Paging those with more than one bike

If the restoration fairy touched it with her magic wand and made it all
better again, my XJ650.

Failing that, my new(ish) Transalp.

For either bike, the same reasons. Comfy, roomy, doddle in heavy traffic,
quite good fun to ride, manouvreable.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

<Looks at Turbo-shaped space in garage>
<drums fingers>

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
and Ducati Race Engineer.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"

 

How about turboing the BlingMobile?

--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..75409../..18748.../..3196./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4
'^' RBR Landmarks: 18 Pts: 305 Miles: 1193

 

Powered by the old air-cooled RSC engine. I remember watching it at the
Bol a couple of times in the early 1980s.

 

You probably need twin turbos on that...

 

On Thu, 02 Jun 2005 03:59:04 -0700, TOG@toil

Oh, it did - the last time I had a key for it...

It's currently SORN'd and I'll probably do some of the cosmetics on it
that I didn't do the last time round and get it ready again for next
summer.

Fortunately I finally got another ignition key for it about three months
ago so it's just a matter of getting off my lazy arse and finishing the
other two bikes first.

The trouble with it is that it's main job *is* being an ornament because
it's so damn uncomfortable for anybody taller than 3'5"...

 

They are something special - it's hard to put a finger on to exactly what
it is. IMHO it's probably because they were pretty much built by craftsmen
in the same sense that, say, a Vincent or similar bike was put together.
That was why they were so expensive when new...

 

On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 07:49:34 +0100,

Well, looking at my reduced fleet:

The Quota: does nothing particularly well and the collector box has
started rattling like a bag of nails, just like the last one.

Electrically, it eats oil pressure switches and the low fuel sensor
has packed up. Also, the RH cylinder cuts out in wet conditions if
speed drops much below 70MPH.

The undersides are generally sticky with various oils. When I ride it
in winter, I have to watch out for the shrapnel as the finish explodes
off.

However... it's different and characterful. It has a comfortable
riding position (shame about the seat though) and the engine smooths
out beautifully at 80MPH.

The mirrors actually show what's behind me. It also has hard luggage.

The TLR: is huge fun, it has more torque than I have nerve, it's fast
and stable. The mirrors are good, it has excellent underseat stowage
and twin tail lights (which gives me a sense of comfort at night).

The seat's comfortable, though the riding position is heavy on the
wrists at low speeds. It has firm suspension, which combined with the
slightly snatchy throttle, make slow bumpy corners tricky.

The slipper clutch is awful: the servo engages with little warning,
causing the bike to lurch as I pull away unless I really slip it.

The YZ: is physically exhausting to ride but has incredible
acceleration; even I can loft the front wheel with ease. Pity I can't
balance it there! Unfortunately, it's not road legal, so of limited
use.

So...

I'd probably keep the Quota. It's rewarding to ride in its way and
just oozes character. It's big, black and beautiful.

 

http://www.motogazz.com/elf30ans/elfsuiteplanche.htm

 

Never seen a man beat the turbo before.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Salad Dodger

IWHT that supercharging would be more in keeping this the BlingMobile's
ethos. A big shiny Bentley Blower mounted above the airhorns on the
front of the engine.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
and Ducati Race Engineer.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"

 

First to go would - will - be the Dnepr. It was never going to be a
long-term thing, so while it's working, taxed and MOTed, and I still have
all my fillings, it'll be sold.

Next, the Drifter. Wonderfully stylish and comfortable, but it's
essentially a solo bike, has a chain, rusts, grounds out on corners, doesn't
handle well enough and is slow. So, bit of a service and a tidy-up, fit the
new pipe, get it MOTed and get rid. This will happen soon.

The R80RT still isn't running. The mechanical infelicities have been
sorted, but the wiring seems to have gone to ratshit. Fond though I am of
RTs, I really would prefer a naked bike. This can be achieved without great
difficulty by hoiking the fairing off, but I'm looking at biting the bullet
and buying a new loom for the thing. At which point, I'll have to strip it
down so much that I might as well send the frame off for powder-coating.
And if I do that, I really ought to give the engine a proper rebuild while
it's out. Which is not what I want to do at all, I just want a working
bike.

Then there's the Z200, which has all the advantages and disadvantages you'd
expect of a 200cc single-cylinder Kawasaki from the dawn of the '80s. It's
not worth selling, because it's taxed, tested, runs fine and is a great
backup bike.

If I had to choose one, it would be the BMW, once it's sorted. Maybe I'll
just break it for parts and buy a decent Guzzi...

 

Do keep up at the back. I jumped the queue for the turbo by with-holding
video of Champ riding like a biff in Russia.

 

It's just struck me how very, very sad.

 

I know. I was drunk.

 

Andy Wegg scribbled on the back of a napkin:

It very much depends - I'll probably buy the next 250 2c in decent
condition that I come across. They're nearly as good as the 3 1/2 as is
and get rather interesting if one sticks a 3 1/2 engine in.

Actually earlier Sports are noticeably more powerful above 7000-7500
rpm. This can be further enhanced by gasflowing the heads, which I had
done to one of mine.

The 500s are supposedly very nice bikes but a tad bigger - they need a
few horses freeing before they really fly.

"Best" Morinis for the mentalists are:

- 3 1/2 engine in a 250 2c frame
- Breathed on 507 engine in a 3 1/2 frame (AFAIR this is what Alex from
NLM has, and that thing is *seriously* quick.

 

Bear scribbled on the back of a napkin:

Another big Beemer?

 

I remember Benjy Straw of WeeVee (now defunct Morini specialist, and he
wwent to work for Piaggio UK) and his bored-out 365cc Sport.

Best of all, he had special side panel badges made up with "Three &
three-quarters" (Can't do fractions in taxt....)

 

On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 07:49:34 +0100,

That'll be the ZZR.

'Coz it's the only one that works.....


--

Stan Stannard - Grimsby, UK


"Statto's evil twin"

ANORAK#01 BONY#57 UKRMSBC#01
Kawazaki ZZR1100D
"And now you know what's wrong with the curry!"

 

The Older Gentleman scribbled on the back of a napkin:

Ah yes, I forgot that option - you can actually still get the pistons
for 375cc engines so all you need is someone who can bore out the
cylinder accordingly.

Heh.