Author Topic: Decade with the most motorcycle technology advancements (Read 3302 times)

grumburg · « **on:** September 30, 2009, 07:09:08 AM »

What decade produced the most advancements?

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2009, 10:50:15 AM »

Hard to say. Depends on how you look at it. I would have to say it was the 90s though.

myhondas · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2009, 11:01:27 AM »

And I think you would need to qualify what tech advancements you are thinking of. Electronical would be the current decade. I would have to say it is pretty close on the 90's and 00's for the hardware advances. 1969 & the 70's would be the most dramatic change in motorcycles. HIGH.... reving, speed, reliability, # cylinders, and Disc Brakes set the cycle world to a whole new level. British & American mfg's had to rethink their whole lineup or go under.

bucky katt · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2009, 11:04:59 AM »

the 30's saw the first overhead valve motorcycles. big advancement from the old side valve bikes.

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2009, 12:16:13 PM »

Exactly, it all depends on how you look at it.

754 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2009, 08:31:45 AM »

Some of what was mentioned is singular advances..
There has ben a huge amount, in the last 2 decades..
here is a few;

Carbon fibre wheels

Light rotors from composites or other exotic materials

Factory big bore kits with warranty

Three wheeler street bikes & trike conversions at dealer level

Throttle by wire..fuel injection

Greater amount of engine variants and configurations

Adventure touring bikes

Greater range of factory options

Radial brakes.. suspension improvments.. outboard rotors

Cleaner burn engines..variable power valves

Diesel bikes..electric bikes

There is far more than that, hust a few things off the top of my head.

bucky katt · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2009, 11:17:50 AM »

doesnt it seem like there were pretty big advances in just about every decade? harley did their first 4 cam bike in the 50's, we got the cb750 in the 60's too.

honda750k · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2009, 12:25:10 PM »

Its too hard to really say. The 90's were a HUGE revolution in terms of power/displacement ratios, with the intoduction of retardedly high revving small bore and high output bikes.

The 2000's introduced some cool stuff like EFI as a standard thing, radial brakes, stuff like that.

The 70's were just plain revolutionary because the Japs straight up redefined motorcycles as a whole, and set the bar with dependable 4 cylinder bikes with disc brakes standard, and very well engineered motors.

The 80's aside from introduction of fully faired purpose built sportbikes, really to me wasnt that much to write about.

grumburg · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:09:19 PM »

Quote from: bucky katt on October 01, 2009, 11:17:50 AM

doesnt it seem like there were pretty big advances in just about every decade? harley did their first 4 cam bike in the 50's, we got the cb750 in the 60's too.

Harley 4 cam was 1928. Indian 8 valve was 1912.

grumburg · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2009, 02:29:02 PM »

Honda 4 was 1969. Henderson 4 was 1912. Suzuki water cooled 2 cycle was 1972. Scott Flying Squirrel was 1926. The first "4 cylinder superbike wars" was in the 1920s..

demon78 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 02, 2009, 10:50:54 AM »

I'd say around WW2 things like the 2 stroke revolution started there and things like AJ Porcupine were being built a lot of A/C technology was filtering into bikes, more so than cars, original thinking and work was being done then, and that eventually translated in to "Super Bikes".
Bill the demon.

tramp · « **Reply #11 on:** October 02, 2009, 01:13:31 PM »

i'd say the early 20's
you started with a motorized bike and came out with a motorcycle

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #12 on:** October 02, 2009, 01:19:24 PM »

Quote

The 80's aside from introduction of fully faired purpose built sportbikes, really to me wasnt that much to write about.

Did you forget the v65 bikes? Still able to hang with most bikes out there.

myhondas · « **Reply #13 on:** October 02, 2009, 02:22:06 PM »

Quote from: Inigo Montoya on October 02, 2009, 01:19:24 PM

Quote
The 80's aside from introduction of fully faired purpose built sportbikes, really to me wasnt that much to write about.

Did you forget the v65 bikes? Still able to hang with most bikes out there.

1st & 2nd gen magnas weren't that bad other than the top end oiling problems.

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #14 on:** October 02, 2009, 02:27:55 PM »

All the magnas were pretty good, very reliable. The magna could even hang with the first gen Valks. The sabres were also very good. The top end oiling issues were also ironed out by 86. Still one hell of an engine that made a lot of hp.

myhondas · « **Reply #15 on:** October 02, 2009, 02:35:16 PM »

3rd gen can still hang in there with the valkyrie. My 96 deluxe can run side by side with my buddies.

bucky katt · « **Reply #16 on:** October 02, 2009, 03:12:54 PM »

who here remembers the television commercials for these bikes? it went something like "this 650 eats 750's for lunch" then again i remember television ads for triumph cars as well, have i just dated myself?

754 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2009, 08:35:56 PM »

I am not sure why some of you takea single advancement & figure it defined a decade of change.
ie the 4 cam HD.. did everyone jump on that and used it? or anyone? was it that big a deal?

or the V65? id everyone strive to copy it/?did it out do a 750 Kaw turbo in Hp or performance?

Take for example Honda coming out with first production disc brake in 69.. now ..that was embraced and used by nearly everyone within 3 years.. now that definitly moved things ahead
.
but singular achievments that did not see widespread used did not make a huge defining difference.. they are milestones but where are they at now?

bucky katt · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2009, 09:43:03 PM »

i never said that the 4 cam harley (k model in 54 and sportster starting in 57) just said that it was something that hadnt been done before and for the time it was pretty hi tech stuff.

754 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2009, 09:54:54 PM »

K came out in 52

but as was brought up before the 4 cam same out in 29 (they said 28).. the first 2 ? years they called it a 3 cylinder!.. anyone remember why?

The 36 OHV was a big deal.. in America, was a pretty good performer, compared to the others.. I know a guy that has one.. along with a wealth of knowledge about early bikes.. I think the 36 is the newest bike he owns..

bucky katt · « **Reply #20 on:** October 02, 2009, 10:05:27 PM »

i just love the look and sound of a knucklehead HD. nothing else quite like it.

grumburg · « **Reply #21 on:** October 03, 2009, 08:43:44 AM »

Quote from: 754 on October 02, 2009, 08:35:56 PM

I am not sure why some of you takea single advancement & figure it defined a decade of change.
ie the 4 cam HD.. did everyone jump on that and used it? or anyone? was it that big a deal?

or the V65? id everyone strive to copy it/?did it out do a 750 Kaw turbo in Hp or performance?

Take for example Honda coming out with first production disc brake in 69.. now ..that was embraced and used by nearly everyone within 3 years.. now that definitly moved things ahead
.
but singular achievments that did not see widespread used did not make a huge defining difference.. they are milestones but where are they at now?

Kind of like the Turbo craze of the early 1980's?

myhondas · « **Reply #22 on:** October 03, 2009, 09:04:23 AM »

I'd have to agree with 754...unless the advancement set the motorcycle world on end and everyone jumped on the bandwagon to copy it or fall by the wayside, it was just a milestone along the way. The front disc brake and smooth reliable four cylinder in 69 was one of those major advancements. Electronics would be the next major advancement.

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Author Topic: Decade with the most motorcycle technology advancements (Read 3302 times)