For a fraction of a second I had a 'WTF is that **** on about' moment, then realised you were refering to the CB400F, not the 2-stroke RD400F that doesn't have a camchain or tensioner. -- Lozzo Versys 650 Inter-Continental Hyperbolistic Missile , CBR600F-W racebike in the making, TS250C, RD400F (somewhere) BMW E46 318iSE (it's a car, not one of those 2-wheeled pieces of shite they churn out)
CBR600FW race/trackbike ;-) -- Lozzo Versys 650 Inter-Continental Hyperbolistic Missile , CBR600F-W racebike in the making, TS250C, RD400F (somewhere) BMW E46 318iSE (it's a car, not one of those 2-wheeled pieces of shite they churn out)
Oi, the bathful of Swarfega fetish was my idea - I'm going to start charging a fucking royalty every time someone mentions it as their own. -- Lozzo Versys 650 Inter-Continental Hyperbolistic Missile , CBR600F-W racebike in the making, TS250C, RD400F (somewhere) BMW E46 318iSE (it's a car, not one of those 2-wheeled pieces of shite they churn out)
Heh! now come on sir, "Good Looking" Senile old git, if you don't mind Now where did I put those bloody glasses. I'm still sure I rode a CB400/4 at some time in my yoof, no idea what flavour it was but it was bloo. I'm sure I had the opinion that it was small and underpowered. Nah could be wrong though maybe it was the Raleigh run-about???? I did have the misfortune to try out a friends (he was a boun..., no sorry doorman at Charlie Chans, Walthamstow at the time) CBX when they were all the trend. Big wobbly old beast of a thing. RC30 I know nowt about. I do however have a hankering for a new-ish Wing or Pan. Shame they're Honda though.
I see 400/4s are seen as classic but they are definitely on the "meh" pile for me. They leave me quite cold - but, er, meh.
Why? Funnily enough - I had a similar conversation for an (old) S type just a few days ago. Except when he said £24, I said "How much! I can get an OE Lucas one for £18". However, it also dawned on me I couldn't get one on a Sunday and I had a dead Jag outside the house and his price (after he'd knocked it down) was the same if I took into account postage..
I quite liked the Top Gear definition for 'Future Classics' from around 2003: Must be at least 2 of the following: 1. Beautiful 2. Interesting 3. Rare
Might have been. I've no idea what they cost in 1977. I do know for certain that they were around £350 with VAT from Dave Silver only three or four years ago: there's been a lot of price inflation since then as some components have got scarcer.
Ah! It makes sense, now. Sort of. ITYF that point 3 supersedes the others, mind. Once there's only a handful left, anything can become a desirable classic.
A bike or car could be on a really limited production run, and thus be very rare, but I wouldn't think of it as a "classic" until no more were definitely being made. A bit like an artist's work only becoming valuable once they've popped their clogs.
Because if I was going to spunk the sort of money an E-Type costs, I wouldn't want one that had been kept alive using the cheapest no-name components money could buy. It implies they've skimped in more important areas like oil & filters, & maintenance in general.
I really don't think that's true. The output may be the same, but the quality of construction & longevity isn't.
It's pretty simple really. For some insurance companies, show organisers & magazines, a classic is a bike that's over n years old, regardless of how good/shit it was. For everyone else, it's personal opinion.
