Much of Motorcycle Sport’s readership consisted of people like me, people who rode and loved British motorcycles in the 50s, 60s and 70s. We watched as the Japanese entered the market with cheap, dependable, oiltight, small bikes. We rode big bikes, most of us, so those little Hondas and Tohatsus and Suzukis didn’t interest us much.
But when Honda began exporting 250s and 305s to the US and UK, we had to pay attention. Those bikes had the same virtues as the previous tiddlers, but they performed like British 500s.
It wasn’t long before Honda released the 450cc ‘Black Bomber’ and then the amazing CB750. Yamaha’s two-strokes were rocketships, as were Kawasaki’s and Suzuki’s.
You’ve heard these
