whatever happened to small motorcycles ?
When I was a teenager growing up during the 1960s,everybody had small motorcycles.Most were around 50 to 250 CCs in engine size.Alot of kids rode them to middle school and high school. There was Honda's,Yamaha's Bridgestone's,Dacati's,some moped's and scooter's.I knew a couple of guys that had Harley Scats,Pacer's and later,M50'S.You rarely saw females riding them by themselves.Why is there so few small bikes nowadays ?
EvilDr235
EvilDr235
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I still see them around.
There is a guy I see every day riding a 2 stroke Kawasaki KE100 to work.
Not much power but he probably get 60 MPG.
I also saw a female ride her small yellow scooter all winter exept snow days.
I know what you mean though about bikes getting bigger and bigger. Look at the Honda Bruin.0 -
There's a Honda 200 in dad's shed. I should try to get Mrs. Plaid to ride it to work. It's about 35 miles one way for her. 0 -
LOL that reminded me of when I had my brakes done last year.
I took my honda 50 (49cc) with me to the Les Schwab about 5 miles away and when I left my truck I just rode the 50 home and then when they called I rode it back to get my truck.
No license plate on the 50 and I kept thinking I was going to get a ticket.0 -
There used to be scads of street legal enduro/trail motorcyles between 100cc and 400cc sold by Japanese companies in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I had more than my share of them. Back then a 500cc Japanese bike was considered BIG!
Remember trying to ride that Suzuki 125 down the highway with a strong gusty cross wind?[:0]0 -
I drove a Suzuki SP250 (4 stroke) dual purpose to work every day for about 2 years (unless it rained). Great fun! Then I got rid of it. Big mistake! I wish I still had it. 0 -
I remember the Honda 55 cc trail bikes circa 1963. They were set up to go either on the street or dirt. They (Honda) said that the bike could get 225 miles to the gallon. They never did get 225 mpg but they did get great milage. 0 -
It's the fault of the Religious Right ... you can make many more angels with BIG
bikes than with small ones.[8D]0 -
Cycle World magazine featured a comparison of 250s about a year ago specificaly for energy efficiency.
Top of the bunch was the nimble Kaw Ninja 250. It posted about 80 MPG.
Great ahandling and the testers claimed it was a bunch of fun.
I'm on the lookout for one.
The smaller bikes are still there but everyone (including me) likes to put a companion in back (my Honey has been riding there for over 40 years). Small bike with passenger is a bit down on the fun aspect.
Stan0 -
My first bike was a Yamaha GT 80. Got it when I was in second grade. 0 -
I can remember going into the Honda dealership in 1968 and drooling over all those little bikes. They had the 50, of course, but they had 125s, they had a 175 Scrambler that was good for street or trail. It had high pipes. They must have had 100 bikes in that shop.
Next year, I bought my first vehicle, a used Honda 175 Scrambler. That was a load of fun! Totaled it, bought a Suzuki 250, which was a 2 stroke. That thing would really move!
The next year, I bought the biggest bike Honda made, the 400.0 -
Mopeds are like fat chicks. They are both fun to ride, but you don't want your friends see you on them. 0 -
Back in the 1970's my wife had a Honda 125 and my brother a Honda 90. I had the Yamaha 175 enduro 2 stroke and Honda CR 250 Nasty Leg Breaker Elsinore series motorcross bike.
These smaller bikes are coming back. They are coming from Italy, Tiawan and other areas. I see them in the inner city of Portland used by commuters on occasion. Their economy will bring them back. Some get upwards 100 mpg. Japan is now producing a new type of freeway scooter with the step through design and front protection for commuters.0 -
quote:Originally posted by EVILDR235
When I was a teenager growing up during the 1960s,everybody had small motorcycles.Most were around 50 to 250 CCs in engine size.Alot of kids rode them to middle school and high school. There was Honda's,Yamaha's Bridgestone's,Dacati's,some moped's and scooter's.I knew a couple of guys that had Harley Scats,Pacer's and later,M50'S.You rarely saw females riding them by themselves.Why is there so few small bikes nowadays ?
EvilDr235
Up until recently no one wanted them, so the companies quit making them. Small bikes are dangerous on highways as they don't have the power to get up to speed for merging, etc and most kids want cars. Even the scooters have been slowly growing in engine size, they are up to 650ccs now. Smaller bikes are coming back a bit now due to the gas prices. But even a 1000cc bike gets 35-40 MPG. My 955 tiger gets 45 on the highway and 40 around town.0 -
My first bike was one of the first Honda 450s in the country - 1969. Next two were also CB 450s - a '73, and a '74. Then in '76, I built a CB 750 from a bare space on the ground with parts I bought at the Rose Bowl Swap Meet - does that still exist ??
If I were to get a bike today, it would be in the 500 to 650 class. Don't know if I'd get a new one or an old one.
I saw a beautiful white, all stock CB750, yesterday at the coffee shop. I coveted it.
I agree with some of the stuff Catpealer has said about the older bikes. I think they have a lot more character than the "all Harley, all the time" V twin clones.
Give me a UJM any time.
Doug0 -
OK, lets see if I can list the motorcycles I have had. In chronological order, more than one bike owned at times.
73 Honda CT70
76 Suzuki TC185 Ranger
75 Yamaha DT175
71 Yamaha 360 Dirt Bike
74 Suzuki TS400
73 Yamaha RD350
74 Suzuki GT550
75 Suzuki GT 550
78 Honda GS550
80 Honda GS650
79 Honda GS750
84 Honda 750 Interceptor
81 Honda GS300
88 Honda 500 Ascot0 -
I grew up with a Yamaha DT100 Enduro. Fun little bike. Rode the wheels off it and moved up to an old Suzuki 125 dirtbike. Then my uncle told me of a bike.....this guy had a 79 HusqVarna 125 dirtbike in his basement....he rode it only twice. The second time put him in the hospital and he never rode it again.
I got it for $100. I was the happiest kid in the State. I miss that bike.
Too bad 2006 was the last year for 2-stroke motorcycles. I already went to all the dealers here and they sold out of every last 2-stroke motorcycle and atv.
No more will ever be imported to the US.[V]0 -
The one that bothers me most is BMW. All the tears I wanted one & couldn't affort it & now when I can they don't make anything I want anymore. All the two cylinder bikes are way too big.
I would get a Moto-Guzzi except that there are too few dealerships & I hear terrible things about getting parts & service. (The worst stories I heard were from a dealer that dropped them.)
I bought one of the Honda 50's in 1961 & it got almost exactly 100/MPG. Almost all of the larger bikes (750 cc Virago is the largest) I have had have gotten 40/MPG.0 -
Do they still make the Ascot ?? I really like that one.
Doug0 -
remember the bultaco bikes 0 -
My first driving ride was a Zundapp 250. Bultacos were very good.
Doug0 -
When I was a Junior in HS in 1983 I bought a used 74 Honda CB450 for about $700 IIRC. I drove it to school, ball games, work, etc. for two years. Once I graduated I was broke and had to sell it. Insurance cost me $35 a year, too. It had the dirt-brown paint on it, and a buddy repainted it to midnight blue for me. With the windshield on it would top out at about 55-60, without the windshield it hit maybe 65 (without a headwind). I only had to fill the tank about once a month, but I don't recall tracking MPG. I lived in a rural Idaho town then, though, and everyone knew to look out for bikes, motorbikes, tractors, 3-wheelers, and the neighbor's dog. I'm not sure I would have a bike today. 0 -
Anyone remember Mustang motorcycles from the '50's? Looked like a Briggs & Stratton hooked up to a Triumph transmission. Someone even set a speed record with one on the Salt Flats at 113mph! 
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quote:Originally posted by EVILDR235
When I was a teenager growing up during the 1960s,everybody had small motorcycles.Most were around 50 to 250 CCs in engine size.Alot of kids rode them to middle school and high school.I'm with you, man.
In my state you could get licensed for 100cc and under at age 15, so lots of us rode these little bikes to school daily. Some were strictly street bikes, but most of my friends rode street/trail types. The 2-strokers were a mix of Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Bultaco and Hodaka. If you wanted a small 4-stroke you were limited to Honda.
Before I was old enough to be licensed, I cut my teeth on a Honda SL70. I got lots of practice at going down, but that little bike proved to be darn near bullet-proof.
I remember lots of good times running the streets with my friends on these little bikes, but it's true that you just don't see this anymore.
These days most seem to start out in their late teens on 250-350 crotch rockets. You see lots of them completely give up motorcycles after the first time they go down, mostly because they didn't spend time on a small bore learning the rights and wrongs of meeting the pavement.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Txs
quote:Originally posted by EVILDR235
When I was a teenager growing up during the 1960s,everybody had small motorcycles.Most were around 50 to 250 CCs in engine size.Alot of kids rode them to middle school and high school.I'm with you, man.
In my state you could get licensed for 100cc and under at age 15, so lots of us rode these little bikes to school daily. Some were strictly street bikes, but most of my friends rode street/trail types. The 2-strokers were a mix of Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Bultaco and Hodaka. If you wanted a small 4-stroke you were limited to Honda.
Before I was old enough to be licensed, I cut my teeth on a Honda SL70. I got lots of practice at going down, but that little bike proved to be darn near bullet-proof.
I remember lots of good times running the streets with my friends on these little bikes, but it's true that you just don't see this anymore.
These days most seem to start out in their late teens on 250-350 crotch rockets. You see lots of them completely give up motorcycles after the first time they go down, mostly because they didn't spend time on a small bore learning the rights and wrongs of meeting the pavement.
Here it was 250 and under was 14 -16
16 up was anything goes0 -
quote:Originally posted by bigtire
OK, lets see if I can list the motorcycles I have had. In chronological order, more than one bike owned at times.
73 Honda CT70
76 Suzuki TC185 Ranger
75 Yamaha DT175
71 Yamaha 360 Dirt Bike
74 Suzuki TS400
73 Yamaha RD350
74 Suzuki GT550
75 Suzuki GT 550
78 Honda GS550
80 Honda GS650
79 Honda GS750
84 Honda 750 Interceptor
81 Honda GS300
88 Honda 500 Ascot
My previous bikes: 1989 honda reflex 195
1976 yamaha 650
1997 suzuki katana 600
1998 GSXR 1100
2003 GSXR 600
The only one I have left is a 1996 Suzuki DR 350.[:(]0 -
My first bike was a 165 Honda Scrambler. It cost $400. Now it would cost $5000. That is where small bikes went. 0 -
Anyone remember Mustang motorcycles from the '50's?
Believe it or not, I saw one of these Saturday night! Guy had it on a trailer. On Saturday nights, they close off main street in our town and have "Saturday night after dinner." Bands playing, shops open, tons of people window shopping and having a good time. Invariably there are bunches of old cars parked around to look at, and this one guy had a 51 Mustang motorcyle! I will take my camera next week and see if he is there again. Cool little bike!0 -
My bike is small 0 -
Think myself and about 30 other guys bought all the Honda Z50's on the face of the planet.[:D]
Reason- we set them up as mini flat trackers. For a race a friend put on every year for adult racers. Put on a CT 70 barrel, Z50 head, and add an a Honda S-65 cam and they move! We even had a few that ran Nitrous Oxide! 50 mph on a z50 is scary at the least. Racing them little things is harder than it looks and a ton of fun. Speed week/ESPN even came out and covered a few races. I have four left to blow up.[:D]0 -
My first one(bike)was a rubberband hummer! 0
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