I was in school in the 1970s when the /6 and /7 BMWs were new. I started riding in January 1981 and in 1987, after a Honda CB125, (4 months), a CB250 (almost a year) and a Suzuki GS450 (5 years and worn out), I wanted a bike that could pull out and overtake two up at 100kph, and which would last 10 years. Basically I wanted an BMW boxer.
I ended up with a short list of the expensive option - a BMW, or the cheap options, a Honda CX650 or a Yamaha XZ550.
I have a friend who bought a new CX650 around 1985 and having seen most of the more inaccessible parts, I'm familiar with many of their, ahh, features. Most of them have long ago gone to god here. And I couldn't tell you the last time I saw an XZ550. So I figure I bought the right bike.
I missed an R80ST with 3500km on it for a very good price and a week or two later a red 1984 R65 with 4200km came up. I probably paid too much for it, but 23 years later the original purchase price probably works out to about 30% of what I've spent on registration and insurance over the years! Add in fuel and maintenance and a few hundred dollars too much on the purchase price of my 10 year bike is long forgotten.
Graham in Melbourne
