To be decent they have to have a good pinion gear. Very difficult to find pinion gears for 80's vintage Bantams.
If you practice "safe pinion" they will last indefinitely. If you don't, you can burn one up in a few weeks. I wrecked my first pinion in about 8 weeks (back bouncing).
Roll the spool back a smidge to take the pressure off the pinion before taking it out of gear = Safe Pinion. Yep, it's a two-handed affair, but if you one hand it, you take a chip out of the pinion on each cast.

Love that rocker switch on those reels