Probably repeating others, but in the past ...

I used to "know" what was going on with my bike. Lucas - I used to explain it as: well made parts with bad connections (I may have been wrong, but at least it made me feel better to explain it this way). Electrics were the one thing I could figure out.

I always preferred one carb over two - no balancing, etc.

Washing the bike every Sunday and spending a couple of hours going over the bike: tightening and adjusting.

Today means: better bikes; better parts; less routine maintenance.

Overall, I miss what it was, but I like what its become! Maybe a cop out, but I'm nearly 60 and I've never NOT had a bike in my life.

 

Different? My Bonneville was kick start only. If your battery went dead (a fairly common thing) you could run along side it, then jump on and drop it in gear to "Bump Start" it . . . successfully. Learning how to kick start a Harley properly was important so that you didn't really mess up your leg when (Not If) the engine kicked back. No choke on a Triumph, the only "Buttons" on the bike were the ones you pushed on each Carburetor, that pushed down on the Carburetor Float . . . basically it flooded the engine so it would start. Brakes were mechanical cable or rod operated with Brake Shoes not Disks . . . and getting stopped could prove "interesting" from time to time. There were NO Gas Gauges. You checked how much gasoline you had by removing the gas cap and rocking the bike side to side while looking into the tank to see how much gasoline there was by if you could see the sloshing of the gasoline. The only kind of wheels on bikes had spokes. Only BMWs had shaft drive, everything else used chains and there was no such thing as Belt Drive. No Radios on bikes (Geez, those were the days.). Speedometers and Tachometers were Cable Driven. The Wiring Harness was wrapped in cloth insulation. The British bikes were positive ground electrical systems. No Turn Signals (you used your hands). There really wasn't all that much difference between a "Dirt Bike" and a "Road Bike." Bikes came with a tool kit . . . and for good reason! The British bikes used Whitworth wrench sizes . . . but if you had a metric (hard to find as well) and a US set, you could usually get by. The only water cooled bikes were ones that got that way from riding in the rain. No such thing as full face helmets. Fairings were made by Windjammer or someone like them. Bikes vibrated . . . a lot . . . mirrors were for use only when completely stopped. All bikes leaked oil . . . (until Honda 350's) If it wasn't leaking oil it was only because there wasn't any oil left in it. It was considered being prudent to carry an extra set of spark plugs. The only "Baggers" were Harleys and some BMW's. Anything, at or over 650cc was considered a "Big Bike." An "Adjustable Suspension" meant that the Rear Shocks had three spring load settings. Cops ONLY rode Harleys. Bikes had Generators, not Alternators and they had mechanical vibrating contact Voltage Regulators that you adjusted with a Voltmeter and a Stethoscope (or a suitable stick) . . . except for those wonderful Zener Diodes on the British bikes that someone else on this thread mentioned. A high mileage bike had more than 10,000 miles on it; and the only bikes like that were BMWs and Harleys except the speedometers on the Harleys usually gave out long before that. Duct Tape came in only one color, silver. Ignition Systems used Points and Condensers. You'd charge up a Condenser and leave it on your workbench . . . for the curious (fool) to pick up. You had a point file to clean up an old worn set of points. Ignition Systems were "Timed" using a 6 Volt or 12 Volt test light depending on how old the bike was. If you had a "Mag' it was in reference to the Ignition System not the wheels. And lastly . . . bikes generally smelled of gasoline, oil and grease . . . . and the road . . .

 

Main reason I prefer Tiger over Bonnie: One carb!

 

Don't remember a whole lot from the 60s & 70s... but I don't think we were posting **** on the goddamned internet...

 

I started riding in 1956. The only difference is in the fantastic bikes offered now and I am very very old. Riders are still the same. It is the newer crowd with all their labels and crappy thinking that believes today is different. Riding a motorcycle and the riders still are moved by the same experiences on bikes.

Non riders and haters don't know cruisers from sport bikes to off road bikes. They look at all of them in the same negative way. In a way they are right all riders are the same. Just find different rides to express themselves.

 

Well done , very well done . I'm going to copy that for the garage wall if you don't mind .

 

Then: You better know how to work on your own bike, or you'll spend a lot of time sitting on the side of the road waiting for a buddy with a truck.



The following are all the same Sporty:








The same 56 Panhead:









Now: So much more reliable.

 

Nice pics!

 

Whew, All the flaming about the SOA shirts... I guess I am ok with My authentic SOA Vest huh?

 

love those pics

soft 02, I heard my Dad say our whole life,"we ain't broke, just badly bent" !

I sure am comfortable today on my first Harley, stressing thinking back to being young and ... in '79 on the fastest standard production land vehicle made then(CBX)