Motorbike on telly is a good thing and we should be thankful it’s Henry Cole and not Wayne Kershaw on Men and Motors Wayne Kershaw, now there’s a name. If you say it with a cockney accent it sounds completely different. You know you just did
Definitely don't want Wayne Kershaw back, but I'd welcome the return of Francesca Robinson (and yes I did)
I know a bloke who's son was working in a shop that they 'sold' something to . Its not true apparently its just for the telly. I have heard this also about antiques roadshow. I used to wonder how these dealers stayed in business selling so cheaply . Now I know , they don't .
So what was the verdict after the first episode? I thought it was ok as usual. I am looking forward to the Moto Martin rebuild. Thought the seller was a complete job tho. I had a Harris GPz1100 streetfighter back in the day which inspired a mate to buy a MM CBX1000 so I have an interest. The Devon trip brought back memories. Me and the wife were camping at Ilfracombe years ago and walked into town, went in a pub and I asked for a pint of their scrumpy but he would only sell it in halves. I had three, walked out the pub fine but then fresh hot air hit me and down I went. Mrs D had to more or less carry me back to the tent and that was day over Great times
quality first episode, must admit i'm not well up on moto martin so will watch that develop. Good start!
Watched it last night and good entertainment, new stuff; the Indian and new Guzzi, old stuff; Guzzi history and owners club, project bike; the Moto Martin and a bit of history; the TT lady (forgot her name already) Moto Martin is all new to me and I'm pretty sure it'll be worth seeing it come together and be something special when done. I'd say most bikers would be interested but it's pitched at a level that aims to engage non-bikers, they're doing a good job
Even my missus suggested watching it last night so thats a plus. Only downside is that now I keep saying "coming up" when I do anything that she asks me to do...
Just watched it on itv hub I'm a fan of his shows motorbike show, shed and buried, fix it flog it & I've recently discovered junk and disorderly. You have to give it to him he found a market and has exploited it very well.
I quite like the show, good content and it is about bikes after all but I'm not a Henry Cole fan, he waffles on far too much for my liking, especially when he's trying to be funny.
I watched it and quite enjoyed it. I'm really looking forward to the Moto Martin restoration as I really wanted one of those back in the day, really wanted a Bimota too and a Harris but living on toolmakers wages pretty much put any of those out of reach Definitely enjoyed the Guzzi feature but I am biased as I've owned Guzzis for over 30 years and have a California rat/bobber thing and a custom SP1000 project. It does intrigue me just how hated Henry Cole is on some of the more hard core "biker" forums as he gets stick for not doing all the work himself on his bikes but tbh how many of us do? I can do some but have no issue about farming other jobs out. He also gets blamed for the increase of price in classic bikes but personally I think that was happening anyway, if you want to be shocked by classic prices just search what mk1 Escorts or Capris go for these days!
Wow - can’t believe the BBC chose Hammond rather Robinson for Top Gear. What ever happened to her? And what does “and yes I did” mean?
I remember reading a MCN test on a Moto Martin CBX around 1979-80. Exotic, expensive and desirable back then. I built a Harris Magnum 2 in 1984-5. £3003 for the rolling chassis, a used Z1000 A1 engine, wiring loom, instruments, paint etc put another £2k on that so it was on the road for just over £5k when a new GPZ900R was around £3750. Over the following Winter I rebuilt the engine with 1105 Wiseco HC pistons, oversize valves with titanium retainers, Jim Wells road cams and 33mm smoothbore Mikuni carbs. That little lot put another £2k on the bill and the engine dynoed at just under 125rwhp which was about the same as the last injected GPZ1100 made. Handling was superb, as you would expect with decent straight line speed until my mate bought a used 900R in late '85 which was faster! Early '86 the Harris got part exchanged for a new 1000RX which was faster than everything! You need a good reason to hanker after a "special" from that era 'cos they'll not be that special any more.
Soo true @Pegscraper I built my Magnum 2 about 1985? Used my GPz1100 engine so that was about 1800 quid for the original bike, about 4000 for the Harris kit, about a grand for 1105 bore, Pip Higham gas flow and Mikuni smooth bores and finally a few hundred quid for paint job. Went like shit off a shovel then I rode a mates FZR 1000 and realised how good bikes could be Had about 6500 in the bike, traded it for a 1987 GSXR1100 with 700 miles and got 750 quid for the Harris. My mate was in the shop with me and fell off his chair laughing
I think I got around £2k for mine against the 1000RX at £4300. If I was going for a bike from that era to restore it would be the first, slab sided GSXR1100 you mention. Some bikes just move the game on to a new level, that is one of them. The first production bike to lap the TT at 110+mph in the hands of a certain Mr Trevor Nation.
Love this show, really uplifts spirits seeing his enthusiasm on the bikes, the places he visits and of course the restoration projects and banter between the guys. Always makes me smile.
No idea, but I do remember walking to town and seeing her modelling a nice jumper on a knitting pattern in a wool shop window. From Yorkshireman's post, I did say Wayne Kershaw in an accent.
I enjoy it for what it is but I was a little disappointed last night. After watching the second episode Mrs HV had a look on the Curvy Riders site where they talked about being on the telly, one of the comments was to say they had to wait for Henry's bike to arrive to do the filming, just a little disappointing that as a biker he didn't feel able to ride the 50 odd miles to Tintern Abbey on his bike.
This episode was a strange coincidence for me and @Tigcraft. He'd messaged me to ask if I had any suggestions for places of interest to visit when he does a "southern tour" with his mate. One thing I mentioned was riding the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. He also asked about the BMW RnineT and what I thought of it and then - bugger me, old Henry is riding the bloody same road on an RnineT!
