What was it like in 1968?

I had been drafted and my two years was finished in the summer of 68. I had little interest in bikes and a lot of interest in fast cars...bought my first bike, 65 650 BSA in 1972....

My first road bike was in 72, a 1966 Honda CB160. Pretty fast and fun for a 130 pound kid. About the same time my buddy had an Atlas Norton that he let me try. It stopped like shite and vibrated like a paint shaker so I was more than happy with the Enfield Interceptor I traded the Honda in on. ( talk about a warped sense of whats good? ) Fast forward 45 years or so and another buddy let me try his 73 850 Mk2 on a road trip to North Carolina. As soon as we got back home I was on the hunt for a Commando and the 71 T120 was on the block for sale. All my memories of riding back then, no matter the bike are good ones. No wife, no kids, no mortgage, no worries except gas and beer money. Too bad I had to grow up.

I was still celebrating beating Germany in the World Cup 2 years earlier

but for biking, I was still sticking a playing card in the spokes of the bicycle to make a noise I reckon

Flatspot said:

I was still celebrating beating Germany in the World Cup 2 years earlier

but for biking, I was still sticking a playing card in the spokes of the bicycle to make a noise I reckon

Click to expand...

Balloons sound better.

My first Senior Manx Grand Prix on a Norton 500 Twin.

Had my first real bike in 1967 at the afge of 18, a ex Dutch army Matchless G3L, a pal at school had a similar bike, an AJS 16,
and I thought that these bikes were supercool. The guy with the AJS always had better looking girlfriends too, so I thought, that's what I want.
Few people over here were interested in motorbikes in those days, as a schoolboy I could only dream of a Norton or a Triumph.
I lusted after a Triumph tripe, or a Commando , or aBSA spitfire, Japanese bikes were considered as cheap shit by most bikers that I knew.