Classic old bikes

[fontana]

I completely understand the appeal of old classics.
What I do not understand is the coin people are prepared to drop on them.
They have their charm, and for some, a lot of memories attached but is it really worth paying huge amounts of money more for what would be in every other respect, an inferior ride compared to their modern day counterparts.

I mean BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODY HELL

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Moto-Guzzi-85 ... SwBt5ZJpLo

[boxerscott]

I completely understand the appeal of old classics.
What I do not understand is the coin people are prepared to drop on them.
They have their charm, and for some, a lot of memories attached but is it really worth paying huge amounts of money more for what would be in every other respect, an inferior ride compared to their modern day counterparts.

I mean BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODY HELL

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Moto-Guzzi-85 ... SwBt5ZJpLo

Aye that`s exactly how I feel about the Guzzi 8v compared with modern bikes with better handling.

chris

[fontana]

Aye that`s exactly how I feel about the Guzzi 8v compared with modern bikes with better handling.

chris

So how do you feel about Fireblades, R1's etc superior performance compared to your 12S

[Grip Fast]

If I had the garage space (or a garage, even), I'd probably look at a 50s/60s classic - BSA A10 or similar, but I've missed the boat a bit on prices. And maybe I'd be disappointed, maybe I wouldn't.

A friend of mine has an Ariel Leader (fer gawds sake) and loves it. No accounting for taste.

[boxerscott]

Aye that`s exactly how I feel about the Guzzi 8v compared with modern bikes with better handling.

chris

So how do you feel about Fireblades, R1's etc superior performance compared to your 12S

Chalk and cheese they are not roadsters (I have an R) and have no retro appeal whatsoever. I would guess though that any new blade owner would say that it is a completely different animal to its predecessors with the new tech added.? The new fireblade looks an excellent machine, I would not say no to one.

chris

[David_S_Walker]

All,

I was lucky enough to buy a Laverda Jota brand new in 1980 what was then a princely sum - I think around £1,500?. I wanted one because it was supposed to be the fastest production motorcycle in the world. At the time it was, and remained, a fearsome beast but I was immediately attached to it. Admittedly all I had to compare it with was a very second hand BSA Starfire (250cc).

As the years passed and I moved through a various catalogue of machines such as Honda, Suzuki and BMW but the Laverda was always a constant in the garage.

For me even with the old technology that it had after riding it for a few hours you gelled with it and yet it would struggle to beat a modern 600cc sports machine it was still a very fast machine and made a sublime noise. I might not use it for months and then decide to use it for a week up to London. I remember thinking on a Monday - "What am I doing riding this up to the smoke " with its legendary heavy clutch but by Tuesday morning I had become at one with it . I recall being told to "give it some beans" by a couple of traffic officers when riding through the Blackwall Tunnel who had noted what it was.... So I did and I think deafened a few people - Childish I know but it made them laugh so much so that they caught me up and gave me a huge thumbs up - Those were the days

I sold it in 2012 for the sum of £12,500! -It had only covered a mere 17.5k miles. Don't laugh but I shed a tear when it went as I was genuinely attached to it. I have never felt the same about any other machine I have owned although my R1200S is my "modern" Jota I suppose.

If you are fortunate enough to have a daily motorcycle (For me a Honda Crosstourer DCT) and, shall we say a "future classic" (The R1200S) then that is the way to go!

Please excuse the ramblings of an old man looking through his rose tinted spectacles - Would I have another Laverda Jota now? Well apart from the prices yes I would but then there are so many iconic motorcycles out there perhaps more myth than machine to choose from.... For some bizarre reason I really want a BSA Rocket3 750cc! Am I beyond help?

Best regards,

David

[fontana]

Chalk and cheese

Nope.
The R1200S was marketed as a sports bike.
Is it a match for the Fireblade ?

Point is there is always a better bike.
You believe there are better buys than a Guzzi,
Are you really saying there aren't better buys than what you have

Anyway you only had 3,000 miles experience, which is sod all.
I had 5 years and 30,000 miles.

[milleplod]

Deleted!

Pete

[fontana]

The thing is, there is always something out there that works better.
I just bought a bike that's like sitting on the end of an ironing board holding onto a broomstick.
My old Griso was like a touring bike by comparison.
Bikes are about having fun.
FFS if you want comfort take the fricking car

[boxerscott]

Chalk and cheese

Nope.
The R1200S was marketed as a sports bike.
Is it a match for the Fireblade ?

Point is there is always a better bike.
You believe there are better buys than a Guzzi,
Are you really saying there aren't better buys than what you have

Anyway you only had 3,000 miles experience, which is sod all.
I had 5 years and 30,000 miles.

The R12s V Blade? I would not comment as I have not owned either bike, never even rode a Blade. I am comparing my 12r lc roadster laden with all bmw new tech against the very nice looking mint Griso 8v I owned and only did 3000 miles on. The new owner of the Griso was pleased he picked up a low mileage mint bike. I was pleased for him too and in some respects sad to see it go. I ended up with arguably the best roadster on the market at this point in time. That is only my opinion as was my comment about the Grisos handling.

[fontana]

I rode an 1200R when I had my Griso, thinking I'd do a deal, but it just didn't compare.
To be honest I don't even think my 9T is a radically better bike.
The best compliment I can pay it is that it's equally as good,
In other words, awesome.
I had mine for 5 years and did 30,000 miles.
I would not have used it that much if what you say is true.
I'd have moved it on after a short while.
I loved that bike.
Went touring down to Austria on it with the Wife on the back.
Only criticism was lack of luggage capacity, and one of the factory panniers fell apart and had to be bungeed together.
Bike didn't miss a beat.
3,000 miles in three weeks.
Loved it.

[boxerscott]

At the end of the day we have both moved on and both share fond memories of Guzzis 8v

Chris

[SP250]

Rode a mates original Guzzi Le Mans back in the 70's and thought it was a heap of s**t, far too stiff and rock solid suspension.
I was comparing it with a Mk 1 Rocket 3 and an RD 400 which I had at the time.
He loved it though, so different strokes for different folks eh.

[fontana]

Rode a mates original Guzzi Le Mans back in the 70's and thought it was a heap of s**t, far too stiff and rock solid suspension.
I was comparing it with a Mk 1 Rocket 3 and an RD 400 which I had at the time.
He loved it though, so different strokes for different folks eh.

They were not for the faint hearted.
In the owners manual, it instructs you never to close throttle mid corner due to danger of loss of stability.
Of course that would be the case with any bike, but the Lemans was totally unforgiving and their really was a risk of being spat off.
That would be all well and good if you could get them for about 5 grand, but 18K
Surely there comes a point where you have to say that charming as it might be, it just isn't worth that much over a more modern bike costing half as much

[Herb]

I was close to buying a LeMans in the early 2000s. I had narrowed my shorlist to a z900 A4 (Z1 was too pricey) and the LeMans. prices were starting to climb though and anything available in my budget was pretty ropey. Went for the A4. Paid 3K, sold after 18 months for 3K. Prices are climbing rapidly though. Should have kept it as an investment.

Never meet your heroes. The A4 looked great, but wasn't much fun to ride to be honest.