Great production mate. As a 67 year old(riding 50 years), you made some very valid points there. The thing is, dont sweat the small stuff and enjoy whats left of our riding time. Its great we have all these Lams/A2 bikes to choose from as we downsize with age. Cheers all. An NC750X owner from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Really interesting video.. enjoyed that.. much food for thought.. on vintage bike prices, many people think the ‘bubble’ of prices is bursting and ‘investment’ bikes are starting to drop in value..??
You brought back lots of memories from my misspent youth. Every dad and lad wanted to be Barry Sheene, the girls loved him and so did the mums, motorcycling has never had anyone like him since, certainly not in the UK.....
Good video and interesting thoughts. When I started riding at 16, 40 years ago, I wanted to ride like my mates, none of us had cars and no role model was needed. Asking for help, my Dad taught me to write a CV and I saved and bought my first second hand moped. I didn’t have the offer of a car and insurance bought for me so moped was the only way to go. I progressed to bigger bikes and it’s only in the last 5 years with some disposable income have I managed to buy a new modest 350 RE. Yes insurance on new bikes is expensive, second hand not so much, so little has changed. I think the big change is why would an anyone want to ride around on a moped /small capacity bike in all weathers when they could have a car and insurance on pay monthly? As for electric, if that is the way it’s going to go then why not? For me personally I’m not looking to ride long distances, most of my journeys are a 30min ride to work or 1 hour social at sensible speed so if RE can put the FF up for a reasonable price then I’d be interested. Glad I got to enjoy the two strokes and a simpler time when protective gear was helmet and gloves and thick jacket if cold. I hope that future generations also have an opportunity to enjoy that freedom
Just sub'd. Nice little chat. I'm 73 in the US. I own and ride an 02 T-100 and an 02 RE Classic 350. My guess is the RE will gradually take over my riding time as the years roll by. I live in rural Vermont and i love riding the back country roads at sensible speeds and in good weather. :). I never liked the US Harley Davidson scene. For some reason I was, and still am, much more attracted to the English bike culture. We do have some of that here. Harley Davidson might be in a death spiral anyway. My ace in the hole for old age is a two seat roadster that will take me to the end. I think that the future of motorcycles might be impacted heavily by the gradual move away from ICE toward E Bikes.
Wow, you brought back so many memories for me when I was younger. All my mates had Yamaha fizzy's but I had a Suzuki 50cc as for me they were king because of Barry Sheene,. You are spot on. I am now 58 and have an interceptor 650 that I have customized - shocks, exhaust etc and love it. You don't see the bike culture that was ever present when I was younger anymore and like you say it leads to older bikers that will sadly dwindle over time. Great content!
Before restriction of 50’s which ruined all mopeds the Suzuki AP50 was faster than the FS1E, also faster was Puch Grand Prix and the Garellis. The speed demon however was the Fantic Cab…which would totally annihilate everything
hi andreas, yes we had two AP50 in the gang, red and blue. those classic 50s were very well made, but i also seem to remember constantly smelling of petrol for about two years until i graduated to the ford escorts. LOL. ride safe
Well said mate...I'm 86 & I thought I'd have another....after 60years of riding. Wrong move !!! Back to the car for me. .ĺost balance, lost confidence. I'm out !!! Good talk mate....thanks
Eddie Kid, remember him bless him? Good looking chap who did fantastic stunts in the 70/80's. All the boys in school wanted to be him and it certainly sparked my interest in motorbikes after I went to see him doing a stunt show in our town. Sadly nothing like that now to inspire the next generation to ride.
Interesting. I think people want lower price and more basic bikes. Today, there are too many electronic gadgets. The future is 400 to 500cc bikes like the Guerrilla 450. I have one and its just as much fun as my MT09
certainly seems the way we are going, Enfield definitely have that easy home service tractable, cheap to run bike world sewn up. other manufacturers take note. the consumer doesnt really want rider aids and tech, but sadly regulation seems to push manufacturers down that road. hence the crazy prices. give me simple any day. just reliability and style .ride safe.
The big bore kit was 65cc on my purple 1976 fsie. 50mph on the flat was easy enough. Now riding a 1999 Harley FXDL that makes 50 mph a rewarding experience.
I realize that there was not a big difference between UK and West Germany at the old days. It was always important to have a faster bike than the others in my club. That stopped very often with family and the result of it. After a while a lot of people start again biking. Of course again with big bikes, that changed now to smaller ones. Of course you see older people under the week on bikes, they have more time for that, but there are some younger ones coming up. Heroes, hmmm...changed from normal race tracks riders to people for example on the Isle of Man. These are my todays heroes. Keep on with you good channel.
Love your content! Keep up your great work! Speaking of Big Bore Kits, they have a 411 Big Bore Kit for the Hunter 350 you need to install and try out…. Would make for some great videos comparing the performance!
crikey that would make for a good thumper, il look that up. interestingly the new classic bike ive bought is going to be compared to the hunter 350 in a future episode, keep a watch out itll be a very interesting episode. ride safe
New subscriber here. 55, riding for 30 years & on my 17th bike 😅 Car & motorcycle culture is alive & well in the UK. Young people are interested in bikes, but are prevented from getting into them by the cost & effort involved. A minority opt to steal them in order to get their motorcycling kicks, and the police & courts couldn't care less. The majority favour electric bikes because they do pretty much everything a low-powered bike will do, but don't require a licence or insurance to be ridden. I suspect the market might pick up if the economy ever starts to improve & people start to feel they have a bit more money in their pockets. The trouble is that wages have been stagnant for 15 years in the UK, the cost of living is relentlessly increasing, and the gap between rich & poor is widening at an alarming rate. Many young people may have to wait until they get an inheritance or can cash in their pensions before they can even consider getting a bike, by which time they won't be able buy a new petrol-powered one 😢 I see little reason to be optimistic for the future.
hi motomark, i fear your right, in that, by the time we get some money spare to spend again , the bike industry in the uk will be dead, which is such a tragedy as youngsters will never know the feeling of riding that throbbing twin during a warm summer evening down the country lanes gives you. its frighting when you look back at the bikes we've owned and lost, but isn't that the fun. il keep buying and riding until i can't cock a leg over the saddle.lol. ride safe.
I purchased my Suzuki because my mates had them and like me they watched Barry Sheene and MCN was my news of choice.the movie great escape probably boosted scrambler motor cycles sales. Will be looking at the bear 650 when it lands hopefully not too tall.looks great will have to simply risk it.
im very tempted by the bear, it looks right up my street, i think there will be alot of secondhanded interceptors coming on the market lol. that black one looks superb im hoping my hepco becker panniers will fit. ride safe.
My first (legal) bike on the road was an FS1/E DX. I remember riding home on my Fizzy from Cadwell Park, stopped in the road to turn right, a Morris Minor van stopped alongside, doors opened & the bikers inside tipped what I soon realised was their p*ss bucket over my head. Man the stink as I rode home. 48 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday 🙂 The best selling bike in Australia for decades was the Honda CT110 because Oz Post used them & bought thousands...
ha nasty, funny you say legal bike, i used to wheel my fsie from home saying to my mum that i was taking it round to mates house to work on, then once at the end of the road, would saddle up and spend the night racing round with our little gang of peds. great days. ride safe.
Good video I’m thinking along the lines that youngsters aren’t coming into bikes the prices will keep going up and force the interested ones out electric I can’t see will ever catch on certainly not for me I’m 64 so won’t bother me really so many dealers packing up especially Harley I think the industry is in a bad place at the moment wether it will pick back up is uncertain and to finish off I wonder how many kids had the Barry sheene 60 bore kit lots I reckon with Brian who I actually new he was a great bloke his son Perry was a bldy good mx rider which is how I knew them through mx my cousin raced against them best days of mx were the 60’s through 80’s I think and as always money has spoilt the sport as it has a lot of things take care mate ride safe and enjoy your new to you bike
hi Nicholas blimey yes brian and perry, we loved going to that shop and sitting on the bikes. i just remember that in the first room the bikes were lined up in size order, just to take in the smell and touch those bikes was hypnotic. we would go to forge farm and watch the motocross races. we could walk from grattons park to the back of the circuit. it was also the first time we watched sidecar motocross, the smell of castrol R40. magic. rides safe.
One word, insurance! I'm 50 and my 600 costs me around £100 per year... my stepson is just about to turn 17 and a cheap 125 is going to cost him £140 per month!
I was on my way to the Ardingly bike event . However, I never made it there. I was rear-ended by a white van man. He left the scene on foot due to not being able to get his van out he was blocked ed in. I am 59years of age. He was uninsured, and the police were not really interested. I am a woman rider and a member of WIMA. I have a Triumph tiger sport 660, which is about to be repaired. Some of the reasons are the cost and insurance for young riders
im sorry to hear that susan, sadly its not isolated story, people think they can just ignore their responsibility to their fellow humans. im sure karma will return the favour to the driver. The cards certainly seemed stacked against young riders and drivers . i do remember i couldn't afford to insure my first car, a MK1 escort so had to get my mum to insure it and put me as a named driver lol, that was 40 years ago. so somethings never change. im hoping to ride a tiger next week and the 660 will be a good shout if ones available. i hope you and your tiger get back on the road in short order. best regards paul
There never will be another James Hunt , Barry Sheene , etc . Our little world is too sanitary today , we musn't offend anyone , anywhere , at any time and patriotism , strong characters , opinions and beliefs are discouraged in the woke western world [ not so in other areas of the world though !] . The 1960s and 70s were about rebellion , since 2000 , conformity has been the norm . Old bikes have always appealed to old blokes , now that I am one , I understand the allure . Simplicity , the history and reliving the experiences of years gone by . Living , breathing , leaking , smoky , smelly machines that bring joy . Celebrities can influence buyers ? Yes indeed , if KTM hadn't been so shortsighted , they would be selling more bikes to grey haired Starbucks Adventurers than BMW . If Kim Kardashian espouses the motorcycle lifestyle , we can expect motorcycle seats to become a lot wider [ extra cushioning will not be required ] . And the youth of today ? More interested in the instant gratification of computer games . You don't get cold , you don't get hurt ; minimum effort involved and a lot cheaper . Some of those 40 year old tax free, sensor free bikes are better than new models and can be fixed with spanners . they will continue to survive thanks to old codgers . Modern bikes will be crushed and sent to a communist country on the far side of the world to be recycled and sold back to us as a toaster , refrigerator or maybe even a motorcycle . And we must be greenily and wokily happy . [ some of us ] .
Great musings, excellent topics
Great production mate. As a 67 year old(riding 50 years), you made some very valid points there. The thing is, dont sweat the small stuff and enjoy whats left of our riding time. Its great we have all these Lams/A2 bikes to choose from as we downsize with age. Cheers all. An NC750X owner from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Really interesting video.. enjoyed that.. much food for thought.. on vintage bike prices, many people think the ‘bubble’ of prices is bursting and ‘investment’ bikes are starting to drop in value..??
You brought back lots of memories from my misspent youth. Every dad and lad wanted to be Barry Sheene, the girls loved him and so did the mums, motorcycling has never had anyone like him since, certainly not in the UK.....
Good video and interesting thoughts. When I started riding at 16, 40 years ago, I wanted to ride like my mates, none of us had cars and no role model was needed. Asking for help, my Dad taught me to write a CV and I saved and bought my first second hand moped. I didn’t have the offer of a car and insurance bought for me so moped was the only way to go. I progressed to bigger bikes and it’s only in the last 5 years with some disposable income have I managed to buy a new modest 350 RE.
Yes insurance on new bikes is expensive, second hand not so much, so little has changed. I think the big change is why would an anyone want to ride around on a moped /small capacity bike in all weathers when they could have a car and insurance on pay monthly?
As for electric, if that is the way it’s going to go then why not? For me personally I’m not looking to ride long distances, most of my journeys are a 30min ride to work or 1 hour social at sensible speed so if RE can put the FF up for a reasonable price then I’d be interested.
Glad I got to enjoy the two strokes and a simpler time when protective gear was helmet and gloves and thick jacket if cold. I hope that future generations also have an opportunity to enjoy that freedom
Just sub'd. Nice little chat. I'm 73 in the US. I own and ride an 02 T-100 and an 02 RE Classic 350. My guess is the RE will gradually take over my riding time as the years roll by. I live in rural Vermont and i love riding the back country roads at sensible speeds and in good weather. :). I never liked the US Harley Davidson scene. For some reason I was, and still am, much more attracted to the English bike culture. We do have some of that here. Harley Davidson might be in a death spiral anyway. My ace in the hole for old age is a two seat roadster that will take me to the end. I think that the future of motorcycles might be impacted heavily by the gradual move away from ICE toward E Bikes.
Yep when I go to a bike cafe I do become aware of the age range and am afraid very few younger riders there it was just easier for us back then
Wow, you brought back so many memories for me when I was younger. All my mates had Yamaha fizzy's but I had a Suzuki 50cc as for me they were king because of Barry Sheene,. You are spot on. I am now 58 and have an interceptor 650 that I have customized - shocks, exhaust etc and love it. You don't see the bike culture that was ever present when I was younger anymore and like you say it leads to older bikers that will sadly dwindle over time. Great content!
Before restriction of 50’s which ruined all mopeds the Suzuki AP50 was faster than the FS1E, also faster was Puch Grand Prix and the Garellis. The speed demon however was the Fantic Cab…which would totally annihilate everything
hi andreas, yes we had two AP50 in the gang, red and blue. those classic 50s were very well made, but i also seem to remember constantly smelling of petrol for about two years until i graduated to the ford escorts. LOL. ride safe
Well said mate...I'm 86 & I thought I'd have another....after 60years of riding. Wrong move !!! Back to the car for me. .ĺost balance, lost confidence. I'm out !!!
Good talk mate....thanks
I’m impressed. If I ever get to 86 I’d be proud to have had another go, well done mate from a 62 year old youngster.😅
Eddie Kid, remember him bless him? Good looking chap who did fantastic stunts in the 70/80's. All the boys in school wanted to be him and it certainly sparked my interest in motorbikes after I went to see him doing a stunt show in our town. Sadly nothing like that now to inspire the next generation to ride.
yes , Britain's answer to EVIL K, had a sad ending, but was definitely a legend, he came to my home town as well i seem to remember. ride safe
Interesting. I think people want lower price and more basic bikes. Today, there are too many electronic gadgets. The future is 400 to 500cc bikes like the Guerrilla 450. I have one and its just as much fun as my MT09
certainly seems the way we are going, Enfield definitely have that easy home service tractable, cheap to run bike world sewn up. other manufacturers take note. the consumer doesnt really want rider aids and tech, but sadly regulation seems to push manufacturers down that road. hence the crazy prices. give me simple any day. just reliability and style .ride safe.
The big bore kit was 65cc on my purple 1976 fsie.
50mph on the flat was easy enough.
Now riding a 1999 Harley FXDL that makes 50 mph a rewarding experience.
ha my first one was purple, i seem to think that one of my mates also fitted the YB100 engine into a fsie, crazy fun times. ride safe
I realize that there was not a big difference between UK and West Germany at the old days. It was always important to have a faster bike than the others in my club. That stopped very often with family and the result of it. After a while a lot of people start again biking. Of course again with big bikes, that changed now to smaller ones. Of course you see older people under the week on bikes, they have more time for that, but there are some younger ones coming up. Heroes, hmmm...changed from normal race tracks riders to people for example on the Isle of Man. These are my todays heroes. Keep on with you good channel.
Good post mate. HaHa, forgot we called it "West" Germany in the '70s.
Love your content! Keep up your great work! Speaking of Big Bore Kits, they have a 411 Big Bore Kit for the Hunter 350 you need to install and try out…. Would make for some great videos comparing the performance!
crikey that would make for a good thumper, il look that up. interestingly the new classic bike ive bought is going to be compared to the hunter 350 in a future episode, keep a watch out itll be a very interesting episode. ride safe
New subscriber here. 55, riding for 30 years & on my 17th bike 😅
Car & motorcycle culture is alive & well in the UK. Young people are interested in bikes, but are prevented from getting into them by the cost & effort involved. A minority opt to steal them in order to get their motorcycling kicks, and the police & courts couldn't care less. The majority favour electric bikes because they do pretty much everything a low-powered bike will do, but don't require a licence or insurance to be ridden.
I suspect the market might pick up if the economy ever starts to improve & people start to feel they have a bit more money in their pockets. The trouble is that wages have been stagnant for 15 years in the UK, the cost of living is relentlessly increasing, and the gap between rich & poor is widening at an alarming rate.
Many young people may have to wait until they get an inheritance or can cash in their pensions before they can even consider getting a bike, by which time they won't be able buy a new petrol-powered one 😢 I see little reason to be optimistic for the future.
hi motomark, i fear your right, in that, by the time we get some money spare to spend again , the bike industry in the uk will be dead, which is such a tragedy as youngsters will never know the feeling of riding that throbbing twin during a warm summer evening down the country lanes gives you.
its frighting when you look back at the bikes we've owned and lost, but isn't that the fun. il keep buying and riding until i can't cock a leg over the saddle.lol. ride safe.
I purchased my Suzuki because my mates had them and like me they watched Barry Sheene and MCN was my news of choice.the movie great escape probably boosted scrambler motor cycles sales. Will be looking at the bear 650 when it lands hopefully not too tall.looks great will have to simply risk it.
im very tempted by the bear, it looks right up my street, i think there will be alot of secondhanded interceptors coming on the market lol. that black one looks superb im hoping my hepco becker panniers will fit. ride safe.
My first (legal) bike on the road was an FS1/E DX. I remember riding home on my Fizzy from Cadwell Park, stopped in the road to turn right, a Morris Minor van stopped alongside, doors opened & the bikers inside tipped what I soon realised was their p*ss bucket over my head. Man the stink as I rode home. 48 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday 🙂 The best selling bike in Australia for decades was the Honda CT110 because Oz Post used them & bought thousands...
ha nasty, funny you say legal bike, i used to wheel my fsie from home saying to my mum that i was taking it round to mates house to work on, then once at the end of the road, would saddle up and spend the night racing round with our little gang of peds. great days. ride safe.
Good video I’m thinking along the lines that youngsters aren’t coming into bikes the prices will keep going up and force the interested ones out electric I can’t see will ever catch on certainly not for me I’m 64 so won’t bother me really so many dealers packing up especially Harley I think the industry is in a bad place at the moment wether it will pick back up is uncertain and to finish off I wonder how many kids had the Barry sheene 60 bore kit lots I reckon with Brian who I actually new he was a great bloke his son Perry was a bldy good mx rider which is how I knew them through mx my cousin raced against them best days of mx were the 60’s through 80’s I think and as always money has spoilt the sport as it has a lot of things take care mate ride safe and enjoy your new to you bike
hi Nicholas
blimey yes brian and perry, we loved going to that shop and sitting on the bikes. i just remember that in the first room the bikes were lined up in size order, just to take in the smell and touch those bikes was hypnotic. we would go to forge farm and watch the motocross races. we could walk from grattons park to the back of the circuit. it was also the first time we watched sidecar motocross, the smell of castrol R40. magic.
rides safe.
One word, insurance! I'm 50 and my 600 costs me around £100 per year... my stepson is just about to turn 17 and a cheap 125 is going to cost him £140 per month!
its almost criminal, highway robbery. that's what freedom and independents costs these day. the young have no chance. ride safe, both of you.
I was on my way to the Ardingly bike event . However, I never made it there. I was rear-ended by a white van man. He left the scene on foot due to not being able to get his van out he was blocked ed in. I am 59years of age. He was uninsured, and the police were not really interested. I am a woman rider and a member of WIMA. I have a Triumph tiger sport 660, which is about to be repaired. Some of the reasons are the cost and insurance for young riders
im sorry to hear that susan, sadly its not isolated story, people think they can just ignore their responsibility to their fellow humans. im sure karma will return the favour to the driver. The cards certainly seemed stacked against young riders and drivers . i do remember i couldn't afford to insure my first car, a MK1 escort so had to get my mum to insure it and put me as a named driver lol, that was 40 years ago. so somethings never change. im hoping to ride a tiger next week and the 660 will be a good shout if ones available. i hope you and your tiger get back on the road in short order. best regards paul
Motorcycle riding will die out unless they make getting a license easier.
There never will be another James Hunt , Barry Sheene , etc . Our little world is too sanitary today , we musn't offend anyone , anywhere , at any time and patriotism , strong characters , opinions and beliefs are discouraged in the woke western world [ not so in other areas of the world though !] . The 1960s and 70s were about rebellion , since 2000 , conformity has been the norm .
Old bikes have always appealed to old blokes , now that I am one , I understand the allure . Simplicity , the history and reliving the experiences of years gone by . Living , breathing , leaking , smoky , smelly machines that bring joy .
Celebrities can influence buyers ? Yes indeed , if KTM hadn't been so shortsighted , they would be selling more bikes to grey haired Starbucks Adventurers than BMW . If Kim Kardashian espouses the motorcycle lifestyle , we can expect motorcycle seats to become a lot wider [ extra cushioning will not be required ] .
And the youth of today ? More interested in the instant gratification of computer games . You don't get cold , you don't get hurt ; minimum effort involved and a lot cheaper .
Some of those 40 year old tax free, sensor free bikes are better than new models and can be fixed with spanners . they will continue to survive thanks to old codgers . Modern bikes will be crushed and sent to a communist country on the far side of the world to be recycled and sold back to us as a toaster , refrigerator or maybe even a motorcycle .
And we must be greenily and wokily happy . [ some of us ] .
Sorry I fell asleep