stock Yamaha RD 400 (lighter weight too) .
Pffft, no way that contraption was equivalent to the GOAT , sorry. 👍🇨🇦
My first motorcycle was a 71 Yamaha 200. Two cycle, purple and white gas tank. It was super reliable.
Then I sold it and got a 76 RD 350.
I got my 1970 CB450 for $2k and it’s exactly like you said about the 500: runs easily, fun to ride, and perfectly usable in modern traffic. Amazing for a bike that’s over 50 years old.
What do you think about the size? I'm on the longer side, and am a little worried I wouldn't fit, or might look ridiculous.
@@alecnull it’s not a very big bike. I’m 5’8” and it fits me ok but if I were much taller it probably wouldn’t work well. I also only use it around town for short, low speed trips.
@@alecnull you may look towards the 650 or 750 sized bikes. I got a cb650 and its amazing.
Motorcycles from my youth l do remember these motorcycles make me feel old l wished you had featured more suzukis
I had a GS750. Loved that bike! Some friends had the GT's with Ram Air 😅. Don't see them at all these days. Market is focused on RD's and trilpes. I remember Zukis' known for their enduros and MXer's
I have an original 79 GS1000L. I love it. When new it was briefly the fastest thing on the road. Today it's a well balanced easy to ride bike that runs on regular gas with good power for 2-up riding but nothing spectacular. It only goes 137 and can do 11 sec 1/4 miles.. Amazing how 40 years of development and changing perspective can turn a widow maker into a docile cruiser.
@@perrycalabrese3475 the GS750 was the gem of the GS series. I had a GS500 for a long time and I loved it. I still have my GS1000L and love it. Suzuki gave the most value for the money back in the air cooled days.
I would love to ride a GS450 from the 1970's. Today's equivalent of a Royal Enfield twin but totally reliable. I like riding a 40HP twin cyl or general purpose bike by myself. I never ride in groups. Begging for crashes.
All the roller crank fours. Best of their kind. Handling etc. I've looked for a GS400 or 450 for my wife, but no joy. In Canada they had 8 valve heads on 400s.
I have owned three Sportsters, a '74 a '79 and a '85. These were all very reliable and all were iron heads. If the manetanance was kept up they were just as reliable as my 1969 Bonneville. Good video.
My first motorcycle was a Sears/Gilera 124 circa 1967. Sears sold tons of them and they look a lot like the Gilera in this video. They were 4 stroke singles with five speed transmissions and could make 60mph easily.
When I was young I had an early 70's Honda 550four. It looked a lot like my brothers early 70's 750four. It didn't feel that much smaller. But it was a bit, maybe more then a bit slower then his 750. But I loved that 550four.
4:38 That’s the exact bike I learned to ride on in 1974. It was an ex GPO (Post Office) bike that was used by the motorcycle training school run by the local bike club, but not registered for the road. So we rode it like crazy all over a disused barracks, including a rough section where we did some trials riding. Beautiful little thing.
That Triumph T100 is a work of art.
I once bought a 175 Bantam when I was 14 with my pocket money plus a little bit made by gardening. It was in scrambles trim as well with knobblies, plastic mudguards and motocross bars. Three speed box if my memory serves me and great fun off road.
Wow, thanks for the video. I really enjoyed driving my CB 750 four during the early 70's.
I have a mint 71 Shovelhead that I bought new. Dating myself I know.
AMF actually saved Harley-Davidson by upgrading their plants that had not received any Renovations since 1952. Where AMF got a bad rep was they did not Harden the valve seats and guides to compensate for the unleaded fuel that came onto the market.
many problems surfaced relating to that. By 1976 all the bugs were worked out.
As far as the old Harleys leaking oil , that was usually the chain oiler. If you kept up on your preventative maintenance, one had no problem.
My first bike was a BSA 441 Victor.
We called them "half a Harley"
My first 'big' bike was a Honds CB500T and I loved it. We loaded it up for camping trips many times. It was comfortable and went well two up and all our gear.
I can't remember why I sold it but I bought another quite soon after. I never see them mentioned anywhere these days.
Many years ago a friend gave me a Honda CJ250. Great little bike for commuting to work but it finally gave up.
I still ride but keep my bikes for a very long time now.
Here in the US we got the CJ360, but it was only sold here in 76 and 77. I put a hotter cam and a glass-pack muffler on mine and it was almost as fast as my friend's RD350. I could usually stay ahead of him leaving a stop sign up to about 45 mph, which really annoyed him LOL!
CJ250 was a great little bike. Had one in the mid 80's, lot of fun.Not fast but prett chuckable in corners and reliable.
I had a 69 500 Triumph Trophy in early 1976. Promptly got hit by a pickup shortly afterward! Still riding ! Also had an ironhead sporty a couple years later. You know your bikes, very cool!
Great information.. never too old to ride. I'd just received my drivers permit in the summer of 1971, so my parents bought me a new candy-apple red 1971 Honda 175 SL ($686) ..been riding ever since.
I had 3 CB 500 Four, it's a wonderful motorcycle even when it just awakes in high engine speed ... but you are right, it's nice to just cruise around with it ... Anyway, still have a beautiful Yamaha XT 250 from 1983 which is one of the last motorcycles hold in that beautiful design of the 1970s. :)
In March I saw and fell in love with a 62 triumph tiger cub trials. A friend had restored it and had to get it certified from triumph as it had never been on the Rd, then dvla registered with a cool number plate.
I paid £3,500 and she is so cool 😎
Taken it to bike nite on the seafront a few times this summer and gets a lot of attention, a lot of guys reminiscing about owning one in the 60's and looking back with fond memories. She is tiny but so cool 😎👍
Best 70's bike I had was the 400/4 that I bought in 1996 and was 19 years old.
It was the only Japanese multi I rode that handled.
Hey man, I rode my Daytona winter and summer through college . Great bike and put many miles on it. Top for me was 110, laid down, because I was a Linebacker/Fullback. Lol Love the Vid for a 74 yr old, brings back memories.
Had a 72 SL 350 in the mid 80s .
I've had many bikes and it as capable off road as it is on road .
It's in the ranks of my slowest bikes , it's also in the ranks for the highest torque.
Thing would climb a wall if you could hold onto it.
I loved the SL350s, especially the later ones that were a bit lighter with the double cradle frame , 21" front wheel, slide carbs, and no electric start. I remember going to a motocross race once in the early 70s and two guys from the local Honda dealership showed up on shiny brand new SL350s that appeared to be completely stock. Everybody was laughing at them until one of the guys took the lead and held off all the Huskies and CZs and Maicos for several laps until he fell landing in a muddy patch over a jump. He got back on and managed to regain some of his lost ground by the end of the race. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
Thanks.
My first big bike was a 1982 sohc Honda CB 650 Night Hawk . I was running it back in the day next to my Kawasaki KH 250 triple.
I had to sell the triple at short notice..My parents wanted it out of the Garage.
So it went for £4:00 . Sad because it was worth much more. Today it’s would be worth ALOT.
Last week I saw another82 650 Honda and bought it for low money…They are a good buy , Reliable, quick , and good looking. Go for the 82 if you can.
I restore vintage motorcycles mostly Japanese and British, and the easiest ones to find parts for by far are the British. Lots of suppliers and specialty shops and you can get readily available and reasonably priced parts. If you want to get into a vintage bike consider doing a fix up on an older model. You will save on the initial cost and probably the over all cost plus you get to know your machine and other people who are into the vintage scene. These older bikes were built with the intent that the owner would be doing the service work on them and so are pretty simple to work on with basic tools and a manual. The undeserved bad reputation that they had as far as reliability goes came from the absence of maintenance on the part of their owners. This is the big reason that the Japanese bikes were such a hit; no tools required. It isn't YOUR bike 'till you work on it! Tim.
Yes. Considering that classic original Commandos are still in production at Norvil, and new heads are available from Austrailia too, and tanks and side covers pre painted from India, Yes. Main stream brit bikes are easy to own relatively.
Recycling retro is the new cool 😎
You showed an XLCH Sportster with a magneto. One of my older brother's friends bought on NEW. One evening when it was over at our house, it was kicked by the 4 or 5 guys who were with my brother. It was still in our driveway the next morning. Not saying it was a bad bike, but it was hard to start that day. In my opinion, Suzuki's GS series, starting with the GS750 of 1976, through the 1978 through 1980 GS1000 (Second 11 second bike in Cycle World, the Dunstall Norton 810 the first). The GS series was make or break for Suzuki. The public and less importantly the EPA were turning against the two strokes. The Wankel was doing for Suzuki what it did for Arctic Cat and NSU. The GS750 turned that around. Best handling, quickest 750 and most bullet proof. It transformed club racing incredibly durable with the two stroke like crank shaft. The GS line absorbs abuse really well. The shaft drives are really cheap. They have little shaft effect. I've had to GS850Gs ridden over to me by the seller to pick up their $600. Cross the country on a $600 bike? GS850 will not provide the drama. After 2 GS850Gs and a GS1100G to my brothers for tours around the PNW We did a 5000+ trip to Maine. Love those bikes. Read a road test from when they were new, and you will not find faint praise. Just better than any other mass produced competition in its market in that period, except some of the electrics.
Of course, for me, every bike is a touring bike. We avoid controlled access highways, but good roll on power from 70 or so miles per hour is a must.
imgur.com/gallery/PfYHfzw
In 1976 I bought a brand new Triumph Bonneville 750 for $1995. Loved it and rode it all through college.
I had a 1972 Honda CB500 in the late 70’s. Went to Stuges SD from Des Moines Ia in 1979. Also my first motorcycle was a Honda CL 125 that had the high muffler. I think it was called a Scrambler.
There's no reason to exclude the Kawasaki, Yamaha, & Suzuki motorcycles from the same time periods. Personally, I think the modern Royal Enfield motorcycles with fuel injection & ABS are quite appealing for their price point. Regardless, I prefer the classic look of older bikes.
cheers
Agreed. I like the classic Kawasakis cross the board. 2 strokes have their drawbacks but the suzuki ts400 is an awesome bike to me.
Yes there is. There are only ten places in the top ten!
I would think a Yamaha XS650 would hit all the marks one would want in a classic bike.and still be fast enough to use on modern roads.
@@mbsnyderc And the specials are just absolutely beautiful.
The CB 500 does truly intrest me. The CB 750 was a wonderful machine but always too heavy and with a high seat was always a handful at slow speeds for a short rider.
Go for the CB550, they are so much better than the 500 which was a bit of a slug.
I bought a 175cc Bantam for £10 pocket money when I was a young teenager. It was in Scrambles trim, plastic mudguards, knobbly tires etc. 3 speed transmission on right side, the speedo was out but it perhaps topped out at 45 or 50mph. We road it down a disused railway line.
Got my third bke ever for a grand, my 79' CB750K, and lordy what a dream. My uncle and dad thought i wouldn't like it as my being used to more on/off bikes but wow, i adore everything about it. As smooth as my XR is and whatnot, the Cb is truly perfect in my opinion. sure it's rough on the back roads but i love the character and it's the best sounding bike imo
Ay similar story, picked up a 81 kz750h for a grand too lol
@@andrewthag hell yeah
Of course I prefer the 'Sport", but that was a breakthrough for Honda. They had been resting on their laurels for nearly a decade.
My first bike I owned was an SL 125. Same silver. Loved that bike.
This video is a blessing. I’m a poor dude who’s looking at getting my first bike and I really only like the vintage styles. Ever see the Janus motorcycles? They’re out of this price range but with absolutely gorgeous vintage style
The definitions of vintage, classic and retro are really variable, it seems.
When it comes to bikes, I think pre-WW1 is veteran, WW1 to WW2 is vintage, post-war is Classic, 70s and 80s are retro and anything after that, but not new, is just 'old' hehe.
I don't know, but once bikes got to a certain point of performance and quality, they seem to not really be different enough to classify.
Maybe I'm just showing my age, but pretty much all late 80s and later bikes seem 'modern' to me. They all out-perform the roads they ride on by a large margin. Unless you race them on a track, the differences for decades are pretty much immaterial apart from them becoming safer and more reliable?
I love you picked the handsome Gilera. Beautiful Italian bike.
When we were kids dad bought us a brand new xl70 ? It had been stolen and found on a mudflat with the front guard missing. We bought it cleaned it up and put on a cheap plastic front guard. We had more fun on that bike than any other bike we ever owned. Always started even after leaving it fill up with water for 3 months. Took the plug out squired the water out and drained just the water out of the sump if I recall right so long ago. Kicked it a few times and off it went. What a great bike the 125 got to be even better. We learned so much on it and went on to race bikes motocross and rally. 2 stroke 80's every second meeting had to replace the rings then very quickly needed boring lol then very quickly ran out of factory oversizes and had to go pricey wiseco pistons. left me wishing for an xr80 but they just were not quick enough. Would be a nice one to have now. I think they would be rare.
I remember going to a motor cycle shop in the mid 1960's where they sold Triumphs & Hondas. All the NEW Triumphs had pans under them to collect the oil that leaked from their engine cases. The floors under the Hondas were spotless (no drip pans needed). Perhaps that was the beginning of the end of the British motorcycle business?
Electric start, oil was cheap.
@@fawnlliebowitz1772 The point is quality. Hondas were better made to prevent oil leaks
@@burkestorti4586 Leakin Limeys were a lot more fun to ride. Electric start killed the industry in England.
I worked on a lot of Honda engines in the early 70s for competition use. For me the big difference between the Japanese and U.K. bikes then, was the density of the cast aluminium on the Hondas. (I think they were cast under quite high pressure) so there was absolutely no porosity In the castings. An absolute dream to machine thus much finer tolerances achievable…
I have a CB900 Custom now. It's a really nice bike to have. No complaints. Powerful and reliable and has 10 speed transmission
milder cams and smaller carbs than the stock CB900
The CB125 was my first bike. Bought it from a colleague, who had also used it to get to work. I agree, a great little motorcycle. And quick.
First bike I ever rebuilt the engine on, got it as a non-runner for cheap and spent several weekends stripping it down, cleaning it up and rebuilding it with the Haynes manual. Once it was running I never had a problem with it and it was the perfect bike to learn to fix bikes on - so simple.
born in 62 a late starter into that hobby but I love it. Among two modern bikes and a vespa I bought a cb125k5 and a xs400special I modified to a scrambler.
Honda CB125 was my first bike. I loved it so much. My dad used and and it got me through college.
Good one Bart !. Also Yamaha RD 250, or RD 350, or RD 400. Also Kawasaki H1 500, or H2 750. Grab any one of these and keep it original (no cafe racers. No hack jobs) they ALL appreciate !!!
I love my Honda Hawk CB400T. I restored it from the frame up......have a windshield...installed a tiny Tac...and resproketed it so I don't rev so high at 50 or 60 and have been riding it for over 20 years. I get more comments than many people that have newer bikes. I got rid of the old twin pipes with the heavy balance chamber and installed straight Mac pipes.
Those are very great bikes. The 3 valve heads made good power. The counterbalancer smoothed out the vibration. The 360 degree crankshaft made a nice sound like a British bike. Totally under rated.
Hard to argue with those picks considering I have owned 3 of the bikes listed:
5:49 Triumph 200 cc Tiger Cub (street version) in blue.
6:48 Triumph 500 cc Daytona, 1973, in red/white (similar to that shown at 8:06 but with a more vibrant red). Best looking and, with Dunstall exhausts, sounding bike ever IMHO.
10:15 Honda SL125 in silver/red (like the one at 10:37 but with the high exhaust like that shown on the green one at 10:31).
I started off with a Yamaha 50 cc two-stroke. However, not too surprising that did not make your 10 coolest list. 😉
i would love to get one of these one day
The Honda 305 was an awesome looking bike and performed very well
They really were making bikes "that people wanted to buy". Im 32 and im constantly eyeballing the 60s and 70s bikes because there is no available modern equivalent that appeals to me. Maintenance is part and parcel of the motorcycling experience to me.
I bought a BSA Bantam 125cc from 1952 (2 years older than me) together with a friend for 12 SA Rand from one of our teachers an the beginning of our last year in high school back in 1972. Apparently the magneto was faulty. We pushed it home 6 km (3.7 miles), what a bitch the hill on the West Street was! But we were young and full of gung-ho! I had previously bought a Puch 50cc moped 2 gear a few years previously for 6 SAR so we were not completely inexperienced. When we finally arrived home, we cleaned the carburetor and set the points, put some 2 stroke mix in the tank and pushed it around the garden - - BANG BAANG BAAANG!! What a JOY! We drove it on the back roads and fields (illegally of course) then spent our time stripping it down and chroming (thanks to Mom for paying for that) and spraying the bike iridescent green (thanks to a friend of my father). Just before the end of our last year I passed my motorcycle license test and drove it to school. Our teacher was blown away! ! drove the bike daily to university for 4 years. One of the events that I remember was a trip with friends, we changed bikes and a friend was on the Bantam when the silencer fell off - he took off like a shot! It had so much more lower end power! After that I made a small modified silencer which I took off whenever I was on the motorway. After university I went up to Johannesburg, over 500 km away, where I worked for 2 years before buying a car to follow my second great passion: hang gliding - which I have been doing for 47 years now.
With the minimum of tools I could strip the Bantam down at the side of the road and repair it, it was so trustworthy and simple - KISS - keep it simple and stupid!
My first bike was a 71 Honda 100 on off. I had lots of fun with it.
I had a Honda 500 4 in 1976.........scrap on wheels..........it was heavy.......it was fitted with a Marshall 4 into 1.......even in the 70's the exhausts were over a grand.........and lasted about three years.....big money when youre an apprentice........the 400 4 was a lot nippier ....My pals rode RD 350....very quick..........another had an H1E.......the nearest thing to a magic carpet you could get.......but 20 m.p.g............another had a KH250........a ghost of the original .S1.......The Z1 was king of the road.......but was left for dead when the GS1000came out........great vids by the way
Hated myHonda 550, or whatever it was. Metal flake gold like a bass boat otr a drum set. Heavy slow nd really heavy. Compared to my Commando it was a bad heavy smell. I think it was some kind of trading deal. Don't remember why I had it.
My first bike was a CB125S.Like a lot of my bikes I wish I still had it 😀
These videos are my favourite on the channel
I remember years ago, going after an older '60's era Sportster, I discovered it had a weak corner on the transmission case. This was on the working side of the bike. After a few years of riding, the corner of the transmission case would fatigue literally fall off. A construction flaw. If you caught early enough, you can get it welded back in. Downside is, like most bikes, it featured used unitized construction. Meaning both engine and transmission were the same case so everything had to be taken apart.
Got a 72 honda cl350 and a 76 honda cb750!!! Both are awesome bikes. I also got a 71 yamaha A1 175cc which is a fun little dirt bike. It's nice to be able to work on them compared to motorcycles today
I would probably rather have an AT-1 or DT60 than ANY Mini Trail
Great video. 👍😎👍My buddy has a Mid 70’s Honda since well Mid 70’s lol Still a Super Cool bike today…for sure!
I once owned a Triumph Daytona 500! Not considering the incessant oil leaks, it was a great bike. I miss it.
Enjoying your videos! Which one of these do you think have the most readily available parts? I would guess the CB500s?
Not really sure if it counts. But my dream old-bike is a honda magna from the 80's. That V4 is amazing, definitely looking for the 700 or 750 model. I don't like the revived version they did in the mid 90's.
80's ones seem to be between $2000-$3000
I have an 82, it's always run perfectly
Had a vf700f, close cousin, same beautiful motor. Get one!
I found a nice '84 Magna 700 last summer, and have been riding it ever since.
It's a beautiful bike, reliable, and very fun to ride!
Get one if you can, you won't be sorry.
I liked the Sabre version, same motor, same speed, and same acceleration with a great exhaust note.
All cool bikes. Some mid 70’s BMWs can be had for a similar amount and really can go long distances
The reason the early Honda's (and all the other makes) ran so smoothly is because they were correctly jetted/fueled. Thats not to say fuel injection couldn't be every bit as good (maybe better?), the problem with most modern bikes is they are fuelled so lean they often run badly.
I had a CB 550F. Great bike, loved it, it wasn't the best at anything, but was excellent at everything, and it was reliable.
Had a 77 for 10 years, loved it. Bought from a buddy for $600 with rusty pipes, put a header on it, lasted 10 years.
BMW airheads - R80 R100 from the late 70's can be had all day long for under $5000. Bikes will go forever, smooth riding. Have 2 airheads. Do like the 70's Triumph. Have under $5000 in my 1979 Bonneville 750. After 1976 it is left hand shift, disc brakes. Very pleasant to ride.
OK... I'm a long-retired dealer, so my opinions are based on experience, not something I saw online or read in an old magazine. 1) I'd stay away from the Sportster because it's not much to ride, the parts are expensive and it's a magnet for thieves; it's also hard to find good ones for cheap. 2) ANY older Honda should work because you can almost always find mechanical parts and they are dependable; this is mostly true of Yamahas/Suzukis/Kawasakis as well, but there are simply more Hondas. 3) The little old English bikes are NOT dependable, and parts are hard to come by. 4) The 250cc Triumph/BSAs are pretty, but SLOW and parts are pricey and hard to find. 5) You will probably NOT find a nice Daytona for under $5K, and (again) parts are pricey and getting harder to find. 6) If you REALLY want something for which there are NO parts, buy a Gilera. And I hope you love it, because it will be HARD to sell. 7) Better than a 250RR is an Interceptor 500, faster and cheaper and easier to find parts. 8) If you want an SL, get a 350, which is faster and smoother...or find an XL350, which is a really nice, simple bike that is freeway-legal. 9) If you really have to have an old CB, stick to a 350 twin or a 450 if you can find a clean one. Both are FAR better than the tiny single and you can actually ride one 100 miles without dying of boredom. 10) Any old 650 Yamaha or RD350/400 (not LC) is a great choice as they're reliable and fun to ride and the RDs have splendid handling and brakes.
Although built in England the BSA Bantam was actually a German design - the DKW RT125. Blueprints of the design were taken up by BSA as part of the reparations following World War 2. There were also Russian and American versions of the design but the Bnatam was the most successful variant.
Yes Harley Hummer has that same motor but you won't find one under 5k
I had a ‘71 Triumph 650 Tiger T110. My favorite bike.
I recommend the yamaha sr500. This one lunger in its day was quick, modern engine parts like cam,piston and some headwork can make twin cylinder power out of it. All with the simplicity of one carburetor, one intake valve, one exhaust valve. One piston-etc etc.
There probably aren't many left, but an old Suzuki GT 550 made a fun bike ride back in the 70s also.
I have a CJ360T in my garage, it’s been sitting there for oh my God 20 years. I think this summer is the time for me to get her going, if that’s gonna be possible. I used to ride way back in the day, but know zero about bike maintenance. We shall see…
Had a 1972 Yamaha 250 DS7 2 stroke twin, that was a quick little bike. In 1973 the RDs came out and they were even better.
BSA C15 Star 250 would,ve been a good call also ! enjoyed the video :-)
Thats all I ride. I have a 69, & a 74 Honda, a 79 Triumph, and a 70 BSA. Keep them rolling! 😃
I liked the CB 125, but I LOVED my 185 Twinstar.
Back in 1994, I got a 75 Honda CB 750 four, for 750 bucks. Needed cleaning, had a little rust but cleaned up to look almost mint. It had 1 ding in the tank side from falling over in a garage. Only dent on it. I had to get side cover badge's but that was about it. The oldest bike I had was a 72 Suzuki GT 500 two stroke. I rode it from 1978 to 1989. That's when I got the Honda. I paid 250 for the Suzuki. I sold it for 1000 . I've never had a new bike I sold the Honda in 2007 for again 1000. It sat in a shed for several years while I rode the 94 VMAX. So the Honda got a little funky thats why i sold it cheap. I just bought a 2005 triumph Bonneville T 100 for 3000. It only had 18000 miles on it and is in mint condition too. It's not as quick as the 750 was, but it's fine. You can find older bikes for around 5 thou. Condition all different. Depending on how maintained they were.
Keep lookin. Maybe you'll find something old, clean and well taken care of.
I still own my first bike that I bought in 1976 - a 1974 CB750 I've restored it back to stock front end, and stock seat. Still trying to locate original orange metalflake side covers ( never customize paint )!
Also have a 1976 CB750. Need to change out the extended front end, and king\queen seat. The rest is original.
About 10 years ago I lucked out and bought a complete 750 engine in perfect shape for a couple hundred bucks. If I ever ( and I doubt it ) have a problem I've got any parts I might need, or just swap out the engine!
And last but not least - a 1982 Honda Passport 70cc step thru.
Maybe I'm lucky live in Indonesia and had a little know later mechanic thing,I just got an gt 380,1974,from original owner for $2000,full paper and run good...just buy from the owner, dealership will add 200-300%price,just be patient when you looking for one
The BSA Bantam is actually a copy of the pre war german DKW RT98. HD and Yamaha made copies too.
Not really a copy. It is the real thing in a different factory, like the first Yamaha. According to what I have read, Royal Enfield, real not India, started copying the DKW before the end of WWII. Had to do with the Nazis and the religion of a distributor somewhere in Northern Europe.
I think a couple bikes you missed are the bridgestones from 68-71 the 175,200, and 350 twin are all fantastic little 2 strokes and the 100 is awesome because for Enduro it has a factory quick change sprocket
One of the best motorcycles ever built and very affordable is a Rickman 125 Zundapp. Great still off road and many can be street legal. A model of the bike in the seventies was used as a police interceptor. None better.for price and reliability and parts are still produced, even body panels. 😎
I wish I were younger, so that I could ride again. Stay young folks. Time flies by!
I rode a 70’s era Suzuki 380 with a 6 speed transmission when I started riding. I now ride. ‘’98 Honda Valkyrie I bought in Michigan where I live for $5500. It had only 26,000 original miles. I’m completely sold on Honda’s box six engine. This bike is a rocket ship! Kinda heavy for some probably but completely reliable.
Lovely old bikes. My dad had a 1959 Triumph Tiger Cub, he bought it in the 60's for £8. I wish I had it.
For the vintage CB Hondas, do you have to add an additive to the gas (like a reservoir under the side cover)?
I am a motorcylcye mechanic and I've owned all those bikes except the Harley and the Italian one. I agree with you about Honda. They are the best. The first bike I bought, when I was seventeen, was a 1957, D3 BSA Bantam and I pushed the fucker more miles than I rode it. It was a German design, taken as reparation for World War I. And they were planning World War II when they gave it to us. They still make 1967 Enfields in India. That is freaky, going in to a showroom and seeing lines of brand new, 1967 Enfields. Mostly bullets but also 500 twins. There is a even a diesel model.
Old bikes are hard work but very cool. I'm 60yrs down the road and riding an old Sportster. I love it and I can't stand it! Get it? Thanks for sharing.
Honda CB 450 2 cylinder would be a good candidate.
Agreed! My first bike, at the ripe age of 67, was a nicely modded ‘86 CB450 Nighthawk. With 14k on it, it runs beautifully, doesn’t leak a drop of oil, and is totally reliable. It’s the perfect starter bike, enough power and very manageable. Great on pavement but not on the logging roads here. I’ve added an ‘89 NX650, and it handles the gnarlies great, and will cruise at highway speeds all day.
Fun and informative video. Hondas are great, but I just love the old Triumphs. btw, Gilera is pronounced “jee-lera.” (My uncle in Italy had one)
i had two. classic. hondas that i enjoyed riding for very different reasons.... my. first bike i ever owned was a 1982 honda cm200t twinstar. this was really the perfect bike to. has as my very first motorcycle.... the second bike i had was a 1985 Honda cb700sc nighthawk, black and blue coloring... i loved. the parallel 4, shaft drive on this bike. man when this thing hit thr power band it took off like beimg shot oout of a slingshot all of a. sudden..... i dint like any other years of the nighthawk other than the 3 years they did something different from 1984-1986, the 80s max headroom styling i like to call it.... anyway, i enjoyed both of these bikes back when i got them, tho now only dual or adventure sport bikes are sufficient for me as i ride off road about half the time..... man i really wish fantic would bring the caballero rally here to the states, i want that bike so badly...
How about the 70’s 650 Yamaha great runners!
For old style but new'ish tech, Royal Enfield! LOVE my 2018 Classic 500.
Nice choices. I have owned a number of these over the years and they've slipped through my hands.
I had an early 60's Honda S90, 8 hp, 4 speed tranny, over 100 mpg, and bullet proof. A scaled down 305cc Superhawk