AN OWNERS SPEAKS
I had a big crash on one of these. They did wheelies if you had a pillion. The clutch was binary, the gears had more neutrals than you could trust and the front brake could grab when damp and cold. They were great tourers and you could throw them around… but they could also throw you off.
I bought the 1973 toaster as a teenager around 1981. It was my first proper modern grown-up bike and it seemed quite heavy and high up compared to my old British bangers. The battery was tired and I never forked out for a new one, so starting was always with the foot. That meant using the centrestand when cold and kicking sideways as the starter lever operated at ninety degrees to most bikes. If the bike stalled in traffic I became quite adept at jumping off, kicking and remounting; there was a chrome-plated grab-handle for this.
The motor was very strong and pulled well across the rev range with big engine vibes and a very steady low tickover. The clutch was really sensitive and had very little in between being engaged or disengaged. It was either on or off, so U-turns could throw the rider into the weeds if you got it badly wrong. Another worry was the front drum brake which could snatch violently at low speeds when cold and damp. A notable feature must be the short wheelbase which made accidental wheelies likely when a pillion made the back end heavy. These traits could make a pilot very nervous.
Torque reaction was strong when revving at standstill. When pulling away, facing uphill, the toaster would first lift up the back end, putting me on tiptoe, before forward motion began – which always reminded me of a hovercraft. Tyre pressures were very important as the steering was very sensitive and over-hard tyres would making steering in slow traffic very difficult.
The toaster could be ridden quite hard and, as a teenager, there was plenty of that… but respect was required. The fourspeed gearbox was a bit clunky and had false neutrals especially when changing down in a hurry, and cylinders sticking out the side meant care was needed with cornering lines. Steering was not that fast and corners were best set up in advance. These machines were not for reckless fools.
Suspension was quite soft and the riding position was sit-up with a slight lean forward. Touring was the toaster’s forte, it was comfortable and would tour all day, every day with the engine purring without stressing the rider. They needed very little maintenance attention and you could expect total reliability.