Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes More vintage Jap bikes on the road?

Lately(or so it seems to me) I have been seeing a lot of vintage Jap bikes out on the road.Seems to me with the gas prices being high a number of people have been dusting off those old bikes they had in the garage for 20+ years and putting them on the road.Has any one noticed this in their neck of the woods?

Yes, lots of old Honda CB750 and old Yamaha Virago types running around south Texas. I think you are right, the old bikes from Japan didn't die they got stuck in the garage or barn and forgotten about. Now they are coming out again. Kid down the street just picked up a V-65 Magna 1984 vintage in perfect shape and runs like a watch for $2800.00.

Funny thing I am noticing is most of the inline fours are shim over bucket dbl overhead cam bikes built 25 years ago. They still run fine. Many in the Harley crowd always think the Japanese bikes are rice burning junk. I have the feeling as many Jap bikes are still road worthy as Harley or Triumph.

Hmmm, I think I know of a new bike out that is shim over bucket and double overhead cam with a chain. Is it possible that you can't really improve on perfection or is it possible that the old technology is just the cheapest way to go?

A buddy of mine rides a 84 V-65 nice bike, a pain in arse to work on but it rides nice. He picked up 2 one in great shape and one with bent fork for 1200. I think there are more old jap bikes out there. People who want to ride and cant shell out for a new harley are discovering something diffent.

I have seen a lot more older yamahas and hondas on the road lately. I think you are right, it definitley has to do with gas prices. The downside is that the price for old bikes is starting to climb because of it. The asking prices are almost doubled of what they were last year.

Soren

One of my buddies has a great collection of bikes in his garage that includes absolutely perfect editions of...a '54 Harley Panhead, a '69 Bonnie T120, a '69 BSA Rocket 3, a '74 Norton Commando, a '77 Ducati 900SS, and a '74 Motor Guzzi V7, BUT along side those beauties he also keeps...a '70 Honda CB750, a '66 Honda Dream, a '79 Honda CBX, a '74 Kawasaki 750 H2, AND one of his latest acquisitons, a '74 Kawasaki 900 Z1.

The impressive thing is that even though they all are flawless, none of them are "trailer queens". He rides all of them an average of 20 miles or so every few weeks in order to keep 'em all on the road. I "help him out" now and then by riding these babies around myself too!

Cheers,
Dwight
(Man! I KNEW I should'a become a doctor too!!!...then maybe I could have had a great collection o' bikes like my friend has)

I know I just dusted off an old bike I had in my garage. I let my son (21 yrs old) ride my new Speedy. He liked it so much he decided he wanted to get a motorcycle license. I knew he wasn't going to get my speedmaster on a regular basis so I resurrected my old 1975 Honda 750F for him to ride. New tires, new battery, new fork seals, new side covers, numerous small parts and a lot of elbow grease. Its now as good as new! Its the last new street bike I bought (exactly 30 years ago!) My how time flys. Below is a picture.

Nice Bike Vance!

Looks real clean Vance!

That is a beautiful CB750! I'm looking for an old Honda to refurbish myself. The SOHC CB750 is #1 on my list. Look at what this guy does with these Hondas, AMAZING.
http://www.cb750cafe.com/

there are defintely more jp bikes out there-- some in very nice nick--

nice 750-- there's great article in the new motorcycle classics: honda 750 piece
cat

here's my '80 ltd 1000; this is a great bike-- fast and pretty. it has 92 hp stock at about 483 lbs...