I wanted a GT750 waterbus but ended up with the GT380. Then an XL350 big single banger then a CB550
Quote Jan 2020 Posted by Katman
Life would be so much easier if you addressed questions with a simple answer.
I was very keen on the 380 and the 550 triples, but loved the T500 to much to give it up.
I'd still like a BSA for classic collection, too, but certainly once you have the power, reliability etc. of a Jappa, they aren't suited to daily use. My neighbour sadly sold his '70 Trophy for a late model Thruxton for this reason.
You don't get to be an old dog without learning a few tricks.
Shorai Powersports batteries are very trick!
Kawasaki Z1A 900, there were two brothers used to ride past our house when I had my first bike, one was the orange and brown Kwaka, one of them became my third bike, took me every where wore out chains and tyres ( TT100's) like a bastard, probably the reason I am a life time biker
Hey It's Mr Nice Guy
My 2nd bike was a '51 B31, the bike was older than me at the time. After it got run over I put the ZB engine into a '54 A10 frame. Lots of modifications later it ended up with a '48 M20 engine. Then my riding style changed to what I've loved doing ever since - pushing a slow bike fast...much better than not being able to extract everything from a fast bike.
In and out of jobs, running free
Waging war with society
RZ500....with 4 chambers to go with it !!! Rinnnnnng ning ning ning ning !!!
Damn,..I so remember those old days.
"...you meet the weirdest people riding a Guzzi !!..."
A Harley Diddleson factory Cafe Racer .. I haven't seen a real one of those for years .. I did like them when they came out ... (But then I liked Harleys before I grew up ...)
"So if you meet me, have some sympathy, have some courtesy, have some taste ..."
Sometimes the dreams come true. In the late '60's and early '70's we used to go to all the motocross races in the area - old British singles, nasty sounding Spanish 2 strokes...and Rickmans. I loved watching the Rickmans, the riders on those just seemed so much more flamboyant - on the rear wheel over every jump or bump in the track, huge roostertails and full lock sideways out of corners....they seemed to be a bike full of obvious magic. I used to think '' When I grow up I'm gunna have one of those, I'm gunna ride it on the road and I will look really cool.''
One day leaving an MX at Mangere Mountain there was a red Rickman Metisse in the car park - with lights! So it was really possible, someone was actually riding one of those things on the road. We left in my brothers Morris Minor, I was kicking the firewall to start up the SU fuel pump and dreaming of a Rickman on the road. The newer lightweight 2 strokes made the Rickman obsolete pretty fast, and the last Rickman I saw racing was an olive green one at an MX in Kumeu in about 1972...it was really slow. In 1975 I bought that bike minus engine for $400, and fitted an engine from a wrecked 1973 Triumph Daytona.
Yes, I really did ride a Rickman Metisse on the road.
This is a nice one with the 500cc unit engine.
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In and out of jobs, running free
Waging war with society
My first bike was a SL70 but the first bike I ever lusted after was a XR250A. Started an apprenticeship & 6mths later I had one. New.
The Heart is the drum keeping time for everyone....
Yep RZ500 was on my radar as well to the point that I ended up owning two of them. The first one got written off by a dormant car driver not giving way to me at a roundabout, so I had to buy another. Now wish I had kept it, there is nothing like a big multi cylinder two stroke and no one is allowed to make them anymore.
Gn 250. Ftw!
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