Motorcycle General Discussion

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Styling is perhaps in the eye of the beholder , to me it looks pretty good

As you say Gerard, styling is a very personal thing. I liked the look of the original W650 – looked more "Triumph" than the Bonneville of the time to me

but can't say I think that Kawasaki improved things with the W800

Add in the 800 gained weight over the 650 & lost power (though gained torque though the capacity hike) – the current incarnation does nothing for me. I really don't like the "Mud Brown Metallic" Cafe version or the black engine & mudguards. Can't say I can see nearly £8.5K in the basic version either.

I am a bit suprised that your A65 is so heavy (221 kg claimed for the current W800) – I was under the impression that the original British twins were lighter than the Japanese equivalents.

Nigel B.

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

A lot of talk about the weight of various bikes with the BMW R 1200 GS being described as grossly overweight. As sure as heck it is no light weight at 580lb curb weight. The RE 650 Enfield weighs in at 455lb making the BMW 27% heavier.

However, if you look at their power outputs the BMW knocks out 125bhp and the Enfield a more modest 47bhp. This gives the BMW a power to weight ratio of .21hp/lb twice that of the Enfield at .103hp/lb.

I'm not saying this makes the BMW the better bike, I'm just saying weight is just part of the story. I test ride bikes for a living and can have as much fun on an electric scooter as a 6 cylinder 1.6 litre bike (electric bikes are a hoot by the way).

Give me a bike, any bike, rather than a car any day!

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

This gives the BMW a power to weight ratio of .21hp/lb twice that of the Enfield at .103hp/lb.

Power to weight ratio for the BMW is far worse when I am pushing it in or out of the garage, or on to the trailer (the only way I can get a bike down to the mountains these days, I'm afraid )

In those instances, the motive power unit (me ! ) really does notice the difference in weight.

Quite agree that you can have fun on most powered two wheel vehicles. I miss the variety of quality, small capacity, motorcycles that were available in the mid '70s – compact two stroke singles, twins & triples, four stroke singles & twins and all great fun to ride at sane speeds. Not had an opportunity to ride an electric bike yet, though on the surface they don't have the appeal of their ICE predecessors.

Who do you test ride for ?

Nigel B.

[LathejackParticipant @lathejack]

Posted by mgnbuk on 25/04/2020 14:41:10:

I miss the variety of quality, small capacity, motorcycles that were available in the mid '70s – compact two stroke singles, twins & triples, four stroke singles & twins and all great fun to ride at sane speeds.

Nigel B.

Yes I agree, that just about sums up how I feel. In the UK up until around the early 1980's we had a great selection of Japanese bikes to choose from, they produced a bike to suit every one. I lost interest in most new bikes from the end of the 80's when the bike shops were full of mostly race replicas or trail and US chopper style bikes with silly exaggerated styling……Yuk!

I have at times even considered buying a new Jawa 350, just for one last chance to buy a new traditionaly styled air cooled two stroke twin like those of yesteryear, but I just don't do the mileage to justify it.

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Nigel B,

I mostly work with BMW (that's why I took the bait on the GS ) but also Triumph and Ducatis now and then. I don't find pushing the big bikes around a problem as I'm a big lad and if you're doing it 8 hours a day your technique gets pretty good. When I was full time I was riding about 4,000 bikes a year. Now I'm retired I just help out running in bikes ready for the press fleets. I know, a tough job but someone's gotta do it!

Edited By Graham Stoppani on 26/04/2020 07:21:22

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

I mostly work with BMW (that's why I took the bait on the GS ) but also Triumph and Ducatis now and then.

Ex BMW & Ducati (amongst many others) owner here.

My first BMW was an '82 R100RS (later converted to RT spec as my hands started to "go off" ). That was a "serious" purchase for me – £2800 ( two years old showing 8,800 miles form Allen Jefferies at Shipley) at a time when my salary was around £7500 a year .

51/2 years & 48K miles later I p/xed that for £2200 against an '87 K100RT (didn't get on with that one – too heavy & too many cylinders) & 10 months later chopped the K in (p/x the same as I paid for it) for one of the first Paravelever R100GS (worst build quality & poorest fuel consumption of all my BMWs). That went after less than a year aginst a new Moto Guzzi Mille GT – the only bike I have had that I regret selling – as I didn't get on with the later Oilhead BMWs.

I did get another R100RT from a friend some years later that I rebuilt from the ground up & ran for a few years, but found I only enjoyed riding it when it was fully loaded to go abroad – I would rarely choose to just take it out for a run if there was something else in the garage at the same time, so it went. All my old R series twins are still on the register & though the RS & GS show as having been off the road for years, the RT is still being used & racking up the miles since I sold it. Can't recall the reg. number of the K100RT, but IIRC it was bought by a dispatch rider so was probably run into the ground.

Mrs B still has the R65LS that she bought in January 1987 – 6 months old with 800 miles on the clock. She p/xed a Moto Guzzi V50 MkII for the LS. Don't really know what mileage the LS has covered now, as it is on it's second speedo and the first had a grossly under-reading odo for a couple of years until it got replaced. The original speedo didn't take kindly to being knocked when the bike took a tumble on the Stella Alpina Rally in '94. It can't be far off 100K miles now, if it hasn't already passed that.

The Ducati I owned was an ST2 – a late model, Japanese market, "grey" import in yellow. The only difference in spec of the Japanese market model was that the various warning stickers around the bike were in Japanese + a kph speedo. The first bike I was forced to sell, because riding it brought on bad tendonitis in my forearms – 4 weeks of industrial strength anit-inflammatories and wearing elbow-to-wrist support bandages after a 200 mile run wasn't really sustainable. Still miss that one.

I have not really had technique issues with larger bikes, just don't enjoy the experience these days.

Nigel B.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by mgnbuk on 26/04/2020 10:39:13:

Beautiful looking BM there . I have an 81 RS in similar green smoke scheme — but nowhere near as shiny and tidy. It's a great old bike but the handlebars are getting harder on my back every year. Still the best "rideable classic" out there though.

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

I have an 81 RS in similar green smoke scheme

"Amazonic Green Metallic" was the officail BMW colour name on that '84 RT. Only made it to the UK on RTs, not RSs. My '82 RS was "Stratus Silver Metallic" with a red & white pinstripe – no digital pics of that one though.

The friend I bought it from had bought it at 1 year old & kept it for 17 years. I had said once that if he ever wanted to sell it to give me first refusal. He had used it two-up for touring extensively throughout Europe & I had thought he had maintained it well. The reality turned out to be somewhat different ! Pretty much everything was worn out & keeping it covered in a damp garage had not done it any favours either. When I stripped the brake calipers there were globules of rusty water in the brake fuid – when I asked, he said the fluid had never been changed !

The green paintwork is just about the only original finish remaining & that took a lot ( and I mean a lot ! ) of polishing to get to look like that.. Exhaust system was Keihan stainless silencers & balance pipes mated to BMW OE headers (which had to be rechromed after 1000 miles as the OE chrome burned off). Wheels & frame powered coated by Redditch Shotblasting, with the frame a satin finish as OE. New OE wiring harness, brake discs, pads, stainless hoses & replacement master cylinders all round, rechromed fork stanchions, replacement Hagon rear shocks (should have had the self-levelling Nivomats, but the cost of those was astronomical ! ) & a completely rebuilt seat with new moulded foam, gel pad & OE style cover (on the original powder coated base) by RK Leightons. The engine needed new valves , guides & piston rings to stop it smoking more than my MZ TS250/1 & I built a blasting cabinet at work & used glass beads to clean up the heads, barrels rear drive & gearbox (which need all new seals, like the rear drive). New wheel, headstock and swing arm bearings & seals + carburettors rebuilt with all new jets just about completes the list.

By the time I had finished it had cost almost exactly the 1984 UK list price, but it did ride pretty much like a new bike. Took a lot of selling for a lot less than I had in it a few years later – not much love for old Airheads at that time – the photo was taken mid-2009 for the magazine adverts to try to sell it.

handlebars are getting harder on my back every year

Too hard for my wrists by 1986 ! After two years my original RS was converted to an RT – I managed to get a Stratos Silver RT fairing kit for a reduced price when a UK main dealer got a job lot of fairing kits, swapped the RT bits onto the bike & sold the RS fairing for not a lot less than I paid for the RT kit.

Still the best "rideable classic" out there though.

As a younger friend who has one says – "Handles like it's on wobbly rails !"

BMW parts prices for the older bikes getting a bit silly these days, though – no longer a "cheap classic".

Nigel B.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Yes BM parts prices are extortionate these days

Luckily I sorted mine about 12 years ago when they were still affordable. Even then not cheap.

Lol at 'wobbly rails'. Few of the snowflake cast wheels run true these days probably accounts for a lot of that. But still feels sophisticated after my old Harleys and Nortons. But my old R65 was a top handling machine. Like a featherbed Norton with better suspension on our rough roads.

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Few of the snowflake cast wheels run true these days

Can't say I heard anything untoward here about the snowflake wheels after the recall for the early versions collapsing – my '82 bike was part of the recall & got the new, strengthened spoke, design fitted. The green RT came with the strengthened front wheel.

Can't say that I ever gelled with the small Airheads either, though Mrs B's R65LS remains the only bike I have covered over a hundred miles in an hour on – circa 1988, somewhere mid Germany, on an Autobahn. It was a very warm, breezy day – I was cooking behind the RT fairing, she was getting ragged about by the breeze on the LS in its original low bar format, so we swapped & I "upped the pace" to make up time. – "upping the pace" being holding it pinned to the stop for an hour. Can't do that now – insurance won't allow riding each other's bikes while abroad – only OK in the UK.

Nigel B.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Well got out on the motorcycle today for the 1st time this year. What a great day out we had. Found a café/ bakery open. Sat having coffee & a pasty at the side of a stream. Managed 120miles. Plenty of camera vans around.

Not that it was a problem with the speed we ride at these days.

Steve.

[Michael Edwards 1Participant @michaeledwards1]

Picture of my baby girl, although still in lockdown in Wales so shes not been out this year.

 

Made a fews odd things for her.

Axle covers were done on the 3D printer

 

Some Stainless bolts as replacement for Hex bolts.

  

Edited By Michael Edwards 1 on 27/05/2020 09:39:08

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

"I miss the variety of quality, small capacity, motorcycles that were available in the mid '70s – compact two stroke singles, twins & triples, four stroke singles & twins and all great fun to ride at sane speeds. "

But that was a time when motorcycles were the mode of work transport before we became "Chocolate eaters" and soft.

 

Regards Ian.

Venom Clubman and Guzzi Le Mans owner.

Edited By Circlip on 27/05/2020 10:14:38

[Michael Edwards 1Participant @michaeledwards1]

Posted by Circlip on 27/05/2020 10:13:15:

"I miss the variety of quality, small capacity, motorcycles that were available in the mid '70s – compact two stroke singles, twins & triples, four stroke singles & twins and all great fun to ride at sane speeds. "

Cant beat the smell of a 2 stroke. I miss the days when riding a 50 Fizzy was actual freedom.

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Unless things change and we get a second wave of this virus Elvington Top Speed testing is on in July.

Unfortunate public are not allowed just competitors and club members.

A lot of extra expense has been added due to keeping everybody safe from contagion.

Will have to decide if I should go as at high risk due to age etc.

A refurbished drag racing venue is getting ready for reopening soon it's at Melbourne not far from Elvington.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Windy on 13/06/2020 22:49:05:

Unless things change and we get a second wave of this virus Elvington Top Speed testing is on in July.

Unfortunate public are not allowed just competitors and club members.

A lot of extra expense has been added due to keeping everybody safe from contagion.

Will have to decide if I should go as at high risk due to age etc.

A refurbished drag racing venue is getting ready for reopening soon it's at Melbourne not far from Elvington.

Use to go to the drag racing at Melbourne to support my cousin's car.

Out tomorrow on the Multistrada all being well. Run to Seaways.

Steve.

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

I was at the refurbished Melbourne Raceway it was busy with cars and motorcycles the future looks good the second permanent drag strip donations made it possible.

My friend who used to watch me competing when 12 years old tested his latest creation a steam jet bike.

He learnt a lot it was very impressive.

.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Wow i would have liked to see that.

It was many years ago when i used to go. If there was any super fast stuff like funny cars etc , they would only run the eighth mile because of the dip half way along the strip.

Steve.

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Back to the full size speed record attempts this weekend at Elvington it's a ticket only entrance due to the virus.

There are many speed attempts going off there some private attempts we have had the JCB tractor and electric attempts some successful others back to the drawing board.

Guy Martin is a regular he is hoping to do 300mph on a motorcycle sometime he is a hands on mechanic.

I might be a passenger in one of the unusual four wheelers blasting down runway 26 have asked the organiser and driver so ok.

Details of events contact

**LINK**

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Just had the unexpected pleasure of watching this compilation from the NorthWest 200

**LINK**

Sport Re-run, Bikes!: 1. The Best of the North West 200: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000jcs7 via @bbciplayer

MichaelG.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

It was sad to hear of the death of a driver at Elvington. He was on the news a bit doing bike runs. This was in a Porsche 911 i believe.

Steve.

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Posted by Steviegtr on 06/10/2020 15:40:20:

It was sad to hear of the death of a driver at Elvington. He was on the news a bit doing bike runs. This was in a Porsche 911 i believe.

Steve.

Zef Mad Max team had some very fast speed record machines I had seen him at Elvington the weekend before the fatal accident riding his Turbine and V 8 motorbikes.

He was attempting to break the National car wheel driven record.

A tv program was shown a while ago about his very special Porsche that was being prepared for a Pendine record attempt it had a spin there at high speed but became fastest car there.

A sad loss to the speed record scene RIP

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

I have started my Norton commando MK3 restoration yet again!! So I'm determined to at least make some of it look prettier! So I started making new polished stainless nuts and bolts and stuff.

One of these days I'll assembly everything into a bike shape!

IanJ

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Time for a rant i guess. When i was at school aged 14, i used to walk to the gates every morning. I used to pass an old guys garden . After some time , the guy started to talk to me as i was passing.

One day his garden shed door was open & i noticed he had a moped leant against the wall. I asked what he was doing with it & he said nothing but if i gave him 5 shillings i could have it. This was around 1964 I went to his his house with my mate & between us gave him the 5 bob & wheeled the bike away. The bike was a 50cc Casanave which i believe was Italian

We had loads of fun on the fields with the moped. It was great.

Another day passing the guys house he was in his shed & i stopped to say hello & thanked him for the moped. He said when you are older come back with 10 shillings & i will sell you my other bike.

He would not tell me what it was. I saved like hell , taking newspapers to the fish & chip shop & caddied for golfers . I even did car wash on a Sunday. I might have even knicked a few bob from mum's purse .

Anyway when i had 10 shillings i knocked on his door & offered him the 10 Shillings for the bike in the shed.

It was a 1960 Ambassador super S with a Villiers 250 twin 2T engine.

My mate & me pushed it into my coal shed. By this time i was turning 15 yrs old.

I cannot explain why but i stripped that bike down to every nut & bolt. I took the crank & inlet manifold to school in my haversack & asked the metalwork teacher if he would let me tune my engine parts as a project. He laughed at me & said crack on young man. So i padded the flywheels with Aluminium & chopped the inlet manifold in half. I then braised a Velocette pushrod tube to the cast manifold so i could fit a Amal 376 carb to it. My time passed & i left school. Finding a job as a sheet metal worker at Amberly metalworks in Hunslet Leeds. On a Saturday the Boss would let us do any jobs we wanted after the mornings work.

I asked if he minded me rolling some expansion chambers for my bike out of 16 gauge mild steel. He said yes. I built the exhausts & fitted them to my bike.

After that i came to my 16th Birthday & got my Villiers on the road. No more Busses to work. I used to go to the Squires Coffee bar most nights on my bike.

My mate had a 1961 Bonnie R , he always took his mate to the cafe as a pillion. My claim to fame was when one bright evening in 1966, we set off home up the hill in sherburn & i overtook Charles on his bonniville I was pretty fast but used to seize up pretty quick. If it was today i guess with synthentic oil it would not. Since then i learned that had i fitted Suzuki pistons it would not have seized so quick. God that was 52 years ago.

Steve

[Chris Evans 6Participant @chrisevans6]

At age 15 the old guy next door gave me a 98cc Excelsior for cutting his grass every week. Great fun over the fields and canal towpaths. Just before my 16th birthday I bought an ex WD G3 Matchless 350 for £8. Apprentice toolmaker wages didn't really run to running a bike so I still had to do odd jobs for people. 18 months trouble free and I sold the bike for £15 to fund my first Norton, a Dommie 88 for £40 (did I ever pay Mom back ?)

I am now 72 and have never been without a bike, I commuted by bike most of my working life doing over 200 miles a week. Now I cover around 1500 miles a year on old vintage hand change bikes but still have the faithful Yamaha that carried me to work for over 20 years.

[Author]

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