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Post by wotavidone on Sept 26, 2007 19:12:21 GMT -5
Wellll, I sort of sympathise with your point of view RD, and you certainly are entitled to hold that opinion.
But it wasn't all just wannabees. It was actually a case of a small British company attempting to revive the British bike industry, and sourcing their engines from Japan. At least they had a go. And built a British bike that didn't have any oil leaks, real ignitions, etc.
There is another mob giving it a go now. It was in VMX magazine. Some guys looking to revive the CCM brand, using DR400 suzuki engines to build a retro street scrambler. Looks tuff as.
Anything that keeps the scene alive must be good, I guess.
Mick
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Post by future on Sept 26, 2007 21:43:58 GMT -5
I got it from Deus - Are you going to be at the Mean Fiddler this Saturday? It's replaced my "Playboy - Redheads" book as my preferred toilet read. Depends. I have a stuffed rear shock on the MuZ. So badly stuffed that it wont rebound back up for several minutes. then it rasies itself really slowly. I am picking up a spare shock from a mate tonight and getting it fitted Saturday morning. If all goes will fitting this replacement shock I should be at the Fiddler. |
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Post by future on Sept 26, 2007 21:51:42 GMT -5
Maybe it's just me but I find the whole SR trying to be an old brit bike thing a bit of a wank and unoriginal, there are some amazing bikes out there which show heaps of thought without buying into the whole "500 single so it must look british" thing. Sorry if I upset anyone but just my two bobs worth. Cheers Rich I would like to see the use of Brit names on modern bike stopped. Whats wrong with having Yamaha on the tank of say the AJS 7R replica as shown above. It's not an AJS its a YAMAHA. People get away with this trade mark breach because the compaines of old are no longer around to sue. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if I put Honda badges on a BMW I would be in trouble. ;D |
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Post by wotavidone on Sept 26, 2007 22:57:07 GMT -5
Yes,
That would be a very interesting thing to know, who actually owns the name? I guess if you legitimately own the old name, then there is nothing stopping you buying your engines from whomever you wish and slapping the name you own on the tank, because a motorcycle is more than the engine. e.g. Sachs roadster has a suzi engine I believe.
Its kind of a circular debate, since Yamaha advertising of the day unashamedly promoted the SR as a step back in time to the good ole days of the long lazy kick.
The question would be who owns the name? For instance, it reputedly took millions in court costs to decide who, if anyone, was entitled to use the Indian motorcycles name.
I just reckon anyone who wants to take the best or most desirable bits of each and marry them together can be good for the industry, providing they haven't stolen the name they are using.
When is a British bike not a British bike, I guess?
Remember the 70's, when thousands of American motorcyclists were aghast to discover that the AMF harleys had metric threads on the forks? Because AMF got the forks from Japan. To me it was still an American motorcycle, to thousands of Americans, it was sacrilege.
The whole Cafe Racer thing is as British as you can get, but it doesn't stop thousands of individual owners of Japanese bikes spending heaps of money and time trying to cafe their bikes.
Live and let live, its all beautiful.
Its like music, with lots of people covering other peoples songs. Is it sacrilege, or is it the greatest compliment you can pay the original performer? I myself have personally forgiven Limp Bizket for covering The Who's Behind Blue Eyes. Man it took a big search through the video collection to prove to the kids that it was a remake.
Gotta stop now, getting far too philosophical.
Mick
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Post by Bize on Sept 27, 2007 5:04:13 GMT -5
Well my bikes are always going to have "YAMAHA" on the tank  |
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Post by davedunsboro on Sept 27, 2007 7:44:18 GMT -5
Same my kids couldn't believe I knew the words to that song so well the week it came out . There is actually lots of motorcycle manufacturers using other manufacturers parts . My laverda has Marelli EFI ,Brembos , Marchesini rims ,Pagenilli shocks so thats Ducati gear or should I say what they use . Buell ,Hyosong Aprilla they are all into it I think its a survival thing !Cheers Dave.
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Post by miker on Sept 27, 2007 9:05:35 GMT -5
My SR looks British enough that people have asked me if its an old Norton, despite the "Yamaha" on the tank and engine. No way I'd put another name on it, but I'm not going to hassle someone else for doing so - his bliss, not mine.
Now, how about the local here who put a Honda 750 engine, complete with chain drive, in a Moto Guzzi? And had a "Guzzi" alternator cover made up for the side of engine? That was kind of cool. Absolutely looked like it came from the factory like that.
miker
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Post by G Man on Sept 27, 2007 9:22:38 GMT -5
Now, how about the local here who put a Honda 750 engine, complete with chain drive, in a Moto Guzzi? And had a "Guzzi" alternator cover made up for the side of engine? That was kind of cool. Absolutely looked like it came from the factory like that. miker You wouldn't happen to have a pic of that would you Mike? Wouldn't mind seeing that one. G Man |
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Post by marlon on Sept 27, 2007 10:45:52 GMT -5
I don't know about the names thing... BSA could be in the public domain at least? Initially it was a government company, so I'm not sure if the name was every copywrighted in the first place but... I dunno. Interesting thought. Either way, it'd only be a problem if you were doing it privately.
I was keeping quiet on it, but I think the renaming of SR's is a bit funny. Not offensive, but I get a giggle out of it. Personally the SR is superier anyway. That being said, mine's going to be devoid of all markings when i get around to it.
Wait till i stick up a ducat single replica. It's priceless.
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Post by milkman on Sept 27, 2007 12:55:51 GMT -5
I agree with RD on the "why pretend" thing.
You end up with a slightly ridiculous situation like with beer.
In Australia, Carlton Breweries buys the right to produce the Heineken or Becks recepie, mixs it up and sells it at a premium as an imported beer
But are you really getting the same beer? Do you care?
You could make a similar beer, but it wouldn't have the brand name, so you couldn't charge the premium. Then you get the trouble of each differnt country making their slightly different version of it.
No point pretending in my opinion.
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Post by colinjay on Sept 27, 2007 18:14:16 GMT -5
Marlon,
Several years ago I was at the Superbikes at Philip Island, on my orange cafe race. Now I have filed and polished the YAMAHA off of the engine cases and the only place Yamaha appears on it is on the compliance plate.
Anyway, this guy came up to me and said the old "You don't see may of these around now days ..." and went on about how he had a 450 Ducati for a while. He appears really pissed off when I told him that the bike was in fact a Yamaha, and basically stormed of in a huff as if I had lead him on, yet it was him that came up too me and started talking about the bike. Obviously his memory was fading, as it might be bright orange with a 1/2 race fairing with an upswept Conti pipe and a seat moulded from a 900SS seat, but too me it doesn't look anything like any Ducati single that I have seen, if anything I took my styling cues from the Ducati 750S and Laverda 750 SFC.
CJ
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Post by christer on Sept 28, 2007 3:48:23 GMT -5
CJ Off topic, but your bike sounds nice. Could you send me a picture, so I can post it on my web site? cfolke@online.no Christer home.online.no/~cfolke |
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Post by miker on Sept 28, 2007 9:38:57 GMT -5
G-man... sorry, just saw the Honzzi at a local hangout one night a coupleyears back, no pix. It was quite a piece of work!
Re: BSA name, how about on an old SR resurrected by Boy Scounts?
miker
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Post by fenz on Sept 28, 2007 18:38:48 GMT -5
Being a bike nut all my life i dont really care whats printed on the cases or whos parts are in it.
If there is a bit of a story behind the manufacture of the machine and its appealing to the eye it will suck me in straight away.
Any bike thats been modded in anyway shows individuality and gets a big thumbs up from me....
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Post by sjef on Sept 29, 2007 3:21:27 GMT -5
Hallo,
i wonder if my sr engine where only the crankcase and some small parts like the clutchlever/rockers are original, still is worth the yamaha brand? ;D ;D
sjef
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