30th Aniversary.

Tomorrow I will have had my bike a CB750 K2 for 30 years, I brought her as a
birthday present for myself and paid $1600 including panniers and a years
rego. I plan to celebrate this occasion with a replacement seat, new set of
steering head bearings and a new chain and sprocket set. We had a 6 year
hiatus in our relationship while I recovered from a back problem but I ran
the engine and changed the oil 2 or 3 time each year and all seems to be OK.
I no longer ride "Libby" every day but I do manage 100-200 klm per week. She
is somewhat like grandpa's axe the only part that I haven't replaced is the
frame, but I have welded it a few times. The original engine was rebuilt
once and performed well and then I broke a chain while trying to show off
and the chain ate the crankcase, the replacement engine from a wreckers was
rebuilt prior to fitting, this was then refreshed after about 80k with a
big-bore kit and new bearings, this is probably due to be repeated shortly.
Have thought about buying a new bike now and then but the old girl suits me
and I haven't wore her out yet so we just keep on going.



Dain CB 750

 

good story dude.. Most people would have wet dreams of an R1 lasting
that long!

So, roughly how many klms you done all up on it in all weather?

 

Why ? What makes you think an R1 can't last 30 years or more ? You saw
the clip I posted of the guy who did an around the world run on an R1 ?

I don't think it'll be the bikes fault that the majority don't make it
to 30 years,it'll be owners wadding them I suspect. Parts should be
easily available for a fair while though

JL
(owner of a 15 year bike always considered far more unlikely to last
very long)

 

About 250K, I replaced a speedo early on and I have just clocked the
replacement for the second time. Those K's were in all and any weather, I
don't like the wet as the grip is reduced and I need all the breaks I can
get, but if you have good wet gear then rain is not too bad, snow, hail and
fog are much worse and I don't like riding in those conditions, fortunately
I haven't had too for a long time.

Dain CB 750

 

Good stuff, not as many kms as I though you would have!

 

Mine was a 1972.

Boxer

 

Happy birthday!

--
Cheers
Dave (Mojo67)
FZR600 >> ZX6R >> ZX9R Brisbane
http://users.bigpond.net.au/mojo67/mojo67.htm
I used to never be able to finish anything but now I

 

No I got it in 1975 brand new for that price, they were selling the K2
discount as the new model F2? was coming out. I decided to get the older
model because I was very happy with the first one I had, a 1971 vintage. I
traded a trumpy for the first one, what a revelation, as I left Parramatta
heading to Liverpool I had to keep checking the tacho at the lights to see
if the engine was still running. I still think the Turner twins are the best
looking bikes around (its my age and upbringing) but I know that the ones I
had wouldn't take what I handed out to the Hondas, although Libby has had a
relatively easy life the first one got thrashed unmercifully.
In money terms I needed about 15 weeks gross, and given my current income I
could buy a $15K bike with that much work. As for a CBR1000RR I doubt I have
the wits to keep ahead of one, and I know that I would give in to temptation
and wring its neck and most likely end up a statistic, another old fart who
thought he still had his 20yo reactions and eyes.

Dain CB 750/4

 

The one and only high-speed tankslapper I've ever had in my 120-odd
thousand km was on a Kawasaki W650 60's bevel-drive parallel
twin-throwback thing... it was a loaner they gave me while my R1 was in
for a service.

 

Looking at that in slightly different terms, how do you reckon your 30
year ago purchase price compares to someone in the same piece of the
workforce as you were 30 years ago? I'd hazard a guess that todays 20
year olds aren't going to get much of a flash bike for 15 weeks gross
wages...

big

 

that all depends on what the 20 year old is doing

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 10 May 2005 13:00:40 +1000

Long time ago, a mate of mine bought a Vincent, new.

It cost him 450 pounds, which was a year's wages for the bank teller he
was then.

What does a bank teller with 2-3 years in the job make now? What would
a year's wages for one buy? Would it be enough to buy the Vincent
equivalent, which I guess is either a 999 or maybe an MV?

Hmm, wagenet.com.au implies somewhere in the 28k/yr range. Which will
just about buy you an MV F4 I think, which is probably the Vincent
Rapide equivalent.

Zebee

 

Well, obviously... But lets go on averages... The ABS tells me that in
2000-2001 the average wage in NSW was $37k[1]. It also says the average
annual increase over the last 5 years was 4.5%, so lets call the current
_average_ wage 42k (3 years growth at 4.5%). That makes 15 weeks worth
of _average_ wages come to about $12k.

What can you get for $12K? You're about $3-4k short of the japanese 600
suoersports range, and a few more grand short of their litrebikes...
You'd get maybe a 600 "standard" like an FZ1 or a ZZR600 or an SV650 or
a GSX750F, a mid-sized japanese cruiser (you're still a grand or so
short of the cheapest Harley 883 Sportster).

And thats based on _average_ wages, I'm guessing _most_ 20 year olds are
earning well below that average...

big


[1]www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/[email protected]/0/a80a8ac902b8cc82ca256e00007e620e

 

Iain Chalmers wrote:
<SNIP>

In 1985 I was taking home about $160 a week, a brand new run out model
GSX1100ESD was $3999. A new XJ900 current model was $3999. Those were
more like 25 weeks wages. I was looking at those but struggling for
quite that much $ at the time.

18 weeks would have bought a GSX750ESD (new but last years model) or a
demo model Kawasaki GT750 (which I bought) or an assortment of current
550's.

15 weeks would have bought only superseded 550's or second hand bikes.

18 weeks worth will buy you a modern 600 though, and 25 weeks worth will
buy you an assortment of modern big bikes.

Seems to me things are about the same now as they were just before the
AU $ was floated (which was when the prices I mentioned are from).

When the bikes were _really_ expensive was for several years after the
float.

In the space of 12 months almost every bike bike became 50% more
expensive, things have drifted generally downwards since then...


G-S

 

Depends whose figures you choose to use.

If you look at the median wages of full time employees in Australia then
that increase _is_ close to 5 fold.

G-S

 

Does this make you the wrongest person in ausmoto?

 

With the exception of Street Cred and Pulling Power (the ladies Clem).

Boxer (longs for the days of the 750/4 and being 30 years younger)

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 10 May 2005 21:27:23 GMT

Would a 750/4 have more Street Cred and Pulling Power now than a GS500?

Street Cred yes, providing they are both in as new condition.

Dunno about Pulling Power, not being someone who is Pulled by other
people's motorcycles.


Zebee

 

Except the most important measure, poser value.

Theo

 

Not even Guzzis?

Theo