Why the Humble ROADSTER Motorcycle may be the best bike you can Buy!
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- Опубліковано 28 чер 2024
- Often over looked or even ignored The Original Roadster Motorcycle has survived from the very beginning and there is a good reason!
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PATREON. / stuartfillingham
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My wife and I are pensioners now. I rode different bikes in the past; my last big bike was a BMW GS 1150. Due to some medical problems with my back I could not handle big bikes anymore. ( 6 x surgery on neck and back ) But we wanted to keep on touring. After some testing we have found our bike: a 150 cc motorscooter. Yes; a scooter !!!! We can drive the speed limits every where! Now we travel in EU with our camper and take the scooter with us. We park the camper and tour around with the scooter. We have a headset on our helmets only to use it as an intercom. No phone or music connected. And we love it. Our scooter is our ROADSTER for shopping / touring / and exploring the country. We see more; smell more and enjoy more on our "bike". And the best part is, it is very affordable to have. Horsepower is just a number on a list; the joy of touring is priceless.
Our scooter, a Honda SH 150i, is our chose as a roadster. Safe ride and enjoy touring, Stuart.
loved your story .. being a Brazilian, once we travel to Europe, my wife and I, we always rent a scooter and we have a lot of fun of it !! it´s plenty enough for getting to know the places around ... She hates big bikes but love scooters .. go figure !! ( laughs) .... Keep riding !! Cheers
@@RenatoPinheiro22100% how me and my dad were in Key West. Grabbed a couple small rental scooters and went all over the island. It was one of the funnest things ever. Actually led me into the motorcycle world. Good times!
Watching Ross Noble interview, he was asked if he enjoyed adventure bikes, he simply said in his opinion all bikes are adventure bikes because you enjoy adventures on them. His first bike was a Tomos moped from Woolworths which guess what ....... he enjoyed many adventures on .
Totally correct. You can go on a short trip, bugger off to the pub and do your shopping on it. Then Monday arrives, and you’re off to work on it.
I bought my Kawasaki W650 new in 2002, been all over Europe on it, including a straight four day run from Belfast to Sofia, via Italy and Greece. It's the perfect bike! Ok, I couldn't hit more that about 90 on the autostrada, but it was perfect on and off ferries, riding cobbled streets in Sofia, bouncing over tram lines or plodding over a camping field. No bike i'd rather be on, and at the end of the day I still smile when I look back at it...
Great bike. 👍
Great bike. I have the W800 and in my opinion, the build quality and uniqueness of that bevel gear driven thumping 360° twin, make the W650 and 800 the perfect roadsters. I’ve even seen UA-cam videos of guys in India riding the Himalayas, one was a W with knobblies on.
@peakrider4886 I also have the W800, I have the cafe version. Most people think it must be uncomfortable with the slightly leaned forward bars, but I find if you are on the motorway, being slightly leaned forward is better than being upright, just my preference. I do long journeys, no problem, and I am 60+ years old.
I own a W650 from new since 2002. 74k miles as tool & toy. Best bike i ever owned. Cracking motorcycle!
@@williamhuxley I’ve had that exact situation myself. A couple of older gentleman came over and said it was a great restoration, they were trying to figure out what bike it was, the W badge on the tank didn’t make it obvious. Then I pointed out the Kawasaki name on the back of the seat, and also the ‘21 plate! They thought it was great.
Stuart i started riding at 17 in 1975,i didnt even know what bhp was,i just rode what i liked the look of.
"You may as well just buy a car." Love it. Thanks Uncle Stu. I always love your videos. Feel better soon.
Once upon a time all motorcycles were roadsters...until the owners thought 'l wonder, what if'..We did it in the sixties, turned perfectly good 'Roadsters' into fifties/sixties lookalike..(almost) road racers, with varying degrees of success..Other turned them into whatever floated their boat. 'Blokes in Sheds' were the great innovators of the time, following, sometimes surpassing manufactures....
Once the desire to Wizz about the countryside has passed we invariable return to the 'Roadster'..l still meander about the Spanish countryside on my Street Triple 675...It will of course do a bit of Canyon carving, however, its perfectly adaptable doing the Roadster thing.. to appreciate the environment one is riding through...Nice peaceful early morning ...(for me)..viewing Stu
Really enjoyed that video Stuart! I actually rode my wife's Classic 350 a few days ago while she's unable to ride (baby on the way) just to keep it happy and running, and I actually got more enjoyment out of that than I did riding my Z900rs the day before. I understand what you mean with the high adrenaline purchase which lasts a season, as I find my self now not entirely happy with my Kawasaki. I test rode a Continental GT and an Interceptor the other day and found myself smiling ear to ear, which is something the performance of the Kawasaki hasn't given me so far. So much so that I'm considering trading my bike for something of this variety. You're spot on saying you formna bit of a relationship with a roadster. Just something about them that makes you smile. Cheers from Melbourne
You make some good points Sean, and as you found with your wife’s 350, it’s not always about capacity and horsepower. All I would say is test riding new bikes is going to be enjoyable, it’s something new and exciting, and our brains do this funny thing where they start computing how to get that bike, how to pay for it, how to justify it, etc. If you can, and it’s a challenge, try to take away the emotion of something new and exciting, and think about having that bike every day and living with it long term. Good luck with your bike search, I have a Kawasaki W800, which in my mind is just about the most perfect roadster - according to Uncle Stu!
@@peakrider4886 thanks for the comment mate! Yes the new shiny thing can be lovely haha I'm actually looking at second hand models this time, which is unlike me haha I've only owned the Kawasaki for around 7 months after I bought it brand new. I was previously on an air cooled Thruxton 900 for 8 years. Traded up as I thought I wanted something quicker, comfier and a touch more modern. Turns out I miss my Thruxton...a lot! So yeah I think this experience, be it a costly one, has helped me realise the air cooled twins are for me. So the Enfield Twins, the air cooled triumphs and even the W800 are definitely on my list of possibles. Which version do you have? I'd probably be interested in the Cafe or the SE edition
@@SeanSean1892 I actually have the Classic version which is more like the Bonneville and the Interceptor. I didn’t want the Café because of the clip on bars, and although I quite liked the Street, there’s no centre stand or ability to fit one. Mine is from 2021, it has disc brakes and ABS, an LED headlight, and that’s it. Nothing else. Basic clocks with a digital display that shows time, odometer, and a trip. And that’s it, nothing else needed. I wanted the better build quality from Kawasaki which is why I passed on the RE Interceptor, and I wanted reliability which is why it was a no to the Triumph. The W’s bevel gear driven cam twin is unique, the two cylinders with a 360° firing order is like nothing else, unless you’re riding a 60’s BSA twin, and it’s over-engineered so will last longer than I will! Good luck with your bike search 👍
@@peakrider4886 thanks for all that info, I appreciate you helping me out 👍 all the best!
Agreed mate .
I went from a Kawasaki VN 900 to a little 350 classic red chrome Enfield.
Having way more fun on this than I have in 30 years .
Got obsessed with whizz bang bikes and lost why I love bikes.
Soul and Character not perfomance and technology.
The Enfield has bought me back to the roadster
"A motorcycle is about the sensation of traveling through the environment and part of that sensation is the wind in your face and your body. And if you can't cope with that you may as well buy a car". Excellent statement and well put. I enjoy your channel and really liked this video. Hope you feel better as soon as possible. Cheers from Texas.
Manufacturers will build what sells, and sell what they build. Your words sets it straight, and helps me to remind myself what I love about motorcycling. I can’t see myself ride by, so my enjoyment comes first. Looking at my motorcycle parked is a great pleasure but the ride quality is number one. Always the roadster. Nice commentary 👍🏻
I toured Europe in the early 1970's riding a BSA Royal Star (500 cc, two cylinder, single carb). With the exception of German autobahns, the bike was perfectly suited for touring. You're right, touring is not about getting from A to B as fast as possible. In fact touring, at least to me, doesn't involve much of a schedule at all and few "must see" destinations. It's just the joy of riding--the fewer super higways the better--stopping wherever while discovering fascinating gems off beaten paths. I could get that BSA to 100mph if I really tried but there was never any need to move at that speed. Twisting through the Alps and other mountain ranges/secondary roads wouldn't allow it anyway. If I were to do it again it would be on a roadster again--either the RE Interceptor or maybe the W800 Kawasaki; both in the 40-50 horsepower range--roughly 10-15 more hp than my old BSA. I don't get the monster bikes out there these days. They scare the hell out of me and why bother anyway when 50 horsepower will easily maintain 75 mph if one must travel on the interstates (U.S.). Incidentally, with relatively normal traffic conjestion, driver speeds on U.S. interstates usually fall between 65 and 80 mph with all the usual outliers. The actual legal limits can range from 55 to 70/75 mph. Great video Mr. Fillingham. Thank you.
I grew up in the 1950s and 60s when I only heard motorcycles described as 'motorcycles or motorbikes'. Then when TV came along we had 'Motorbike Scrambling' on Sunday afternoons to look forward to with Dave Bickers and Arthur Lampkin being two of the regular leaders and winners. I turn 72 this year and enjoy riding my 2020 Honda CB1100RS which, according to your definition regarding engine capacity, power, nimbleness, economy etc etc, places it slightly outside. So, I hereby announce the new category of - 'Super Roadster.' 😁🏍
Honda CB1100RS -- a beautiful motorbike.
For me, the big change occurred in the 1970's with the sight of the Honda CB750 on UK roads. Together with other exotics, these were then considered super bikes. This was already a far cry from the humble roadster, which maybe could just about do the ton if you were lucky (100mph). I could never afford a super bike, let the modern variants with well over 100hp. To my mind, the latest iterations should by termed hyper bikes, just about as useful as a Ferrari or Bugatti on public roads, be the roads chock a block with traffic in urban areas or full of pot holes and blind bends in the often beautiful and scenic countryside. The Asians never lost the love and the practicality of small capacity bikes. So I love the way that Royal Enfield is leading the way in returning much of the West to our roots and the extreme joy and pleasure that comes with practical yet sprightly bikes.
Brilliant video as always Stuart and I agree, you don't have to tour on a massive £25,000 bike 😌👍🏻
Hello Stuart, your video on Cafe Racers and the history of the culture popped up up on my UA-cam page, I imagine due to the algorithms because I'm always watching bike videos. I've got to say it was the best and most informative mini-documentary on the phenomenon I have ever seen. I do haave some knowledge on the subject but the way you put it together was brilliant! I was a London and countrywide Despatch Rider on and off for 35 years and your theory that the Cafe Racer culture instilled a negative attitude towaards motorcycles and motorcyclists in this country is sadly spot on. I don't attach any blame to those things fellas back in the late 50's and early 60's of course! I was born in 1963 but if I was 20 years older I would definitely have been one. Thirty odd years ago my workmates and I went to Chelsea Bridge now and again on a Friday evening, where the Cafe Racer spirit was definitely alive and kicking, It was an absolute blast back then after various highjinks everyone would cane it out to Heston services on the M4 (near Junction 1) for more fun. It was unfortunately the rather small-minded, bigoted attitude of society, which although dissipated today to a certain extent is still prevailing. I've hung up my radio now at the tender age of 60 ( can't believe I'm that old already!) but llast week sold my last of many work bikes a Transalp 600 from 1999, but I'm going to buy a 2015 MVAgusta Brutale 920 very soon, which will probably bring back memories and requisite behaviour from when I owned one of the first Fireblades in the 90's 😁. Sorry if I' ve rattled on a bit but it's your fault! Your excellent documentary brought the memories flooding back 👍😊. All the George to you mate an\d do keep the videos coming and I hope you're feeling better after your nasty cough.....I've been laid up for a week with somethiing similar, Charlie, Hammersmith.
Hi Stuart, I fully agree that it so pleasant to feel the elements when riding a motorcycle, even the rain becomes an amusement on a roadster compare to what we feel in a car in the same situation
A very insightful description of what a roadster really is. Makes a lot of sense.
I am glad to be rinsing my versatile Honda CX500b
Sounds like Corona 2024 version.
Thank you for defending the humble "roadster." I keep going back to it daily though I have four categories in the garage.
Sounds like you are describing my Royal Enfield 350 Classic Stuart. It provides some of the greatest pleasures I’ve had in over 50 years of riding.
One of the pleasures of motorcycling, is keeping the rubber down while also enjoying the surroundings. Too much weight, power and speed, and it's all about staying on the tarmac. As I avoid motorways and dual carriageways wherever possible, anything above 650 is ballast.
Well said Stuart.
You made a lot of good points here.
The only thing I would have to disagree with is your very final point.
I commute all-year-round on a bike.
It's 55 kilometres through traffic.
In summer the screen keeps of some of rain (rainy season in Japan).
In winter the screen keeps off some of the cold (very little but it is better than nothing).
Why not compromise, just on the "screen" point?
Thanks for another great video, it had been a while since I had seen one of yours.
I hope things are less bleak than you have described in fairly recent videos for riders in the UK.
Ayup Stu, when you look back at the late 70s early 80s, BMW did the R100, S, RS, and RT. And it was basically the same bike in different forms of trim. They gave us all these categories and started the trend. And then they came along with the 800GS, which was a Dakar-esque bike which has now morphed into the 1300GS. A very clever bit of marketing. 🏍️🏍️🇮🇪🇮🇪🐕🐕
American here, we just did a 600 miles on my BV 400 with a buddy on a T100. Back roads rule, and the scooter was pure comfort.
You solved the " can't tour on a small capacity motorcycle in the states" comment. We all can take the back roads to get some where here, as long as a motorcycle can get to 65, you can cross all bridges and go through tunnels, then progress on "B" roads again. I would agree, getting to Sturges from where I live on a W800 , which is 1700 miles, taking "B" roads ming be 2000 miles, this bike could do it, but I have a Concours that I could do it all in 1500 miles on highway and be there in two days as the W800 would take me a 5 to 7 days. Which one would I like more? Both would be grand to me! So which experience the rider wants , can choose which bike to do it on. So I support you and this video states that touring is not the destination, it's the experience! Like in all things, some things take longer then others, all depends on your equipment. Have a great weekend sir!
I have owned a Goldwing the last few years, but recently bought a Triumph T120 and I am having more fun riding it! Even though touring bikes have their place, I think I kind of bought into the touring ‘hype’ and never really considered was it really fun! I understand some riders really do prefer a full touring machine, I’m just answering my own questions honestly and it brings me to a different place.
What you say and your opinions just make all the sense in the world. It's exactly how I think: why would somebody want +100 HP on a bike? To kill themselves? I had a Yamaha MT07 and I sold it. It was too quick for me especially as a beginner. Yet all reviewers on youtube say it's a good beginner bike. I found out later on my money that it's not so. I'm looking now to buy a Hunter 350. And get back to riding. It's been 2 years already...
The wind-up ending was wonderful… “mine as well just buy a car.” So true. Although I’ve tried many bikes, all of which I respect, I keep coming back to midsize roadsters as my go-to, one of several reasons I’m a fan of RE bikes
I think the only reason 'adventure' bikes are so popular is because the riding position is so comfortable for oldies (61).
When i was a despatch rider in the 80's i put higher bars on my cx500 and throwover panniers purely for practical reasons .
Adventure bikes are very practical and most people have no intention of taking them off road .
@@williamhuxley very true . All my cx500's and my GT 750 covered well in excess of 100,000 miles and were sold on (very cheap)still running well
Nostalgia make the past seem better than it really was!
That was a good definition and explanation in my opinion, because it tallies with my own experience and conclusions. Arrived at after considering what do I actually need in a motorcycle? One bike ✅, not too powerful ✅, powerful enough for pillion ✅, simple and cheap to keep ✅, fun to ride, good looking ✅, reliable and safe✅
Hello from across the pond. I am in Texas. My wife has been pushing me for the last year to get something like a gold wing, tour glide or Voyager. I’m not a big fan of extremely large bikes, even though I am a large man. But I understand why she wants me to get something that would be comfortable for her to ride. My first GEN ninja 250 my Ninja 500 her XT250 my XR650 and my old Sv650 have been my favorite bikes to ride long distances. Mainly because when I ride a long distance it’s to go somewhere far away to ride on/off-road. My thoughts to her were why would we spend $20,000 plus on a motorcycle when I can get an interceptor 650 and you can get a Bergman 650 and we can tour together for less than the big bike. We would have $3k or more left to use to travel the US and Mexico with.
Great upload Stu, very interesting to look at the growing number of motorcycle categories. It reminded me of my post grad student days when I carried out market research for Harley Davidson UK in 1992. I coined the term "factory customs" to describe certain models as there wasn't a category to adequately describe and differentiate them at the time. These days, that term has evolved to include other things and new categories have been invented to describe the bikes that have evolved since.
Interesting and informative. Thanks, Stuart and get well soon 👍🏻
Very interesting, thanks Stuart, get well soon.
The only bike I would change my Interceptor for would be for another modern classic but without the upswept exhausts. Mainly for pillion comfort and ability to stretch legs a little more (the peg extenders are not the same). If the RE Classic 650 ever appears then this would be that very motorcycle. Great video once again Uncle Stu. 👊😎👍
Sounds like you’re describing my bike MrJpb, and what in my opinion is the best roadster available (or as it transpires not available new any longer), the Kawasaki W! Either the 650 or the 800 are fantastic bikes. I have a W800 from 2021, which I think is the best iteration, it has disc brakes and ABS, an LED headlight, but that’s it. Nothing more needed. Under 50 bhp, a unique engine that is so over-engineered, I’ll be leaving it in my will to one of the kids, excellent build quality, so comfortable to ride, it’s only downfall was its price and because it was air cooled it has now fallen foul of the Euro emissions. Will they bring it back as water-cooled? Somehow I don’t think so. It’ll be an icon which only those of us that have owned one will know about.
Out of curiosity, where the Shotgun falls short for you? What would you expect the Classic 650 to solve/improve?
I'm looking for a first bike and except Stuart here, most of the reviews of the Shotgun conclude on "It's a great bike, if you're looking for something like that (but it's not for me the reviewer)" or with an undertone of "Great bike, but..." sense. I feel that I miss some obvious concept/flaw that is clear to seasoned riders.
The Shotgun is a great bike but as a modern classic fanboy I would like the classic 650 on that of the same platform as the classic 350. That is all. 👊
These days,..Motorcycles are for one and a luxury item and used as a hobby for most, the different categories in the modern bike make it much more individual than it ever used to be!
Hi Stu, love your channel you always manage to say it just how it is. I started riding when I was 10, bought my first road bike in 1972 when I was 17 ( a 250 Honda ) and worked for a large multi franchise dealer for 7 years from the late seventies to the early eighties. 1980 was the year everything started to change, until then all bikes were roadsters, there were plenty of small trail bikes about but mainstream motorcycles were all roadsters, naked air cooled roadsters. But then 1980 arrived and with it the Suzuki Katana the very embryo of the sports bike, I remember when the first one arrived we'd never seen a production bike like it (so much plastic) and thus the flood gates were open for the marketing men to invent every niche possible and fill it with another special style of bike we didn't need. Keep up the great work and long live the roadster.
Regards Nick.
Nothing to argue with there, a good explanation of bike categories for the un-initiated. I started riding in the ‘70’s, and you’re right, most bikes were basically roadsters. Tourer, chopper, cafe racer (old Triumph, Norton or BSA usually, with clip ons and tuned engines, NOT a frigging custom bike with wide bars and knobbly tyres!) and trail bike (Yamaha DT 175 two stroke was widely regarded as one of the most suitable bikes for the task) were the only other types, plus a few exotic performance bikes like Ducati, Laverda Jota etc. Apart from choppers and sporting machines, most bikes were fairly close in dimensions and riding position, and a single seat was a very rare thing.
You make a good point, that most makes still have one or two roadsters in the range, and it’s no surprise that a lot of people are returning to this category after excursions into sports bike or adventure bike territory.
If you’ve come across a chap called Austin Vince, he’s done a lot to encourage people to try getting out and about on smaller, more practical machines, especially off road. I took inspiration from him and downsized from a sporty road bike with clip-ons, and ended up getting back into touring on a 250 roadster, with a small tent, including a bit of light off roading in the mountains……..the most fun I’d had on a bike for years!
Hi Stu, spot on. In the 70’s, when I was a youth 🤣🤣, I had a Honda poster blu tacked to my bedroom wall….1 or 2 trials orientated bikes but the rest were roadsters. 50cc to 750cc (superbike) that did it all.Bikes now are like a sweet shop and the manufacturers know it which makes it ultra competitive. Interesting market shift to middle-weight bikes with less emphasis on tech. I now have an 80hp middle-weight for touring to soon be joined by a lightweight 40bhp roadster for fun.
P.S. No problem with other riders’ choices…my litmus test is ‘if it makes you smile’ ride respectively and enjoy 😊
Another enjoyable vid Stewart. Feel better soon sir.
Thank you kindly
Good Morning Stu , A very interesting video mate , hope your cold gets better soon , take care
Dear Stu, I use a screen on all my bikes, yes I'm getting old, ride all year round, Screen does come off in summer, you have a lot more colds than I do 😎 But seriously keep up the good work and get well soon
Hey up Stuart. I stared riding in 1966. I’ve been riding constantly since. I’ve just done a thousand miles in five days on a Belgium trip. I concur with your definition off a roadster. However I did this trip on a RE SM 650. This is classed as cruiser. As far as I’m concerned it’s a motorbike with the foot pegs a bit further forward. I got no butt ache and this bike was more comfortable than a lot more bikes I’ve owned. Perfect bike
Like you I'm old enough to remember when most bikes were "roadsters" naked, under 70bhp, sit up and nimble and we used them for everything. By the time I was old enough to start riding the first seeds of change had taken root. My first "proper" bike was a Gpz550 unitrak a "sports" model but Kawasaki would also sell you a naked version the Z550F and a touring version the "GT" with shaft drive. Fast forward to today and many of the categories overlap and I guess also open to personal interpretation . The shotgun could be described as a naked retro roadster. Get well soon and keep up the good work
Great interesting vid Stu.. I believe the manufacturers follow the innovators that is the clever guys who fettled bikes to suit a desired popular purpose. Easy when bikes were light,simple and sub 750cc.
Best tourer IMO is a motor scooter. Done India, Thailand and Indonesia two up with luggage on 125 cc scooters with my wife + two full-size backpacks in the foot well. Incredible Miles per gallon (and we not small people🤣) and there’s always someone who can fix it.
Stuart, thanks for reminding me of why I enjoy my Int 650 and Continental GT 650 so much. I just got back from a 370 mile road trip on the Continental GT 650 and was impressed with the performance, comfort, and all around practicality. I rode on roads with speed limits ranging from 60 to 80 mph (West Texas, USA). The 650 hums along stress free at 80 mph, no problem. I stay off Interstate highways as much as possible as I enjoy more relaxed riding with more opportunities to take in scenery. Royal Enfield has a new touring windscreen for the Int 650 and Cont. GT 650 and is effective for those wanting wind protection on these motos.
Motorbiking perfection.. just enjoy.. love you Stuart 🎉❤
Very well said. Like the new format. I personally love my sports bike but do less than a thousand miles a year but also have an adventure bike which clocks up the miles
100% agree. Respect Stu, get well soon. 👏
My current 'roadster' is a 1967 Triumph Bonneville 650cc. Despite having a new BMW 1250 GS Adventure in the garage, if I just want to go for a ride I'll take the Bonneville. In 1993 I bought a new, unfaired Trident 900 which I kept for 20 years and 50,000 miles because it was such a lovely thing to ride that could do any type of riding you desired. I've also done many thousands of miles on sport bikes and sport tourers including GSXR 1100, first generation FireBlade and a couple of Hayabusas but the 'roadsters' have always been my favourite for pure riding pleasure.
You’ve sparked off my journey into motorcycling Stuart😀. Honda cd175, Suzuki gt500- then a break when I discovered girlfriends till 1990s, then Honda cx500, Kawasaki 750, another break then Suzuki v storm 650. I do remember my mates Norton, and BSA thunderbolt and now hanker for that type of bike and not the 4 cylinder machines nor the two strokes that dominated the market in those days. Good historical narrative 👍
Hi Stu. Sorry, late to the party for this video. Another good video. I’ve never thought of bikes as roadsters but I see where you’re coming from. I have had sports bikes, faired bikes, chops and cafe racers but the basic naked bike is the type I’ve always returned to. Hope you feel better soon soon.
My ' Roadster ' is my 2022 Orange Crush Interceptor , love riding that bike in all ways , up in the Perth hills , motorway's , around town it does it all with ease and I love its exhaust note .
Sorry about your cold mate , if this was 2020 you would have been in hospital , on a vent etc with the dreaded coofe LOL .
Get well soon .
Get well soon Stu
Off subject, but in reference to the cold that you can't seem to shake: Are you certain that it is just a "cold"?
Right around this Saint Patrick's Day I had been suffering through the miseries of what I though of as a "cold". Nothing really bad, but it just wouldn't go away. It had hung on through various twists and turns of symptoms, and had finally settled in to sinus drainage and slight tickle of a sore throat. From the time of my childhood - I'm 71 years old now - we always treated chest congestion and sore throat with "Vick's Vapo-Rub". A treatment before bedtime for a couple of days and it always pretty well knocked it down for the count. So I broke out the jar of Vick's and slathered it on.......and there was no smell! Usually it tends to make one's eyes water! This time, nothing.
I asked my wife if this was a new odorless version of the traditional concoction or something? She said "What are you talking about? I can smell it just fine! Uh Oh!
Now back when this Covid fiasco was just starting, our General Practitioner told us, back when Covid tests were scarce, that he found that the "Peanut Butter Test" was just about as accurate. Keep a small jar of peanut butter in the pantry (probably want to use a jar dedicated for the purpose), and if you thought maybe you had Covid, just open the jar and hold it under your nose. If you can't smell the peanut butter, well then, you had Covid.
The nice thing about the Peanut Butter test is that it's private and discrete, and if you test positive you aren't placed under house arrest, made to wear a plastic bag over your head, or are spirited away to the Covid Sanitarium or something.
So.........Maybe it's time to break out the peanut butter jar? We'll keep the results secret.
I know this is a bike video, but I,ve had a chesty snotty cold for 5 weeks (started to wain now) but, since covid, these ailments are getting harder to shift, I think it's the new normal. That's not good! Anyway thanks for the comments.
Great video, I agree with your format of the roadster. I once took a Kawasaki z 200 on a mild green lane and survived. The only thing I like to have is a screen, just mounted on the handle bars, but that’s just my preference. Hope you feel better soon
Stuart, Loved you description of what a Roadster bike is !!! Having owned a HD883 and afterwards 2 BMW Big trails ( GS800 / GS1200), I finally came up with a sort of ROADSTER Bike that for me, suits my 50 years old anxieties and demands ... A Bonny T120 ..... for me, a basic bike with 80 hp that is a fine roadster ... I need no more than that ..... and it toook me 4 motorcycles within 20 years of bike riding to realize .... Thanks and Cheers from Brazil.
All good observations, I agree.
Good points made. Agree totally with what you say.
Keep up the great work mate 👍
I'm 76 years of age, started riding close to 60 years. My current (now only) ride is a 2007 Honda ST1300, now clocking 75k+ miles and in great shape. Trouble is I'm feeling like it's getting to be a bit much. I've been impressed by the Royal Enfield 650 series thanks to watching your vids.
I'm 61 and I own an ST1300. In addition I also have a Royal Enfield Classic 500 and an Interceptor. The Classic 500 is a great bike but not really up to highway work here in Australia since it can't really travel consistently at 110kmh or even 100 at times, important if you don't want to find yourself being overtaken by road trains, which is not a pleasant thing at all, something Stuart will likely not have any experience of. If I'm riding the back roads it is always my first choice though.
The Interceptor is a different animal altogether, it has more than enough power to do what it needs to but my main criticism of it relates to the rear shocks, which are a bit jarring on poor roads, something that is all too common here on rural highways, so to my mind it really needs the rear shocks upgraded. The other down side I can see is that the up swept exhaust pipes limit your pannier options, so it's the only one of my bikes without them. It is a hoot to ride though, and if you're in the mood you can give it a hand full of throttle without scaring the crap out of yourself like on the 1300, which I always find myself riding at about 1/3 since I like having a license.
That's where the ST1300 really shines in my opinion, road surfaces that would be extremely unpleasant to to ride on the Interceptor are a breeze in the 1300, but it is a heavy old pig when you have to move it around, even as a pretty solid 61 year old bloke. That you're riding one at 76 is impressive to me, kudos!
Good to see you back. Get well soon. Servo per Amikeco.
Hope you get well soon and have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you Nathan!
Agreed - good definition.
All my bikes in the 56 years I have rode motorcycles have been what you've referred them to have been roadsters. I enjoy sitting up in a relaxed position as I am riding through the countryside. Now that I am up there in age, I like having a windscreen in front. It's just enough to block the cold wind and keep the bugs off you. I have had wasps hit me and go down my shirt stinging the heck out of me. A big advantage with a windscreen. If I may pass on my experience, I wouldn't ride between cars. People open up their doors when they're not feeling well to bring up their cookies...You can be done riding a motorcycle. Ride defensively and safe.
I've always fancied one of the mid-1970s Ducati 350s ... but without the desmo. Light, nimble, kickstart ... a modest 24hp. And if you look at it, in profile, you can see right through to the other side; it is so uncluttered. I think that they made a scrambler version which has a comfy riding position, and OMG ... drum brakes. (I just checked ... an astonishing 132kg)
OK, Stu, Harley-Davidson use to produce Sportster motorcycles called the "Roadster" in the form of the XL883R and XL1200R, the 'R' denotes "Roadster". Unlike other Sportster models, the "Roadster" had a dual seat with rear foot pegs and dual front disc brakes.
At times when I couldn't afford a car, I would always fit a tall windscreen and handlebar muffs to my 250 - 400cc bikes. These very simple and cheap modifications would turn the bike into an all weather workhorse that would still be a pleasure to ride on long hauls at constant speeds of 60mph plus. Even in a rainy summer, the muffs would keep your gloves dry. If anything, passers-by who'd not seen them before would stop and talk about the muffs. To me, it's all about form and function. And again, simple classic roadsters look best when performing these kind of duties.
That's why I love this channel. We think the same. As a brazilian is very difficult thinking like this. The average person here like fast bikes not strong ones. They need power and not enjoy the ride. Thanks for the video! By the way, I own a Classic 350 and for me is enough and fun to ride.
Thanks Stu. I have been riding since the early 80s and all my bikes were roadsters. I would not have any other type of bike. Just me. Get well mate, I know exactly how you feel I am in the 2nd week of mine also. Ride safe!
Well said Stuart ! Agreed
Always enjoy your videos. informed, authoritative, real world experience and no nonsense. Ref your book reading. Have you read Motorcycle Cavalcade by Ixion?
I guess we are all subject to the influence of professional propaganda. We are not just riding motorcycles, we are pursuing an illusion prefabricated by marketing experts. We buy „adventure bikes“ not because we will actually go on an adventure, but because we dream of doing so one day. After all, motorcycling for most of us is not moving from a to b in the most comfortable, fast or efficient way. It is an emotional experience and sometimes it needs lots of illusions to make it a pleasant one. 🙂
HI Stuart seems to be lots of these colds going around at the moment in the uk and they do linger. Hope we’re both better soon. I have a cb1000r black edition and consider that to be a roadster. Yes it’s powerful with 130bhp at the back wheel and a fireblade derived engine but…. It’s certainly not a hyper naked and it will do 30mph in fifth gear and still pull away unlike a blade and extremely agile. I bought it because of its looks (yes I too don’t like the insect derived bikes being produced at the moment) but for me it’s perfect. Non faired naked bike, great riding position (I prefer that to a sit up and beg position.. they get the base of my old back lol) with a couple of pannier’s and will do anything well as you say. Great video and would completely agree with you on the definition of a roadster except it doesn’t have to be moderately powerful to be a roadster. Do I need the power 95% of the time of course not. But it’s nice to have when I m feeling a bit naughty lol 😊 Honda always described it as a roadster and for me they were spot on as is the bike. Hope your back out riding soon.
Hi, Stuart. I hope you are feeling better from when you did this video. All of my motorcycles over the years have been what I would call roadsters and I fully agree that roadster type motorcycles are the Swiss army knife of motorcycles. Here in Canada we have a limited riding season so spending piles of money on true touring motorcycle is not practical for most people unless you intend to take a couple of months and travel the 3200 miles from one side of the country to the other and then back again. Since using a motorcycle is not a practical primary source of transportation due to our climate, it becomes doubly important to have a motorcycle that can do a wide variety of riding types unless your have more money than God.
Regards
Bob in Ottawa Canada
Get well soon, fella.
Excellent dissertation... I would consider my T-100 a road bike but my Speedmaster more a cruiser. They both do the same thing for me but one I would consider more nimble and the other more planted. I would say a Roadster is any bike you use as one... Honda 90's have gone around the world and some excellent roadsters have not made past the county line. These are the roots of motorcycling, a lost history that I value.
I think the quality of being unpretentious is much underrated in modern motocycling. 40-60hp, reliable, brakes ok, handles ok, practical and not too heavy and "is a motorbike" not trying to be anything it isn't.
I think it's silly that bike engine size is being enlarged purely to meet emissions regulations... Want a ninja 300 ? Sorry that's now a 400 sorry 500 so it can meet emissions...erm I liked the 300 but now it's a five hundred my insurance has just gone through the roof
I guess you're from the US, so one question: How expensive is bike insurance over there? I'm from Germany, ride a Suzuki VL1500, which has a massive engine and my insurance is 98€ per year, which would be around 105 $.
It's not engine size, it's the type of bike. My 1200cc triumph is cheaper to insure than a 600cc sport bike
@@alexpryce555 What would that be in numbers? Because I also have a MZ 660 Supermoto and a Yamaha Radian, which are even cheaper to insure than the Intruder, though one could argue that you are way more prone to crashing on these bikes. I have seen people complain about US bike insurance numerous times, is it really that expensive?
Your insurance has gone up because of accidents involving sports bikes like Ninjas Gixr's and the like.
@custosimperii2612 I pay £340 on my GT 650 as I put some mods on it. Without it's just over £140. I bought a Harley 1250s new last year. My insurance is just under £800. I'm 58 so I'm not a kid.
I agree with you Stuart, in spite of being a citizen of the US. Like many riders, I started relatively small and later got a larger machine. Once you are on that track, it's painful to admit that you lost the simple joy of riding in the bargain. It's difficult to admit that you prefer to get more than a fleeting glimpse of the places through which you travel and don't enjoy the speed and accompanying discomforts of rapid transit on two wheels.
That’s why I love my s1000RR- at 199bhp it’s almost Three roadsters rolled into one!!! 😬😬😀
With regard to your “to camera” video. I feel to mix it up…..a blend of both methods would be better in my opinion. To just ditch the voiceover after it has worked so well, for so long, why try and fix something that isn’t broken?
Roadster as a term really got 'eaten' by the 1970's ubiquitous term UJM (universal japanese motorcycle)
I think my 2014 Moto Guzzi V7 Special qualifies then. Does everything adequately.
Had a V7 classic (green/gold tank) but wasn't comfortable with the narrow tank. Traded her in for a Griso and added cupracer fairings and bold adventure tires. Looks like a bold supermotard kinda bike now. No comfort on the fairings but the mash up makes it stand out without the need to drive it like I stole it. It's a nice allround bike I wouldn't care less if it had 50bhp less. I sure do miss the V7 and considered a RE 350classic along with is but the Griso would stay a hangar queen and start modifying the classic... Not willing to sell my guzzi LOL!! kr, Erik
Spot on
I toured Europe in 1975 on a Suzuki A100 2 stroke single. A tourer?
Whatever did we do before all these categories came into existence eh?
We just got on our motorcycles strapped the tent and a sleeping bag on the back and buggered off for the weekend,or to the south of France, when I was sixteen it was on my 175 Bantam, when I passed my test it was on my 500 Speed twin , yes the original one not the steroid induced current models .
Since then I've had allsorts of bikes and capacities, and now fifty years later ,I'm back to 650's and my Classic 350 which I use more than my 650's, it'll cruise at 60 all day and will take me anywhere and it's so relaxing to ride .
👽 .... .. Stuart thanks for the video
A major frustration for me is that most manufacturers have linked quality (in terms of materials and components) to large capacity engines. I have owned mostly Yamaha motorcycles (7 Yamahas, 3 Hondas, 1 Kawasaki, 1 MZ, 1 Puch & 1 Garelli) over the past 40 years, and this appears to be some sort of policy with them. Their mid-sized (321cc -700cc) twin-cylinder bikes, like my MT-07 or my daughter’s YZF-R3, are built to a budget and get exclusively tubular steel frames, cheap brakes and suspension, and battling rust and corrosion is a full time job. This is generally true even in the few top of the mid-range niche models such as the Tenere 700 or the YZF-R7, the latter of which gets somewhat upgraded suspension on the same and brakes built on the Mt-07 chassis. Larger capacity 3 cylinder and 4 cylinder Yamaha bikes tend to have much better materials and components but more power than I need and more weight and complexity than I want. I recently examined a gorgeous 2024 Yamaha XSR900 in a dealership and I absolutely loved it. The retro 1980’s styling is far more appealing to me than the ugly transformer insect inspired styling that currently seems to be dominating the industry. It has an aluminium Deltabox chassis, and better suspension and brakes than the 700cc equivalents, and also component from the passenger foot pegs to the handlebar end bolts are made of corrosive resistant materials and exude quality and aesthetic appeal. If Yamaha would build exactly the same platform but with the same formula but with their 700cc CP2 engine and with no unnecessary ride modes or electronics I would buy it. I have looked at other manufacturers and for the most part I am seeing the same trends (with perhaps a few exceptions such as Royal Enfield and Aprilia). Some ‘premium’ manufacturers such as Ducati and Harley Davidson have given up on manufacturing mid-sized motorcycles entirely (and no, 900cc+ is not a mid-sized motorcycle even in a time when 2000cc+ motorcycle are on the market). Manufacturers have divided the market and clearly decided to squeeze more money out of riders in my age group, which is fair enough, but I want my money buy me quality (and aesthetics that appeal to my generation), not to be wasted on extra power and the electronics required to manage it.
Nice bike classic design
Yes - a moderate sized bike with reasonable horse power sounds GREAT TO ME!!!!!!!!!!
I do prefer a dual sport or adventure bike - large enough to deal with highway speeds if necessary - but small enough to push it down gravel roads and logging roads of the sort we have here in Ontario...................and a slower/lower revving engine with lighter weight generally lasts a little longer and offers a pleasing ability on many types of terrain.................with as you say - the lower horsepower being DEFINITELY CHEAPER to insure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bikes such as the Suzuki v-strom 650 or the bmw 750 gs offer that convenient flexibility regarding multiple road and trail surfaces and importantly they have that slightly heavier suspension to prevent blown out front forks from hitting potholes and ruts and they are cheaper to ensure than higher performance machines - and often have less demanding maintenance needs as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A little smaller, a little slower, a little cheaper - these are things that will keep a lot of people riding...........................................
Couldn,t have put it better.Jupiters travels fella used a 500 twin Triumph for the whole world trip.Point proven.
Stuart, You're not getting an argument from me. I agree. The displacement wars continue as does the quest for more and more horsepower in the industry. That's not really relevant to me. I'm just in it for the ride. I bought a reasonably priced and comfortable bike with a middle range displacement engine and I really can't see what I'm supposed to be missing. It has a cruiser layout but has a reasonable ability to do u-turns on most small roads. Handling is sporty but not like a sport bike.
I guess it comes down to the questions about why you buy a given motorcycle in the first place. The Kawasaki Vulcan S that I bought, a similar RE or other brand bike of similar layout and displacement would probably have been just fine. Practice, ride, practice and ride some more. Wear the gear you're comfortable in. I like the point about the roadster being the origin for most of these machines. The thing is that the practicality of the motorcycle you describe is derived from it's basic flexibility in use. The more ways you can use a motorcycle, the more you end up riding. That's a winner to me.
The Kawasaki Ninja 400 and current 500 are fairly comfortable and reasonable motorcycles. Sold as "starter" sporting bikes, these are actually very decent for general use. Light and agile, these don't have real extreme ergonomics but have the plastic bodywork of a sport motorcycle. Looks alone are not the only feature of a given motorcycle. Frame sliders are a good idea for these for new riders, of course. There are lots of options out there.
The industry needs new riders to keep going. I see them all making moves in lower displacement motorcycles to meet this need. I am more familiar with Kawasaki and Yamaha but the same is true for all brands. These smaller displacement bikes could be considered roadsters. Generally speaking, they are not slow. The Triumph Speed 400, the RE Meteor 350, and the Kawasaki Eliminator all fall in the same category of useful highway capable motorcycles with lower displacements and flexible usability for newer or even older street riders.
As a BMW R1150 Roadster rider, I approve this message. 😎
😂
Feel better.
great video SF, would you consider my 2019 Kawasaki W800 Cafe Racer a roadster although it has a really (in my opinion aggressive clubman bars and a lean forward riding position) would be great to get your thoughts and ride safe take care
Just think Frank Wheeler road around Australia in 1972 on a Hodaka (that will show your age) 125 cc in 21 days.😊
I love my black roadster.
Morning Stuart, I hope you feel better asap ❤️ Please try some organic manuka honey, fresh organic lemons, organic ground turmeric, organic garlic blend all ingredients & store in an airtight jar & take a couple of teaspoons every day. I hope this helps ❤ Love & Light Amanda Jane Free Spirit ❤️ ✨️ ❤✨️❤✨️❤✨️❤✨️❤✨️❤
Hello Stuart, I do wonder how much the popularity of bikes like the RE 350's is due to ageing riders and cost, or if riders are realising we were right to stick to what are now called roadsters in the first place? Where can One ride these modern powerful bikes to a fraction of their potential? The Int650 is great fun through the twisty bits avoiding potholes etc, and a capable economic all round bike. RE seem to have learned from Honda's mistake of every size and engine type/configuration and look like they are using the same basic architecture (slightly tweaked) for different bikes, changing when emission laws require.