Nice, Just found this page, Railways and bikes , Lovely, I have two rides at the moment, TRIUMPH AMERICA, and SUZUKI G S X 1400, Had loads of others in the past, but sticking to these at the moment, GSX 1400 is the best bike I have ridden, Have had 3 of these, ill dig out some photos.
Hairy Bikers and Other Petrol Heads
- Thread starter Eastsidepilot
- Start date
Hi all
I passed my car test in January 1959 (17 & half years old) and bike in Jan 1960. I was not interesting in driving but as my dad had a car and offered to help with lessons so it made good sense.
First bike a Vincent Firefly 50cc add on engine on normal bike. Then various 2 strokes, Arial Colt 200 350 RE bullet then Norton Dominator 600, added a side car as now had a family. The went to a car and had one ever since, with various cheap 50, 100, 125, 197 & 250 bikes for mainly commuting to/from work.
About 1985, kids gone and divorced got a 1980 BMW R60 with the Avon faring as popular with the police. Had it for about 10 years when had a cash offer too good to refuse. After a short brake go a cheap but tidy BMW R45 and kept that until about 5 years ago when my back made getting on & off difficult so sold it a got a Piageot X9 Evo 125 scooter but never took to it so will be for sale when things settle.
A count up I made 21 bikes in total.
The only insurance against me. About 3 years ago stopped on a car park. Foot slipped on some loose grit, bike tips sideways and top box bashes the car to the side of me. How embarrassing, nothing spectacular like righting of an expensive car and shutting the motorway.
As for hairy -biker, well never. It was receding rapidly by my late teens.
And messing with model trains from as far back as I can remember. I have dabbled in N, 00, O SG & NG and and 16mm NG but mainly O SG & 16mm NG. There have been quite a number of people I have met over the years who have mixed model/real railways with bikes.
And now you are all bored silly.
Regards
Allen Morgan
I passed my car test in January 1959 (17 & half years old) and bike in Jan 1960. I was not interesting in driving but as my dad had a car and offered to help with lessons so it made good sense.
First bike a Vincent Firefly 50cc add on engine on normal bike. Then various 2 strokes, Arial Colt 200 350 RE bullet then Norton Dominator 600, added a side car as now had a family. The went to a car and had one ever since, with various cheap 50, 100, 125, 197 & 250 bikes for mainly commuting to/from work.
About 1985, kids gone and divorced got a 1980 BMW R60 with the Avon faring as popular with the police. Had it for about 10 years when had a cash offer too good to refuse. After a short brake go a cheap but tidy BMW R45 and kept that until about 5 years ago when my back made getting on & off difficult so sold it a got a Piageot X9 Evo 125 scooter but never took to it so will be for sale when things settle.
A count up I made 21 bikes in total.
The only insurance against me. About 3 years ago stopped on a car park. Foot slipped on some loose grit, bike tips sideways and top box bashes the car to the side of me. How embarrassing, nothing spectacular like righting of an expensive car and shutting the motorway.
As for hairy -biker, well never. It was receding rapidly by my late teens.
And messing with model trains from as far back as I can remember. I have dabbled in N, 00, O SG & NG and and 16mm NG but mainly O SG & 16mm NG. There have been quite a number of people I have met over the years who have mixed model/real railways with bikes.
And now you are all bored silly.
Regards
Allen Morgan
Boyblunder
Western Thunderer
The photo of Colin's mate's Velo reminded me I owned the prototype Geoff Dodkin Venom Clubman Special for a while. I paid £80 for it with slightly bent frame (didn't know that until I rode it home) and one crankcase half from a 350 Viper. The cowboy who owned it before me tried to change the main bearings with a oxy acetylene torch and melted the LH crankcase half so he found a Viper half and bolted it all together without checking the cylinder deck level. The 2 halves were actually about 30 thou different so the cylinder sat at an angle to the crank. It came with copies of The Motorcycle & another mag with reviews of that actual bike, it was sad to see it in such a state. I fixed the crankcase and got another frame but then interest shifted back to trials so sold it to a mate who did a fantastic restoration job. Where is it now Pete? Found this photo on the web of Geoff Dodkin outside his shop with a similar bike.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
You don't necessarily need a big bike to get the effect - need the sound up loud for this:
Trombone-electro-scooter
Trombone-electro-scooter
Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
My only powered two wheel experience was a trip from Slough to Twickenham in the early 1960s whilst working on the then Slough-by-Pass which became part of the M4 and my Welsh pilot made sure that I did not wish for another trip after that!
However, I feel that I can contribute to this thread via a trip to the Goodwood Revival meeting that I attended in the late 1990s and one of the races had Damon Hill on two wheels - for a complete race
also attending, but not racing, was this great gentleman
RIP Sir Stirling Moss
a couple of other of the many pictures taken that day which may be of interest to speedsters
one of many D Types on view
and some Lotus Climax power as well.
Hope they are of interest.
Stay safe
kind regards
Mike
However, I feel that I can contribute to this thread via a trip to the Goodwood Revival meeting that I attended in the late 1990s and one of the races had Damon Hill on two wheels - for a complete race
also attending, but not racing, was this great gentleman
RIP Sir Stirling Moss
a couple of other of the many pictures taken that day which may be of interest to speedsters
one of many D Types on view
and some Lotus Climax power as well.
Hope they are of interest.
Stay safe
kind regards
Mike
adrian
Flying Squad
I agree with the sentiment and the recent loss - However I hope it wasn't meant to be linked to the photo, which to me looks more like John Surtees than S.M.
Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
Hi Adrian,
Looking at the photo again through my much ageing eyes and much muddled memory, I think that you are correct, but as you say it is the sentiment that counts.
kind regards
Mike
SimonT
Western Thunderer
Went to the Revival a few years ago and arrived in a monsoon of a thunder storm. The bike race was on and the track was flooded. Most of the competitiors are tiptoeing around but out the front by miles are Sheen and Roberts on a pair of Manx Nortons that are close to escape velocity. You have never seen such grins as when the pair took their helmets off. Later, inthe dry, JS had his crash which rather put a damper on things. Thankfully he survived but the car was a pile of junk
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
It was sad to hear of Stirling Moss's passing, a good innings at 90.
Talking of racing hero's I took these two shots at Brand's Hatch in the mid '70's
Phil Read with a works MV
and Sheene's works Suzuki.
I believe this was at one of the Trans-Atlantic race meets, first time I'd seen Kenny Roberts race..... wouldn't be able to saunter round the pits today!
The Guys in the background were all mates of mine, sadley some not here anymore
we were part of a gang of about 30 bikes that followed the series around Britain most years, always turned into a mass burn up
.
Col.
Talking of racing hero's I took these two shots at Brand's Hatch in the mid '70's
Phil Read with a works MV
and Sheene's works Suzuki.
I believe this was at one of the Trans-Atlantic race meets, first time I'd seen Kenny Roberts race..... wouldn't be able to saunter round the pits today!
The Guys in the background were all mates of mine, sadley some not here anymore
we were part of a gang of about 30 bikes that followed the series around Britain most years, always turned into a mass burn up .Col.
Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
I remember reading in the MCN late 70s early 80s. One of the reporters was having a go on Suzuki's latest 500 gp bike, a multi cylinder 2 stroke. After the pre amble, he asked if there was anything to watch out for. The reply was to make sure the front wheel was on the ground when he got to the corners. The reporter went on to say it was the only time he'd ridden a bike that every time you twisted the throttle the petrol tank came up to hit his crash helmet.
simond
Western Thunderer
I never rode one but the Kawasaki 2S Triples had a bit of a reputation for hurfing the unsuspecting off the back when they came on song.
There’s a metal-finishing business just up the road from home, they rechromed the filler cap & stripped the chrome from the rocker covers of my Guzzi a few months back, and will have more to do on it at some point, but one of their show bikes is a Suzi “water bottle” 750 triple 2S with liquid cooling - and very pretty it is too.
atb
Simon
There’s a metal-finishing business just up the road from home, they rechromed the filler cap & stripped the chrome from the rocker covers of my Guzzi a few months back, and will have more to do on it at some point, but one of their show bikes is a Suzi “water bottle” 750 triple 2S with liquid cooling - and very pretty it is too.
atb
Simon
Boyblunder
Western Thunderer
As an assistant scrutineer at the 1975 (may have been '74) Silverstone John Player International I had the dubious distinction of failing Barry Sheen's Suzuki for long exhaust pipes that extended beyond the back wheel. The rule had been introduced that season followed a horrific accident the year before and Bazzer's were sticking out about 20mm. During a rather heated debate with the Suzuki team manager and the Chief Scrutineer I pointed out that the yet to be scrutinised works Kawasaki pipes stuck out about 70mm so hacking that length off was going to make far more difference to to the Kwackers performance than bending the Suzuki pipes a bit. Barry was happy but I don't think he won that year, he definitely beat the Kawasakis.
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
I remember Mick Grant as a Kawasaki rider most memorably doing a lap of honour at Silverstone with his hands in the air as his bike went into a tank slapper and threw him off .....can't remember his team mate though.
That was mid 70's, can't remember exactly though
.......I was riding this T120 then, all packed up for a two week tour around Britain starting at Silverstone. My mates bike was a TR6. 
Col.
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Enjoyed one of those for about a year, fast bike but preferred my 4 strokes .....traded it in for another 'Bonnie'
Col
Michael Osborne
Western Thunderer
Mick Grant's team mate was Barry Ditchburn.
Michael Osborne
Western Thunderer
I also rode a Suzuki 750 water bottle for a time. Nice smooth engine but very thirsty when pushed.This was my Bonnie I had for a few years. This pic was taken at the 24 hours bike race at Le Mans in 1983.
Sold it when the kids came along to buy furniture.
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
....or how about a digital chip recording of 'Crazy Frog'
.........who ever owned a single cylinder 2-stroke ?
Col.