Introducing Yamaha’s entire 2022 cruiser lineup!

No intended criticism in that sense to him or you .What I am after is showing the thing.
Sounds like you watch too many 'Ford Built Tough' commercials. Stuart starts out by saying this isn't a first impression ride, but after taking the first, he skipped a week or two and then returned for another 2 to 3 hour ride on the bike (splendid scenery). He does nothing extravagant at all, but basically has a very deep knowledge of the market and can give notable advice on what a consumer would prefer. Without being disrespectful, and none intended, it is hard to imagine you watched this and came away with that impression.
'TT'
 
Anyone ever hear the phrase "The ton up boys" ?
A reference to British motorcycle culture of the 1950's and '60's.
As stated "the ton" refered to the magical 100mph figure.
Get above that in the 1950's and you were really living !
They all rode British bikes for one simple reason - at the time Britsh factories gave you the most bang for your buck.
Also labled as "Greasers" by the press, as a reference to their mechanical aptitude - these guys knew their bikes inside out - at the time 100mph + was no mean feat considering the bikes available
 
Never was much of a Stuart Fillingham fan.
RyanF9 and Zack Cortes(sp?) both give it good marks though.



Both of these were enjoyable and interesting to watch. The last one in particular was very thorough concerning performance, such as wheelie, turn radius, rear tire slide. Never a dull moment here.
'TT'
 
It's funny how a conversation evolves. Bob, @Mailman, started out pointing out the lack of any cruisers in this year's Yamaha range. And we end up talking about all sort of things, from the newer Enfields coming out of India to the 'ton up' culture of 60s Britain. An era I can just about remember - older relatives spending Saturday lifting their old British twins down the steps into the garden for yet another session of major maintenance so they could head out on Sunday with their pals. Presumably to seek that elusive ton.

Nostalgia just ain't what it used to be . . .
 
Writing about the Enfield Classic 350, I wrote:
Quite a tempting bike at less than 4 1/2 grand, if you can be happy with 20 hp for pottering around. More real than the new BSAs?
Here's an article from Bennetts Insurance blog about how much power it's actually possible to use on the road:

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/blog/how-much-horsepower-does-my-bike-use

Quite salutary to read that a fast racer on a sportsbike, trying to set a good time on a road route, only once exceeded 50 HP and used on average 29 HP. Also puts into context the blather you hear wherever bikers meet up and some dude standing around with knees and elbows bent due to the armour in his leather suit is telling anybody who'll listen that 'Of course, these 200 bhp bikes would be completely unrideable without all the electronic traction control and anti-wheelie gizmos . . . '
 
What I don't like with these kind of presentations is that they are talking about the " Ton "
I have never seen or known anyone driving a motorcycle like this since the late 60 ies
Obviously not a sports bike or a race bike but everyone I know would at some point in time rev it closer to the mentioned was it 7000 rpm At least at straight road
Very few would care to listen to the specs. and talk about it.
On every gear And turning into corners The tester could then come with an evaluation of frame suspension and acceleration.
Not that it perhaps matters .. But it gives an impression that attracts interest and customers.
Everyone knows it is not a rocket but anyways. It is a motorcycle not a Vespa Scooter
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careful what you say about Vespas ;) , you may offend mine. Afterall it is the "ultimate cool machine" that has stood the test of time.
 
Greg Johnson rode this with us at the Ozarks rally, a 2018 bought with 80 miles on it for $5K stainless aftermarket slip ons, has 7K miles now. He's very happy with it, rode up from Mississippi was headed off to Kentucky after the rally. His wife Karen was on her scout (she also has a 1800 wing)
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She offered a ride on the pillion when we were headed to supper. Three guys said I'm game, but guess she was just kidding.
 
Greg Johnson rode this with us at the Ozarks rally, a 2018 bought with 80 miles on it for $5K stainless aftermarket slip ons, has 7K miles now. He's very happy with it, rode up from Mississippi was headed off to Kentucky after the rally. His wife Karen was on her scout (she also has a 1800 wing)
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She offered a ride on the pillion when we were headed to supper. Three guys said I'm game, but guess she was just kidding.
A friend of mine in Tennessee has a Scout like that one. She's 4'11" and they custom made a seat and lowered the bike. She's still on tippy toes at a stoplight. She absolutely loves that bike. I've ridden behind her and she's good.
 
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It was possibly Italian motorcycle outfit Benelli who first heralded the demise of the large volume cruiser with their 502c design, (sorry about the pics). Made in China but assembled in Pesaro, the engineering proved that a long distance, naked machine could be comfortable and laid back while still displacing less than 600cc. It was a radical, cutting edge design yet, somehow, when you looked at the 502, you detected the scent of retro. Benelli released a 750 but it was the 500 that caught the public's imagination and a whole new perspective on size and genre was quietly created.
There will always be those who hunger for the roar of a large capacity Harley Davidson or Indian but, let's face it, many of our younger riders will see the end of the internal combustion motor as a manufacturer's alternative, producers realise this and are conditioning us to anticipate and accept that change. The current retros like the XSR and MT are a way of blending modern technology with nostalgia. The range of "vintage" remakes from RE, BSA and Kawasaki are designed to placate those who would have liked to have been "ton up boys" but were born 40 years too late and prefer clean fingernails. Then there's us blokes who stagger our way around cramped or freezing garages, skinning our knuckles and grazing our knees as we try to rebuild and maintain a real slice of the past with mediocre handling and subdued performance!
Should've bought the Benelli, but the next bike might be an electric Harley.
 
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I really like the looks of that bike. I went to the Aprilia Ducati and Guzzi dealership not long ago. They had the Ducati Diavel there and I probably stared at it for 20 min trying to decide if I loved it or hated it. Turns out I hate that I love it. It's very niche but checks a lot of boxes.
 
Forgot too mention one of my favourites, the Moto Guzzi V7. Here is a bike with authentic history and, keep in mind, the Guzzi factory has been popping out motorcycles out since 1921 - uninterrupted history, the longest in motorcycling. The V7 is a genuine classic - the end product of a long line of continuous development and production and look at it! That's not a retro motorcycle, it's a product of the modern era that happens to look retro!
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