Why Did You Buy a Retro Styled Bike?

[DJGypsy]

simplicity & fun. plain as that. i rented one for a weekend, and i was hooked. got the stupid smile-while-riding and everything. it's not pretentious or assuming, it's just a simple motorcycle.

for me particularly, it was one of those "just right" kind of bikes. not a rocket, but not a slug either by any means. comfy enough for me to go all day. the bike's capabilities also fit my ability as a rider. i'm not rossi, but i can still drag my pegs all day if i want to. the chassis comes alive when you get over 70 mph. you can feel it flex a little and move with you as you fly through sweepers. the feedback from the chassis is great. it's a bike that doesn't have to go 150mph for you to have a good time. additionally, when you shift your weight to the side of (or off of!) the seat and get nasty in a fast corner-- oh my-- i think i can hear the bike speak to me. more like shout for joy that i'm using it for it's intended fun purpose. this thing corners so predictably, it's really let me playfully explore my limits without having to do 150mph.

the engine is always predictable, willing and friendly, serving the right amount of push & bark (with non-stock pipes) to give you a thrill. it's the same old deal of it being more fun to ride a slow bike fast instead of a fast bike ridden slowly.

it's also affordable- decent tires are $200 a pair, full coverage insurance is less than $20/month. there is also it's mechanical simplicity. did i mention it's gorgeous?

[83XLX]

I suppose mine isn't a retro-styled bike, but more of the real thing. Good old 1950's engine technology with electronic ignition, decent brakes, tubeless tires, and a good carb. The classic looks, feel, and tradition are what appealed to me. I'm not a "Harley guy", but I wanted a Sportster ever since I saw one up close as a teenager in the late 1960's. I've had this one for 22 years so far, and still love it. It's been very reliable (I have maintained it properly) and about my only complaint is the vibration at high rpms. It turns 30 years old in January.

[smokymtn]

Originally Posted by acap650

In the 60s when I first started riding I recall lusting after the big brit twins but was a little scared of how powerful and fast they were so I stuck with smaller bikes. Funny how small and light they look now. So when a decent used W650 appeared 12 years ago I jumped on it. What I like most about it is this:

I have almost 30,000 wonderful trouble free miles on my 2000 W650. Would love to have a newer bike, but can't find any bike with the looks and feel .......best bike I have ever owned.

Roy in Tennessee

[EetsOK]

Not everybody wants the latest greatest thing. I have ridden many of the latest greates super sports out there and they wonderful bikes but, there is a certain charm to a retro bike. The bikes of yesterday were not speicalized bikes that were essentially a one trick pony liek we have today. There had to do everything.
My bikes need to be comfortable enough to tour on, have a sporting edge as well as be reliable, practical city bikes and commuters. I like a little flash too. That's why I've had the T Bird for so long. Other bikes I cross shopped were the Speed Triple, the Kawi ZRX 1100 and Suzi Bandit but the 3 cylinder won out and the T bird was just a titch more comefortable than a Speed Triple.

[acap650]

Originally Posted by smokymtn

I have almost 30,000 wonderful trouble free miles on my 2000 W650. Would love to have a newer bike, but can't find any bike with the looks and feel .......best bike I have ever owned.

Roy in Tennessee

I'm at 21K and all is well. These Ws seem to last indefinitely if maintained and not messed with. The only new retro vertical twin available here, the Bonnie, is great but larger and heavier and feels more modern to me than the W. The Guzzi V7 is closer in size to the W and is what I would consider for a retro bike these days.

[shipman]

I got a retro-styled biked because I wanted something mechanically simple and easy to maintain myself, without having to remove a bunch of plastic to get to the engine:



2011 Suzuki TU250X

[zooomgovroom]

here's a new retro coming soon!

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/20...s-next-summer/

[Ed-B]

Originally Posted by zooomgovroom

here's a new retro coming soon!

http://hellforleathermagazine.com/20...s-next-summer/

That is so cool! I wish Suzuki would put the DR650 motor into a chassis like this one - take that TU250 concept and spin up a 650cc cafe version.

[zooomgovroom]

Originally Posted by Ed-B

That is so cool! I wish Suzuki would put the DR650 motor into a chassis like this one - take that TU250 concept and spin up a 650cc cafe version.

build one and give them some inspiration/incentive !!!

[Penderic]

I have had many hours and memories riding classics when they were new models, and not all of them were great.

When I thought of choosing between a classic and a modern retro, it was easy once I found the right retro model for me. The looks, sound and comfort (emotional level) are important- I don't need a lot of speed anymore, but decent handling and good brakes are nice to have. (practical level)

Here is my lil' Guzzi again: Good sounding twin, 2 nice exhaust pipes, lovely symmetry, handles, brakes and feels comfortable --- It has modern materials, push rods, is air cooled, has screw type valve adjusters 2 each side only, and shaft drive. (no chain adjusters yeah!)


I am really enjoying this motorcycle.

[0ldhippie]

Just because it put a smile on my face. There aren't any fast or modern Harleys anyway?

[canoli]

Originally Posted by DJGypsy

simplicity & fun. plain as that. i rented one for a weekend, and i was hooked. got the stupid smile-while-riding and everything. it's not pretentious or assuming, it's just a simple motorcycle.

for me particularly, it was one of those "just right" kind of bikes. not a rocket, but not a slug either by any means. comfy enough for me to go all day. the bike's capabilities also fit my ability as a rider. i'm not rossi, but i can still drag my pegs all day if i want to. the chassis comes alive when you get over 70 mph. you can feel it flex a little and move with you as you fly through sweepers. the feedback from the chassis is great. it's a bike that doesn't have to go 150mph for you to have a good time. additionally, when you shift your weight to the side of (or off of!) the seat and get nasty in a fast corner-- oh my-- i think i can hear the bike speak to me. more like shout for joy that i'm using it for it's intended fun purpose. this thing corners so predictably, it's really let me playfully explore my limits without having to do 150mph.

the engine is always predictable, willing and friendly, serving the right amount of push & bark (with non-stock pipes) to give you a thrill. it's the same old deal of it being more fun to ride a slow bike fast instead of a fast bike ridden slowly.

it's also affordable- decent tires are $200 a pair, full coverage insurance is less than $20/month. there is also it's mechanical simplicity. did i mention it's gorgeous?

I always liked the look of these and have thrown a leg over them at shops & shows in the past. A few weeks ago I finally got to test ride an 09 and found that everything you said above is true. The bike is simple, unassuming and it just works. I'm saving my $$ for one. What a fantastic bike.

Canoli

[alii1959]

I was just thinking about this thread.....

When I purchased my Truck, Toyota Tacoma 4wd 4cyl, no one thought that I was "settling" for "old" technology. No one thought that the lack of horsepower would be a problem. No one seemed to feel that it wasn't modern enough.

But, when I purchase my Harley, '04 Road King Classic, they bemoaned the horsepower (which is not insignificant BTW), brakes (which are two-fingered, if you take care of them), handling (which below 80 or so) is very good, and castigated it as being too "old" to be a proper motorcycle. Wow, do we have double standards!!

The retro movement, I believe, is for those of us who no longer need to do 150 terrorizing the streets. I remember the MG MIdget, I really wanted one. Going 50 in one of those was like 200+ in a Corvette.

Further, I don't need to measure the worth of my moto against a spec sheet. Even when I had sportbikes I didn't feel the need to do so. The style that appeals to you is subjective. And, what looks and feels right to each of us is different. Why not simply appreciate the differences between bikes as different tools for even the same job. I think that smiles per mile is the greatest test of the worth of any vehicle.

Sorry, rant over.

[hillbillypolack]

I just like old stuff.

[Carter Pewterschmidt]

I've ridden old bike and they all ride like old bikes. They're neat if you just wanna cruise around and hit the social spots, but if you want to start tossing things around at decent pace, new bikes can't be beat. With modern running gear it makes like a Jay Leno garage creation. It's cool that the bike industry caters to such a market. Thank being said how did this thread get this far without one mention of this bike?



The XR1200X. Showa Big Piston Forks right off a super sport bike? Fully adjustable shocks with a pair of 4 piston calipers on the front? This bike is the ticket. It's heavy and slow but it's still a blast to ride.

Or this bike?



Moto Guzzi Griso. Also nicely equipped but I've yet to ride one. Both cool looking bikes that don't handle like shopping carts.