motorbikes old/new...open thread??

mulch said:
It's many years since I've seen one of these in the flesh. They were built by the Scott Motorcycle Co of Saltaire, just 2 miles from where I live.
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Hi, I have never seen one before at all. I hope, the event EIFELFAHRT will take place again this year. A nice, friendly crowd, and excellent machines ... ---

(I 'll look up SCOTT on Wikipedia.)
 
There's one big drawback to the current spell of good weather here in the SW UK - can't get a bike out for a good blow out of cobwebs! Did manage a couple of miles at the end of last week but then the lockdown came along.
 
Nod said:
There's one big drawback to the current spell of good weather here in the SW UK - can't get a bike out for a good blow out of cobwebs! Did manage a couple of miles at the end of last week but then the lockdown came along.
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Managed a quick ride last weekend too, first time this year. Wouldn't contemplate it at the moment.
 
Nod said:
There's one big drawback to the current spell of good weather here in the SW UK - can't get a bike out for a good blow out of cobwebs! Did manage a couple of miles at the end of last week but then the lockdown came along.
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Dale. said:
Managed a quick ride last weekend too, first time this year. Wouldn't contemplate it at the moment.
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Same here but I still have to go to work sometimes (in key worker category but can WFH mostly) and shopping for essentials both of which I can do on a bike.
 
Might have to deliver some essentials to Mrs Nod's Mum and the Speedmaster has decent sized panniers... BUT there are a lot of distracted fickwuts around.
 
I'm surprised someone/anyone would make a Honda CX shaft drive V Twin into a cafe racer, CBX maybe :)
I never liked 2 strokes, I know a lot of people did, friend of mine has just put a 350 Yam into a scooter, not a modern day scooter an old fashioned one, Lambretta/Vespa type thing. Just why? According to him it will wheelie in 3rd, so I guess it makes perfect sense really. :)
https://www.scribd.com/article/443889038/Kelv-s-Killer-Ypvs
 
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What's the significance of the red characters on the closest bike, Immo? Over here, similar plates are used by traders so they can move unregistered and/or untaxed vehicles around and allow people to test drive untaxed vehicles - they're colloquially known as "trade plates".
 
Nod said:
What's the significance of the red characters on the closest bike, Immo? Over here, similar plates are used by traders so they can move unregistered and/or untaxed vehicles around and allow people to test drive untaxed vehicles - they're colloquially known as "trade plates".
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Hi, it's the same here. I had to look it up, not having used one for years. They are granted to dealers by authorities (and can be revoked, if used improperly) 1)for MOT testing by officials,
2)for test-drives and 3)for transfer after purchase.

Here, the plate was mounted while an event was going on. (I did not see it used. It would have been unlawful to take part in the outing with it.)

But maybe the dealer brought the bike to the event, let the prospective buyer test-drive it, and use the plate on the bike for traveling home ... ---

No sensible dealer would risk losing the plate through improper use, because he needs it for his business.
 
Yes please! I'll take mine black and with the pegs sited further back. For 2.5 litres, not a huge amount of power but more torque than this forum!!! At around £20,000, a bit too expensive for a toy but their introduction does mean that the older "little" (a mere 2.3l...) brother is relatively cheap 2nd hand these days (well, in more normal times, anyway.)
 
Nod said:
Yes please! I'll take mine black and with the pegs sited further back. For 2.5 litres, not a huge amount of power but more torque than this forum!!! At around £20,000, a bit too expensive for a toy but their introduction does mean that the older "little" (a mere 2.3l...) brother is relatively cheap 2nd hand these days (well, in more normal times, anyway.)
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Hi, I like the TRIUMPH very much, too. A real power-bike! ---

A vintage ZÜNDAPP :


DSC03938-a7r2-3-c-tp.jpg
 
justpix said:
Hi, I like the TRIUMPH very much, too. A real power-bike! ---
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Not really that powerful for a 2.5 litre engine these days. "Only" 165 BHP (167 PS / 123kW) but oh-so torquey! Even the older one would try to pull your arms out of their sockets and would pull cleanly in top gear from under 30 MPH. If any bike deserves an automatic gearbox, these do, although manual should always be an option. Never got my old one anywhere close to its top speed but it would allegedly hit 60MPH/100km/h in around 3 1/2 seconds - the new one is under 3 seconds... The only downsides of the old one are the size/weight (you only park it nose down to a kerb once!) which makes it a pig to move at a standstill and the way it pumps out heat in traffic - great in the Winter; you're kept toasty warm but in Summer, you roast!
 
Nod said:
Not really that powerful for a 2.5 litre engine these days. "Only" 165 BHP (167 PS / 123kW) but oh-so torquey! Even the older one would try to pull your arms out of their sockets and would pull cleanly in top gear from under 30 MPH. If any bike deserves an automatic gearbox, these do, although manual should always be an option. Never got my old one anywhere close to its top speed but it would allegedly hit 60MPH/100km/h in around 3 1/2 seconds - the new one is under 3 seconds... The only downsides of the old one are the size/weight (you only park it nose down to a kerb once!) which makes it a pig to move at a standstill and the way it pumps out heat in traffic - great in the Winter; you're kept toasty warm but in Summer, you roast!
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Hi, there is always a big difference between abstract admiration - and ownership. --- For me, the TRIUMPH has an impressive personality.

(But my motorcycling-days are over ... :crying: )
 
No denying that it's an impressive bike! From a quick test fitting in the local dealer, I can tell you that the new ones are a lot easier to push around than the old one is - the new one is about 40kg lighter - over 10%. IF I had the garage space (and an insurer who understood the NEED for more than 4 bikes!!!) I'd still have the old one and would be quite tempted by a new one but that £20,000 is a big hurdle too. I know of a couple of people who had their Rocket IIIs delivered in early March and have barely ridden them since - poor weather followed by the lockdown has kept the bikes garaged. Mind you, at least the new R III has such niceties as traction control and ABS - mine relied on the rider's restraint with the right grip!
 
Nod said:
No denying that it's an impressive bike! From a quick test fitting in the local dealer, I can tell you that the new ones are a lot easier to push around than the old one is - the new one is about 40kg lighter - over 10%. IF I had the garage space (and an insurer who understood the NEED for more than 4 bikes!!!) I'd still have the old one and would be quite tempted by a new one but that £20,000 is a big hurdle too. I know of a couple of people who had their Rocket IIIs delivered in early March and have barely ridden them since - poor weather followed by the lockdown has kept the bikes garaged. Mind you, at least the new R III has such niceties as traction control and ABS - mine relied on the rider's restraint with the right grip!
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Hi, 40kg is a lot. (My girlfriends in the 70s were around 50kg ...) Traction control I could do without, because acceleration is under your control. ABS is more important. Not many people
brake well - especially under stress or even in the wet.

That is why I always rode alone - never in a group - because you never know how good people behind you are at breaking - until you find out ... ---
 
Heat output from a bike engine these days is due to emission control so my dealer told me.
 
The Bobber is half the capacity (give or take 100cc or so!) but is far less of a radiator than the Rocket was. One of the problems with the Rocket is those 3 drainpipes full of hot gasses down by your right knee, the other is the car fan sized fan that blows all the hot air back at the rider. Not a problem at all once you're moving but decidedly unpleasant at a standstill. The standard Bonnie has single skin headers/downpipes and at tickover they glow after a couple of minutes.

Completely agree about the riding in groups, Immo. Hate it in normal conditions but I do a few charity rideouts (usually - probably cancelled this year) which trundle along at about 40 MPH and are normally ridden by reasonable riders. On one of those trips last year, my Triumph Bobber managed close to 80 miles to the gallon which made its fuel tank last the whole 125 miles!
 
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