The Ten Best Handling Motorcycles of all Time

Thats why I have had a love of Featherbed frames for over 43 years since riding my mate's 750 Commando/Featherbed when I was 17 years old and built my own hot 850 Featherbed a few years later, so light, nimble and very fast, its like riding on rails and the best thing it surprises or should I say it shocks a lot of the moden bike riders.

Ashley
 
Haven't read the article yet.

But a big part of this is going to be what is "best handling" ?
A Goldwing plush highway ride. ?
A racers point-n-squirt rocket ?
An MX weapon that can do 30 ft high jumps ?
A moped that doesn't spit you off every pothole ?

I can't help recalling a superbike race some years back, where Wayne Gardner (Ex Honda factory rider) was a guest commentator, alongside the regular commentators.
A pair of Ducs and a Honda VFR were coming up to a tight hairpin corner.
The Honda took the middle line, and the Ducs went either side of him.
Wayne was gushing about the smooooooth good handling Honda, as the Ducs waggled their steering heads.
And cleared off into the distance !
Next lap, the 2 Ducs were way in front - and the VFR crashed on that corner trying to keep up. !!
The laffs in the commentary box were turned down, but they were ROTFL.
Stick to the racing wayne, thats what you are good at...

There is good handling, and there is good handling....
 
Somewhat subjective, but an interesting read.

Some were "best" handling on street, some on race tracks. Some on long sweepers, some in tight twisties. Some all-out race bikes, some street bikes.

In much the same way as "who makes the best-tasting hamburger", you'll get any number of opinions...

(P.S., it's NOT McDonald's)
 
they get more specific in the article

To come up with a list of the ten best handling classics of all time,
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then get right into

it is necessary to select one considered the best. Most riders who have experienced a Norton Featherbed’s (based on the famous Manx Norton's frame) handling will use this chassis to judge all others. It was a revelation in its day, and can still put to shame many modern bikes.
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then this for the commando
In many ways, Norton set the standard for good handling bikes with their Featherbed frame. The Commando offered rock steady handling further proving Norton’s ability to produce bikes that showed their lineage. Many years of success at the Isle of Man TT proved invaluable for Norton, who transferred many of the lessons learned onto their street bikes.
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Handling and grip AKA roadholding are not the same of course. A vehicle (because you can use the terms on other than 2 wheelers) may have very nice handling but not be so grippy and vice versa.
Feeling like its about to chuck you in the hedge at any moment, while actually allowing high speeds through bends. If you have ridden a Jota, or my old Mirage then you would have a good idea about how this works, although sometimes, it doesn't feel as if "works" is the right word.

On my personal list would be one of the old flat single guzzi's, a Gambalungino perhaps. Not greatly powerful but could be ridden faster than the opposition through the corners, fast enough to win a fair few world championships (the flat singles as a genre) in their time, against Velo's, Manxes and 7R's.
Good enough for Norton to attempt a clone.
 
it is all relative to the period the bikes appeared on the scene- because at the time they came out any one of them could be downgraded as the worse handling bike due to having crap tyres on for instance in 1976 Avon tyres came up with a production races called the Avon Roadrunner series and I recall that certain bikes like the rider of the Jolta refused to use Avon tyres and stuck on Pirelli tyres instead, as did a few others…..
The monoshock TZ 250 & 350 were great provided they had Dunlop KR125 full race tyres , the Velo would weave when leaned over hard.... I could go on...........
 
Guys, I LOVE old bikes but if that list included everything made after 1980, none of the bikes on there would have made it. Modern suspension is light-years better and if the old chassis had to handle over 100 bhp, most would wind up like clock spring and spit the riders off like a dog shaking off a loose tick.
 
Seems the writer or his photo picker need to look closer.

The Triton they picked had the modern Bonneville engine in it not the T120. Does not affect the handling much but they could have picked a Classic Triton.


The Ten Best Handling Motorcycles of all Time
 
kommando said:
Seems the writer or his photo picker need to look closer.

The Triton they picked had the modern Bonneville engine in it not the T120. Does not affect the handling much but they could have picked a Classic Triton.
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LOL, I suspect John Glimmerveen Classic Motorcycles Expert is not as experty as he thinks...others in the series could be....
He'd like the BMW /2 then.
The Ten Best Handling Motorcycles of all Time

or maybe a very original 900ss
The Ten Best Handling Motorcycles of all Time
 
72Combat said:
kommando said:
Seems the writer or his photo picker need to look closer.

The Triton they picked had the modern Bonneville engine in it not the T120. Does not affect the handling much but they could have picked a Classic Triton.
Click to expand...

LOL, I suspect John Glimmerveen Classic Motorcycles Expert is not as experty as he thinks...others in the series could be....
He'd like the BMW /2 then.
The Ten Best Handling Motorcycles of all Time

or maybe a very original 900ss
The Ten Best Handling Motorcycles of all Time
Click to expand...

I don't think a very original Ducati 900SS came with inverted forks.

And a plunger-framed BMW a great handler? The ones I have ridden could be charitably classified as "comfortable".
 
Pssst, ssshhh, but you missed the point, completely !!

/2 beemers don't have 1000cc+ oil cooled motors.
And rijjinal 900SS's don't have cam belts....
 
I raced a featherbed Triton for about 12 years, and I have also ridden my mate's 650cc one which was probably better than my own 500cc one. I have also had a ride on a very good 1961 500cc Manx. There is no comparison. The thing that stuffs Tritons is the weight distribution, compared with a Manx they always feel that little bit vague and that destroys confidence. With a Manx it is always inspired hero stuff.
I once rode a 900SD Ducati. It felt as though you could jump up and down on it in a corner and make no difference - great if you are on a high speed bumpy circuit with lots of wide sweeping bends, you could go really fast without scaring yourself shitless. My Seeley is great on short circuits, but you have to have your head way ahead of the corners because it self-steers. It means you can be extremely aggressive. However I'd hate to take it to a big bumpy circuit. Some bikes handle superbly, however under certain circumstances their vices come from nowhere and bite you on the bum.
There is no way the 900SD Ducati would beat my Seeley on a short tight circuit, however on a big circuit such as Phillip Island, it would make my Seeley look stupid.
 
I noticed the comments above about tyres. I suggest many guys have become dependent on sticky tyres, however sometimes it rains on race day. You can have the most powerful bike with the best handling frame and best tyres. Everything moves up a notch until it rains. Whenever that happens, I know I am in with a good chance.
 
Are you getting the Ducati 900SD and the SS mixed up? I have an SD and its hardly a sports bike, more a loping tourer. :wink:
 
Are you telling me that the Ducati SS and SD have different frame geometries ? I really doubt that - this is an Italian bike, NOT Japanese.
 
acotrel said:
Are you telling me that the Ducati SS and SD have different frame geometries ? I really doubt that - this is an Italian bike, NOT Japanese.
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They are not much different but by chance at the Classic Racing Register AGM Kevin Grant ( owner of one of the Brittens) mentioned he had just bought a Darmah, commented on the handling being a bit suspect due to the crimped down tubes to accommdate the tractor like battery. Heavier than the SS too with less power. Can't say I ever noticed but I ride like a nana on the road. :lol:
 
According to the last Motorcycle Classics magazine the SS has about 10 more horsepower than the SD and the SD is heavier. That does actually slightly change the way the bike needs to handle. However I don't believe the Italians would change the steering geometry between those two models if they were made in the same period. As I understand it the frame rake is about 31 degrees - even with reduced offset the bike would be very stable both under brakes and when accelerating out of corners. It means that less is required of the rider when going fast. Those big Harleys often have rakes of 34 degrees so they are almost impossible to lose unless you fall off with boredom. The Seeley and the Commando use rakes of 27 degrees however my own Seeley has very reduced offset on the fork yokes which makes it extremely quick steering. So much so that it positively self-steers as it comes out of corners under power.
 
Curious why you would compare a sports tourer with a purpose built racer. My BMW racebike would trash my Ducati around any track here but its apples and oranges really. Ducati has better brakes. :D
 
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