Kawasaki Z400
All kinds of odd things turn up in the grey market, though not in great enough numbers to take seriously. How about an immaculate Z400 with less than ten thou on the clock for two grand. Actually, at that kind of mileage a pleasant if basic enough vertical twin that will cause any Brit bike fanatic to go all weak kneed and nostalgic...and be amazed at its apparent toughness and lack of oil leaks. Higher mileage examples turn very nasty, with disintegrating balancers, ruined primary drives and burnt out top ends. The later Z440Ltd has some weird custom clothes, a tougher engine and is more resistant to our winter; around a grand will buy something with a reasonable amount of life left.
Honda CB450K
Another nice bike afflicted by high mileage is the old Black Bomber. Honda's original big twin was a wild old bugger, 43 horses from 450cc but full of torque, character and, er, vibration. Brilliant in its day, tired and worn examples turn up from the States for less than a grand (the odd low mileage one fetches two to three grand). Though they can run okay to fifty thou, after that the top end and even crank bearings start to go pop. Signs of a good engine are exceptionally quiet running at tickover, lack of vibes above six grand and an absence of smoke out of the engine breather or exhaust. The same goes for the later, five speed, 45hp version which looks like a larger version of the CD175 and still manages to fly along at a wicked pace. £1500 will buy a really good one, a grand something with a good engine but fast fading cosmetics and consumables. There's also the odd street scrambler, CL450 out there (around a grand).
Honda CB500T
The later CB500T was mechanically very nasty but that hasn't stopped the import of near rats with sticker prices of £500 to £750. God knows why anyone bothers, chronic top end hassles don't make them a bargain buy even at these prices. £200 for spares is nearer the mark. Avoid unless the pseudo classic looks get to you (not too bad if the ugly OE exhaust's dumped).
Suzuki GR650
Another odd twin's the Suzuki GR650 Tempter, basically a larger version of the GS400 - uniquely for a vertical twin of this capacity it runs a crankshaft with a 180 degree throw (hence perfect primary balance but lots of low rev vibes from torque reaction along the crank). It runs very nicely on the road but tends to become a bit finicky after 25000 miles. Burnt exhaust valves, inflammatory electrics and bore wear are things to look for. Spares are difficult. Handling's better than the XS650 but suspension ages nastily and the front tyre reacts poorly to a wet, ruined British road. Rideable examples, with poor but recoverable cosmetics start at £1250 and the odd immaculate, low mileage one fetches £2000.
Kawasaki Z750
Even something as horrible as a Kawasaki Z750 twin turns up in the import market, in immaculate trim for around £2500 (rats for under a grand). A huge and hugely complex motor, and an excess of mass, makes them a waste of space but the mill is quite tough for the first 40,000 miles and belts out an excess of torque. They used to be popular as cheap hacks but most worn out now; I suppose an immaculate one has its uses as a talking point for those bored out of their minds by the replica scene.
Honda CB350K
One of the twins to survive the seventies better is the old Honda CB350K, a bike that was once the best selling motorcycle in the States. Just enough performance to stop you falling asleep at the controls, classic looks and a simple OHC twin cylinder motor inspired by Honda's sixties engineering. Useable ones from the States turn up for as little as £500 but beware of the chassis, both forks and drum brakes crack up at this age. If you're going to use all of the 100mph grunt upgrade them! There are also street scrambler versions!
Honda CB72/77
More expensive and less useable, the sixties CB72/77 (250/305 OHC twins) also turns up in the importers, though most of the excellent ones are shipped back to Japan, where they are held in the same kind of foolish adoration as old Brit's over here. Passable performance, cute looks and good engineering but odd handling, poor suspension and a lack of long distance comfort (all easily sorted with an upgrade). Don't pay silly money for one but they do turn up for less than a grand.
Kawasaki 650W1
If you want to get really weird then buy one of the old Kawasaki 650 twins. Based on the ancient BSA A10, these turned up in Japan in 1966 and were kept in production, incredibly, until 1973! With 55 horses at 7000 revs, the pushrod engine was tuned heavier than the old BSA, just as well as it had to carry 440lbs of metal. They are now so rare as to make it as a classic, which means around two grand in the UK. There's also a street scrambler, 650TT (W2TT) which looks just like those loony big twin scramblers that used to ruin the countryside in the sixties.
Kawasaki 250/350A1
Kawasaki also made a range of two stroke twins before the fiery 250 triple turned up in 1972. The rotary valve 250 and 350's turned up in the mid-sixties, having a lot of engineering in common with the Bridgestone twins that briefly amused the UK market in the sixties with a relatively stunning power to weight ratio. In 1967 the 350 made 40 horses at 7500 revs, combined with a mere 330lbs of mass made big British twins seem a touch silly, though dubious handling and naff suspension held the Kawasaki back in the curves. Something a little rough but running well can be had for around a grand, really nice stuff is too expensive for the kicks on offer. Beware, though, spares are very difficult and they can blow up without any warning.
Yamaha XS250/400
Whilst Yamaha also made some wild and wacky stroker twins, more likely to turn up in the import market's the later XS250/400 twin. Its DOHC engine's less finicky than the earlier OHC version. True, the '82 400 Special looks well naff and has less power than the plain vanilla DOHC XS400 (40 against 45 horses) but both bikes offer the possibility of serious motorcycling for less than a thousand notes, good ones sometimes turning up for a mere £750, though since the last model was made in 1984 they are getting on a bit.
Yamaha SDR/R1-Z
Back to weird Yamaha strokers. Anyone who thinks Yamaha were copying Ducati with their lattice framed TRX850 ought to go back to 1987 and take a look at the SDR. An all or nothing 34hp stroker mill in a tubular lattice frame that hit the scales at an enticing 230lbs! Fun's the only way to describe it. The same trip reappeared in the 1990 R1-Z, a 250ccc stroker twin that made 45 horses at 9500 revs, though weighed in at 300lbs. They turn up for less than £1500 if you can take a chance on the stroker longevity (and check for crash damage, please).
Suzuki GT750
The odd Kettle import turns up in all its three cylinder stroker glory for a ridiculous £2000 (admittedly, in immaculate, low mileage trim). These were laughed at in their day and it's pretty ridiculous that such a fat, slow and unreliable device should be courting classic status, these days. Hard used ones overheat, blow their electrics and seize but as a strange pose trip and talking point, they have their uses. And low mileage ones, used mildly, do run around okay.
Kawasaki 750/3
The fearsome Kawa triple stroker was tuned and crashed to near extinction in the UK but led a more stately life in the States (or scared their riders so much that it didn't get much use). Hence some really nice stockers turn up in the importers. Although there are a lot of potential problems, both in the chassis and engine, they are such a wild and wacky piece of history that it's almost worth handling over £2500 for a low miler; certainly better value than the GT750. The 400 and 500's (and even the 350 if we want to be pendantic) seem even rarer and don't turn up in importers very often.
Honda CB350/4
An altogether milder cycle, Honda's smallest OHC four was so constipated that it was dead easy to fall asleep at the controls. With a suspension upgrade it can be chucked around without too much muscle or angst. Low milers come in from both the States and Japan, but at this age they are a little rough around the edges with rotted switches, cables and electrics. Not good value at the two grand that dealers demand.
Honda CB360
Talking about sick buckets, Honda's old seventies OHC twin turns up as an USA import for around the £500 mark. For a month or two I rode one around London (£25 and £3 for a tube of Araldite to fix the broken rectifier lead back in!) and it's not an unpleasant device compared to, say, a CD175, but not a serious motorcycle due to chronic camshaft bearing demise. If it runs okay (check for smoke out of the engine breather) not that bad value but be ready to slot another (any number of commuter singles and twins will fit with a bit of hammer work) engine into the chassis.
Honda CB200
Another seventies Honda twin available as a £500 import from the States, much better made and relatively frugal, and not that much slower than the 360 if you work the throttle and gearbox...insist on a test ride to check out the latter as it's the first area to wear. The odd nice one that turns up does represent reasonable value. Better anyway than a batch of Suzuki SB200's that some importer was trying to off-load a while back, and way ahead of the later 185/200 Benly's.
Honda CB450 Hawk
Superdream inspired, mild custom that was used as an entry level bike in the States back in the eighties. These are quite civilised devices that last anywhere between 30 and 50,000 miles, depending on how they are treated and maintained. Bikes coming in from the States have fifteen to twenty thou on the clock, meaning they have some useable life left (unless they've been clocked) but the £1200 demanded seems a bit over the top when much better twins can be bought for similar money. Vibration and engine rattles get quite harsh when they start to wear out.
Honda GL500/650
The Plastic Maggot in gross but highly protective touring clothes (in 650 form) apes the awful silhouette of the massive Gold Wing but has some street cred from those old DR bashed CX500's; engine should last for around 50,000 miles not least because only real nutters would try to thrash them at high speeds due to their strange if not dangerous handling. Ideal for cruising through our winters, carrying the wife and a couple of infants in the panniers, they go all wobbly and horrible in corners. Performance is a good laugh, hard going to burn off restricted 125's. As much as £1600's demanded for good 500's (and two grand for the GL650), which is cheap compared to a Gold Wing and probably no worse in real life British riding.
Honda GL1100
Most GL1000's are too worn out to be of much use and most 1200's are way overpriced. That leaves the 1100 Gold Wing as the bargain buy, though they are often priced as high as £3750 it's possible to pick them up for £2500. For that kind of money expect twenty thou on the clock and slightly faded cycle parts. They have run to over 100,000 miles, so that's good value if you can take the mass, buffalo handling and don't mind small kids throwing bricks at you. Great for winter riding and motorway cruising but a bit lost elsewhere.
Honda 650 Hawk
American version of the UK Revere with alloy frame and chain drive. Also available in Japan as the 400/650 Bros. Similar engine to the Transalp, all based on the tough old VT500, providing kicks more from torque than outright power. Many ended up tuned - lots of racing kit available. Usefully, early CBR600 front ends will fit straight on if you're offered a good deal on a crashed example. £1500 to £2000 buys something rather nice in the UK. The 400 Bros only makes 37 horses, so not too inspiring but can be economical at around 65mpg. Most stock engines run for over 45k.
Suzuki GT380/550
Bland and boring though the Suzuki triples may be, the low mileage examples turning up in the grey importers usually have a couple of years life left in them. Though those that have been stored may've dried out their crank's seals (meaning a rebuilt crankshaft) - easily sussed by plumes of smoke out of the exhaust and/or a ruined gearchange action. Handling's well weird - crap suspension, odd geometry and high bars (on imports) add up to a real period piece that sanely needs a lighted match in the petrol tank. However, anything from the seventies is deemed retro enough to warrant at least 750 notes in dealers; some demand twice that - good for a laugh and a knee between the legs. Which sums up a lot of the retro game.