Triumphrat

Alan G

Sorry if this has been asked before, but just having got back into the motor cycle scene i have been out of touch for a while. Having spent the last how ever many years wanting to ride again but just never finding a bike that made me want to ride, TBH the new super bikes of today scare the crap out of me, but having seen a speedy i was prepared to risk a divorce for one.
Anyway i was just wondering which was the first manufacturer to start the whole retro bike fad? Hats off to them as it seems to be getting many more people back into the saddle. Was it Triumph that started the whole ball rolling?

geolpilot

Harley never stopped being retro.

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2005 Bonnie, Sleepers and Unifilter, AI gone, restrictor gone, Modre's peg kit, headlight & brake modulator, tach, NC wind deflector, gaiters, steibel, vmax mirrors, Hagons & Progressives, PIAA. http://TexasCoastGeology.com

cafecruzin

there is a difference between retro and antiquated

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Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat..
Alex Levine
Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny of religion is the worst.
"Thomas Paine"

Alan G

True geolpilot, the only problem here in good old SA is there is a real stigma around the HD. Firstly they are really expensive bikes here because of the 35% import duties, so have become a real status symbol. So much so and this is hear say from HD riders, the dealers are not even interested in the machine if it is older than 5yrs.
The main reason i would never ride a HD here is because of the status symbol stigma and the price, you can always spot the HD riders at a gathering as they have the .5 million buck 4x4's parked outside the gates with bike trailers attached. Really don't know what its like else where around the world?

ohiorider

I'm not going there!

Bob

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03 T100 Lucifer Org and Silv: 122/42 jets, TORs, 18T, UNI filter, no AI, Polaris bellmouth, Metz 880 tires, Prog. 440 shocks (105/150 springs), 11-1124 fork springs, Thrux fork caps, gaiters, MotoTwin low bars, 6024 lamp, htd grips, 12v outlet.

HumpedZebra

Haven’t the Japanese always had some smaller retro style twins especially in the European markets? I guess it’s like geo says, they never stopped.

Alan G., certainly we can’t classify all Harley riders as being the same; after all they are all individuals. That being said, I have noticed a certain quality when there is a collective of hog riders assembled.

In the early 90s helmets were optional in California and laws were being proposed to make them mandatory. My wife and I attended a helmet rally at a HD dealer. There was a huge banner that stated LET THOSE WHO RIDE DECIDE. Although we were pro-decision, the fact that we showed up wearing helmets was met with much profanity and derision. When I pointed to the banner it only seemed to raise their ire. I’m pretty sure they didn’t understand the irony of it all so we just rode off (before they burned our helmets)

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Me and my Speedmaster
http://panasonichelp.com/Triumph%20129.JPG
Oh, no, not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment....

ohiorider

Forgetting the W650, the Japanese have built Euro style bikes for years. I only wish they'd brought the little 250cc Kawasaki Estrella into the USA. I'd have to have one of those, especially one with the separate pillion saddle, in the garage, for those short trips to the post office, out to dinner, etc. There's a bunch of photos on this site, of everything from stock Estrellas, to highly modified ones.

http://www.kawasaki-estrella.com/htm...versionen.html

Bob

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03 T100 Lucifer Org and Silv: 122/42 jets, TORs, 18T, UNI filter, no AI, Polaris bellmouth, Metz 880 tires, Prog. 440 shocks (105/150 springs), 11-1124 fork springs, Thrux fork caps, gaiters, MotoTwin low bars, 6024 lamp, htd grips, 12v outlet.

CAPTDON

How true Cafe! Sans the V-Rod. Porsche did a nice job on that engine. It will be HD's future soon!!~

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CAPT D

imafunkyman

I agree with Ohio. Love those Estrellas.

mecscc

Don't turn this into a Harley bashing thread, guys. Stick to the topic.

Monte

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Monte

"The Old Ohio Preacher Man"