THE OLD GEEZER’S VIEW: RICK’S SUMMARY
Tom Garner was brought up with old bikes through his mum and dad, but he tells me that while biking mates his own age have a passing interest and appreciation of his old bikes, they wouldn’t be prepared to pay current prices. He says: “When you can pick up a ‘streetfighter’ Honda CBR900RR for £500 – and it can live outside all year round and still start on the button – why spend ten times that on a bike that demands regular maintenance and fettling, however ‘cool’ it is?”
Good point. But maybe that’s nothing new. In my teens, I was drawn to British bikes because they represented motorcycling from the wrong side of town – dirty finger nails and greasy denims. But in reality they were the outlaw choice because they were cheap; then, as the prices went up, ape-hangered Triumphs were sold to collectors and replaced by mattblacked Suzuki fours...
Maybe the positive here is that Tom’s friends appreciate his bikes. In my youth, ‘Jap crap’ and ‘Brit sh...’ (well, you know) didn’t mix. There’s a much greater appreciation of old bikes among people of all ages now than there has been for a very long time, but cost is a very major problem. If somebody’s spent a lot of money rebuilding a bike, it’s only fair for him to ask a high sale price. The same goes for quality, newly-made parts – but what about secondhand parts and basket cases? Here I feel prices have been exaggerated outrageously by internet auctions.
When I was young, I didn’t expect to be able to afford a restored bike – but I could go out and pick up a project at a realistic price and build something for myself. That option is much harder for young guys now – who, let’s face it, have time on their side.
Tom’s busy with his Velo project and Maria’s happy with her Bantam. William’s saving his cash and I’ve suggested he comes with me to the Stafford show in October and we’ll see what we can find. Events like the West Kent Run are a great leveller where people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds can get together to make friends, swap stories and offer advice. The social background to motorcycling is what keeps it vibrant and I was very pleased to find that in a world of social media, young people are still perfectly capable of chewing the fat around a camp fire in the old-fashioned way.