Nostalgia in 20 years

[andrewlk]

Perhaps this is a case of 'if you had to ask, then...' but I'd like to take it a step further and speculate.

Is the culture of vintage bikes, and the various makes/models people turn in to cafe racers, purely a product of nostalgia? or is there something else about these mid-century era sport bikes that is driving the subculture? Certainly any semblence of low cost rationale appears to be vanishing quickly (I can hardly imagine finding a roadworthy sohc cb750 for $400 like I did in 2005). Maybe cost played a role getting things started and then 'cool' blew the lid off.

Alternatively, if speed/sport is a driver, there are plenty of late 80s early 90s crotch rockets to be had for cheap - with way more modern advances, better handling and higher top speeds.

So I guess, why is the big question. Or why not something else? And finally, what do you think will be the sought after models in 20 years? Where's the scene in 2030?

90's GXRs & Ninjas?
The flood of baby boomers old Harleys?

Don't get me wrong, I love my RD, but I got the bike because of the reputation and came to appreciate the history after the fact...and there aren't exactly a lot of options for street 2 strokes. But I have wondered if the $ I'm about to pour into it would make me happier with a sm'd ktm 300.

 

[Rich Ard]

zzzzzzzzz

 

[RickSlambone]

I think you can still find old bikes for cheap. I bought my 78 CB750K for 500 bucks just this last spring. I don't know if I would have called it road worthy but it started up and I drove it onto the back of my pickup with no issues. But I still hear what you're saying, I've bought over 2000 dollars worth of parts and when I start putting it together this spring and pay for a paint job and tires I will be close to 3k into it. So all in all, I probably could have went and bought a newer bike that like you said would have better handling, faster, etc... But I have no desire to own one of these newer bikes, I've ridden a new R6 and my first bike was a brand new Ninja 250 in 2006. These bikes aren't interesting and as for me I would just much rather own an older and much simpler machine. I generally have an image in my head of the bike I want to own and never do I see a stock crotch rocket or modern bike, instead it is a bike that hasn't been made yet and I generally find that older bikes are the best platform to create one's ideal machine with.

 

[bradj]

zzzzzzzzz

plus 1

 

[SONICJK]

They are cheap, easy to get parts for and fun to build.

And personally i dont like modern sportbikes for a variety of reasons, the primary being that I'll kill myself quickly on one.

 

[andrewlk]

zzzzzzzzz

...so that's 2 votes for the kawis...anyone else?

In other news, I can also identify with not dying.

 

[620dark]

How about the '93 CBR900RR?

And not just because I'm trying to inflate the value of the one I have lol!

 

[AbbyRider]

70's and 80's metric bikes are still so easy to find that the economics of rebuilding/customizing makes sense, and the part supply is there to support it. Once the bikes started gaining all the bodywork and the frames became a utilitarian affair hidden beneath plastic, they lost the ability to look good cafe'd, bobbed etc. without putting a lot of fabrication time into them. Not to mention the hassles of all the electronics, fuel delivery systems etc.

 

[DrJ]

90s bikes are the best bang for the buck.