As an enduro enthusiastic, I think, that for yamaha, the best motorcycle is the xt500. It started a whole new era for the off road motorcycle industry, and won the first dakar
I can definitely agree with that. Using that same logic I could argue that the KLR650 is Kawasaki's best bike. Selling that bike for nearly 4 decades has given them the money to develop several new models over the years.
The best Honda by far is the Cub. This was a totally original design that has stood the test of time and set a sales record that will never be beaten. I doubt that any other motorcycle has done as much work, from postal runs to farmers It was also reliable and would run for years with no maintenance. If you found an old one today you could change the oil and the sparkplug, fill it with gas and it would probably go. This is the Honda that you meet the nicest people on.
Agreed. Honda has made some superb bikes over the decades (let's not forget their early race bikes either) and I still own one (VFR750). But Honda's most important bike is (and will always be) the Cub - no matter where you go in the world, you'll come across one of its descendants.
I agree completely. I am a huge Honda fan and own four. A modern one (DCT Goldwing Tour) and three old ones (CB175K6, GL1000K1 Goldwing and a CBX1000Z). I love all four of them and would love to add an early CB750 as well but when it comes to the most iconic Honda ever it has to be the Cub. That bike opened up a whole new world of personal transport for millions of people all over the world who otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford that. And without it we wouldn't have had any of the other Hondas that followed. For me personally it holds a special place in my life as it is the first bike I ever rode on at the age of about 4 with my father who had one to get to work and back and that started my love affair with motorcycles that has lasted the next 58 years. Maybe one day I'll get hold of one for sentimental reasons. Good early ones are sought after now and are fetching good prices.
Supercub crossed 100 million total sales in 2017. It sold more in 14 months than the CB750 sold in 34 years. If sales figures were not enough the Supercub defined Honda as a company. Hondas were not just for bikers but for everyone.
For Royal Enfield, I'd pick the 1940's bullet. That's the bike which carried the company until the 2010s, so that bike is the reason why the company even exists.
I was lucky. I started high school in 1975. There were so many changes going on in bike world at that time. I bought a wooden crate, pile of parts Bonneville, a 1965. Someone took it apart, but never did anything to make it right again. I did not know much so this project was a teaching moment. Friends, mechanics, my friend's Dads, anyone I could get information from helped me get this bike together and make it run like a sewing machine. I rode it a while and sold it. Loved that bike. Next came the KZ 650. I bought one slightly used. WOW! It was enough. DOHC revolutionized bikes. My, where has the time gone? I go slow these days on a 2006 Triumph Bonneville. Speed is now for the young ones. I'm just taking Sunday country rides now. I enjoyed the video. Thanks.
@@bartmotorcycle I believe that KHI had a 750 Z1 ready to go when The Big H launched the 750, which sort of pulled the rug out from Kawasaki. So they went and redesigned the engine, bored and stroked it and hey presto! You had the Z1. It's curious that Honda had a DOHC before the Z1, but didn't put a DOHC head on the 750 until what? 1979? By which time they had so conclusively lost their big bike crown that it would take them until the Fireblade to regain it.
The CB 450 was the civilian version of the Black Bomber the Honda racing 4 speed trans which predated the street 450 by at least 4 years. Also one of if maybe the only mass produced motorcycle engine the utilized torsion bars to close the valves. Very unique engineering for the time. This allowed for a much higher reving engine.
2:37 Airheads? In Germany they are lovingly called 'Gummikühe' (rubber cows) because the shaft drive has a tendency to jack up/extend the rear suspension when accelerating while a chain drive would compress it.
Exellent choices. As a lifelong BMW rider I was very happy about your focus on the R75/5. The riding experience of the two-valve-beemers is just unique. In my home Germany you find tons of these with more than 100000 or even 200000 km on the clock. Obviously people do love to ride them until this very day. I am one of them.
I was in high school when the Honda 750 came out in 1969. That bike just amazed everyone. It was a huge leap over everything else. The fact that it had 4 cylinders and 67 HP was just mind-boggling. We all wanted one but we couldn't afford it ($1600) in high school. It was just a teenager's fantasy. The other bike that came out in 1969 that I drooled over was the Kawasaki 500 Mach 3. We couldn't afford that one either ($999). I settled for a used Yamaha 350.
My brother had the Honda 750 and his friend had the Kawasaki 500 Mach 3. They were both great bikes. But I loved that Honda cb 750. It was a smooth running bike...I saved my lawn mowing money and bought him a sissy bar for Christmas for the back of it. I was 13 years old...and we drove all the way to Memphis on it from Missouri. 🤣 👍. First bike I've ever been on was a 65, Harley full dresser when I was 8 years old. I've had several Enduros through the years....but would of course wind up buy several Harleys. 🤣. But my brothers CB 750 was still one of the smoothest riding bikes I've ever been on..and that was "years" ago ! 🤣🤣
Had a '78 CB 750F and a couple years later a '79 (when they switched to the dual overhead cam engine) and I wish I'd never changed. At least by the end of the run ('69-'78) they had that thing so polished it was an absolute joy to own. Weird trivia... after '78 they removed the kick-starter from the 750. Not something you'd even think about until you're stuck with a dead battery.
The bikes I've owned in order were Hodaka, Dirt Squirt 100cc followed by a Bultaco 250cc. That's what I learned to ride on. Next was a '78 Suzuki T.S. 125cc and then a '71 Norton Commando, Interstate 750cc. I then bought a '78 Kawasaki Z1R 1000cc. The only reason I bought the Z1R was that the Norton was very hard to start on cold damp mornings here in Orlando, Fl. and the Z had electric start. If I could have any of those bikes back I would pick the Norton... It handled like a dream, once I got the Isolastic suspension figured out. I took the Norton to Daytona bike week 8 years in a row. Most of the guys I rode with had Harleys and they all wanted to ride it. It was funny watching them get the brake and shifter mixed up. I once got pulled over by a cop on a Harley and all he wanted to do was talk about my bike. My heart was pounding from getting pulled, It was the only time I got pissed for not getting a ticket, LOL. Norton should have been on this list!
Modern bikes don't have a particular look, they seem be a chaotic calamity of chaos. The new bikes also have an element of nervousness engineered into them, as you can feel the anxiety of the design team through the unnecessary shapes, angles, and unnecessarily small parts that are trying to be concealed in an ugly way that ruins the flow of the aesthetics. In the past, they celebrated the parts and pieces, but with modern bikes, they are trying to hide the rear half of the motorcycle, and trying to hide the headlights as if you should not have large powerful headlights to light up the road. And trying to hide the fuel tank, because fuel is bad. And not offering enough wind protection because they are scared of having anything more than a little nip of windshield. Modern bikes went through a stage of the designers being terrified of putting a muffler on a motorcycle, so they tried to hide the muffler, making it uglier than hell in the process. Mufflers have always been beautiful, so trying to hide one of the most beautiful parts, shows total confusion on the part of the design team. Most manufacturers should have fired their lead designers in 2003, when they started producing uglier and uglier models, year after year, without any real sense of knowing what people like. It's only recently that motorcycles are slowly making a comeback, bringing back things like "mufflers" and "headlights." What a concept.
I agree with your pick of the CB750 Honda but I think that the Goldwing should have got an honourable mention. It put motorcycle touring into a whole new perspective. People did tour the CB but the Goldwing was an incredibly smooth, powerful, unbreakable mile eater with no true rival at that time. How a best touring bikes from all manufacturers video?
how about the most iconic bikes from each manufacturer. not necessarily the best - but the ones that are immediately connected to the manufacturer, like the gold wing.
you must be from the US, no one in Europe would characterize the Gold Wing as a perfect touring bike, since we have those things called curves and corners and a Gold Wing will make contact to the asphalt when you switch lanes to aggressively. I was so dissapointed with the lack of clearance when I first got to ride one, it hardly qualifies as a real motorcycle to me. It more of a two wheeled car.
The CB750 was important but I think the GL1100 interstate must share that place, there was nothing like that in power, smoothness and luxury that even came close. When the interstate came you had to transform your bike yourself using things like a Vetter fairing and some side and top-cases. The interstate had it all, spraypainted in the correct color and beautiful.
@@lupo3694 there are plenty of videos here on youtube showing goldwings carving many a corner with much more agility than you'd expect from a rolling sofa; don't be fooled by the looks and size, they corner a lot better than you might think, once you adjust to the handling - but yes, they were also very much developed for the american market, and that's where the vast majority of them are sold (and they're built here as well)
great video! when i first got into motorcycles i always hated the way the engine sticks out on airheads and moto guzzi, but as i’m getting older i’m starting to really appreciate those bikes.
My choice for “Best….” would have to be the 1976 Yamaha RD 400, I bike I bought brand new and loved it and miss it. It was a bike with many new features, including mag wheels, self cancelling turn signals, rear disc ( for a small displacement) and it’s handling.
I had a 1986 FZR400, handling was mindblowing, the driving style required was extreme but easy to get used to, main thing was to change gears like a complete lunatic, keep revs above 9500 at all times. The 6 gears had very close ratios so you always had max power available. Quite exhausting though, and Eddie Lawson admitted it was a street legal roadracer.
that was the first bike I ever sat on and it gave me the shits as I went up the main drag in our city one one wheel. I went straight back to the dealer and bought a sedate Honda superhawk 400 1978
9:21 That few seconds of Terry Vance on the GS1100E, made my evening. Must've been from a commercial, but I was in love with that bike, and Terry winning everything at the dragstrip prompted me to take mine out there and won my bracket twice, it was quite a bike!
I skated through this and your choices are not bad. For Honda 750 I rode one and could not wait to get off it. I have current Bonnie, Norton Commando and Triumph T160 Trident but the bike I ride most of the time is my 2021 Yamaha XT250 trail bike. I love it.
I agree with most you said. I think the most important Harley is the '36 EL model it made the Motor Company successful. Oldest bike I rode was an original paint '31 BMW hand clutch , hand shift, it was a blast to ride. Back in '78 I bought a '67 Triumph Bonneville I turned 17 years young that summer. I owned that motorcycle the longest, and miss it dearly.
That was a good listing and good choices. Your choice of the 500 Yamaha versus the Rd 350 you explained in a fully satisfactory way (and that comes from an RD 350 rider all those years ago). I'll be watching a few more of your articles, maybe see what you think of my FZ1 I ride these days (and along the long strange trip its been, I've rode Yamies, Hondas, kaws, Harleys, suzukis and Cushmans (but the RDs were the good old days.))
For me it’s the 1982 Yamaha 1100 Maxim. I flat- out wore three of these bikes out, buying them used at five to ten thousand miles and running them up to sixty to eighty thousand miles, then selling them and buying another. Fast, durable, dependable, great handling, and with their fairly high ground clearance, a go anywhere motorcycle. Change the oil and tires once a summer and ride it anyplace. Comfortable seat, too- that’s a big plus.
Andy B hi thanks for your comment. Was wondering if anyone was going to give a nod to the XJ engine-powered Yammys. Having owned a slew of Jap bikes over the years and noting highs and lows in terms of mileage, wear-and-tear, reliability etc, I would say that among the air-cooled Jap fours, the XJ line (XS, Maxim, Seca 550, 650, 700, 750, 900 and 1100) are without question the best. Around 2 years ago I responded to a Kijiji ad for a Seca 750 because seller indicated 190 000 km on the odom. I asked if it was a typo. Nope. Rebuilt? Nope. ORIGINAL TIMING CHAIN ?!? YEP. 1 owner. My jaw nearly hit the floor. Yeah, those XJ engines are bullets. Like a GM 350 or a slant six - only way to kill em is to run em out of oil/coolant.
Thank you for saying that the Guzzi has a longitudinally mounted engine. Almost everyone gets this wrong. If your crankshaft exits the engine pointing towards the back wheel, your engine is longitudinal. If your bike is driven with a chain or belt, the engine is transversely mounted. I can think of no exception to this. If it is driven by a shaft, it is longitudinal, with the exception of the Suzuki Boulevard, the only one I can come up with. I have read that the definition doesn't apply to V twins, definitions don't have exceptions.
I purchased the first 1970 CB750 K1 to hit my local dealer's shop. I paid 1598.00 for it brand new. It was the gold model. I loved that bike, it was fantastic! Then in 1971 Kawasaki came out with the two stroke three cylinder 750. I had to have that road burner and sold the Honda and purchased the new Kawasaki for 1100.00. I cannot tell you how many times I nearly killed myself on that H2. It was honestly a straight line drag bike that could not be touched by any other production bike at that time. In reality, those were good times and I really loved both those bikes.
For the Honda I would go with the Honda Cub and Honda Trail, these bikes have been around for years and also the Honda Cub sold more bikes than any other, check it out, definitely what put Honda on the map all over the world. Picked up the Honda Trail and talk about putting a smile on my face. I have the CB500X for the highways and touring, but for a run about or short trips I will grab the Trail 125 most of the time. Put a 46 liter top box on it and going to put another smaller one in front of the 46 liter box, to carry gas and a few tools in. Tool to help others on the road. Nothing like stopping and fixing a Harley when riding a Trail 125, or pumping up a spare tire for a car that had a flat but there spare was way to low on air to drive on. I also love that it has a heal toe shifter and a kick start. Did like some of your picks, but think we look at a few things differently. Should make a video on some of the bikes that lasted the longest in production like the DR650 I had the DR600 and two Dr650s and of course the Honda cub and trail. think also the Royal Enfield 350 and 500. think it would make a great video and for Harley I would of picked the Road King, and Harleys greatest bike and there most reliable bike the 883 sportster also a long running bike.
There have been so many good and important motorcycles over the years that choosing a single best one from each manufacturer is a tough job. I will be perfectly happy to watch future videos like "Most Influential", "More Best Motorcycles", "Unappreciated but Great Motorcycles" and the similar "Damned If I Know Why It Didn't Sell Well" Thanks.
Honda's CB450 DOUBLE OVER HEAD CAM motorcycle was introduced in 1965, SEVEN YEARS before the Z1. Not dissing the Z1, but double OH cams existed at Honda long before Kawasaki bothered with them.
The best and most iconic Ducati for me is the 916, and the 996. They where not only design icons but also very successful in racing. For Yamaha I probably would have picked the first R1, but tht may just be because I am too young to have witnessed the 2 stroke insanity of the 70s. I very much agree with all the other picks, especially Suzuki and KTM. Good content.
I had a Kawazaki Z1B. She was beautiful and had a very powerful engine - for the time anyway. Sadly the handling and braking were just deadly. Later I owned a Ducati (no r in Ducati) 900SS bevel. She had everything - looks, power, handling and brakes in spades. She also sounded beautiful with her Conti silencers. I used her for touring with panniers. It was so easy to maintain good progress two up with luggage. Wish I still had her.
Bad handling? Did you ever ride a Suzuki GT750 (Water Buffalo) from the same period? They handled like a top heavy wheel barrow. Great on a straight road though.
There's nothing worse than regretting the sale of a motorcycle. I don't know if I'll ever sell a motorcycle again. I regret selling every motorcycle, and now I am kicking myself for being an idiot and getting rid of perfectly beautiful, perfect running motorcycles. Ummm... They are priceless, and making some money from a sale doesn't replace the memories and the machine. I sold my 2002 ZX-6R and as far as I'm concerned, it was the best motorcycle ever made, at least to me. I sold it because my friend hit a deer at 120 mph on an R6 he borrowed, with his girlfriend on the back, and it exploded the deer, and he now has metal plates in both arms and should have died, and seeing him the hospital made me so sick that I couldn't ride for 10 years after that.
I own an Interceptor 650, and it is just amazing. It is the most powerful as well as comfortable in the RE lineup. The meteor, bullet and classic are just as comfortable but not powerful enough, and while the continental GT has a sporty feel, it just feels like an interceptor minus the comfort. Hence, I chose the Interceptor 650, and I am happy I went with it. Hitting 100, even in traffic just feels so easy, and it is maneuverable enough to make you feel confident. But the best part though, is it's roar!!!
correct mate ! i am 62 now and had many bikes before Honda's Kawa's Triumph BSA, you name it , i got now the RE interceptor 650 and i love it,. so much value for you money !
You clearly missing out on golden age of two stroke motorcycle. 80s-90s was huge for 250cc two stroke particularly in Asia. NSR250, TZR250, RGV250 and KR1S were in every street race back then. Also why you choose RSV4 for best Aprilia? RS250 way more popular in Europe and every race track out there.
Nice video 👍🏻 For me: Suzuki: 600 bandit for all the same reasons you give about the RE Inty. Even now, I think the 75hp (or so) is a benchmark for usable power on the street. A great all round machine. Yamaha: RD350 YPVS was more successful than RD500 which had a vicious (and hazardous!) power band, folk used to say. Two-stroke hooligan power for the masses 😊 Ducati: the monster was at the forefront of today’s naked/standard bike tastes, and still going - influential machine
As a proud owner of an original Ducati 900 ss desmo I respectfully disagree with your pick, oily, messy and unreliable and an absolute chore to tune but….when it all falls into place there’s no greater bike to ride, I’ve owned dozens of motorcycles over the years but that Ducati is just something else entirely
Thanks for the roundup. Yeah it's hard to summarise all the makers, but I think you came up with a pretty good set of winners. Also I'm glad to see that you acknowledged the mighty Supercub in the video roll, even if it lost out to the 750 Four. Possibly the SV650 deserved an honourable mention in the video, and maybe a nod to the Ducati bevel head twins. 👍🇦🇺
In 1988 i bought a brand new 1987 Yamaha Maximx 750x, Wowww! what a bike with the Genesis engine 20 valves. But now i own a Honda CBR 1100xx SuperBlackBird. For me it's the best bike i owned. I also have a Yamaha vMax 1995 also very powerfull but the gaz tank to small and i also have a Harley Softail FXSTI 2005 Very beautyfull but i hate to drive that shit. CBR 1100xx is my favorite.
I had a '59 Bonnie. It was a lot of fun. Great off road, on road kind of wimpy, but it was unique. I bought it used for $80, sold it 30 years later for $1600. A good investment...I had 4 after that one. (one was a Tiger 750 which was the strongest one. That single carb model was amazing.)
Did not agree with many of your picks for the worst bike but with this one I agree with your choices. Got my first bike in -74 and the bikes I drooled over were Honda CB750 and Kawasaki Z1. Both were way over my budget at that time, as a 16 year old youngster there was no chance for buying either. When I grew up I got into sportbikes for a long period of time, on my best bikes list the R1 from Yamaha would have taken the top slot but no denying that their twostrokes were quite revolutionary in their time. Always entertaining to watch your videos, the passion comes through and that is what bikes are all about. We like bikes, it is as simple as that!
Back in ´71, I was on a school trip to Vienna. At the same "Jugendherberge" (youth hostel) were two guys from New York, on a trip around Europe. One with a Norton, the other one with a Bonnie. I immediately fell in love with the Triumph, all the more as the young man took me on a ride through Vienna. One experience I´ll never forget.
I think your picks are pretty much right on. Well, except Yamaha (maybe) as I'd have gone for the RD350/400 as these were the every man's cheap sport bike. The 500s were rare. But, your choice of the /5 BMWs warmed my heart. I bought a new R75/5 LWB in 1973 and had it until 2012. Of the 35 or so bikes I've had, the R75/5 gives me the best memories and was probably the best motorcycle I've had when all is considered. An absolute gem then and a drop dead classic now.
I had a 1973 Z1 and I loved it. I sold it to keep my sons from riding. Both of them have motorcycles for several years now. I wish that I had never sold it. I have a Z1000 and a Concours now that I have had for 15 years now.
Would have loved to see you down select from best three (with pics). Good selection. Can’t believe the Honda C90 missed an appearance (highest volumes ever made); Suzuki GT750 (Kettle), Yes of course the Yamaha RD350 (i owned this in the day and wow!), i think you nailed it on BMW but the first S1000RR caught the completion napping (i now own the 2022 Gen 4 and wow!).
I started motorcycling in the early 1970s on a second-hand Honda C110 (basically a 50cc Cub but looking like a "proper bike"). This cost me £15 and another £10 to repair the kickstart. I bought a copy of Motorcyclist and the front cover said "Top10 Big Bikes on Tour". The overall winner was the BMW R75/5. Moto Guzzi was represented by the Ambassador (I think) - perhaps it was just too early for the V7 Sport. I agree with you about both the importance and the beauty of that V7 Sport. This was the lead story in the next issue of the magazine and I remember the article saying that disk brakes would be like bolting plates on to the side of the wheels. Being the age I am (75) I would go for the Ducati 900 SS. I remember seeing one with only 45 miles on the clock, just ridden home from the dealers with its header pipes already a lovely shade of blue. Thanks for this review across the range and across the years.
As much as i love the Cb750, I owned one, and a 750 Nighthawk, you cannot forget the Honda dream. Between the C and D and E models, they have sold almost 125 million bikes, and still sell today. Being the most sold vehicle on the planet, they have to be on this list.
You showed the 1974 Kawi z1 900 but the 73 was even more groundbreaking and collectible now, and the first superbike Honda 750 killer. 134 mph and 12 second quarter mile in 73! It was my first and only bike I owned for 34 years. Still kicking myself for selling it......
1967 Suzuki X6 250 Huslter was very quick to 60 maybe under 5 sec. Also had a 1970 Kawa A7SS 350 that was around 4 sec to 60, it did 3rd gear wheelies and 110 mph. My 1969 Benelli 650 Tornado did 110 and felt heavy but looked great, esp with the twin leading shoe front brake. I owned all the Ducati singles and my 1967 250 scrambler was my favorite. ran almost as strong as my 450 scrambler. chirped the tires in 4/5 gears.... I later acquired Mk3 and Diana cams, factory megaphones and other exotica that also fit my souped up 350 that maybe made 37 hp. nothing is as load as even a Ducati 250 with that megaphone.
Love the Z1, but you are wrong. The first Japanese production motorcycle with a Double Overhead Cam is the 1966 Honda 450 DOHC twin. Yes I'm sure you forgot. But us oldies dont. The 450 lasted through to about 1974, then the 500 DOHC came out for a few years.😉
Agree with most choices but the RD500 was hugely disappointing. I had one and whilst it looked and sounded great it was over weight, had mediocre handling and disappointing performance. The 350LC made way more impact.
My parents bought me one for my HS graduation in 78'... man I LOVED that bike. Of all the bikes I've owned over the year it was definitely my favorite.
Triumph - could the speed twin be a contender? Ed Turners 360 twin lay the blue print for truck loads of other manufacturers including Yamahas excellent xs650. Although I agree that the bonnie also influenced heaps of other bikes as well - Just a thought...
The Bonneville is a direct descendent of the Speed Twin, so as the ultimate version of the influential original design I think there is a good case to be made
1967 Triumph Bonneville, the difference being using an external oil reservoir tank compared to that frame tube. It looked good and riders often would place their hand on it after a hard run to sense the heat of her blood !
Great video, I enjoyed your choices, however, you mention that the Kwaka Z1 was the first double over head cam bike. Not quite. The Honda CB450cc twin built from the mid '60's through to the early '70's would be one that preceded the Kwaka in road bikes.
When it comes to BMW I think their best bike has to be a GS. BMW basically created and dominated that segment, and we are now seeing how big adv riding is among the modern rider. Definitely their best bike(s) in my opinion. Which one specifically is up for debate.
I got my bike licence in the early 80s and there were some great choices back then. The best cruising bike I had was a Kawasaki GT750 shaft drive. I did a tour of Australia on one back in 1985, 15,000km, dont remember even getting that sore. And super reliable. Also had a Kawasaki z900, awesome bike. A Kawasaki GPZ900R (blue/silver trim) one of the true first superbikes, great ride and great positioning. I've ridden a few ducatis and they were all great, 900 supersport, halewood replica, all great handling bikes. Suzuki GSXR1100 (borrowed off a mate, kept wanting to lift the front wheel), Suzuki Katanas, awesome. Suzuki RG500 (scary powerband). Spent 3 years on a BMW 1100 (police duties) was a bit gutless, vibrated a lot and broke down a lot. The newer models are apparently a lot better. A swag of other bikes, on and off road. One the last bikes I had was an import Honda CBR250RR. Small bike for my 6'frame but when in the riding position, it was perfect, and such a fun bike. Got it up to 150kph. Sold it to a guy even taller than me, he loved it.
The suzuki vstrom was/is an amazingly versatile motorcycle. Its been marketed for decades and remains the swiss army knife of motorcycles. Great engine, comfortable seat and ergonomics, durability plus and cheap.
The best bike for me back in 1973 was the SUZUKI GT 750 WATER COOLED 3 cylinder, 2 stroke!!! Turned out unusually a good long distance touring bike and around town a pepper responsive bike!! Mine had a better fairing saddle bags and a rear carry rack!!!! I rode it almost every day to work!!!! I'm Shure it would run 120 mph or so!!!! Never had any trouble with it!!!! A smoker that Ralph neater hated!!!!!!!
You really should do a top list 5 or 10 for each manufacturer. I agree with all your picks but they all had bikes that came before and either laid the groundwork or kept the company alive.
I had a BMW r90s for a while, and I believe it was the best beemer ever, but I get your point: the 75/5 was a road opener, leading to a new generation of bikes, while the 90s was an odd bird, with its Dell'Ortos instead of Bing carburettors, the daring yellow coloring, the search for top speed - unmatched for decades in the boxer family, with its 200+ kph. Same goes for my Guzzi Daytona, which I still own, whose engine died with the Daytona and the Centauro, because it was too expensive to produce at Mandello, while the v7 sport was the first of a very long family. But at least I had a bike that made it into your list, and it's the MV F4 ( The very first, it was a 750 with 130 hp). I had to sell it when I got married!
Great video as always! I agree with you that Royal Enfield's greatest era is now. Even as a Royal Enfield Meteor 350 owner, I would have selected the Classic 350. That is nearly a perfect motorcycle in my eyes. Thanks again for the great content that you consistently put out.
I wouldn't feel safe travelling long distances on RE's 350 line of bikes. I don't live in the US where highways are a different ball game and my local speed limit is 65mph/110kmh, and yet I feel like 20ish Hp doesn't cut It.
I recently tried these, and they are pretty comfortable, but I still feel the interceptor 650 is far better due to power and seating posture (interceptor feels more maneuverable)
Interesting video , good history lesson. The Japanese bikes today definitely don't carry the mystique that they did in the 70s and 80s, but if I would cross the African desert, or the Australian outback on a motorcycle and my life would depend on the bike, I would still choose a Japanese bike.
Another beauty Bart , I would not have picked much of a different line up except Yamaha , the R6 would give the 500cc 2 stroke a run for the best , but it's a small difference . On the Triumph Bonneville , leaking oil . Yes they did and back in the day we used to drill and tap a 1/4 BSP hole as high up in the crank case before the barrels bolted on , just ensure the breather is vertical , pointing up and fit a $1 oil breather from the millions of Differentials in the junk yard , that allowed pressure to escape the crank case and stop the oil leaks . I did this to my 1966 Triumph Saint 650 way back in about 1985 ?? and it still don't leak oil . Do this to your Daytona . Royal Enfield ,,, ha ha ha , I have , love and ride a 650 Interceptor and knew you would choose this model , they are impressive in every way . Again , thanks for another great review .
The best KTM has to be a dirt bike, it just has to. I would choose the KTM 300 2T. The entire sport of Hard enduro is dominated by them. They are and have been for a long time the reigning champs of the off-road world. You could say aa 4T but all other manufacturers are relatively similar with the 4T production.
MV is the ultimate paradox, you see one and your heart explodes. Then your brain steps in and says it’s overpriced, and the maintenance cost is obscured.
I agree with your video and you did great work producing this. That said Triumph would have to be the current T120. It's shocking to me it's taken this long for any company to make a simple, reliable, standard bike with inline twin, water cooling and efi! I do love my T120 and to me it embodies everything that a motorcycle should be.
My first bike (I was 19) was a 1963 Yamaha YG80, chosen because it looked sort of like a real motorcycle! It was the first Yamaha in the city. Driving it flat out all the time I regularly got over 190 mpg (Imperial gallon), but never quite cracked the 200 mpg barrier. I have often since wondered why contemporary designs are not even more efficient than this - what did the Yamaha engineers know? Later went on to a Honda CB77 Superhawk, a 305cc Bonneville challenger that is one Honda’s best, then a ’74 BMW R90S silver smoke which was magic at 100mph, but I do agree with your choice of the 750 despite its Bing carburetors. Apparently the crankshafts of the 750, 800 and 900 were all the same and the counterweights balanced the 750 pistons perfectly but were a bit of a compromise in the larger engines which had the same stroke but larger bores and heavier pistons. As for Moto Guzzi my favourite was the V50 for its engine sound and beautiful engine and rear hub castings. The 650cc Ducati Pantah was similarly appealing and the best handling bike I’ve ever ridden in the sense of being so planted on the road I felt that I could hit a patch of sand in a corner and be confident that I could maintain control when I recovered traction - that plus I could place myself on the road exactly where I wanted to be, plus or minus a couple of inches. It’s good to see Suzuki get credit for the GSX-R750.
Good list, but I can't believe that you got the Ducati entry so wrong. Clearly it should have been the Ducati 916. There would likely have been no Panigale without the 916 preceeding it.
@@philhawley1219 There's a valid argument for that. But I'd argue that the Pantah, with the first use of the motor that would go on to power all future Ducati's, or the first Monster, the parts bin special that saved the company from bankruptcy, are both equally as important. None of them had the cultural & industry impact of the 916 though.
I'm not angry. I'm sure this was a difficult, but fun video to make. Regarding Honda, that had to be a tough one. They had so many groundbreaking models over the years. One I feel doesn't get enough press is the SL125. My best friend was a pro rider back in 69- 73 or so. What you have to remember is prior to then, guys were still riding big Triumph 650 and 500 twins in desert and cross country events. You had to be a big guy to toss those things around. Then Honda came over with these little 125s, ridden buy little 140 pound guys like my buddy, and ran circles around the old school twins. It truly changed the game of off road racing.
I had an SL100 that I bought used from a guy I worked with. So quiet and talk about gas mileage! nice comfortable saddle too. I had a lot of bikes back then (1970's) and I think that I enjoyed that little SL as much or more than all of the larger ones I had. Perfect for riding the back roads, paved or not. The guy I bought it from missed it so much that he went out and bought a new one!
The WB is a collectable bike. My Fraternity brother had one back in the day when I had my new 1982 Seca 400. It was fun to ride but it was not a Kawi triple. I was going to trade my 73 MG Midget for one in high school. I had a new 93 GSXR 750 and it was ok. I liked my first year Katana 600 better. I got rid of it and bought a new 95 ZX6R, the first year. It was way better for the north GA Mountains than the heavy watercooled GSXR.
I know you cannot include everything, and I enjoyed what you did, but BSA was once the biggest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. I ride an A65 twin, a very underrated model, but its history is pretty interesting. From 1962 it dominated British sidecar racing. 1986 was the last year an A65 twin won an open class race. This was against 4 cylinder outfits, TZs and big 900 Kawasakis. To quote a rider on a forum, I had a fast Kawasaki 900 4 outfit, I heard the thing coming, a low rumbling behind me, and they came past on the main straight. Twin cylinders were often started behind the multis, in F2 twins, so they would not get in the way, and the BSA had to pass the whole F1 field to take the win. The second place man got the huge F1 trophy and First the little F2 trophy. These were the sidecars that entertained and packed race tracks through the '60s, with the spectacle of drifting, sliding, and wheel spinning. Not a single rider but a close team.
Best manufacturing bike I have ever seen was a 1973/4 MV Agusta 750 4 cylinder, had disc brakes and impressive engineering all round. Most outstanding feature of this bike was the quality of the engine and gearbox castings, just look at current Ferrari engines for some idea of how it's done!
Great video and good choices. Dewcati and Moto Gootzi, I don't think so. Ducati and Moto Guzzi. Honda had DOHC with CB450, years before the Z1. Bang on with Triumph, Honda, Kawasaki, and RE, and I think the Himalayan would be a close 2nd.
I;m old, so the bikes I remember are the Honda 750, Kawasaki Z-1, and Triumph Bonneville. Those were the exact bikes I had in mind at the beginning of the video. They really were the best.
Well, I agree that the Triumph Bonneville has the most iconic and beautiful look of any bike. When I saw the Kawasaki W650, which is basically almost a Bonneville clone, but with greater reliability, I knew I would have one just from the looks alone. It’s proven to be a very reliable and practical bike which is also a necessity for me.
Great video. I disagree only very slightly as I believe the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 has a better riding position and style than the Interceptor, but that is just my opinion!
I like the Interceptor's riding position, it is far more comfortable and practical on the long run. The GT's posture feels sporty but after a few minutes it just became annoying to me.
@@adityak600 that how I feel about the Interceptor. Ok for short rides, uncomfortable for anything long. But I have a long history of bicycle riding & racing.
having worked on motorcycles, the worst bike with engine problems is the yamaha units that were produced in the last 30 to 40 years. the issue was the starter drive not holding up, even new they were garbage( the starter motor was o.k.). it seems that it started with the virago, and you had to pull the side cover off of the engine to get to the drive unit, at least it was easy to get to for replacement.
The Indian Chief does NOT live on today. Polaris bought the name which has been sold countless times. In the 70’s Indians were Taiwan made dirt bikes! The Indian name is just that, a name! A name with absolutely nothing to do with the original company. They should take the date of logo.
I rode an Aprilia sport bike belonging to my neighbor about 20 years ago. I have test-ridden many other sports bikes, but it was the easiest bike to ride both slow and fast. It was a joy to ride, better than my Truimp and his Harly. I just loved that bike. I have ridden several Ductatic bikes, which were always tricky to ride.
Not angry. I owned a Bonneville in 1979. And right outta the box it was a leaky, bike. 9 months later with a jug blow by and oil shooting out the tail pipe. I luckily Wrecked it which totaled it and I got it paid off by the insurance company. Best Triumph I ever owned, and the LAST one. I've worked on these machines, rode em, and find that the English are historically an unreliable manufacturing base. From the lauded Land rover, or the Jewel of the Jaguar, that shine just did not translate to motorcycling very well. Royal Enfield really has not changed much of ANYTHING in their entire history of production. The MG A, MG B, Triumph TR6, TR7 all were mainly just giant wrenching machines for those that wanted LOTS of mechanical experience. To sum it all up, The Japanese hit the bullseye more than once which set the rest of the world in search of better designers, engineering and platforms that would capture the imagination. Well since Churchill is no longer around to inspire that, the English have fallen OFF the road map of manufacturing and I for one would NEVER buy an English made vehicle for roads, water, track or hillside. The Italians, well, I like their style but the cost of ownership is far too great to get to excited about a Ducati, Aprilia, or anything else motorcycling has to offer from there. I've ridden many machines and by far the Japanese have made motorcycling FUN, Enjoyable and not hand numbingly difficult. So I guess I am partial to that a LOT. Triumph and Harley's vibrated my hands numb after 30 mins and I could not stand that.
In 1976, I had a used Honda 750 ,I change the oil and the spark plugs and the tires.i had it for 3 years and sold it for the same price I bought it for.Had a great touring California during my deployment .Great bike .Now I own a Harley Dayna super glide with the screaming eagle sport package. Great bike, low Maintenance,fun to ride.
How could you not include every maker going back to the turn of the century? No mention of New Imperial motorcycles? Come on! It would have only been about 200 different motorcycles. VERY DISAPPOINTED! UNSUBBED!
My first bike, and I wish I could find another one, was a 1968 Bridgestone two stroke 350 twin oil injection. I knew very little of bikes, but at 16 years old in 1976, and living in the mountains of Colorado, I felt so alive! An interesting fact, if I have my story correct, was that bike was one of the first in that size range that would do over 100 mph. Mine never ran good enough to get close to that, and that was probably a good thing. The gas tank is what Honda's should have looked like. Chrome, rubber side pads and a much sleeker shape in a metallic cranberry red! And a little turned up tail at the back of the seat, that I wonder if Kawasaki noticed when they designed their iconic duck bill rear cowling for the KZ line in the 70's.
As an enduro enthusiastic, I think, that for yamaha, the best motorcycle is the xt500. It started a whole new era for the off road motorcycle industry, and won the first dakar
I love the xt's my dad has a xt600. They are unkillable
There's a reason they made the sr400 for like 43 years. Same frame as the xt, and a de-stroked version of the same engine in a street bike
XT 500 Won 2 dakar
I can definitely agree with that. Using that same logic I could argue that the KLR650 is Kawasaki's best bike. Selling that bike for nearly 4 decades has given them the money to develop several new models over the years.
Think you are right !
I've got an XT & an SR 500 Bloody great machines that are super reliable & make you smile.
The best Honda by far is the Cub.
This was a totally original design that has stood the test of time and set a sales record that will never be beaten.
I doubt that any other motorcycle has done as much work, from postal runs to farmers
It was also reliable and would run for years with no maintenance.
If you found an old one today you could change the oil and the sparkplug, fill it with gas and it would probably go.
This is the Honda that you meet the nicest people on.
Agreed. Honda has made some superb bikes over the decades (let's not forget their early race bikes either) and I still own one (VFR750). But Honda's most important bike is (and will always be) the Cub - no matter where you go in the world, you'll come across one of its descendants.
I can’t believe I forgot about the cub when I was watching this
I agree completely. I am a huge Honda fan and own four. A modern one (DCT Goldwing Tour) and three old ones (CB175K6, GL1000K1 Goldwing and a CBX1000Z). I love all four of them and would love to add an early CB750 as well but when it comes to the most iconic Honda ever it has to be the Cub. That bike opened up a whole new world of personal transport for millions of people all over the world who otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford that. And without it we wouldn't have had any of the other Hondas that followed. For me personally it holds a special place in my life as it is the first bike I ever rode on at the age of about 4 with my father who had one to get to work and back and that started my love affair with motorcycles that has lasted the next 58 years. Maybe one day I'll get hold of one for sentimental reasons. Good early ones are sought after now and are fetching good prices.
Supercub crossed 100 million total sales in 2017. It sold more in 14 months than the CB750 sold in 34 years. If sales figures were not enough the Supercub defined Honda as a company. Hondas were not just for bikers but for everyone.
If you think 1958 Honda Cub is a totally original design, check 1950 Moto Guzzi Galleto twice...
For Royal Enfield, I'd pick the 1940's bullet. That's the bike which carried the company until the 2010s, so that bike is the reason why the company even exists.
True. The bullet is RE But I would have agreed with him on the Interceptor until I saw the Bear. N+1
I was lucky. I started high school in 1975. There were so many changes going on in bike world at that time. I bought a wooden crate, pile of parts Bonneville, a 1965. Someone took it apart, but never did anything to make it right again. I did not know much so this project was a teaching moment. Friends, mechanics, my friend's Dads, anyone I could get information from helped me get this bike together and make it run like a sewing machine. I rode it a while and sold it. Loved that bike. Next came the KZ 650. I bought one slightly used. WOW! It was enough. DOHC revolutionized bikes. My, where has the time gone? I go slow these days on a 2006 Triumph Bonneville. Speed is now for the young ones. I'm just taking Sunday country rides now.
I enjoyed the video. Thanks.
I remember the KZ650. It was plenty fast for the day. Comfy, rode well and handled well.
I believe the Honda CB450 DOHC came out before the Kawasaki Z1.
You're correct, and I knew this! I read somewhere that the Z1 was the first but obviously it wasn't. Thanks for the correction!
@@bartmotorcycle I believe that KHI had a 750 Z1 ready to go when The Big H launched the 750, which sort of pulled the rug out from Kawasaki.
So they went and redesigned the engine, bored and stroked it and hey presto! You had the Z1.
It's curious that Honda had a DOHC before the Z1, but didn't put a DOHC head on the 750 until what? 1979? By which time they had so conclusively lost their big bike crown that it would take them until the Fireblade to regain it.
The CB 450 was the civilian version of the Black Bomber the Honda racing 4 speed trans which predated the street 450 by at least 4 years. Also one of if maybe the only mass produced motorcycle engine the utilized torsion bars to close the valves. Very unique engineering for the time. This allowed for a much higher reving engine.
during super secret Z1 development the code word for the Kawi 900 Honda smoker was new york steak.
Yes, it was the first dohc engine ever to be mass produced. About 7 years before the Z1
2:37 Airheads? In Germany they are lovingly called 'Gummikühe' (rubber cows) because the shaft drive has a tendency to jack up/extend the rear suspension when accelerating while a chain drive would compress it.
Exellent choices. As a lifelong BMW rider I was very happy about your focus on the R75/5. The riding experience of the two-valve-beemers is just unique. In my home Germany you find tons of these with more than 100000 or even 200000 km on the clock. Obviously people do love to ride them until this very day. I am one of them.
I was in high school when the Honda 750 came out in 1969. That bike just amazed everyone. It was a huge leap over everything else. The fact that it had 4 cylinders and 67 HP was just mind-boggling. We all wanted one but we couldn't afford it ($1600) in high school. It was just a teenager's fantasy. The other bike that came out in 1969 that I drooled over was the Kawasaki 500 Mach 3. We couldn't afford that one either ($999). I settled for a used Yamaha 350.
My first bike was a used R5 350…. Wish I had it now!
The r5 or rd350 were awesome bikes for the money. Still find myself wanting a rd350. I own 2 cb750k 's 75 and 78
My brother had the Honda 750 and his friend had the Kawasaki 500 Mach 3.
They were both great bikes. But I loved that Honda cb 750. It was a smooth running bike...I saved my lawn mowing money and bought him a sissy bar for Christmas for the back of it. I was 13 years old...and we drove all the way to Memphis on it from Missouri. 🤣 👍. First bike I've ever been on was a 65, Harley full dresser when I was 8 years old. I've had several Enduros through the years....but would of course wind up buy several Harleys. 🤣. But my brothers CB 750 was still one of the smoothest riding bikes I've ever been on..and that was "years" ago ! 🤣🤣
In later years Kawasaki toned done the 500 and it was not particularly fast. The Blue Streak Specials are the fast ones.
Had a '78 CB 750F and a couple years later a '79 (when they switched to the dual overhead cam engine) and I wish I'd never changed. At least by the end of the run ('69-'78) they had that thing so polished it was an absolute joy to own. Weird trivia... after '78 they removed the kick-starter from the 750. Not something you'd even think about until you're stuck with a dead battery.
The bikes I've owned in order were Hodaka, Dirt Squirt 100cc followed by a Bultaco 250cc. That's what I learned to ride on. Next was a '78 Suzuki T.S. 125cc and then a '71 Norton Commando, Interstate 750cc. I then bought a '78 Kawasaki Z1R 1000cc. The only reason I bought the Z1R was that the Norton was very hard to start on cold damp mornings here in Orlando, Fl. and the Z had electric start. If I could have any of those bikes back I would pick the Norton... It handled like a dream, once I got the Isolastic suspension figured out. I took the Norton to Daytona bike week 8 years in a row. Most of the guys I rode with had Harleys and they all wanted to ride it. It was funny watching them get the brake and shifter mixed up. I once got pulled over by a cop on a Harley and all he wanted to do was talk about my bike. My heart was pounding from getting pulled, It was the only time I got pissed for not getting a ticket, LOL. Norton should have been on this list!
Modern bikes don't have a particular look, they seem be a chaotic calamity of chaos. The new bikes also have an element of nervousness engineered into them, as you can feel the anxiety of the design team through the unnecessary shapes, angles, and unnecessarily small parts that are trying to be concealed in an ugly way that ruins the flow of the aesthetics. In the past, they celebrated the parts and pieces, but with modern bikes, they are trying to hide the rear half of the motorcycle, and trying to hide the headlights as if you should not have large powerful headlights to light up the road. And trying to hide the fuel tank, because fuel is bad. And not offering enough wind protection because they are scared of having anything more than a little nip of windshield. Modern bikes went through a stage of the designers being terrified of putting a muffler on a motorcycle, so they tried to hide the muffler, making it uglier than hell in the process. Mufflers have always been beautiful, so trying to hide one of the most beautiful parts, shows total confusion on the part of the design team. Most manufacturers should have fired their lead designers in 2003, when they started producing uglier and uglier models, year after year, without any real sense of knowing what people like. It's only recently that motorcycles are slowly making a comeback, bringing back things like "mufflers" and "headlights." What a concept.
I agree with your pick of the CB750 Honda but I think that the Goldwing should have got an honourable mention. It put motorcycle touring into a whole new perspective. People did tour the CB but the Goldwing was an incredibly smooth, powerful, unbreakable mile eater with no true rival at that time. How a best touring bikes from all manufacturers video?
how about the most iconic bikes from each manufacturer. not necessarily the best - but the ones that are immediately connected to the manufacturer, like the gold wing.
Supercub?
you must be from the US, no one in Europe would characterize the Gold Wing as a perfect touring bike, since we have those things called curves and corners and a Gold Wing will make contact to the asphalt when you switch lanes to aggressively. I was so dissapointed with the lack of clearance when I first got to ride one, it hardly qualifies as a real motorcycle to me. It more of a two wheeled car.
The CB750 was important but I think the GL1100 interstate must share that place, there was nothing like that in power, smoothness and luxury that even came close. When the interstate came you had to transform your bike yourself using things like a Vetter fairing and some side and top-cases. The interstate had it all, spraypainted in the correct color and beautiful.
@@lupo3694 there are plenty of videos here on youtube showing goldwings carving many a corner with much more agility than you'd expect from a rolling sofa; don't be fooled by the looks and size, they corner a lot better than you might think, once you adjust to the handling - but yes, they were also very much developed for the american market, and that's where the vast majority of them are sold (and they're built here as well)
great video! when i first got into motorcycles i always hated the way the engine sticks out on airheads and moto guzzi, but as i’m getting older i’m starting to really appreciate those bikes.
Me too man. No i can appreciate these beautifully designed motorcycles as i'm getting old lol
Teutonic - Sticking out cylinder shaft drive motors I’m loving’ them! ruclips.net/video/fPZxJCqLzbc/видео.html
My choice for “Best….” would have to be the 1976 Yamaha RD 400, I bike I bought brand new and loved it and miss it. It was a bike with many new features, including mag wheels, self cancelling turn signals, rear disc ( for a small displacement) and it’s handling.
I had a 1986 FZR400, handling was mindblowing, the driving style required was extreme but easy to get used to, main thing was to change gears like a complete lunatic, keep revs above 9500 at all times. The 6 gears had very close ratios so you always had max power available. Quite exhausting though, and Eddie Lawson admitted it was a street legal roadracer.
that was the first bike I ever sat on and it gave me the shits as I went up the main drag in our city one one wheel. I went straight back to the dealer and bought a sedate Honda superhawk 400 1978
9:21 That few seconds of Terry Vance on the GS1100E, made my evening. Must've been from a commercial, but I was in love with that bike, and Terry winning everything at the dragstrip prompted me to take mine out there and won my bracket twice, it was quite a bike!
I skated through this and your choices are not bad. For Honda 750 I rode one and could not wait to get off it. I have current Bonnie, Norton Commando and Triumph T160 Trident but the bike I ride most of the time is my 2021 Yamaha XT250 trail bike. I love it.
I agree with most you said. I think the most important Harley is the '36 EL model it made the Motor Company successful. Oldest bike I rode was an original paint '31 BMW hand clutch , hand shift, it was a blast to ride. Back in '78 I bought a '67 Triumph Bonneville I turned 17 years young that summer. I owned that motorcycle the longest, and miss it dearly.
That was a good listing and good choices. Your choice of the 500 Yamaha versus the Rd 350 you explained in a fully satisfactory way (and that comes from an RD 350 rider all those years ago). I'll be watching a few more of your articles, maybe see what you think of my FZ1 I ride these days (and along the long strange trip its been, I've rode Yamies, Hondas, kaws, Harleys, suzukis and Cushmans (but the RDs were the good old days.))
I concur, I had an RD400, bought it new in ‘76.
16:15 - Yamaha also had the DOHC 4-valve TX-500 in 1972.
For me it’s the 1982 Yamaha 1100 Maxim. I flat- out wore three of these bikes out, buying them used at five to ten thousand miles and running them up to sixty to eighty thousand miles, then selling them and buying another. Fast, durable, dependable, great handling, and with their fairly high ground clearance, a go anywhere motorcycle. Change the oil and tires once a summer and ride it anyplace. Comfortable seat, too- that’s a big plus.
Andy B hi thanks for your comment. Was wondering if anyone was going to give a nod to the XJ engine-powered Yammys.
Having owned a slew of Jap bikes over the years and noting highs and lows in terms of mileage, wear-and-tear, reliability etc, I would say that among the air-cooled Jap fours, the XJ line (XS, Maxim, Seca 550, 650, 700, 750, 900 and 1100) are without question the best. Around 2 years ago I responded to a Kijiji ad for a Seca 750 because seller indicated 190 000 km on the odom. I asked if it was a typo. Nope. Rebuilt? Nope. ORIGINAL TIMING CHAIN ?!? YEP. 1 owner. My jaw nearly hit the floor. Yeah, those XJ engines are bullets. Like a GM 350 or a slant six - only way to kill em is to run em out of oil/coolant.
Thank you for saying that the Guzzi has a longitudinally mounted engine. Almost everyone gets this wrong. If your crankshaft exits the engine pointing towards the back wheel, your engine is longitudinal. If your bike is driven with a chain or belt, the engine is transversely mounted. I can think of no exception to this. If it is driven by a shaft, it is longitudinal, with the exception of the Suzuki Boulevard, the only one I can come up with. I have read that the definition doesn't apply to V twins, definitions don't have exceptions.
Definitions can definitely come along with exceptions. Just depends on how people tend to use a given word. Common usage is the arbiter of definitions
My Yamaha FJR is shaft driven and has a transversely mounted engine.
I purchased the first 1970 CB750 K1 to hit my local dealer's shop. I paid 1598.00 for it brand new. It was the gold model. I loved that bike, it was fantastic! Then in 1971 Kawasaki came out with the two stroke three cylinder 750. I had to have that road burner and sold the Honda and purchased the new Kawasaki for 1100.00. I cannot tell you how many times I nearly killed myself on that H2. It was honestly a straight line drag bike that could not be touched by any other production bike at that time. In reality, those were good times and I really loved both those bikes.
For the Honda I would go with the Honda Cub and Honda Trail, these bikes have been around for years and also the Honda Cub sold more bikes than any other, check it out, definitely what put Honda on the map all over the world. Picked up the Honda Trail and talk about putting a smile on my face. I have the CB500X for the highways and touring, but for a run about or short trips I will grab the Trail 125 most of the time. Put a 46 liter top box on it and going to put another smaller one in front of the 46 liter box, to carry gas and a few tools in. Tool to help others on the road. Nothing like stopping and fixing a Harley when riding a Trail 125, or pumping up a spare tire for a car that had a flat but there spare was way to low on air to drive on. I also love that it has a heal toe shifter and a kick start. Did like some of your picks, but think we look at a few things differently. Should make a video on some of the bikes that lasted the longest in production like the DR650 I had the DR600 and two Dr650s and of course the Honda cub and trail. think also the Royal Enfield 350 and 500. think it would make a great video and for Harley I would of picked the Road King, and Harleys greatest bike and there most reliable bike the 883 sportster also a long running bike.
There have been so many good and important motorcycles over the years that choosing a single best one from each manufacturer is a tough job. I will be perfectly happy to watch future videos like "Most Influential", "More Best Motorcycles", "Unappreciated but Great Motorcycles" and the similar "Damned If I Know Why It Didn't Sell Well"
Thanks.
Honda's CB450 DOUBLE OVER HEAD CAM motorcycle was introduced in 1965, SEVEN YEARS before the Z1. Not dissing the Z1, but double OH cams existed at Honda long before Kawasaki bothered with them.
The best and most iconic Ducati for me is the 916, and the 996. They where not only design icons but also very successful in racing. For Yamaha I probably would have picked the first R1, but tht may just be because I am too young to have witnessed the 2 stroke insanity of the 70s. I very much agree with all the other picks, especially Suzuki and KTM. Good content.
I had a Kawazaki Z1B. She was beautiful and had a very powerful engine - for the time anyway. Sadly the handling and braking were just deadly. Later I owned a Ducati (no r in Ducati) 900SS bevel. She had everything - looks, power, handling and brakes in spades. She also sounded beautiful with her Conti silencers. I used her for touring with panniers. It was so easy to maintain good progress two up with luggage. Wish I still had her.
my first bike was a 73 z1 900
dumped her twice cause i couldnt stop her fast enough.....only bike ive ever owned for 34 years.
Bad handling? Did you ever ride a Suzuki GT750 (Water Buffalo) from the same period? They handled like a top heavy wheel barrow. Great on a straight road though.
There's nothing worse than regretting the sale of a motorcycle. I don't know if I'll ever sell a motorcycle again. I regret selling every motorcycle, and now I am kicking myself for being an idiot and getting rid of perfectly beautiful, perfect running motorcycles. Ummm... They are priceless, and making some money from a sale doesn't replace the memories and the machine. I sold my 2002 ZX-6R and as far as I'm concerned, it was the best motorcycle ever made, at least to me. I sold it because my friend hit a deer at 120 mph on an R6 he borrowed, with his girlfriend on the back, and it exploded the deer, and he now has metal plates in both arms and should have died, and seeing him the hospital made me so sick that I couldn't ride for 10 years after that.
I own an Interceptor 650, and it is just amazing. It is the most powerful as well as comfortable in the RE lineup. The meteor, bullet and classic are just as comfortable but not powerful enough, and while the continental GT has a sporty feel, it just feels like an interceptor minus the comfort. Hence, I chose the Interceptor 650, and I am happy I went with it. Hitting 100, even in traffic just feels so easy, and it is maneuverable enough to make you feel confident. But the best part though, is it's roar!!!
correct mate ! i am 62 now and had many bikes before Honda's Kawa's Triumph BSA, you name it , i got now the RE interceptor 650 and i love it,. so much value for you money !
The Interceptor 650 is one of the best looking modern motorcycles of all time. It's just a masterpiece!
You clearly missing out on golden age of two stroke motorcycle. 80s-90s was huge for 250cc two stroke particularly in Asia. NSR250, TZR250, RGV250 and KR1S were in every street race back then.
Also why you choose RSV4 for best Aprilia? RS250 way more popular in Europe and every race track out there.
Nice video 👍🏻
For me:
Suzuki: 600 bandit for all the same reasons you give about the RE Inty. Even now, I think the 75hp (or so) is a benchmark for usable power on the street. A great all round machine.
Yamaha: RD350 YPVS was more successful than RD500 which had a vicious (and hazardous!) power band, folk used to say. Two-stroke hooligan power for the masses 😊
Ducati: the monster was at the forefront of today’s naked/standard bike tastes, and still going - influential machine
As a proud owner of an original Ducati 900 ss desmo I respectfully disagree with your pick, oily, messy and unreliable and an absolute chore to tune but….when it all falls into place there’s no greater bike to ride, I’ve owned dozens of motorcycles over the years but that Ducati is just something else entirely
Thanks for the roundup. Yeah it's hard to summarise all the makers, but I think you came up with a pretty good set of winners. Also I'm glad to see that you acknowledged the mighty Supercub in the video roll, even if it lost out to the 750 Four. Possibly the SV650 deserved an honourable mention in the video, and maybe a nod to the Ducati bevel head twins. 👍🇦🇺
I really enjoyed the video. I own and still ride an ‘82 Yamaha 750 Maxim. It makes around 82 hp, is smooth and very reliable.
Keep the videos coming!
In 1988 i bought a brand new 1987 Yamaha Maximx 750x, Wowww! what a bike with the Genesis engine 20 valves. But now i own a Honda CBR 1100xx SuperBlackBird. For me it's the best bike i owned. I also have a Yamaha vMax 1995 also very powerfull but the gaz tank to small and i also have a Harley Softail FXSTI 2005 Very beautyfull but i hate to drive that shit. CBR 1100xx is my favorite.
I had a '59 Bonnie. It was a lot of fun. Great off road, on road kind of wimpy, but it was unique. I bought it used for $80, sold it 30 years later for $1600. A good investment...I had 4 after that one. (one was a Tiger 750 which was the strongest one. That single carb model was amazing.)
Did not agree with many of your picks for the worst bike but with this one I agree with your choices. Got my first bike in -74 and the bikes I drooled over were Honda CB750 and Kawasaki Z1. Both were way over my budget at that time, as a 16 year old youngster there was no chance for buying either. When I grew up I got into sportbikes for a long period of time, on my best bikes list the R1 from Yamaha would have taken the top slot but no denying that their twostrokes were quite revolutionary in their time. Always entertaining to watch your videos, the passion comes through and that is what bikes are all about. We like bikes, it is as simple as that!
Back in ´71, I was on a school trip to Vienna. At the same "Jugendherberge" (youth hostel) were two guys from New York, on a trip around Europe. One with a Norton, the other one with a Bonnie. I immediately fell in love with the Triumph, all the more as the young man took me on a ride through Vienna. One experience I´ll never forget.
I think your picks are pretty much right on. Well, except Yamaha (maybe) as I'd have gone for the RD350/400 as these were the every man's cheap sport bike. The 500s were rare.
But, your choice of the /5 BMWs warmed my heart. I bought a new R75/5 LWB in 1973 and had it until 2012. Of the 35 or so bikes I've had, the R75/5 gives me the best memories and was probably the best motorcycle I've had when all is considered. An absolute gem then and a drop dead classic now.
I had a 1973 Z1 and I loved it. I sold it to keep my sons from riding. Both of them have motorcycles for several years now. I wish that I had never sold it. I have a Z1000 and a Concours now that I have had for 15 years now.
I have the 2 best Japanese bikes: a '74 Z-1 and a bulletproof 2009 Concours 1400.
Would have loved to see you down select from best three (with pics). Good selection. Can’t believe the Honda C90 missed an appearance (highest volumes ever made); Suzuki GT750 (Kettle), Yes of course the Yamaha RD350 (i owned this in the day and wow!), i think you nailed it on BMW but the first S1000RR caught the completion napping (i now own the 2022 Gen 4 and wow!).
I started motorcycling in the early 1970s on a second-hand Honda C110 (basically a 50cc Cub but looking like a "proper bike"). This cost me £15 and another £10 to repair the kickstart. I bought a copy of Motorcyclist and the front cover said "Top10 Big Bikes on Tour". The overall winner was the BMW R75/5. Moto Guzzi was represented by the Ambassador (I think) - perhaps it was just too early for the V7 Sport. I agree with you about both the importance and the beauty of that V7 Sport. This was the lead story in the next issue of the magazine and I remember the article saying that disk brakes would be like bolting plates on to the side of the wheels. Being the age I am (75) I would go for the Ducati 900 SS. I remember seeing one with only 45 miles on the clock, just ridden home from the dealers with its header pipes already a lovely shade of blue. Thanks for this review across the range and across the years.
As much as i love the Cb750, I owned one, and a 750 Nighthawk, you cannot forget the Honda dream. Between the C and D and E models, they have sold almost 125 million bikes, and still sell today. Being the most sold vehicle on the planet, they have to be on this list.
Yep. The guys across the street had 150’s - as I remember it (maybe 50’s?)Then one rode up in a Dream. We stood at the curb and drooled.
My favorite Kawasaki is Eddie Lawson’s Mean Green Machine the 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R. The KZ1000R has an amazing mean growel with a Kerker Exhaust.
The Honda 450 twin debuted in 1965. The worlds first mass produced double overhead cam motorcycle engine.
You showed the 1974 Kawi z1 900 but the 73 was even more groundbreaking and collectible now, and the first superbike Honda 750 killer. 134 mph and 12 second quarter mile in 73!
It was my first and only bike I owned for 34 years. Still kicking myself for selling it......
Will never sell my "74 Z-1 that will be 50 next year and still spunky.
1967 Suzuki X6 250 Huslter was very quick to 60 maybe under 5 sec. Also had a 1970 Kawa A7SS 350 that was around 4 sec to 60, it did 3rd gear wheelies and 110 mph. My 1969 Benelli 650 Tornado did 110 and felt heavy but looked great, esp with the twin leading shoe front brake. I owned all the Ducati singles and my 1967 250 scrambler was my favorite. ran almost as strong as my 450 scrambler. chirped the tires in 4/5 gears.... I later acquired Mk3 and Diana cams, factory megaphones and other exotica that also fit my souped up 350 that maybe made 37 hp. nothing is as load as even a Ducati 250 with that megaphone.
You definitely took the roads less traveled.
Love the Z1, but you are wrong. The first Japanese production motorcycle with a Double Overhead Cam is the 1966 Honda 450 DOHC twin. Yes I'm sure you forgot. But us oldies dont. The 450 lasted through to about 1974, then the 500 DOHC came out for a few years.😉
you are right perfect !!!
Fun to hear you mention Crocker. I read about Crocker in a magazine article in 1970 or so and had not heard of it since.
Agree with most choices but the RD500 was hugely disappointing. I had one and whilst it looked and sounded great it was over weight, had mediocre handling and disappointing performance. The 350LC made way more impact.
Yeah man I remember 1971 riding the Triumph Bonneville. Great memories, simple, clean, reliable.
Kawasaki Z1 900 is one of the best bikes ever made :-)
My parents bought me one for my HS graduation in 78'... man I LOVED that bike. Of all the bikes I've owned over the year it was definitely my favorite.
I Production Raced the Honda CB750 when they first came to NZ. Loved that bike - still do! Ah the memories!!!!!
Triumph - could the speed twin be a contender? Ed Turners 360 twin lay the blue print for truck loads of other manufacturers including Yamahas excellent xs650. Although I agree that the bonnie also influenced heaps of other bikes as well - Just a thought...
Agreed, it was on my list for triumph!
The Bonneville is a direct descendent of the Speed Twin, so as the ultimate version of the influential original design I think there is a good case to be made
The Z1 was not the first bike with double OHC. Honda had the CB450 before that. But think it was the first inline 4 with double OHC. :)
1967 Triumph Bonneville, the difference being using an external oil reservoir tank compared to that frame tube. It looked good and riders often would place their hand on it after a hard run to sense the heat of her blood !
Great video, I enjoyed your choices, however, you mention that the Kwaka Z1 was the first double over head cam bike. Not quite. The Honda CB450cc twin built from the mid '60's through to the early '70's would be one that preceded the Kwaka in road bikes.
When it comes to BMW I think their best bike has to be a GS. BMW basically created and dominated that segment, and we are now seeing how big adv riding is among the modern rider. Definitely their best bike(s) in my opinion. Which one specifically is up for debate.
BMW MOTORRAD - Boxer Engine- Shaft drive ruclips.net/video/fPZxJCqLzbc/видео.html
I would have picked the GS too.
The R75/5 was a tractor. The GS is the best BMW ever. It defined the genre.
I got my bike licence in the early 80s and there were some great choices back then. The best cruising bike I had was a Kawasaki GT750 shaft drive. I did a tour of Australia on one back in 1985, 15,000km, dont remember even getting that sore. And super reliable.
Also had a Kawasaki z900, awesome bike. A Kawasaki GPZ900R (blue/silver trim) one of the true first superbikes, great ride and great positioning.
I've ridden a few ducatis and they were all great, 900 supersport, halewood replica, all great handling bikes. Suzuki GSXR1100 (borrowed off a mate, kept wanting to lift the front wheel), Suzuki Katanas, awesome. Suzuki RG500 (scary powerband).
Spent 3 years on a BMW 1100 (police duties) was a bit gutless, vibrated a lot and broke down a lot. The newer models are apparently a lot better.
A swag of other bikes, on and off road. One the last bikes I had was an import Honda CBR250RR. Small bike for my 6'frame but when in the riding position, it was perfect, and such a fun bike. Got it up to 150kph. Sold it to a guy even taller than me, he loved it.
The suzuki vstrom was/is an amazingly versatile motorcycle. Its been marketed for decades and remains the swiss army knife of motorcycles. Great engine, comfortable seat and ergonomics, durability plus and cheap.
I have a 2005 DL1000 V-Strom, the standard class bikes for mid 40s men.
I would have NEVER picked this bike from ages 13-39.
16:22 Honda CB450 was DOHC, came out 7 years before the Z1.
The best bike for me back in 1973 was the SUZUKI GT 750 WATER COOLED 3 cylinder, 2 stroke!!! Turned out unusually a good long distance touring bike and around town a pepper responsive bike!! Mine had a better fairing saddle bags and a rear carry rack!!!! I rode it almost every day to work!!!! I'm Shure it would run 120 mph or so!!!! Never had any trouble with it!!!! A smoker that Ralph neater hated!!!!!!!
+1
Right
I had one
Greetings from Holland
Problem is that you had the H2 to compete with, I'm happy with his choice of the fixer, I had one,it was fantastic.
I have been riding since the late 60's . Licensed since 1979.
I loved your content. It's spot on. I learned a lot.
Thanks,
You really should do a top list 5 or 10 for each manufacturer. I agree with all your picks but they all had bikes that came before and either laid the groundwork or kept the company alive.
I had a BMW r90s for a while, and I believe it was the best beemer ever, but I get your point: the 75/5 was a road opener, leading to a new generation of bikes, while the 90s was an odd bird, with its Dell'Ortos instead of Bing carburettors, the daring yellow coloring, the search for top speed - unmatched for decades in the boxer family, with its 200+ kph.
Same goes for my Guzzi Daytona, which I still own, whose engine died with the Daytona and the Centauro, because it was too expensive to produce at Mandello, while the v7 sport was the first of a very long family.
But at least I had a bike that made it into your list, and it's the MV F4 ( The very first, it was a 750 with 130 hp). I had to sell it when I got married!
Great video as always! I agree with you that Royal Enfield's greatest era is now. Even as a Royal Enfield Meteor 350 owner, I would have selected the Classic 350. That is nearly a perfect motorcycle in my eyes. Thanks again for the great content that you consistently put out.
I wouldn't feel safe travelling long distances on RE's 350 line of bikes. I don't live in the US where highways are a different ball game and my local speed limit is 65mph/110kmh, and yet I feel like 20ish Hp doesn't cut It.
I recently tried these, and they are pretty comfortable, but I still feel the interceptor 650 is far better due to power and seating posture (interceptor feels more maneuverable)
Great video..surprised you didn,t include the Norton Commando...keep up the good work...
Nice video!
Would like to see a off-road version of this if you’re interested in that genre.
If I could show you my '67 Bonnie ...I rode for 10 years ( '68 to '78 ) you and everyone else would drool! ...Waves Seattle
Interesting video , good history lesson. The Japanese bikes today definitely don't carry the mystique that they did in the 70s and 80s, but if I would cross the African desert, or the Australian outback on a motorcycle and my life would depend on the bike, I would still choose a Japanese bike.
me too! they make great guitars too.
Another beauty Bart , I would not have picked much of a different line up except Yamaha , the R6 would give the 500cc 2 stroke a run for the best , but it's a small difference .
On the Triumph Bonneville , leaking oil . Yes they did and back in the day we used to drill and tap a 1/4 BSP hole as high up in the crank case before the barrels bolted on , just ensure the breather is vertical , pointing up and fit a $1 oil breather from the millions of Differentials in the junk yard , that allowed pressure to escape the crank case and stop the oil leaks . I did this to my 1966 Triumph Saint 650 way back in about 1985 ?? and it still don't leak oil .
Do this to your Daytona .
Royal Enfield ,,, ha ha ha , I have , love and ride a 650 Interceptor and knew you would choose this model , they are impressive in every way .
Again , thanks for another great review .
The best KTM has to be a dirt bike, it just has to. I would choose the KTM 300 2T. The entire sport of Hard enduro is dominated by them. They are and have been for a long time the reigning champs of the off-road world. You could say aa 4T but all other manufacturers are relatively similar with the 4T production.
Didn't anger me. As a teenager I rode RD 350 Yamaha's and now at 64 ride a Kawasaki Z900RS, among others. It was a fun video.
MV is the ultimate paradox, you see one and your heart explodes. Then your brain steps in and says it’s overpriced, and the maintenance cost is obscured.
I agree with your video and you did great work producing this. That said Triumph would have to be the current T120. It's shocking to me it's taken this long for any company to make a simple, reliable, standard bike with inline twin, water cooling and efi! I do love my T120 and to me it embodies everything that a motorcycle should be.
My first bike (I was 19) was a 1963 Yamaha YG80, chosen because it looked sort of like a real motorcycle! It was the first Yamaha in the city. Driving it flat out all the time I regularly got over 190 mpg (Imperial gallon), but never quite cracked the 200 mpg barrier.
I have often since wondered why contemporary designs are not even more efficient than this - what did the Yamaha engineers know?
Later went on to a Honda CB77 Superhawk, a 305cc Bonneville challenger that is one Honda’s best, then a ’74 BMW R90S silver smoke which was magic at 100mph, but I do agree with your choice of the 750 despite its Bing carburetors. Apparently the crankshafts of the 750, 800 and 900 were all the same and the counterweights balanced the 750 pistons perfectly but were a bit of a compromise in the larger engines which had the same stroke but larger bores and heavier pistons.
As for Moto Guzzi my favourite was the V50 for its engine sound and beautiful engine and rear hub castings. The 650cc Ducati Pantah was similarly appealing and the best handling bike I’ve ever ridden in the sense of being so planted on the road I felt that I could hit a patch of sand in a corner and be confident that I could maintain control when I recovered traction - that plus I could place myself on the road exactly where I wanted to be, plus or minus a couple of inches.
It’s good to see Suzuki get credit for the GSX-R750.
Good list, but I can't believe that you got the Ducati entry so wrong. Clearly it should have been the Ducati 916. There would likely have been no Panigale without the 916 preceeding it.
For Ducati it should have been the early v twins. They were the bedrock the legend was built on.
@@philhawley1219 There's a valid argument for that. But I'd argue that the Pantah, with the first use of the motor that would go on to power all future Ducati's, or the first Monster, the parts bin special that saved the company from bankruptcy, are both equally as important. None of them had the cultural & industry impact of the 916 though.
I'm not angry. I'm sure this was a difficult, but fun video to make. Regarding Honda, that had to be a tough one. They had so many groundbreaking models over the years. One I feel doesn't get enough press is the SL125. My best friend was a pro rider back in 69- 73 or so. What you have to remember is prior to then, guys were still riding big Triumph 650 and 500 twins in desert and cross country events. You had to be a big guy to toss those things around. Then Honda came over with these little 125s, ridden buy little 140 pound guys like my buddy, and ran circles around the old school twins. It truly changed the game of off road racing.
I had an SL100 that I bought used from a guy I worked with. So quiet and talk about gas mileage! nice comfortable saddle too. I had a lot of bikes back then (1970's) and I think that I enjoyed that little SL as much or more than all of the larger ones I had. Perfect for riding the back roads, paved or not. The guy I bought it from missed it so much that he went out and bought a new one!
Good choices! Maybe the Suzuki should have been the GT 750 water buffalo
The WB is a collectable bike. My Fraternity brother had one back in the day when I had my new 1982 Seca 400. It was fun to ride but it was not a Kawi triple. I was going to trade my 73 MG Midget for one in high school. I had a new 93 GSXR 750 and it was ok. I liked my first year Katana 600 better. I got rid of it and bought a new 95 ZX6R, the first year. It was way better for the north GA Mountains than the heavy watercooled GSXR.
@@KevXRDuke The 750 Water Buffalo was not as fast as the H2 Kaw, but it was way more streetable and a far better bike. It's the one bike I wish I had.
The KZ 1000, was the first bike I drooled over.
I think that the Aprilia one should be the RS250 but the RSV4 is also pretty neat :)
I know you cannot include everything, and I enjoyed what you did, but BSA was once the biggest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. I ride an A65 twin, a very underrated model, but its history is pretty interesting. From 1962 it dominated British sidecar racing. 1986 was the last year an A65 twin won an open class race. This was against 4 cylinder outfits, TZs and big 900 Kawasakis. To quote a rider on a forum, I had a fast Kawasaki 900 4 outfit, I heard the thing coming, a low rumbling behind me, and they came past on the main straight.
Twin cylinders were often started behind the multis, in F2 twins, so they would not get in the way, and the BSA had to pass the whole F1 field to take the win. The second place man got the huge F1 trophy and First the little F2 trophy. These were the sidecars that entertained and packed race tracks through the '60s, with the spectacle of drifting, sliding, and wheel spinning. Not a single rider but a close team.
Best manufacturing bike I have ever seen was a 1973/4 MV Agusta 750 4 cylinder, had disc brakes and impressive engineering all round. Most outstanding feature of this bike was the quality of the engine and gearbox castings, just look at current Ferrari engines for some idea of how it's done!
Great video and good choices.
Dewcati and Moto Gootzi, I don't think so.
Ducati and Moto Guzzi.
Honda had DOHC with CB450, years before the Z1.
Bang on with Triumph, Honda, Kawasaki, and RE, and I think the Himalayan would be a close 2nd.
The precursor to the 1199 + 1299 was the 916 !
Z1 kwaka is such an iconic bike and i love em
Honda CB750...young forever
RESPECT
I;m old, so the bikes I remember are the Honda 750, Kawasaki Z-1, and Triumph Bonneville.
Those were the exact bikes I had in mind at the beginning of the video.
They really were the best.
Thanks for another entertaining video like always. Love to you and your family. Can only imagine what you have endured.
Hahah🤣
Every time I watch one of your videos, it fires up my imagination and passion for all things motorcycle. Thank you, so very much.
Well, I agree that the Triumph Bonneville has the most iconic and beautiful look of any bike. When I saw the Kawasaki W650, which is basically almost a Bonneville clone, but with greater reliability, I knew I would have one just from the looks alone. It’s proven to be a very reliable and practical bike which is also a necessity for me.
Fun list. As you talk about the R75/5, you show pix of the R75 or R90/6. Those could also be the choice, maybe R90S. But the /5 did lead the way.
For Moto Guzzi, the V7 Sport get's my vote too.
The only complaint I have had people say about the rsv4 is that the rim spins in the tire which causes it to not be balanced.
Great video. I disagree only very slightly as I believe the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 has a better riding position and style than the Interceptor, but that is just my opinion!
I like the Interceptor's riding position, it is far more comfortable and practical on the long run. The GT's posture feels sporty but after a few minutes it just became annoying to me.
@@adityak600 that how I feel about the Interceptor. Ok for short rides, uncomfortable for anything long. But I have a long history of bicycle riding & racing.
@@jessherbst810 I agree the Continental GT has a much better riding position and looks way better than the Interceptor!
having worked on motorcycles, the worst bike with engine problems is the yamaha units that were produced in the last 30 to 40 years. the issue was the starter drive not holding up, even new they were garbage( the starter motor was o.k.). it seems that it started with the virago, and you had to pull the side cover off of the engine to get to the drive unit, at least it was easy to get to for replacement.
The Indian Chief does NOT live on today. Polaris bought the name which has been sold countless times. In the 70’s Indians were Taiwan made dirt bikes! The Indian name is just that, a name! A name with absolutely nothing to do with the original company. They should take the date of logo.
I rode an Aprilia sport bike belonging to my neighbor about 20 years ago. I have test-ridden many other sports bikes, but it was the easiest bike to ride both slow and fast. It was a joy to ride, better than my Truimp and his Harly. I just loved that bike. I have ridden several Ductatic bikes, which were always tricky to ride.
Not angry. I owned a Bonneville in 1979. And right outta the box it was a leaky, bike. 9 months later with a jug blow by and oil shooting out the tail pipe. I luckily Wrecked it which totaled it and I got it paid off by the insurance company. Best Triumph I ever owned, and the LAST one. I've worked on these machines, rode em, and find that the English are historically an unreliable manufacturing base. From the lauded Land rover, or the Jewel of the Jaguar, that shine just did not translate to motorcycling very well. Royal Enfield really has not changed much of ANYTHING in their entire history of production. The MG A, MG B, Triumph TR6, TR7 all were mainly just giant wrenching machines for those that wanted LOTS of mechanical experience.
To sum it all up, The Japanese hit the bullseye more than once which set the rest of the world in search of better designers, engineering and platforms that would capture the imagination. Well since Churchill is no longer around to inspire that, the English have fallen OFF the road map of manufacturing and I for one would NEVER buy an English made vehicle for roads, water, track or hillside.
The Italians, well, I like their style but the cost of ownership is far too great to get to excited about a Ducati, Aprilia, or anything else motorcycling has to offer from there. I've ridden many machines and by far the Japanese have made motorcycling FUN, Enjoyable and not hand numbingly difficult. So I guess I am partial to that a LOT. Triumph and Harley's vibrated my hands numb after 30 mins and I could not stand that.
In 1976, I had a used Honda 750 ,I change the oil and the spark plugs and the tires.i had it for 3 years and sold it for the same price I bought it for.Had a great touring California during my deployment .Great bike .Now I own a Harley Dayna super glide with the screaming eagle sport package. Great bike, low Maintenance,fun to ride.
How could you not include every maker going back to the turn of the century? No mention of New Imperial motorcycles? Come on! It would have only been about 200 different motorcycles. VERY DISAPPOINTED! UNSUBBED!
Bye
@@debwoods5834 It's a joke Deb.
@@debwoods5834 He HAS to be kidding.
My first bike, and I wish I could find another one, was a 1968 Bridgestone two stroke 350 twin oil injection.
I knew very little of bikes, but at 16 years old in 1976, and living in the mountains of Colorado, I felt so alive!
An interesting fact, if I have my story correct, was that bike was one of the first in that size range that would do over 100 mph.
Mine never ran good enough to get close to that, and that was probably a good thing. The gas tank is what Honda's should have looked like. Chrome, rubber side pads and a much sleeker shape in a metallic cranberry red! And a little turned up tail at the back of the seat, that I wonder if Kawasaki noticed when they designed their iconic duck bill rear cowling for the KZ line in the 70's.
You stated that the Kawasaki Z-1 was the first DOHC on a Japanese motorcycle. I believe you have forgotten about the Honda CB450.