Hi Bill!
I actually saw those bikes when I was @ the Honda Museum a few years ago. As you say..they're awesome pieces of engineering.
I think we tend to forget that those bikes are over 40 years old nowadays! And this @ a time when most of us here..were still riding Triumphs, Nortons, Ariels..thinking they were the best in bike engineering (well..maybe Vincent too..but most of us couldn't afford those)...most of the guys I hung with thought so @ least.
I think those old racing Honda's STILL represent a high level of engineering. Guess that's one of the reasons why in my old(er) age..I still have a soft spot for Honda's. Maybe not for what else is now available..but for the lead that Honda showed to most others in terms of engineering and development.
Thanks for posting that.
Al / Ichi
Ichi,
I couldn't have said it better myself. As a young teenager,
I remember having those
same feelings about the Brit bikes
And some others as well.
Then, the Hondas started arriving, adding to my amazement, at the development of motorcycles (with overhead cams, higher rpms, electric starters, gauges that more often now included a tachometer, front brakes that actuated the front
AND rear shoes, etc), along with the
Racing bikes that were starting to be "multi-cylinder!
Yeah, I too, was AWESTRUCK and I guess I still am!
I remember hearing (and reading) that Honda's 250 6cylinder had "the most incredible sound ever to come out of a motorcycle" ( I think that's how it was worded, pretty close anyway) and they were talking about the one that Mike Hailwood was riding!
Yeah, I may like some of the Yamahas, Suzukis, Kawasakis (like the GPZ I have) and some others, but I'll ALWAYS have the respect for Honda (as a Mainstay)!
And that's not to say that I've forgotten about the "Oldies like Indian and such", MY feeling for them, goes without saying.
Thank you for posting Ichi, you made me bring up the OLD feeling about back then and that was cool (I go ALMOST as far back as you do.
)
Take care, Bill