[John Hopkins]

I don't agree that the list shows the 50 greatest motorcycles of ALL time..

We wouldn't have ever heard of most of those motorcycles if it hadn't been for the cheap ex military motorcycles that came on the market after WW2, the bikes that the hard up working man could afford to ride every day to work and back, the one's that we rode through the wind and rain to our factory jobs, names like Harley, BSA, Ariel, Matchless, Villiers, BMW. To list the best bike of all time as a bike that only produced 10 machines and probably used them all on the track takes the edge off the spirit of motorcycling.

Back in the day the motorcycle was a different beast entirely, hard to start, square edged tires, easy to break down and easy to fix beside the road, and the men that rode them were tougher and wore old ex forces bomber jackets to keep some of the worst weather off and protect them when they fell off. which they frequently did, because the roads and the tires were so different.

Would I like to go back to those days or even ride the old bikes that I used to.. Never in a million years, give me a comfortable cruiser, with an electric starter that I can ride a thousand miles in a day, stopping only for fuel and coffee..

John.

 

[John Hopkins]

Ok, I'll start with the BSA A10 Golden Flash 650cc twin .. Not a fast bike, not a great looker, I paid £25 (about $40) for mine, it broke down many times and I could always fix it myself. It took me to work and back each day whatever the weather and leaked oil every time I parked it.. Not the best bike I have ever owned but I probably had more fun on it than many others.. It was the first bike I fell asleep while riding.. Not the last.

John.