Bikes then and now.

[stevo as b4]

I've just been reading about a restoration of a 1992 Yamaha FZR 600, and found it really interesting in regards to the specifications. An FZR wasn't new or cool enough for me in 2001, hence I bought my ZX6R J.

But now all the cutting edge best in class shit doesn't bother me in the slightest, but a really mint or restored 90's bike would carry much more kudos to me now, and the stuff like bhp figures, top speed, weight and fancy big piston suspension doesn't bother me or seem very relevant to my needs or enjoyment of riding bikes.

Anyone else feel the same way, and were there any bikes in the day first time around that you outright dismissed because not cool/fast/trick enough?

Just comparing the specs of the FZR to the ZX6R is interesting too. 146mph, 78bhp r/w, and 179kg vs 166mph, 95bhp r/w, 172kg. Not all that different in 10years of progress really?

Interesting enough the torque figures are within 2ib/ft but the long stroke, small carbed Yamaha makes its peak at 1500rpm less than the Kawasaki. I guess the maximum amount of torque you can make from a 600cc capacity is pretty fixed, no matter how much high revving top end power you can squeeze out.

Another old bike that never used to be on my radar that today would be nice to have is an mk1 Speed triple. I'd rather have a restored example of the Triumph today than a brand new Yamaha MT09.

Is this my inner old bastard coming out, or just that I'm feeling meh about electronics, and modern styling, or 160mph top ends these days, I don't know?

[chickenstrip]

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law".

I have just discovered what Crowley's phrase really means and am embracing it fully. I think it is apt in your case too.

I just don't think that bikes are where your heart is. I have realised myself that lately, they have become a means to an end, and not even a necessary one. But I still love to ride in the right circumstances, and won't sell mine even though times are tight at present. I've ridden it just 4 or 5 times this year, but have enjoyed every ride. That's enough to know I shouldn't sell it.

I wouldn't be willing to spend thousands of pounds on trying different bikes anymore. And although the bikes from my youth still interest me, I have no real desire to go back to owning them. The memories of those I owned and rode are sufficient. It's not about old vs. new for me. I've changed, and don't need to try everything that has two wheels anymore. I'm happy with what I've got, and although I enjoyed my Street Triple for a brief time, it also taught me that I'm not the same as I was all those years ago. I don't need lots of different bikes in my life now. They have been relegated to an interest, and don't define me like they used to.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Fisty]

As soon as bikes became digital they became boring to me.

They were the last bastion of freedom, no ABS, traction contol, no rider aids. The late 90's early 00's were the last of the best for me.

A bike should want to kill you, not cuddle you.

Like you I would rather see a tidy 90's bike with period tuning parts rather than the latest Ducati.
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Quietly and consistently taking the piss.
TL1000R | Hayabusa | ZXR400 | TL1000S | Bandit 400 V
Fatter and faster than Fret

[jjdugen]

Agree 100% with Stevo. Although I've never really strayed from Fireblades, it became pretty obvious that my neck and back muscles were not going to stand the strain for much longer. Although I'm giving the Aprilia a good run, and now its been 'relaxed' considerably is far more comfortable, its obviously far more bike that I really need, or can actually use. Not that I am down to pottering about, just yet. Its that a blip of the throttle has it sitting at really, no argument, go to jail speeds quite happily, these days its just inviting trouble.
Now, I've rebuilt or repaired hundreds of bikes over the years, always had a sneaky ride, just to see what they are like. Of them all, the one that seemed to stand out for pure usefulness, comfort, cost and above all, performance is the ZZR600. I can honestly say that that particular model is all I should ever, really need on UK roads. A decent rear shock and Nissin calipers, there you go....
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The CBR900RR has been sold. Aprilia Falco worms its way into my heart.
Try Soi 23 on Amazon for a good read.... Self promotion? Moi?

[Kentol750]

I think there's nothing inherently wrong with the electronic stuff on modern bikes, if you do lots of track days, the gizmos could save you on repair bills. Its the lack of character that most seem to lack. No matter how many cylinders or cc.
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Some bikes.

[recman]

My bike has an ecu but in terms of rider aids, there's nothing.
Not even a fuel gauge.
It's not something I'm bothered about or hanker for, I've been on lots of bikes with all sorts of adjustments but I just leave things alone and ride the thing.
I don't mind modern bikes but it would be better to be able too choose whether to have gizmos or just to have a really basic bike, like mine.

[Polarbear]

I've pretty well given up riding now. OK, it came to a crunch when I had heart problems but it was heading that way anyway.

However that wouldn't stop me wanting a bike from my formative years, a 70's/80's stroker, or from the other thread, an RE5 but it would be as a Sunday pub ride and pose machine only.

It could probably just as easily be an old car or a historic boat as a bike though.

It's called growing old I think.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

The late '90s is currently my preferred era, in large part because I've got a zx9r and I like it a lot. Of course, price comes into it too. But - I've ridden bikes with flawless EFI, and bikes with hunty carbs. However in general, I've found carbs smoother. This, and the fact that electronic gadgets of any sort cause me anxiety, means I prefer the comparative simplicity of mechanical, electro mechanical and analogue tech and spec. I'm not ruling anything out in the future though.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Riejufixing]

[ThatDippyTwat]

My Grandad couldn't stand "Modern shite". The Modern bike being a Kettle at the time he want on a 5 minute rant about it. Even though he doesn't like me very much, he's left me his Bantam, he knows that I'll look after it and I'll ride it. He wishes he never sold his Vincent. That was a "proper bike". He was rather less complimentary about the ZZR1100 - "Jap Scrap, get it the feck off my drive or I'll kick it over" - He was on sticks, but meant every word of it.

I like all sorts from all ages. I'd take a 70's muscle bike or an MT-10. 40's AJS or a Ducati 916, or the new V4. Sometimes your tastes change, sometimes bikes change and don't match your tastes.

I do however, hold an abiding hate for Harley's and a lot of the excrement they have started leaking to other areas. The bikes are not so much a problem as the fan club and ego's surrounding the bloody things.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Riejufixing]

Thank you for posting that. Really. There is learning in your psot. I have been havincg cider, but still.

[Shaft]

[stevo as b4]

[G]

552hp/t for the ZX6R
436hp/t for the FZR
That's a 27% increase in power to weight ratio.

If that continued as it is, we'd expect to see our 2011 bike making 701hp/t and the bike in three years making 890hp/t.
So, that might, say, be a 160kg bike that makes 142hp!

I do think since, that development has slowed - certainly in the 600 class. And in commuter bikes where it's often actually gone backwards, with heavier AND slower bikes!

I still fancy a 200hp trackbike, but suspect the itch would be better scratched with some racing (let's ignore I've only done 2 1/2 trackdays in the last two years.)

Also fancy trying a new R6.

Even the FZR is a bit faster than I'd normally choose for peak-fun-specs for the road.

[chickenstrip]

I think there are two things which hold back bike development. One is emissions, and other rules and regulations that limit how mad the public is willing to accept a road vehicle to be. The manufacturers have got paranoid about this once or twice in the past, with "gentlemen's agreements" on power limits.

The second is, how much can the average bike riding individual handle anyway? If you aim your bikes at the top tier of riding god, there must be a worry that everyone else would just go out and kill themselves on them. Hence power modes. You don't want a bike that dumps 200bhp through the rear wheel the second you so much as look at the throttle grip, not on the road anyway. Well, most people don't.

How much further could you go with outright performance and handling anyway? A human's reaction times can only develop so much, there surely has to be a limit to what even the very best can deal with.

My own limit sits with my 140-ish bhp Fazer. In fact, I'm sure even that is more capable than I can get from it, or dare to try. But that level of power gives me the kind of power/torque/whatever characteristics I like, and can live with. Another 60-odd bhp? No thanks. Not unless you resurface all our roads and remove at least 50% of the other traffic on them.

So if I were still drooling over what I could buy with unlimited funds (buy and own, as opposed to try out of curiosity), older bikes sometimes make more sense, simply from a capability point of view.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Riejufixing]

[AshWebster]

doesnt everyone always have nostalgia glasses on?
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Honda cg125 J reg peice of shit ---> CB650F ---> 2016 CBR600RR
Ford KA ---> 93' MR2 ---> 94'MR2 ---> 98' Subaru WRX STI Ver 3 (track car)

[chickenstrip]

[RhynoCZ]

[Itchy]

[chickenstrip]

[Motorhate]

[Itchy]

Oh hell this just turned into a when I was a boy thread...
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[redeem ouzzer]

I think my point of view is obvious from my signature.

I hate EFI.

Not a big fan of water cooling.

Cartridge forks and 17" radial tyres are nice though.


I just can't bring myself to ride something i'm not interested in. I'm sure there's plenty of more suitable bikes for commuting to work than a GSXR1100L and lots that are faster than my YR5 yet do more than 40 miles to a tank of fuel. But I wouldn't give them garage space cause they don't have character or the same involvement of ownership.
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Be a REAL MAN!

[G]

Oh, for me - I'd go with the first gen R6, R1 and ZX10 (new ZX10 that is) as being the seminal mix of performance and fiestyness. (Excusing the Tokico brakes on the Kwak.)
GSXR1000 a bit too sanitised.

Since then - bikes have definitely got faster, but also easier to ride and more santised. While these seemed to have more 'edge' than a lot of previous models.