20 Fastest 500cc Motorcycles of the 60's and 70's

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  • Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
  • Here we explore the thrilling era of the 1960's and 70's. Seeking out the adrenaline-fuelled world of the fastest 500cc motorcycles. There's a bit of background from the post war period too.
    From iconic legends to hidden gems, join us as we unveil some true champions and step into a past, where speed was king and these bikes ruled the roads.
    The full article is here
    barebonesmc.com/the-15-fastes...
    Timestamps
    00:00 Introduction
    02:32 The 1950s
    03:06 AJS Porcupine
    07:05 Velocette Venom
    07:47 Norton Dominator
    07:47 BSA Gold Star
    09:22 Matchless G85CS
    10:20 The 1960s
    10:26 The Honda CB450 Black Bomber
    11:44 Velocette Venom Thruxton
    13:15 Triumph T100 Daytona
    14:40 Suzuki T500 Titan
    16:16 The Kawasaki H1 Mach 111
    19:40 The 1970s
    19:49 Honda CB500 Four
    21:15 Yamaha TX500
    22:10 Yamaha RD400
    24:45 Ducati 500 Sport Desmo
    25:55 Benelli 500 Quattro
    27:14 Ducati 500SL Pantah
    29:38 Laverda Montjuic
    30:26 The Results
    31:49 Thoughts From The Shed
    33:24 Triumph T100 Pure Sonic Bliss
    Motorcycle Gear Ratio Article here
    barebonesmc.com/all-you-need-...
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Комментарии • 642

  • @barebonesmc
    @barebonesmc  6 месяцев назад +2

    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
    ruclips.net/channel/UCCSl6i-tZJNC5DQ38vgCtvw
    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

    • @godislove8740
      @godislove8740 Месяц назад +1

      they are better but i'mwaiting for the review of a doggy r45 please. woof

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Месяц назад

      @@godislove8740 bmw r45? One of our stops was an R50 rider 😊

  • @tedecker3792
    @tedecker3792 Год назад +22

    In my 76 years I’ve only been in jail once, due to an “incident” involving my 1971 Mach 3. It was blue like the example in your video. I was young, it was fast, and well….. charges were dropped, but I was left with a good stories. Hunter S. Thompson wrote of crippled old men whispering about the terrifying Kawasaki triples.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +3

      Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @ericmowrey6872
    @ericmowrey6872 Год назад +29

    As a 69yo retired geezer and lifelong biker the '60's and 70's represents my misspent youth. I loved this vid. Not only was it well researched and accurate, it listed nearly every bike I lusted after but could not afford...although I did manage to ride a few of them.
    I fairly drooled at the pristine Suzuki Titan. Talk about a concours level restoration. In fact every one appeared almost brand new. The CB 500 had me weeping with envy. Anyhow, fantastic vid and keep up the good work. Cracking effort❤💯💥👍

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +4

      Welcome aboard mate, i think that CB500/4 is in better condition than the one I had back in the day lol. enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +5

      @@barebonesmc
      That CB500/4 is Stunning!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      @@davidmacphee3549 indeed it is, not ridden like mine was for sure lol

    • @practicalplinking6133
      @practicalplinking6133 Год назад +4

      Whadda ya mean "Misspent" ? Hardly think so !!

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +2

      @@practicalplinking6133
      Well, as the Saying goes, ...
      "If I knew then, what I know now"

  • @johnietaylor1817
    @johnietaylor1817 11 месяцев назад +5

    what a buzz those years were, a quite moment for absent friends that shared that wonderful time with, tks

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад +1

      thoughtfully put, wild days and even wilder nights

    • @hareshdaryanani5726
      @hareshdaryanani5726 Месяц назад +1

      Wonderfully written - great friendship & love of bikes - those were the care free days - so full of happiness ❤

  • @burkestorti4586
    @burkestorti4586 11 месяцев назад +7

    I owned two of these motorcycles, 69 H1 Kawasaki triple & 77 RD 400 Yamaha. While it was a thrill to grab full throttle on the H1, the RD was the better of the two. Better all around handling & fast enough to stay ahead of the H1 on a twisty mountain road.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад +1

      great bikes 🙂 All hail the RD's. Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @dougsmith7580
    @dougsmith7580 2 месяца назад +1

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. You just made an old man very happy. What a list of glorious motorcycles ! By the time you got to the Gold star and the Matchless I was almost in tears. I sat with my head in hands in appreciation.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  2 месяца назад

      glad you enjoyed it mate, youve made my night 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂

  • @jeffhill4229
    @jeffhill4229 Год назад +12

    Amazed that you found such beautiful examples of each bike. It's like you took a time machine and went to the showrooms!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      i do think that the CB500/4 is in better condition than the one I had back in the day lol. enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

  • @johnlambert3273
    @johnlambert3273 Год назад +2

    I loved my 71 Suzuki 500 Titan, I bought it in 74 for $650 USD. Rode it everywhere for 5 years, sold it to a friend, and got a Honda 550. I didn't like it. It sounded nice and didn't smoke, but it was slow, even with 4 into 1 pipes. it had a head gasket leak, the hivo chain between the crank and transmission was stretched to the point of jerkiness, and I lost 3rd gear, because the shift fork bent, (no, I didn't abuse it) anyway, I sold it after splitting the cases and replacing it.
    Now I have a 85 Honda 650sc Nighthawk. It's fast enough, and has dual discs in the front, and my favorite feature, 16 hydraulic valves! I will never need to adjust them.
    Great channel, keep it up.

    • @hernandocortez6351
      @hernandocortez6351 Год назад +2

      I'd even settle for locknut-adjustable valves on modern bikes versus the hassle of pulling cams out for shim and buckets. The extra hp just isn't worth it to me.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      why is it no one uses hydraulic valve adjustment now? its one of the things that makes the Nighthawk 700 SC I have so low maintenance, they forget the good ideas, like the simple self cancelling indicators on the RD350LC, or a side stand connected to the clutch cable so when you pull the clutch in the side stand is pulled up. the joys 🙂

    • @hernandocortez6351
      @hernandocortez6351 Год назад +1

      @@barebonesmc The cynic in me thinks the shim and bucket design is used to bring people into dealerships so a lengthy, arduous task can be performed for a hefty fee. Yeah, hydraulic valves sound great. BTW, I very much enjoy your channel.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      @@hernandocortez6351 Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support, i would say you are probably at least half right on the concept of underbucket shims 🙂

  • @aeroearth
    @aeroearth Год назад +12

    The BSA Gold Star ended production in 1963, not 1968. Output was 41 BHP not 48 BHP. Available in four versions in the mid 1950s as Trials, Scrambles, Touring and Clubman's trim. The Clubman's trim was the most popular and was essentially a racing motorcycle with lights. Close ratio gearbox and Amal 1 1/2" GP carburettor with no provision for tick over, hence the necessity to blip the throttle at low revs. Made in both 350 and 500 cc sizes, in later years the 350cc to special order. Easy to start IF you followed the correct procedure. 115 MPH out of my 1956 DB34.

    • @drstrangelove4998
      @drstrangelove4998 Год назад +1

      Well put, it handled very well too over the most demanding circuit in the world, the Isle of Man Clubman’s TT. For years, if you wanted to stand a chance there, you had to have a Goldie.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +5

      I will bow to your superior knowledge, as i have often said, if we could amass the combined knowledge of all the subscribers we would have the most comprehensive motorcycle encyclopedia ever 🙂

    • @albion2742
      @albion2742 9 месяцев назад +1

      @AEROEARTH, Was that a Smith speedo 115 MPH or a radar checked 115 mph.

    • @ms-jl6dl
      @ms-jl6dl Месяц назад

      ​@@albion2742Manufacturer's claim.

  • @scottastell9415
    @scottastell9415 Год назад +4

    Very good trip down memory lane for this retiree. I remember fondly owning and riding a new Suzuki T500 in 1972. Then riding a mates Honda CB500 and later in 1980 the Ducati 500 V twin. Agree that the Yamaha two stokes changed the game for teenagers/ single men in the late 60s, early 70s. I just loved two stokes back then. Currently riding a 2023 Kymco AK550 maxi scooter which goes like a cut snake straight out of the box. I'd say it is as fast as the Honda CB750 USP2 I owned in 1974. Kymco twin lies forward like that early AJS twin of the fifties and has double overhead cams like it too. Thanks for the memories.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      glad it jogged some good memories mate is the Kymco as long as it looks in the pics?🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @MalcolmStaines
    @MalcolmStaines Год назад +9

    The AJS Porcupine is a stunning bike ,saw one in the flesh at Sammy Millar's . What surprised me was the Suzuki T 500 what a lovely looking bike, in my view one of the best designed ever. Brilliant video, always learn something from yours, keep them coming.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      thanks as always mate and glad you enjoyed it 🙂Enjoy the ride🙂

  • @ianmacfarlane1241
    @ianmacfarlane1241 Год назад +3

    Only came across this channel two days ago - great recommendation.
    I've watched maybe 8 videos so far and I'm massively impressed.
    Fantastic.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

  • @slartybartfarst9737
    @slartybartfarst9737 2 месяца назад +1

    At 18 I had Triumpgh 5TA with a Todd twin carb head 600 overbore cafe racered in a feather bed frame, oh I didnt get on with it being brought up on Japanese steads. Walking along one night I passed a terrace house that was a Brit bike shop but in the window a vision...A nickle plated framed metalic red Kawasaki 500 H1B fitted with double discs, alloy rims, rearsets, half fairing and beautiful Tomaselli alloy clip ons. Amazingly a swap was arranged and rocking up at the pub it was "you did what"..."how the hell"....What a fast fast bike, I loved it, rode it for years what a machine...it handled, it braked (the B had the Z1 forks and discs) it would stand on its nose...dont mention fuel consumption.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  2 месяца назад

      great bikes, 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @kens.213
    @kens.213 11 месяцев назад +4

    I owned a brand new 1969 Kawasaki Mach 1 in the spring of 69. Before I picked the bike up I had the dealer install the optional lower gearing that was meant for drag racing. It was tough to keep the front wheel on the pavement in the first three gears, and four gears with a passenger.
    In a straight line nothing could keep up with it, even another 69 Mach 1. In the corners everything passed me by!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @rogerdodrill4733
      @rogerdodrill4733 11 месяцев назад +1

      I believe you misspoke, it's not a ford mustang " mach 1", it's a " mach 3" Kawasaki with 3 cylinders hence the name

  • @davidphillips7255
    @davidphillips7255 Год назад +7

    I had a 72 CB450 K5 Twin Cam and it would run sustained speeds of the nearly empty Canadian Rockies that I wouldn't want to ride my modern CB 500F now. 7000 rpm in forth over the Kootenay Skyway became nearly 90 mph heading into Creston in fifth on the other side. I was shocked at how effortless it all seemed and it did so for the 30,000 miles I had it.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      great bikes 🙂🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @rustyturner431
    @rustyturner431 5 месяцев назад +1

    Hmmmm, memories... I had two of these, both modified but not ridiculously so, and both were bulletproof! First was a Suzuki Titan, which got Akront rims and good Dunlops and Fontana brakes, an alloy tank (polished, of course), expansion chambers, fiberglass fenders, flat bars and rear-sets and a solo seat. This thing always started on one kick and never let me down (it was fitted with later electronic ignition) and it surprised a LOT of TR/BSA big twin riders. i was younger then, but I rode it great distances once I got the seat configured properly. This is one of the very few older bikes I'd love to have today.
    Second was a modded CB450, a 1971 I seem to remember. Anyway, it had the front disc...which really didn't stop any better than a good drum (and not NEARLY as well as the Suzuki's Fontana 4-shoe). This was a very civilized bike for its day, with an electric starter and lots of clever features, many of which I discarded to save weight. You see, the CB was a bit porky..so I got rid of the stock mufflers/tank/seat/fenders/steel rims/turn signals...well, you get the idea. It never approached the Suzuki (its immediate predescessor) in performance, but it was a NICE bike, not a hooligan, and I put over 40,000 miles on it. I saw it may years later, in the 1990s, and it had been sympathetically owned (no youngsters) and still looked and sounded good. Not much you could do about the handling, which was average...but it was a HONDA, and handling was never the reason for buying one.
    I've ridden many RD Yammies, and still think they were the BEST beginner bikes ever made. Never had much use for their 4-stroke twin brethren except for the 650, and the 500s in particular seemed to have more than their share of troubles. WAY back when (when I was younger and fearless), I threw a leg over a modded Kwacker 500 3 that had been ported and fitted with crazy-loud chambers and different carbs. Scared the sh*t out of me, even back then...like it had a big hinge under the seat. Ghastly thing. Good video, though!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  5 месяцев назад

      Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Glad you enjoyed it, Ride Free 🙂

  • @therealslimshady4555
    @therealslimshady4555 Год назад +3

    I remember sending my 1977 rd400 barrels and pistons to Mr Terry beckett to get tuned. He also supplies his own expansion Chambers .when they arrived back there was nothing on the roads that would live with it.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      A giant among men and the best of the best 🙂

  • @mrsilbo6499
    @mrsilbo6499 Год назад +3

    Fabulous video! Just as well I held off on my shout out for the Laverda 500 Montjuic, because there she was, at the end. 👍🏻

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      The Monty was featured here too 🙂 ruclips.net/video/dvI7bb0MlX4/видео.html

  • @waynemullally6423
    @waynemullally6423 Год назад +21

    Somewhere between the 250 tonners and the onslaught of the 500s lies the Bridgestone gtr350. It was arguabĺy the fastest bike of 67, but obviously superceded by the Suzuki 500 Cobra in 68. With the introduction of the Honda CB750 Bridgestone recognized they would have to spend hundreds of millions in development to compete in the motorcycle industry. They dropped their motorcycle division by 72

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +4

      I will fit it in at some point mate :-) still doing some digging about the story :-)

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +4

      A7 Avenger too!

    • @roderernst9990
      @roderernst9990 Год назад +2

      We had heard about these 350 Bridgestones. looked at one at a shop in Townsville when started it for a test run the Kick started snapped off! Sold no Bridgstrones GTR350s in North Queensland.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @waynemullally6423
      @waynemullally6423 Год назад +3

      @@roderernst9990what were you riding at the time that was better?

  • @lestersmyth692
    @lestersmyth692 Год назад +6

    Great video showing some fantastic 500s from each era although including the RD 400 threw me somewhat. Thank you really enjoyed watching 👍

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      I do understand, but I couldnt really miss the RD400 out 🙂 the list would have been incomplete without it

  • @dave8204
    @dave8204 Год назад +19

    TX/XS 500 was totally different to the XS650,though on first look they seemed very alike. I had both. The 500s had a twin cam 4 valve per cylinder motor ,which was way ahead of it's time,the 650 was a bog standard 2 valve single cam. The 650 was massively popular worldwide and very reliable,the 500 wasn't either. I had the later coffin tank 500 with mag wheels and the whole thing looked and sounded really nice.....in between mechanical meltdowns. The first time mine broke down was about 5 miles from the dealer after I picked it up,they ended up rebuilding the whole top end,6 months later it went again and covered my leg in oil in the process,my how I laughed.worse part is I'd traded in my beloved RD400 for the poxy thing. After the horrible XS I got a GT550 Suzuki which was lovely and very,very fast, remember I'd had an RD400 so I knew what fast was. Massively under-rated bike. Traded that in for the XS650 which had gutted "silencers",sounded like Armageddon and while all my Bonny-owning mates slagged it off they couldn't keep up with it.
    I think it's largely forgotten these days what hooligan tools the original GPZ 550s were, so good that Yamaha blagged the styling for Fazer years later.
    Then there were the RD and RG500s..................
    I had something like 30 bikes in my first 10 years on 2 wheels,it was so bad at one point that I'd pick up my "latest" from a dealer somewhere and would see it's replacement on the way out of the door. I think a drug habit would have been cheaper.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      I bow to your superior knowledge :-) I do my best, cheers for watching, and for putting me right :-) Enjoy the ride

    • @martiniv8924
      @martiniv8924 Год назад +1

      My neighbour bought an XS500 , handsome looking machine, he traded up to a XS750 ✌🏻

    • @martiniv8924
      @martiniv8924 Год назад

      Fastest 500 single I have ever rode was a Matchless G50 in the early 2,000’s OMG 😱 I couldn’t believe how fast it was, opened my eyes as to how quick the likes of AJS 7R’s G50’s Manx’s Venom Goldstars etc. were

    • @marcinos303
      @marcinos303 Год назад +3

      In Poland, in the 80s, when there was practically no access to motorcycles from the west, only a few had
      Kawasaki 550. This motorcycle was the object of worship and dreams of everyone. In general, he competed with the Yamaha 550, which, however, did not give him advice. Everyone wanted it, but must had to settle for the Mz 250 ETZ or the Jawa TS 350.
      There was also a great two-cylinder Kawasaki GPZ 500S.
      To the general list I would add a motorcycle, maybe not the fastest, but legendary - Norton Manx.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      @@marcinos303 the GPZ500 and its family get a mention here ruclips.net/video/WikCG7WxPy8/видео.html and the MZ gets one here too ruclips.net/video/Y_xublpCH7Q/видео.html cheers for adding your story my friend, Ride Free

  • @allanweseman5433
    @allanweseman5433 11 месяцев назад +2

    I was happy to see you included the TX500 Yamaha in your list. I owned a '73 and took it on several long distance camping trips. Now at 75 years old, I keep looking at smaller and lighter motorcycles. I currently own three very special bikes; a 2010 VFR1200F Honda, a 2014 CB1100 Honda and now my little 2023 Honda GROM. Although I would still love to have a Kenny Roberts limited edition RZ350, I am interested in the Kawasaki ZX-4-rr little 400cc inline four cylinder. My days for riding 600lb bikes are over as I traded in my '94 Yamaha V-Max to get the GROM

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      enjoy it mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @davido.newell4566
    @davido.newell4566 11 месяцев назад +2

    My God you got another old geezer as a subscriber!
    Pushing 80 really hard, I've had a few of the bikes mentioned and I have to say that the Suzuki Titan was one of my favorites, as it's reliability was superb, unlike the BSA 500cc A7 standard I had before, I eventually became a dedicated BMW fellow, but I greatly enjoyed this review and your presentation.
    Thank you!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. I had 2 A7s 🙂one fairly standard and one full clubman spec which was very special. high com pistons, spitfire cams and twin racing monoblocks. then the 2nd LC350 came along lol. Ride Free 🙂

  • @ctait831
    @ctait831 11 месяцев назад +2

    My brother!! I always enjoy your videos for so many reasons. The biggest being that you truly love all things motorcycle related and I love your objectivity. You call things as you see them whether "On Point" or "BS"... I love everything about the history and evolution of our passion!! Thanks for sharing your experience and enthusiasm! Thanks for helping to keep the soul of motorcycling alive!! If you're ever in the Pacific Northwest of the US, please reach out so we can go for a ride
    👍🏍🛣

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. and keep in touch, you never know, Ride Free 🙂

  • @alant383
    @alant383 Месяц назад +1

    When I was a kid, the CB750 came to my local Zambian race track - then known as the "4-pipe" because it was the first 4 cyl ever seen in a bike - followed by the H1 which no one could ride at any speed around the track except down the straight. Both were creamed (way out-classed) by the TD1Cs and TD2 Yamaha race bikes, even the street RD350s in race trim.
    I could only pine and wish. I almost had a CB300 "Dream" that many amateurs were racing at the time but my father stopped me, saying "get an education first, then go racing". Well that didn't work well - all I did was some track days on a much-modified Gixxer K1 which was tremendous fun but way too little, far too late.
    I had the privilege of riding a 'friend's' Ariel Square 4 in the early 70s in Rhodesia. That was interesting if a little boring, very smooth and quiet though. Great memories.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Месяц назад

      Cheers for adding this mate. In time I may do a piece on the lesser known story of Yamaha copying/adapting the Adler twins design to build the TD 1

  • @arthurramm8664
    @arthurramm8664 Год назад +1

    I can only imagine how long it took to do all the reseach for this video and locate the film clips. Well done and thank you.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      thanks, it did take a long while lol, but i think it was worth it, the next one has been another minefield too but itll hopefully be up by monday 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @user-bt2tz7uj9w
    @user-bt2tz7uj9w Год назад +6

    I had a 1978 Ducati 500 Sport Desmo with grey mag wheels, same as the ones mounted on Guzzi's Le Mans I. The golden ones shown in this video were a too costly option for my pocket then, it was my first real bike. Excellent braking and frame, so the handling was way better and more than all less challenging compared to the following Pantah's 500 and 600. I had the chance to test them thoroughly, each being owned by two friends of mine. Both had a boring waving tendency already at medium speed cornering, possibly caused by the fairing aerodynamics, while the 500 Sport Desmo was firm as a block of steel, any speed. Pantah's were more powerful and (way) faster than the 500 Sport Desmo, but also their higher price was simply unmatchable with the economic Sport Desmo, that at the time was the most affordable 500 on the Italian market (did they try desperately to get rid of them?). Despite the Desmo distribution and the excellent claimed characteristics, the 500 SD engine was awful, firstly for vibrations, simply unbearable beyond 6000 rpm. Reliable sources in Italy used to say that it was a students project of an English college of mechanics... Who knows. With the first equipment's exhaust pipes there were unsolvable carburation problems, so I mounted a pair of Conti exhausts, empty and noisy, but what a difference! Standing at three meters or so when the engine was running, you could feel the real Ducati wind! At the time Conti exhausts where mandatory to savor the real behaviour of any Ducati. They were original equipment on the 750-900 SS and MHR. Anyway I had too a con rod broken, luckily at low speed, first gear. It happened in a summer night, immediately after a refueling when I was traveling at maybe 140 kph for two hours or so. Ducati refused to warrant the engine so the bike was repaired, at my expense and high cost. Soon after I sold it, as the engine behaviour was not the same anymore. Maybe it needed only some more mileage to break-in again. I gave it back to the local dealer and purchased a black and beautiful second series Ducati 900 SD Darmah with golden Speedline wheels and rounded backseat tail. It was the envy of the place where I lived: Ducati's then weren't by any measure as widespread as today, meeting one was quite an event and its black painting shone like a star. Its noise, with Conti exhausts, was simply fantastic, deep and powerful: the belt distribution modern Ducati engines sound like toys in comparison, put apart their rattling clutch... (LOL)

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      Great story 🙂Cheers for adding it mate. thanks for watching, Ride Free 🙂

    • @timhicks2154
      @timhicks2154 9 месяцев назад

      Oh yes! I remember the Ducati 500 Desmo Parallel Twin! I adapted a Pirahna electronic ignition kit from another parallel twin, as I seemed to be forever adjusting the points! It did shift, and handled like it was on rails.

  • @ToeKnee666
    @ToeKnee666 Год назад +4

    As always barebones, another superbly knowledgeable video. I salute your time spent on researching and compiling this video into yet another 10/10 narration. Live too ride ride too live. Be free brother 🙏

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      thanks as always and glad you enjoyed it 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @Texmotodad
    @Texmotodad Год назад +5

    I had a red Ducati 500 GTL. After owning Japanese motorcycles in the 60's & early 70's it was nice to learn what REAL handling and stopping were about. Thanks for the nice memories!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

    • @domsteward358
      @domsteward358 Год назад +1

      @@barebonesmc Cheers, mate. You too.🍻

    • @phillarsson8253
      @phillarsson8253 Год назад +4

      You tell me! Back in '91 I stepped from my first roadbike (Suzuki GT750J) on to the bike which had caught my attention in a motorcycle catalogue: Ducati Pantah 600SL. I knew not to expect too much from that Suzuki from what i heard from the other mechanics at the motorcycle-shop where I had started working but as I had been racing 500cc Maico's in motorcross before I started riding a road bike, a 750 two-stroke was so appealing to me and I got to buy it (in a desolate state!) for about £50. Yes 50 quid, that is! I always thought of that engine as a true work of art in design however I think it's gotta be thanks to my experience in mx-racing I didn't get killed on this thing, actually it almost did at one point (it wasn't even in cornering) but I got away with it (else I wouldn't be sitting here writing this, would I :-) ). Anyway: I purchased that Pantah and there's no telling what difference that one made in handling and driving compared to that GT750 AND to lots of other (Japanese) bikes of the same generation and even far beyond. I've truely ridden lots (and worked on) of many different bikes and that Pantah just kept standin' out. Still have both bikes (and a lot more) btw ;-)

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +2

      Here. Try my H1-B.
      Careful! No corners.

  • @donparker1823
    @donparker1823 Месяц назад +1

    This was my era. Lot of good memories here. I had a 71 CB750 and it wouldn't really do more than 115 MPH. Another 10MPH would be hard to achieve. I also had an XS500 Yamaha. Very reliable and I road it everyday when I was in college rain or shine which in San Francisco was usually not shine.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Месяц назад +1

      glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @andrewdyson4255
    @andrewdyson4255 Год назад +3

    Loved the video, thank you for doing it. It brought back a lot of memories from my 1970s when I first started riding bikes. Never looked back since, still on them

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Glad you enjoyed it mate and welcome aboard, Ride Free

  • @marcinos303
    @marcinos303 Год назад +4

    I love your wonderful English accent and diction. You talk with emotion, in the subdued voice of a motorcycle veteran. I could listen to this for hours.
    AJS 95 it's a work of art, just like the Velocette.
    However, my dream has always been a Rudge 500 Sport Special or Ulster.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      Some of the old Rudge's were masterpieces, If i am right it was a Rudge they sold with a bloody caravan at one point PMSL a guy at a classic meeting turned up with one, I am almost certain it was a Rudge. enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

    • @philhawley1219
      @philhawley1219 Год назад +2

      Rudge did make a small caravan to be towed with their own side car outfit. At the same time they made TT and Grand Prix winning racers, including selling many to an Italian called Signor Ferrari. I wonder what became of him? Someone said he tried racing cars.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      @@philhawley1219 🤣🤣🤣

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад

      @@philhawley1219 LOL

  • @garypic4083
    @garypic4083 Год назад +3

    I owned in order
    1. Kawasaki 500 triple
    2. Kawasaki Z1 900
    3. YAMAHA RD 400
    so much fun

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  10 месяцев назад

      all great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @dubsnbuds6668
    @dubsnbuds6668 3 месяца назад +1

    I'm not even a biker but love your channel,maybe one day soon I will try pass the test

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  3 месяца назад +1

      thanks for your support mate, and just do it!! your life will never be the same again, and in a good way 🙂Cheers for adding your bit too 🙂 have a great week

  • @NebukedNezzer
    @NebukedNezzer Месяц назад +1

    I bought a new honda cb450 1966 from long beach california dealer. would go 105mph all day long. tuned by the dealer for me 46 hp. ran perfect. paid 460 dollars out the door new price. what a great price.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Месяц назад

      such sublime engineering too 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it. Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂

  • @iancooll12
    @iancooll12 Год назад +2

    Great Video thanks, all the Bikes of my era, owned, still own, and raced quite a few, if not me then my mate I built and tuned for. Your comment regarding the Kawasaki 500cc H1 in Britain was spot on, my mate who raced the Bikes had a Kawasaki S2 or S3 350cc we had tuned for the Track and the 500 for the road, He was a Bloody lunatic, on that thing, still not sure how he ever managed to stay alive. Funnily more conservative on the Track and not a crasher, but he did get sick of the two strokes when tuned in those days seizing. We switched to a highly done 400/4 for the next season, with a full Yosh 498 kit, which was a fast little bike. My favourite of all those shown was Laverada's Motojuich, I loved those Bikes but moved back to Canada the year they were released. I also remember the early success of Someone & Son's Ducati of Chadwell Heath with those early Pantath Ducatis, he was quite well known so I hope someone can remember his name?

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      thanks for sharing mate, and for the support, enjoy the ride

  • @raypayne1979
    @raypayne1979 Год назад +2

    Absolutely brilliant, especially as I'm a VELOCETTE lover

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      I hope youll jump aboard mate, enjoy the ride and have a great weekend

  • @Indigenous51
    @Indigenous51 Год назад +5

    I was the a proud owner of a Velocette Thruxton Veeline. in 1971 reg. HOF 92D which I bought from Stevens of Shepherds Bush. Unfortunately I did abuse it a lot against Bonevilles and ruined the crankshaft and a few clutches because of the long first. I sold it back to them ,but they said it was never the same bike when repaired. I never needed to decompress to start it just tickle the carb. It was a great machine but a pain with the bolts always coming loose . I got offered their TT bike but couldn’t afford to make it legal. So built my Triton Thruxton Boneville slimline 👌

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @Indigenous51
      @Indigenous51 Год назад +2

      @@barebonesmc You’re welcome. Great videos .🙏

    • @Indigenous51
      @Indigenous51 Год назад

      ⁠Sure we’re. Unfortunately nylocs didn’t enter brains or availability then,and probably expensive . Just loved the exhaust sound though.

    • @peter2023
      @peter2023 Год назад

      A Vello thruxton ,,navy blue and silver,,I loved it

  • @eddiebrr3
    @eddiebrr3 Год назад +6

    My 1st performance bike was a 1973 H1D modified with DENCO exhaust & expansion chambers and a steering dampener which helped with the well known head shaking. The only bike at the time that could even stay close in the 1/4 mile was my brothers-in law's Z1 903's from Kawasaki. All 3 of my wife's brothers purchased Z1's on the same day at Grayboy's Kawasaki located in Chilicothie, Illinois. I think I put more mile on those Z1's than they did, they were like brothers to me!

    • @eddiebrr3
      @eddiebrr3 Год назад +1

      That Green KAW will always be my favorite! AT 4500RPM GET A GRIP WITH YOUR KNEES, AT 6500 IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE GAVE IT A SHOT OF NITRO, IT WAS DEFINITELY ON THE PIPE!!!!!! YAHOO!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      great story 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @elemar5
      @elemar5 Год назад +1

      Why would you want to make your steering moist?

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +1

      Awesome!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @henrybartlett1986
    @henrybartlett1986 Год назад +1

    Great stuff! Takes me back.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @rickh8380
    @rickh8380 Год назад +3

    Just found your channel and subscribed. Sure does bring back fond memories of the 70's and 80's. Thanks for the great content. Cheers

  • @dylanpiedot5063
    @dylanpiedot5063 Год назад +3

    I found your channel recently and I'm loving going through your videos. A suggestion if you fancy it - strangest motorcycles made over the last few decades? Things like the BMW C1, Honda PC800, you've already mentioned the Quasar before, the list goes on. You could go through strangest looking or even expand to weird concepts introduced on bikes that never took off? All the best mate.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      Great suggestion, note taken :-)🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @bobbyverne9714
    @bobbyverne9714 11 месяцев назад

    After only 2 watched videos from your channel, ive decided to subscribe.
    This 500cc video was brilliant, sir!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

  • @rayblackford
    @rayblackford 7 месяцев назад

    Such wonderful memories yet again !
    Congratulations on your fantastic channel !
    Made my day 😊

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  7 месяцев назад

      glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @cokvandenheuvel4769
    @cokvandenheuvel4769 6 месяцев назад +1

    Did i counterspeak you in the 250 video: now i praise you for this one. I rode all bikes mentioned exept the ajs. I rode all 250s as well... so i do have some inpressions. What you stated on the beuatiful and rare ducati 500 sport desmo is absolutely spot on.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  6 месяцев назад

      we wont always agree mate but you can see where i am coming from :-) the Desmo was another flawed masterpiece, welcome aboard anyway mate, have a great week

  • @Jsuwinski
    @Jsuwinski 11 месяцев назад +1

    Brought back awesome memories while growing in the UK, H1 was something else, CB would keep up with bigger faster bikes, too much fun

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      great bikes, i ran a 500 four for a while and not much could get away from it. still one of my favourite bikes, wish i had the one i used to have for sure 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @BlockHead805
    @BlockHead805 Год назад +1

    Great video! Thank you.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Glad you liked it! 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @kaltonian
    @kaltonian Год назад +1

    thanks m8, some of these like the Benelli I have not seen for over 30+ years, my m8 had 2 and one was built like a tank, never had a problem, used every day for work and bike packing, but the other one was a total headache and broke down at every opportunity, great machines and great to see them so looked after

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @jerrywatt6813
    @jerrywatt6813 Год назад +1

    Here in LA in the early 60's my older brother had a Matchless 500 cc that was a cool bike it was a single and a bear to time but hauled ass ! CHEERS !!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @eddylloyd7413
    @eddylloyd7413 Год назад +2

    Loved my 70’s Honda CB500 Four ❤️.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      great bikes i said in another comment, i think that one looks bettter condition now than mine was back then lol, mine was WELL used 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @Graphdevigner
    @Graphdevigner 10 месяцев назад +1

    Great video mate! What an adventure!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  10 месяцев назад +1

      glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @SSV-i-c-e
    @SSV-i-c-e Год назад +3

    Love the video.late mate had a 550 4 was lucky to do a ton.watching that kawa 500 brought a smile to my face.two strokes foreva😊hi from New Zealand 🇳🇿

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      Glad you enjoyed it mate :-) I had a 500/4 for a while, great bike, but loved my 350LC too :-) Castrol R runs through my veins :-)

  • @grahamreeve5209
    @grahamreeve5209 Год назад +3

    Top bike here on the race track was the RD400. Easy tuned and in 500 production racing there were really no other bikes at the front. I tried on an Pantha without getting a chance. Maybe the bloke in the saddle didn't help.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @cherrypicker8897
    @cherrypicker8897 Год назад +2

    Great show Just subscribed. Thanks for the show.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

  • @skydive1424
    @skydive1424 Год назад +2

    Fantastic video! Fond memories!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @markblundell9461
    @markblundell9461 Год назад +4

    I never knew how a workmate of mine never killed himself on his H1. Every week he would get fresh scars on his leather jacket after dropping it. I think his front wheel spent more time in the air than on the tarmac.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      good for saving tread on the front tyre 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +1

      @@barebonesmc lol

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      @@davidmacphee3549 🤣

  • @pauleckett6713
    @pauleckett6713 Год назад +1

    Well done! Great informative video! 👍

  • @mauritzneethling7447
    @mauritzneethling7447 Год назад +1

    Great video much enjoyed that thank you

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Glad you enjoyed it🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @BrianTheGreenMan
    @BrianTheGreenMan 9 дней назад +1

    Riding has always been the totality of the ride for me. Over the decades I've owned around a dozen motorcycles. Ranging from a Honda 90 to a fully chopped Kawi 900. My two favorites are the Triumph Daytona and the Suzuki 650 Savage. I appreciate that my personal tastes are not the benchmark.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  9 дней назад +1

      if we all thought the same it would be a boring world mate, 🙂 which Daytona? I still have a 955i Daytona I tuned for track use lol, its a handful :-) Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

    • @BrianTheGreenMan
      @BrianTheGreenMan 8 дней назад +1

      @@barebonesmc That it would be. It was a canadian 500cc Daytona from about 1965. Twin carb. a little bit of bobbing and a lot of polishing of aluminum. What is a 955i?

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  8 дней назад

      @@BrianTheGreenMan the 955 is the newer era Triumph triple, the Daytona 955i was their first attempt at hitting the litre sportsbike market really, mines a 1999

    • @BrianTheGreenMan
      @BrianTheGreenMan 8 дней назад +1

      @@barebonesmc if it lives up to its namesake it must be a blast.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  8 дней назад

      @@BrianTheGreenMan there are some clips from Cadwell Park here ruclips.net/video/vcV8oQhB_co/видео.htmlsi=Div7ZNTc022J38Su if you search Daytona on the channel you will find more 🙂 wit will be being resurected again soon, being put back to road trim, but it is a beast, i tweaked it and it runs 120HP at the back wheel 🙂 it has bitten me though lol, it isnt the easiest bike to ride fast 🙂 ruclips.net/video/DDLYX9Ke01w/видео.html and ruclips.net/user/shorts2fO5Zl2L8fE show yoou a story lol

  • @stevewalker15
    @stevewalker15 Год назад +1

    I bought a CB500/4 in 1974 .An amazing bike and at the same time a mate bought a Mach 3 .Only swapped rides once and his bike scared the shit out of me especially the frame in cornering and the appalling braking.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      great bikes 🙂 I went from a 350LC to a 500 four so I can see both sides :-) Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @delboy1727
    @delboy1727 3 месяца назад +1

    I was given the opportunity to take a Leverda Montjuic for a test ride by my local dealer, which I turned down, telling him there was no point as I couldn't see myself ever buying one. Still regret that decision to this day.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  3 месяца назад

      they are great little bikes. i actually had the SF2 out this week🙂

  • @davidmacphee3549
    @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +2

    EXCELLENT VIDEO.WONDERFUL VOICE. SUBBED. I read every comment.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад +1

      thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate, the comments are a great read too. Ride Free 🙂

  • @SKG1941
    @SKG1941 4 месяца назад +1

    I still have my Kawasaki 400 two stroke triple.When the new z900rs came out in nearly the same color scheme , I now have a new favorite bike . Had a custom color match café, fairing made.I could sit and look at them for hours……

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  4 месяца назад

      Sometimes they do just get it right lol 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @wordreet
    @wordreet Год назад +2

    What a great list. I was riding 250s back in the '70s, and later didn't go bigger than the Kawasaki Z400 which my wife and I rode down to Cornwall for our honeymoon.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @jeffbaker1891
    @jeffbaker1891 Год назад

    Excellent video

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      glad you enjoyed it 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @Interdiction
    @Interdiction 9 месяцев назад +1

    Mate of mine put T bars on his H1 500 . Stupid but it made you smile with the way it lifted . The Laverda Montjuic wins for looks though that is a gorgeous bike

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  8 месяцев назад

      🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. I do love the Monty, have you seen the SF2 Ive been rebuilding? ruclips.net/video/tqQPNICah8g/видео.html Ride Free 🙂

  • @user-ow4mt1gi2s
    @user-ow4mt1gi2s 14 дней назад +1

    Really great subject and I rode a few of them, had the Mach 3 for example, bloody fast but a deathtrap on the twisties and it chucked me down the road more than once. As I said elsewhere, I love the T500 its my favourite bike of them all.
    However, apropos of two strokes, one engine that never seems to get a mention is the Villiers 2T which was really good when you had a good 'un but all too often its was quirky mainly down to the crankshaft seals IMHO I think modern seals and maybe some reed valves and a bit of exhaust tuning and better coil and condenser you could own a real scorcher, for its time. It showed up in all sorts of ride to work bikes like the Fanny Barnett but also there were Greeves, Cotton, Norman to name a few. I had a Cotton that was terrific fun and bloody quick too.
    Just a thought but maybe you covered it and I missed it?

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  13 дней назад

      A friend collects the Norman's :-) I had never heard of them until I met him :-) Another who likes turning T500's into Cafe racers too lol. i think many of the Villiars problems were rooted in poor quality control, but they werent alone there to be fair :-)
      have a great weekend

  • @flatcapcaferacer
    @flatcapcaferacer Год назад +1

    Nicely done!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      thanks 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @willgarrod9907
    @willgarrod9907 Год назад +2

    Well done great video, as always. My favourite is the H1, but as a multip!e owner of Kawadaki's KR1-Ss and mouner of the lovely screaming 2 strokes it was always going to be.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      if i couldn't have the porcupine i think the G85CS or the Monty might be my choice, but ive got a Laverda so probably the Matchless, but what a choice between them 🙂

  • @vonfilm
    @vonfilm Год назад +4

    What about the Matchless G50 and the Norton Manx?

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      some will always be missed sorry mate, i do my best

  • @BRI33NOR
    @BRI33NOR 11 месяцев назад +1

    I owned several of the bikes shown, including a much loved H1, GOLD Star DBD34. ONE machine which did not sell too well and had a very short manufacturing life was the Suzuki GSX 450 EX, DOHC twin with Mag Wheels etc. It was quickly replaced by the GS 500, a totally different machine. The 450EX was somewhat similar to my H1 to ride, narrow power band coming alive about 6500 rpm with a real rush of power up to around 9,500 rpm. Good handling, gearbox 6 speeds, good brakes etc. I was a Suzuki agent way back then and this is one machine I really loved, only sold one. The Katana 550 came out about then and that was the one lads went for .

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      not sure ive come across that, we had a gs400 twin but that never did very well either

  • @G58
    @G58 Год назад +1

    Awesome. Thank you for sharing.
    Ride safe.
    Peace 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

  • @jfess1911
    @jfess1911 9 месяцев назад +1

    I lusted after the RD400's when I was in high school. Like this video said, it was considered a high performance motorcycle and a "giant killer". A few years ago, I found some old magazines with performance numbers and realized that the current Kawasaki Z400 weighed about the same and actually had more power and better performance. Of course I bought one to live out my high-school fantasy. I find it interesting to note how far motorcycle performance has increased in the intervening 40-odd years. The RD400 was considered a moderately high performance motorcycle in its day, but today's faster Z400 is considered a beginner's bike!
    For full disclosure, it was possible with a proper expansion chamber and tuning to make the two-stroke RD400 generate considerably more than its original 48hp, but my comparison was for stock versions.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  9 месяцев назад

      Interesting, if you had asked me i would have said the RD would have been lighter for sure, but you are right., So it is you teaching me something today. I do think the newly reborn 400cc sector could be the most exciting bit of the market over the next few years 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @jfess1911
      @jfess1911 9 месяцев назад +1

      @@barebonesmc Yes, the old "dry weight" numbers were pretty deceptive. I have seen some motorcycles that actually weighed 60lbs more than the advertised "dry weight". Luckily some of those articles I found had "as tested" weights.
      I enjoy your content!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  9 месяцев назад

      @@jfess1911 a very different result than comparing the 250's of today with bikes like the Aprilia RS250 and Suzuki RGV250 and the like 🙂 and yep, quoted weights of all sorts can be skewed by the marketing men 🙂

    • @jfess1911
      @jfess1911 9 месяцев назад

      @@barebonesmc Yup, I has also previously thought that the RD400 was a lot lighter. A recent example of the dry weight vs wet weight is with the Truimph Speed/Street twin. A couple of years ago, in the US, the advertised dry weight was 198 kg / 437 lbs but Cycle World's scales said 477lbs. To their credit, Triumph now lists a wet weight of "476 lb (216 kg)". I think some countries now require the weight to be measured with all specified fluids and 95% petrol/gasoline load (to prevent some enterprising advertiser from using helium instead).😀

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  9 месяцев назад

      @@jfess1911 EU regs are the driver for the wet weight, but the amount of fuel is a constant argument, originally i believe it was with a full tank, but that was changed a couple of times, once to 1 third of a tank and then to a set amount for all bikes so the size of the tank had less impact in skewing the results. and its always Triumph in there with dodgy specs lol. did you see the fuss when they quoted and then withdrew the fuel economy figures on the new 400? here today, gone tomorrow, because they couldnt back it up lol. and it is why A) i never rely solely on one source for figures (especially magazines) and i do try to only use verified accurate figures, but im not infallible, and you did surprise me on this one 🙂

  • @monstersince
    @monstersince Год назад +3

    pleased to see the CB500
    i've owned a CB 550f1 super sport for almost 40 years (rose tinted goggles:)
    younger days i spent summers going from bike rally to bike rally M.C.C.
    riding with friends bigger bikes i clocked over 120mph once or twice (scary)
    It's forte was superb comparable handling and not slowing for corners, I rode it throttle to the stop all day getting 18 to the gallon.
    I'd drop it in and lift my foot for the pegs to fold up, I also ground a long hole in the original 4into one exhaust and surprised with the ability to rear wheel steer.
    My major gripe was a piss poor single disc brake with one active piston against a slave brake pad.
    If you have read all this thankyou, The video and reminiscing has been great fun.
    the bike is in my garage awaiting a refurb.
    My regards to all Bikers from what i term the Golden age of Biking
    and all OGRI fans.

    • @davidmacphee3549
      @davidmacphee3549 Год назад +3

      Awesome!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +3

      All Hail Ogri 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

    • @monstersince
      @monstersince Год назад +2

      @@barebonesmc Thank you Sir

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +2

      @@monstersince cheers 🙂

    • @hodaka1000
      @hodaka1000 Год назад +2

      All my young Harley mates have learnt to love and respect my 1978 SR500
      Wherever we go it leads the pack and gets all the attention while they're lost in the crowd of Harleys

  • @bradcobb3418
    @bradcobb3418 Год назад +2

    very good and unbiased video...subscibed.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

  • @phillarsson8253
    @phillarsson8253 Год назад +1

    Lovely video again, Barebones! Thanks for mentioning that Laverda 500. In the past, I got the chance (but didn't have the money!) of purchasing a Laverda Formula 500. It was taken over by my boss back then when the owner bought a brandnew Suzuki in the motorcycle shop where I worked. My boss would let me have it for the same price he took it which was about £500 but I was just anxious to save on buying my first Ducati (which was to be a Pantah 600) so I let it pass me buy to my shame. However... today, I pride myself being owning both a '99 Laverda 750S and a '96 Laverda 668 which indeed got their engine designs from that first Laverda 500 Montjuich ;-)

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      The Zane Laverdas are a blast, i had a 99 750S for years, theres footage from Cadwell if youre interested, im rebuilding a 750SF2 ish now :-) soon :-)

    • @phillarsson8253
      @phillarsson8253 Год назад +1

      @@barebonesmc great mate, cheers!

  • @Redneck-kw6hh
    @Redneck-kw6hh Месяц назад

    i had to pack up and rewire my surround stereo just for this video. damn thats awsome

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Месяц назад

      glad you enjoyed it mate, welcome aboard 🙂

  • @ronoldcross8189
    @ronoldcross8189 Год назад +5

    Inthe 70s, I had the street version of Suzy's two stroke 500. Real top speed 110. Built simple - built like a tank.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      the T500? great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @a.j.carter8975
    @a.j.carter8975 Год назад +2

    ♥️🇬🇧😀 that is one of the best produced vids I've ever seen...anywhere. cheers.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      Wow, thank you! 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @dslaphead
    @dslaphead 11 месяцев назад +1

    Surprised they Suzi gt550 doesn't get a mention with 50bhp and 110mph top end in 1972, but a great video all the same, always a joy to watch and listen to.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      great bikes, featured here mate ruclips.net/video/jgSnHBdXcOo/видео.html 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @mebeasensei
    @mebeasensei 11 месяцев назад +1

    40HP was probably more than most post-war British cars produced

  • @rabcspaniel5679
    @rabcspaniel5679 11 месяцев назад +1

    Cripes! Never realised how light the Yam was - i had a Ducati 350 back then (1977) but had a lift off a Suzuki250 oncw and another time totally buried a 250 Suzuki when the Ducati had a 23 mm carb! I didn't end up with a 44 mm carb as spagiarri had but it was 34 mm amal mk 2. I do know that the bike is still running

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @johnmitchell1614
    @johnmitchell1614 Год назад +1

    That was most informative and enjoyable. Did the Suzuki T500 go on to be the GT500? I used to ride one in the 80's. The GT500 that is. I've subscribed, great presentation and thank's for your effort, best regards. 🙃

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      yes mate thats right re the GT500 great bikes (one coming you will enjoy too) 🙂 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @stewart8127
    @stewart8127 Год назад +1

    Can't believe you left out the Norton Manx. It beat the Harleys and Indians at Daytona on the beach.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      it was maybe an oversight, but it will find its place at some point, 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @jobucklandbuckland8031
    @jobucklandbuckland8031 Год назад +1

    another great video , Laverda , triumph daytona and suzy being my top 3

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      the Monty has to be in most peoples top 3 i think 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @colinrogers8602
    @colinrogers8602 Год назад +1

    Looking back you didn't say it was a 67... I just get the hump when sites like Classic Bikes incorrectly date bikes. Liked the article by the way.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      glad you enjoyed it 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

  • @ianmitchell9871
    @ianmitchell9871 Год назад +1

    Hope you get this Daz,remember I mentioned the Bridgestone, it was a bit special .
    .

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @mariapugh4000
    @mariapugh4000 11 месяцев назад

    You left out my favorite 70s 500cc machine the BSA B50. I have owned mine for 42 years I have used it on the road and have raced it. It has surprised a few bigger newer bikes over the years both on the track and on our winding mountain roads here in NZ and it has proved to be very reliable .

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      great bikes, I had 2 A7's so i have a soft spot for BSA's, and they did always tune really well 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @lig4902
    @lig4902 3 месяца назад +1

    I'm 44 in just buy a beautiful Benelli 500 quattro s2, i'm in LOVE with that era bikes

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  3 месяца назад

      Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride. I think you might like this video from what you said ruclips.net/video/dvI7bb0MlX4/видео.html and cheers for the support

  • @ant4812
    @ant4812 Год назад +1

    I had a T500 about 30 years ago. That thing was crazy. The handling was awful, it also consumed petrol like a 4 cylinder car. , I wish I still had it. I put a rear sprocket on it 2 teeth less than stock. I haven't a clue how fast it was. The speedo went to 120 mph and the needle stop was another 5-6 mph or so past that mark. When I took it for a speed test I glanced at the speedo as I passed the post, and the needle was hard up against the stop. They're becoming expensive now in Australia. Back when I had mine you almost couldn't give them away. I don't think they sold very many of them here. I do know that the people who did buy them were very happy with them. If I could get my hands on a T500 engine today I'd like to try fitting it into a Norton rolling chassis. I think the result might be a very nice bike indeed. Norzuki?

    • @hodaka1000
      @hodaka1000 Год назад +2

      Greetings from Grafton
      A Suzton maybe
      I always liked the T500 had a mate with a really nice late one it must have been the last model produced
      I thought the early T500 with their front drum brake looked pretty cool
      Back in the day I had an RT360 then an RD400 then an XLS 250 a red one with the big 23" front wheel then an SR500 than a long line of Hodaka dirt bikes
      I'm now reliving my youth on another 78 Australian SR500e exactly like the one I had back then, had it near eight years, done 80,000ks on it

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      a mate builds cafe racers with them, he uses GSXR frames in general i think, look up complete cafe racer in Sheffield UK, there is a gallery on his website

    • @ant4812
      @ant4812 Год назад +1

      @@barebonesmc Cheers for that, I'll have a look!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support

  • @paulmorris3613
    @paulmorris3613 3 месяца назад +1

    Having been a velo enthusiast from the early s i rode the KTS, the Viper, the Mss and finally the Velo Clubman, Indeed a lovely bike for long-distance riding but heavy and a sod In traffic jams,
    I wish I had kept each and every one of them but shortage of cash meant they got sold" I never rode 2 stroke machines , would i rouch a Japanese bike but did love the big BSA and Triumph at times,

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  3 месяца назад

      cheers for the addition mate, and i think a lot of us will relate to the "bikes we have sold" comments, with me, i still remember the 2 BSA A7's I had with fondness. especially the one that was in full clubman spec. but the 350LC is one of my saddest losses. cheers for watching, enjoy the ride

  • @gwkgb8474
    @gwkgb8474 11 месяцев назад

    Great video it’s nice to see and hear where all the bikes of my youth came from and development that went into them nice to know that I’m not the only person with two wheels in my blood

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @peterpretzell8035
    @peterpretzell8035 Год назад +1

    Thank You Sir, Greetings from Austria

  • @volt8684
    @volt8684 Год назад +1

    I was the lucky owner of a suzuki T500 2 stroke beautiful looking and fast bike but carbs kept going out kilter, then had a honda cb500t, my memory of that bike is that I rode it as fast as it would go, then I had a cb550 simply lovely bike. Big thanks for this

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @mikerider58
    @mikerider58 Год назад +1

    I remember well riding a 460cc works Husqvarna motocross bike back in 1974 and my arms are still sore today.😅

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      lol 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @easley421
    @easley421 Год назад +1

    Imagine this. I've been on the road & track for about two decades. It wasn't till I rode dirt that I seen the amazing performance of a two stroke. There much more prevalent in dirt.
    I've been on million valves/moving parts 4T's for more than 15 years and all I can think about is the two stroke, multi cylinder monsters. Love to rebuild one
    When I seen the specs for a modern 450 compared to the old CR500 I was absolutely shook. It's wild to think that 30 plus years have passed and that thing was making more power than a modern bike all the way back then.
    My buddy just inherited the $200 claptrap with an absolutely flawless Big boar 250 2-stroke. It's makes almost 40 damn HP's from the 80's. Can't even ride behind him because of the roost.
    Love the vids

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      cheers for the support mate, enjoy the ride

    • @marcinos303
      @marcinos303 Год назад +1

      If you love big two-strokes, you should try the Maico 700/760.
      Since the availability of this motorcycle is difficult, there is one interesting solution.
      The German company "Zabel" still produces 700cc engines almost identical to the Maico. They are of very high quality and NOTE - they can be placed in the frame of the Honda CR 500.
      If the CR 500 is a bone breaker, the Maico/Zabel is a space rocket that rips your arms out of your torso. It takes a really big, strong guy to even start this thing.

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      @@marcinos303 the Maico is featured here ruclips.net/video/gYetZtEpPcM/видео.html 🙂

  • @SteveMuir
    @SteveMuir 11 месяцев назад +1

    Owned TX 500. Constant oil leak on the head gasket the Yamaha dealer said they had multiple part numbers for but none of them would fix it for long and the cam chain did not have a tensioner so need replacing at 5000 km (motor pull down as it was between the cylinders) and most often just jumped a tooth and bent the valves before the replacement. Other than that, it could run with a Honda 4. You could buy then real cheap!

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      they seem to have a mixed reputation

  • @AndyAndy-bg7mv
    @AndyAndy-bg7mv Год назад +4

    i had a 500 desmo parallell twin broke a con rod at low speed cost £1700 for parts in the early 80s so stuck a z 650 engine in it and rebadged it as a dukwaki

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      lol 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂

  • @andygoodwin7653
    @andygoodwin7653 Год назад +1

    Had a grin on my face the whole way through

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад +1

      glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂

    • @andygoodwin7653
      @andygoodwin7653 Год назад +1

      @@barebonesmc it certainly did I lived and breathed some of those beauties dominator 88ss first real machine I had but you mentioned so many more relevant to the day , spot on on bud

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  Год назад

      @@andygoodwin7653 Thanks for your support mate 🙂 the feedback does help me and i do appreciate it

  • @fredtracy3931
    @fredtracy3931 11 месяцев назад +1

    Of course I enjoyed your video, I ride a 2014 Honda CB500X, and it was preceded by a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD.
    cheers from Canada 🇨🇦🏍️

    • @barebonesmc
      @barebonesmc  11 месяцев назад

      thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂