Old Press & 550/4s

I happened on this rather nice middleweight SOB comparison. There are
a few other good bits in the index mainly about Kwak triples..
http://kawtriple.com/mraxl/articles/kh400comp/sporting_middleweights1.htm

I was looking as there is quite a clean 550/4 on eBay close by
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4576819812&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

Specifically I was looking for a nice SOB falling in under the 33bhp
limit for a new rider. The 550 seems to be just over. I seem to recall
that you had one recently TOG? did you like it? what were the ups and
downs of it.

'Hog

 

I've got a restrictor kit for an R80 (with paperwork) if that helps

TBH, it makes almost no difference in town traffic. Does on the open
road though. 5 mins. per side to fit.

Regards,

Simonm.

 

I don't think the R80 is a good 1st bike really, bit quirky to ride.
Where does one get these restrictor kits? Someone might do one for
the 550/4

'Hog

 

http://sohc4.us/?q=node/144

I remember reading this years ago...

 

I don't think the R80 is a good 1st bike really, bit quirky to ride.[/QUOTE]

It's quirky to put on the side stand but I love actually riding it.

Looked at the ad (550-4)- that's definitely at the nice end of the SOB
scale. It's in NI though - might cost a bit to fetch.

IIRC the restrictor kit came from Germany (it's to a DIN standard and
the paperwork was in German). I'll see if I can dig it out. I'm fairly
certain they're available for a wide range of bikes. The one for the
Beemer is basically just a pair of calibrated washers - with a fancy
certificate, of course. 's good coz it has no effect really at small
throttle openings. At a guess it reduces the inlet area by about 50%,
but I'd have to measure the manifold to be sure.

Still puzzled about what's odd about the BM...

Regards,

Simonm.

 

A friend is selling his wife's Guzzi V35, which is under the 33bhp limit.
He's in Edinburgh:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Moto-Guzzi-V3...ryZ43121QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Quite a bit over, actually.

I've had several. The best is the four-piper K model, because they
changed the carbs on that one, and cured the dreadful fuel economy which
is the worst thing about the 550. Expect mid-to-high 30s otherwise.

That apart, as fast as the 750 really, handles much better, more torque
than the 400. Roomier than the 400, too.

Nice bike - but the 400 is better.

 

message

Thinking about a 1st bike, my Bandit was in a small local dealer
yesterday getting all the gay blue brake/clutch lines replaces with
some righteously black Goodridge and I noticed a Jap import Honda CB1
400cc. It was certainly a nice low seat height and felt very light,
suitable for a 5'4" female. Does anyone know owt about these??
completely outside my ken. Around 8000km or miles and £1000ono

'Hog

 

CBR400 engine in a less radical frame, ISTR. I remember a lot of 'em
being used by couriers at one point. That sounds like a bloody good
price for one of those, but it's years since I looked at 'em.

 

<snip>

My favourite part of that US review is this sum-up of the Honda CB500T:

"Ranking last, with one of its two below-1.0 category averages, is the
Honda CB500T. It earned it with a conspiracy of shortcomings that can
only be defined as magnificent.

The 500 has everything and does everything necessary to guarantee that
your teeth will be clenched and your knuckles white at the end of an
even moderate lunge at a winding road.

It has no system to mute the wicked vibrations coming from the vertical
parallel twin engine; its brakes both feel mushy compared to the brake
systems on the six other bikes; it is afflicted with a near-terminal
case of drive-line snatch that's severe enough to make smooth riding a
practical impossibility in any situation calling for throttle
modulation; clutch engagement is grabby; the footpegs are too far
forward, and stick out too far; the rear brake lever drags brutally
going around right-hand corners, and the linkage is designed so that
every movement of the swing arm causes movement of the brake lever; the
bike's stability goes to hell whenever it's faced with a turn with a
bump in it, or a bump with a turn on it."

Excellent. I see there's a tidy one on Ebay which is already over
£700. ISTR I flogged my very tidy one to Niall for £450, after trying
to persuade him not to buy it. He ran it for a year and flogged it for
£425, and we both agreed it was one of the nastiest motorcycles that
Honda ever, but ever, made.

 

Yes, even nastier.

And I've owned a CJ250.

 

I know someone who's got one. reckoned to be dead nice. not sure if the
engine's detuned compared with a baby blade.

 

So have I, briefly. underpowered, but that's mainly 'cos the bike was
designed to be a 360. Hmmm. wonder what happened to it? I flogged it to a
bloke in Port Talbot for 50 quid, and thought I'd got a result.

 

What, _he_ gave _you_ 50 quid?

Too right.

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

 

Well I've urinated over one

'Hog

 

LOL.

Makes sense. Actually, the CJ was better than the G5 which preceded it,
and that despite not having an electric starter and only five gears. Oh,
and a cheapo 2-1 exhaust.

Which tells you, I suppose, just how awful the G5 was.

 

As a 13 yr old (at the time!) I used to regard the G5 as the sensible
choice among the 250s that I planned to buy when I eventually reached
17! 4-stroke reliability, 6 gears, electric boot just not as quick as
the 2-stroke competition.

It is true that ignorance is indeed bliss.


--

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

 

Thus spake The Older Gentleman unto the assembled multitudes:

What about the G4? A mate of mine had one, which seemed OK but which
didn't make it around a tight bend, threw itself and him over a hedge, and
burnt his bum when the bike landed on top of him. It also had those
ghastly early Bridgestone tyres which slid the bike down the road if the
road was even slightly damp.

 

Thus spake Jeremy unto the assembled multitudes:

Another mate of mine had a G5, too. Harmless and gutless. The bike
was much the same too

My brother-in-law had a CJ. That seemed to have "economy model" written
all over it.

 

K4, ITYF.

I rather liked the K4.....