TEMPTATION

Ride yourself a piece of 1971. From £2500.

£9995

’71 Triumph Bonnie

» We’ve never been scared of a strong opinion on Bike (it’s even cost us money when brands have pulled advertising over negative tests), and it goes right back to early issues where the established British bikes were slated in comparison to new Japanese imports. This didn’t mean we hated Brit metal, though. Far from it – in summer 1971 we said the Triumph Bonneville T120R was the best Bonnie yet; a bike that, ‘makes no compromise in performance, reliability or quality’. This mint restored matchingnumbers bike is at Eddy’s Moto (01937 834999).

£14,995

’71 Honda CB750

» Everything that you’ve ever read about the impact made on motorcycling by the CB750 is true. Even the bits we’ve made up. With a whooshing, smooth, powerful and reliable inline four, disc brakes and electric start, it’s no wonder that ‘the most sophisticated bike ever’ coined the term superbike. For sale at Timeless Classics (02895 900527), this 750 is a one-owner bike with 22,000 miles on its freshly serviced motor, restored chassis and – most importantly – it’s in the best colour. Is anything more 1970s than Candy Gold?

£13,950

’71 Kawasaki H1

» There’s no bike that screams 1970s like a brightly-coloured, zinging, smoking, sweetsmelling Kawasaki triple. Fast, exciting but notoriously flighty, the air-cooled two-strokes had a reputation that lasts even today, and it’s the H1 Mach III 500 that’s the most iconic. This example of the 60bhp stroker is at Bikeiconics (07815 040101). An unrestored 12,000-mile example sold for the Italian market, it’s described as being in ‘fantastic’ mechanical condition. Perfect for pretending you’re Dave Simmonds winning ’71 Spanish GP on his H1R.

£9695

’71 Triton 650

» ‘Chopper fever’ was gripping East London when Bike slipped onto the newsstand, but the UK already had a strong custom scene in the shape of stripped-back, head-down, go-faster café racers. And this Triton at We Sell Classic Bikes (07932 577377) is a boy racer’s dream, with a pre-unit Triumph T120 Bonneville twin housed in a 1959 wideline Norton featherbed frame, with twin-leading-shoe brake, Roadholder forks, flanged rims and polished tank. They don’t get much more authentic either – it was first registered as a Triton in 1971.

£2500

’71 BSA Ariel III

» ‘Here it is. Whatever it is.’ Full marks to BSA for being brave with the adverts for the Ariel III, which went on to say, ‘It’s not a bike. It’s not a car. But it’s fun.’ And they weren’t wrong. Though BSA wildly over estimated public demand for the leaning three-wheeled device and it was one of the final nails in the firm’s battered coffin, the 49cc twostroke has certain merits (Honda later bought the design and use it successfully to this day). And it’s certainly a hoot. Buy this one from Chris Hall Motorcycles (01302 430488) and laugh your head off every morning on the run to work.

£4995

’71 BSA B50MX

» Launched the same year as Bike, the MX version of BSA’S thudding 499cc B50 single was purely for muck. With a slimmer fuel tank, simplified electrics (no battery, let alone lights) and weighing 109kg, it was a pure competition bike. And while it didn’t find the race success of its road sibling, the bike formed the basis of puddle-jumpers that kickstarted CCM after BSA folded. This one is in the US at Flashback Enterprises, needs a few small bits, but they’ll ship it here for free. Perfect if you have a large garden and want to aggravate the neighbours.

£9995 ’69 Norton Fastback

» Yes, yes, I know. This is a 1969 bike. But it matters not, for several reasons. First, while the Commando was devised as a stopgap model it became the defining large British twin of the early 70s. Second, there was a Commando in the Big Test that featured in our first issue. And third, and most importantly, the Fastback version is among the best-looking British bikes ever. This 29,000-mile example is at Craigs Honda, has only had three owners, and is in fine unrestored condition with plenty of history. Anyone lend me £10k, interest free?

£4995 ’71 Suzuki T500

» Think 1970s stroker, think screaming power, unstable handling, hideous fuel consumption. Unless it’s a Suzuki. Though its super-reliable 493cc two-stroke parallel-twin motor powered many successful racers, the T500 was a smooth, civilised and surprisingly frugal roadster pitched as a tourer, rather than a headbanger – Suzuki promoted the later T500-II Titan as ‘the most usable torque of any 500’. Fresh in from Canada, this one at Classic Bike Imports (01905 947505) has done 23,000 miles and has its NOVA certificate ready for registering here in Blighty.