Vintage Ranking

[Scout63]

How would you numerically rank the following vintage standards and why?  Also add one wild card if you want.

Moto Guzzi Tonti
Norton Commando
BMW Airhead
Ducati bevel GT

Mine right now would be:

1. Ducati - coolness factor of 11 plus that sound
2. Moto Guzzi - overall excellence and so easy to work on
3. Norton - attracts old men like flies and polishes up beautifully
4. BMW - just so competent and one got me across the country and back when I needed that so badly.

My wild card is an AMF Sportser. I’ve never had one but they look the business.

[Kane]

1. Guzzi Tonti. A great range of fun and versatile bikes, from the LM1 to touring bikes. Also my first bike, so I have a soft spot for them.
2. Norton Commando. A brilliant British classic, right side shift with a race shift pattern is pretty sweet, and an 850 to match the Tonti.
3. Ducati bevel drive. So unique and quirky Italian design, particularly with the glass sight window to see the gears, and if a later desmo model you have more brilliant Italian vision going on. I knew a guy who rode one everyday back in the ‘80’s and loved the bike.
4. BMW air head….I’ll go R50 for a very handsome design and probably easy to live with once sorted.

Wild card, how about a Vincent. Where there’s a will there’s a way. I know a guy who is working an extra job to swing buying a SuperLeggera, so why not? Errr…I just looked at what these things are going for, a bit hard to swallow. Would hate to drop it!

I guess I’ll amend my wildcard to something I would actually buy. 1967 Moto Guzzi V7, the first V-twin shaft drive, original loop frame and namesake to the current roadsters. The bike that started it all, and turning the ignition switch to start the bike will always bring a smile.

[wymple]

Tonti. Why do we need a discussion?

[s1120]

If I real world need to live with and work on them?   

MG
BMW
Ducati
Norton.

Now just love, and coolness, and just damn the torpedoes have what I like the best no matter what it takes to keep them alive?

Ducati SS.  750 or 900
MG LM I
BMW R90S
Norton Commando

Wild card real life?  Suzuki GS1150ES

anything goes? Vincent

[cliffrod]

A Tonti frame Guzzi tops my list.  That’s why I’ve kept mine through it all, no mater what.

After that, it goes to bevel Ducati & Norton which are much like two sides to the same coin. Both require more than the Guzzi.  Both bring more sexy romance than a Moto Guzzi

That puts BMW at the bottom of my list.  They may be “better” machines and more comparable to Moto Guzzi than a Bevel Ducati or Norton, but they don’t light my fire like any of those three marques.


Not sure what is meant by an AMF Sportster, because there was a fair amount of variation.  Maybe you mean an iron head & barrel Sportster?  I am a big fan and have a very late iron Sportster with alternator that’s a keeper.  Like the pre-Twin Cam big twins, they’re sophistication is better indexed to how the original design endured than to the latest upgrades & tweaks.  So many iron sportsters have been beaten & neglected into junk that many people never get to positively experience one.  Of the above bikes, it’s most akin to the Norton but it more visceral and grunt.  The normal small Sportster tank shapes how you ride, so it’s a completely different mindset than knowing you can ride for 3-4 hrs nonstop at highway speed.  Is it a “better” bike?  Probably not but who cares?  It makes me happy. 

[Tkelly]

For me the priority is traveling by motorcycle,riding one is secondary so the cool factor and thrill factors are nothat big a deal.I have had great trips on Honda’s,Kawasaki’s,BmWs And Guzzis.The Guzzi gets me there and back and is fun on the good cycle roads so that’s my vote.

[blackcat]

List according to re-sale value:

Ducati
BMW (airhead GS’s)
Commando (especially production racer of any year)
Tonti (V7 Sport, LeMans I & III & 1000S)

Daytona RS & soon to be MGS/01 which already is worth more than an RS.

As per original parameters

Ducati
Tonti
Commando
BMW

Daytona series especially RS

[Dave Swanson]

Brough Superior  -  Any model.  No explanation necessary, but who could argue with Lawrence of Arabia. 
MV Agusta  - Only the 1970 to 1974 750S or the 1976 750S America.  - The sound and presence of these is unmatched.
Vincent - Black Shadow, or in a pinch a Rapide would do.  -  Fastest production bike on the planet until they went out of business.  Iconic. 
Moto Guzzi Loops and Tontis - Back to reality.  Certainly they stand tall among the best all around bikes you could own during their day

[JJ]

Here is my quick read from my experience...

Moto Guzzi Tonti - No argument here, fabulous motorcycles all around...

Norton Commando - Had a '75 850 Commando Interstate MK III back in the early 90's.  A "beast" overall, but when it was sorted and running properly, it was a BLAST...

BMW Airhead - Generally "Poo-Pooed" by many Guzzisti, but anyone that has owned and ridden one for any distance knows better...

Ducati bevel GT - Never owned one, have ridden several, way cool Italian bikes.  Would love to have one like this!

[blackcat]

"BMW Airhead - Generally "Poo-Pooed" by many Guzzisti..."

I have ridden a few and don't have a problem with how they perform, but its at the bottom of my list because there are much more interesting twins out there than a BMW Airhead. 

[JJ]

QUOTE:  ...there are much more interesting twins out there than a BMW Airhead. 

Yes...and here is an interesting Italian twin for you!

[blackcat]

QUOTE:  ...there are much more interesting twins out there than a BMW Airhead. 

Yes...and here is an interesting Italian twin for you!

[xackley]

I  put my 1958 R69 bmw at the top of the list. 62k miles and still performs like new and it is beautiful with lotsa patina. Will still cruise at 70mph all day, if I still could last that long. The only semi major work is I replaced the clutch when the rivets gave way.

I don't see the option to post a picture here.

Mine is not as pretty, but this is what they look like
https://www.google.com/search?q=bmw+r69&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1&fir=hj1A9IGdXmEYNM%252CreYEuw3eaZ3MHM%252C_%253BsG-SE5TdN2qAyM%252C4lU6ju1iAmY23M%252C_%253BboumMW5tMOmXPM%252CknuAh92KTgqAfM%252C_%253BkLy46O81nMlaqM%252CxqW7hlH_Y-1OMM%252C_%253BJ4PYqKyOruP8RM%252CXbL9_f2GCyJX6M%252C_%253BeNB2v6_9aEPI0M%252C4lU6ju1iAmY23M%252C_&usg=AI4_-kRFZzNDJxWMsoqesseTOxgxE_HycA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiX8IDKtr_5AhVhq4kEHSz_AMcQ_h16BQi-ARAB

[John Croucher]

An unmolested KZ1000?  I would put this a close to the top.

[Kane]

I  put my 1958 R69 bmw at the top of the list. 62k miles and still performs like new and it is beautiful with lotsa patina. Will still cruise at 70mph all day, if I still could last that long. The only semi major work is I replaced the clutch when the rivets gave way.

I don't see the option to post a picture here.

Mine is not as pretty, but this is what they look like….

Great looking bikes! The older BMWs have so much more style than the later ones.

[berniebee]

Is it just me or is there a bias towards Italian motorcycles by some members of this forum?   

Ok:

MG  (In my absolutely objective opinion.)
Ducati (I had a brief but torrid affair with a Darmah.)
BMW  (Any airhead from almost any era. Solid bikes but a little too...well, frumpy.)
Norton (The later 750/850 twins. They look so handsome.  But I'm not sure I would be happy looking after one.)

[guzzista]

Going straight  off the  OP's list ,
1) Guzzi Tonti. Still own 3 of them and find them the most versatile vintage bikes , easy to work on , durable and usable on a daily basis
2) Ducati Bevel. Owned  a 900SS ( my overall fave). Darmahs, GT/GTS ( several)  as  well as a fair  amount of seat time on a  round case GT' and  a 750 Sport.  A Bevel GT 750  ( toss-up with the last version of the  GTS) my other pick.
3 ) Norton Commando. after  owning 4 850's,  my pick would be the 1973 . A well sorted one is a lot of fun to ride, but you need to be able to sort it out yourself first, which for the traditional motorcyclist used to handling wrenches,  is not that hard.
4) BMW airheads. Don't hate them and appreciate their functionality and unique looks , and in the case of the R90S that I once rode to Seattle from SF , came downright to admire/ covet, but as a then dyed in the wool Bevel Ducati fan  ( with limited moto buying  funds) never did own .
Wild Card: Triumph TR7V, or T140 . my choice a 1973 Tiger . Standard fasteners, huge parts availability (you need them after all) and packed with vintage bike feel

[Kane]

….Norton Commando. after  owning 4 850's,  my pick would be the 1973….

Interesting a ‘73 over a ‘74. Do tell! 
I had always heard that the ‘74 (MkIIa?) was the holy grail of these, the most sorted out by the factory, best head design, and still the right hand shift and pre-electric starter.

[Scout63]

Interesting a ‘73 over a ‘74. Do tell! 
I had always heard that the ‘74 (MkIIa?) was the holy grail of these, the most sorted out by the factory, best head design, and still the right hand shift and pre-electric starter.

I think we are always partial to our own bikes and rationalize heavily.  That being said I like 750 Commandos over 850s.  They seem a bit more untamed. Here I am hijacking my own thread.

[Road Rocket]

An unfair comparison...A run of the mill Guzzi in good condition is far less expensive than a ratty Norton or Ducati...And probaly less expensive than a same condition large bore Airhead...

[blackcat]

An unfair comparison...A run of the mill Guzzi in good condition is far less expensive than a ratty Norton or Ducati...And probaly less expensive than a same condition large bore Airhead...

You can still buy a pretty ratty Norton for not much money, spend a fair amount of money and it will be a $11 to $13K bike. But if you buy a T, T-3 in fairly good condition and spend a fair amount of money it will still be a $4,500 dollar bike. And of course a ratty vintage Ducati will require even more money and it will usually sell for a lot of money depending on which model.

[dguzzi]

  No Triumph's mentioned at all.  Sheesh!

[blackcat]

  No Triumph's mentioned at all.  Sheesh!

I wouldn't mind owning a 68 Bonneville.

[Tom]

Wildcard for me.....any Vespa with the larger engines.     Hard to beat in traffic and on tight mountain roads.    

[guzzista]

Interesting a ‘73 over a ‘74. Do tell! 
I had always heard that the ‘74 (MkIIa?) was the holy grail of these, the most sorted out by the factory, best head design, and still the right hand shift and pre-electric starter.

The MK2A with the (MK3 like ) plastic airbox and restrictive mufflers was never a US thing ( we got the MK2, to some folks the best 850 Commando)
A late 1973 with the RH10 head,  good layshaft bearing from the factory (drum rear and right side shift ) was  my holy grail and  my last Commando, sold 10 years ago . The last ( and to some the best) 750 was also offered in 1973
For folks hoping for a cheap Norton, the current offers( or lack thereof) may reveal that times have changed.
As for Triumphs, a T140 (Bonneville ) or TR7V ( Tiger) makes a great alternative to both Commandos and the earlier Triumphs T110 and T120.Easier to find, still decently priced, with easier to find
 and more reasonably priced parts , standard fasteners, and last, but not least ,loads of vintage bike mojo.YMMV

[Furbo]

Well, much depends on model doesn't it...

1 - Ducati - either 900MHR or 900SS

2 - BMW Air head - Bumblebee GS 100

3 - Tonti Guzzi - now, I like the Tonti's, have owned a T3, Cal II, and LM V. Had you stated Loop/V7 - might've been different.

4 - Norton - lovely, but I don't really know Brit bikes like I do continentals and don't want to start a new degree program now. 

And, I'm with Blackcat - throw a Laverda SF II into the mix and it would come out #1 or #2. 

[wymple]

My GS1100 EZ Suzuki was far more competent than my Cal 2 or my V65C. I loved my TX & SX650 Yamahas, my RD's, and all the other bikes I've owned. Rode a lot of other bikes as well, from Harley to BMW to Kawasaki & Honda, some seat time on Triumphs, once on a Norton, even a 2 stroke Jawa. But I never liked ANY of them as much as my Tonti, with the V65 coming in a close 2nd. What can I say?

[Petrus Rocks]

-And my dark horse nomination- my Buell Ullysses!  Handles almost as good as my Ducati, big torque from 2500 rpms up, has a hit on top like a two stroke, my go to bike for long distance and carrying stuff. 
-My Ducati 900 Monster-begs to be ridden hard,loves corners, point and shoot, and that sound with a good exhaust!
-My cafe'd Guzzi-sounds like a small block Chevy with the LeMans exhaust, twist the throtle and it just pulls and pulls- Easy to work on compared some  of my previous bikes.  Steering is slow, makes you work a little more but feels like you're riding a freight train on rails.
-BMWs- Competent but ultimately a bit boring.  I cafe'd my 74 900 but it never handled very well.
-Another vote for Triumphs-Not that much power but so flickable!  My '76 has been pretty reliable once the electrics were sorted out.  Too much fun on a dirt road, sliding corners, and of course the sound from twin Cone Engineering mufflers.  Handles so much better than a Norton.
-Norton- I owned a '75 MKIII- painstakingly rebuilt, lovingly assembled, handled like a BMW, not that impressed with the motor.  I never want to see 11 headbolts on a twin again!