The MAM Journals - A Day at the Auction

[@timjkiely]

brilliant video. thanks for trip down memory lane

[@michaelmam]

Glad you enjoyed it Tim . Thank you !

[@johnmaltby8241]

Enjoyed that ,I had LC Yam, 250 & two 350s my brother had 175 Yamaha. Loved the 80s. Good fun. I'm now 61 year old still in me that young man.

[@michaelmam]

Long may it continue John 👍

[@codemonkey181]

Great video thank you. Jumping humpback bridges? Riding up bus shelters? Great stories and pics 😂

[@michaelmam]

My only defence is that I was young and optimistic 😂

[@markhinde6187]

What a great post, I can relate to everything you said, I have been riding for 44 years now....... Happy days

[@michaelmam]

Thanks Mark . Glad you enjoyed it . I have been riding over 40 years as well . Hopefully we will get the hang of it at some point ? 😂

[@shanestewart4905]

Enjoyed that, thank you.

[@michaelmam]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 👍

[@DickieMintCycles]

A delight to watch.. Thank you Michael..👍

[@michaelmam]

Glad you enjoyed it . Thanks for taking the time to comment . 👍

[@karlsquire8148]

Great vid, thanks for sharing that, we don't have these kind of auctions in Toronto, Canada. Its amazing what these old motorcycles are worth these days, you had mentioned in a recent vid you made reference to your 2 stroke days and I think I replied with something like, 2 strokes that's what I'm talking about lol. so This vid really showed your 2 stroke days and seems you really like the suzie's, I was more of a Kawi triple person however my RDs were my favorite bikes I currently have a 1973 Yamaha RD350 and I recently retired 2 years ago and have sold of all my 2 strokes accept my 73 RD, love these old bikes thanks for the vid :-).

[@michaelmam]

Great to hear from you Karl . I actually choose to talk about the Suzuki’s because with the 500 , 550 , 750 and early 1000 all there , I could demonstrate the progression on brake technology in the same brand . I really like the small Yamaha two strokes and though that blue LC was exceptional . Have fun 👍

[@RobertWilliams-oy9qk]

Thanks Michael. Great video. Definatly some of the bikes that adorned my bedroom wall in childhood.

[@michaelmam]

A bit of fun . I love new bikes but enjoy the occasional trip down memory lane 👍

[@robinberryman5949]

Thank you for another great video.

[@michaelmam]

Glad you liked it . Thanks for letting me know 👍

[@johnbellamy6449]

enjoyed it , thanks for sharing .

[@michaelmam]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to comment .

[@stevenwarner7348]

～ Just stumbled across your review here with coffee this morning. Oh my goodness! Yea, in HIgh School there in Sylvania Ohio, I bought a Triumph, 1954 vintage, Not a hard tail but just like one. ~ The Bonneville with the two pistons up and down in tandem, electronics scalped but it would start and run. So much fun. Thank you so much for this. Wow!

[@IanLawrie-l9q]

Great nostalgia and insight 👍👌👏

[@michaelmam]

Just a bit of fun . Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@glenncaukill1320]

Great video Michael, I love those old rd's

[@michaelmam]

So do I Glenn ! Shame I couldn’t find an RD and RG 500 … hopefully next time 👍

[@crumblymal8479]

Lovely to see the bikes I used to ride back then just wish I still had them all in a big shed 😉very interesting and some were at very reasonable prices great watch 👍

[@michaelmam]

Thank you . Always good to hear from you 👍

[@Nikki_Holland]

It was nice to see that Honda SL125 as that was my very first bike. Mine was N reg. Still riding at 66 years old, my current ride is a Suzuki GSX S1000GT. Seeing those old bikes was definitely a trip down memory lane for me. Thanks for the upload.

[@michaelmam]

Yes , was great to see them . Triggered a lot of memories! I have a GT as well and have reviewed it , twice . Fantastic bikes 👍

[@bailey-cj2pl]

Absolutely gold Mike, thank you

[@michaelmam]

Thank you Tim . Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@andypandy9931]

Interesting again Michael. I never really yearned for the Suzuki's in those days, I remember the T500 being sold at a big discount for a long time, I think it was slow. Never liked the Ram air triples either, as a boy I drooled over Kawasaki's and had a couple,

[@michaelmam]

As a teenager , I definately hankered after Kawasaki’s . My first big bike was a Z1000 A1 but it had been in a couple of fights . I think it lost 😂 My first new bigger bike was a Z650 F2/3 👍 Thanks for commenting !

[@rosco950ss7]

Love this, keen to see more. Plenty of memories there!

[@michaelmam]

I mostly review the new bikes , but the occasional trip down memory lane is fun . Glad you enjoyed it . Thank you

[@MrTpain1945]

Thanks for the video 👍

[@michaelmam]

Welcome . 👍

[@video3ish]

Love this & it certainly makes a joke of the ridiculous high prices being asked for older 2 strokes bikes half that quality in Australia. I’m def going to look at shipping from the uk .. throw $2-3 k on for shipping & still way way cheaper & much higher quality

[@ianhalliwell8604]

Another fabulous video your knowledge about all sorts of bike's is amazing. I had an RD 250 in the eighties but really it's screaming nature wasn't for me and I quickly sold it. Quick observation why have all those old bike's got proper mudguards which modern ones seem to lack.

[@michaelmam]

Glad you enjoyed it Ian and thank you for commenting ! I suspect modern mudguards are a victory of aesthetics over practicality ?

[@JacKVS650-bw5um]

Outstanding upload! Great info, and yes, what a joy seeing the old bikes!

[@michaelmam]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for commenting .

[@bally632]

Really enjoyed your video Michael 😀. Your recollections of the past are very similar to my own. We must have all led similar lives biking in the 80's! Infact looking back it's a wonder we still here 🤔😅. You shocked me when you mentioned the 255kg weight of the GS1000. I had a black with blue stripe model when I was 23 I at that time I never considered it a heavy bike 🤔, nowadays 190kg feels heavy to me 😅

[@michaelmam]

I think a lot of us had a similar 70’s /80’s biking experience. Very different times of course but great fun , if considered too high risk / anti social today . Yes .. those 1000 fours were heavy in the day . Surprisingly so . My liquid cooled Z900RS , with a cat , is significantly lighter than my old 77 Z1000 !

[@oliw3664]

Really enjoyed this Michael, thanks.

[@michaelmam]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you 👍

[@iivaridark6850]

Great review! Thanks!

[@michaelmam]

You are welcome 👍

[@stanallen1072]

Looks like great fun Michael. Thanks for letting us travel down memory lane with you. You should have bought the Yamaha 175! Lol

[@michaelmam]

😂, I know !

[@cadmanchannel]

I enjoyed the video. You do a great job discussing the attributes of the bikes. The Yamaha DT400 reminded me of a YZ400 I had that showed me the price of not being respectful. My back has never been the same.

[@michaelmam]

That is a shame . Some of us were luckier than others . Those early “big” strokes got pretty sharp . Easy to flip . Glad you enjoyed the video . Thank you .

[@cbrider726]

Great stuff mate . Keep them coming 👍👍👍👍

[@ElectricPaoloIAM]

I compliment you Sir, for your knowledge.

[@lancerbiker5263]

Great bit of fun ☺ Loved seeing that Honda 360 with 2 into 1 exhaust next to your Yamaha 400. I've got a 1977 360T in my shed. T versions were "bare bones". Drums all around, kick start, and I'm sure 2 into 1 was to lower cost as well. Ended up setting them apart. Nice work, cheers.

[@michaelmam]

Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed it . Thought about covering the 360 but ran out of time !

[@caroljones3252]

Hello Michael, thank you, I assume these were hammer prices?

[@michaelmam]

included commission . ie the results as announced on the Iconic website

[@paulsire]

Thanks for the education and your anigdotes. I wonder what percentage of them are running

[@michaelmam]

That is a GOOD question 👍

[@m0ogy]

One of your best videos yet, well done Mate, some iconic bikes there , nice to see some 350LCs too 🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@michaelmam]

Thought you might enjoy that one Dave . Glad you did 👍

[@m0ogy]

Yes my sort of thing@@michaelmam

[@jim.bambury]

Really enjoying your videos Michael. Had a coffin tank RD, loved it. Also had a Husqvarna, sadly it was purloined by opportunistic baddies - apparently, according to an eye witness, they threw it into the boot of a saloon car and drove off with it half hanging out the back!!

[@michaelmam]

Sad , and amusing in equal measure . Can’t imagine anyone thinking putting a dirt bike in their boot was a good idea 🤦

[@cryptic_badger795]

Being in my early sixties now (similar age group to you?), this was a lovely trip down memory lane thanks. Re the Suzuki GS1000, yes the first model with the channel indented sides to the petrol tank, did have black coloured side panels (I owned one... great bike), the one in the auction was a slightly later model, which had colour coded side panels.

[@michaelmam]

Nice to know I am not going mad 😂 Thanks for commenting . Appreciate it 👍

[@flatcapcaferacer]

Nicely done! I cover the Mecum Motorcycle Auction in January in Las Vegas and they usually have between 1500 and 2000 motorcycles for sale. I treatmit like a big bike show.

[@michaelmam]

That is a lot of bikes 😂

[@simonevans343]

I really enjoyed that. Memories

[@michaelmam]

Yes . Good fun . I like the new bikes , but the occasional trip down memory lane doesn’t hurt ..

[@ianw3294]

Hi Michael. We are obviously from the same era. The difference between the m series and the a series gt750 was minor. The big difference was between the l series and the m series where the motor was tweaked for higher horsepower up the rev range. My a series was very fast. Wish I had been at the auction but Australia is a bit far away. Other bikes I have owned all new include rd 350a Yamaha, cb400f Honda, Yamaha rd400, Honda cx500a,Hondacx650e,Honda xl250,Suzuki gt750a Honda cb175. I now own a re interceptor which reminds me of my youth. Pretty sure we could talk a lot about those bikes of the 70s. Cheers ian

[@michaelmam]

Nice list of bikes you have owned ! Sounds like you had a lot of fun Ian . Enjoy your Summer on the Interceptor ..

[@WolfgangVonKempelen838]

I love this video, the great stories and nostalgia. I remember most bikes and I was expecting to see the Suzuki GT380 two stroke (a neighbour owned one of those, great bike) or an RD500 V4, RG500 which was considered the better bike. I might be slightly younger than you ;) I started life on two wheels on a Honda ss50 and jumped on a Kawasaki Gpz750 after my national service in 84. That was possible back in those days, a bit crazy when I think about it now. I have good memories and many fantastic stories but also a few sad ones, as quite a few friends killed themselves on bikes and I am happy/lucky that I survived my wild days. Sometimes I cringe when I see young lads riding in a certain fashion but realise that I took stupid risks as a young man. No, it doesn't justify that kind of behaviour but we would be very boring creatures if we would have all that wisdom at that age. I love these old bikes, however, I prefer to ride my 2019 Suzuki Katana and 2022 Kawasaki Ninja Z1000SX any day. The oldies look great, love the original Kawasaki Z900 (my cousin best friend had one in that candy colour) but I give me the modern Z900RS instead please. Thanks for making this video and your stories made me chuckle like an old fool ;)

[@michaelmam]

I had fun on the old bikes but like you , prefer the new ones . I have a Z900 RS and tried the Kawasaki sports tourer but found the Suzuki 1000 GT suited us better . We rode it down to Portugal earlier this year . Great bike . Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment . Really appreciate it !

[@WolfgangVonKempelen838]

@@michaelmam I was thinking about the GT but I already have the same engine in my Katana so I went for the SX. I had a Z900 naked and that is a fantastic bike at a bargain price really. I bet it was great fun riding in Portugal ;)

[@michaelmam]

⁠Yes it was . A great two up trip and the weather was kind . I also took it on a solo trip to Scotland . Weather slightly more variable but the rain was warm 😂

[@splodge57]

Great video, cheers. The first 3 Suzuki 2 strokes went for a song. Why only £4025 for the GT750? And the red GS 1000 was beautiful, only £5750! Bet the Silver and Blue Ducati 900SS fetched good money. I'll have to save the pennys and go there next year.😊

[@michaelmam]

Yes . I thought the Silver GT -M was cheap . Needed a bit of TLC and was a USA bike which puts some off but even so … The red one did better . The GS was really nice but they have never commanded the prices that the Z1000 A1/A2 can , despite them being a better bike 🤷🏼‍♂️.. equally historic in so much as , a bike loosely based on it , won the AMA super bike championship twice , with Wes Cooley riding and Pops Yoshimura on the spanners . Might see you there next year 👍

[@m2menuiserie540]

Superb. As you say, a trip down memory lane. I either coveted or owned so many of these. Had 4 of the DT175 in Tanzania. Like you, I've also somehow shrunk in the wash. Do they do stairlifts for bikes?

[@michaelmam]

😂

[@rogerkay8603]

The Candy Blue Elsie at 18:45 oh yes, please! Can keep your Kettles.....

[@michaelmam]

I know what you mean 👍

[@ianhoyle8459]

Great video Michael, The RD350F2 still looks the business to me, although I wanted the red and black F2 or a red and white TZR250! I’ve hoarded a few modern 80’s and 90’s classics away but do try to ride them. There seems nothing else quite like a motorcycle from the past to enable the ability for one to travel time so effectively?

[@michaelmam]

Interesting how seeing these bikes brings back memories . Good fun . Love the new bikes as well . Engine , chassis and tyre technology has come a long way in 40 years .. 👍

[@ianhoyle8459]

@@michaelmam Thank you for your kind reply. I totally agree I wanted an older muscle style bike but I couldn’t live with the required standard wheel, therefore tyre sizes. So I bought an early MK1 Suzuki Bandit 1200 which I ride the most. Modern tyres are incredible in the wet but I’m unable or better described as unwilling to try to find their limits in the dry! I also love the modern machines, I’m still trying to keep fit in order to continue to ride my sports bikes of which once readjusted to continue to blow my mind and the most modern of which is eleven years old now, but still more power than I am able to use; Ducati 1199S. However in truth this remains the case for my first four stroke; Kawasaki ZXR750L2 which I still own and love. ATB

[@1990-t1j]

Those Suzuki GT triples were something. The XL600 is my favourite here. Stunning. I didn't know they had tubeless tyres. I wouldn't have paid 8,500 for it, though. Nick J

[@michaelmam]

Definitely collectors money that one 👍

[@1990-t1j]

@@michaelmam The wheels must be recent additions. No such thing as spoke wheels that took tubeless tyres back then. Am I right on that?

[@michaelmam]

@@1990-t1j I am not sure they had tubeless off road tyres at that point either 🤔 Not quite sure where the “tubeless” comes from ? I didn’t mention it in my description .

[@1990-t1j]

@@michaelmam Study the spoke arrangement on the bike. Not standard, I'm sure. Aftermarket wheels, I think.

[@michaelmam]

@@1990-t1j It was prepared for the Sand Raiders rally but never competed as it was considered too good /close to OE to use for that . Probably a set for that ..

[@marcosmateucci1372]

Great video, any cbx 1000?

[@michaelmam]

Yes . A 1981 went through . Quite high mileage though . 61000 . Went for 8000 plus commission. . So just over 9000 .. not sure I have a strong feel for where they heading at the moment .. they got hot a couple of years ago 👍

[@caroldave4037]

Wow mike i paid 145quid in 1982 DT250 77yr ..my first bike of now over 60...i off roaded it only and to this day ive a pallet for 2 teeth i knocked out when heading over the bars!!!! happy days😣🤣i went on to xl and xr 250 hondas 👌👌 values arnt to bad but pricey enough when your of certain age 🤭atb dave..

[@michaelmam]

Sounds like I got off lightly . Still have all my teeth 😂 I had an XR 400 (pre electric start) . Did a few hare and hounds ( 3 hour enduro’s ) on it . Didn’t like starting after a mud bath …

[@adecarnally5501]

Want, want, want!!

[@michaelmam]

😂

[@sundboy]

The Husqvarna 500AE is rare. I remember Dougie Kerr and Geraint Jones (GB ISDE Riders) both being given these Bikes to Test. Dougie was clocked on a Speed test on a Two-day British Round in the Yair Forest in the Tweed Valley doing 90mpy with a semi-flat front tyre.

[@michaelmam]

👍 I followed Geraint for a lap of the Hafren mountain top enduro in the early 80’s . Flat out (84mph on my 240) across the top . He made it look easy . I made it look difficult 😂 He left me for dead once I was knackered …

[@markconlon814]

it was the 77 gt750B that had the black side panels, great video!

[@michaelmam]

👍 I think the first GS750 (1976) had the black panels as well 🤔 Gone by the 1000 then .. Thank you

[@Railrider765]

Man oh man the memories! 😐

[@michaelmam]

Yes . A journey back in time …

[@phensriwood8081]

Worked in the motorcycle trade back in the day, remember pulling them out of their crates.

[@michaelmam]

We didn’t know that so many of them would be considered “classics” now 😂

[@woodpeckerdrums6254]

Thankyou

[@michaelmam]

More than welcome 👍

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

Huskies are owned by KTM now and made in Austria , before that were in Italy- and owned for a time by BMW , BMW sold Husky to KTM and the Italian workers and engineers etc were NOT happy , so they got the bikes they built off KTM ( as KTM didn’t want them ) and brought the SWM name and built the same bikes - different colours under the SWM name ( and still do ) the 650 Superdual - recently deleted due to emissions, but still have the RS 125,300 and 500. KTM also have brought Husburg, Gas Gas and recently MV Augusta . So if you cannot beat them buy them ☝️( I’m not a KTM fan ) The SWM 650 engine- that was originally the Husky TE630 motor is actually used in the AJP 650 and the British CCM 650 spitfire etc .

[@michaelmam]

Thank you for sharing your expertise 👍 I knew that they are now owned by KTM but haven’t followed all the twists and turns in the ownership .

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

@@michaelmamI ride Enduro and ADV bikes so follow this stuff .

[@michaelmam]

@@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449 so where were they based in 83/84 ?

[@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449]

@@michaelmam SWM are in the old husky factory in Italy. Lombardy near Milan. Not sure about 83/84 - The new SWM is name only nothing really to do with the original, they are more of an old design husky.

[@Railrider765]

Got steel rod in left hip from 80 GS 1000! 😐

[@michaelmam]

Hopefully it doesn’t give you too much trouble !

[@roberttaylor9588]

were they not selling any British bikes?

[@michaelmam]

Yes . The top sale of the day was a Brough . £241,500 . I don’t often comment on the British bikes . I feel others can add more value than I do .

[@phillittle5890]

Running out of talent in a corner is such a good way of putting it 😂

[@michaelmam]

Sadly , also accurate 😂

[@aumkar2]

Seeing some of those sell of so cheap hurts being in a country where they are unobtainium.

[@michaelmam]

Most auctions accept live international bidding and assist with shipping etc . I am sure if you contact the auctioneers , they will help .

[@aumkar2]

@@michaelmam Yes, that's right but shipping isn't the issue for people like me in India for example, import regulations etc make it impossible to get these machines in the country. I only bother with the hassle if it's a machine that justifies the headache, my CBX1000 is one such machine in my collection.

[@edwardweiszbeck1649]

Suzuki GT: M = manual, A = automatic ?

[@michaelmam]

Sadly not . It is definitely a model year code but why they go from M to A .. the 77 was B , remains a mystery . Thank you though . 👍

[@terrybarton8388]

Wot! No big Z’s?

[@michaelmam]

Yes . There was a Z900 Z1B . I have talked a fair a bit about them in the last two video so felt I wanted to cover other bikes . Prices , for what I call riders/collectors bike , have softened . It went for £8625 , below the 10-12 estimate , which is what they went for 2 years ago ..

[@paulstaton8267]

What’s going on ? Not one Kawasaki

[@michaelmam]

I have covered a lot of Kawasaki’s in other reviews . Wanted to focus on other bikes for a change . There was a Z1B there . It sold for high 8’s with an estimate of 10-12 . Nice , ridable bike but I think prices are softening for this type of bike at the moment ..

[@paulstaton8267]

@@michaelmam fair comment 👍I have a mint 76 none raised engine number Z1A so I’m a bit biased, great content, well done

[@yufoh7753]

The Suzuki kettle, 750 TWO STROKE was a grand tourer? Nah mate, it really wasn't.

[@michaelmam]

😂 it was a tourer .. according to Suzuki at the time .

[@brianmilligan1787]

NEVER EVER GET ON THE BACK OF A BIKE WITH A JAMES HUNT.?

[@michaelmam]

😂 quite right . Some people get all the excitement they can cope with in life just by leaving on the cap lock …

[@mred7030]

i came down with bad dose of the wants watching this .

[@michaelmam]

😂

[@mimi1girl2dempsey3]

mY FATHER OWNED A hONDA SINGLE XL1225XL AND A 175 TWIN DUAL SPORT..tHE 175WAS A LOT HEAVIER AND FASTER THAN THE 125 BUT THE 125 WAS MORE FUN.

[@michaelmam]

The 125 was a little underpowered for sure . Nice looking starter bike for many .. 👍