Ian Moderator Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 1,404 Location: England
Espresso: Euro2000,Rancilio Grinder: Mazzer,La Cimbali Vac Pot: Cona-->CraigA Drip: Belgique for emergencies Roaster: Primas with variac
Posted Thu Mar 8, 2012, 2:45am Subject: Re: The Motorcycle Thread
Woody Said:
Harley owners allowed in this thread?!? 2006 Road King. I must admit I don't think I would ride unless it was on a Harley. I grew up on dirt bikes, atv's, and this is my first road bike.
Of course, if it has two wheels it belongs here... to be frank, I was expecting to see more Harleys.
I have actually ridden a couple. They're probably ideal for the sort of environment you've got there with relatively straight roads and wide multi-lane highways. Over here, the roads tend to be narrower and more twisty so you need sharp handling and punchy power for safe overtaking if you're getting a move on.
You do see some Harleys here but they tend to be the Sunday afternoon brigade. Nothing wrong with that though.
Posted Thu Mar 8, 2012, 7:37am Subject: Re: The Motorcycle Thread
1975 Suzuki T-500 Titan 2 stroke
1977 Suzuki GS-750
I started out in Feb 1977 with a blue 1975 new in the crate Suzuki T-500 Titan, then traded that in & up (at the same price I paid) at the same dealership in May 1977 for the 1st year entry of Suzuki into 4 stroke machines with the (my blue) 1977 Suzuki GS-750.
In 78-79 or so I installed electronic ignition, Kerker header, re-jetted my 4 bank manual Mikuni carbs, K&N filters. In 1980 I fully decked out the bike in a complete Craig Vetter touring kit, fairing, top box, saddle bags. The cost at the time was almost as much as the list price of the bike! A two up touring saddle, manual cruise control. Lots of other stuff I won't mention.
Back in the day when they came out with a 'custom' or owners choice plate for Ontario, I got T0002, & my brother got T0003. I always wondered who beat me out & got the very 1st one, T0001!
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,761 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Thu Mar 8, 2012, 9:15am Subject: Re: The Motorcycle Thread
Yamaha DT1 BSA 500 gold star (stripped for dirt, man I wish I had that bike now in street condition, I could retire on it's sale!) Honda Elsenore 125 Yamaha 400 enduro, (stripped for dirt, owned and modded by Yamaha before I bought it, that thing was a rocket) Yamaha YZ 400 F (the two stroke model from 1978, not the 4 stroke model) Yamaha IT 175 (for the son, was stolen last year, too bad, it should have been in a museum due to condition) Yamaha Virago 1100 street. Still own but have not ridden for 2 years. Has fuel leak, that is what parked it.
I have pretty much stopped riding due to my surgery. I had gastric bypass 5 years ago and am VERY happy with the results and the continued maintance of my 160 pound loss. One side effect (everyone is affected differently by everything) is that I will have sudden dizzy spells. I can be fine then without warning, I will have a partial loss of balance and get "head spins" I have been out on the bike when this has happened and it was very scary to get home. Not much riding since. The fuel leak sidelined the bike and I did not have much desire to take care of the minor issue of a fuel leak due to medical issues.
I miss riding but I feel much better about not doing it, deep down.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
Stuart Senior Member Joined: 9 Feb 2012 Posts: 113 Location: TX Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Breville Dual Boiler Grinder: Baratza Vario Roaster: Air Crazy popper
Posted Thu Mar 8, 2012, 9:34am Subject: Re: The Motorcycle Thread
I don't ride anything today, although I've been looking at the Ryca CS-1 (modified Suzuki C-40).
I started riding on a Honda 160 (in 1978). Two days after earning my motorcycle license, I bought a Norton Commando 750 (1970, not fastback). Oh, if I'd kept that!
Then a Kawasaki H2. Then I started racing (AAMRR, New England area motorcycle club) on a RD350 that Kevin Cameron had modified to accept a TZ250 water pump instead of the oil injection pump, a TZ250 radiator, and a pair of cylinders from a TZ700! (I won a Novice race at Loudon in the rain on that thing.) Next up, a Kawasaki 1000J that started as my street bike, but soon enough found itself on the track at Loudon and Bridgehampton. Then, a Yamaha Seca 550 that Glenn Marshall had built out to 585, fitted an oil cooler, a square-section swingarm, and other track tweaks. I added a Yamaha FJ1100 that also found its way to the track (including Pocono and Watkins Glen).
Then I left New England, sold off all the bikes (the new Honda Hurricanes were faster in stock form than my modified Yamaha, and there's nothing more dangerous than a racebike that's almost fast enough), and got a Honda FT500 that I rode for fifteen years between Michigan and Texas.
Posted Thu Mar 8, 2012, 9:55am Subject: Re: The Motorcycle Thread
Ian Said:
Looks like a fun list, I do recognise all those but we know some of them by different model designations. One of my mates had an RD350LC (RZ350) back in the eighties good fun to ride and a bit of a hooligan tool. Haven't seen one on the road for ages though.
It was a real fun bike, quite a kick with the powerband it had. I sold it about 10 years ago prior to getting married. It was just too small of a bike for the two of us. One of these days I am hoping to get a Harley hog for the 2 of us.
Len
"Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water." ~The Women's Petition Against Coffee, 1674
Posted Thu Mar 8, 2012, 10:01am Subject: Re: The Motorcycle Thread
During the late 60's and into the early 80's i owned and enjoyed the following machines.
Villiers 200 (free) BSA C15 (bought for £10) Honda CB175 Super Sport (my first new machine) Triumph Bonneville 650 (my first big bike after passing my test, complete with factory custom purple tank and chrome mudguards) Triumph Bonneville 650 (bought to replace my first Bonneville which was stolen when only three weeks old :( ) Triumph Trident 750 (bought second hand) Ducati 750 (bought second hand, had a bent frame, swapped for ..... ) Honda CB550 (from a dealer who wanted the Ducati 750, second hand but only a couple of months old) Yamaha 175 Trail bike (got this as straight swap for a car, swapped for ...... ) Triumph Trident 750 (sold and bought ...... ) Triumph Bonneville 750 (new, with peanut tank, sold and bought ..... ) Triumph Trident 750 (engine tuned, balanced, crack tested and blueprinted by Brabham's in London, the guy I sold it to still has it.) Moto Guzzi Le Mans MkI (bought second hand, one year old with only 1000 miles on the clock, still wish I had it. )
Now thinking of getting another bike. Have always wanted a Ducati 916 ever since I saw one.
There again I wouldn't mind another Moto Guzzi MkI or a Laverda Jota. :)
My wife keeps telling me to get one, i'm sure she must have an insurance policy i don't know about. :) :)
Hi Craig, I knew about the GS but you didn't tell me about the Titan. I borrowed a '75 GT250 to go to college on, hopefully the T500 was better than that ;)
calblacksmith Said:
Yamaha DT1 BSA 500 gold star (stripped for dirt, man I wish I had that bike now in street condition, I could retire on it's sale!) Honda Elsenore 125 Yamaha 400 enduro, (stripped for dirt, owned and modded by Yamaha before I bought it, that thing was a rocket) Yamaha YZ 400 F (the two stroke model from 1978, not the 4 stroke model) Yamaha IT 175 (for the son, was stolen last year, too bad, it should have been in a museum due to condition) Yamaha Virago 1100 street. Still own but have not ridden for 2 years. Has fuel leak, that is what parked it.
Posted Wed Mar 14, 2012, 7:47am Subject: Re: The Motorcycle Thread
Ian Said:
Hi Craig, I knew about the GS but you didn't tell me about the Titan. I borrowed a '75 GT250 to go to college on, hopefully the T500 was better than that ;)
My brother, myself., & a friend loved the Suzy T500 Titan so much that (back then) we called it a 'stone axe' because it was so simple, solid & you could thrash it from Monday to Sunday & couldn't kill it., it was as tough as the proverbial stone axe.
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