IMPORTANT Dakar have hit me with a copyright strike so ive had to delist some of the videos just in case i guess they got pissed that mine were better because of the MOTOGP one before xmas that means im really vulnerable now and the channel could be removed at any time I have set up this backup channel so please go and follow it NOW, this could all be removed at any moment now so it is critical to stay in touch via the backup channel here ua-cam.com/channels/CSl6i-tZJNC5DQ38vgCtvw.html sorry for this if i get another strike it wipes out all my work all my old videos will be removed I wont be posting anything much on the new channel unless this goes down but this is a just in case because it really could go down at any point the videos are still visible if you have a link so if you have problems message me for links so you can still watch them, if you follow the channel and this one gets taken down you will be able to find me there sorry if thats a bit garbled ive just woken to this but i guess i could have had the channel taken down already so i should be thankful ride free everyone
The Norton Manx beat all the Harleys at the Daytona 200 back in the 50s when it was run on the sand of the beach and the road in front of the beach knuckle heads and pan heads some Indians he were there also.
In my 76 years I’ve only been in jail once, due to an “incident” involving my 1971 Mach 3. It was blue like the example in your video. I was young, it was fast, and well….. charges were dropped, but I was left with a good stories. Hunter S. Thompson wrote of crippled old men whispering about the terrifying Kawasaki triples.
Honda CB500 Four. I rode one from age 13 to 17. I rode this bike hard, constantly revving it all the way to and in the red zone, it never gave any problems. It had a beautiful sound and encouraged me to go faster. I am now going on 67 and I ride a 2017 Triumph Speed Triple, still love the adrenaline from acceleration. When I ride I keep a look out for a Honda 500 that might be sitting with a sale sign by the road.
As a 69yo retired geezer and lifelong biker the '60's and 70's represents my misspent youth. I loved this vid. Not only was it well researched and accurate, it listed nearly every bike I lusted after but could not afford...although I did manage to ride a few of them. I fairly drooled at the pristine Suzuki Titan. Talk about a concours level restoration. In fact every one appeared almost brand new. The CB 500 had me weeping with envy. Anyhow, fantastic vid and keep up the good work. Cracking effort❤💯💥👍
I loved my 71 Suzuki 500 Titan, I bought it in 74 for $650 USD. Rode it everywhere for 5 years, sold it to a friend, and got a Honda 550. I didn't like it. It sounded nice and didn't smoke, but it was slow, even with 4 into 1 pipes. it had a head gasket leak, the hivo chain between the crank and transmission was stretched to the point of jerkiness, and I lost 3rd gear, because the shift fork bent, (no, I didn't abuse it) anyway, I sold it after splitting the cases and replacing it. Now I have a 85 Honda 650sc Nighthawk. It's fast enough, and has dual discs in the front, and my favorite feature, 16 hydraulic valves! I will never need to adjust them. Great channel, keep it up.
why is it no one uses hydraulic valve adjustment now? its one of the things that makes the Nighthawk 700 SC I have so low maintenance, they forget the good ideas, like the simple self cancelling indicators on the RD350LC, or a side stand connected to the clutch cable so when you pull the clutch in the side stand is pulled up. the joys 🙂
@hernandocortez6351 Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support, i would say you are probably at least half right on the concept of underbucket shims 🙂
What a wonderful video for this old 72 year old to watch, all the old bikes from my youth and young adulthood! I owned WTO 127J a 1971 H1B Mach 3 - 500 in 'Laser Blend' blue as shown. It was 6 months old when I bought it from Bill Smith Motors (mentioned in the video) as a very experienced 19 year old rider. I rode it to the Isle of Man in 1973 and rode the TT course on Mad Sunday. I kept it many years and sold it to a friend who flipped it for a profit. Great bike, mine was production race tuned, incredibly fast, a bit shaky in corners. My bike is still registered and I have contacted the DVLA to see if they will pass a letter onto the current SORN owner of WTO 127J. It seems like they will, I just have to fill out a form and sent £5. I still have the tax disc holder and the expired tax disc. such great memories. My last bike was a Yamaha RD350 YPVS, equally as exciting.
The AJS Porcupine is a stunning bike ,saw one in the flesh at Sammy Millar's . What surprised me was the Suzuki T 500 what a lovely looking bike, in my view one of the best designed ever. Brilliant video, always learn something from yours, keep them coming.
My God you got another old geezer as a subscriber! Pushing 80 really hard, I've had a few of the bikes mentioned and I have to say that the Suzuki Titan was one of my favorites, as it's reliability was superb, unlike the BSA 500cc A7 standard I had before, I eventually became a dedicated BMW fellow, but I greatly enjoyed this review and your presentation. Thank you!
thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. I had 2 A7s 🙂one fairly standard and one full clubman spec which was very special. high com pistons, spitfire cams and twin racing monoblocks. then the 2nd LC350 came along lol. Ride Free 🙂
I had 1970 500 triple, had it ported and polish by Gary Shumake, turning 11 20 at Lions drag strip. Did a lot of street racing, best the hell out of lot of bikes. King Kawi Montebello CA.
thanks, it did take a long while lol, but i think it was worth it, the next one has been another minefield too but itll hopefully be up by monday 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. You just made an old man very happy. What a list of glorious motorcycles ! By the time you got to the Gold star and the Matchless I was almost in tears. I sat with my head in hands in appreciation.
glad you enjoyed it mate, youve made my night 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
As always barebones, another superbly knowledgeable video. I salute your time spent on researching and compiling this video into yet another 10/10 narration. Live too ride ride too live. Be free brother 🙏
I owned two of these motorcycles, 69 H1 Kawasaki triple & 77 RD 400 Yamaha. While it was a thrill to grab full throttle on the H1, the RD was the better of the two. Better all around handling & fast enough to stay ahead of the H1 on a twisty mountain road.
The 69 H1 would take a poop on the 400 in a quarter mile. I rode the 69, my Brother bought it new. I was quite older when the Yamaha came out. You are correct the Yamaha would handle better but the H1 was the Boss of the road until the 900 Kaw.
@@stevengieseck635 The H1 was FAST, but the RD 400 was quick & nimble. On a winding mountain road with it's quirky handling H1 didn't have a chance against the RD. But that is history now. I was in my early 20's then & I'm 76 now & it's all a distant memory.
Great video & very informative. I became addicted & was weaned during the 60's & 70's, & to those who mistakenly think that we old codgers rode bikes equivalent to mopeds, the RD 350 I had in the mid 70's almost ripped your arms off if you pinned it! Yes - the acceleartion & speed was there, but we rode those things with practically no brakes, component-destroying vibration & poor handling. It was euphemisticaly called 'character'! I'm 75 now & my current steed is a '24 Honda 755 Hornet, it's a fabulous bike in every way as was the Triumph Daytona & all the other modern bikes I've had since, but in comparison to the bikes I rode in the 60's & 70's, well, they had two wheels & an engine as well! Just found your site 'Barebones', I'll be sure to watch more from now on. Keep them coming.
Hmmmm, memories... I had two of these, both modified but not ridiculously so, and both were bulletproof! First was a Suzuki Titan, which got Akront rims and good Dunlops and Fontana brakes, an alloy tank (polished, of course), expansion chambers, fiberglass fenders, flat bars and rear-sets and a solo seat. This thing always started on one kick and never let me down (it was fitted with later electronic ignition) and it surprised a LOT of TR/BSA big twin riders. i was younger then, but I rode it great distances once I got the seat configured properly. This is one of the very few older bikes I'd love to have today. Second was a modded CB450, a 1971 I seem to remember. Anyway, it had the front disc...which really didn't stop any better than a good drum (and not NEARLY as well as the Suzuki's Fontana 4-shoe). This was a very civilized bike for its day, with an electric starter and lots of clever features, many of which I discarded to save weight. You see, the CB was a bit porky..so I got rid of the stock mufflers/tank/seat/fenders/steel rims/turn signals...well, you get the idea. It never approached the Suzuki (its immediate predescessor) in performance, but it was a NICE bike, not a hooligan, and I put over 40,000 miles on it. I saw it may years later, in the 1990s, and it had been sympathetically owned (no youngsters) and still looked and sounded good. Not much you could do about the handling, which was average...but it was a HONDA, and handling was never the reason for buying one. I've ridden many RD Yammies, and still think they were the BEST beginner bikes ever made. Never had much use for their 4-stroke twin brethren except for the 650, and the 500s in particular seemed to have more than their share of troubles. WAY back when (when I was younger and fearless), I threw a leg over a modded Kwacker 500 3 that had been ported and fitted with crazy-loud chambers and different carbs. Scared the sh*t out of me, even back then...like it had a big hinge under the seat. Ghastly thing. Good video, though!
My brother!! I always enjoy your videos for so many reasons. The biggest being that you truly love all things motorcycle related and I love your objectivity. You call things as you see them whether "On Point" or "BS"... I love everything about the history and evolution of our passion!! Thanks for sharing your experience and enthusiasm! Thanks for helping to keep the soul of motorcycling alive!! If you're ever in the Pacific Northwest of the US, please reach out so we can go for a ride 👍🏍🛣
The BSA Gold Star ended production in 1963, not 1968. Output was 41 BHP not 48 BHP. Available in four versions in the mid 1950s as Trials, Scrambles, Touring and Clubman's trim. The Clubman's trim was the most popular and was essentially a racing motorcycle with lights. Close ratio gearbox and Amal 1 1/2" GP carburettor with no provision for tick over, hence the necessity to blip the throttle at low revs. Made in both 350 and 500 cc sizes, in later years the 350cc to special order. Easy to start IF you followed the correct procedure. 115 MPH out of my 1956 DB34.
Well put, it handled very well too over the most demanding circuit in the world, the Isle of Man Clubman’s TT. For years, if you wanted to stand a chance there, you had to have a Goldie.
I will bow to your superior knowledge, as i have often said, if we could amass the combined knowledge of all the subscribers we would have the most comprehensive motorcycle encyclopedia ever 🙂
Around 1965 put a Gold Star DBD 500 / RRT2 Box in a Featherbed frame, had to have the R.H down tube modded to take the oil pump...best of both worlds... The Gold Star donner bike was left in my friends granddads garden shed, I used only the engine, box, and rev counter, hus granddad kept on at us to move it, we didn't..about 3 years later we decided to dig it out the shed to put a Road Rocket engine we'd bought in it, the shed had gone, it was now a large hen house, beneath the concrete foundations is one almost complete BSA G.S. less engine, box, rev counter.. We were warned, at the time it didn't bother us too much.....today I weep thinking about it..
Very good trip down memory lane for this retiree. I remember fondly owning and riding a new Suzuki T500 in 1972. Then riding a mates Honda CB500 and later in 1980 the Ducati 500 V twin. Agree that the Yamaha two stokes changed the game for teenagers/ single men in the late 60s, early 70s. I just loved two stokes back then. Currently riding a 2023 Kymco AK550 maxi scooter which goes like a cut snake straight out of the box. I'd say it is as fast as the Honda CB750 USP2 I owned in 1974. Kymco twin lies forward like that early AJS twin of the fifties and has double overhead cams like it too. Thanks for the memories.
I love your wonderful English accent and diction. You talk with emotion, in the subdued voice of a motorcycle veteran. I could listen to this for hours. AJS 95 it's a work of art, just like the Velocette. However, my dream has always been a Rudge 500 Sport Special or Ulster.
Some of the old Rudge's were masterpieces, If i am right it was a Rudge they sold with a bloody caravan at one point PMSL a guy at a classic meeting turned up with one, I am almost certain it was a Rudge. enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
Rudge did make a small caravan to be towed with their own side car outfit. At the same time they made TT and Grand Prix winning racers, including selling many to an Italian called Signor Ferrari. I wonder what became of him? Someone said he tried racing cars.
You guys over the age of 75 had the best years of motor bikes. I'm 51 and though I've ridden all bar the Italian machines in this vid. each opertunity only came after many months spent rebuilding them. Every bike seems to come with a few boxes of spare parts for everything other than the machine your working on. As with everything after the war, nothing was thrown away
glad you enjoyed it mate, the mad one is you can still buy the Aermacchi from a guy in holland, they bought the rights to continue making the engines and use a metisse chassis now if i am right 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
Every bike seems to come with a few boxes of spare parts for everything other than the machine your working on. This line made me laugh so much, thankyou.
i rember sitting on his norton in the 60s 500cc ,,,,,i was about 7,, and him takeing me on little trips,,love the vids,,,ypu r easy to lisern too,,,i love that
thanks for your support mate, and just do it!! your life will never be the same again, and in a good way 🙂Cheers for adding your bit too 🙂 have a great week
I still have my Kawasaki 400 two stroke triple.When the new z900rs came out in nearly the same color scheme , I now have a new favorite bike . Had a custom color match café, fairing made.I could sit and look at them for hours……
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
I found your channel recently and I'm loving going through your videos. A suggestion if you fancy it - strangest motorcycles made over the last few decades? Things like the BMW C1, Honda PC800, you've already mentioned the Quasar before, the list goes on. You could go through strangest looking or even expand to weird concepts introduced on bikes that never took off? All the best mate.
I was happy to see you included the TX500 Yamaha in your list. I owned a '73 and took it on several long distance camping trips. Now at 75 years old, I keep looking at smaller and lighter motorcycles. I currently own three very special bikes; a 2010 VFR1200F Honda, a 2014 CB1100 Honda and now my little 2023 Honda GROM. Although I would still love to have a Kenny Roberts limited edition RZ350, I am interested in the Kawasaki ZX-4-rr little 400cc inline four cylinder. My days for riding 600lb bikes are over as I traded in my '94 Yamaha V-Max to get the GROM
Great Video thanks, all the Bikes of my era, owned, still own, and raced quite a few, if not me then my mate I built and tuned for. Your comment regarding the Kawasaki 500cc H1 in Britain was spot on, my mate who raced the Bikes had a Kawasaki S2 or S3 350cc we had tuned for the Track and the 500 for the road, He was a Bloody lunatic, on that thing, still not sure how he ever managed to stay alive. Funnily more conservative on the Track and not a crasher, but he did get sick of the two strokes when tuned in those days seizing. We switched to a highly done 400/4 for the next season, with a full Yosh 498 kit, which was a fast little bike. My favourite of all those shown was Laverada's Motojuich, I loved those Bikes but moved back to Canada the year they were released. I also remember the early success of Someone & Son's Ducati of Chadwell Heath with those early Pantath Ducatis, he was quite well known so I hope someone can remember his name?
Top of the list for me is the Suzuki T500 but I’m very, very biased as I bought mine brand new in 1974 and still have it now 👍👍thanks for the brilliant video 👍👍
I was given the opportunity to take a Leverda Montjuic for a test ride by my local dealer, which I turned down, telling him there was no point as I couldn't see myself ever buying one. Still regret that decision to this day.
great bikes i said in another comment, i think that one looks bettter condition now than mine was back then lol, mine was WELL used 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I feel compelled to say few a words about a gentleman racer who has been a hero of mine for decades whom I had the great pleasure of meeting and is still the only World's Champion from the 2 and 4 wheel categories; the late Sir John Surtees. My late father had been associated with the Amelia Island Concours d’elegance for many years. Through him I've been able to meet 2 of my heroes, the first of which being Sir Surtees. John Surtees was the kindest, most soft spoken gentleman racer I had ever met. He took great pains to ask questions about me and my family, which demonstrated his refined manners. His passion for automobiles and motorcycles was evident, as was his knowledge. He was pressed for time, so we weren't able to speak longer, but knowing that he raced Norton motorcycles I wanted to bring Sir John's name to the fore here. He was a grand man with good humor and class that is sadly lacking in so many today. Requiescat in pace, John Norman Surtees, CBE.
@@kiasax2 my pleasure mate, i have been building a fallen hero's video, but it is a long haul one and will probably go on the other channel, www.youtube.com/@BareBonesMCMyMotorcycleMadness
Mr. Barebonesmc, you must be an older gent & worked/raced to know so much about all these bikes. I'm absolutely floored at each video I've watched, they're chalked full of info about these bikes & I've got to say I'll be referencing your videos as I'm out looking at bikes.... there's always bikes around that people could not bear to get rid of so they sit idle. I hope I find one of these gems. Watching your stuff in the middle of the night..... yup, peace
They are out there mate, find the right person and convince them you are the right new owner and sometimes you will be amazed how much the prices can drop.too 🙂 and never be frightened to walk away, there is always another one somewhere
I had a red Ducati 500 GTL. After owning Japanese motorcycles in the 60's & early 70's it was nice to learn what REAL handling and stopping were about. Thanks for the nice memories!
You tell me! Back in '91 I stepped from my first roadbike (Suzuki GT750J) on to the bike which had caught my attention in a motorcycle catalogue: Ducati Pantah 600SL. I knew not to expect too much from that Suzuki from what i heard from the other mechanics at the motorcycle-shop where I had started working but as I had been racing 500cc Maico's in motorcross before I started riding a road bike, a 750 two-stroke was so appealing to me and I got to buy it (in a desolate state!) for about £50. Yes 50 quid, that is! I always thought of that engine as a true work of art in design however I think it's gotta be thanks to my experience in mx-racing I didn't get killed on this thing, actually it almost did at one point (it wasn't even in cornering) but I got away with it (else I wouldn't be sitting here writing this, would I :-) ). Anyway: I purchased that Pantah and there's no telling what difference that one made in handling and driving compared to that GT750 AND to lots of other (Japanese) bikes of the same generation and even far beyond. I've truely ridden lots (and worked on) of many different bikes and that Pantah just kept standin' out. Still have both bikes (and a lot more) btw ;-)
That was most informative and enjoyable. Did the Suzuki T500 go on to be the GT500? I used to ride one in the 80's. The GT500 that is. I've subscribed, great presentation and thank's for your effort, best regards. 🙃
I had a 72 CB450 K5 Twin Cam and it would run sustained speeds of the nearly empty Canadian Rockies that I wouldn't want to ride my modern CB 500F now. 7000 rpm in forth over the Kootenay Skyway became nearly 90 mph heading into Creston in fifth on the other side. I was shocked at how effortless it all seemed and it did so for the 30,000 miles I had it.
I owned a brand new 1969 Kawasaki Mach 1 in the spring of 69. Before I picked the bike up I had the dealer install the optional lower gearing that was meant for drag racing. It was tough to keep the front wheel on the pavement in the first three gears, and four gears with a passenger. In a straight line nothing could keep up with it, even another 69 Mach 1. In the corners everything passed me by!
Great video it’s nice to see and hear where all the bikes of my youth came from and development that went into them nice to know that I’m not the only person with two wheels in my blood
thanks m8, some of these like the Benelli I have not seen for over 30+ years, my m8 had 2 and one was built like a tank, never had a problem, used every day for work and bike packing, but the other one was a total headache and broke down at every opportunity, great machines and great to see them so looked after
Wow, how many of those bikes have I owned or ridden 😄 CB450 - the original black bomber version, T500 Suzuki, there's an early H1 in my garage now, a 550 - and 750 - Honda, one you didn't cover - the V50 Guzzi - and a few 500 Triumphs. Nicest bike to ride (by some margin) was the 550 Honda, but the 'best' was (and is) the H1. Head and shoulders quicker than all the rest but it's right into white knuckle territory both for ride quality (in all senses) and reliability. It has an uncomfortable footpeg position and it drinks petrol like crazy, but get it up on the power band and all is forgiven - until the next bend anyway. A crazy bike that's really a vastly overpowered 250 and that's why people love them. Great video that I enjoyed watching 👍
Loved the video, thank you for doing it. It brought back a lot of memories from my 1970s when I first started riding bikes. Never looked back since, still on them
Lovely video again, Barebones! Thanks for mentioning that Laverda 500. In the past, I got the chance (but didn't have the money!) of purchasing a Laverda Formula 500. It was taken over by my boss back then when the owner bought a brandnew Suzuki in the motorcycle shop where I worked. My boss would let me have it for the same price he took it which was about £500 but I was just anxious to save on buying my first Ducati (which was to be a Pantah 600) so I let it pass me buy to my shame. However... today, I pride myself being owning both a '99 Laverda 750S and a '96 Laverda 668 which indeed got their engine designs from that first Laverda 500 Montjuich ;-)
Well done great video, as always. My favourite is the H1, but as a multip!e owner of Kawadaki's KR1-Ss and mouner of the lovely screaming 2 strokes it was always going to be.
if i couldn't have the porcupine i think the G85CS or the Monty might be my choice, but ive got a Laverda so probably the Matchless, but what a choice between them 🙂
Did i counterspeak you in the 250 video: now i praise you for this one. I rode all bikes mentioned exept the ajs. I rode all 250s as well... so i do have some inpressions. What you stated on the beuatiful and rare ducati 500 sport desmo is absolutely spot on.
we wont always agree mate but you can see where i am coming from :-) the Desmo was another flawed masterpiece, welcome aboard anyway mate, have a great week
My 1st performance bike was a 1973 H1D modified with DENCO exhaust & expansion chambers and a steering dampener which helped with the well known head shaking. The only bike at the time that could even stay close in the 1/4 mile was my brothers-in law's Z1 903's from Kawasaki. All 3 of my wife's brothers purchased Z1's on the same day at Grayboy's Kawasaki located in Chilicothie, Illinois. I think I put more mile on those Z1's than they did, they were like brothers to me!
That Green KAW will always be my favorite! AT 4500RPM GET A GRIP WITH YOUR KNEES, AT 6500 IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE GAVE IT A SHOT OF NITRO, IT WAS DEFINITELY ON THE PIPE!!!!!! YAHOO!
Surprised they Suzi gt550 doesn't get a mention with 50bhp and 110mph top end in 1972, but a great video all the same, always a joy to watch and listen to.
pleased to see the CB500 i've owned a CB 550f1 super sport for almost 40 years (rose tinted goggles:) younger days i spent summers going from bike rally to bike rally M.C.C. riding with friends bigger bikes i clocked over 120mph once or twice (scary) It's forte was superb comparable handling and not slowing for corners, I rode it throttle to the stop all day getting 18 to the gallon. I'd drop it in and lift my foot for the pegs to fold up, I also ground a long hole in the original 4into one exhaust and surprised with the ability to rear wheel steer. My major gripe was a piss poor single disc brake with one active piston against a slave brake pad. If you have read all this thankyou, The video and reminiscing has been great fun. the bike is in my garage awaiting a refurb. My regards to all Bikers from what i term the Golden age of Biking and all OGRI fans.
All my young Harley mates have learnt to love and respect my 1978 SR500 Wherever we go it leads the pack and gets all the attention while they're lost in the crowd of Harleys
TX/XS 500 was totally different to the XS650,though on first look they seemed very alike. I had both. The 500s had a twin cam 4 valve per cylinder motor ,which was way ahead of it's time,the 650 was a bog standard 2 valve single cam. The 650 was massively popular worldwide and very reliable,the 500 wasn't either. I had the later coffin tank 500 with mag wheels and the whole thing looked and sounded really nice.....in between mechanical meltdowns. The first time mine broke down was about 5 miles from the dealer after I picked it up,they ended up rebuilding the whole top end,6 months later it went again and covered my leg in oil in the process,my how I laughed.worse part is I'd traded in my beloved RD400 for the poxy thing. After the horrible XS I got a GT550 Suzuki which was lovely and very,very fast, remember I'd had an RD400 so I knew what fast was. Massively under-rated bike. Traded that in for the XS650 which had gutted "silencers",sounded like Armageddon and while all my Bonny-owning mates slagged it off they couldn't keep up with it. I think it's largely forgotten these days what hooligan tools the original GPZ 550s were, so good that Yamaha blagged the styling for Fazer years later. Then there were the RD and RG500s.................. I had something like 30 bikes in my first 10 years on 2 wheels,it was so bad at one point that I'd pick up my "latest" from a dealer somewhere and would see it's replacement on the way out of the door. I think a drug habit would have been cheaper.
Fastest 500 single I have ever rode was a Matchless G50 in the early 2,000’s OMG 😱 I couldn’t believe how fast it was, opened my eyes as to how quick the likes of AJS 7R’s G50’s Manx’s Venom Goldstars etc. were
In Poland, in the 80s, when there was practically no access to motorcycles from the west, only a few had Kawasaki 550. This motorcycle was the object of worship and dreams of everyone. In general, he competed with the Yamaha 550, which, however, did not give him advice. Everyone wanted it, but must had to settle for the Mz 250 ETZ or the Jawa TS 350. There was also a great two-cylinder Kawasaki GPZ 500S. To the general list I would add a motorcycle, maybe not the fastest, but legendary - Norton Manx.
@@marcinos303 the GPZ500 and its family get a mention here ua-cam.com/video/WikCG7WxPy8/v-deo.html and the MZ gets one here too ua-cam.com/video/Y_xublpCH7Q/v-deo.html cheers for adding your story my friend, Ride Free
Somewhere between the 250 tonners and the onslaught of the 500s lies the Bridgestone gtr350. It was arguabĺy the fastest bike of 67, but obviously superceded by the Suzuki 500 Cobra in 68. With the introduction of the Honda CB750 Bridgestone recognized they would have to spend hundreds of millions in development to compete in the motorcycle industry. They dropped their motorcycle division by 72
We had heard about these 350 Bridgestones. looked at one at a shop in Townsville when started it for a test run the Kick started snapped off! Sold no Bridgstrones GTR350s in North Queensland.
You left out my favorite 70s 500cc machine the BSA B50. I have owned mine for 42 years I have used it on the road and have raced it. It has surprised a few bigger newer bikes over the years both on the track and on our winding mountain roads here in NZ and it has proved to be very reliable .
When I was a kid, the CB750 came to my local Zambian race track - then known as the "4-pipe" because it was the first 4 cyl ever seen in a bike - followed by the H1 which no one could ride at any speed around the track except down the straight. Both were creamed (way out-classed) by the TD1Cs and TD2 Yamaha race bikes, even the street RD350s in race trim. I could only pine and wish. I almost had a CB300 "Dream" that many amateurs were racing at the time but my father stopped me, saying "get an education first, then go racing". Well that didn't work well - all I did was some track days on a much-modified Gixxer K1 which was tremendous fun but way too little, far too late. I had the privilege of riding a 'friend's' Ariel Square 4 in the early 70s in Rhodesia. That was interesting if a little boring, very smooth and quiet though. Great memories.
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
I had a 1978 Ducati 500 Sport Desmo with grey mag wheels, same as the ones mounted on Guzzi's Le Mans I. The golden ones shown in this video were a too costly option for my pocket then, it was my first real bike. Excellent braking and frame, so the handling was way better and more than all less challenging compared to the following Pantah's 500 and 600. I had the chance to test them thoroughly, each being owned by two friends of mine. Both had a boring waving tendency already at medium speed cornering, possibly caused by the fairing aerodynamics, while the 500 Sport Desmo was firm as a block of steel, any speed. Pantah's were more powerful and (way) faster than the 500 Sport Desmo, but also their higher price was simply unmatchable with the economic Sport Desmo, that at the time was the most affordable 500 on the Italian market (did they try desperately to get rid of them?). Despite the Desmo distribution and the excellent claimed characteristics, the 500 SD engine was awful, firstly for vibrations, simply unbearable beyond 6000 rpm. Reliable sources in Italy used to say that it was a students project of an English college of mechanics... Who knows. With the first equipment's exhaust pipes there were unsolvable carburation problems, so I mounted a pair of Conti exhausts, empty and noisy, but what a difference! Standing at three meters or so when the engine was running, you could feel the real Ducati wind! At the time Conti exhausts where mandatory to savor the real behaviour of any Ducati. They were original equipment on the 750-900 SS and MHR. Anyway I had too a con rod broken, luckily at low speed, first gear. It happened in a summer night, immediately after a refueling when I was traveling at maybe 140 kph for two hours or so. Ducati refused to warrant the engine so the bike was repaired, at my expense and high cost. Soon after I sold it, as the engine behaviour was not the same anymore. Maybe it needed only some more mileage to break-in again. I gave it back to the local dealer and purchased a black and beautiful second series Ducati 900 SD Darmah with golden Speedline wheels and rounded backseat tail. It was the envy of the place where I lived: Ducati's then weren't by any measure as widespread as today, meeting one was quite an event and its black painting shone like a star. Its noise, with Conti exhausts, was simply fantastic, deep and powerful: the belt distribution modern Ducati engines sound like toys in comparison, put apart their rattling clutch... (LOL)
Oh yes! I remember the Ducati 500 Desmo Parallel Twin! I adapted a Pirahna electronic ignition kit from another parallel twin, as I seemed to be forever adjusting the points! It did shift, and handled like it was on rails.
At 18 I had Triumpgh 5TA with a Todd twin carb head 600 overbore cafe racered in a feather bed frame, oh I didnt get on with it being brought up on Japanese steads. Walking along one night I passed a terrace house that was a Brit bike shop but in the window a vision...A nickle plated framed metalic red Kawasaki 500 H1B fitted with double discs, alloy rims, rearsets, half fairing and beautiful Tomaselli alloy clip ons. Amazingly a swap was arranged and rocking up at the pub it was "you did what"..."how the hell"....What a fast fast bike, I loved it, rode it for years what a machine...it handled, it braked (the B had the Z1 forks and discs) it would stand on its nose...dont mention fuel consumption.
great bikes, i ran a 500 four for a while and not much could get away from it. still one of my favourite bikes, wish i had the one i used to have for sure 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I was the a proud owner of a Velocette Thruxton Veeline. in 1971 reg. HOF 92D which I bought from Stevens of Shepherds Bush. Unfortunately I did abuse it a lot against Bonevilles and ruined the crankshaft and a few clutches because of the long first. I sold it back to them ,but they said it was never the same bike when repaired. I never needed to decompress to start it just tickle the carb. It was a great machine but a pain with the bolts always coming loose . I got offered their TT bike but couldn’t afford to make it legal. So built my Triton Thruxton Boneville slimline 👌
I owned several of the bikes shown, including a much loved H1, GOLD Star DBD34. ONE machine which did not sell too well and had a very short manufacturing life was the Suzuki GSX 450 EX, DOHC twin with Mag Wheels etc. It was quickly replaced by the GS 500, a totally different machine. The 450EX was somewhat similar to my H1 to ride, narrow power band coming alive about 6500 rpm with a real rush of power up to around 9,500 rpm. Good handling, gearbox 6 speeds, good brakes etc. I was a Suzuki agent way back then and this is one machine I really loved, only sold one. The Katana 550 came out about then and that was the one lads went for .
Hi great vid had a Goldie in the early sixties tried to break your ankle if you let it. It was a dog at low speed mopeds would leave you at traffic lights ,but once it got going just hang on great ride. sadly lost mine in a bad accident still riding at 79
I bought a new honda cb450 1966 from long beach california dealer. would go 105mph all day long. tuned by the dealer for me 46 hp. ran perfect. paid 460 dollars out the door new price. what a great price.
such sublime engineering too 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it. Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
Really great subject and I rode a few of them, had the Mach 3 for example, bloody fast but a deathtrap on the twisties and it chucked me down the road more than once. As I said elsewhere, I love the T500 its my favourite bike of them all. However, apropos of two strokes, one engine that never seems to get a mention is the Villiers 2T which was really good when you had a good 'un but all too often its was quirky mainly down to the crankshaft seals IMHO I think modern seals and maybe some reed valves and a bit of exhaust tuning and better coil and condenser you could own a real scorcher, for its time. It showed up in all sorts of ride to work bikes like the Fanny Barnett but also there were Greeves, Cotton, Norman to name a few. I had a Cotton that was terrific fun and bloody quick too. Just a thought but maybe you covered it and I missed it?
A friend collects the Norman's :-) I had never heard of them until I met him :-) Another who likes turning T500's into Cafe racers too lol. i think many of the Villiars problems were rooted in poor quality control, but they werent alone there to be fair :-) have a great weekend
Here in LA in the early 60's my older brother had a Matchless 500 cc that was a cool bike it was a single and a bear to time but hauled ass ! CHEERS !!
you do not list the manx Norton but i would have thought it in the ajs category, is there a reason for that as it too was very fast with great handling.
I owned a Suzi T500 for a few months before I was married, and have ridden a few of the bike mentioned here: - a Goldie, a Honda 500-4, a Velo (Venom I think, but maybe a Sportsman). I couldn't get the Suzi over 98mph, but it would cruise happily at 80mph for hours. 60mph felt like it was idling.
I was the lucky owner of a suzuki T500 2 stroke beautiful looking and fast bike but carbs kept going out kilter, then had a honda cb500t, my memory of that bike is that I rode it as fast as it would go, then I had a cb550 simply lovely bike. Big thanks for this
What a great list. I was riding 250s back in the '70s, and later didn't go bigger than the Kawasaki Z400 which my wife and I rode down to Cornwall for our honeymoon.
IMPORTANT
Dakar have hit me with a copyright strike so ive had to delist some of the videos just in case
i guess they got pissed that mine were better
because of the MOTOGP one before xmas that means im really vulnerable now and the channel could be removed at any time
I have set up this backup channel so please go and follow it NOW,
this could all be removed at any moment now so it is critical to stay in touch via the backup channel here
ua-cam.com/channels/CSl6i-tZJNC5DQ38vgCtvw.html
sorry for this if i get another strike it wipes out all my work
all my old videos will be removed
I wont be posting anything much on the new channel unless this goes down
but this is a just in case because it really could go down at any point
the videos are still visible if you have a link so if you have problems message me for links
so you can still watch them,
if you follow the channel and this one gets taken down you will be able to find me there
sorry if thats a bit garbled
ive just woken to this but i guess i could have had the channel taken down already
so i should be thankful
ride free everyone
they are better but i'mwaiting for the review of a doggy r45 please. woof
@@godislove8740 bmw r45? One of our stops was an R50 rider 😊
The Norton Manx beat all the Harleys at the Daytona 200 back in the 50s when it was run on the sand of the beach and the road in front of the beach knuckle heads and pan heads some Indians he were there also.
ua-cam.com/video/Np2k0dhO7vA/v-deo.htmlsi=WKbHi-HpgIMFr-j6
ua-cam.com/video/-IUbIdw_4j8/v-deo.htmlsi=0ktmufi_96V1jAfx
In my 76 years I’ve only been in jail once, due to an “incident” involving my 1971 Mach 3. It was blue like the example in your video. I was young, it was fast, and well….. charges were dropped, but I was left with a good stories. Hunter S. Thompson wrote of crippled old men whispering about the terrifying Kawasaki triples.
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
Loved Suzuki Titan 2 stroke twin 500 , I knew it seemed very Teutonic I didn't know it had MZ influence.
Ducati desmo sport 500 much more bike than H1.
What a great story, despite what others may say.
I'm amazed that you're still with us after riding that monster. Clearly, you had great skills. 👍🏻🤙😎
@@kiasax2 traded it for a Z1 in 1973. For a while in 1975 I had the Z1 and a 63 Jaguar XKE as my daily drivers.
Honda CB500 Four. I rode one from age 13 to 17. I rode this bike hard, constantly revving it all the way to and in the red zone, it never gave any problems. It had a beautiful sound and encouraged me to go faster. I am now going on 67 and I ride a 2017 Triumph Speed Triple, still love the adrenaline from acceleration. When I ride I keep a look out for a Honda 500 that might be sitting with a sale sign by the road.
Did so many miles on mine 😊 one of the bikes I miss most
what a buzz those years were, a quite moment for absent friends that shared that wonderful time with, tks
thoughtfully put, wild days and even wilder nights
Wonderfully written - great friendship & love of bikes - those were the care free days - so full of happiness ❤
As a 69yo retired geezer and lifelong biker the '60's and 70's represents my misspent youth. I loved this vid. Not only was it well researched and accurate, it listed nearly every bike I lusted after but could not afford...although I did manage to ride a few of them.
I fairly drooled at the pristine Suzuki Titan. Talk about a concours level restoration. In fact every one appeared almost brand new. The CB 500 had me weeping with envy. Anyhow, fantastic vid and keep up the good work. Cracking effort❤💯💥👍
Welcome aboard mate, i think that CB500/4 is in better condition than the one I had back in the day lol. enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
@@barebonesmc
That CB500/4 is Stunning!
@@davidmacphee3549 indeed it is, not ridden like mine was for sure lol
Whadda ya mean "Misspent" ? Hardly think so !!
@@practicalplinking6133
Well, as the Saying goes, ...
"If I knew then, what I know now"
I loved my 71 Suzuki 500 Titan, I bought it in 74 for $650 USD. Rode it everywhere for 5 years, sold it to a friend, and got a Honda 550. I didn't like it. It sounded nice and didn't smoke, but it was slow, even with 4 into 1 pipes. it had a head gasket leak, the hivo chain between the crank and transmission was stretched to the point of jerkiness, and I lost 3rd gear, because the shift fork bent, (no, I didn't abuse it) anyway, I sold it after splitting the cases and replacing it.
Now I have a 85 Honda 650sc Nighthawk. It's fast enough, and has dual discs in the front, and my favorite feature, 16 hydraulic valves! I will never need to adjust them.
Great channel, keep it up.
why is it no one uses hydraulic valve adjustment now? its one of the things that makes the Nighthawk 700 SC I have so low maintenance, they forget the good ideas, like the simple self cancelling indicators on the RD350LC, or a side stand connected to the clutch cable so when you pull the clutch in the side stand is pulled up. the joys 🙂
@hernandocortez6351 Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support, i would say you are probably at least half right on the concept of underbucket shims 🙂
My Suzuki T500 hit 120 mph back in the early 80, also easily outran a volvo 240 turbo in the 1/4 mile.
What a wonderful video for this old 72 year old to watch, all the old bikes from my youth and young adulthood! I owned WTO 127J a 1971 H1B Mach 3 - 500 in 'Laser Blend' blue as shown. It was 6 months old when I bought it from Bill Smith Motors (mentioned in the video) as a very experienced 19 year old rider. I rode it to the Isle of Man in 1973 and rode the TT course on Mad Sunday. I kept it many years and sold it to a friend who flipped it for a profit. Great bike, mine was production race tuned, incredibly fast, a bit shaky in corners. My bike is still registered and I have contacted the DVLA to see if they will pass a letter onto the current SORN owner of WTO 127J. It seems like they will, I just have to fill out a form and sent £5. I still have the tax disc holder and the expired tax disc. such great memories. My last bike was a Yamaha RD350 YPVS, equally as exciting.
Amazed that you found such beautiful examples of each bike. It's like you took a time machine and went to the showrooms!
i do think that the CB500/4 is in better condition than the one I had back in the day lol. enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
Fabulous video! Just as well I held off on my shout out for the Laverda 500 Montjuic, because there she was, at the end. 👍🏻
The Monty was featured here too 🙂 ua-cam.com/video/dvI7bb0MlX4/v-deo.html
The AJS Porcupine is a stunning bike ,saw one in the flesh at Sammy Millar's . What surprised me was the Suzuki T 500 what a lovely looking bike, in my view one of the best designed ever. Brilliant video, always learn something from yours, keep them coming.
thanks as always mate and glad you enjoyed it 🙂Enjoy the ride🙂
My God you got another old geezer as a subscriber!
Pushing 80 really hard, I've had a few of the bikes mentioned and I have to say that the Suzuki Titan was one of my favorites, as it's reliability was superb, unlike the BSA 500cc A7 standard I had before, I eventually became a dedicated BMW fellow, but I greatly enjoyed this review and your presentation.
Thank you!
thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. I had 2 A7s 🙂one fairly standard and one full clubman spec which was very special. high com pistons, spitfire cams and twin racing monoblocks. then the 2nd LC350 came along lol. Ride Free 🙂
I had 1970 500 triple, had it ported and polish by Gary Shumake, turning 11 20 at Lions drag strip. Did a lot of street racing, best the hell out of lot of bikes. King Kawi Montebello CA.
With the strokers tuning was so much easier😊😊😊
I can only imagine how long it took to do all the reseach for this video and locate the film clips. Well done and thank you.
thanks, it did take a long while lol, but i think it was worth it, the next one has been another minefield too but itll hopefully be up by monday 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. You just made an old man very happy. What a list of glorious motorcycles ! By the time you got to the Gold star and the Matchless I was almost in tears. I sat with my head in hands in appreciation.
glad you enjoyed it mate, youve made my night 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
As always barebones, another superbly knowledgeable video. I salute your time spent on researching and compiling this video into yet another 10/10 narration. Live too ride ride too live. Be free brother 🙏
thanks as always and glad you enjoyed it 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
I owned two of these motorcycles, 69 H1 Kawasaki triple & 77 RD 400 Yamaha. While it was a thrill to grab full throttle on the H1, the RD was the better of the two. Better all around handling & fast enough to stay ahead of the H1 on a twisty mountain road.
great bikes 🙂 All hail the RD's. Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
The 69 H1 would take a poop on the 400 in a quarter mile. I rode the 69, my Brother bought it new. I was quite older when the Yamaha came out. You are correct the Yamaha would handle better but the H1 was the Boss of the road until the 900 Kaw.
@@stevengieseck635 The H1 was FAST, but the RD 400 was quick & nimble. On a winding mountain road with it's quirky handling H1 didn't have a chance against the RD. But that is history now. I was in my early 20's then & I'm 76 now & it's all a distant memory.
The H-1 was by far more comfortable on the interstate.
@@burkestorti4586 That quirky handling did not prevent me from dragging the pegs on both side going around corners.
Great video & very informative. I became addicted & was weaned during the 60's & 70's, & to those who mistakenly think that we old codgers rode bikes equivalent to mopeds, the RD 350 I had in the mid 70's almost ripped your arms off if you pinned it! Yes - the acceleartion & speed was there, but we rode those things with practically no brakes, component-destroying vibration & poor handling. It was euphemisticaly called 'character'!
I'm 75 now & my current steed is a '24 Honda 755 Hornet, it's a fabulous bike in every way as was the Triumph Daytona & all the other modern bikes I've had since, but in comparison to the bikes I rode in the 60's & 70's, well, they had two wheels & an engine as well!
Just found your site 'Barebones', I'll be sure to watch more from now on. Keep them coming.
Welcome aboard mate😊👌 just in time for Dakar 😊 there’s a link on the community page to last years coverage to see what I do 😊
Only came across this channel two days ago - great recommendation.
I've watched maybe 8 videos so far and I'm massively impressed.
Fantastic.
Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
Hmmmm, memories... I had two of these, both modified but not ridiculously so, and both were bulletproof! First was a Suzuki Titan, which got Akront rims and good Dunlops and Fontana brakes, an alloy tank (polished, of course), expansion chambers, fiberglass fenders, flat bars and rear-sets and a solo seat. This thing always started on one kick and never let me down (it was fitted with later electronic ignition) and it surprised a LOT of TR/BSA big twin riders. i was younger then, but I rode it great distances once I got the seat configured properly. This is one of the very few older bikes I'd love to have today.
Second was a modded CB450, a 1971 I seem to remember. Anyway, it had the front disc...which really didn't stop any better than a good drum (and not NEARLY as well as the Suzuki's Fontana 4-shoe). This was a very civilized bike for its day, with an electric starter and lots of clever features, many of which I discarded to save weight. You see, the CB was a bit porky..so I got rid of the stock mufflers/tank/seat/fenders/steel rims/turn signals...well, you get the idea. It never approached the Suzuki (its immediate predescessor) in performance, but it was a NICE bike, not a hooligan, and I put over 40,000 miles on it. I saw it may years later, in the 1990s, and it had been sympathetically owned (no youngsters) and still looked and sounded good. Not much you could do about the handling, which was average...but it was a HONDA, and handling was never the reason for buying one.
I've ridden many RD Yammies, and still think they were the BEST beginner bikes ever made. Never had much use for their 4-stroke twin brethren except for the 650, and the 500s in particular seemed to have more than their share of troubles. WAY back when (when I was younger and fearless), I threw a leg over a modded Kwacker 500 3 that had been ported and fitted with crazy-loud chambers and different carbs. Scared the sh*t out of me, even back then...like it had a big hinge under the seat. Ghastly thing. Good video, though!
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Glad you enjoyed it, Ride Free 🙂
EXCELLENT VIDEO.WONDERFUL VOICE. SUBBED. I read every comment.
thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate, the comments are a great read too. Ride Free 🙂
My brother!! I always enjoy your videos for so many reasons. The biggest being that you truly love all things motorcycle related and I love your objectivity. You call things as you see them whether "On Point" or "BS"... I love everything about the history and evolution of our passion!! Thanks for sharing your experience and enthusiasm! Thanks for helping to keep the soul of motorcycling alive!! If you're ever in the Pacific Northwest of the US, please reach out so we can go for a ride
👍🏍🛣
thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. and keep in touch, you never know, Ride Free 🙂
Absolutely brilliant, especially as I'm a VELOCETTE lover
I hope youll jump aboard mate, enjoy the ride and have a great weekend
The BSA Gold Star ended production in 1963, not 1968. Output was 41 BHP not 48 BHP. Available in four versions in the mid 1950s as Trials, Scrambles, Touring and Clubman's trim. The Clubman's trim was the most popular and was essentially a racing motorcycle with lights. Close ratio gearbox and Amal 1 1/2" GP carburettor with no provision for tick over, hence the necessity to blip the throttle at low revs. Made in both 350 and 500 cc sizes, in later years the 350cc to special order. Easy to start IF you followed the correct procedure. 115 MPH out of my 1956 DB34.
Well put, it handled very well too over the most demanding circuit in the world, the Isle of Man Clubman’s TT. For years, if you wanted to stand a chance there, you had to have a Goldie.
I will bow to your superior knowledge, as i have often said, if we could amass the combined knowledge of all the subscribers we would have the most comprehensive motorcycle encyclopedia ever 🙂
@AEROEARTH, Was that a Smith speedo 115 MPH or a radar checked 115 mph.
@@albion2742Manufacturer's claim.
Around 1965 put a Gold Star DBD 500 / RRT2 Box in a Featherbed frame, had to have the R.H down tube modded to take the oil pump...best of both worlds... The Gold Star donner bike was left in my friends granddads garden shed, I used only the engine, box, and rev counter, hus granddad kept on at us to move it, we didn't..about 3 years later we decided to dig it out the shed to put a Road Rocket engine we'd bought in it, the shed had gone, it was now a large hen house, beneath the concrete foundations is one almost complete BSA G.S. less engine, box, rev counter.. We were warned, at the time it didn't bother us too much.....today I weep thinking about it..
Great video showing some fantastic 500s from each era although including the RD 400 threw me somewhat. Thank you really enjoyed watching 👍
I do understand, but I couldnt really miss the RD400 out 🙂 the list would have been incomplete without it
Very good trip down memory lane for this retiree. I remember fondly owning and riding a new Suzuki T500 in 1972. Then riding a mates Honda CB500 and later in 1980 the Ducati 500 V twin. Agree that the Yamaha two stokes changed the game for teenagers/ single men in the late 60s, early 70s. I just loved two stokes back then. Currently riding a 2023 Kymco AK550 maxi scooter which goes like a cut snake straight out of the box. I'd say it is as fast as the Honda CB750 USP2 I owned in 1974. Kymco twin lies forward like that early AJS twin of the fifties and has double overhead cams like it too. Thanks for the memories.
glad it jogged some good memories mate is the Kymco as long as it looks in the pics?🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
I love your wonderful English accent and diction. You talk with emotion, in the subdued voice of a motorcycle veteran. I could listen to this for hours.
AJS 95 it's a work of art, just like the Velocette.
However, my dream has always been a Rudge 500 Sport Special or Ulster.
Some of the old Rudge's were masterpieces, If i am right it was a Rudge they sold with a bloody caravan at one point PMSL a guy at a classic meeting turned up with one, I am almost certain it was a Rudge. enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
Rudge did make a small caravan to be towed with their own side car outfit. At the same time they made TT and Grand Prix winning racers, including selling many to an Italian called Signor Ferrari. I wonder what became of him? Someone said he tried racing cars.
@@philhawley1219 🤣🤣🤣
@@philhawley1219 LOL
Just found your channel and subscribed. Sure does bring back fond memories of the 70's and 80's. Thanks for the great content. Cheers
Me too!
Welcome aboard both of you, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
@@barebonesmc 😄
You guys over the age of 75 had the best years of motor bikes. I'm 51 and though I've ridden all bar the Italian machines in this vid. each opertunity only came after many months spent rebuilding them.
Every bike seems to come with a few boxes of spare parts for everything other than the machine your working on. As with everything after the war, nothing was thrown away
glad you enjoyed it mate, the mad one is you can still buy the Aermacchi from a guy in holland, they bought the rights to continue making the engines and use a metisse chassis now if i am right 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
Every bike seems to come with a few boxes of spare parts for everything other than the machine your working on. This line made me laugh so much, thankyou.
@@BikesDrones the voice of a thousand rebuilds lol
Amazing set. Congratulations and thank you for preparing this material. A great picture of the motorcycle road.
Glad you enjoyed it mate. Plenty more on the channel. Hope you will climb aboard. Cheers for watching 😊
i rember sitting on his norton in the 60s 500cc ,,,,,i was about 7,, and him takeing me on little trips,,love the vids,,,ypu r easy to lisern too,,,i love that
Cheers mate. Who’s Norton?
I'm not even a biker but love your channel,maybe one day soon I will try pass the test
thanks for your support mate, and just do it!! your life will never be the same again, and in a good way 🙂Cheers for adding your bit too 🙂 have a great week
I still have my Kawasaki 400 two stroke triple.When the new z900rs came out in nearly the same color scheme , I now have a new favorite bike . Had a custom color match café, fairing made.I could sit and look at them for hours……
Sometimes they do just get it right lol 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂
Monumental thank you for your enthusiasm and your expertise. I salute you humbly.
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
I found your channel recently and I'm loving going through your videos. A suggestion if you fancy it - strangest motorcycles made over the last few decades? Things like the BMW C1, Honda PC800, you've already mentioned the Quasar before, the list goes on. You could go through strangest looking or even expand to weird concepts introduced on bikes that never took off? All the best mate.
Great suggestion, note taken :-)🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Great video mate! What an adventure!
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Great show Just subscribed. Thanks for the show.
Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
I was happy to see you included the TX500 Yamaha in your list. I owned a '73 and took it on several long distance camping trips. Now at 75 years old, I keep looking at smaller and lighter motorcycles. I currently own three very special bikes; a 2010 VFR1200F Honda, a 2014 CB1100 Honda and now my little 2023 Honda GROM. Although I would still love to have a Kenny Roberts limited edition RZ350, I am interested in the Kawasaki ZX-4-rr little 400cc inline four cylinder. My days for riding 600lb bikes are over as I traded in my '94 Yamaha V-Max to get the GROM
enjoy it mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Great Video thanks, all the Bikes of my era, owned, still own, and raced quite a few, if not me then my mate I built and tuned for. Your comment regarding the Kawasaki 500cc H1 in Britain was spot on, my mate who raced the Bikes had a Kawasaki S2 or S3 350cc we had tuned for the Track and the 500 for the road, He was a Bloody lunatic, on that thing, still not sure how he ever managed to stay alive. Funnily more conservative on the Track and not a crasher, but he did get sick of the two strokes when tuned in those days seizing. We switched to a highly done 400/4 for the next season, with a full Yosh 498 kit, which was a fast little bike. My favourite of all those shown was Laverada's Motojuich, I loved those Bikes but moved back to Canada the year they were released. I also remember the early success of Someone & Son's Ducati of Chadwell Heath with those early Pantath Ducatis, he was quite well known so I hope someone can remember his name?
thanks for sharing mate, and for the support, enjoy the ride
Top of the list for me is the Suzuki T500 but I’m very, very biased as I bought mine brand new in 1974 and still have it now 👍👍thanks for the brilliant video 👍👍
Nice one for keeping the old bugger goin mate
I was given the opportunity to take a Leverda Montjuic for a test ride by my local dealer, which I turned down, telling him there was no point as I couldn't see myself ever buying one. Still regret that decision to this day.
they are great little bikes. i actually had the SF2 out this week🙂
Loved my 70’s Honda CB500 Four ❤️.
great bikes i said in another comment, i think that one looks bettter condition now than mine was back then lol, mine was WELL used 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I got to ride a older honda 550 inline 4 and loved it. Ran so good.
I feel compelled to say few a words about a gentleman racer who has been a hero of mine for decades whom I had the great pleasure of meeting and is still the only World's Champion from the 2 and 4 wheel categories; the late Sir John Surtees.
My late father had been associated with the Amelia Island Concours d’elegance for many years. Through him I've been able to meet 2 of my heroes, the first of which being Sir Surtees.
John Surtees was the kindest, most soft spoken gentleman racer I had ever met. He took great pains to ask questions about me and my family, which demonstrated his refined manners.
His passion for automobiles and motorcycles was evident, as was his knowledge. He was pressed for time, so we weren't able to speak longer, but knowing that he raced Norton motorcycles I wanted to bring Sir John's name to the fore here. He was a grand man with good humor and class that is sadly lacking in so many today.
Requiescat in pace, John Norman Surtees, CBE.
well put, he was a legend in a time when racers were heroic RIP
@barebonesmc Indeed, Sir. Decidedly well said.
As we say in Cherokee, wado, Udo. Or thank you, Brother.
@@kiasax2 my pleasure mate, i have been building a fallen hero's video, but it is a long haul one and will probably go on the other channel, www.youtube.com/@BareBonesMCMyMotorcycleMadness
Mr. Barebonesmc, you must be an older gent & worked/raced to know so much about all these bikes. I'm absolutely floored
at each video I've watched, they're chalked full of info about these bikes & I've got to say I'll be referencing your videos as I'm
out looking at bikes.... there's always bikes around that people could not bear to get rid of so they sit idle. I hope I find one of
these gems. Watching your stuff in the middle of the night..... yup, peace
They are out there mate, find the right person and convince them you are the right new owner and sometimes you will be amazed how much the prices can drop.too 🙂 and never be frightened to walk away, there is always another one somewhere
You know I'm going thru something here that I can't fully explain but I do enjoy the excitement here. Thanks
@@diggy-d8w its been a lifelong passion for me mate and if some of that rubs off that is fantastic as far as i am concerned
@@barebonesmc ~ feeding me -n- rubbin' off on me TOO,,,, I'm diggin' it. I gotta go to bed soon...lmao, binged Out !
@@diggy-d8w sleep well my friend 🙂 im bleeding brakes and cleaning carbs lol
After only 2 watched videos from your channel, ive decided to subscribe.
This 500cc video was brilliant, sir!
Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
i had to pack up and rewire my surround stereo just for this video. damn thats awsome
glad you enjoyed it mate, welcome aboard 🙂
Thanks great discussion - I have from my teenage years a T500 & GT550 - awaiting restoration!
Good on you mate. Love to see them when they are done
Great stuff! Takes me back.
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
♥️🇬🇧😀 that is one of the best produced vids I've ever seen...anywhere. cheers.
Wow, thank you! 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Such wonderful memories yet again !
Congratulations on your fantastic channel !
Made my day 😊
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
Love the video.late mate had a 550 4 was lucky to do a ton.watching that kawa 500 brought a smile to my face.two strokes foreva😊hi from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Glad you enjoyed it mate :-) I had a 500/4 for a while, great bike, but loved my 350LC too :-) Castrol R runs through my veins :-)
I had a red Ducati 500 GTL. After owning Japanese motorcycles in the 60's & early 70's it was nice to learn what REAL handling and stopping were about. Thanks for the nice memories!
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
@@barebonesmc Cheers, mate. You too.🍻
You tell me! Back in '91 I stepped from my first roadbike (Suzuki GT750J) on to the bike which had caught my attention in a motorcycle catalogue: Ducati Pantah 600SL. I knew not to expect too much from that Suzuki from what i heard from the other mechanics at the motorcycle-shop where I had started working but as I had been racing 500cc Maico's in motorcross before I started riding a road bike, a 750 two-stroke was so appealing to me and I got to buy it (in a desolate state!) for about £50. Yes 50 quid, that is! I always thought of that engine as a true work of art in design however I think it's gotta be thanks to my experience in mx-racing I didn't get killed on this thing, actually it almost did at one point (it wasn't even in cornering) but I got away with it (else I wouldn't be sitting here writing this, would I :-) ). Anyway: I purchased that Pantah and there's no telling what difference that one made in handling and driving compared to that GT750 AND to lots of other (Japanese) bikes of the same generation and even far beyond. I've truely ridden lots (and worked on) of many different bikes and that Pantah just kept standin' out. Still have both bikes (and a lot more) btw ;-)
🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Here. Try my H1-B.
Careful! No corners.
Great video much enjoyed that thank you
Glad you enjoyed it🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Fantastic video! Fond memories!
🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Well done! Great informative video! 👍
Thank you! 👍
very good and unbiased video...subscibed.
Welcome aboard mate, enjoy the ride and cheers for the support
Great video! Thank you.
Glad you liked it! 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Awesome. Thank you for sharing.
Ride safe.
Peace 🏴
have a great week mate
That was most informative and enjoyable. Did the Suzuki T500 go on to be the GT500? I used to ride one in the 80's. The GT500 that is. I've subscribed, great presentation and thank's for your effort, best regards. 🙃
yes mate thats right re the GT500 great bikes (one coming you will enjoy too) 🙂 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I had a 72 CB450 K5 Twin Cam and it would run sustained speeds of the nearly empty Canadian Rockies that I wouldn't want to ride my modern CB 500F now. 7000 rpm in forth over the Kootenay Skyway became nearly 90 mph heading into Creston in fifth on the other side. I was shocked at how effortless it all seemed and it did so for the 30,000 miles I had it.
great bikes 🙂🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
I owned a brand new 1969 Kawasaki Mach 1 in the spring of 69. Before I picked the bike up I had the dealer install the optional lower gearing that was meant for drag racing. It was tough to keep the front wheel on the pavement in the first three gears, and four gears with a passenger.
In a straight line nothing could keep up with it, even another 69 Mach 1. In the corners everything passed me by!
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
I believe you misspoke, it's not a ford mustang " mach 1", it's a " mach 3" Kawasaki with 3 cylinders hence the name
Great video it’s nice to see and hear where all the bikes of my youth came from and development that went into them nice to know that I’m not the only person with two wheels in my blood
thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
thanks m8, some of these like the Benelli I have not seen for over 30+ years, my m8 had 2 and one was built like a tank, never had a problem, used every day for work and bike packing, but the other one was a total headache and broke down at every opportunity, great machines and great to see them so looked after
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
Wow, how many of those bikes have I owned or ridden 😄 CB450 - the original black bomber version, T500 Suzuki, there's an early H1 in my garage now, a 550 - and 750 - Honda, one you didn't cover - the V50 Guzzi - and a few 500 Triumphs. Nicest bike to ride (by some margin) was the 550 Honda, but the 'best' was (and is) the H1. Head and shoulders quicker than all the rest but it's right into white knuckle territory both for ride quality (in all senses) and reliability. It has an uncomfortable footpeg position and it drinks petrol like crazy, but get it up on the power band and all is forgiven - until the next bend anyway. A crazy bike that's really a vastly overpowered 250 and that's why people love them. Great video that I enjoyed watching 👍
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
The picture of the white and red yam 400 brought back great memories,had a 250 in the same colours and is still 20? bikes later one of my favourites.
The 350LC is the one I miss most 🙂
Great video . 4:25 Suzuki T500 of 1968 was named the Cobra...It did not become the Titan until 1971.
they were all just T500's here, but you may well be right in the US 🙂Cheers for watching and for the comment mate. Ride Free 🙂
Loved the video, thank you for doing it. It brought back a lot of memories from my 1970s when I first started riding bikes. Never looked back since, still on them
Glad you enjoyed it mate and welcome aboard, Ride Free
another great video , Laverda , triumph daytona and suzy being my top 3
the Monty has to be in most peoples top 3 i think 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Lovely video again, Barebones! Thanks for mentioning that Laverda 500. In the past, I got the chance (but didn't have the money!) of purchasing a Laverda Formula 500. It was taken over by my boss back then when the owner bought a brandnew Suzuki in the motorcycle shop where I worked. My boss would let me have it for the same price he took it which was about £500 but I was just anxious to save on buying my first Ducati (which was to be a Pantah 600) so I let it pass me buy to my shame. However... today, I pride myself being owning both a '99 Laverda 750S and a '96 Laverda 668 which indeed got their engine designs from that first Laverda 500 Montjuich ;-)
The Zane Laverdas are a blast, i had a 99 750S for years, theres footage from Cadwell if youre interested, im rebuilding a 750SF2 ish now :-) soon :-)
@@barebonesmc great mate, cheers!
My 75 Suzkki GT250 hit 98 mph on a minus 20F day on a highway in Schaumburg Illinois.
I have to guess that was either on the clock or a tuned engine?
Well done great video, as always. My favourite is the H1, but as a multip!e owner of Kawadaki's KR1-Ss and mouner of the lovely screaming 2 strokes it was always going to be.
if i couldn't have the porcupine i think the G85CS or the Monty might be my choice, but ive got a Laverda so probably the Matchless, but what a choice between them 🙂
Did i counterspeak you in the 250 video: now i praise you for this one. I rode all bikes mentioned exept the ajs. I rode all 250s as well... so i do have some inpressions. What you stated on the beuatiful and rare ducati 500 sport desmo is absolutely spot on.
we wont always agree mate but you can see where i am coming from :-) the Desmo was another flawed masterpiece, welcome aboard anyway mate, have a great week
Nicely done!
thanks 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Thank You Sir, Greetings from Austria
You are very welcome :-)
My 1st performance bike was a 1973 H1D modified with DENCO exhaust & expansion chambers and a steering dampener which helped with the well known head shaking. The only bike at the time that could even stay close in the 1/4 mile was my brothers-in law's Z1 903's from Kawasaki. All 3 of my wife's brothers purchased Z1's on the same day at Grayboy's Kawasaki located in Chilicothie, Illinois. I think I put more mile on those Z1's than they did, they were like brothers to me!
That Green KAW will always be my favorite! AT 4500RPM GET A GRIP WITH YOUR KNEES, AT 6500 IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE GAVE IT A SHOT OF NITRO, IT WAS DEFINITELY ON THE PIPE!!!!!! YAHOO!
great story 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Why would you want to make your steering moist?
Awesome!
🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Surprised they Suzi gt550 doesn't get a mention with 50bhp and 110mph top end in 1972, but a great video all the same, always a joy to watch and listen to.
great bikes, featured here mate ua-cam.com/video/jgSnHBdXcOo/v-deo.html 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
pleased to see the CB500
i've owned a CB 550f1 super sport for almost 40 years (rose tinted goggles:)
younger days i spent summers going from bike rally to bike rally M.C.C.
riding with friends bigger bikes i clocked over 120mph once or twice (scary)
It's forte was superb comparable handling and not slowing for corners, I rode it throttle to the stop all day getting 18 to the gallon.
I'd drop it in and lift my foot for the pegs to fold up, I also ground a long hole in the original 4into one exhaust and surprised with the ability to rear wheel steer.
My major gripe was a piss poor single disc brake with one active piston against a slave brake pad.
If you have read all this thankyou, The video and reminiscing has been great fun.
the bike is in my garage awaiting a refurb.
My regards to all Bikers from what i term the Golden age of Biking
and all OGRI fans.
Awesome!
All Hail Ogri 🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
@@barebonesmc Thank you Sir
@@monstersince cheers 🙂
All my young Harley mates have learnt to love and respect my 1978 SR500
Wherever we go it leads the pack and gets all the attention while they're lost in the crowd of Harleys
Brilliant..top drawer👍
🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
TX/XS 500 was totally different to the XS650,though on first look they seemed very alike. I had both. The 500s had a twin cam 4 valve per cylinder motor ,which was way ahead of it's time,the 650 was a bog standard 2 valve single cam. The 650 was massively popular worldwide and very reliable,the 500 wasn't either. I had the later coffin tank 500 with mag wheels and the whole thing looked and sounded really nice.....in between mechanical meltdowns. The first time mine broke down was about 5 miles from the dealer after I picked it up,they ended up rebuilding the whole top end,6 months later it went again and covered my leg in oil in the process,my how I laughed.worse part is I'd traded in my beloved RD400 for the poxy thing. After the horrible XS I got a GT550 Suzuki which was lovely and very,very fast, remember I'd had an RD400 so I knew what fast was. Massively under-rated bike. Traded that in for the XS650 which had gutted "silencers",sounded like Armageddon and while all my Bonny-owning mates slagged it off they couldn't keep up with it.
I think it's largely forgotten these days what hooligan tools the original GPZ 550s were, so good that Yamaha blagged the styling for Fazer years later.
Then there were the RD and RG500s..................
I had something like 30 bikes in my first 10 years on 2 wheels,it was so bad at one point that I'd pick up my "latest" from a dealer somewhere and would see it's replacement on the way out of the door. I think a drug habit would have been cheaper.
I bow to your superior knowledge :-) I do my best, cheers for watching, and for putting me right :-) Enjoy the ride
My neighbour bought an XS500 , handsome looking machine, he traded up to a XS750 ✌🏻
Fastest 500 single I have ever rode was a Matchless G50 in the early 2,000’s OMG 😱 I couldn’t believe how fast it was, opened my eyes as to how quick the likes of AJS 7R’s G50’s Manx’s Venom Goldstars etc. were
In Poland, in the 80s, when there was practically no access to motorcycles from the west, only a few had
Kawasaki 550. This motorcycle was the object of worship and dreams of everyone. In general, he competed with the Yamaha 550, which, however, did not give him advice. Everyone wanted it, but must had to settle for the Mz 250 ETZ or the Jawa TS 350.
There was also a great two-cylinder Kawasaki GPZ 500S.
To the general list I would add a motorcycle, maybe not the fastest, but legendary - Norton Manx.
@@marcinos303 the GPZ500 and its family get a mention here ua-cam.com/video/WikCG7WxPy8/v-deo.html and the MZ gets one here too ua-cam.com/video/Y_xublpCH7Q/v-deo.html cheers for adding your story my friend, Ride Free
Somewhere between the 250 tonners and the onslaught of the 500s lies the Bridgestone gtr350. It was arguabĺy the fastest bike of 67, but obviously superceded by the Suzuki 500 Cobra in 68. With the introduction of the Honda CB750 Bridgestone recognized they would have to spend hundreds of millions in development to compete in the motorcycle industry. They dropped their motorcycle division by 72
I will fit it in at some point mate :-) still doing some digging about the story :-)
A7 Avenger too!
We had heard about these 350 Bridgestones. looked at one at a shop in Townsville when started it for a test run the Kick started snapped off! Sold no Bridgstrones GTR350s in North Queensland.
great bikes 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
@@roderernst9990what were you riding at the time that was better?
Hi great work loved it ,have you or would you do a video of Kawasaki 250,s twin a1 and a1r,I had a a1 in mid 70,s ,thanks mate cheers
Thanks for your support mate 🙂 the feedback does help me and i do appreciate it, A1 Samurai is here 🙂 ua-cam.com/video/--s1H54GhMk/v-deo.html
You left out my favorite 70s 500cc machine the BSA B50. I have owned mine for 42 years I have used it on the road and have raced it. It has surprised a few bigger newer bikes over the years both on the track and on our winding mountain roads here in NZ and it has proved to be very reliable .
great bikes, I had 2 A7's so i have a soft spot for BSA's, and they did always tune really well 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
When I was a kid, the CB750 came to my local Zambian race track - then known as the "4-pipe" because it was the first 4 cyl ever seen in a bike - followed by the H1 which no one could ride at any speed around the track except down the straight. Both were creamed (way out-classed) by the TD1Cs and TD2 Yamaha race bikes, even the street RD350s in race trim.
I could only pine and wish. I almost had a CB300 "Dream" that many amateurs were racing at the time but my father stopped me, saying "get an education first, then go racing". Well that didn't work well - all I did was some track days on a much-modified Gixxer K1 which was tremendous fun but way too little, far too late.
I had the privilege of riding a 'friend's' Ariel Square 4 in the early 70s in Rhodesia. That was interesting if a little boring, very smooth and quiet though. Great memories.
Cheers for adding this mate. In time I may do a piece on the lesser known story of Yamaha copying/adapting the Adler twins design to build the TD 1
Lovely post . Ty.
glad you enjoyed it mate 🙂 Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
I had a 1978 Ducati 500 Sport Desmo with grey mag wheels, same as the ones mounted on Guzzi's Le Mans I. The golden ones shown in this video were a too costly option for my pocket then, it was my first real bike. Excellent braking and frame, so the handling was way better and more than all less challenging compared to the following Pantah's 500 and 600. I had the chance to test them thoroughly, each being owned by two friends of mine. Both had a boring waving tendency already at medium speed cornering, possibly caused by the fairing aerodynamics, while the 500 Sport Desmo was firm as a block of steel, any speed. Pantah's were more powerful and (way) faster than the 500 Sport Desmo, but also their higher price was simply unmatchable with the economic Sport Desmo, that at the time was the most affordable 500 on the Italian market (did they try desperately to get rid of them?). Despite the Desmo distribution and the excellent claimed characteristics, the 500 SD engine was awful, firstly for vibrations, simply unbearable beyond 6000 rpm. Reliable sources in Italy used to say that it was a students project of an English college of mechanics... Who knows. With the first equipment's exhaust pipes there were unsolvable carburation problems, so I mounted a pair of Conti exhausts, empty and noisy, but what a difference! Standing at three meters or so when the engine was running, you could feel the real Ducati wind! At the time Conti exhausts where mandatory to savor the real behaviour of any Ducati. They were original equipment on the 750-900 SS and MHR. Anyway I had too a con rod broken, luckily at low speed, first gear. It happened in a summer night, immediately after a refueling when I was traveling at maybe 140 kph for two hours or so. Ducati refused to warrant the engine so the bike was repaired, at my expense and high cost. Soon after I sold it, as the engine behaviour was not the same anymore. Maybe it needed only some more mileage to break-in again. I gave it back to the local dealer and purchased a black and beautiful second series Ducati 900 SD Darmah with golden Speedline wheels and rounded backseat tail. It was the envy of the place where I lived: Ducati's then weren't by any measure as widespread as today, meeting one was quite an event and its black painting shone like a star. Its noise, with Conti exhausts, was simply fantastic, deep and powerful: the belt distribution modern Ducati engines sound like toys in comparison, put apart their rattling clutch... (LOL)
Great story 🙂Cheers for adding it mate. thanks for watching, Ride Free 🙂
Oh yes! I remember the Ducati 500 Desmo Parallel Twin! I adapted a Pirahna electronic ignition kit from another parallel twin, as I seemed to be forever adjusting the points! It did shift, and handled like it was on rails.
Excellent video
glad you enjoyed it 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
At 18 I had Triumpgh 5TA with a Todd twin carb head 600 overbore cafe racered in a feather bed frame, oh I didnt get on with it being brought up on Japanese steads. Walking along one night I passed a terrace house that was a Brit bike shop but in the window a vision...A nickle plated framed metalic red Kawasaki 500 H1B fitted with double discs, alloy rims, rearsets, half fairing and beautiful Tomaselli alloy clip ons. Amazingly a swap was arranged and rocking up at the pub it was "you did what"..."how the hell"....What a fast fast bike, I loved it, rode it for years what a machine...it handled, it braked (the B had the Z1 forks and discs) it would stand on its nose...dont mention fuel consumption.
great bikes, 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Brought back awesome memories while growing in the UK, H1 was something else, CB would keep up with bigger faster bikes, too much fun
great bikes, i ran a 500 four for a while and not much could get away from it. still one of my favourite bikes, wish i had the one i used to have for sure 🙂 Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
Of course I enjoyed your video, I ride a 2014 Honda CB500X, and it was preceded by a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD.
cheers from Canada 🇨🇦🏍️
thanks for your support 🙂Cheers for adding your bit mate. Ride Free 🙂
I was the a proud owner of a Velocette Thruxton Veeline. in 1971 reg. HOF 92D which I bought from Stevens of Shepherds Bush. Unfortunately I did abuse it a lot against Bonevilles and ruined the crankshaft and a few clutches because of the long first. I sold it back to them ,but they said it was never the same bike when repaired. I never needed to decompress to start it just tickle the carb. It was a great machine but a pain with the bolts always coming loose . I got offered their TT bike but couldn’t afford to make it legal. So built my Triton Thruxton Boneville slimline 👌
🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
@@barebonesmc You’re welcome. Great videos .🙏
Sure we’re. Unfortunately nylocs didn’t enter brains or availability then,and probably expensive . Just loved the exhaust sound though.
A Vello thruxton ,,navy blue and silver,,I loved it
I owned several of the bikes shown, including a much loved H1, GOLD Star DBD34. ONE machine which did not sell too well and had a very short manufacturing life was the Suzuki GSX 450 EX, DOHC twin with Mag Wheels etc. It was quickly replaced by the GS 500, a totally different machine. The 450EX was somewhat similar to my H1 to ride, narrow power band coming alive about 6500 rpm with a real rush of power up to around 9,500 rpm. Good handling, gearbox 6 speeds, good brakes etc. I was a Suzuki agent way back then and this is one machine I really loved, only sold one. The Katana 550 came out about then and that was the one lads went for .
not sure ive come across that, we had a gs400 twin but that never did very well either
Hi great vid had a Goldie in the early sixties tried to break your ankle if you let it. It was a dog at low speed mopeds would leave you at traffic lights ,but once it got going just hang on great ride. sadly lost mine in a bad accident still riding at 79
glad it jogged some memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
76 ans deja!! bsa golden flasch puis 500 mach 3 la marche etait haute !! merci pour la qualite de la video
Welcome aboard my friend 😊 enjoy the ride😊👌
I bought a new honda cb450 1966 from long beach california dealer. would go 105mph all day long. tuned by the dealer for me 46 hp. ran perfect. paid 460 dollars out the door new price. what a great price.
such sublime engineering too 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it. Theres plenty more on the channel, hope you will look around and find something your interested in. there is more on the website too. and there will be more to come. Cheers for watching.Hope you will climb aboard. Ride Free 🙂
Really great subject and I rode a few of them, had the Mach 3 for example, bloody fast but a deathtrap on the twisties and it chucked me down the road more than once. As I said elsewhere, I love the T500 its my favourite bike of them all.
However, apropos of two strokes, one engine that never seems to get a mention is the Villiers 2T which was really good when you had a good 'un but all too often its was quirky mainly down to the crankshaft seals IMHO I think modern seals and maybe some reed valves and a bit of exhaust tuning and better coil and condenser you could own a real scorcher, for its time. It showed up in all sorts of ride to work bikes like the Fanny Barnett but also there were Greeves, Cotton, Norman to name a few. I had a Cotton that was terrific fun and bloody quick too.
Just a thought but maybe you covered it and I missed it?
A friend collects the Norman's :-) I had never heard of them until I met him :-) Another who likes turning T500's into Cafe racers too lol. i think many of the Villiars problems were rooted in poor quality control, but they werent alone there to be fair :-)
have a great weekend
Here in LA in the early 60's my older brother had a Matchless 500 cc that was a cool bike it was a single and a bear to time but hauled ass ! CHEERS !!
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
you do not list the manx Norton but i would have thought it in the ajs category, is there a reason for that as it too was very fast with great handling.
The reason :-), because there is only one of me, im not without flaws, and i miss something sometimes lol, cheers for watching mate
In 1981 a gentleman by the name of Damon Hill was racing a CB 500 in the ACU production class at Croft Autodrome. I have seen the programme online.
the CB500 cup made for fantastic racing 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂
@@barebonesmc The following year I was chasing the same Damon Hill on my LC 250 at Donington, he was on a Pro Am 350LC, I didnt catch him lol
I owned a Suzi T500 for a few months before I was married, and have ridden a few of the bike mentioned here: - a Goldie, a Honda 500-4, a Velo (Venom I think, but maybe a Sportsman).
I couldn't get the Suzi over 98mph, but it would cruise happily at 80mph for hours. 60mph felt like it was idling.
Cheers for adding this mate 😊👍 it all helps😊
I was the lucky owner of a suzuki T500 2 stroke beautiful looking and fast bike but carbs kept going out kilter, then had a honda cb500t, my memory of that bike is that I rode it as fast as it would go, then I had a cb550 simply lovely bike. Big thanks for this
🙂Cheers for watching mate. Ride Free 🙂
What a great list. I was riding 250s back in the '70s, and later didn't go bigger than the Kawasaki Z400 which my wife and I rode down to Cornwall for our honeymoon.
glad it jogged some good memories mate 🙂Cheers for watching. Ride Free 🙂