Leaderboard

Something I have never done before CB, is to list everything I've had over the years, but here goes. Past bikes from 1967 and in no particular order:- AJS 250CSR, AJS 250 trials, Ariel Arrow 250, Ariel 350 Red Hunter, BSA D1 125 Bantam, BSA C11g, BSA D1 Bantam, BSA C15, BSA 35 Empire Star, BSA Gold Flash 650, Brough Superior SS80, Cyclemaster 32cc, Ducati 900ss Bevel, Honda 250 CB72, Honda NC24, Kawasaki 400 four, Matchless 650CSR, Norton 350 Model50, Norton 500 ES2, Norton Dominator 600 (x2), Norton 750 Atlas, Royal Enfield 570, Suzuki GSXR 750 slab side. Current bikes:- AJS 18s 500, BMW RS100 Motorsport, Ducati 748r, Honda NC30 400, Honda RVF 400, Honda RC30 750, Kawasaki ZZR 1100, Norton 650ss Dominator, Triumph Trident 750, Triumph Trophy 900 triple. Time to start thing them down methinks.

Notice a lot of avatars are bikes what have you got, what have you had? Comments & analysis please. My brief history: Not a vast amount by any means, but I have always had 2 wheels since I was sixteen and hope to keep it that way. Bikes I have owned in order of appearance: 1976-1978 Yamaha FS1E-DX. Fell of it more times than I could count. Sold for- 1978-1981 Suzuki GT185. Took it down to Cornwall on the train & went touring. Stolen, insurance payout for- 1981-1983 Honda 400-4 F2 later customised- bored out to 460cc, gas flowed head, race pipe etc. probably put about another 5mph on the top speed but was quick off the mark. Went to Isle of Man TT. Sold for- 1983-1997 Honda CB900 F2 later converted to CB1100R spec by Harris Performance. Fast & handled well. Longest trip - Enfield to Plymouth and my **BLEEP** still hurts. Crashed (low speed), dismantled for repairs, never completed & given away in boxes. 1991-1995 Suzuki TS250. Brought me back down to earth after the CB900, but a real fun ride. Sold for- 1995-2005 Suzuki GSF600S Bandit. Used for London commuting (100 mile round trip), good all rounder but poor headlight. 103,000 miles later sold for- 2005-2011 Triumph Speed Four. Again used for London commuting. By far the best handling bike I have ever ridden. 84,000 miles later sold for- 2011 to present Triumph Trophy 1200 T312. Used for a 2 week trip to Venice via Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Monaco & France totalling 2,642 miles. Handling a little vague compared to the Speed Four, but quick & comfortable. I would like to sell it for a Triumph Speed Triple R (approx. £10,000) a real hooligans bike & a new Triumph Trophy 1200 (approx. £14,000) the modern version of my present bike & the ultimate trans-continetial tourer. Alas I haven't got the spare cash. When I do have some I tend to spend it on crappy watches before the Boss insists that I have to invest it in Emma Bridgwaters factory, the only thing keeping Stoke on Trent afloat.

I have a short memory, so therefore would spend ages trying to work out which way the the Barrel arbor went. This is what I do now. I draw a quick Diagram showing, Spring rotation, Ratchet orientation, (Top or Bottom) and Arbor spindle, (Top or Bottom). Saves me time. Hope it helps someone. Keith

Well a follow on from my post yesterday regarding a bodged hands. You sometimes just get that gut feeling that all is not well especially when a watch/clock repairer had returned it with "to knackered to fix". I had added some pics of the service & poor workmanship I put right. The hand issue is on my previous post. The minute wheel is attached to most carriage clocks with a screw/post. When I opened the case the wheel was at an acute angle. It was fitted with this. The shaft that supports the wheel was very loose the screw/post was bent at the tip the head was also bent & whoever made this one had calculated the length incorrectly so made it fit with a brass bushing.Also the thread had been stripped on the screw & also on the case plate. So I had to make another. I also had to re-tap the plate. Sorry guys but did not take pics while making the part also some of the pics are out of focus but here are a few after making the screw/post. I tapped the case with a 1.4mm thread which was worry because I only had a cheap die so very very gently when cutting the thread. Drilling Tapping Cutting screw head slot Finished Part Testing all fits & runs smooth Some pics of polishing & burnishing the pivots Job done> The job is not perfect the balance wheel is kinked but to risky to fix. It has been up and running for the last hour keeping good time . I have made a small vid

These came into my posession a little while ago. They are all running and I thought I might post some pics for your thoughts as I am not sure which way to go with a couple of them. The first is a nice looking Cyma. It had a broken stem and scratched up crystal. I have had a new crystal fitted and have a new stem ready to fit. I could put up with the dial but the hands could do with new lume, there is so little of it I am not sure if it would even be noticed. Wondering what colour would be best if I did go ahead? Also have this Optima. Shame about the scratch on the dial. Obviously the hands should be done but I don't think bright fresh green lume would blend in at all with the aged dial. Is it possible to "stain" or age new lume to make it look more in keeping? Someone has painted the second hand red, looks alright actually but would that have been it's original colour? And then there is this poor old fellow. I love the shape and design of the case. The "unusual" crown is a nice touch. It has certainly been through the mill. What are the chances of finding the parts to fix it up? New stem, crown, crystal and handset. There is a serial number on the caseback, I was wondering where I could refer to for an idea of it's age? I am not at all sure what the finish on dial is, it almost feels cardboard-like. I don't like to touch it too much in case I make it worse. Anyway, I hope you like them and I would be grateful for your opinions and suggestions.

And get it over with..............quickly! :)

As I sit in God's waiting room I sometimes think I ought to buy one of these just to get the circulation going again.

Remember watching an old Douglas being ridden around a field in the late 60's when I was knee high to a grasshopper. Sparked an obsession with with me with boxer engines I guess. 78 was the year I started officially on the road with a Yamaha RS100. Very forgiving and got me around the valleys for a few years. Ten years in the "wilderness" in 4 wheel's while in Polly and first job then 91 - 94 Yamaha XJ 600, nice bike but by 25,000 rather tatty looking due to year round use. 94-98 BMW R80Rt, a "boxer" flat twin nick named Layla in hommage to Slow Hand. Great bike taken to 60,000 98-00 BMW F650, bit of a dissapoint and didn't stay in the Stable too long. 00- to date BMW R80Rt, last batch made of this long lived model. Been on a few trips to Europe and currently on 110,000. Going to be with me a few years more to be sure. High days and holiday's use only now but good enough for a European trip if needed. 03- to date, BMW R100Rs. Another boxer this time from 1983. My first completed restoration project that's not used too much these days. A dream fullfiled but now needs to be passed on. 09-12 BMW R1100Rt taken to over 110,000 before replacing. Used mainly for year round commuting and occasional trip back to the Valley's / France. 12- to date BMW R1150Rt, current year round work horse. wonderful bike but why such a complicated hydraulic system for the stoppers?

Hells's hairsprings - what a lot of bikes! And only two British makes listed - or rather, one listed twice. Good old Triumph. My biking days ended when I was 20 - fifty years ago - because I became more interested in carrying guitars and amps around, so public transport and then the car took over. In my day I rode (begged or borrowed mainly): Douglas Dragonfly (350 horizontal twin) James Cadet (125) AJS Velocette BSA Gold Star (500) - did my first ton on that one on the 2nd day after the opening of the first motorway in England - M6 Lancaster to Preston. Royal Enfield (dispatch rider's bike) Good old days - pre compulsory skid lid era, but I always wore one, having seen the brains of those that didn't. And always wore leathers. I see riders on the road in jeans and T-shirts and I think, "Hmm... enjoy the gravel burn when you get one...". There's nothing quite like the sound of an old British bike engine - nothing modern interests me and, as I said, my biking days were over a long time ago!

Can't give you dates, but here's goes..... When I was 16, Suzuki AP 50, at the time one of the last unrestricted 50cc's. Had it bored out to 60cc. Sold for..... 17th birthday,,,, a Honda H100,,,picked up cheap so I could do my motorbike test. Sold quickly for... Suzuki X5, kept that for a year, then as insurance got cheaper, sold for.... Honda 400/4,,loved this bike, had it a year, but engine needed work so sold it for ...... Suzuki Gs400,,,an ok bike, the same story, insurance getting cheaper, so kept it a year, then sold for... Kawasaki Gpz 550. Nice bike kept for a year, then wanted bigger. Sold for... Honda Cbx 750,, this bike was a total waste of time, bought from a dealer but it developed so many proplems, they had it back. Then got a ... Kawasaki Gpz 750r. Loved this bike. Had it for 3 years. Wish I still had it. But one wet winters night, decided I had enough of being cold and wet, so sold it for a Ford Capri!!!!! Spent the next 15 years bikeless, then bought a 1973 Triumph T110, which I restored and kept for 5 years, sold it then. Then last year, bought a Triumph America,,,fair weather rider now. But planning to do a few long distance trips on it, starting with Belgium in a couple of months time.