Oldest bit of biking gear?

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by H.O., Nov 3, 2016.

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  1. H.O.

    H.O. Noble Member

    Nov 28, 2015
    1,045
    300
    ARDROSSAN, AYRSHIRE
    Whats the oldest bit biking gear you own an still use or reluctant to part with for sentimental reasons?
    Mine is a white real silk scarf that was my dads when he rode a BSA Sloper, Ariel Square Four and others, I know its at least 65+ yrs old, older than me as he had it before me, and it has the Utility marks on it, just barely readable now. (like Pack Man facing the wrong way round)
    I used it on my NSU Quickly, '73 Honda 50, Triumph Thunderbird Combo, Suzuki 250/750, etc right up to today.
    The Waddington gauntlets he gave me did fall to bits some years ago though.
    The scarf comes out every year about this time, its used still for riding the bike and walking the dogs!
    Next oldest bit is my pair of textile trousers, made 2000, still going strong!
    All the rest is not much more than a year old.
     
  2. GaryM

    GaryM It's him, you know who. Him from you know ....

    Apr 28, 2016
    862
    500
    Patna , Ayrshire
    Still have my army surplus dispatch riders waterproof jacket ( doesn't fit me now :( )
    Last wore in my 20's
     
  3. andypandy

    andypandy Crème de la Crème

    Jan 10, 2016
    4,083
    1,000
    Shaw
    HO, bet that scarf of your dads has seen some service. I wonder if you'd still use it if you knew all the uses he had put it to.
     
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  4. Volksrat

    Volksrat Well-Known Member

    Feb 24, 2016
    71
    78
    Peterborough
    My 1970's Buco helmet..
     
  5. Andy_S

    Andy_S Active Member

    Jul 19, 2016
    151
    43
    Kingston upon Hull
    I have my grandmothers silk scarf from when my grandfather had a 500 Norton in the 1930's. I've never used it though it's just sat in my drawers.
    Andy
     
  6. unclejonboy

    unclejonboy Member

    Aug 20, 2016
    27
    18
    ibeeria
    My granddad always called his white silk scarf a ropper.. love to know where that came from---oldest kit I have is a pair of goggles, oval flat mica lenses, slightly yellowed, with grey rubber and rabbit fur.. might actually be pilot's goggles, but I'm guessing 1920s. My oldest gear is a schott horsehide brown leather with a fur collar I bought second hand in an army surplus shop in Kings Cross somewhere about 1972. well used when I got it. They used to get true military gear there, parachutes and naval kit, and a load of stuff had just come in from one of the American airbases in Suffolk I think. I remember one of the blokes there who had been there about forty years then, saying they had a load of wr Harleys and willys jeeps that they couldn't shift, and couldn't store and ended up scrapping the lot, sometime late fifties.
     
  7. capt

    capt Elite Member

    May 8, 2016
    3,052
    750
    western Australia
    Oldest bit of kit I had was a leather pilots helmet, had the flaps over the ear's for the earphones, don't know it's age but must be about late 30's early 40's. As radio wasn't around before then. I wore it when I rode my 1941 BSA M20 , even got stopped once by the law... Breathalyzed bike admired and a " have a nice day sir". I sure did. Nice to meet someone who doesn't enforce rules for rules sake, this was about 10yrs ago on a little country road between Northam and Goomalling in WA.
     
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  8. unclejonboy

    unclejonboy Member

    Aug 20, 2016
    27
    18
    ibeeria
    Have you seen what a wr 750 fetches these days?!?
     
  9. crispey

    crispey crispey creme de la creme

    Nov 6, 2014
    7,194
    1,000
    Uk
    I remember that place, I bought a great coat from there, Russian I think, was the only winter bike gear I had.
     
  10. capt

    capt Elite Member

    May 8, 2016
    3,052
    750
    western Australia
    Oldest bit of kit I had was a leather pilots helmet, had the flaps over the ear's for the earphones, don't know it's age but must be about late 30's early 40's. As radio wasn't around before then. I wore it when I rode my 1941 BSA M20 , even got stopped once by the law... Breathalyzed bike admired and a " have a nice day sir". I sure did. Nice to meet someone who doesn't enforce rules for rules sake, this was about 10yrs ago on a little country road between Northam and Goomalling in WA.


    It's really nice when the internet and your PC get confused !!!??? Didn't mean to post this twice. twice Doh!
     
  11. H.O.

    H.O. Noble Member

    Nov 28, 2015
    1,045
    300
    ARDROSSAN, AYRSHIRE
    Never mind what he might have used it for....................................
     
  12. H.O.

    H.O. Noble Member

    Nov 28, 2015
    1,045
    300
    ARDROSSAN, AYRSHIRE
    Good on you mate, nice story.
    I use Freecycle a lot, given lots away and got some good stuff too, Bath was a good area, not too much up here though!
    Actually, my 2000 made textile bike trousers came off there up here, still like new.
    Got a brand new unused Ikea king size bed and memory mattress off the Bath one, would have cost £400+, had lots of Ikea stuff off there too.
    Will have some dogs beds going on soon if the 2 dog centres I contacted dont show some interest soon!:rolleyes:
     
    • Like Like x 1
  13. DreadySteve

    DreadySteve Well-Known Member

    Jul 3, 2016
    279
    63
    Bournemouth
    As I'm only a junior compared with most on here, my oldest bit of kit is my leather biker jacket purchased 24 years ago when I was learning to ride (for the second time). Obviously the leather has shrunk over time as it doesnt fit anymore!! :pFits my son though who has since claimed it as his own! o_O
     
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  14. unclejonboy

    unclejonboy Member

    Aug 20, 2016
    27
    18
    ibeeria
    Jeeez it must have fetched a fortune... haven't got another I suppose....
     
  15. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Well-Known Member

    Oct 21, 2015
    109
    93
    Eccleshall, Staffs
    Leather jacket I bought when 19 or 20yrs old, I am 60 next month and it still fits.

    Teejay
     
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  16. thebiglad

    thebiglad Old fart, still riding !

    Sep 25, 2013
    5,064
    1,000
    Central France
    It's a toss-up between my BMW boots (about 17/18 years) or my textile jacket (15yr) both still in use. Both need replacing - boots chomped by dog; jacket just getting a bit old.
     
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  17. Taff Salmon

    Taff Salmon Active Member

    Aug 22, 2016
    77
    28
    no
    The rider. The bike is younger Tiger T110 1982 copy.jpg
     
  18. Dougie D

    Dougie D Crème de la Crème

    Jan 30, 2016
    10,664
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    Blairgowrie Perthshire
    i bought an Italian ex army jacket about 35 years ago i know it's not biking gear but i used to wear it in the summer months..for the last 10 years or so it had sat in my wardrobe as it had shrunk about 2 sizes :oops::rolleyes: i couldn't bring myself to get rid of it:( a few months ago i gave it to a young guy who now uses it for fishing, it was a cracking jacket..they don't make them like that anymore
     
  19. Havit

    Havit Admin
    Staff Member Subscriber

    Jul 17, 2015
    9,567
    1,000
    Kent
    I still hav a pair of Frank Thomas bike boots and my shoei Helmet although both are in good order at 22 years old would it be safe.......?
     
  20. Red Thunder

    Red Thunder Crème de la Crème

    Dec 2, 2014
    2,035
    1,000
    High Wycombe
    23 Years ago when I started biking (17 years old and at college) I invested in a £200 leather jacket... No CE armour, but it is bloody heavy, apparently it took two cow skins to make.
    It is made in England and Bulldag brand. No lost stitches or broken zips (they are very chunk and well made) but my latest jacket from Triumph bought last year has two broken pocket zips and losing stitching to the inner lining.
    I bought it big as I would wear a jumper under it, and it still fits, although without the jumper.
    It would be a few years before it fits my son, and I dont use it for biking as I have newer ones with all the armour, but I get it out and treat it with leather food/nikwax etc.
    I love it because of the weight of it.

    I still have my helmet from back then, but it sits in the loft.
     
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