| Author | Message | ||
     Jaimec |
I started riding in 1982. I realize that is a lot later than most everyone here but that was probably the pinnacle of the "UJM" days. I miss those bikes. "UJM" was a derogatory term back then but the fact is, those were WONDERFUL "platform" motorcycles. You could walk into a shop and buy a decent motorcycle at a terrific price. Install some rearsets and clubman bars and go weekend racing with your buddies from cafe to cafe. If that wasn't your style, you could buy a stepped seat and a set of buckhorn bars and go cruising from hangout to hangout with your friends. If you were REALLY into riding you installed a Vetter fairing and a set of Krauser bags and a cross country trip with your significant other was like a walk in the park. The aftermarket was booming back then. You could take any motorcycle and make it anything you wanted it to be with little more than backyard mechanic skills and a weekend. Shortly afterward, the bikes started getting more and more specialized. No need to build your own sportbike, you could just buy it. Same thing with cruisers and tourers. Slowly but surely the aftermarket dried up. Nowadays about the only aftermarket accessory you can buy for ANY model of motorcycle is a loud pipe. One of the things I like about my XB12Ss is that it reminds me of those standard bikes I grew up with. I just wish there were more accessories available for it. Specifically, a set of locking hard bags that bolt right on, instead of requiring me to learn how to use an arc welder and a metal saw... Oh well. Just daydreaming here. Right now the bike is NEARLY perfect in every way but I sure do miss "the good ol' days!" | ||
| Tramp |
EXCELLENT recountings... I remember purchasing buckhorns and cobra seats from JC Whitney for my Triumphs and BSAs. | ||
| Jaimec |
Yeah, I bought my share of "stuff" from the J.C. Whitney catalog too.  | ||
| Road_thing |
CB900F, baby--UJM all the way!  circa 1982 rt | ||
| Jramsey |
Back in '74 as a HS senior I had a RD350 with J-R expansion chambers,filtrons,and homemade rear sets and drag bars..........and learned what the term "road rash" really meant. But what a wheelie machine it was. | ||
| Jaimec |
1982 Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca with Vetter Rooster fairing. I put 30,000 miles on that bike before I sold it to a buddy to buy my first BMW (a 1985 K100).  | ||
| 86129squids |
Great thread- IMHO there were many more different designs, less homogenization for styles. Kinda like the trend in video games over the years- I miss the heyday of Atari and all the different creative games. I had posted to a different thread on this, but has anyone lately seen a good condition Suzuki DS80? It was THE perfect bike to begin riding like a hooligan, donuts all day long, short and fast! The last few years of production saw them turned out pretty trick, then the EPA cracked down hard on 2-strokes. I've got an idea... | ||
| Djkaplan |
The Seca was a personal favorite of mine back then. Never did like those swirly wheels Yamaha was so fond of, though. My UJM from that period was a 1979 CB650 Honda. Great bike... but don't miss it a bit. I never thought about it... but M2s are the American UJM's of their era. Heh... UAM. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Bought a new fresh out of box 85 Nighthawk 750S in 1986. It was the bike that got me kicked out of the house. It was my first big street bike (been riding since I was five) The parents were adamant about "not as long as you live under our roof will you get a 'sport' bike" Pulled into the driveway, packed a back pack and left. Three years later it got stolen from the university parking. Every time I see one, I always check the VIN. Lord help the @$$hole that is riding my old UJM Blue Bullet. 20 years later, I still miss that bike. Currently recreating the Rebel 450 choppa that it replaced. pics as those come to pass. And always on the look out for another 750s or the diamond in the rough of UJM's the 89 GB500 | ||
| Miamiuly |
I remember in 85 my friend picked up a honda interceptor 500 with a freddie spencer arai helmet, (seperate)key activated car alarm and maybe a lock for $3500. At least that is what he told me he paid. I rode dirt bikes then and once he dented the tank, I was allowed to trade him my car for the day. Older friend had the nighthawk 750s (red stripe) and we would play around some. He taught me the old throw the stick in the air and go when it hits ths ground trick. Bad influence but fun and it didn't stick. (No pun intended, seriously, but thought I'd just leave it alone.) (Message edited by miamiuly on July 02, 2008) | ||
| Nevrenuf |
my first road bike was a 1976 cb550 that i bought when i was stationed in charleston. got hit on it a few months later. after it got fixed and had it at my limited duty station in phily i went and had 8" over forks, ape hangers, kingqueen seat, 4into2 turnout pipes and a real 16 inch harley rim that i thought was the coolest part. the weird thing was that it changed the geometry so much that you could wheelie the thing just by giving it a quick blip on the throttle. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I pay a dollar to see a picture of you on that. | ||
| Oldog |
My first road bike was a '79 GS 1000 E 1" rise cafee bars, barend mirror, kerker pipe, K&N filter and a few other tweeks, saw it a few months back still ran dilapidated and mangled but still ran with just over 53k on the clock I sold it with ~ 51.5K I covered a lot of ground on it and truth be known If I had the assking price to wiz away it would be a restoration project for me a pic of it on the BRP hangs in my living room. | ||
| Etennuly |
My first road bike was a used '74 CB750, what a turd. Handled poorly, brakes sucked,seat cover fell apart, pipes rusted in to pieces in two years, pipes cost more than the bike was worth in two years. Bought a new '79 CB750F, Sales guy(whom I rode dirt bikes with) said that you won't drag the pipes on this one! Back for 500 mile service in a week, pipes and pegs all ground down to an angle under there, sales guy was amazed. I loved the look of that bike, spent more time cleaning than riding. Had it five years. It was worse than a Buell for cold starting an fouling plugs. A guy three miles down the road had one in very good looking condition for sale last year. It ran, but needed the carbs done, and some one had the head off and messed things up, so no sale. Looked so sweet though. | ||
| Jaimec |
My first bike was actually an '82 Yamaha XJ550RJ SECA in bright red with black and white stripes. The helmet I'm wearing in the photo above was actually purchased for use on that bike. Four months after I bought it I was on my way to a friend's house for a Labor Day BBQ when a neighbor pulled out of his driveway directly across my path. I swerved to avoid him, but he continued straight across the road and instead of T-boning him I broadsided him and he dragged me around the corner. The bike was twisted up like a pretzel but I got away unhurt (ATGATT even then). It was actually $100 cheaper to buy the brand new XJ650RJ than to repair the XJ550RJ so you can guess what I ended up doing. I still miss that 550 though. Peakiest powerband I've EVER experienced (never had a two stroke). Mild mannered under 6,000 rpm, but when it came on cam it felt like you were hit from behind by a truck. The 650 was faster, but because it didn't have that "spike" it didn't feel as fast. | ||
| Reepicheep |
My first bike was an 89 Yamaha Radian (FZR-600 engine in a standard frame with a sportster looking tank). Great bike, kinda, except for the brakes, suspension, seat, tires, and controls.  | ||
| Etennuly |
A good friend of mine had a new '81 or'82 750 SECA. He was fifty lbs lighter than me, but he could not beat my 750F because that damn shaft drive wouldn't allow that thing to come off the line at all. Instead of a squat, it would raise the back end up making it worse than a hard tail. We would go to the Wattsburg Pa 1/4 mile drag strip a couple of times a year. He launched out through the grass and over the return lane then back on the strip, trying to beat me. He almost got me when I stood mine straight up in an out of control wheelie. It came down when first gear ran out and I was able to recover to catch him at half track. It was a good time on machines that were worthless compared to the Buells of today, for function, rideability, and all of that good stuff that we demand now. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
Damn guys....not to make anyone feel old, but I was still in diapers in the early 80's.  | ||
| Nevrenuf |
just think about all the things you missed out on jesse | ||
| Guell |
my dad had a 81-82 kawasaki gpz1100. He said that thing was scary fast. | ||
| Bikerjim99 |
Had a 1968 Suzuki T500, fastest bike in town after mods [Daytona cylinders,chambers, gearing, carbs.] Until the Kawasaki 500 Mach III came out! | ||
| Firebolt32 |
Most the people I hang out with are much older than me. They tell me 70's and 80's stories all the time. Sounds like they were a blast. | ||
| Cowboy |
Damn you guys make feel old I grew up when every mans dream was a Black shadow,I would guess very few riders now have ever seen one.I wish I had got one and put up. sold for about $700.00 to $900.00 then, now one in good condiction is priceless. Damn hind sight is perfect. | ||
| Jaimec |
I think the GPz1100 was one of the first ever fuel injected motorcycles. It and the Suzuki GS1100E were constantly playing one-upmanship at the drag strip. I still think the '83-'84 GS1100E is one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made. Both it and the XJ650RJ SECA pictured above had the biggest headlight ever installed on a motorcycle. I used a 55w-100w halogen bulb in mine. Night riding was NEVER a problem. | ||
| Danger_dave |
http://homepage.mac.com/david_cohen_design/.Pictur es/misc2/pedigree.jpg | ||
| Bikerjim99 |
Hey Cowboy, I about gave away my Triumph Trident T160. Just look and see what they are worth now. | ||
| U4euh |
The early 80's model 'Katana' 1100 was, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful from that era. My 1st street machine was also an 82 XJ750 Seca. If you put weight/straps on the rear the it had more torque! Set of drag bars, a lil ole fairing from JC Whitney, a homemade slip on exhaust, that was an awesome bike! If I could only find the pictue of me doing a burn out on it. | ||
| Cowboy |
jim99 I know the feeling I wish I had my old Norton dominator back. But is just water under the bridge. | ||
| Jettdawg |
Jaimec: my 1st bike was also an XJ550 SECA (a white with red '81)... it's been off the road for about 10 years, but I still have it It's now Ford Lapis blue mettallic. Got plenty of stuff through JC Whitney for it: MAC exhaust, stepped seat, lower bars, etc. Gotta love those UJM's | ||
| Cityxslicker |
There was Mtv that actually played Videos Rachel Hunter before she was a Mom Bad 80s sitcoms w/o political correctness and Miami Vice crime drama Rubics Cube/ Atari / Coleco / Cassettes (!) The Fiero, GNX, Mustang SVO, Corvette C1 Neon colors, boat shoes, 2 day stubble and an old Army Air Corps jacket that was everywhere. And of course, The mohawk Ah the 80's  |
