Life In America
1964 – Lyndon Johnson is president. The average family income is up 5%. A new house will set you back $13,000. The Beatles dominate the airways with six number one hits including I Want to Hold Your Hand and She Loves You…yeah. You’re watching Gilligan’s Island on the tube, along with the Man from Uncle. Ford has just introduced a new car concept, the Mustang for only $2,368 and everyone wants one. Gas is $.30 a gallon, and a new Harley-Davidson FLH will set you back $1,673.
| Number One Motorcycle Trend For 1964: |
| Suddenly light-weight two-strokes are all the rage, and why not, you can buy one for less than $400. |
European Brands
Bultaco Metralla, Sherpa TSS, Matador 200. Gilera 300, 98, and 124 Scrambler. Maico 250 Scrambler. Royal Enfield Crusader 250. James Cotswold 250. Zanella 100 Sport Tourismo. Norton Atlas 750 Scrambler. Velocette 500 Scrambler. BMW R27. BSA Lightning Rocket 650, 500 Cyclone Scrambler and Starlite 75. Dot Demon Scrambler 250. Montesa Diablo Scrambler 250. Triumph Mountain Cub 200 and Thunderbird 650. Vespa 90. Jawa ESO Scrambler 250. Lambretta 200TV. Hodaka Ace 90. DKW 50. Matchless C15 CSR 750. Ducati Diana MkIII 250. Parilla Tourist 250.
Asian Brands
Honda 90, Super Hawk 250, and CR110 – 50ccs. Yamaha 80 YG1, Trailmaster YG1, YDS3 and RD56. Hodaka Ace 90. Suzuki Hillbilly 80. Bridgestone 90. Marusho 500 ST (BMW twin clone)
American Brands
Harley-Davidson FLH. Van Tech Scrambler and Trials, Simplex Sportsman.
Racing
Roger Reiman is Grand National Champ.
For the first time, Daytona’s FIM race is a world’s point event. For some reason Honda doesn’t participate. Virtually all classes are dominated by four-cylinder machines. Mike Hailwood set the one hour top speed world record on a 500cc MV with an average speed of 144.8 mph.
Daytona AMA event is won by Roger Reiman on his HD 750cc KRTT with an average speed of 94.8 mph. This is the first time the banked portion of the track is used for the AMA event.
AMA approves “streamlining” (fairings) in all road racing classes.
ISDT has first American Team participation, Dave and Bud Ekins, Steve McQueen, John Steen, and Cliff Coleman.
Other Issues
Yamaha introduces Autolube, oil injection system.
Kawasaki/Meguro motorcycles to be distributed in US by Ken Kay Distributing under brand name Omega.
Honda adopts, “You Meet The Nicest People On A Honda” advertising slogan.
Between January and July, the Japanese sell 178,673 motorcycles in the US.
You can buy a fuel injection system for your motorcycle from Wal Phillips for $35.00.
Weiss Mfg. is offering a naugahyde jacket and pants combo for $60.00, fully lined too!
Hello…
Nice share. I belive your page should come up much higher in the search results than where it is showing up right now….
Amazing post. Very informative. Thank you for writing this.
[...] 1964 – Lyndon Johnson is president. The average family income is up 5%. A new house will set you back ,000. The Beatles dominate the airways with six number one hits including I Want to Hold Your Hand and She Loves You…yeah. You’re watching Gilligan’s Island on the tube, along with the Man from Uncle. Ford has just introduced a new car concept, the Mustang for only ,368 and everyone wants one. Gas is $.30 a gallon, and a new Harley-Davidson FLH will…Read More. [...]
Just reading the list of bikes available in 1964 brought back a flood of memories. That was the year I bought a used BSA Rocket 650. Two years earlier I started riding with the BSA Tiger Cub. 200 cc’s of a Torque’y single cylinder taught me NOT to twist the throttle hard in the middle of a low speed turn. Ooops. Splat
Since you guys sold Triumphs, I’m sure you remember how (un)reliable English electronics were. You probably also remember that old related joke. “So THAT’s why the English drink warm beer!”
It seems weird to say this, but in a way, I kinda miss kick starting. Battery dead? No problem. Thanks for the memories.
Lucas Electrics – the Prince of Darkness!
Was your shop in Zenua (SP) Ohio in 1971? We stoped there & worked on our bikes during the Trans-Am’s with Gary & Duane Jones. Darrell
@ Darrell
Yes our shop was in Xenia, Ohio then.
-CA-
Don’t forget Cushman Eagle.
I didn’t actually start riding until 1966. My first machine was an Allstate Compact, a derivative of the MoPed. Had a 50cc, 2-stroke, Puch engine, three speed on the right grip and a semi-step-through frame. Next was a Yamaha 60. I used to tell all my Honda riding bud’s that if they didn’t like my smokey exhaust, get in front of me . . . if you think you can…
You left off the Harley Hummer. In 1964 HD marketed 2 models: Pacer and Scat, both 175cc displacement. Within two years HD would give in to the Japanese invasion and began importing its small displacement bikes from Aermacchi in Italy.
Joe,
There are probably a lot of motorcycles that have been left out. The posting only reflects motorcycles that were tested in that particular year’s issue of Cycle World. If the Hummer wasn’t tested it doesn’t appear, the same applies to all motorcycles for all years.
steve mcqueen, one of the coolest dudes ever… and I learned to ride on my Hodaka ace 90
It would be nice if it was noted that Hailwood set the record for a 1 hour, closed track, “endurance” speed record and not really a race or the premier event.
@ Steven Chen
Thank you for catching that. The post is updated.
-CA-
I bought a new Triumph from Competition Accessories in 1967. What year did CA take on Triumph? I know they carried Yamaha and the Berliner line much earlier but Triumph was a new comer.
My father bought me a new Bridgestone 90 at the Firestone Store in McAlester, Ok. I thought this was in 1962 though. What year did Bridgestone start importing the 90cc to the U.S.?
R
Randy,
Exports to America from Bridgestone started in 1963, via Rockford Motors of Rockford, Illinois. The machines were initially sold through the Sears-Roebuck and Montgomery-Ward catalogue stores chain, and through outlets in hardware and sporting goods shops across the U.S.A.
The BS-90 was not made until 1964, followed in 1965 by the BS-50 and BS-175, and by the BS-350 two years later.
-CA-