Big Ross

Interesting comments. Sheeny, the riding position on many "sports" bikes simply makes it impossible for me to ride them further than the end of the driveway (and it's a very short driveway!). Alex, you make the comparison "like going from a Mondeo to a Porsche" but the published performance figures don't support this sort of thing. They suggest that it would be like going from a Porsche to a newer Porsche. Since all track bikes are greatly modified from standard, it's very difficult to get a really objective answer here. I'll repeat my question in a different form: Are today's bikes really different to those of say, ten years ago in performance and handling?

I'd like some feedback here. The newest bike I've ever ridden was my 1993 FJ1200. The oldest bike I've ever seriously ridden was a 1938 AJS. I spent years on a model 18-and showed some much more powerful bikes the way around!!! Had a Z1 Kwakka for a while. Ducati 750. Gold Wing. Lots of bikes. Even a James 197cc two stroke! I've just been looking at the comments on the new R1. My question is this: If I got on one of them, how much difference would I actually feel (as compared to say my current XJ900)? Would I be blown away by the performance? Handling? What? I was impressed by the FJ1200 but didn't feel it was a whole world ahead of my older bikes. I'm not stirring here. I'm an old guy, lots of money, just wondering how it would be if I bought something up-to-date.

OK, it's a motor stop button. I am 60 years old. I have had a motorcycle since I was 17. I have NEVER used such a stop button. Has anybody else here ever found it to be handy? Wait! The above is a lie!! I had a James Cadet with a cut out. Once the throttle cable snapped, I wedged the throttle wide open, and rode it home (through quite heavy traffic) by "bleeping" the ignition. Anyway, apart from that, has anyone ever used one of these buttons?

So true Boozehound. As I've always said, "I've never been to bed with an ugly woman....but by God I've woken up next to a few!"

Thank you lads, for your care and sympathy. It is now midday of the next day and, if the coffee cuts in soon, I am just about to cook one of those typical "day after" breakfasts that are mostly bacon, eggs, and grease. I am also continually reminding myself, "There's no pillion seat on the MT-01."

Are you telling me that if I was 19 the XJ900 would out-accelerate a 1700cc bifurcated prime mover?

Tonight I went to the football, and saw my team get knocked out of the finals. (They were terrible!!!). On my way home, a Yamaha XV 1700 pulled up alongside me at the lights. They changed, and he just sailed into the distance, despite the fact that I was accelerating so hard my front wheel was only just skipping along the ground. (And his exhaust note was utterly gorgeous!) I haven't heard from my lady friend for three days. Is it any wonder that at this moment I am the drunkest person ever to post on this forum? I take comfort that there is another bottle of Scotch in the cupboard. Does anyone blame me?

Alex, how on Earth could you drink Beer Chang? It is rat's piss! You can feel the hangover starting after the first sip. When in that part of the world, I drink Beerlao, the best of all drinks! Incidentally, I am prepared to argue that the worst beer in the whole world is Al Chark from Syria, rather closely followed by those "heavy" beers from India, then Dien Bien Beer from Vietnam (which is a pity because it is cheap and has a great label!). Any other candidates for world's worst?

That is VERY funny!

The one true thing written by "EddieIrish" was "I lost my anus in Hong Kong". Doctors tried to give him a transplant , but the donor arsehole rejected him.

We should be more charitable to Eddy Irish, who ".....lost his sanity at Ning Tong." Despite Eddy's references to "gooks", which would make him seem to be a Vietnam veteran, Ning Tong is in China. Now no US POWs have been held in China since 1951. Assuming Eddy was 20 at the time of his surrender, he has now reached the age of 74, and has, by his own admission, been mad for 54 of those years. No wonder his tally of imaginary "gook kills" varies. It probably does so in direct correlation to his medication intake. So let's cut the pathetic old lunatic some slack.

I swear this is true. Last year, a couple living in Sydney christened their son "Drew Peacock".

I knew there had to be an upside to being 60! And it's this: See a bike. Buy it. I saw the XJ on Saturday, bought it Sunday, and picked it up Monday. Oddly enough, I never tried to discourage my three sons from motorcycling, but now (aged 30, 32 and 34) not one has ever owned a motorbike. I wonder if it's a cyclical thing (pun intended). My dad was dead against bikes, and my mother thought it was proof that all the family's insanity genes had come to rest in me. Perhaps if I ever get any grandkids they'll be real little Agostinis!

What's this with "old school XTs"? My XT is "old school" - 1978 in fact. Please don't be too critical of the cleanliness or the droopy fork gaiter. It was my ride to work bike for years, until this popped up:

This is a list of Rajdoot links: http://www.bikeszone.com/old-public_html/links0.html

A visit to the LC site at http://www.yamaha-rd.com will answer all your questions about tuning or modifications.

I agree Boozehound. I can't see how he finds time to ride the bike AND keep the garden so tidy! Nice bike!

When I was a kid (damned long time ago-44 years!) my mate and I raced a kart with a Victa lawnmower engine in it. 125cc and 3.5bhp when standard. We got it up to 17bhp at the back wheels (Of course, it was hideously unreliable, but it taught me a great deal). Driving the thing was a hoot too! Then I got into Villiers engined motorbikes. The development potential there was even higher, and they tended to hold together just a little longer. It seems too easy now. I hop on the RD or the XJ900 and there's all the speed I want. Are today's kids missing something? I think so!

If you're really worried about security, move to Adelaide in South Australia (my home town). Earlier this year, we had a spell of beautiful weather, so I rode the bike every day for two weeks. Eventually, I wanted to go shopping (Now bear in mind that I live in the heart of the city-the alleged "high crime" area) and began searching for the car keys. Couldn't find them. They were in the door of the car! I had left a quite nice Mercedes Benz parked on the street for 14 days with the keys in the door! Either I'm lucky or we have some unbelievably lazy thieves around here!

I was just about to congratulate the makers on producing the world's ugliest Yamaha two stroke, until I put my thumb over the headlights and whatever that thing in the middle is. Then I decided that this bike looked great. What is this sudden obsession with headlights that look like mutant Venusian insects? I don't know how well they work, but they are beyond doubt the nastiest-looking thing ever to be attached to a motorbike.

My local dealer has one in the window. I try to add a bit of class to the proceedings by standing outside and drooling for hours at a time. What a superb looking machine - and what a great concept!!

I woke up this morning (always a bonus at my time of life), got the paper off the porch, made coffee, and sat down for a read. Turned to the classifieds, then went out and bought a 1985 XJ900! I wasn't planning anything beyond another cup of coffee! I only have two excuses: 1. I have never seen an old bike in such perfect condition. and 2. It's my 60th birthday soon. Oh, OK, and 3. I was bored.

Thanks Motomech The reply actually said something like "all models since the early '70s...." I don't think that's much help for 1971! Go to their webpage and open "support". There is a general series of FAQs there about fuel, and a help line if your questionisn't answered there. Worth a try.

If anybody is interested, I just got the "official" answer from Yamaha Australia. They say 92-3 octane standard unleaded is fine. I still might invest in some of that Castrol Valvemaster.

I have to agree with Y'head. I had an FJ1200 and loved it, never a moment's trouble mechanically, but Holy Dooley, that was one fast motorcycle! I shudder at the idea of a comparative novice riding one. And, predictable as it was, it nearly cost me my right arm! (The doctors were serious about amputation! Morons!) There's a reason why we limit learners to smaller bikes, and the FJ is one of them!