We classic enthusiasts usually have the right to talk about 'the old days'. Apart from my friend Rens, I know very few members of our tribe who are younger than 60, or even 50. Lucky we are boys. So when we stand in front of the mirror while shaving, we still see the young God of yesteryear. This is in happy contrast to the more pleasantly sculpted species, which tend to form an exaggeratedly critical self-image from the age of twenty-five.
We boys are the self-satisfied kind scribbled under the armpit
We have eternal youth, right? It is only annoying that there is often a field of tension between what we think and the signals our body sends. And so we now have a mild trend that there are classic enthusiasts where the hinged part plays up in such a way that serious kickstarts not only require a boot with a steel sole, but also painkillers. For example, recently an 84-year-old father and his 64-year-old son traded in their BSAs for two BMW R100RTs.
And another good friend now has the problem that he has to say goodbye to his WL Harley with sidecar due to hip and ankle problems. The hard approach is that the V-twin can only go to a Real Enthusiast. The side valve deserves that too. We once stood smiling broadly watching a trader bid on such a thing. The selling party had made his assessment: “If you can start it and drive it for a round, then you can have it for that price. If you can start it and you fall while driving, buy it for my price.” That did not happen to the trader. He couldn't get the Harley to work.
There are also conversion kits for most classic Brits
This allows them to be made electrically-started. Then you can keep what you have. But the aforementioned switch to something classic, but still electric start? That is the most common step because we simply have little control over what motorcycle marketers find important these days. If you read a serious test report in a motorcycle magazine whether you can still have a bit of fun with 95 hp in a world where the 200 hp region is the norm? Then I quit. All the more so because it is mildly concluded that 95 hp is just not quite something for the less gifted. All the more so because such a scribble of only 95 moth-eaten horsepower has the whole range of electronic control cousins that can take over power during any moment of the ride.
What may be an option for some of us, that is a retro bike
Then you at least have a motorcycle that you can recognize in this way. The marketers have apparently recognized this approach and the option is a reasonable alternative for people who would like to combine a classic – or let it be 'recognizable' – appearance with ease of use and deployability. Even with a guarantee! But that takes you to a different world. I bought my Ural, a great 650 cc OHV a while ago at the National Ural Specialist for € 2.250. I bought my first Ural for 500 guilders. And then we get to the crux: You can still buy a new Ural now. Even with a warranty. And with some extra niceties from the Ural catalog, such an E5 compliant Russian can cost you € 22.500. Which, by the way, turns out to be little for a real sidecar combination. The retro variants of Kawasaki and the like also have their price, but 'China outsourced' retros like Mash's are still humanly priced. And Enfield still makes beautiful things. In addition, there is also a whole gang of Chinese Honda clones with eighties technology. They often have English-sounding fantasy names and are inexpensive. They are a kind of takeaway Chinese… And then there is the shameless Duc clone of Lifan….
We will by to go!!
So if our knees and backs are approaching their expiration date, there are still plenty of options. And what we can no longer start, we can continue to cherish. Out of nostalgia.
It's a shame that youth is wasted on all those young people...
What do you think of retro motorcycles? Are they fun as an alternative or wouldn't you want to be seen dead on them just yet?
The end
A very big difference between an oldie and a retro is the difference in brakes. After having always driven to work on two wheels in my laborious life, I already traded in my side valve for a newer one years ago because driving in traffic jams on the A2 with those old drum brakes did such an attack on my nerves that after a couple of hairy escapes tuch was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. Scraping your heels across the asphalt caused almost a lot of delay. And then a disc brake is nice, even if there is only one in your front wheel. Dart brakes a little more slowly. But I still find the old ones much harder.
Once I had made an emergency stop of about five minutes on the side valve, I just barely hit the construction worker's van” at the intersection at a catering facility. . Five sturdy construction workers came out. I asked them “Are we going to fight or are we going to drink it? It was getting late. Very late…
Other version
And what about the new Changjiang sidecars? No idea about price, but my dealer told me a lot cheaper than Ural.
I have a somewhat older Chang OHV under construction here. I understand every price difference from that angle. The thing is shamelessly disinterestedly put together. At Motorwerk I drove a newer one. But that was a one-shot. Let's see what this is. But I think it's an ugly thing. Affine. Tastes differ.
If it may cost the not small sum of € 22.500, then you will have enough change for a few annual subscriptions to Agio or Velasquez with a beautiful push rod Norton 961 🙂
A stylish thought!
Nice WLA, although wrong parts have been placed.
And a sidecar? Only the Russians did that.
And anyone who can handle a foot clutch a bit, leaves many a car behind with such an old side valve in today's traffic, apart from the single Tesla.
While I get the gist of retro bikes, the real old stuff is just more fun.
You don't need 200hp to have fun, and you're no less manly on a 150 1965cc..
Enjoy!
Oh Dolf….although the '50' is insight, I'm still under it.
They are still there; those who have single 50 through their veins and are younger than 1970…
You are what they call 'an old ghost' That's very ZEN
How wide is the WLA?
If it fits through the greenhouse door, to bring it under a roof (=glass). Then you can register me in the interested list.
That's going to be crammed
In response to the question whether retro bikes are 'still fun as an alternative', I can only yell:
"Yes!!!" They sure are. Also for the youngsters if they are not ruined by electronic toys and if they are not really (not supported by all kinds of electronic safety gadgets
or control unit) want to learn to drive.
My Blue is pretty retro. Ok… technically I have rebuilt a few things on it, but in the design it still remains that beautiful retro bike. It can also be kicked if the electric start leg is exhausted and that is downright difficult with that high compression. Yes, you need a painkiller for that too. But anyway he takes me from A to B. Even when years ago I had to drive up and down 12km away to my work site at -40 degrees. Even without a cockpit or heated grips. My love for that bike covered its shortcomings when measured by today's standard. But what was such a thing made for? Pre-carriage!
Well, he still does. And so it's still a great alternative. Though his metal starting leg has scraped the skins off my ankle more than once.
The love for Blauwtje also covers that.
\And good luck with your ankle!
I have plenty of fine stills!
Hello
I had in the later 1960s, 2 x WL, and with that you could accelerate at the traffic light, easily leaving everyone behind without significantly overloading the engine
My comrade Ernie used his in college to attract cars
As a true enthusiast of the Harley with sidecar, I am curious if I can qualify to buy it. I would like to know if this is the case.
With my warmest regards,
Ari Oudhof
I will pass you on