Nostalgia: it’s not what it used to be. And, in fact, I reckon it’s generally a load of old pony – especially in the bike world. With very few exceptions, all of modern biking life is better than it used to be. From mundane stuff like decent heated grips and genuinely waterproof boots, through to lifesavers like tyres which actually work in the wet and seamless ABS systems, I’m much happier riding nowadays than when I started out 35 years ago. Fight me.
This faux rose-tinting of the past came to mind the other day,when I was doing some pics on this, the 2023 BMW R1250 R which I am minding for its real owner (BMW UK) this summer. Because I remember when a BMW Boxer roadster involved riding to Brands Hatch for the WSBK race in 1998, and the only spare bike was an R1200 C – yes, the mad cruiser thing. It weighed a ton, made minimal power, and looked, well, you know, what it looked like. A few years later, I remember working at magazine, and witnessing a staff member actually being punished by being given an R1100 S long-term test bike instead of the GSX-R or R1 they were pining for. Great days.
