I do not ride on the street or highways anymore. Too many old people like me that have no awareness. I prefer to rip and break things in the dirt!
Regardless, here are my top-5 motorcycles.
#5 Harley Davidson FXSTC Softail Custom
A softail (shortened form of soft tail) motorcycle intentionally looks like vintage motorcycles with a rigid hard-tail frame that has a triangle of steel tubes at the rear axle, as on a bicycle frame, but on a Softail these tubes are actually a triangular swingarm, with the shock absorber(s) hidden, as opposed to clearly visible regular twin shocks on both sides of the rear wheel on standard bikes.
Since the introduction of the Harley-Davidson FXST Softail in 1983 as a registered trademark of the Motor Company, softail has become a genericized trademark for other models of cruiser motorcycles with rear suspensions hidden for retro style reasons. This was done even though the rear wheel was often hidden behind bags or exhaust pipes.
The bike is powered by a 1584 cc, Air-cooled, Twin Cam 96B engine that produces 87.90 ft. lbs. of torque at 2750 rpm. Unfortunately, the engine by itself is not able to produce enough torque suitable for long motorcycle rides . This is the reason why H-D paired that with a six-speed transmission.
This bike has a hidden rear suspension which is the most appealing feature of the Softail Custom ever since it was first launched. Overall, this bike has not gone out of style as it has been enhanced in variety and quality of paint which can be seen with smooth flowing lines on its Fat Bob fuel tank. Softail Custom is designed with a tufted king/queen seat that has chrome buttons and flows up an integrated one-piece passenger backrest. It is much more comfortable for both the companion and rider. This bike is garnished with a new low-profile front fender that hugs the 21-inch laced front wheel and tire.
The bike has a stunning look with its ape-hanger handlebar on the custom riser and the Fat Bob fuel tank with embossed leather tank strap and triple laid custom graphics. Its 200 mm rear tire and Bobtail fender add some bulk on the rear end, while the magnificent chrome details on the powertrain and oil tank create an enviable contrast with the black powder-coating engine.
#4 Triumph Bonneville T140V 750
The 650 cc capacity production T120 Bonneville was replaced in the early 1970s by the T140 Bonneville, the same basic machine but with a 750 cc engine. Refined from the later 'oil in frame' version of the T120, the first few T140s, designated T140V, featured a larger-capacity engine of 724 cc, a five-speed gearbox and indicators, but still retaining drum brakes and kick-start. Shortly after, the engine was further bored out to 744 cc and front disc brakes were fitted (using single discs until 1982). While originally intended for 'export only', the 750 Bonneville twin caused so much interest among visitors to the 1973 motorcycle shows, that Triumph decided to put the bike on the home market at the price of 679 UK pounds. In 1975, along with engine modifications, the gearchange lever was moved from right to left to comply with new regulations mandated for the American market and a rear disc brake fitted. Several T140 models followed, featuring various modifications and refinements including electric starting from 1980 until production ceased with the closure of the Meriden works in 1983.
#3 Kawasaki H2 Mach IV 750
The H2 750 was introduced in 1971, the culmination of Kawasaki's two-stroke project. Kawasaki said of the bike, "It's so quick it demands the razor-sharp reactions of an experienced rider."
Its engine displacement of 748 cc (45.6 cu in) produced 55 kW (74 hp) at 6,800 rpm. The engine was entirely new and not a bored-out 500. With larger displacement as well as less aggressive porting and ignition timing, the H2 750 had a wider power band than the 500 H1, though Brown said it was still "barely more practical" than the smaller predecessor, because Kawasaki had "done little" to address chassis problems, and so the bike was still prone to speed wobble. The 14 bhp (10 kW) gain over the 500 H1 put the H2's output well ahead of its close rivals, the air-cooled four-stroke Honda CB750 and the liquid-cooled two-stroke Suzuki GT750.
#2 Yamaha RD 350 café racer
The Yamaha RD350 remains one of the sweetest, most well-balanced two-strokes of the 1970s — and one of motorcycling’s great giant-killers, both on the track and the street.
“Yamaha 350 racers have been beating bikes with engines twice as big, and the street counterparts have gotten better and faster just as steadily.” –Road Test, 1976
The RD350 is a two-stroke motorcycle produced by Yamaha from 1973 to 1975. It evolved directly from the piston port (pre-reed valve intake tract), front drum-braked, five-speed Yamaha 350 cc "R5".
The engine is an air-cooled, parallel twin, six-speed (in some markets, such as the UK, the first model was sold in five-speed form), reed valve-equipped intake tract two-stroke engine. The bike is usually referred to as a sport bike.
All models were equipped with "Autolube" automatic oil injection, relieving the user from the need to mix gasoline and two-stroke oil.
Rim sizes are 18" WM2 (1.85") front and 18" WM3 (2.15") rear, both being of chromed, wire spoked steel construction. In the UK, rim sizes were 1.60 front and 1.85 rear.
Brakes are: single front disc brake and a rear drum brake, a combination described by Cycle Magazine as the best in its class.
The frame dimensions of the street 350 are very similar to the Yamaha TZ 250 and TZ 350 series factory road race bikes, differing mainly in weight and front fork rake – the RD being ~27 degrees and the TZ being ~25 degrees. The frames appear similar, side by side, with the street frame adorned with many brackets for the street equipment. The weight difference is substantial though, with the street-going RD frame weighing almost twice as much as the "TZ" roadrace race frame.
The stock bike made 39 bhp (29 kW) (32 bhp (24 kW) at the back wheel) at 7500 rpm[1] – very fast for the time.
#1 Norton Commando
Claimed power: 56hp (1972 Combat 65hp) @ 6,500rpm
Top speed: 116mph
Engine: 745cc air-cooled OHV twin, 73mm x 89mm bore and stroke, 8:1 compression (Combat 10:1)
Weight: (dry) 398lb
Fuel capacity/MPG: 3.2gal steel tank (2.6gal fiberglass tank)/45-50mpg
Price then/now: $1,479 (1970)/$4,000-$13,000
The 750 Roadster enjoyed a production run longer than any other variety of Norton’s Seventies superbike, with production running from March 1970 to October 1973. It’s also the most commonly found variety — though easy interchangeability also means that many Roadsters became Interstates, Fastbacks and other models. The Commando was introduced in April 1968. Styling was eccentric, featuring a swooping fiberglass gas tank, wraparound dual seat (orange on early bikes) and “boat-tail” rear bodywork.
Within a year, two offspring, the Models R and S had joined the Fastback (as it was now called).
The more conservative R model continued the Fastback’s exposed oil tank and low-level Atlas-type mufflers, but with a new shaped gas tank and more conventional dual seat. The S was the wild child, with buckets of chrome, high exhaust pipes on the left side with chrome heat shields and “peashooter” mufflers. These begat the Roadster, which was essentially the S model fitted with a low-level exhaust and upswept peashooters.
These numerous styling options highlighted the versatility of the Commando’s architecture.
From the beginning, all Commandos were built using the same flexible drivetrain mounting system, separating the engine from the frame to subdue its hammering vibration. Detail adjustments aside, any Commando could become any other variant by changing the seat, gas tank and side panels. So a Fastback could become an Interstate with the right bits. Relatively small run models like the Street Scrambler and Hi-Rider were thus easily accommodated on the production line.
So like all other Commando models, the Roadster featured the time-served 750cc OHV Atlas air-cooled parallel twin with its built-up crankshaft, ball and roller main bearings and single camshaft driven by chain and gears. A triplex primary chain drove the separate AMC 4-speed gearbox through a diaphragm spring clutch. The complete drive train was mounted to the frame with Isolastic rubber “bungs” inside steel bushings. Lateral movement was contained by shims between the bushings and the frame. So the drivetrain could move in two dimensions (up-down and back-front) but not side-to-side. With the shims properly set, the Commando was remarkably free of engine vibration at speed without compromising handling.