What is Vintage to some is different to others. Just a Funny Story

[Luke Lloyd]

Well we all know what VMX is and vintage bikes are, but i think many of you will get a laugh out of this anyway. I have only just got into the land of VMX, but have been talking it over with my Old Boy ( Father ) for a couple of years and finally just bit the bullet and purchased a very nice Honda 1984 CR250.

Well it came home on the back of the ute, pulled into the shed to unload it, and to my surprise the old boys comes over and says i thought you were buying a vintage bike, this bloody thing is almost new, it looks like the one you were just racing ( a modern bike ).

You see in my eyes, this is the childhood bike that i looked at and always wanted, but in his eyes he was expecting a tin tank and twin shocks.  Its just funny how we all perceive things differently.

[Freakshow]

nice one.   Althought He's right though your bike is a post classic.

[Luke Lloyd]

i know, i was just generalising, just interesting to see how perceptions change through the generations

[Colin Jay]

i know, i was just generalising, just interesting to see how perceptions change through the generations

I know were you are coming from. at 53 years old, I am one of the younger members of the local historic/vintage car / motorcycle (and machinery). I have had some falling outs with some of the older members and now do not attend the monthly club meetings, although I still help out with the local swap meet and attend various club runs.

The falling out was due to one member complaining about the amount of "Modern Rubish" that was now being allowed on the club register and was now domination at swap meetings. Up until a few years ago, only vehicle or machinery made prior to 31 Dec 1969 were allowed on the club register. Due to changes in eligibility for historic registration, the club was forced by the Federation to allow vehicles made post 1969 onto the register. I argued strongly in favor of the change, were as the majority of the membership were opposed, even though there wasn't really a chioce. I argued that it is a matter of relevance, he owns model T Fords and some other cars from the 1920's and these vehicles are relevent to him (and a lot of the other older members of the club). However, as nice as it would be to have a bike of two from the pre WWII era, there are not really relevant to me or a lot of other people in my age bracket.

I own a 1964 Honda S600 Roadster and several 1960's Honda motorcycles, which were on the register, but the majority of my collection of bikes are from the 1970's and were always excluded on the grounds of not being old (enough) and worst still for being mostly Japanese rubbiish. All of these 1970's bikes are relevant to me as they are what I grew up with, either riding or lusting after.

The one think I still can't get across to some of the older members of the club is that the future of the club really rests with them acepting and welcoming those who own cars and bikes from what they see as modern times, i.e. the 60's, 70' and now the 80's. The majority of the current members are in aged in their 60's 70's and 80's and virtually ever addition of the club magazine has an obituary or two as the old guard members are pasing away. If they don't accept those like myself and those younger than me who like the old stuff but find the real passion for bikes and cars from the later eras, then the club is doomed to die along with the current membership.

CJ

[paco]

A while ago after owning and restoring 1950s model A.J.S' I bought myself a 1984 650 B.M.W to ride the 75 ks.to work.I thought it was as modern as tommorrow Electric starter,no kick start,disc brakes etc.One night I was getting dressed for the ride home when a couple of young fellows walked past and one commented,"its good to see these old bikes still being used".When I thought about it;the bike was 20 odd years old about the same age as the pommy bikes when I had them.p

[Luke Lloyd]

i think its good for anyone to share a passion, well I'm looking at moving my 84 CR250 (and i haven't even got it out to a single race meet yet) on and getting a pair of ( Older ) tin tank and twin shock hondas, namely a 78/79 CR250 and a 76/77 CR125, we will turn it into a bit of a project together.

There is a 30 age difference between me and the Old Boy so i can see where he is coming from, and at the end of the day if we were all the same life would be so boring

[David Lahey]

Heres another funny/nice story on the subject.
In the 1970s my Dad got back into motorbikes after a gap while there were young kids. He restored some bikes quite well on the cheap, for a bit of fun, and so my sister and I would have something to learn to ride on (1937 16H Norton outfit, 1950s Tiger Cub, Manet scooter and a CZ road bike). What he did rubbed off on me and so my first resto as a young teenager was a 1960s Yamaha road bike (an 80cc G1F-D).
Anyway the funny bit happened when he bought his first ever new Japanese bike in 1974 - a Yamaha AG100. It was not quite new, because Annand and Thompson had a fleet of them for rider training they were selling off. They were unmarked and the tyres looked new so they couldn't have been used much - and he bought one. My Dad was so much in awe of the quality of his Yamaha after growing up riding all sorts of pommy stuff, that despite all the protectors those ag bikes had, he felt he had to make extra protectors so this bike would retain its amazing finish and reliability for many many years. The ignition switch was treated to a snap-lock plastic bag sealed onto the switch case so that no water could get into the lock mechanism, and he made vinyl covers for the shockies to stop mud getting anywhere near the shafts and seals. Every time it got wet or muddy the whole bike was cleaned and treated to another coating of some sort of sticky protective stuff he liked using. He continued to be in awe of the quality of Japanese bikes (and cars) for the rest of his life. His last new bike was an early 1980s SR250 road bike, which he enjoyed immensely. He also continued to enjoy owning the Norton, but as a visual reminder of his youth rather than as something he enjoyed riding.

[VMX247]

Because our family is involved in MX and VMX,its always funny to hear the mx kids say to us ..We had a vintage bike riding at practice here yesterday....Now this can range from a 1980 model right throught to a 2005 model..The one in question was real old 2006    
and we ourselves class VMX as pre65/pre75. 
cheers

[David Lahey]

A while ago after owning and restoring 1950s model A.J.S' I bought myself a 1984 650 B.M.W to ride the 75 ks.to work.I thought it was as modern as tommorrow Electric starter,no kick start,disc brakes etc.One night I was getting dressed for the ride home when a couple of young fellows walked past and one commented,"its good to see these old bikes still being used".When I thought about it;the bike was 20 odd years old about the same age as the pommy bikes when I had them.p

I get that at (modern) Trials sometimes too. People will say "wow you ride that old thing so well - you should save up and get a modern bike"
What can you say to that?
Another time I was riding my (very original) TY250A at a school fund-raiser trail ride and it was the only old bike there. A hippy-looking chick came over and wanted to get a photo of her little son on my "really cool retro-looking bike". All I could say was "of course" and "its not retro, it really is an old bike".

[Luke Lloyd]

hey there feetupfun, our old boys sound very similar, my father to got back into riding when i was a kid, he restored a yamaha mx80 for my first bike, fully rebuilt the top and bottom ends the whole bike got looked at.(he is an automotive engineer by trade) and did the same to an old kawasaki for himself, only problem was i was 4yrs and at the time, i could stand on the kick starter and it would go down. hahaha.  he had to start it for me and catch me when i wanted to stop, its all these memories that make this sport so good.

[David Lahey]

hey there feetupfun, our old boys sound very similar, my father to got back into riding when i was a kid, he restored a yamaha mx80 for my first bike, fully rebuilt the top and bottom ends the whole bike got looked at.(he is an automotive engineer by trade) and did the same to an old kawasaki for himself, only problem was i was 4yrs and at the time, i could stand on the kick starter and it would go down. hahaha.  he had to start it for me and catch me when i wanted to stop, its all these memories that make this sport so good.

My sister was riding a motorbike for the first time on the beach at Straddie and was riding around slowly on the hard sand just fine but had had enough for a while. She asked Dad"how do I stop?" he said" just use the foot brake and pull the clutch in" well she did exactly that, came to rest smoothly and the bike then fell over sideways when it stopped. She cried a bit as she was getting up and said "you never told me I had to put my foot down!"

[David Lahey]

With my own kids I had seen so many videos on funniest home videos of kids just nailing the throttle and holding it on till they hit something, that I tied a rope on the peewee and ran behind until they had the throttle thing under control. Next stage was just running with them. "just running" thats a laugh it nearly killed me running that far at our place (it is very hilly)
next (in 2007) we got an electric kids trials bike (an OSET) and of course it makes no noise. Theres a technology wizard (Drew) in my club does an annual DVD. He took my footage of (tiny) Darcy on the OSET on his first ever ride and very professionally dubs in the sound of a Harley, even matching the throttle hand movements with the harley being gunned a bit.
Within a few months of this Darcy was scaring the hell out of me racing the peewee up our driveway full noise for about 20 seconds and then zooming through the spaces between the big gum trees at the end of the driveway. Its amazing how fast an 18 kg kid can go on a peewee

[Luke Lloyd]

Well we are half way the on the plan for 2 twin shockers, the 84 departed today and was replaced by a 79 restored CR250 Elsinore, very tidy, so much so, it probably shouldn't be raced.  it is a credit to the previous owner.  i will post some pics shortly

[chrisdespo]

It does make you wonder , when you think what floats your boat maybe and someone says it shouldn't be classed as old as its only 20 years old or so i can remember people saying the same thing back in the seventies stuff like these modern bikes are all rubbish and wont last like our oldies early trumpies and velos and stuff all around 20 years old at the time and now the same guys say that our bikes should not be eligable and most of these modern bikes are older than thiers were back in the day.... Just snobbery really and i always figure that these manufacturers are still alive and kicking unlike a lot of other companies.
Just a thought

[crash n bern]

A young customer that came into work commented on my 'old retro ipod'.