A very long time ago, but if memory serves, I got the fibre glass top box from a little independant fibre glass accessories company that had a workshop in Leyton E. London. I might be mistaken but think Alf Hagon had a shop nearby. Although you can't see it, I'd bet that the box is on the XS 250 as well! The 250 we got new from Coburn and Hughes of Haringay, N.London for about £650 if I recall. Wanted the XS400, but even back then the cost of insurance was starting to become prohibitive and I wasn't earning that much at the time. Happy days though. Just thinking about all this earlier this morning, We also had a Yamaha V50 'Scooterette' that I actually passed my proper bike test on, round the block style and used two up for a while! - boy, is it so different now with all the training and faff - not knocking it of course. A couple of aberrations as a teenager I'm afraid..............A Honda PC50 moped that I bought for next to nothing......why?? and I'm afraid to admit, a Lambretta LI 150 that was again only a few quid but a terrible, terrible thing. Now both very collectable. My mate who's ten years older than me is mad on Scooters and the mod scene of his youth - we often have 'interesting' conversations, but haven't come to blows...yet
I had my first bike aged 14, it was an ex WW2 despatch riders bike, a baptism of fire and rode it on farm tracks with permission in exchange for some labour, great fun when I had money for the petrol, never been without a bike since.
I'm late to this thread, Lou160487, but have been enjoying it immensely this morning over my cup of coffee. I never rode a motorcycle (other than pillion a handful of times) until I was 52 years old. I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Beginning Rider Course on a Honda Rebel 250. My first bike was a large capacity bike (both engine size and weight)--a Harley-Davidson Street Bob which I absolutely loved. That said, in hindsight it probably would have been wise to start out on something smaller. But it worked out just fine and I never had any problems. I do sometimes wish that, like many riders I know, I'd started out on dirt bikes as a kid. My first Triumph, which I bought a little over a year after I bought my Street Bob, was a Thruxton 900 which got me hooked on Triumphs. Both of these bikes are long gone but I still have one of each--one Harley and one Triumph. These two bikes treated me well and started me on my motorcycling adventures.
I had the CS5-E 200 electric for a couple of years - never had any of the RDs. I think I might have a picture of myself as a six year old on my dad's Royal Enfield 350 Bullet with Watsonian sidecar taken about 1963. I just about remember travelling with mum in the sidecar all the way from London to Lancashire and back for a family holiday. Dad was very good about getting the FS1-E for my 16th birthday. He'd been very badly mistreated by the Japanese as a P.O.W in Malaya 1942-1945 and along with many other ex-POWs would never have anything Japanese in the house. It must have been quite something for him to go against the grain and not disappoint me. I remember him riding it round the block, but complaining about the gears being on the wrong side!
Found a better picture of my first 'real' bike......................FJD 609. Googled the reg and found it had been sold at an auction site a few years ago. Wrote to the owner and said that if he ever wished to sell, could I have first refusal.
A great classic look. Nice that you were able to find and still running. I hope someday you can bring her home.
Yup! I'm disappointed I didn't get to do my camping trip in June though and I haven't been out for a proper long ride yet because of travel restrictions and then pissing rain. Soon though!!
Francis-Barnet 98cc girder forks and rigid rear end in 1963, on through 125 Bantam, 350 BSA B31, 650 Triumph T110 then many others that are now worth 10 to 20 times what they were sold for hey ho I'll never be rich, confirmed peasant! Now on my second 1993 900cc Trophy almost identical to the first one but 70,000 miles newer.
