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I rode both but it was the Triumph that grabbed me, it could be ridden much harder abd ran the legs off the Yamaha. I also raced Yamaha and Honda 2 stroke dirt bikes, when I was a teenager and had a lot of fun.

You really need to do better on your stats and facts. Not sure if you got confused with all the models, but you missed a lot of the important stuff. Case in point, the Triumph 200 Tiger/Cub. Same bike, but one was American and the other was UK release. Hondas was the first to release a multi cylinder in late 63’ with the RC166 350 six. It was a road race bike but could be had for the right price. They also made 250cc Six both were raced in the Isle of Man in 1966, as well as the 50cc for that was to set up the soon to be CB750 four K1, in 1969. I know a lot about Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki, as my grandfather was the 1st importer of Honda, Yamaha into the USA in 1959 in California. I was very blessed to grow up around all those brands. Also, you missed BSA and AJS and others.

That Yamaha was one of the best bikes I've ever owned. Triumph may have the history, but nostalgia doesn't trump price and performance. Hey! I say the same thing about Harley Davidson!

I once swapped a YZF1000 for one of these, and I had to stop and check it on the way home because I thought I'd got a 600, that's how light and nimble it feels.

I owned them both. The Triumph handled so much better. The Yamaha felt like it had a hitch in the middle.

The shouldered akront styled rims got me

Nav, oh, Nav, you can’t show us this without starting it. They sound absolutely beautiful. If it’s got the right cams, the exhaust will make a twittering sound. on overrun.The carburettor bell mouth is also ideally placed to gouge into your right thigh!! Oh, and early models didn’t have a folding kickstart!! That was deep joy. And finally, they could be a right bastard to start!! Almost as bad as a Velocette. In the 1960’s, I had a Rocket Gold Star which was the BSA 650cc engine in a Gold Star frame. Sadly, I never appreciated its true heritage and traded it for a British Mini!! Roy W UK.

had both triumph more fun for sure

Why Triumph failed in Australia back in the 1970s you covered the reason in your video the Triumph was more expensive than any large Japanese motorcycle when it came to buying a motorcycle people went for the cheapest and usually better option

I'm so happy for you! Having ridden large singles for many years back in the 60s, there's just nothing that compares. Enjoy, and please share when you can. Thank you for posting.

Back in the 70s I had a 650 XS and my riding friend had a 650 Triumph, Wsn't long before he sold his bike and got a Yamaha. 147,000 miles and only changed the oil every 2,000 miles and one clutch cable.

I have an 04 , love it . I have a few bikes and the 919 is just a fun bike that always puts a smile on my face. Mine came with Yoshimura exhaust and it sounds nice . I put a Givi locking top box (quick release ) and a small wind screen . I am keeping this one .

They were a revelation when they came out, four inline cylinders into four silencers, smooth and powerful, wonderful clocks and controls. Britain had nothing like it, people voted with their wallets and the rest is history.

I was 15, i bought a 650 BSA. turned 16, bought a 68 650 triumph .at 17 bought a 1964 harley sportster. At 18 bought a 1950 harley davidson panhead. Never ever,ever,thought about buying a Japanese bike. True American boy.

I had both the biggest difference was vibration. On the triumph at 60 mph you couldn’t see anything in the mirror. If you rode 20 miles your hands tingled for 30 minutes. The Yamaha was smooth you could ride all day no problem.

I've owned 77 bonnie and 76 Yamaha XS - the triumph handled better and was incredibly unreliable and the Yammy was incredibly reliable and didnt handle anywhere as good. I still have the Yamaha...... The Jap motorcycle industry won because the British companies committed suicide. That's it.

Nice bike, I wouldn’t mess with it. Go find a basket case if you want to play around with it. That’s just my 2 pence worth.👍

Lol...my FZ1 is as good or better than ANY Honda ever made

I have a 73 TX650. The end of video of you rev-ing the XS is so familiar. It just wants to leap off the center stand. Wish I had a Triumph. Great bike comparison.

I also have a 1975 Honda Gold Wing GL 1000. But my bike has spoked wheels. Strange! which one is the real original version ?!?

The RC-51, Aprilia RSV1000 MIlle, GSXR 750 and CBR954RR were on my short list when I went to buy a supersport back in 2014. I wound up getting a 954 because it was the first viable opportunity to present itself. I've also heard that those side radiators on the RC51 will bake you in summer traffic. Would still buy one if I still rode supersports though.

It would look better with a bigger tank and clip-ons, i'd keep the carb as-is because you don't want that engine to stop at the lights, good luck finding RRT2 gearbox and beware of fakes.

I finally got a video up of my B33 on my channel, the poor mans goldstar. It has a goldstar look ! without the chrome mudguards . Cheers, I hope your goldstar is going well.

Still, give me an option of each bike now & I'm on the Bonnie.

Nice find ,i had a cb650 in uk,those sohc engines are very sweet,i got a new tank from dave silver spares,good luck

I’ve owned both and my tiger 750 was way better faster and easier to fix but yea an electric boot is good give me a triumph any day but ive had two Norton commandos and 1 of those is better than either of them.hi from New Zealand 🇳🇿

Old Brit bikes are dropping in value as (sadly) the guys who lusted after them as kids are hanging up their helmets or (doubly sadly) passing on. It's a generational thing, and why 70's /80's Japanese and Italian bikes are rising in value - for now at least. I'd be tempted to leave the BSA in its current spec rather than turn it into another 50's race rep, keep it genuine and respect its heritage.

Great video, Nav. You're one lucky guy, that's a beautiful bike. - and the original British Cafe Racer. Yep - it has to have clip-ons as that's what all the high-value bikes have. They're so cool, too. Don't cut the headlamp shrouds though, get a proper pair of clip-on shrouds to fit the forks when its got clip-ons. I hope the fork legs (stanchions) aren't rusty behind the shrouds. Fingers crossed! The latest BSA's are no longer the British Small Arms (BSA) company in Birmingham, as they're made in India. Nowhere near as fast as yours. Did you know the most famous thing about the bike is that with the TT2 gearbox, it will do 70mph in 1st gear!

Always have a spare spark plug and a spark plug spanner. DBD34 were meant to run - not sit in traffic. They will oil their plug often.

Yes I bought a BSA 650 a 1962 model in circa 1960 . Second had with 300 miles on the clock and the fork to frame connection broke the front wheel flew over my right shoulder the frame hit the bitumen and so did I at 50 mph no helmets those days , very lucky to survive . Found a weld fault or previous crash had cracked the assembly behind the flap that reinforces the two engine mount pipes behind the headlight . Unless you inspect or X ray this component . Please don’t ride this BSA 650 motorcycle . I was very lucky not severely injured or killed in this incident . You take care now and stay upright Enjoy your motorcycling and stay safe the motor cycle was a BSA 650 Gold Flash . . Second hand Crash 1965 . I was 17 and walked away . Never to ride BSA again just a bit of motorcycle information from the past years , you have a nice day now Andy K

I've ridden a few of both. the tr is more fun. revs quicker and has more on top. feels smaller,lower and liter. but... the yam will give you less trouble. by time the yam needs a valve adjust the tri needs a top end.

I find it funny how the U.S marketing dept called it "RC51" instead of SP1 like the rest of the world. I get they were trying to cash in on the VFR750R RC30 & RVF750R RC45, but that was those bikes actual vehicle description code within the VIN number. "RC51" is not this bikes code, its code is SC45, by Hondas own nomenclature, it makes no sense at all.😆

A T120 Bonnie would have been a better comparison.

So? why cry about? The Japs beat them hands down.

Keep the standard gears when you want to ride it normally on streets. The RRT2 has a very very long first and is tireding to ride in cities. I changed to standard after one saison with RRT2 and have not regretted. Cheers

You might not want the RRT2 box. Rode on one back in the '60s and slipping the clutch to get going was fun but impractical. 70 MPH in first!

I had one back in the day. I dont believe your HP numbers. It gave me nightmares but is was fun to ride, amazing track bike. Hot day your NOT KIDDING. I got a 600RR and it was far, far superior and I kept that bike for 6yrs and it responded to every mod like no other bike ive owned. It got stolen and I got a 1000RR and never looked back down from liter bikes.

I have one in the UK, it's a keeper!

I purchased mine , a DBD34 , for £100 in 1964 , when I was 16 . Passed my Test on a friends Tiger cub , and never looked back . I rode it through all Weathers , including snow , for 8 Years . I still ride , a Kawasaki Z1300 , and two Harley Davidson Shovelheads . I may be looking through Rose tinted Glasses , and I may not even be able to kickstart it , or ride with clip ons , but , I do the Lottery just for the outside chance of buying another , if only to ride it once or twice a summer . Take care of it , it will never let you down , and , over the Years it will retain its value . Good Luck , ride Safe .

I like touring trim rather than clubmans ...Great bike

Well done that man , Shame he did not try to start it , I know that I would not be wearing trainers !

The old Triumphs are beloved classics. But the Yamaha was more dependable.

my t140 in 75 cost me £1000....

In 1980 I bought a 78 Bonneville and my friend bought a 72 XS650. Power was about the same but mine was smoother. I had way more trouble. Oil consumption and leaks. MPG highway, mine 38, his 60. I kept wearing out clutches and primary drive components. I had to install a high output alternator, Japanese switches and Mikuni carbs to make it a daily ride.

It's a race bike homologation. It's meant to be ridden hard not sit in traffic. Owned my SP1 for 6 years with zero issues. No tank leaking.

Congrats! Got a 59 and 55 Goldstar. Hope you don't mind a bit of advice... Your front brake arm could be adjusted for better performance, it's angled back too far. It should be at a right angle to the cable when the shoes just touch the lining. The way it's adjusted now, you won't get maximum leverage. Your centerstand stop is worn. The angle on the stand is too far forward putting extra strain on the lugs. Your carb is a concentric, not the roadgoing model's 389 Monobloc. Nothing wrong with that, but that carb wasn't made until the mid 60's. A RRT2 gearbox may sound like a great idea but its a complete pain in the ass to ride with. The STD or scrambles box is much better for street riding. Beware of the stock crankshaft, the stock ones have a riveted drive side end that grenades and destroys the crankcase. ABASF in Netherlands makes a reasonably priced and available crank. Check out Britbike.com Goldstar forum.

is beautiful

This bike was the Holy Grail for us back in the seventies, but even back then they were way too expensive for us so I want to hate you for having one but I can't 'cause you seem to have a real love of these old British bikes. If you intend to be using it mostly on the road then keep the present bars, clip-ons look good but will torture you below 70mph!

Carburetor currently fitted is an Amal Concentric, correct period fitment would have been an Amal Monobloc.

Check the amount of oil in the sump, when standing for months + it can accumulate. Great video! well done.