*Rsing about

[robG]

Personal favorites from various factories , not all of which are thumpers ...........

Vfr 750 , Fz 750 , cb250 rs {obviously } cb 400 /4 , Kawa triples , Xt 500 , Armstrong 500 { much fun had around various mod establishments !} xr 200 , xbr 500 , srx 600 , etc ..............

Yes we all have favourites , even those which are n't acknowledged ' classics '.

Which bring s me on to another point , what is a classic ?

I feel a new post coming on .

Rob .

[Andy M]

I had one Honda. A 1979 CB100N. A total rat bike that used oil faster than a two stroke because some moron had drilled a hole in the crank case and superglued bolt in to cover the mess.

What killed the whole brand for me was spares prices.

Andy

[guest24]

Honda spare parts prices can make your eyes water. Whats worse is one part may fit more than one bike, but be priced differently depending on which bike you have. For example, CBR600F1 front brake seals are the same as the ones on the CB350S and carried different prices. No prizes for guessing that the CBR ones were more money....  Having owned both bikes and worked on them you tend to notice identical bits.

I have also owned no less than 2 C90s, 1 CG125, an SS50, CB400T, CB400/4, CBR400R, CBR600FJ, CB350S, CD200, CB50J, CB400N. I was a dedicated Honda fan until I discovered the hidden delights of a Yamaha RS200 swiftly followed by my SRX250 and a continuous stream of other Yamahas with only one brief rude interuption by a Suzuki GSXR400RRRRSSP.

[robG]

I agree . Back in the day { mid eighties } , I worked in a Honda / Suzuki main dealer . Even then we were keeping pattern parts due to the price of Honda spares . I remember a chap coming in and asking for a quote on CBX1000 camshafts , crank , rods, pistons everything . Apparently there was an oversight regarding oil level !

I think the price exceeded the national debt of Bolivia.

I also remember a poster above the door which led from the spares store into the shop itself . Depicted a rather attractive Doris { naked of course } standing next to 400/4 which was adorned with various ' Honda style ' carriers , crash bars , top box etc . Of course your eye was immediately drawn to the carrier etc .
How many people saw that poster and thought ;

' Ah yes a naked young lady , that reminds me , I need a carrier for my Honda '

I can't help thinking we ' ve lost something over the years regarding adverts...................

PS , Who remembers Tula ?

[squirrelciv]

I don't understand why the dislike of Honda Don't buy one for whatever reason, but you have to hand it to them for being a major driving force behind motorcycle development in general, and for that alone they deserve something don't they??

[robG]

Yes , but who can forget the Honda Stream and they were possibly the first major company to produce a PINK moped .

A masterstroke if ever there was one !

Of course there were the inboard discs , CBX 550 , VF400, etc ................

[002]

I remember Tula !!!!       

Honda do have a habit of copying and calling it all their own....when it works !
And pinching names for their bikes too from old manufacturers(!)

But Why! Oh Why put two cam chains into a DOHC ! And Put a manual cam chain adjuster at the front of an engine ! Then wonder why it siezes and snaps the bolt !


Jethro

[themoudie]

I remember Tula !!!!       

Jethro

Aye Jethro,

Lou Reed and 'Walk on the wildside' if I remember correctly, " She was a he and he was a she"! Of course the alternative Dubliners, 'Zooological Gardens' with "hemales and shemales of every hue" might be the better for carousing too?

My regards to 'The Stalwart', Bill.

[johny C]

Rob,

Here's another honda brake, the 'V' brake which most folk think Shimano invented:



ps. I remember Tula in the old 'Life Helmets' ads in the 70's, wearing body painted 'leathers'

[002]

Exactly Bill !!!

 She was a He ! He was a She !

What uproar when it came out,after all those adverts with Her body painted leathers.
And all the hairy bikers who had designs of their own for Her 


Jethro

[xbruby]

And I still have the ad if you want me to post it!

Andy

[xbruby]

Just realised how bad that might sound .........

And I still have the ad if you want me to post it!

Andy

[robG]

You have to post it , there are young persons out there who don't understand !

[guest40]

and furriners who didn't see it either

[robG]

Who can forget the green and white Kawasaki leathers !