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Not pre-1990, but bought in boxes and now on the road...
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Next project, for my Dad
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Winter hack (with a minor stuck float)
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and the Unkillable Honda (many have tried, none have suceeded)
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My old man
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Me & my first "real" bike - wish I still had it!
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XJ650 - wish I still had it!
There have been quite a few more modern bikes, all good.
But now in my 50th year, enjoying the unique thrum of a flat twin :
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My Kwak GT550 bought last year after I got my test for £500
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My first and only pre-90s bike, an ex-army Armstrong MT500 (not my pic). I miss it's simplicity - a shifter and an allen key could strip in in minutes - and it's off road toughness but i really don't miss how sketchy the tyres were on tarmac and the incredible amount of pain that accompanied getting the timing wrong trying to kickstart the bastid.
I had a Suzuki X5, a Kwacker GPz550D1 - the first one with the twin shocks which I wrote off and replaced with the chassis from the H1 - and then a GPZ900R and then I got to ride pretty much everything for free for a living. Last bike was a heavily tweaked ZXR750J,but I think that would be 1991-ish...
I still lust after a Ducati 900SS in a very theoretical way, mostly because of the epic BIKE features where they rode one of those, a Guzzi Le Mans and something else - what was it? - across Europe. I say theoretical because in reality, I would hate the thing and it would break down regularly and compulsively.
In reality the only bike from that era I'd genuinely buy, and it just about squeezes in I think, is a mint Honda RC30, which was just an unbelievable motorcycle. Or back in the real world of 21st Century roads, an NC30.
Catalans were mental in styling terms, but then Suzuki specialised in mental back then. Oh, and I always wondered who on earth rode Morinis, now I know, STWers in waiting. I suppose at least they weren't Moto Guzzis... 😉
I think the 3rd Bike bike was a Jota?
Yeah, it was. Well remembered. Classic article 🙂
Last couple of bikes before giving mx away...
RM465Z, lightly modified, ran like a big 250
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The RM500D that replaced was nowhere near as good..
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Must dig out the piccies of all the pieces of Japanese metal I chucked down the road in the 80's. I was a (young, stupid)!motorbike courier at the time, but ignored the 'buy a CX500/NTV650' route advised by the elders, in favour of race tuned stupidity. It want as lucrative, but it was fun. if I blank out the numerous trips to A&E 😀
Steve - that Arris is bloody lovely! Proper bike!!! What motor is in it? GPZ what?
The last bike which was actually mine...
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Really about time for another!
Edit - damn flickr won't link on mobile devices 🙄
pedropete
Same age as me, and the last folk who could ride 250's on L plates 🙂
Except with Sidewinders before someone points that out.
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8574/16655437601_a31038a899_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8574/16655437601_a31038a899_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url] My 1987 Honda XLV750R shaft drive V Twin, sadly having the reg plate XLV750R too
Don't be knocking moto guzzis badlywireddog 🙂 I love mine, something so engaging about the throb of a v twin! 😆
Really need to get shed 2.0 sorted so I can start a project bike.
Must admit if I ever get around to riding a Italian bike it'll be either a Morini 500 or a Guzzi.Until that moment arrives I'll stick with my Yamaha's 😀
TBH, my Morini 500 was a real pain. I eventually had a full refund - that was after the third total seizure. Apparently, it was fitted with the same fuel tap as the 350 but that didn't provide enough fuel to both carbs (there was a carb-carb balance pipe) at full chat. The solution was to have the "reserve" tap open too.
After getting the money, I bought the Darmah. Still got a visit to the Morini factory though and saw the prototype 500 turbo 🙂
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My fizzy moped restored 8 years ago.
My 1987 Honda XLV750R shaft drive V Twin, sadly having the reg plate XLV750R too
bloody hell, thats a bit rare for these shores isn't it?
saw the prototype 500 turbo
wow just wow - even though it was probably the stupidest thing to do a Morini
[quote=Dickyboy ]
saw the prototype 500 turbo
wow just wow - even though it was probably the stupidest thing to do a Morini
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We got to follow it through Bologna to where they took us for lunch. Bloody loud!
Brilliant thread - will try to dig out the scanner tomorrow!
The Bike magazine article was November 1981 - 900SS, MkII Le Mans and a BMW100CS.
Second or third issue I ever bought, can still quote whole sections, it had a huge influence.
How many Morini's on here btw?!?
I knew we were weird, but still.......
It's not a motorcycle, but some old timers may remember these:
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I'm 26 myself, and I had one when I was 16 because I thought they were cool as. I sold it to move on to a 125 and have been looking for it ever since. I settled on the above example as it's as close as I could get, same year, same colour and spec. My original didn't have the expansion chamber and I took a trip to wales to get a dual seat and mag wheels for that one.
Edit: It's a 1972 by the way.
This one may get a 70cc kit and big carb at some point.
Steve - that Arris is bloody lovely! Proper bike!!! What motor is in it? GPZ what?
It is a GPz900 with the barrels of a GPz1000RX fitted
maxray - Member
Don't be knocking moto guzzis badlywireddog I love mine, something so engaging about the throb of a v twin!
Hmmm… I spent some time on a Le Mans, a California and a V50 Monza. They were all, erm, 'interesting' with horrible torque reaction every time you touched the throttle. I'm with you on v-twins and v4s for that matter, but not Guzzis. To be fair, I also hated the Ducati 851 after revering it from afar for years, it was a horrible let down - and then it broke… And don't get me started on Harleys.
Perhaps there's something in this weird Morini thing after all 😉
barrfy - 1st bike I ever rode was a Puch Maxi, around a supermarket car park at the age of about 12. In my head it was Laverda Jota. I can still remember the buzz, all these years later!
I'll have another try today. My mum wasn't best pleased when my dad turned up with this 😀
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8391720453_c46821a2b7_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8391720453_c46821a2b7_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/dMxL8p ]001[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/47933770@N07/ ]T*inbred[/url], on Flickr
40mpg ...you lucky ,lucky bar steward. Who didn't dream of getting a mini motorbike for their birthday?
Nortons
1972
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and 1954
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R80 - 1984 but recently tidied up a bit
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7330/16262939310_a5d16de943.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7330/16262939310_a5d16de943.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/qM6Pgm ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/22402497@N05/ ]99percentchimp[/url], on Flickr
just come back from here,
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I was dropping my head, barrel and crankcase covers off for aquablasting
It was like going back 30 years,
he has 2 mint RD125lc's
Me & my first "real" bike - wish I still had it!
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there is one of those for sale in the village, do you want me to enquire how much?
That Fastline place looks like it has some nice bikes. I had a new RD125LC back in the day - I didn't enjoy it. I think a VFR400 would be more my thing. I had a VT250 which was great, and always fancied a VFR400. I wonder how much they go for nowadays...
The mint RD125lc he thought was around the £6K mark !!!!!!!
99percentchimp - like the Beemer , bet it sounds fruity with those pipes.
Vortexracing - I have put my fingers in my ears & I'm saying lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala..... don't tempt me, but I bet it's pricey.
Looking at the Fastline FB page reminds me I used to have a 350 YPVS. I think I sold it for about £900.…
I used to have an RD80LC, which I sold for £400 🙁
Graham from fastline says he say a NOS filler cap for an RD80lc go on ebay last week for £330 !!!!!! 😯
I'm walking the dog past the place tomorrow, I may enquire just to see how much he wants for that RD250, it's even the same colour as yours 😉
That's crazy! I dread to think what the VFR400 would be worth.
My RD125LC was £995 new. I can't remember what I got for it - traded it in plus some cash for the 250.
just seen a couple of piccies on Fastlines FB page about my crankcase covers, That aquablaster is brilliant.
Before
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and after
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can't wait to get the rest done
Enquired about the air cooled RD250 whilst walking the dog
He is after £3K for it 😯
People get a shock at how expensive 70's & 80's Japanese bikes go for.
Aircooled RD250 & RD400 go for up to £3500,same or more for 250/350LC's,lots more for RD500LC's.I got the biggest shock when I realised FS1E mopeds sell for up to £2500!
People want to relive their youth & they're prepared to pay those prices...
I still miss my old KR1-S.....
Best quote ever from copper as I waited for my license to be shredded:
"We've been doing over 140 since Gatwick trying to catch you...."
Vortexracing - £3000? you could buy a bicycle for that! Aahm oot! 😉
Vortexracing - £3000? you could buy a bicycle for that! Aahm oot!
yeah, but not a very good one 😉
I still miss my old KR1-S.....Best quote ever from copper as I waited for my license to be shredded:
"We've been doing over 140 since Gatwick trying to catch you...."
Mate had a similar one when on his RD500 YPVS, copper had just picked up his new bike and was hoping to take it easy for a few days 😀 his line was along the lines of "it's w4nkers like you that I hate"
Thread ressurection last night my dad, who is on his last legs due to a brain tumour, gave me his 1978 Honda GL1000 pictured earlier in the thread. Anyone give any tips on insurance for classic bikes and or recommend a good mechanic in the midlands. Want to get cam belt changed and a good check over before it goes far.
2 years ago, at a pub near Devils bridge. Happier times.[img] 
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@ anagallis_arvensis - sorry to hear of your dad.... sad times indeed but it would be good to keep his pride and joy on the go and he'll be pleased you can look after his bike.
Can't recommend a mechanic but for insurance Adrian Flux have been good for me (although I've never had to claim - touch wood). Agreed values and lower mileages etc.
@pedropete - yep the 2 into 1 sounds fantastic 😀
Here's my Honda XBR500 from the 80's.
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I use Carole Nash for mine,multi-bike policy.
It's less than £100,not had to claim yet & hope I never have to..