GREAT Bikes (not restricted to Triumph)

The W was a follow on of the K, pix of early K 500 twin derived from the BSA A7.

 

I seem to remember reading that the very early copies of the 650 BSA were so accurate that they reproduced a sticking valve (can't remember if it was inlet or exhaust) problem from the original.
I bet they solved the problem quicker than BSA ever did/could.

 

Remember to put on the rose tinted specs!

and for the bigger boys

 

Pitty none of the Jap copies internals would fit the original BSA's they were copied from. They were all Metric!!!

But not exact to imperial sizes. One inch is 25.4 mm. This got rounded down to 25 mm, it was same or similar for most external parts like lenses for all lights !
Would have been good for Restoration projects in modern times two possible sources for the restorers !?!?

 

Had three different models of these, but this is the one that really tickled my spuds. It was the last of the 1100's, and although the heaviest I had, it was also the best- suspended (Maxton re-sprung and re-valved forks, rebuilt shock with spring to suit), and the most powerful.

When the missus asked why I kept getting the 1100's, I said I needed the extra CC's to pull my lardy arse around. She scornfully replied that it wasn't that at all, I just "wanted the biggest d**k"! Nah! no way!......................?

 

My lovely RD250 T reg 4500 miles from new got me to work smoked like a bitch when cold, but fuck me it was fast. We must have been lunatics back then, as the brakes compared to todays were crap but braking was the last thing on my mind at 18 years old. Still we all had our favourites and at the end of the day we were all doing and still are doing what we enjoy and that is enjoying the freedom motorcycling gives us, and we will continue to do so no matter what we ride.

 

2003 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H was my favourite I've owned but it's easy to forget your on public roads.

Central balanced weight, so the bike handled very well and felt very light weight for the 190kg dry. A lot of these are used as stunt bikes because of this.

636 engine so it was very torquey in all gears, often found myself in 6th gear doing 30mph without any hesitation from the engine.

Surprisingly wrist friendly, one of the only sports bikes I've owned that doesn't strain your wrist after an hour riding.

 

No list is complete without one of these.....My old CBX. Bitch to work on, crap brakes & dodgy handling but oh what a noise! Love em! .....when it starts that is!

Another thing I miss is smoke! lots of blue smoke....in the mirrors all I could see was a haze of blue......17yrs old with a KH250 bloody brilliant! Plus the carefree laughs with my mates with RD`s GT`s X7`s & of course THEE game changer...the 350LC ! THEE most annoying opponent for all of us that had just paid ludicrous ins money to progress to GS550`s/750`s/GSX750`S GSX1100`s! ARRRRGGGGHHHH lol Gotta be an "ELSIE" on the list too. Sorry to waffle!

 

An absolute classic! Always wanted to have one of them.

 

That CBX is just an awesome looking machine. Yes the engine always looks too big but for me that is it's major point - "YES, I am a big bastid"

 

I have owned a few bikes n each one of them are excellent bike in their own way . It all depends what you are looking for . I started off on a CG 125.....FZR400RR.....Fazer 600....GSXR600....TL1000S....TL1000R....Daytona 955i.....Fireblade 954RR... Yamaha R1 5 PW . ...GSXR 1000 K6.....And Triumph Speed Triple 1050

I felt very much sparked up whenever I rode the TL. TL wasn't the best handling bike BUT To me....she has a Soul. The rest of the 1000cc are fast , razor sharp handling but felt something was missing . It took me a while to figure that out.. it was the Big Smile. I feel that now on the Triple . She can't cut it with GSXRs, R1s etc but I'm not racing nor I'm after 150mph+. Besides in the twisties I don't think I will get left out on my S3 ;-). What S3 gives me is satisfaction. When I was on my other sports bike , you are gunning on a straight line n hard on the brakes slamming gears down (sometimes swearing black n blue) with sweat forming on your forehead before that bend. ....And you take that bend n back on the power (it's probably my lack of skill). But on the S3....yes I am gunning the motor n I see the bend n I'm grinning like an idiot n I open the throttle even more around the bend. Because I could see better around the bend n the torque is nicely distributed And let's not forget . ...she handles well.

As I said above what you want out of your bike and what you feel when you are putting that motor through it paces. Some of us ride out of necessity and some of us for pleasure. But we all have one thing in common. ...PASSION... for our 2 wheels .

 

Bang on with that post R1000!
I dare say most of us have had the latest greatest fantastic bike but.......There`s always one quircky(not the right word really) bike not the best but good fun..usually makes the right noise to your ears & you just love it. We all must have a bike we sold to go more "up market" yet feel let down after a few months & you miss that old unpopular bike you used to have. Mine ..selling my first CBX for a brand new 1993 ZZR1100. Mistake! BIG mistake lol. I got so bored of hyper speed with NO NOISE!
P.S always wanted a TL but never got there...think one would scare the living daylights outta me now lol

 

still have my 2004 royal enfield 500 bullet bought s/h in 2006 with just 32 miles on her clock now have over 35,000 under her wheels lol guess she's my favourite

 

This Honda 105cc ex Post office bike nicknamed Dorothy travelled all the way from Sydney to London covering over 35,000 kilometres. It was ridden by Nathan Millward who took 9 months to complete the journey,and later wrote a book called The Long Ride Home. I was lucky enough to meet him, & what a top bloke. Nick Sanders eat your heart out!

 

I've had several bikes among them:-
Lambretta J125
Yamaha DT175
Kawasaki KH750B
Suzuki GT750A
Kawasaki Z1B
BSA A65 Lightening
Yamaha 650 Dragster
Suzuki TL1000R
Suzuki GSXR1000 K1
Harely Davidson 883 Sportster
Triumph Speedmaster.

Loved em all.

 

Read the book, it is fascinating, strange choice of bike all the same

 

My other bike