Absolutely !
Back in the day... 1960's and 1970's...
japanese bikes were beautiful works of art, with wonderful chrome and engines that were true mechanical masterpieces !
And which never broke down...
And with reliable electrical systems...
And sexy instrtument pods and switchgear...
But which couldn't go around corners...
And often had ridiculous brakes too...
There is one curious incident which says it all.
In 1970 Moto Guzzi had just introduced their new V7 Sport, and motorcycle magazine "Motociclismo" invited other bike manufacturers to Monza raceway to test their bikes against the new Guzzi cafe racer...
Here with Mike Hailwood
Not everybody responded...
On the designated day, only six manufacturers showed up, and these were the bikes lined up at the start line:
Ducati 750 GT, Honda CB 750 Four, Kawasaki 750 Mach IV (2-stroke triple), Laverda 750 SF, Suzuki GT 750 (2-stroke triple).
Although the two 2-strokes shot away like banshees in a cloud of blue smoke on GO!, with the Honda CB750 screaming a close 3rd,
by the time the bikes completed the 1st lap one could only head the roar of the three italian twins battling it out of the "parabolica", the three japanese bikes having been "eaten alive" at Lesmo (curves 6, 7).
Back in those days the two chicanes (1-2) and (3-4) and Ascari (curves 8-9-10) didn't exist.
In the end, the Guzzi V7 lapped a full 4" quicker than the fastest jap, the Honda CB750, and a whopping 11" faster than the Kawa KH750, considered on paper the fastest bike of the lot, but which suffered from a very poor frame.
Suzuki GT750 (water buffalo) had stopped for tea and biscuits.
Honestly, I miss those times...
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