I am not lucky enough to own a BMW that is older than I am but my Triumph has 10 years on me and still starts first or second kick.
You are doubly blessed then. Firstly by the joys of an older bike and secondly having a Triumph that starts second kick.
I never owned a Triumph, well I did but for less than a day, I "bought" a Trident from a friend who was on his luck and had bills to pay, but instead of paying his bills he went to the racetrack and in a turn of events opposite to what you would expect to usually happen, he won large. He bought his bike back, I never threw a leg over it.
But I digress. When I started motorcycling it was on such forgettable things as a BSA Bantam, I progressed through various BSA's, a Norton or two, a brace of Velocettes and even a Matchless.
But they were even then, somewhat younger than I (on reflection the Bantam may have been older than me, but I am not sure), let's face it, Pommy machines of that era were not noted for the integrity of their design, accuracy of their assembly or their durability.
To an extent I feel sorry for the British motorcycle industry, on the one hand they were pinched financially and were slow to replace machine tools worn out in the then still recent war, but on the other hand they were terribly slow to innovate any real change.
There were occasional things like the Velocette Valiant - an admirable concept, horizontally opposed twin with a fairing, bodywork over the engine and gearbox and shaft drive. If only it had been a little bigger than 200cc....
There are of course many other examples of "could of, would of, should have." By 1973~74 when my own interest in motorcycles was ramping up, the British motorcycle industry was on its knees, and I was once "privileged" to see an example of why.
The town I lived in at the time had a long term motorcycle dealer by the name of Orm Snell, Orm sold Norton, Triumph, BMW and Honda. The town also playyed host to a very large army base. I happened to be at Snell's motorcycle shop when a young soldier who had just returned from deployment to Vietnam walked in and announced that he wanted a 750cc motorcycle and had cash in his pocket to pay for it.
The positively salivating salesman first offered a BMW, but it would take 5 days for one to be sent from the State distributor, so that was rejected. Next the salesman and the soldier dallied in front of a Triumph, but the puddle of oil under it caused the soldier to loose interest immediately. Next in line was a fine looking Commando in black and gold, sadly a dozen or so lusty kicks from the salesman failed to breathe life into it. Last in line was a Honda 750-4, the salesman threw a leg over it, turned the key and pressed the button whereupon the bike started immediately and then sat there patiently idling awaiting orders.
Best of all the Honda was the cheapest of the 4.
I probably don't need to write that the young soldier, after purchasing a 'brando" leather jacket and a helmet wobbled off down the road heading back to the base.
It occurred to me then that unless the British motorcycling industry made things like the 750-4 that it was all over for them.
They did of course try, in an unco-ordinated and heavily undermined way and it was indeed soon "all over for them".
