Another Japanese Classics bike thread...

[toycollector10]

This is a call for anyone who owns a pre 1980 Japanese motorcycle to join us on our next run. We ride monthly. We stop and have something to eat, drink, shoot the breeze and have a few good laughs. We're pretty social and also meet once a month for drinks. So if you know of a rider who has an old Japper give him a heads up and/or get yourself out on the road with us. On our last ride we had 12 classic bikes and the group is starting to take off. Check this websites' calendar for our June ride, details to be advised shortly.

[98tls]

Ive an old yamaha Triple that i am breathing new life into.....albeit slowly..would love to head up that way for a ride with you guys when shes all done but the way im going that will be a while:innocent: fun though.

[moko]

Anyone with an older Honda looking for spares try David Silver in London. They are THE old Honda parts specialists and buy up container loads of stuff from all over the world.Wari got some fairing panels for his CBR750 Hurricane from them at good prices,even after airfreight to N.Z and we didn't even get that model over here.If you can't find it on the site drop them an e-mail or phone,very helpful and knowledgeable guys.
http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/

[xwhatsit]

I wish you guys were up here in Auckland (although you probably don't ^_^) -- I know my RS is a bit too modern for you folk but I'm old-fashioning it slowly :)

I love these threads you put up, picking through the photos is always fascinating. Good on you guys for keeping all that `Jap crap' running for so many years!

[avgas]

Ive an old yamaha Triple that i am breathing new life into.....albeit slowly..would love to head up that way for a ride with you guys when shes all done but the way im going that will be a while:innocent: fun though.
Which one?....more importantly what do you need?

[toycollector10]

Thanks for your support Moko. One of the benefits of a group of enthusiasts getting together is that we can support each other in the parts hunt and restorations and in so many other ways. The vintage Japper scene is well under way overseas but possibly not so well organsied down under.

[moko]

Thanks for your support Moko. One of the benefits of a group of enthusiasts getting together is that we can support each other in the parts hunt and restorations and in so many other ways. The vintage Japper scene is well under way overseas but possibly not so well organsied down under.


Here mate it's pretty well integrated into the Classic Scene to the extent that a lot of long-running mags,Classic Mechanics e.t.c. now concentrate almost entirely on Japs.Popular machines are XS650's,GT750 Suzi's,all sohc Hondas,early big Z Kwaks and increasingly older trail bikes,in particular the XT500 Yam.There are actually quite a few places selling old Jap parts if you look hard on Google.I've been buying parts for my 95 DR650 from Germany,bit of effort with the Babelfish translation tool and we've got by fine so don't be put off buying from non-English-speaking sellers.
There's a site I use that's full of guys who will help if at all possible with oldr bikes from anywhere www.realclassic.co.uk and on-line owners clubs or usergroups are very useful as well.Again don't worry about language,Babelfish will give you a decent enough(though occaissionally unintentionally hilarious)translation so that you can join in.I got a lot of useful help from a German DR650 site using this method that helped me track down a complete wiring loom in Germany for a bike that typically I had about the rarest model of.I love the older Jap stuf because it's what was on the road during my early riding years.

[moko]

Here's a link to the mag I was telling you about,subscription isn't cheap but maybe worth buying a single copy just for the ads from parts suppliers and dealers. You might just find this in bigger branches of Whitcoulls or it's available here from W.H.Smiths all over the place if you know anyone on holiday here.
http://www.classicmechanics.com/article1.htm

[toycollector10]

I have seen Classic Mechanics and it's the best magazine for my interests. I am a member of www.sohc4.net which is a great resource. I had a set of points and condensers mounted on the correct NOS Honda backing plate from David Silver Spares delivered to NZ for one third I say again one third of the cost quoted from Honda here in Christchurch. It is always said that you should support your local parts supplier but experience has taught me time and time again that for my bike the best option is DSS, Classic Motorcycle Spares Ltd in the Netherlands or eBay. The guys on the forum are into trading and swapping too. Cheers...

[Bonez]

Anyone with an older Honda looking for spares try David Silver in London. They are THE old Honda parts specialists and buy up container loads of stuff from all over the world.Wari got some fairing panels for his CBR750 Hurricane from them at good prices,even after airfreight to N.Z and we didn't even get that model over here.If you can't find it on the site drop them an e-mail or phone,very helpful and knowledgeable guys.
http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/Got some OEM fork gaiters from them. We are lucky enough to have- http://www.econohonda.co.nz/

[dangerous]

Bugger aye... 24th is a BEARs meet where we race our pre 82 bikes, and thats where you will find me.
I just sold my 82 Kat but will soon have a 82 XN85 to test ride, Rashika has her 82 RD, ok so we are a couple years younger than pre80, does that mean we can attend?

[The Prez]

I ordered a pair of mirrors from David Silver for my old CB750 on a Saturday and they arrived on the following Friday. There service is amazing.

[Matt_TG]

It's a shame you guys are in the South Island, I'd drag my 1981 CX along for a ride amongst similarly aged bikes, mine's generally the oldest and naff looking of the lot whenever I go on a ride.

EconoHonda has been my saviour on a few occasions, great service from the lads there.

[xwhatsit]

It's a shame you guys are in the South Island, I'd drag my 1981 CX along for a ride amongst similarly aged bikes, mine's generally the oldest and naff looking of the lot whenever I go on a ride.

EconoHonda has been my saviour on a few occasions, great service from the lads there.

<hints id="hah_hints"></hints>+1 for your first paragraph (OK, well it's the naffest looking at least until GiJoe1313 turns his neons on :lol:)

And +9999 for your second paragraph. Had a few mixups from a Scottish bloke there once, but Malcolm is fantastic. Goes out of his way to help you, even when you don't know the part number or the proper name for it and it only costs $8.

[Reckless]

Bit far for me to come but still ride the old girl 2-3 times a week now the VTR has gone. I need to get a genuine seat from some where the foams in mine has had it.
Good luck on your rides!

[Hawk]

heres another brit site for hard to get honda parts http://shop.wemoto.com/index.dyn

econohonda here in nz, I have found to pretty good also

[toycollector10]

The June run will be this Sunday, the 24th. The weather forecast looks pretty good so we will be meeting outside Eric Woods in Manchester St at 11.00 AM for a kick-off at approximately 11.30 AM.

It will be just a short run to Sumner for lunch then over the hill to Lyttelton and back through the tunnel and out to Ruapuna to check out the BEARS racing.

Check this thread for a cancellation/update if the weather looks dodgey. The ride will be cancelled and held the following Sunday if it's wild, wet and windy on the 24th. Feedback from the guys is that it will be no more than a handful of riders on Sunday for various reasons. All new riders are welcome.

Our group have decided to limit the motorcycles on our runs to pre 1980 only. That was always the original intention. It's not that we don't want to meet you but it was felt that the year thing might start to creep out and out etc and we formed up specifically for the 1960's and 1970's bikes and 1980 is a definite cutoff.

I hope to see some new riders on Sunday, so, be there or be square!

[dangerous]

and out to Ruapuna to check out the BEARS racing.

Keep an eye out for ya fellow KBer's on there old shitty post classics, numbers to look out for 68,99,81,83,88,12...

[moko]

I think 1975-79 was the best biking years of my life,in the early 80's people got more affluent and went straight to cars,before that just about everyone rode a bike first and there were 2 million bike riders in Britain.Great days,bikes everywhere.Some of the stuff I had of that era(even if owned used after 1980),CB200,CB250,Z250,XS250,GSX250,RD400,XS500,XS 650,Suzi GT550,6 CB250Ns,3 RD250sGS850,XT250,GT500,Z650 and a few others.Favourites were the RD400 and XS650 with the big GS a close second,worst,the XS500 and 250,most under-rated the Suzi GT550,lovely bike,better than the disappointing 380 and the over-weight and over-rated 750.
Why so many 250s? Because of the learner laws here they were by far the best-sellers.When the Govt bought in the 125 limit almost overnight(as a result of the industry and riders ignoring anything done to stop the horrific death rate)a lot of people got stuck with bikes they couldn't sell and prices dropped through the floor.For several years you could pick up a really nice 250 for peanuts.For a few years after that the bike industry here came close to toppling,commuters with a full license could pick up all those 250s for nothing so the dealers lost that market,new CG125 for a grand or a 2 year-old CB250N for £250,not a hard choice.The whole 125 thing left a lot of people very pissed off with bikes in general,125 law was zapped through while the CB250 was still the best-selling in Britain and a lot of guys caught a serious cold,learners couldn't ride them at all,anyone passing their test wanted a big bike anyway..Only fairly recently that bikes have become anywhere near the level of popularity as in that era,and the majority are fair-weather riders.Once again the fatality rate is getting noticed,8 people killed in my area this year already,and I can see history being repeated.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I am definitely a "fair weather only" rider these days.

I may join you on the 400 while I still have it.

[toycollector10]

Hi Moko, thanks for another good post. My 4 cents worth again. When I see a line-up of modern sport bikes from about 20 yards away (I'm still imperial although my bike is metric) I can't tell one model from the next. Probably because I have no interest in them. In the pre 1980 days you knew a Waterbus from a Mach III. There was more variety in styles. In the early 1970's Suzuki had 10 product lines from 50cc to 750cc. Modern bikes today are dangerously quick and reliable but they just all look and sound the same. The only "modern" bike I ever liked the look of was the Honda RC30 and even that design is about 15 years old now. Oh dear, how boring and old fashioned of me.

:whocares: