I know that current technology is much better, but the variety and character of the bikes during the 70's and 80's was something really special. The visceral sound and smell of a big cc two stroke, the hard acceleration of your first 4 cylinder machine, the roll on power of a 1000 cc's and the stopping power of hyd disc brakes. It was a good time to be into motorcycles.

I always drooled over the early seventies ujm's. I wanted a Honda 750 so bad! Still luv all these bikes today...some are worth a lot $$$$ now, I'm no expert!

at that time i know the bikes very well it was a great time 70/80 and the motorbikes were beautiful... .👍👍👍👍

The 70's was a great time to be a biker. I had a 1975 GT 250m Ram Air. Great memories of me and my mates ( all on RD's and KH 250's ) in a convoy tearing up the A1. I can even smell the two stroke now !!

The exciting character of these bikes doesn't exist among todays bikes !!!!

Oh that crisp sound of a Yamaha two stroke.

I had a ' 75 RD 400C in a metallic turquoise and it was favourite , nimble handling , turbine-smoothness and went like a rocket !.That GT 380 is incredibly handsome with the feature ' dog-bone ' rear light and certainly the first half of the 70s produced some fantastic looking bikes from Japan .

Some beautiful bikes there 😊

I left school in 1979 and looked at the RD 250 & 400 in awe as these were the Big boy’s bikes, now they look tiny LOL. I still miss my Suzuki GT550. 😪

Had a 380 with ocelot expansion chambers, the idle was like a impatient box of static and had a gs 1000 with a kerker 4 to 1 that idled like a oldsmobile v8 , these bikes had style you seldom see now in anything let alone bikes.

Looking at this I can identify many bikes I owned. Wish I still had them now as they would be worth a fortune. The RD 350 s ( I had 2 of them ) the RD400, the Kawasaki H400, the Suzuki GT 750, the Kawasaki Z1r MK11, the LC250, and a few others that I have forgotten were all great bikes. Back then bikes had a lot more soul . I have owned many of the latest and greatest and came to the conclusion that the current crop of bikes with all their electronic aids have diluted the true experience of motorcycling. To that effect I procured a bike that has no aids and is a 1000'v twin with carbs. I enjoy riding this bike more than the latter models that I have owned. Great to see these bikes, and it has restored many memories.

Ahhh, great memories.

A nice video. The rain on the clocks and ignition barrels takes me back to those terrible times in the rain, after dark, stabbing away at the kickstart. No spark? No fuel? Water on the electrics? Always alright in the end.... One forgets what a demon the RD400 was, before the even madder Elsie 350 arrived. And the "ram air" triples.... Faster than they seemed. As I saw it I thought the Lemon was a V50 Monza. Now... That was a bike that never got its due praise. A fraction of the weight of a Lemon and physically much smaller, but could be ridden on the stops all day and if the tyres were good there was little that could keep up. But it was "only a 500" and had shaft drive, so it was ignored.... Anyway... Nice video. Made by someone who clearly likes this stuff.

I survived the 70s 2,strokers - made me a better car driver - needed your wits about you !!!!!

New bikes may rock but you cant neat the looks sounds and smell of 1969 -1979 kawasakis. Suzukis and yamahas just cant be beat !oh that 2stroke smell brings back memories

This Yamaha RD350 is a really fun bike around town. I need to get another one and rev it up for my neighbors that have gone electric.

Music to my ears. Oh man, I had an RD 200 back in 75. Gold, teardrop tank. A thief stole away those years and my hair when I blinked. That GT 380 is a beauty.

Oh the memories. The sight of these bikes are all connected to so many of my rites of passage: first love, first pay packet, independence, the feeling of being handed the keys of a brand new bike at the dealers, first serious accident, holidays on the south coast with mates, Sundays on the water front at Weston-Super-Mare....Garelli Rekord, then a Yamaha YDS7, then a Kawasaki H1, then a Yamaha XS 650B..........Halcyon days!...however the weather in this film reminded me why I emigrated to South Africa in 1978. :-D

Kh250 then GS1000 was I, the best days of my life

I had once a Yamaha RD 250...regdengdengdeng Ah the sound of youth :-)

Can't believe the Honda 400four isn't there. Loved racing it against 380 Suzuki`s.....still have it from new!

I had a 1984 Moto Guzzi Le Mans III - it was an amazing machine. Dr John Wgitner took a bone stock Le Mans III and entered it in the WERA endurance series in a field of pretty much all Japanese superbikes. They competition sort of laughed him off. Well the Guzzi came 2nd overall and won the middleweight series (if memory services me right). The next year they used a Le Mans IV 1000 and won outright. Then he went on to win other championships. As an owner they let me come into the pits a couple of times. It was awesome!

I had a Honda 350 what a fun little bike that was !!

My coffin tank RD 250 was Stan Stevens tuned and took off at 5k revs, such good memories :)

Good to see they're getting used, that's what they were made for

The RD is, indeed, superb ... as are the others! Sweetly-shot and -paced video.

To bad I remember them all new. I'm an old bastard but getting a new litre bike soon.

This video reminds me so much of the halcyon days of the seventies when every summer weekend the roads were full of bikes. And every town or city had it's biker's pubs. OK so a bit of 'rose tinted glasses' here but I think the seventies were the golden age of biking. Not like now where a few youngsters get a bike and happily ride it till their first winter when they think ' It's too cold'. And give in to their parent's 'motorbikes are dangerous. Get a car' nagging. I think it is only the 'born-agains' who started riding in the seventies or later, had kids. then found they had the money to get a bike again that are keeping it going. Biking is dying.

The first bike is a Yamaha YR5, much like the RD 350 but without the reed valves.

0:55 A typical summer day in Scotland!

When I started riding my Honda 90 "Sport" I thought the Triumph Bonneville was a monster and I would never be able to handle such a big bike. Now days they consider a 650cc bike to be a good beginner bike! My wife and I ride a Harley Ultra now after owning all kinds of Japanese, Spanish and American bikes over the years. Great fun. Thanks for posting, takes me back.

Tasteful custom work on the RD-400!

I was a teenager back in the 70's and really loved the look of those Suzuki GT Triples. Those early 70's ones especially with their metallic colours. My Favourites of that era were, the Suzuki triples, 380, 550 and the 750 "Kettle" Also the Kawaski triples. If I could narrow them down, I would have to say that my favourites from that era had to be the Kawasaki 900 Z1, the Suzuki GT750 "Kettle" and the mighty Honda CBX1000 six. That motor looked Awesome from every angle. I believe Honda have one mounted on a display stand at their factory in Japan.

VERY NICE ..!! THANKS

All the 2 stroke bikes of the 1960 s -1970s have their unique sound ,Suzuki, Yamaha , Kawasaki ,you can tell what they are just by listing to them .

So many happy memories of my teenage years Yamaha rd 250 and my first big bike the iconic Z1000 even the Same colour as mine

classic rice burners more like.i've had loads,but the best bike i ever owned what a BSA Gold Star that had a Norton tank.i bought it as a build up project for £100,built it,rode it then sold it for £1500!

Just got a 75 400/4 going today, starting on a 72 GT750 J engine rebuild tomorrow. Lined up next after that, is a 72 H2, followed by a 73 H1. Going to be a great Christmas break this year!

The Z900 was the icon as it was the original. Went like stink but didn’t stop too well, single fro t disc and drum rear and, wasn’t too clever on tight twisty roads either.

YAMAHA is the best! 👊 I love YAMAHA bikes! 👍

up on the stand and running

1st bike 250 Yamaha YDS7 amazing 2nd bike 750 Trident T160 (always breaking down) Now FJR 1300, back to Yamaha for reliability.

I had the rounded-fin 1968 Yamaha 305 that was only made briefly before the square-fin RD 350 came out. I've only seen one 305 since 1969, and have never seen one for sale.

Damn the ol KZ1000 sets the mind to drifting, 🤔

Just came across this video, I am almost certain that the GS1000 at the end of the clip is the one I bought in Pitenweem Fife in 2018, I still have it :)

Hi Chris, thank you for this excellent video production of an exciting and wonderful time of motorcycling history. I share your feelings towards "classic bikes" of the seventy-eighties era. I would say that that period of history was the "Golden Age of Japanese Motorcycling" for the amazing designs and productions that the Japanese manufacturers offered the motorcycling enthusiasts. What a decade of innovation, invention, and developments! Ride safe, Ciao, L ("Classic guy" riding classics since 1969)!

Been riding since the 60s came up until now I own a Honda CB 1100 excellent ride

I'm easy to please when it comes to viewing motorcycles so of course I enjoyed every second. That Suzuki GS380 two stroke triple is spooky. Looks very fast but with that short wheelbase and mild steel frame I bet it's a handful. I remember looking at those at the local Suzuki shop ( Jorgy's in Stockton California) and just kind of feel a chill when I'd look one over. . .it just looked intimidating with that Ram Air head. To this day I've not seen many of them and I never did get to ride one.

Beautiful

The one I had was not on the video. It’s the “widowmaker”. H1 MACH III 500 triple, with race chambers.

Anyone who rode a bike in 1976, the very hot summer, learnt to carry a bit of wood under the seat for the stand or else the centre stand left the wheels on the floor and side stand tipped the bike over. Melting roads such good fun,not!

yamaha rd 250 lc range was what did it . faster than a super car for a 17 year old on L plates . the funerals i went to was sickening. the technology back then was so advanced for its time .

My dad had the first bike shown. Yamaha R5B 350 two stroke. Same orange color.

I think you would be hard pushed to find as many well maintained or restored classics in the USA. Thanks for video it was my era in the uk (70's) even though I was riding 20 year old British ...... Cheers Warren Ps my brother inlaw has and rides an unrestored Z-1000.about 76 I think.

My favrot bike is yamaha

the first bike is 1972 r5 not a 73 rd350 the rd had a front disc brake and reed cages but it's still beautifully restored

I noticed alot of these used the Dunlop K 87 tire

The Music people ?

The 70s Rules you newbee fools!!!

I was going to buy an rd200dx off a mate I rode it for a mile or so n thought its running bad until I realized the choke was on and then a rocket ship I didn't buy it I preferred the lc.

im digging that 73 yamadog

No smoke, no poke.

3:46 is actually an RD400 F as it has a rear disc brake. The RD400 E had a rear drum brake.

RD 400 E, this was the last of a genartion of the rd 400.. next was rd 350 LC Liquid cooled

Period bikes and authentic rain

Is that Yamaha 350 (the first bike) oil in petrol or does it have a separate oil tank?

I know somebody who bought one of the 1977 triumph Bonny 750 jubilee versions as an investment they were about £1000 as I remember. He did not ride it. I wonder what happened to it? Warren

Where's part 2?

Smokey and they banned it 😪

The widow maker is awesome

these are all the reason the driving licence was changed so quickly . grave yards filled up so fast in the 70s . the 250 range for learners was stupid. Bikes that ran faster than sports cars on l plates .

R5 is 72 model, at latest. RD250 is a C/76 model.

have a suzuki gs 1100 1980 silver with blue stripes 19,000 miles 👍🏼😅

Was this a Lichfield event ?

What , no Z1 or Z1b , owned one for 26 years , should have never sold it 🙈

as soon as a cool and rare bike shows up you get 5 sec then off to some mundane every day stuff

Gibt es eigentlich in Grossbritanien keine TÜV ?

I have a vintage collection. I can fix any part, but I have no refinishing skills peace

It's a good video but you can tell it was made in the UK, and not only because of the Saltire in the introduction. RAIN... :-(

suzuki gs 1000 wow

Not a single kwack triple!

Hi are you still into 70s motorcycles if yes I have two Kawasaki z650 projects for sale

Nice bikes, but where's the suzuki 250 X7? and the KH250 triple

Where's the Kawasaki H2 750 ?! :)

It's not the X files

What no KZ650/750's??? Seriously...

Disappointed! All these classic Japanese strokers and not one Kawasaki triple?? I had a KH400 for a while. That thing went like stink but the hairy assed H2 750 had to be the baddest bike in town. My mate had one and I took it for a spin one day. One of the scariest rides of my life. I wound the throttle on from low revs and it was like a switch, one moment it's purring along, next moment there's a howling and WHACK! The front end is blocking my view of main street and I'm fighting to get it back under control. I had ridden quite a few two strokes before so I though I knew what to expect but I don't know how I managed to stay on board that day. That thing was seriously dangerous. Anyway, nice video Chris. Shame the totally shit music is so at odds with the images.

no H2 really?

My first dirt bike was a Bultaco Lobito 100. My first street bike was a Suzuki GT380. I have owned more than 50 bikes since age 16, and every single one of them has been carbureted with no abs or computer. They have all been reliable. Some were more fun to ride than others. Current technology is complete and absolute GARBAGE. You might as well play a video game than ride a modern "motorcycle" It would probably be more realistic. I prefer '60s British bikes, '70s Japanese bikes, and Harleys all the way up to the end of the EVO engine. I also like Ironhead Sportsters, and Royal Enfields through 2008. I much prefer character and soul over outright speed and performance. I almost bought a new 1979 Yamaha RD400 Daytona Special, but wound up buying a 1979 XS650 instead. It was my first new bike.

no benelli 750 six

Yamaha = Garbage