Old cars are much better than old motorcycles (despite what May says)
Newer is always better when it comes to two wheels
Colin Goodwin has been a motoring journalist for over 30 years, starting out at Car Magazine where he used to have lunch most days with a bloke called James May. He has written in most of the UK’s magazines and newspapers. He likes anything with a spark plug and isn’t keen on electric cars – and don’t even mention ones that drive themselves.
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James May will tell you that old cars are rubbish. Or at least that they’re not very good. This, I often tell him, is ironic since he has owned many of them over the years. Indeed, a current member of his garage is a Ferrari 308 GTB. It’s gorgeous and in perfect condition. Usually it sits next to his 458 Speciale, another fine machine that looks stunning, especially in the unusual orange colour that May ordered his in.
As you probably know, May’s cars share garage space with a substantial collection of motorcycles. I’ve lost count how many and May himself probably doesn’t know the exact number. Several are new machines but many are old ones. Old bikes, I say to him, really are crap. Here’s my argument.
James May's Speciale and 308 are perfect examples
Old cars have characteristics that are missing from old cars. Let’s take the Speciale and 308 GTB as our test case. The Speciale is fantastically fast, has amazing handling and superb brakes. The old Ferrari is not particularly powerful, isn’t especially fast and has brakes that are good enough rather than outstanding. What it has over the newer car is narrowness. The 458 is a wide car and that’s not good for country lanes where there are no speed cameras and not much traffic.
Old cars are usually narrow, which has its benefits…
If a Transit van comes the other way you’re in danger of wiping off an expensive alloy wheel on the nearside kerb. The Speciale is frustrating because you can’t use much more than 30 per cent of its performance on the public road whereas you can use almost all of the 308’s. Finally, the 308 GTB feels light and delicate which gives you a good feel for what the car is doing.
Why would I want relive my youth by buying one of these old nails when I could buy a Ducati Panigale V4?
Now let’s look at old bikes. Specifically to one of James’s pride and joys: his rare 1970 Honda CB750. He’s owned at least three CB750s, I’ve ridden most of them and they’re awful. They’re slow, the tyres have no grip, the brakes are lethal and the handling is dreadful. I can’t think of a single feature of this iconic machine that offers an advantage over a modern bike.
I’ve owned loads of old bikes myself. I once owned a Laverda Jota which was the dream bike when I was a teenager in the 1970s. Yes it had an amazing engine but it also had poor brakes, a clutch that damaged all the tendons in your left arm, a willingness of the 9.35 from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly to change direction. My first big bike was a Norton Commando. It had an electric starter than never worked, regularly blew headgaskets and had brakes that didn’t work when it was raining. Why would I want to try and attempt to relive my youth by buying one of these old nails when I could buy a Ducati Panigale V4?
Of course, none of the above arguments should in any way imply that I don’t want to have a go on May’s Honda RC30.
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Comments (18)
I never claimed the CB750 was good. It’s awful.
Have you got the Sand-cast 750 out lately ? Or is it too temperamental & won’t start after a ‘rest’? I think you love it partly because it’s awful.
I've driven old cars and they're not as terrifying as you'd think, once you get used to the feeling of un-servo'd brakes. Old bikes though… hmm. I'd get carried away and terrify myself when it came to stopping
Unlike old bikes and cars, old men are much better. Just think of all the experience we have picked up covering the mileage.
All 2 strokes 👍🏻👍🏻
What's hiding behind the "redacted"?