Freedom is the Journey
The Early 70's
My first motorised (the term is loosely applied) two wheeled experience was a NSU Quickly.
This poor wretch was on it's last legs and spent retirement being bombed around our garden. It tolerated just about everything thrown at it, even running on parafin. Top speed must have been some 25mph, though it never reached the road. it did however teach me lots about two wheels when my total four wheeled experience was a 1950's landrover and a non running Moris 8. I remember unbolting the NSU's head and wondering where everything was, like valves etc, and trying to figure out how on earth it worked. My first introduction to two strokes.
The first road bike was a Honda CB160. One of a pair brought back from the dead by my friend Harry who truly excelled in motorcycle mechanics. His pride and joy was a CB500 painted black with a Yoshimura cam. At a time when British Bikes ruled supreme these Hondas were a revelation. To take a CB160 apart seemed so incredibly simple and logical it was hard to see how anyone could design differently. Overnight British bikes became obsolete and they completwly underestimated the competition - never do that. The CB160 had 12 volt non Lucas electrics so your lights worked even in the rain and at night, a novel experience for us; electric start, overhead cam, engine part of the frame, twin carbs, twin leading show front brake, centrifugal oil filter. Three spanner sizes could take it apart, 10, 12 and 14 mm.
The Honda would have been easy to tune up, having a robust 4 bearing crank and long inlet carb manifolds and some are raced even now
It bears a close resemblence to the double overhead cam CR93
I then bought one of these. It felt a real big bike at the time but very soon I became bored and those rear shock absorbers acted like a pogo stick on any bump. Althoughthe CB250 bigger, more powerful, robust and better fitted out it didn't have the excitement of the CB160. My friend had a CB500 and more exciting bikes were making appeaing so the obvious next choice was ;
This. A CB750 which I fitted a Yoshimura 4 into 1, a Rickman half fairing ( it was either that a a huge touring version, ) twin discs, S and W progressive front fork springs and Koni rear damper. Oh and some driving lights and a still very necessary steering damper. I toured everywhere on this. I'll always remember those bright green instruments glowing at night and the bark of that engine with it's clatter of the primary drive chain.
This was my first new bike and it came with a Yoshimura cam which increases the revs by about a 1000 and upper power range by about 10%. This bike actually saved my life when I was hit by an overtaking oncomming car. We were both doing around 70mph and somehow I survived without breaking any bones - unlike the bike.
In order to get back into bikes I got one of these as soon as my ligaments healed up. Although very good at what it was designed for, It had a mechanical linkage front disc, something else was needed.
This, which spent most of its time commuting in and around London. Having a low center of gravity helped and it was surprisingly quick across country enjoying a very usable spread of low torque making for easy riding. Those were the days of stainless steel discs which although not rusting made life difficult in the wet with that heat stopping lag many of us fondly remember. Again something more excitiing was needed.
I remember an article with Phil Read testing one of these against an Aston Martin. I had to have one. it was an exciting machine and not too bad at touring. Once I did a round trip from London to Cornwall and back in winter without any ill effects. It was great in a straight line but add a pillion, some bumps and a corner then the usual jelly frame sufaced. All was forgiven with that silky six cylinder engine. It made one's heart beat rise every time I started it up.
In 1987 I got one of these for 3500 pounds. My bikes always have enyoyed high milages but this one did some 80,000 in and around London despatching. Aside form oil changes only the clutch was replaced - twice and beside the roadside in 40 minutes. It was an amazing bike, with an estimated top speed of 135mph, agility like a hare and smooth torque making the old CBX feel a bit old hat. Except for the lack of steering lock it made a good despatcher.
To get back into biking after some 20 years I picked another VF500 some two years ago and fetl right at home on it. It wasn't long though a change was needed - well after 80.000 miles one would. I always remember a bright red VFR advertised in Piccadilly. It had to be oe of those, Italian styling and Honda engineering.
Over the years I've redefined the parameters of what I want from a bike. I tend to use them daily, wiinter and summer. They need to be flexible between weekend fun, day to day commuting grind and occaisional camping trips thrown in. When I tour I'll easily ride for 8 to 10 hours a day and lessons from despatching means I can do this all day every day if needs arise with the bike adapting from autobahn to country lane. I take all sorts of unexpected luggage so they need to cope with that as well. Ideally I'll have more than one, but that's the ideal.
