rgv ain’t that fast – 50 ish BHP?

Jap classic I’d go for an original katana

British go for a BSA twin – still undervalued or a BSA single

something like this http://www.cotswold-classics.co.uk/viewitem.php?currency=gbp&list=stock&id=2011

Tehrea re specialists who do engine work – SRM and spares are available.

@konabunny the RD350 I rode in the 80’s was Terry Beckett tuned and below 6k rpm was as quick as a supermarket trolley then dead on 6k all hell broke loose and I was screaming down the road on the back wheel. The sweetest bike I ever owned was a ’78 Suzuki GS750 I absolutely loved it, drove from Gothenburg to Hamburg (500 mls) in one day. Borrowed a BSA A7 500 for a weekend back in the 60’s, it was pants.

TJ – it is very light though, the Schwantz/Rainey bikes aren’t particularly high in modern ‘bhp’ terms but still quick I would say 😉

RGV

This motorcycle’s engine performance is not very inspiring at engine speeds under 7,000 rpm, due to the two stroke engine power delivery of a relatively narrow power band. However, once the engine is revved over 8,000 rpm, the power delivery characteristics effectively doubles

making sure that you want to ride like a loon at all times
I’d be thinking I was Barry Sheene on one of these, inevitably with the pinned legs to match his sooner or later

A laid back plodder is what I’m after really.

Apparently it pulls again at 10,000rpm! The earlier ones are 20years old but I know what you mean about a more laid back style – K1RS?

(joking!)

Nice FZR EXUP? Best probably to step back into the 80s…

EXUP described by Bike as “the gentlemans razor” the RU being the pick of the crop.

Stan Stephens tuned RD’s buy pistons like you buy beer in packs of six 😀 anyone read the article in Bike on the lads that had them tuned to F1 spec? the charge sheet read something like this 135mph on Kingston bypass, estimated 140mph+ on the A4 rider was apprehended at a petrol station, when cautioned he replied “I couldnt care less, couldnt give a toss” banned for a year racing GPZ900 up the M1 the following weekend.

When I was 19 and a despatch rider in London these guys were gods.

Used to have a RGV. M(the upside down forked and banana swingarm version) back in 91 when I was 17. It was an absolute hoot to ride. Top end wasn’t that fast-it topped out around the 130 mark but boy did it handle 😈 .where I lived around the south lakes it was the perfect bike around there. The big 1litre bikes couldn’t use all their top-end power and were to heavy in the corners.

heres my 1989 1000 exup it no longer looks like this though as i wanted a more comfortable ride so removed the fairing and fitted mx bars, they are very cheap to buy and insure and will still keep up with most modern stuff.

@stavromuller: sounds awesome…I think!

The sweetest bike I ever owned was a ’78 Suzuki GS750 I absolutely loved it

I sold my GS650 3 0r 4 years ago and then turned down the offer of a nicely restored GS1000 for £800………..was skint at the time 😥

Plenty on Ebay and the good ones are definitely holding their value. Here and This one looks even more attractive. Not so easy to find a good shafty now as many have been bobbed and triked.

Bedmaker ..I know the guy who builds those Dommie flattrackers , great down to earth guy . he’s currently on another build which should be even more awesome as he’s going to keep it rather than sell. I’m actually running the original exhaust off the bike you pictured on my bike at the moment!

I know a garden in Timperley with a nice arial buried under the rockery, if you’ve got a spade.
May need a bit of work though; it was put there in the late 60s.

Hmm.. an Arial you say….

If it’s one of these I can understand why someone put it under some rocks to avoid the shame of being seen on it

But it could also be one of these which I’ve always lusted after as my Dad had one.

ZX7 R future classic, just bought one 😀

Classic (hiding behind) and possible future classic?…

Future classic came to me this morning on my way to work, quite literally infact BMWF650 Dakar, holding value very well at the moment. Must be the Dakar version though not the red monstrosity I own.

Kaiser, I’d be very interested in more info about your mate who builds the flat track dommie!

Had a Z1000J2 Lawson race replica engine, shoe horned into a Z650 frame with Z1000 running gear, and a single seat.

The bike I’d love to get back would be the SR500; basically the road version of the original XT500.

LC250 was far better than the 350 though!

This is my dad’s ‘x’ reg Triumph Thunderbird. Ridiculously low mileage and original. No idea what people’s opinions of this model are:

Pauly ..the guy’s from south wales and has just completed his third build
have a look here and here

TheGingerOne

Not the most desirable of triumphs but in that condition it is great. The last of the old Meridan bikes near enough. Well worth keeping original

Thanks for that kaiser. Interesting reading. So very cool these bikes. May just have to forget the ‘buy a classic and keep it original’ idea and look out for a dommie 🙂

Cheers TJ.

Very rarely seem to see them mentioned anywhere or for sale so very difficult to gauge their worth, not that he is interested in selling it.

Many thousands pushing ten thousand would be my guess. Shame its not a bonnie tho

And the cheap one how much delivered 😉

Cheers Kaiser. That bike looks like it’s made of Lego!

Suzuki Goose bought today 🙂

Don’t have a pic yet but looks eggzakly like this one.

Thought it had a goosed ignition barrel after being sat outside unused for 2 years. Took it home and was removing the seat hump in readiness for electrical testing and suddenly the sidestand safety relay decided to unstick itself and on came the lights!!
Back on with the tank and 5 mins later I was brapping up and down the street with a very wide grin 😀

So much for buying an old Brit….

Another Goose owner here, though mines a bit different to the standard one shown….
FCR41 flatslide carb and Yoshi exhaust wakes it up a bit
one of the best handling bikes i`ve ever ridden, its a lovely little thing.
Light, agile and just begs to be ridden smooth and fast.
Very under-rated bike, seen as a beginners tool due to 33hp, but would teach most riders more about line choice and maintaining corner speed than any supersports 600 could…

I do have a 2004 Fireblade too, but I love the simplicity of the Goose.

Had a look in one of those classic bike mags a few years ago and they were restoring a TS 125er.
What a joke. Can understand CBX and Katana though.

What’s wrong with restoring a TS? Lovely little bikes. I’d happily restore one. As much as I’d like a CBX my pockets and patience aren’t up to restoring one.

Fair enough restore one,but classic?
Guess I have just turned into my dad, he could never understand Bantams becoming collectable.

Good call on the Goose. Stupid fact of the day – named after the gooseneck corner on the isle of man

Bantams are great!

I Have a tl1000r its a bit of a classic in my eyes anyway. unfortunately quite a bit of work and money later it no longer resembles the original bike, tho it goes and stops and bounces better lol

Fair enough restore one,but classic?
Guess I have just turned into my dad, he could never understand Bantams becoming collectable.

Classic to me is stuff I either had or lusted after as a teen. Which would be a TS and a CBX.

Anything older is just old tat. Anything newer is in my garage…

LC250 was far better than the 350 though!

Eh?

Same bike, just with smaller holes and one less disc – how on earth could it be better?

Had a 250 on L plates and then two 350’s and finished with a power-valve.

And tbh the rose-tinted specs will be needed, ‘cos none of them are a patch on modern stuff.

All RD’s are great fun though.

Only real problem is that they are very small. And getting expensive.

My Cousin had one of these, I sat on the back a few times, it was quite lovely. Honda CB900F

But his fave was this, Kwaker 500 triple

I had one of these for over the fields, Yam DT400

and one of these after the DT, BSA C15 Trials

You could try, The Iconic FS1E (rip DUJ 1L)

Will let the fizzy into the club but there’s no way the Honda ss50 is getting in.