Ardingly bike show today

Short version:

I went, saw, bought some smaller items, took a few photos and legged it.

Photos here:

http://www.unixconsult.co.uk/bike/ardingly-2005.html

Despite TOG suggestion that it would most likely be crap, I decided to
spend the morning there anyway. Couldn't make up my mind if I should
take the Ducati or the cage but as the battery on the Ducati was still
being Accumate'd and the weather forecast suggested rain, I took the
cage.

And promptly got stuck behind those idiots doing 40mph on lovely
A-roads, in bright sunshine. Arse.

Arrived at the showground shortly after the show opened. First
impression, there weren't that many stands (nor bikes at that point),
the concours hall was filling up with bikes ranging from "very
original" to nicely restored but it was still quiet enough to hear the
Brit Iron piss oil on the floor.

One corner was filled up with a few very, very nice Indians - and I
don't mean Mrs Patel's daughters in various states of undress, it
wasn't that kind of show[1] - and they were conveniently stuck into one
of the darkest corners of the show. Which was a pity as they were very
nice indeed.

After another round of the stands where I spotted someone selling Uvex
Wing RSs (alas, they don't quite fit as well as I remembered) and some
smaller items that I needed, I had another wander around outside. By
now the outside was beginning to fill up with both classic and modern
bikes. A couple of nice bikes were spotted (see photos) and promptly
photographed. Amongst them a very early Morini 3 1/2, although I'm not
sure if it is 100% original, although I think it is. And it had an
enclosed chain, much like an MZ, which I've never seen on a Morini.

At this point nature called for an overpriced burger and I had *just*
made it under the cover of the burger van when the heavens opened. Good
call that I wasn't on the Ducati after all, I don't like riding that in
the rain.

Bikewise there wasn't much for sale - spotted a BMW R80ST with 64k on
the clock for 975, someone had an old brit chop and a couple of truly
gruesome only-good-for-parts "restoration projects" for sale, and
outfit with a couple of important bits missing (like the bodywork,
natch).

There weren't that many trade stands selling useful stuff either but I
managed to get some battery acid, a battery for the Morini (Yay!
second-to-last piece of the puzzle) and a couple of odds and sods. Oh,
and a book called "Original Ducati Sport & SuperSport" which also
happens to cover the Darmah...

All in all it was a nice day out, the show was OK but I found the fiver
admission a bit overpriced. Not sure if I'd go again.

[1] Not that I would have complained.

 

Timo Geusch says...

That must be a big book, is it waterproof and breatheable?

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

No, it's for indoor use only, otherwise it'll start to rust and the
electrics will fail.

 

and a monster 4-cylinder one. cool.

 

That XT500 looks superb.

--

jeremy
'01 Triumph Sprint ST in green
_______________________________________
jeremy0505 at gmail.com

 

Doesn't it? *Very* early model, is that, because they changed to an
upswept exhaust quite quickly.

 

Doesn't it? *Very* early model, is that, because they changed to an
upswept exhaust quite quickly.[/QUOTE]

It's the 1975 model. 1976 still had a clunky heavy exhaust but in a
different shape to that and hax the letters XT on the tank and, IIRC,
'Enduro' on the side panel.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

that bikes a first year 76 tt500c, off road version of 76 xt500c

 

1. What the **** are you talking about? No quoted text in a reply to a
17-day-old posting makes not a lot of sense.
2. Assuming you're referring to >> >
http://www.unixconsult.co.uk/bike/ardingly-2005.html then yes, a
closer look, evealing the lack of lights, confirms that it is indeed
the TT, rather than XT model.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
`

 

Corrected that, may even upload the new page eventually if I can be
arsed...