Interesting motorcycles, not XS650

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Oh Ads, I remember the advert - Is your engine getting ahead of your tyres?

That was a real problem for riders at that time with the Japanese manufacturers building bigger and more powerful bikes - CBX1000, Z1300 - and yet we were riding around on skinny cross-plies.

The guy looks a right Malcolm, doesn't he?
 
Oh Ads, I remember the advert - Is your engine getting ahead of your tyres?

That was a real problem for riders at that time with the Japanese manufacturers building bigger and more powerful bikes - CBX1000, Z1300 - and yet we were riding around on skinny cross-plies.

The guy looks a right Malcolm, doesn't he?
Scariest thing was disc brakes that didn't work when it rained. Then someone had the idea of drilling the discs and suddenly we had brakes that worked properly. Nobody could get away with selling stuff like that today. We didn't know any better. We only knew that Italian and British bikes had brakes that worked in all weather.
 
. . . We only knew that Italian and British bikes had brakes that worked in all weather.
and electrics that didn't, especially the Italian bikes. You are so right nobody could get away with selling stuff like that today. Japanese bikes had engines and electrics that worked, frames not so much, brakes not in the rain. Italian bikes - exotic engines, good handling, electrics that would let you down sooner or later. British bikes - engines with real character, great soundtrack, and oil leaks. And in America? Well, they had Harleys - not saying any more on the grounds I might incriminate meself.
 
and electrics that didn't, especially the Italian bikes. You are so right nobody could get away with selling stuff like that today. Japanese bikes had engines and electrics that worked, frames not so much, brakes not in the rain. Italian bikes - exotic engines, good handling, electrics that would let you down sooner or later. British bikes - engines with real character, great soundtrack, and oil leaks. And in America? Well, they had Harleys - not saying any more on the grounds I might incriminate meself.
Harley, after nearly going out of business, developed the Evo engine which was stone reliable and IMHO, saved the company. My '06 Twin Cam Road Ling has 78k on it and very few issues and it doesn't leak oil. A H-D is what it is, it's never gonna' be a Triumph, Ducati or Honda, but they have become very reliable.
 
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