Hahah dreamers...........

[cusso ken]

In 1970, the 650 was considered a big motorcycle, at least in Europe where there weren't many Harleys. Gros moto, en France.

In the 60s the Police rode 650 triumphs and they could catch almost all the cars on the road except a few Jags and big American cars

Today the Rocket is the big dog as far as displacement goes. Its one in a group of several of the fastest stock motorcycles. I also remember when a 650 was huge and fast. An 80 cu inch Harley stroker was the hot rod of the bike world here in the US. Honda then changed the the whole industry in 69 with the introduction of its four cylinder 750 with hydraulic disc brakes all at an affordable price. Its been a horsepower race ever since with multi cylinders becoming the norm. Now we have fuel injection and turbos, computer controlled brakes and engine management, even computer controlled suspension. Bikes just keep evolving along with everything else. The younger guys today have grown up around all this high tech while the dinosaurs like myself are just amazed every time we touch a button and the bike starts without even having to kick on a lever anymore. Here is a picture of my wife and I with our daily driver.

Today the Rocket is the big dog as far as displacement goes. Its one in a group of several of the fastest stock motorcycles. I also remember when a 650 was huge and fast. An 80 cu inch Harley stroker was the hot rod of the bike world here in the US. Honda then changed the the whole industry in 69 with the introduction of its four cylinder 750 with hydraulic disc brakes all at an affordable price. Its been a horsepower race ever since with multi cylinders becoming the norm. Now we have fuel injection and turbos, computer controlled brakes and engine management, even computer controlled suspension. Bikes just keep evolving along with everything else. The younger guys today have grown up around all this high tech while the dinosaurs like myself are just amazed every time we touch a button and the bike starts without even having to kick on a lever anymore. Here is a picture of my wife and I with our daily driver.

I am still a 100mph then Woo back guy, on the old bikes by 100mph the pistons were almost swapping holes ,on the last few bikes they seem to be just getting into its stride, but I almost always use that mark as my governor maybe that's why I have survived so long,

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

They were 2 cycle engine powered super bikes. I think they may have come out even earlier the 69 but not sure. I still think the Honda Four was the game changer and trend setter for the motorcycle industry.

 

[joey fletcher]

You are dead right about Honda changing the motorcycle industry!!!

The 2 strokes were never going to make it in the real world...Honda changed that with the cheap, very reliable motorcycles that came into this country.

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

In the 60s the Police rode 650 triumphs and they could catch almost all the cars on the road except a few Jags and big American cars




I am still a 100mph then Woo back guy, on the old bikes by 100mph the pistons were almost swapping holes ,on the last few bikes they seem to be just getting into its stride, but I almost always use that mark as my governor maybe that's why I have survived so long,

I will go over a hundred without hesitation depending on the moment. It has to be safe from other vehicles and law enforcement, the road must be smooth, I can't be packing my wife or anyone, unobstructed vision, dry pavement etc. That situation doesn't come along often but now and again I will even hunt for it. I went 152 on my Chopper on a road that I knew would be perfect for it, I purposely rode the bike to that spot just for that reason. I have rode the Rocket at 100 many times, its easy for it and it feels very stable and safe, it gets there quick if you're already doing 80 anyway on our roads out here in Nevada and it slows quickly also if need be. I don't want more than 100 on it as the windshield scares me a little but it seems happy going along at that speed. I don't even ride the Boss Hoss at over a hundred very often because of the windshield but I have rode it to 130 once just to see how it felt. I bought a new Triumph in 59, it was a 1960 Bonnie and it would go 100 but it was working hard. It was good at 70 on the freeway and the speed limit was 65 back then and the fifties cars were slower.

 

[TriumPhil]

Yes, "doing the ton" back in the day was a big deal - worthy of bragging rights.

 

[sonny]

Have not heard that phrase in years and years and years.

 

[dougl]

They were 2 cycle engine powered super bikes. I think they may have come out even earlier the 69 but not sure. I still think the Honda Four was the game changer and trend setter for the motorcycle industry.

An acquaintance of mine bought a 650 TR6R in London when I got mine. When he returned he traded it for a Suzuki T500 2-stroke. Fast but no class.

 

[leatal]

An acquaintance of mine bought a 650 TR6R in London when I got mine. When he returned he traded it for a Suzuki T500 2-stroke. Fast but no class.

Wait a minute! I had a T500 in 1970. It would smoke all the supercars of the day that I ran up against. Sounded like $hit, but ran like a scolded dog (all the way to 100). Funny it would run as fast in 4th gear as 5th gear. I rode the bike from South Carolina to Washington State with no problems, after all no mixing of gas/oil (with state of the art oil injection!). Fun fast bike- but your right no class!

 

[cusso ken]

Back in "the days" I bought a Yamaha TX650 as I wanted a reliable motorcycle to travel from Puckapunyal Army driver training base Vic where I was based back to see my Family on the Central Coast of NSW when I was on leave, that bike was as reliable as any bike I have had since and except for a bit of flexing of the frame was a great bike and could run down a stock 650 triumph, it was comfortable at 90MPH all day if you had the road to do it on and good for 95MPH in 4th and 110MPH in 5th if you were game enough, this and other Japanese 4 stroke bikes almost put an end to English Motor Cycle industry, it was IMHO with a set of Triumph peashooter mufflers grafted on the best sounding Japanese bike of all time

 

[grampi]

To many - yes.

I don't understand brand whores....what difference does it make what it says on the gas tank?