OT: Dying breed? -- Let's hope not!

[JCHubbard]

I saw this video, and it made me smile...It made me think about why we love these ol' bikes so much...Let's hope we can pass this vintage pride on and keep it going for many years to come...God willing, I know I'm going to try to do my best to keep it going.  

Hope y'all enjoy the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdNEJAFfFLA&feature=youtu.be

PS -- I feel the way he does every time I walk into my garage too!

JC Hubbard
2008 KTM 250 XC
1991 Suzuki DR 350
1982 KTM 250 GS
1980 Maico 450 GS
1979 Maico 250 GS
1978 Maico 400 GS
1978 KTM 400 GS/MC5
1977 Maico 400 GS/WR
1977 Penton 250 GS6
1972 Ossa Pioneer 250
1968 Maico 360 MC

[Mick Milakovic]

Great video, JC, thanks for the link.  One thing I disagree with, however, is the blanket statement that our youth today don't care.  I'll bet parents of the 50's and 60's were saying the same thing about youth of THAT day!  Being a teacher puts me in contact with 130 students every day in class, and 1,000 in our school.  There are those that care, and those that don't.  I know many that love motorcycles, and at the tender age of 17 have an UNBELIEVABLE comprehension and love of the sport.   Now, if you want to talk about the degeneration of morals and ethics, that's another matter.  Thanks again, I wish I had the ability of that guy!

Mick

[454MRW]

My son also loves motorycycles and the sport, but unfortunately does not care about any of the vintage motorcycles, with the exception of some respect for Pentons, otherwise only the newest and most high tech Honda's and a little KTM. He's like a horse running with blinders on. I hope someday he will gain a broader perspective. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R

[Kip Kern]

My son too is a Vintage Motorcycle nut.  He wears old MC Tee shirts all the time out in Hollywood and truely loves the Beatles, Zep and the Doors. Poor kid never knew anything else!  If you raise them correctly, they will appreciate the finer things in life.  Why both my son and daughter even know how to service their own vehicles! Unheard of these days;)

[rd400pi]

Interesting topic, for sure!  Once people find out I'm into the vintage thing, I have this talk with them all the time.  I describe how we used to terrorize the local college campus with our cast-iron Schwinn Typhoons (before there were cool beach cruiser bikes).  We would do cross-ups off of the huge stone staircases and land with a huge thud while sliding sideways, skidding rubber off of the tires in a full lock rear wheel slide.  Once we could actually afford a dirtbike, it was heaven.  There was always a vacant lot or woods around to ride in and we wouldn't come home until dark or you could hear mom's cowbell or yell...I do however, try and put myself into the shoes of the youth today, my kids.  The world of today has so many things we couldn't have imagined.  Computers/internet/video games/HD flat screens/little public land/EXPENSIVE bikes/wacky world...in truth, would we really be so different than todays kids if we grew up in their world?  I don't know.  At any rate, it does seem kind of sad that we are headed into this future that seems foreign and not so good.  So, what to do?  Time in the garage or on a bike sure does lift the spirits, if I could only get my kids to join me...Cheers.

  Mike H.
  Tulsa

[Rain Man]

Funny looking at that video, I am too familiar with all the tooling  and have done everything he's doing in the video... Only 1 thing, he plays the piano much better than I can  !!

Raymond
 Down East Pentons

[tooclose racing]

@ Mick - I have two bike friends that teach middle school/high school technology classes and they both use their Technology classes to build or re-build motorcycles.  One of them tends to be a little higher end these days (Hey kids-  let's stuff this big bore ex-Ferraci Husky motor into a TZ frame!), but they have both fixed up CB350s in their classes.  From what I can tell - the teens love it.  And vendors and shops (and even bike manufacturers) have helped them out with parts.

So...they are certainly doing their best to "light the fire".

[Darvin Jahnke]

When my son was in high school and after he graduated he worked for a Yamaha dealer. His only interest was the latest wiz bang high tech stuff. Now that he's in his 30s he appreciates the vintage stuff and we spend many enjoyable hours in the shop working on old bikes and we take trips on newer road bikes. However the next time you go to a vintage gathering,be it bikes,cars,whatever,check out the proportion of gray beards to younger people and it doesn't look good.

[seanguthrie]

Speaking as a 36yr old that got into vintage motorcycles about 10 years ago I will say, at least in my neck of the woods, I love the future for vintage 2 wheels.  I'm a member of one vintage motorcycle club in Indianapolis and helped start another.  We put on a vintage themed motorcycle ride and show every summer that brings in close to 500 people.  It seems every year the guys showing up on these old bikes gets younger and younger.  I was talking to a group last year at the show and invited them in to the bar to have a drink with me only to find out they were too young to enter the bar, but not too young to enjoy the bikes.  
Of course most of these young guys won't be riding around on a Vincent Black Shadows anytime soon, but they attend enough events and do some research they get a great appreciation for them.  Vintage has really become the "cool" thing for whatever that is worth.  For me after my first ride on my 1971 Triumph Bonnie there was no way I was getting back on a Harley.  When it came to dirtbikes my Penton's remind me of my youth and my little Honda XR80 I use to bomb around on.

74 250 Hare scramble
2 68 Six Day (projects)

[Fred Deagostino]

Sean, 'enjoyed your post! Whether you realize it or not at 36 you're already the next generation. My oldest son at 34 (heir apparent to V416) is too. The fact that you have even younger guys than yourself showing up at your event is icing on the cake and to your credit.
 By the way, my very first ever new vehicle was a '72 Bonnie and my sons was a little beat up 80 Suzuki. V416 was the first 'big bike' as he puts it, he ever rode.
 Yer doin just fine....,   Cheers Fred

V416 OneMoreTime