Try our new info resource - "Aladdin's Cave" (Main menu)Just added a separate link to Ash's Dropbox thread (shortcut)
Hey my Sportster has good brakes! I insisted on buying the ‘R’ model with twin front discs after doing a bike swap with a friend’s Dyna Glide. Following me on my Triumph Daytona 1000, his first words were ‘God you were taking those corners fast!’ I explained that was only because there weren’t any brakes to speak of, I had the lever back to the bar!Same guy later lent me a Commando, I asked the passenger to put his feet down when he saw me squeeze the lever, I was joking but the brakes were pretty much useless. I remember the 750 was the MCN Machine of the Year at the same time as they were being recalled as the Combats were blowing their main bearings.At one time if you had a Ford key you could get in any other Ford, but not necessarily free the ignition switch, I once moved a Granada blocking me in to the middle of the road at a funny angle, as I couldn’t get the steering lock off. I locked it up again and pictured his face when he came back.I also had a Vauxhall Victor with a sun floor and brakes on one side only, but hey, it cost £30.
Only thing that kept it going was nostalgia
I remember a lot of jap hating in the 60s and 70s came from still recent memories of what the Japs did in WW2 passed down from the older guys. Strangely I don't recall those guys having it in for BMW. Plus a sense that the Orient was going to take our jobs as the bikes and cars from Japan were clearly superior. Fair shout really.In defence of the British it was pretty hard to work to fine tolerances on old clapped out machine tools that spent their best days churning out bombs etc. Thanks to the Marshall plan the Japs had the brand new latest machinery.In 1980 I owned a Norton Commando 850 roadster that was good except for stripping the exhaust rings out of the head. A local guy machined them out and made phosphor bronze rings for it, they never went again. Even the electric start worked reliably though it did kill batteries.
I think I came into road biking just as the British factories were having their last gasp. As a 17 year old in 1975, there wasn't any Brand new British bikes to be had under 250cc (I'm happy to be corrected on that point if anyone knows better). So to ride on L plates, it was either a used British C15 or a Bantam or similar or something of Japanese origin. There was the Ducati Desmo 250 single and AMC Harley had a 250 single too, but they were out of my budget new. I ended up getting a brand new Yamaha RD200 as they were quite a bit cheaper than the 250's at the time, £408 as I recall, against about £525 for the RD250 - Happy days Lol. The only new British bikes left by then were Triumphs Bonnevilles, the Trident and Nortons Commando 850. I think even the BSA version of the Trident, the Rocket 3 had gone by early '76. Didn't Triumph and BSA have a last gasp at a 350 twin, the Bandit? but I don't think it got into showrooms before they folded. So really there wasn't much choice for a 17 year old learner rider outside the Jap 4 companies at that time.
A mate of mine still has his Interstate Commando bought new in 1972. Not entirely original now or without it's problems, but even with the Combat engine he has still singularly failed to blow it up. Here it is with my old CB175 and another friends Suzuki 500 as usual outside a pub in the rain. (Attachment Link)