I’ve reached the age where I see bikes sold as ‘vintage’ and remember riding them when they were the new model.
As an aside, it cracks me up when a bike’s advertised as ‘rare vintage’.
Because I remember the new bike I know the reason they’re rare is that they weren’t much chop and no one bought them. Why would anyone buy them 30 years later?
Anyhoo, I came to motorcycling in the 1970s. I’d ridden the odd minibike here and there as a kid, but it wasn’t until the ’70s I really discovered a passion which has lasted the rest of my life. At the time trials was promoted as a popular family pursuit, racers rode two-strokes, and I daydreamed about the American chopper scene and trailriding. I watched Harley thrive on the dream of freedom on a V-twin, and I saw scrambles become motocross. Trials faded away and trail-riding on 250cc four-strokes became a huge, huge weekend scene in Australia.