Long Live the Kings--airhead short film

[Ken in Oklahoma]

I thought it was great as well. I got motivated to pull out a few hundred old photos of me and the DNR gang, convert them to sepia tone, splice them into a long dull movie with lots of fades and some mournful-I-was-young-once music and post it to youtube. But I took a nap instead and the urge passed.

Oh, you should do it Brad! Bring it to the rally. It would be a major hit! Maybe a Boxerworks rally legend, like Silicone James' "customized" /2 conversion.

Hmmm, maybe I should have picked a different persuasive example. . . . . .

Uh, better than a Paris Hilton life sze image on cardboard?

Well then, better than a discussion with Duane about countersteering?

Better than a Kiamich Wood Nymph making a personal appearance? Oh, I guess you were gone by then?

Never mind.



Ken

[bbelk]

I liked it....brings back some good memories from too many years ago...ahem....from the 60's anyways. Great! But for me the "coolness" factor was always a Brit bike.

The last 2 airheads I have sold have been to younger guys (early 30's maybe or late 20's) which seems strange in a way. They were both younger than the airheads I sold to them! I'd say they were successful, modern day, "hipsters"...one fellow a lawyer the other an engineer at the power generation facility nearby. I asked them..."Why you buying an old BMW motorcycle when there's so much else out there?"...both replied "They're cool"...so who knows. And they preferred them "as is" no cafe'd look...give me the original patina look...cool I guess.

I now have another young guy phoning me about another airhead I have coming up for sale...a 78 R100/7...his friend, who bought my 77 R100S recently, told him about it when he saw it in the workshop and wondered if it was for sale. He's his law partner...coming up next weekend to have a look see. He's also probably younger than the bike too!

I once thought I had a fantastic career opportunity as a Fortran programmer. I was really good at that in the 80s, and by the time Y2K came along there was a scramble to find anyone who spoke Fortran or Cobol. I didn't persue that.

Now maybe I will sell my services to some of these rich young guys getting into the Airhead thing. Imagine how impressed they will be when just by listening, I can tell that their valves need adjusting. I probably won't persue this either.

[Airbear]

Young lawyers buying old BMWs because they are cool alarms me. My concern is that old BMWs will become more expensive. Look what happened to old VW airheads a few years ago - prices went through the roof.

O, and the dollars diverted into airheads will likely impoverish hard-working cocaine dealers.
This will, in turn affect the designer sunglasses market, and who knows what else.
It's a slippery slope.

[Major Softie]

Young lawyers buying old BMWs because they are cool alarms me. My concern is that old BMWs will become more expensive. Look what happened to old VW airheads a few years ago - prices went through the roof.

O, and the dollars diverted into airheads will likely impoverish hard-working cocaine dealers.
This will, in turn affect the designer sunglasses market, and who knows what else.
It's a slippery slope.

It's very complicated.

If everyone with money wants one, they get stupid expensive far beyond the value of their use.

If no one with money wants them, they receive absolutely no parts support from either the manufacturer or the after-market.

sigh

[nmalozzi]

Greeting!

I'm new here, going to pick up my new to me 83 r80rt this afternoon, making the bike 2 years older than me. That being said, my wife was born in 83 as well. Seems I gravitate to things of that year.

This movie actually is what exposed me to Airheads. I think it's fantastic. These guys do try a little too hard, but they're French... what do you expect? There is a huge influx of guys who'd be classified as "hipsters", and I may even fall under that category on some levels. That being said, Airheads are great simple bikes. I was drawn to them because I grew up being bombarded with technology and the internet. Hell, I'm a web designer/developer. I think there are a lot of people my age looking to reconnect with simplicity, and get their hands dirty. That's at least what I'm here for, and I just hope I can connect with some of you old "krumudgens" and absorb some knowledge before you're too old to pass it down. I'm sure I'll be old and cranky soon too, but until then... I'll be the one grinning ear to ear as I ride the Airhead you sold me

Looking forward to learning and contributing here!

[Ken in Oklahoma]

Greeting!

I'm new here, going to pick up my new to me 83 r80rt this afternoon, making the bike 2 years older than me. That being said, my wife was born in 83 as well. Seems I gravitate to things of that year.

This movie actually is what exposed me to Airheads. I think it's fantastic. These guys do try a little too hard, but they're French... what do you expect? There is a huge influx of guys who'd be classified as "hipsters", and I may even fall under that category on some levels. That being said, Airheads are great simple bikes. I was drawn to them because I grew up being bombarded with technology and the internet. Hell, I'm a web designer/developer. I think there are a lot of people my age looking to reconnect with simplicity, and get their hands dirty. That's at least what I'm here for, and I just hope I can connect with some of you old "krumudgens" and absorb some knowledge before you're too old to pass it down. I'm sure I'll be old and cranky soon too, but until then... I'll be the one grinning ear to ear as I ride the Airhead you sold me

Looking forward to learning and contributing here!

Welcome to the forum nmalozzi. You're in luck. We have plenty of curmudgeons here who would be only too happy to have somebody to actually pay attention to what they're saying. We've even got a guru or too as well. But, frankly, I'm not sure you can tell the difference between the two. Near as I can tell they look, talk, and smell pretty much the same.


Ken

[Major Softie]

I'm sure I'll be old and cranky soon too...

Sorry, nm, but you've got a long haul to "old."

However, I have great faith in your ability to achieve "cranky" much sooner.
(especially with the fine role models provided here at BW)

[Deleted User 287]

Greeting!

I'm new here, going to pick up my new to me 83 r80rt this afternoon, making the bike 2 years older than me. That being said, my wife was born in 83 as well. Seems I gravitate to things of that year.

This movie actually is what exposed me to Airheads. I think it's fantastic. These guys do try a little too hard, but they're French... what do you expect? There is a huge influx of guys who'd be classified as "hipsters", and I may even fall under that category on some levels. That being said, Airheads are great simple bikes. I was drawn to them because I grew up being bombarded with technology and the internet. Hell, I'm a web designer/developer. I think there are a lot of people my age looking to reconnect with simplicity, and get their hands dirty. That's at least what I'm here for, and I just hope I can connect with some of you old "krumudgens" and absorb some knowledge before you're too old to pass it down. I'm sure I'll be old and cranky soon too, but until then... I'll be the one grinning ear to ear as I ride the Airhead you sold me

Looking forward to learning and contributing here!

Weekend of 18 May (two weeks from now!) a bunch of us are getting together in Big Cedar, OK to celebrate the forum, and we have a member riding down from Golden. What kind of shape is the bike in? Ready to put 1800 miles on it over a long weekend?

And welcome and congratulations.

You will be cranky in no time.
Old will come fast enough.

[DucatiPete]

Welcome to the forum nm.

A young bloke i met last week is real keen on following the same path as you (by buying an RS off me)...

I reckon just get that bike and ride it like stink and enjoy some good old yesteryear ergonomics(?)... you're only young once (or twice, or so, if I include myself in that).

You're right, life's too short not to enjoy a bit of simplistic airheadish fun.

(just don't say you weren't warned...)

[Primate]

Hey nmalozzi, I'm new here too; this is a cool group, welcome aboard. Check out the older posts--good stuff.

Back to the flick--I almost had the same reaction until I told myself to chill my judgmental self out. Sure the hipster thing was there, but with me, anyone younger and wearing skinnier jeans than me is a hipster. Each new generation is different--I had my time, and the older generation was cool with all my 80s punk years and all the requisite baggage that came with. This new generation is cool--let them be. I'm sure their Airheads appreciate their new owners.

I watch this vid on days I'm stuck at work or any other occasion I can't ride. The music, cinematography and narration are a bonus.