Devil makes work for idle hands

AndieMac said:
.

Did you like the old Nortons Kwacka, Slippery Sam, John Player Special, IOM TT race?
Click to expand...

'Slippery Sam' was campaigned by Alex George around The Island in 72
At 102 mph if I remember.
Now there is Forumite on ere who was involved in that gig
But I can't remember his name/ log in name, Doh!

The John Player Norton's most succesfull jockey was Peter Williams (no relation) worth a 'google' though, if yer wanna look!
 
I remember the Jubilee model (1977?), nearly bought one at the time, but ended up with a new '78 Bonnie.

Took a 750 Commando for a spin, but didn't know about the failed isolastic mounts, until the first corner at high speed :eek:

I thought the old single carb. Triumph was a 'Tiger', with the old English 'bread box' tank?

The Manx Nortons were certainly highly rated by the guys that rode them, but we are going back a fair way now, aren't we?

I saw a stunning John Player Special (Norton) in a bike workshop in Bridge of Allen, Perthshire, Scotland in 1977, being prepared to race. Beautiful bike!

There could be a few closet bikers amongst the forum ranks?! :)
 
AndieMac said:
I remember the Jubilee model (1977?), nearly bought one at the time, but ended up with a new '78 Bonnie.

Yep 77

Took a 750 Commando for a spin, but didn't know about the failed isolastic mounts, until the first corner at high speed :eek:

Was a good idea , ish
I have a soft spot (as it where for the the first Norton Villiers Commando 750 an its 'streamlined look')

I thought the old single carb. Triumph was a 'Tiger', with the old English 'bread box' tank?

Go back to the 60,s an the bread box tank is correct

The Manx Nortons were certainly highly rated by the guys that rode them, but we are going back a fair way now, aren't we?

I go back a few years yer terwat!!!

I saw a stunning John Player Special (Norton) in a bike workshop in Bridge of Allen, Perthshire, Scotland in 1977, being prepared to race. Beautiful bike!

There could be a few closet bikers amongst the forum ranks?! :)
Click to expand...

There are loads:D
 
If I won the Lotto, I said , I would get a Ferrari (got to be red) and an MV Augusta. (just like J Surtees an Ago etc had)!
Not that I like Italians more than any other Race!

Back in 64 my first big bike was a triumph thunderbird with rear sprung hub, I paid £8, 10 shillings second hand, as a non runner. I had allsorts of different bikes over the years, but the best by far, was my last, 1980 MHR I bought new, and after the first 500 miles took it back, it may have looked the same but it didn't go the same, says I to the dealer, well Sir if you want it to perform that'll be another 700 squid, cams, valves, over sized Dell'Orto's, and stuff, well after that the bike, was a different animal and I loved it, after 2 years sold it to a yonger man who wrecked it in the first week, I only have a few photos of some of the bikes I've owned, an early Bonny with my wife sat on it heavily pregnant with first child, he is 41 this year, A velocett LE200, and I bought a print of a painting "hero's return" Mike Hailwood IOM TT, as I never took a photo of the MHR when I had it.
 
Teehee -bring on the fred drift!

Yeah, I know there's everything wrong with H-D. But I don't think I'd do many miles - got a car for that. I think the sporty just looks great and I kinda think the 883 probably rides as well as the bulkier models.

Got a soft spot for H-D, plus the dealer's just down the hill a way from me.

Mention of the TT meeting reminds me that my uncle rode there in the early '50s. Many years later he was riding classic events and had a rather nice "H-D" rather like this one:

show_image.jpg
 
Last edited:
AndieMac said:
You must be about 10 years before my time E, whats an MHR....some kind of Vincent??
Click to expand...

MHR is a Mike Hailwood Replica of 1978 fame, when after a long time away from competition racing he entered the 78 IOM TT on a Ducatti 900ss and won!

Ducatti built a limited run of 200 replicas I bought Number 198, but like all popular things demand forced them to produce more and they started to lose the plot, these other wanabe's wanted choke lever's electric starters etc and the later ones didn't even represent the light weight racer that had started it, they were just fat lookalikes with two seats, not one like the first run.

Want to know more look up "Mike the Bike" he's of the same calibre as Giacomo Agostini one of the best motorcycle racers of our time,

although I think Rossi ain't bad either:D
 
Mike was such a nice Fella
He once said to Ago, summat like
'Why don't you p off an be a movie star!'

I reckon Mike was 'The Man'
On His return to the TT on the Sports Motorcycle Ducati He just 'seerrmmoothly' went about the opposition.

In the 60's, He rode Jap stuff an British stuff at the same TT
Gearchange on the left then gearchage on the right!
 
I still think the sound of the old Ducati 900 at full stick, IMO is one of the best ever. As you say, a thorough performance machine.
A great bike, looks tough, but the Cafe racer style with clip on bars, can be hard on the wrists on long distances.

We should probably get back to boats now....:)
 
But why else is this a bad idea? Need to be put off.;)

The basic 883 is a cracking bike for the less than commited biker,sure it does not do 199 MPH but you do not need to ride around in 500 lbs of kevlar and look like a bad accident in a paint factory to sit on top .Cheap to buy,peanuts to run and as for that tank,exactly how many trips to your favorite pub on a sunny Sunday evening involve a 150 mile run !
You will get more or less all your your money back when you sell it and keep it stock,no need to spend a fortune on chrome junk.
Less than £5k will get you a nice used unit,owners ask more because of all the extras they bolt on,thats there daft fault not yours.Forget the big Harley Monsters,useless for going down the shops and try picking one up when it falls over.
Buy one and have fun.

Olde Harley T shirt logo....
If you have to ask the question...

......"Why do I ride a Harley ?" ......you will not understand the answer.:)
 
Renegade_Master said:
Yer but it ain't real bike, cos it doesnt handle and has **** brakes for a start, oh and its noisy
Click to expand...

To be fair the late Evolution series are a vast improvement to the bad old days of AMF shovel heads, where two discs front and one rear applied full on had nearly the stopping power of two feet on the ground.

The heavy vibration that ran through the bike (AMF shovel with rigid engine mounts) at 60 mph was found to be most agreeable for young lady pillions ;) and they never seem to complain :confused:

As far as noise is concerned, most owners like that aspect, which is easily controlled by mufflers.
 
"Yer but it ain't real bike, cos it doesnt handle and has **** brakes for a start, oh and its noisy."

Gawd...Its supposed to be NOISY.
It goes round corners at sensible road speeds without any problems at all.
The brakes stop it.....well sort of.A weeks notice that you want to stop is more than enuff.
You will not end up in the scenery or the morgue cos your 50 year old brain cannot keep up as you approach that ever tightening bend at 100 mph.
As for Ducati bag of nails and somebody forgot to fit a clutch so they bolted the thing outside so it can warn of your approach with its constant rattle.:)
 
Thanks oldgit, what you say uncannily sums up what I want from a bike and what I expected from this bike. The only slight inaccuracy is that I'm only 48.:D

However, the engineer who looks after my Cummins units made a pertinent point yesterday: "You're a big lad and you need to get your wife or a friend to tell you whether you look too big for the bike". He has a Dyna-Glide btw.
 
oldgit said:
You will not end up in the scenery or the morgue cos your 50 year old brain cannot keep up as you approach that ever tightening bend at 100 mph.
As for Ducati bag of nails and somebody forgot to fit a clutch so they bolted the thing outside so it can warn of your approach with its constant rattle.:)
Click to expand...

Are you still riding OG, you sound like you have been there, done that!

As with boats, we all have our varied opinions on bikes, no doubt through many years of experience, and its good to hear the different views.

Recently a mate of mine returned from his first bike ride in thirty years, asking why did he ever give it up....'it makes you feel alive', was his response.
I think that sums it up pretty well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top