The greatest motorcycle of every decade

[@LtJackboot]

What killed Indian was Harley's lobbying to dominate the domestic tire quota during the war. Harley made a backdoor deal with the one company (Goodyear) allowed to make tires for the domestic market in wartime and the only way to buy an Indian after that was to buy the tires separately later from a tire shop. You had a choice if you could afford it- a Harley with tires or an Indian without tires. THAT'S what killed off Indian. It wasn't the Knucklehead.

[@icewaterslim7260]

Then I guess you could also say the Japanese killed the Indians when they captured Malaysia, lol. That's where most tire rubber was farmed until we necessarily expedited synthetic manufacturing in '42-'43. I'm assuming shortages were a factor. Shrewd management at Harley either way. Because it also usually pays to keep current with the tech. Especially on something where the aesthetics of the powerplant sit in plain sight to contribute to it's prestige.

[@Whitejesselink]

Harley being the only american bike made them lazy and very poor quality for big bucks. They're so cringe.

[@dr.python]

What killed American cities is auto company lobbying for car oriented suburb style development

[@danraymond1253]

Indian definitely played a part in their own demise as well. Bad managerial issues and poor decisions towards the end of their life really sealed the deal.

[@kthesaint5247]

No bike is better than the others, the best bike is the one who you choose to have it and she will take you wherever you want to go, have a great RIDE guys

[@foggy4180]

The Suzuki Hayabusa was the first production motorcycle that drove faster than 300 km/h, that was a serious milestone in the nineties.

[@rammohang4760]

The Ducati 916 may not be the greatest motorcycle, but it will always be the most beautiful motorcycle that influenced motorcycle aesthetics.

[@philiphawley2915]

@@speeddemon9555 Bonnies are great, I have one. The most beautiful is the Ducati bevel v-twin. I have one of those too. I also have a very large box of tools!

[@drhkleinert8241]

Most beautyfull is the old Z 900, the Benelli 750 sei and IF Ducati then the 900 SS Desmo

[@Mrflymess]

@@philiphawley2915 Round case 750's were the most artistically designed MCs in my biased opinion. After that it became function over form & every modern MC needs plastic to hide it's horrible external plumbing.

[@senatorjosephmccarthy2720]

@@drhkleinert8241 Suzuki Intruder. 700 and 1400. All Time World 🏆 Champion Best Looking Bike.

[@DownhillAllTheWay]

I'm really surprised that the BMW twin horizontally opposed, shaft drive motorcycles (such as the R60) didn't get a mention. The format has been long-lasting, and the bikes themselves were reputed to have a long life. Not a huge performer, but they were no slouch either, and in their day were very popular in the part of the world where I lived (Johannesburg).

[@RulgertGhostalker]

no Moto-Guzzi either.....and you can still get into a Guzzi V7 Stone E5 at a decent price, where the the big BMW R18 boxers are out of reach for most....i wish i could even afford that....if i had 9 grand, i would get a V7 Stone E5 in Azzurro Ghiaccio ( color ) ... your can look around at 9 grand, but if your looking for a solid air cooled vintage, you will end up there before BMW anymore.

[@mikeferrini8884]

The boxer twin was always the underdog compared to the parallel twins, more reliable but less horsepower. A motor and machine truly to be ridden to be appreciated but never able to compete in the horsepower glory days.

[@DownhillAllTheWay]

@@mikeferrini8884 I never had one, so I can't speak about it with any authority. My friend had one, and I certainly know they were popular at the time. The opinions expressed in the clip below are more enthusiastic than yours. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqDSnnaKe89-grs

[@mikeferrini8884]

@@DownhillAllTheWay I owned two airheads back in the day. Both great bikes. They could go forever. Torque and roll on was always good and they proved to be great touring machines. The GS spawned the ADV niche we now know. Love the boxer motor.

[@RulgertGhostalker]

@@mikeferrini8884 the boxer twins had the balance over the old 360 thumper crank twins, but with both, you can't get needle rollers in the big ends, so you can't get the ball bearing mains either....where a 90 degree twin's multi piece crank can, and the 90 degree twin has just as good a balance as a boxer.

[@franciswashack89]

First off I am not a Harley guy, I have owned a 1968, 1969, and a 1970 Triumph Bonneville. I have also owned a 1975 Ducati 860 as well in all total 5 Harley Davidsons. I currently own a 1999 Victory v92c that I bought new, I am also an old guy. So then from someone who was there, in the USA, in the 1960s the HD sportster was the King of motorcycles. The Triumph Bonneville was a close second, and I do mean a CLOSE second. On any given day a hard riding street fighter on a Bonnie could edge out a Sportster on a street light race on the boulevard depending on the skill of the rider. And also as often the Sportster would win. However there was no question, the Sportster was the meanest looking dog on the block. Just an observation from someone who was there. I do enjoy your channel, keep up the good work. You have inspired me to get another old motorcycle, either a Sportster or a Bonneville.

[@elmerfudd1086]

The Harley Davidson knucklehead was not a single overhead cam engine as you said. It had its cam inside the crankcase as all street going Harleys always have. The CB750 was a 1969 creation, so 60s not 70s. The kawasaki 900 was the bike to have in the 70s.

[@mrofnocnon]

The 900 K1 was wicked, really fast but handled pretty badly.

[@elmerfudd1086]

@@mrofnocnon I know all about the z900. I realize it had a reputation as a really fast bike and it was fast enough, but 80 hp isn't terrably fast by today's standards. It was simply a bike that ended Kawasaki's 2 stroke triple era. Thus forcing Suzuki to abolish their 2 stroke triples in favour of 4 stroke inline 4s. The Honda was a breakthrough bike for sure but the other manufacturers kept on with 2 strokes until the mid to late seventies in spite of the CB750 and even sold very well. I was a teenager during this time and was an RD350 guy. ( still have my 74 rd350). The 900 kawi was a big deal back then for nearly 10 years, it was even more feared than the CBX of which I was an owner.

[@mrofnocnon]

@@elmerfudd1086 The kawa was terrifying to ride, I guess that why it was a big deal. Smoked like a bugger as well. The RD350LC was a fantastic bike for the time. Happy days.

[@elmerfudd1086]

@@mrofnocnon yea I would love to get the chance to ride an LC. I took my 74 rd350 and nearly doubled the horse power but its kind of a light switch. I think the LC is much more linear.

[@mrofnocnon]

@@elmerfudd1086 @ guys I knew had 350LC's. They could make those bikes fly.

[@williamjonas4013]

THE VINCENT HAS BEEN THE MOTORCYCLE OF THE DECADE EVER SINCE THEY WERE PRODUCED. TODAY IT STILL IS .

[@pashakdescilly7517]

The Knucklehead may have been a major step forward for the USA, but its features like ohv (definitely not ohc as stated in the commentary), circulating oil system and four speed gearbox were widely available in Europe. If you bought a 1936 Vincent Rapide, you got all that plus foot gearchange with positive stop, rear suspension and dual brakes front and rear. Your best bike of the 'early fifties', the Vincent Black Shadow was available in 1948 and was a mildly tuned version of the Rapide which was available a year earlier.

[@dickon728]

Whew! Thanks for clearing that up. I was really wondering why there were pushrods with overhead cams.

[@russelldawkins9094]

It's difficult to reduce the selection to just ten or so bikes, but I think you made a good effort and I agree with most of your choices. It's also good to see the GXR750 get the credit it deserves. My brother sold them in his shop and when he displayed that bike at a local (Vancouver) industry show in 1984 or '85 the adjacent Yamaha rep commented that it was too bad about the typo regarding the dry weight of 419 lb-he assumed it was 519 lb like all the competing 750s which were 535 lb or more. He was wrong. Suzuki had accomplished this by starting with lightening the wrist pin which enabled everything else on the bike to be lighter...

[@LtJackboot]

Riding a slow bike fast is ALWAYS more fun than riding a fast bike slow 🤣

[@koungendo6371]

agreed

[@stevenboelke6661]

Which is why I swapped a 300 cbr engine into my 50cc bike

[@TravisTerrell]

Cars too!

[@carltoncotter2614]

Yes, but riding a fast bike fast is the best.

[@callumboothroyd3766]

@@carltoncotter2614 that's completely opposite of what everyone agreed on lol

[@davebevin]

Agree with almost all your picks. The 1940's was a difficult one because although the Knuckle is the first really iconic Harley, it was the WLA that won the war. Totally agree with the Gixxer. The 90's was also difficult as there were many incredible bikes. The CBR, the ZZR, the R1, and the Hayabusa. My pick would have been the R1.

[@brianw338]

The ‘73 Z1 900 was a beast. Muscle. And very good looking.

[@delamoriders]

I got the chance to see a superleggera be taken out of the crate and I gotta say, seeing it in person is overwhelming. An absolutely beautiful piece of art and engineering.

[@andybelcher1767]

The Brough Superior did NOT use Harley Davidson forks, they were Earles.

[@olivierstas8080]

One per decade is a difficult game as for some, more than one had a huge influence. For the 1980, it's the case for the BMW R80 G/S nearly always considered the world's first "Adventure Bike" able to be equally as capable both on and off-road. As one can see the number of "adventure bikes" among nearly all constructors today, the BMW R80 G/S had a really big impact in the motorcycle industry.

[@Bbbbad724]

The Vincent Black Lighting is the icon for the rowdiest! The next is the 2000s Triumph Bonneville America 750. It is a twin as traditional Bonnie’s we’re but by splitting the crank, moving one cylinder forward 3 splines to make the ultimate vertical twin. The 270/90 degree twin that still sounds like a Brit bike , but eliminates the vibration of the 360 twin. Even the Standard Model adopted it. It is smooth and snorts like a Ducati twin and it should, because the Ducati has the same firing interval 270/90 only they have the cylinders spaced into a 90 degree V twin. Dave Raynor created the vertical 270/90 with an XS 650 Yamaha bored to 750 and the result was a very good bike that didn’t shake everything to death. He even sold the cross crankshaft pin for the XS 650 here. It could be done by a competent machinist, or even by the owner himself with a press but the press needs to measure the lbs of pressure. Dave Raynor , is from Australia and used to sell the crankpins through Mikes XS. Raynor found the 270/90 interval to be the most effective of all and made hp in and of itself. And the smoothness rivaling the inline 4.

[@thakery5720]

.... narator tells us that Vincent made all their own parts, just as we see that the carbs were Amals..... speedos were Smiths I beleive and the forks - on some models at least - were made by Brampton !

[@shannonwittman950]

Fun video! I'd say you're on the mark with brands and bikes that heralded each era. Of all motorcycles ever, the 1960's Triumph Bonneville is the "It" bike (to use a term from swinging London Beatlemania). The Bonnie should be what we'd put aboard a deep-space probe to show aliens what "motorcycle" is to earthlings. My first attempt to ride was circa 1969, age 14, on a Honda Mini Trail 50. I tried again (ahem ..) on a Honda Cub 50. Finally got it right on a Honda 65. First "other than Honda" I rode was a Hodaka Ace 90 which showed me the glory of racing through woodlands and across meadows and fields. Later, street riding showed me freedom at speed. Never lost my love for the two-wheeled steed. But living today in southern California it's downright dangerous to ride on the streets due to many nutty drivers. My yearing to ride is eased due to three decades of constant look-alike plastic rockets. They've only got pointier and more menacing, like so many venomous insects. Not an ounce of soul. Nowadays, young riders see a restored classic or a retro and say, "Woahhh ... cool, dude!"

[@samborez8089]

I owned and rode a 'Bonnie' coast to coast several, well, more than several times through the 1960's late and into the 1970's. Strong running bike, easy on gas and very high top end. Took it to Woodstock and got it so muddy, it looked like a mudball.. It still started and ran well, caked as it was in mud. Then came 1971 and the (my) CB750 four.

[@stancoleshill8925]

What happened to Norton ? I own one and after 52 years, it still starts on the second kick after storing it for 4 months through the winter.

[@flashkingster3132]

Norton is now owned by "TVS" and reportedly developing a new cafe racer.

[@sallhame]

My Norton is a 850 Roadster from 1975. It easily outperforms the Honda 750 and is close to a Kawasaki 900. On curvy roads the Norton outperforms any japanese bike from the seventies. You need a Ducati or a Guzzi Le Mans to keep up with the Norton.

[@soaringvulture]

@@sallhame Exactly right. In 1973 I was choosing between a Norton and a Ducati. Both were fast and handled beautifully. I bought the Ducati because it was easier to start. I rode that bike for 20 years.

[@peggymcgranahan7765]

The bike of the 70's should be the 1978 Honda Express. Man is that a machine.

[@chrismoody1342]

Sacrilege; how could you overlook the Kawasaki Z1 or the GPZ900. Kawasaki literally invented the modern sport bike with the GPZ900, the first Ninja.

[@adiuiri16]

And it was Lou Reed bike 👍✌️

[@cb750k1974]

Amen. The Honda cb750 was the bike of the 60's. The Kawasaki Z1-900 was the bike of the 70's.

[@philiphawley2915]

I had a ninja in the 80’s. Mind blowing fast

[@mikeferrini8884]

Kawasaki was the manufacturer of the 70's and early 80's and the manufacturer that invented the fully faired super sport bike class with the Ninja. Tom Cruise approved.

[@carls6359]

The BMW R80GS is the granddaddy of the entire ADV movement, it deserves a mention here

[@jhpbrown]

All great bikes, the from made me chuckle. The one I would have put in for the 90’s would be the blackbird, so well engineered that the engine bolts directly to the frame, smooth as silk, deceptively quick, and at the time it was released it was the fastest production bike in the world. Also looks amazing.

[@peterg2yt]

Bart, I feel apologetic to be nit-picker, but the Vincent Black Shadow wasn’t a product of the 1950’s. It came out in 1948. It was notable because at the time of its launch it was’t just the fastest production road going motorcycle (125mph), but it was also the fastest production motorised vehicle. The Vincent Black Lightning was also produced in 1948… not really a ‘road going’ vehicle (although several were road registered), and that was capable of 150mph (Rollie Free at Bonneville Salt Flats).

[@patelvis4725]

Bart really must learn the difference between "overhead valve" and "overhead cam". Even here in the UK where we don't know anything about Harleys it's obvious that the knucklehead would not be overhead cam. You see that externally. Bart really has no place making these videos if he's unwilling to learn the basics. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_Knucklehead_engine

[@posteroonie]

6:32 Single cam, overhead valve not single overhead cam.

[@derp195]

You should dial it back by several notches, my dude. Jesus Christ.

[@waygone6657]

Yea like you got to wonder what the huge pushrod covers are fore :D

[@richardlee2488]

Few people are aware that a harley davidson was the first to break the 100 miles in 1 hour record at brooklands race track. One rider was a Mr temple and the other was a Mr davidson. He was not related. I can't remember the year of hand or what model of the harley but quite a feet to be the British on home ground.

[@bcbc8649]

@@richardlee2488 Wow, so relevant...

[@tonyfearn2452]

fair selection of bikes BUT sadly, no mention of either of the the icons of the 80,s with the Yamaha RD250/350 LC i or of the 90,s with the Yamaha R1 !! all 3 machines re-wrote the rule book !! the 350 LC would show a clean pair of heels to most bikes twice its size and the R1 really was something a bit special as it knocked the clearly over-rated Honda fireplace of its perch and it took years for ANY machine or manufacturer to come even close to performance of the R1 !

[@bigdghost3319]

I was throwing my paper route on a Honda 90 when the CB750 hit the show room it was packed with people just looking in awe.. I will never forget the sound of the bike when they started it and drove up and down the road for a demo... I dreamed of that bike for years ..

[@lannyqualls9428]

I was on a Honda 50 Mini Trail when the CB 750 came out. I can remember how they created a big stir in the bike world. My dad took me to the local Honda dealership to see one. I also remember the first time I heard one running. It was unlike anything I ever heard before. To this day I would love to have one.

[@nealkeith299]

The release of the 2010 to 2012 Multistrada broke the mold for street bikes. The power, handling and suspension of a sportbike with the upright seating of a comfortable tourer.

[@chrishart8548]

The V2 multistrada has basically the same power as a 1980's gsxR750

[@robf1738]

@@chrishart8548 More actually

[@RickCoMatic]

1983. YAMAHA™. Introduced the XJ900's. Inline-4, DOHC, 5-Speed, Shafie, tripple disc brakes. Sport/Tourer. Most popular 900 all over the globe. Only 1000 units to USA. I scored three! Most fun I ever had on 2 wheels.

[@phensriwood8081]

Bikes that do it for me are the Honda Z50A, Kawasaki Z1 900 and the Yamaha RD350LC. I also like BMW’s R18

[@samborez8089]

KZ900,awesome bike. Always bested my CB750.

[@rayditzenberger9517]

The 50cc honda was what put us on 2 wheels in the 60s. Definitely the bike of the 60s.

[@paulos5818]

For the 50s I would consider the BMW r25 as the greatest, because it was cheap, fast for 250cc (120 km/h) and it brought the differential to the market for good. And of course, as someone above said, the best motorcycle of the 60s is definitely the honda c50. However great video with plenty of interesting information!

[@kaleviautio2545]

No two strokes? No DKW? No BMW? No Kawasaki? No Yamaha? Even Honda 750 was very different from original after 10 years in production and not necessarily better.

[@Truetoo102]

1908 I think it was, aviation pioneer Glenn H Curtiss had a V8 motorcycle yes V8. He set the land speed record at Ormond beach Florida at a speed of 136 mph!

[@davidlcolburn7745]

My vote for the 60’s is the CB & CL 350 Honda. It had the most modern technology. Only Parilla had hit 10K rpm and that was with a Desmo setup. Honda had a red zone of 10 to 12K. The owners manual said “do not operate continuously in the red zone”. Top speed according to Cycle World was 105mph. The bike came stock with “ altitude compensating carburetors” !

[@805gregg]

The 70's bike has to be the Kawasaki 500 & 750 3 cylinder 2 stroke, fastest bike on 2 wheels at the time

[@bartmotorcycle]

I'd say the z900 would win in a quarter mile right? But neither has the top speed!

[@ronjohn9430]

@@bartmotorcycle Check the Cycle Magazine issue of the 1973 Superbikes. 1/4 mile: winner Kawasaki 750 H2. Fastest top speed: Kawasaki Z-1 903

[@steveunderhill6570]

Kawasaki gpz 900, the blueprint for virtually all modern sportbikes

[@homechar]

The Norton Commando ist the best of the 60s, the Kawasaki Z1 dominated the 70s, Kawasaki H2R ist absolute outstanding till today

[@briquetaverne]

I'm surprised you never mentioned the Crocker Motorcycle as it was far faster than HD or Indian in its time. It's even made a come-back for bike enthusiasts with deep pockets.

[@davidrayner9832]

I never knew a H-D Knucklehead had a SOHC, because it didn't. On the Shovelhead, it's the space in the middle of the valve covers when viewed from above that looks like a shovel.

[@peterwilson3161]

Just one thing a Harley Knuckle head was not an over head cam engine. It was a pushrod operated over head valve engine , big difference.

[@thepedalkickers2701]

I know you aren't talking about race bikes, but in my opinion, the Honda RC116 was so fucking badass. 120 miles an hour, with just 50ccs. It's nuts.

[@larrydykes7643]

Pretty good selection. Some decades had more iconic bikes than others. You could do a video per decade in this style and it would be terrific

[@MarkInLA]

No mention of the Kawasaki, was it ?, 2-stoke 750, in the 60's or 70's, reputed to be the fastest stock bike in the world ? !! I'm not a bike person except for my time owning a Kawasaki 2-stroke 350 "Street Scrambler" I totaled ..but had to mention this.. How could a Mocyc review not mention Kawasaki anything .?... AND, what about BMWs ??!!

[@mikebikekite1]

Interesting list and well presented video. Obviously everyone will choose different bikes but, for me, I'd like to of seen: the RD350LC (an affordable small bike that slayed every other bike on the road), the R1100GS (telelever suspension, ABS and injection), Ducati 916 (just for the looks alone), the NC750X (inbuilt storage, economy, everything you needed rather than wanted), the Honda Super Cub C90 (for the same reasons speed demon mentions) and the Vespa GT200 (as it seems to have inspired a new genre).

[@TheRIZKYRAMA]

Where’s the super cub and the vespas?. No love for small bikes? The first stole the crown for the best selling motorcycle with over 100 million sold. The secod became a design icon. I own both btw

[@garyb2392]

The Vincent Rapide is my dream bike! The Black Shadow is beyond, lol. This is an amazing list, no argument from me

[@pemj7360]

My dad owned a Vincent rapide during the 60s bought second hand. Always remember him say fast as f but had brakes like sponges and handled like a bag of nails around corners lol but he loved it . Wish he had kept it .

[@troybaca912]

The one bike I would have included is the Honda Mini-Trail, this was the first bike I ever rode as well as many people I know that eventually stepped up to many more including the Duc 900 Supersport to the left of this statement.

[@gpearce11]

If I had to look into the future and guess the most influential bike of the 2020s, I'd probably pick the Livewire One (formerly Harley-Davidson Livewire), as I expect it to be the bike that finally convices people electric bikes are here to stay. Much like Tesla made massive waves with the Model S, but didn't electric cars truly legitimate, until established car manufacturers started making competing electric cars (i.e. Porsche, Audi and even Hyundai). Likewise, I don't think a decade of Zero and Energica bikes will have had as much impact on the future of electric motorcycles as a legitimate motorcycle company, specifically Harley, finally throwing their hat into the ring.

[@ultimobile]

I had a Black Shadow in pieces which I never got together. An acquaintance let me ride his Vincent Rapide immediately after his Ducati 750 - by comparison the Vincent just seemed old and rattly with nothing like the same acceleration (or brakes) as the more modern bike so Vincent of course is a great collector's item - but having had my major lucky to survive permanent-spine-bending crash these days I'm riding in quadrocycles (aka cars)

[@lesliegrauer4155]

I'm surprised you missed Norton, particularly the Manx and Commando. I asked a friend what the new Commando was like and he said don't try one if you can't afford to buy nit. The first one I rode, I bought. Also, I found that every time my brit bike was unreliable it was because I,k the backyard mechanic, put something together wrong- The Japanese got it right when they made their bikes too complex for the average idiot to screw up, hence reliability

[@anxiousappliance]

The Commando 850, was an extension of old engineering that grenaded on its own accord. Enlarging 40s tech tein eant for 500cc to 850 was not an act of inspired genius. Surely visceral, but a symbol of the lack of investment, and constant kluging, that killed the British industry.

[@andrewoliver8930]

You didn't need to fix the Japanese ones.

[@gustavosilvacm8932]

I have read somewhere that the Brough Superior was advertised as "the Rolls-Royce of the motorcycles". The Rolls-Royce company heard about it, bought a Brough Superior and after testing it exaustivelly wrote to Brogh Company, approving the advertisement.

[@dragon887]

I love the list, and that you put yourself out there with your choices. My biggest change, excluding the Grom, would be swapping the 2000's bike from the stylish Speed Triple to the more innovative (and stylish) YZF-R1.

[@Nightdare]

The R1 wasn't as much of an impact in the 2K's as it was in it's initial release If there was any Liter bike for that decade, it would be the GSX-R 1000 K5, hell even BMW pulled one apart to base their S1000RR on, and we all know how that bike turned out

[@r6h255]

I think desmosedici rr will be better

[@LtJackboot]

This was a great video brother! I loved it!!👍👍👍- I've owned a good number of these bikes. 1953 Triumph 500 Speed Twin Several 79 Suzuki GS400's and 425's 1967 Triumph 500 Daytona 1978 Honda CB750 1984 Honda V45 Magna (X2) 1948 Harley-Davidson 74 ci FL 1981 Yamaha XJ650 Maxim and XJ750 Maxim 1981 Yamaha XS650 Heritage Special 1994 Yamaha XJ600 Seca II 1983 Yamaha XV750 Virago 1995 Yamaha XV1100 Virago- current ride I've owned others but didn't put any real mileage on them. Keep the shiny side up :) UPDATE: 2000 XVS1100 V-Star Classic😁

[@andrewoliver8930]

No 2-Strokes? The RD350 YPVS was one of the bikes of the 1980s in the UK. I assume others loved it as well.

[@rogerthat10-47]

The GSXR wasn't the RR that started it all, that would be the RG "Gamma" 250, it was because of the success of this little bike that they tried the format on something bigger the GSXR 750, so you should really thank this tiny, unbelievably quick little bike or at least give it a mention. I have the 500 & I am currently taking big lumps of cash from guys that are frightened of the 1000cc bikes they are riding(snigger) because they do it so badly. Anything you chose will not fit according to the "Gospel Of" whoever, but it's your channel & your choices, & I do admire those that are bold enough to do so.

[@peterweller8583]

1050 SE

[@johnhampton5320]

In the late 1990 and early 2000, the 1999-2000 non-speed limited Suzuki Hayabusa's were the greatest/king for being the quickest and top-speed motorcycles.

[@andybriggs6343]

Great vid. I agree with you up to the 1980's. I'd have gone Kawasaki GPZ900R for the 80's (because it was mental!), Ducati 916 for the 90's (still a beautiful looking machine) and BMW GS for the noughties (ever since a certain TV series featured them).

[@JanMorsø]

Traded in my T140D for (the first two) GPz900 in Feb '84, one of the earliest with icing carbs, then it snowed a lot. A perfectly balanced beast.

[@imranvp]

Even I felt BMW GS not getting a mention was a major snub. People who own it vouch for it as the greatest all-round motorcycle of all time.

[@JanMorsø]

@@imranvp All bikes are different, I passed my test on s BMW R60/6 with sidecar, a litre of oil/100 miles, but I loved it. Love them all.

[@claytonknight3078]

I think you are pretty much spot on the list you have, and I know you didn't include race bikes, but I just wanted to throw in the Bultaco 360 Astro. All you need was numbers for the number plates and you were off to the races. Nobody made a flat tracker like that. I've have had GSXR's a VFR750, Kx250, CBX, but nothing was like that bike. Thanks for the great video as usual! you really do your research.

[@timwinfield8509]

The Daimler was NOT an internal cumbustion engine. It was steam powered and therefore an external cumbustion engine. In a previous video you called the first Goldwings engines in-line fours. They were flat or horizontally opposed fours. Interestingly, Honda originally produced them as a sport bike to counter the Z1 Kawasaki and the first wings were actually faster. No one believes this but check out the old stats and you'll see the truth.

[@samborez8089]

Didn't BMW have an in-line four, canted 90 degrees over like their twins ,only with all four on one side?

[@shanechostetler9997]

I think the Crocker Big tank deserves mention even if it wasn’t mass produced.

[@ironkcirb285]

Not a bad list until you get to the 1970's cb750 like the rubetts were just the warm up act , Z1 was just like the rolling stones the main event . The 1980's bike has only one name GPZ900R , 150+ straight out the box . Gxr's just give you backache. Do like the the comedy pick of the grom , haha . But for a real bike it's got to a Kawasaki H1 300hp and a supercharger that's one massive two fingered salute at the eco-mentalist's

[@dustynbustos5983]

The Harley Knucklehead was an overhead valve engine. Not "overhead camshaft".

[@johnwood4448]

You didn't mention the Honda Cub,which definitely should be given a spot as the ubiquitous rock solid do all(except highways of course)motorcycle of all time and the most produced vehicle of all time too.

[@daveflood1555]

Several missed. There was a water cooled two stroke called the Scott. 1910 s or so. Norton Dominator. BSA Gold Star Suzuki RG500 Gamma Yamaha RD400 Honda Step through Ducati 916

[@jgunther3398]

They're all equally fun, and the best one is the one you can afford

[@wollfixx]

I love how I disagree with every choice you made except the Bonneville 😆 But still, most of the bikes you choose were undoubtedly influential in some ways. Thanks for or it! 👍🏻

[@jamesbottger5894]

I don't know, I think he was even more correct by picking the Honda CB750. That bike changed motorcycles forever...

[@George-vf7ss]

I still have my 1977 Honda CT 90 Trail bike, 2 speed rear end. Greatest bike of all time. Bulletproof...

[@rickderidder4450]

great video! I was hoping to see the Yamaha RD 350 in your picks, back in the day I would blow away Honda CB 750s ,they were light and fast!

[@mairenared]

The RD 350 was indeed a great bike but it should have been sold with an Alsatian guard dog as it was the most stolen bike in the history of motorcyling 😉

[@TravisTerrell]

Love that music during the Superleggera! Old school record scratching, ha.

[@seebarry4068]

I had a 1993 round eye Fireblade for more than a decade 🥹. One of TBE bikes.

[@camgere]

The Kawasaki H2 750 Mach IV deserves at least an honorable mention. Horsepower increases with rpm. If torque also increases with rpm, horsepower increases with the square of the rpm. When the Mach IV "hit the pipe" you held on like a bronco rider on 'ol bone breaker.

[@56redjets]

They only rated at 74 HP. Anemic actually.

[@soaringvulture]

The H2 deserves mention as the most terrifying motorcycle ever made. A friend of mine got one and let me ride it. It shook, it smoked, it didn't steer and it didn't stop. But man, it would put the tach right in your face when you hit the throttle. Way overpowered for its chassis.

[@steverx4460]

Looking ahead, I'd say that the Lightning LS-218 is a big influence on motorbike manufacturers.

[@lancebeamsley34]

Great vid. Everyone needs to get over themselves and realise this is one mans opinion and I for one respect his opinion.

[@jimmytorello7041]

I started riding on a used Gixxer 750. Loved that bike. I ride a 390 Duke now, which I think feels like riding a bigger Grom.

[@murraykriner9425]

Anyone would have a horrible time populating a list like this as so few people who ride ever stick to one poison at a time, preferring to let market shares, co-worker's and bosum buddies decide just where they want to spend all their hard earned paychecks. Because most bikes are costly enough to maintain and still enjoy riding them, too many of these machines collect more dust than mileage, siting for years while the motoring trudges along. The term best has many jagged edges, and leaves not a few despondent, since it admits our own inability to procure, let alone squeeze every precious ounce of grace out of it, even after spending countless hours emptying our wits and billfolds to have it. For many it's the nostalgia, whether its the Great Uncle's recollections, or your own that made you really want to risk any or all of your Senses' to have what most only dream of. Thanks for your courage and thoughts on an area that is frought with. Barbed-wire and mine fields.

[@smitajky]

In Australia the Honda 90 in various forms revolutionised the industry in the mid 60s.. The AG 90 revolutionised farming. The scooter and the road versions were the key to the "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" campaign which was to alter people's perception of motorcycling for at least a decade. After a decade where motorcycles had a bad name and were associated with leather clad antisocial hoons this lead to a massive increase in sales of bikes. Not just Hondas but the acceptability was what really counted. This is where the Bonneville was effectively non existent in our market. It represented everything that was wrong with the motorcycle industry up to that point. The very thing that had made motorcycles unacceptable. But back to the Honda 90 if all else was not enough I met my wife because she was riding her brand new Honda 90 scooter and that makes it more important to me than any other motorcycle in history. PS a few years later the Yamaha DT1 started the entire genre of dirt bike enduro single cylinder multipurpose machines. Which made it every bit as influential as the Honda 4 which came out in the same year.

[@terryfletcher6465]

Triumph speed twin with the swinging arm. Aah! She was beautiful 😍

[@Hyndsy]

Suzuki's DRZ400/Kawasaki's KLX400 (literally the same bike) changed the world of dual sport bikes forever, being the bike that Suzuki made since 2000 and the bike has not changed since and is still being made today and it is probably the most sold dual sport bike globally and for good reason. It has to be one of if not the most reliable street legal dirt bike ever produced, although its a bit heavy, and a little bit slow top speed compared to its competitors it makes up for it with its reliability, low end torque and being such a easy, fun and playful bike both on road and offroad, in my opinion, I think that this bike should've been in place of the 2000's category.

[@tonylopez8976]

BMW has to be in here too. Their boxer motor bikes were and continue to be iconic.

[@robf1738]

r80g/s Without it the ADV bike scene wouldn't be what it is today

[@kaveebee]

The death of the English Motorcycle Industry, I was riding back then. The English gave the Japanese every assistance whilst trying not to. The loyal followers of the vertical twins were extremely butthurt at the Japanese Invasion.

[@Overdriveobbsession]

every motorcycle is priceless

[@seoras83]

1980's - GSXR was made in response to Kawasaki Gpz900r - Kwak won the Production TT in 84 out of the crate.

[@luisarreola9420]

One motorcycle missing in the list is the Honda Cub, I think it was more important than the Triumph Boneville.

[@todaywefly4370]

Nailed it pretty much. Solid arguments.

[@timothyprice1916]

Since motorcycles are like fashion and their ethereal nature, the only metrics by which it can be judged is quality and reliability.

[@johnDukemaster]

The Knucklehead did not have over head cam! :-)

[@browndogozzy]

Can’t believe there’s no BMW. Seriously? Some good picks. Some misses too. Fun video.

[@diogoteixeira4263]

I think in the 90s the most influential bike was the hayabusa really

[@olafzijnbuis]

At 06:34 It uses overhead valves but NOT a single OVERHEAD camshaft. The rockers are moved by pushrods. Nice video!

[@bhtooefr]

I'm wondering if the direction to go is, what bikes *defined categories* and *changed the world*. Here's a shot at that - not sure I'd stick by it, but let's see: 1860s: Either the Michaux-Perreaux steam velocipede or the Roper steam velocipede - the first motorcycle 1890s: The Hildebrand & Wolfmüller - the first series-production motorcycle 1900s: I'll actually go with the Zenith Gradua - the first manual V-belt CVT motorcycle. The FN Four was a good choice, and the Harley-Davidson 5D could've worked too, but implementing a new transmission type (well, new to motorcycles - the Reeves CVT was applied to cars in the 1890s) is worth something. 1910s: Harley-Davidson 7D - while there's a strong argument for the Flying Merkel being *greater*, being the first commercially successful V-twin Harley is worth something for influence. 1920s: Someone suggested the BMW R32, and honestly, yeah, I'll take it - defined the BMW boxer twin layout, which also influenced the Gold Wing later in the list, and directly lead to the R80 G/S. 1930s: Salsbury Motor Glide - introduced the modern *automatic* CVT 1940s: Vespa - introduced the modern scooter layout. Between this and the Motor Glide's transmission, you literally have a modern scooter. 1950s: Honda Super Cub - I cannot make a list of greatest motorcycles that does not have *literally the most popular motor vehicle of all time* on it 1960s: Honda CB750 - You put this in 1970s, but it came out in 1969, and I wouldn't be able to include the Gold Wing if I put it in 1970s. Ultimately, I'd argue that *it* did more to define the sportbike than, say, the GSX-R 750 (which I did not include in the 1980s). 1970s: Honda Gold Wing - I debated whether to include this, because the full-dress touring Gold Wing of today was really made in 1980, but it was designed to be a tourer, and the aftermarket delivered anyway. 1980s: BMW R80 G/S - while the GSX-R 750 defined the modern 4-stroke 4-cylinder sportbike's format, I'm counting creating one of the most popular categories of motorcycle today as more important than redefining the layout of an existing category. 1990s: Suzuki Hayabusa - I'm not sure on this one, as it itself didn't do that much to influence motorcycle design, but literally scaring motorcycle manufacturers into voluntarily limiting top speed across the industry - and therefore pushing focus more towards handling - is pretty influential. (I can't have a naked bike on here because of this, but arguably naked bikes are just going full circle to earlier stuff like the CB750.) 2000s: Triumph Bonneville 800 - while, as you pointed out in another video, there were other attempts at creating retro bikes, this is the one that made the craze stick. 2010s: Honda VFR1200A/D - just barely missing the 2000s, but this is the first DCT motorcycle. While only Honda is making DCTs today, I would not at all be surprised to see the technology spread. (Also, my second place is the Alta Redshift, which was, I believe, the first EV motorcycle to directly compete against ICE motorcycles in racing and win. But, the DCT is more influential for now, and I think it's too early to determine which EV motorcycle was the most influential. The Grom was also a good choice, as it defined a new type of riding, but I wanted to get the DCT in there.) I've left off a lot of stuff - a lot of the evolution of off-road motorcycles is missing, there's plenty of iconic performance bikes missing, and some of the bikes that I did list aren't the *best bike made that decade*, but their impact was greater. And, I didn't even try to guess at the 2020s.

[@alexwilsonpottery3733]

No two-strokes!? Silk, MZ, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki. Even left out the legendary Ducati 750 and 900SS from the seventies, and the Moto-Guzzi Les Mans. AJS? Norton? BSA? Ariel? Velocette? I’m not American though, so have different memories.

[@cpuuk]

I'm sure there are some BMW GS riders choking on their Latte's ;-) Good list though.

[@goldfools5445]

I think you nailed it. Not a list of the best bikes or the most desirable, although some of them are. But bikes that changed the direction of the industry.

[@pauldhartley]

Perhaps the most photographed motorcycle was the modified Harley 'chopper' from the film Easy Rider

[@Alex000113]

Obviously 'greatest' is subjective. Yeah the Honda CB 400 and 750 were revolutionary in the 70s. The Kawasaki Z1 worth a mention, it was the pinnacle of the new approach: fast, stylish, easy to ride, reliable, clean. Goldwing deserves a mention somewhere. As an art form Indian and Harley rate next to Ducati. Probably electric in the 2020s ?

[@glennmiddleton5634]

The bikes I've owned include a 1967 Triumph Bonneville, 1977 Honda 750, a 1982 Honda Goldwing 1100. The Wing was missed as a greatest, but given the long run they've had not sure why. Maybe revisit the decades??

[@tedecker3792]

Knucklehead was not overhead cam.

[@colmhaughey7001]

Pretty much agree with your pick I’d have to include the Kawasaki 1972 Kawasaki Z1 all be it the Honda CB750 was the first of the generation…!!!