Hairy Bikers and Other Petrol Heads

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Western Thunderer
Did someone mention 2 Strokes .....

91CF6BEA-F18D-4BF0-BC25-0C897317375C.jpeg

The owner must have a great machine shop, this is a one off 5 cylinder jobbie....
 

Nick Dunhill

Western Thunderer
Ah yes. I had a Honda VF500F as the 2 stroke power valve Yamahas were above my talent level. (I would have never admitted that at the time.)
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
Hi Adrian.
My mate said I should just do an oily rag job on it to conserve what exists but a lot of it was too far gone. ........
So I don't know whether it was sensible to do a ground up resto like this. I am however looking forward to going out and posing on it!

Nick

To be honest Nick, you've done the right thing with it, an oily rag job is ok if it's going to sit in a museum but for safety above all a rebuild is wise especially if the bike is going to have some serious use on the road, I learnt that the hard way :rolleyes: with some of the basket cases I've re-built in the past, still suffering the consequences today, and I'm sure your son, if he carries on through his lifetime on bikes, will thank you for it. It'll still be around in another 50 yrs at least.
Col.
 

Allen M

Western Thunderer
While waiting to cross the road (walking) I saw a hairy biker (for want of a better description) today on the ring road in Kidderminster.
He was riding a big naked Ducati with the silencer 'removed'. As the traffic lights went green he took of like a Moto GP start, up through the gears to the next traffic island.
But what made it was his riding gear. The mandatory helmet, tee shirt, shorts and trainers.
Unfortunately morons like that is what make many people want to ban bikes.
While just about every one of use has been a bit naughty at times there is sense and reason.
Regards
Allen Morgan
 

Boyblunder

Western Thunderer
Talking of steering dampers, I'm a great fan. As mentioned in my post about the Norton Commando on page one I think if my bike had been fitted with one I wouldn't have ended up in bed for 17 weeks back in 1972. The naughty beast had its isolastic suspension adjusted perfectly and was fitted with a a pair of almost brand new Dunlop TT100 tyres set at the recommended pressures, but the 5 gallon un-baffled tank and the rubbish frame coupled with my 9.5 stone weight at the time were a recipe for disaster as explained in this Dunlop video
 

fenman

Active Member
Talking of steering dampers, I'm a great fan. As mentioned in my post about the Norton Commando on page one I think if my bike had been fitted with one I wouldn't have ended up in bed for 17 weeks back in 1972. The naughty beast had its isolastic suspension adjusted perfectly and was fitted with a a pair of almost brand new Dunlop TT100 tyres set at the recommended pressures, but the 5 gallon un-baffled tank and the rubbish frame coupled with my 9.5 stone weight at the time were a recipe for disaster as explained in this Dunlop video
Very interesting Robin, would have been handy to know back in my riding days.
Pete.
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
While waiting to cross the road (walking) I saw a hairy biker (for want of a better description) today on the ring road in Kidderminster.
He was riding a big naked Ducati with the silencer 'removed'. As the traffic lights went green he took of like a Moto GP start, up through the gears to the next traffic island.
But what made it was his riding gear. The mandatory helmet, tee shirt, shorts and trainers.
Unfortunately morons like that is what make many people want to ban bikes.
While just about every one of use has been a bit naughty at times there is sense and reason.
Regards
Allen Morgan

All the years and miles I've done on bikes I could never understand riders in shorts and and T shirts, a menace only to themselves and the poor sod who had to clear up after !, it was leathers, boots and gloves for me.I'd seen the results that mates had incurred all too often.
I've been thrown off a couple of times with the full kit on and still got gravel rash and heavy bruising, I still suffer (slightley ) from ligament damage in my knees today so your never fully protected.
But that wouldn't want me to see bikes banned, what's more of a menace are knob's ( I've used the kindest word I'm allowed ) that drive whilst poisoned by weed and other chemicals, and they usually muller someone else.
But you couldn't ban cars, the drug dealers need executing to my mind but then we are getting extreme so I'll leave it there.

Col.
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
Talking of steering dampers, I'm a great fan. As mentioned in my post about the Norton Commando on page one I think if my bike had been fitted with one I wouldn't have ended up in bed for 17 weeks back in 1972. The naughty beast had its isolastic suspension adjusted perfectly and was fitted with a a pair of almost brand new Dunlop TT100 tyres set at the recommended pressures, but the 5 gallon un-baffled tank and the rubbish frame coupled with my 9.5 stone weight at the time were a recipe for disaster as explained in this Dunlop video
Very interesting Robin, would have been handy to know back in my riding days.
Pete.
As Pete said would have been nice to see that back in the day. Curiously I never experienced tank slappers on my Interstate MK3 ( well not the motorcycle type anyway :D)

Col.
 

Allen M

Western Thunderer
Watching the film there is, at about 3 min in a police BMW R75 with a wobble. I had for much of the mid/late 1980s a BMW R60 with the same faring (an ex police one with the holes filled) and could run up to brushing 100mph without a hint of wobble. The R75 and R60 were essentially the same bike except for engine capacity, 750cc and 600cc.
Regards
Allen Morgan
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
Watching the film there is, at about 3 min in a police BMW R75 with a wobble. I had for much of the mid/late 1980s a BMW R60 with the same faring (an ex police one with the holes filled) and could run up to brushing 100mph without a hint of wobble. The R75 and R60 were essentially the same bike except for engine capacity, 750cc and 600cc.
Regards
Allen Morgan
I had an ex-police Beamer also and never experienced anything like that shown in the film, out of all the bikes I've had I must admit it was the Japanese ( 1970's) bikes that I had any handling problems with.
Col.
 

simond

Western Thunderer
I never experienced anything like that, the only bike I had “back in those days” (1976) was a Honda 250 G5, which might have been able to do 85 or a little more with me flat on the tank behind my Rickman fairing. I got my Guzzi in 1989, but it has a damper. My Pan Euro just worked, as you’d expect, as does my BMW 650.

Ancient vs Modern tyres?

I’d heard talk of the infamous “tankslapper” but happily have never experienced one. I don’t recall anyone saying “lie down on the tank” as a cure. Worth knowing though.

Atb
Simon
 

King Crab

Western Thunderer
I can't resist this.
Here's a picture of my Dad in about 1948.
He has just motored over to the East coast from Manchester, with his pal Ivor ( in the background ).
Standard gear for those days, Brylcreem, tweed jacket and a silk scarf.
My dad had thirteen motorcycles in all, this was a favourite.
I'd love to get my hands on one now.
LESLIE_TRIUMPH.jpg
Peter
 
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