Proper bikes! - Page 4

ian parkes · 10 December 2007, 21:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris123

It doesn't say anything on Wikipedia about closing the Hinckley plant, just that they have opened a Thailand plant. I would suspect that the Thai plant is producing bikes for the Asian market, whilst the UK produces bikes for Europe and possibly the US.

I wouldn't be surprised if production slowly disappears abroad , like so many other decent British companies they can only take so much

Limey Linda · 10 December 2007, 22:47

Just looked up the specs. and reviews of the new Rocket III. 2.3 Ltrs !!!!
Wow. Probably will not sell well in the UK though.

ian parkes · 10 December 2007, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

Just looked up the specs. and reviews of the new Rocket III. 2.3 Ltrs !!!!
Wow. Probably will not sell well in the UK though.

There are a few about here , More popular in the usa I expect . Not my cup o tea not much point in a huge motor if it doesn't go round corners . But hats off to them for building it I guess

Aimed at the harley brigade i guess which I don't understand .

Limey Linda · 10 December 2007, 23:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian parkes

There are a few about here , More popular in the usa I expect . Not my cup o tea not much point in a huge motor if it doesn't go round corners . But hats off to them for building it I guess

Aimed at the harley brigade i guess which I don't understand .

I know what you mean. It has to do with where you live and ride and for how long. There are very few windy roads in many US States. For example, I can drive over a hill and see the road ahead disappear to the horizon with not another vehicle on it. Long distance riders tow trailers full of camping gear. Riding 250-300 miles a day is common. I have done my fair share of scraping foot rests, center stands and silencers etc. Now I want to get there safely and enjoy the scenery. You cannot do that on a sports bike. I suspect, that in the UK you cannot go tear arsing around country roads much anymore.
Cheers T.

ian parkes · 10 December 2007, 23:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

I know what you mean. It has to do with where you live and ride and for how long. There are very few windy roads in many US States. For example, I can drive over a hill and see the road ahead disappear to the horizon with not another vehicle on it. Long distance riders tow trailers full of camping gear. Riding 250-300 miles a day is common. I have done my fair share of scraping foot rests, center stands and silencers etc. Now I want to get there safely and enjoy the scenery. You cannot do that on a sports bike. I suspect, that in the UK you cannot go tear arsing around country roads much anymore.
Cheers T.

Yes it is very different here crowded roads etc . You can get out and have fun but there is the lunatic sportbike element getting us all a bad name .

I guess thats what makes biking so interesting in a way , there are so many different types of bike and rider and when they stop there is a great comeradery.
I like to get out and do some miles and often cover 2-300 in a day if Iam touring but a bike has to handle well and be nimble enough to get through the traffic . If you have a trailer and big bike etc here you had just as well be in a car IMO but some do and enjoy it in a different way.

My fazer 1000 is the best all rounder i have ever had for what I do
I certainly couldn't bend my old bones around a sport bike anymore. But then the young ones call my fazer an old mans bike

Limey Linda · 11 December 2007, 00:34

Hi Ian
I am sure that you and other motorbike fans will find the following site interesting. Make sure you read some of the longdistance storys.
CheersT
Here is a taster from the UK: http://www.ironbutt.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1012

http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm

codprawn · 11 December 2007, 02:12

Talking of British bikes what happened to Norton? They reinvented themselves with a Wankel and won the Isle of Man TT in 1992 - then they vanished again - a great pity!!!

ian parkes · 11 December 2007, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Talking of British bikes what happened to Norton? They reinvented themselves with a Wankel and won the Isle of Man TT in 1992 - then they vanished again - a great pity!!!

The police were riding them too , and they were quite fast , but Fugly. Probably something else Maggie destroyed

Limey I have seen that ironbutt website before . I used to chat to a couple of members a while back on a bike forum , they are mad .
The longest journeys I have done in a day are from Cornwall to Glasgow and barcelona to santander . both about 500 miles I think
The spanish trip was a total pleasure but not so much fun here if you have to make distance .

Nos4r2 · 11 December 2007, 17:56

AFAIK The 588 wankel in the Nortons was actually built as a target drone engine for the military rather a bike engine but they chucked it in a bike too.

I think they kinda disappeared from the public eye when the rules for calculating CC on a wankel while racing were changed so that it couldn't compete properly anymore.

ian parkes · 11 December 2007, 18:23

yes I remember something about the capacity argument for racing .

I wonder if they had the usual wankel engine wear problems that finished so many others like the suzuki re5 and the NSU car

Nos4r2 · 11 December 2007, 19:09

It wasn't wear that finished the RE5, it was just heavy, handled badly and underpowered. They fetch almost boat prices now if they are good.

A mate did the Iron Butt SS1K (1000km in 24 hours) a few years back on the back of her brother's daytona. Apparently it gets to the point where you can't focus properly

Limey Linda · 11 December 2007, 22:38

Not a proper bike but sure would be an attention getter
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...em180190919852

ian parkes · 11 December 2007, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

Not a proper bike but sure would be an attention getter
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...em180190919852

I don't really understand trikes but that is one of best I have ever seen , probably the best doner bike for a trike .

Jono · 12 December 2007, 13:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris123

... I would suspect that the Thai plant is producing bikes for the Asian market, whilst the UK produces bikes for Europe and possibly the US.

You suspect wrong...they've been making components in the Far East for ASSEMBLEY at Hinkley for years....A chap in the unit next to ours used to have a nice little earner... lots of the steel spine frames that were shipped in were in such poor condition through rust that he had a good line in stripping and refinishing them...

Nos4r2 · 12 December 2007, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian parkes

I don't really understand trikes but that is one of best I have ever seen , probably the best doner bike for a trike .

That looks like a Lehman conversion. I got to ride one of the BMW R12C Lehman trikes a few years ago and they are actually really good fun.

ian parkes · 12 December 2007, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

That looks like a Lehman conversion. I got to ride one of the BMW R12C Lehman trikes a few years ago and they are actually really good fun.

I know they are good fun and many love them , its just me .
To please me a vehicle has to have a function and perform as well as it can for the purpose its built .
A trike is all wrong , it has the least rubber and brakes where you need it for stopping , its an unstable design and as wide as a car , to me its as much use as a regal reliant with no roof . iam sure they are fun but I couldn't live with one .
I wind my mate up because he has built a few show winning trikes
Its the same reason I don't like harleys or choppers etc

toby4594 · 12 December 2007, 19:41

I,m afraid the trikes are not for me ,but I can appreciate the work that goes into them ,I remember thinking I was being clever as a 17 yr old many years ago before I had passed my test, having a a chair fitted to a cb900 F2 ,it scared me shitless and nearly put me off bikes forever ,definately a completely different style of riding ,one that I obviously didn,t have.

codprawn · 12 December 2007, 21:49

Can you still get those stupid luggage carrier 3rd wheel things that pretends to be a sidecar? You used to be able to fit one and drive an FZR1000 on a car licence. I saw one once and the wheel barely touched the ground!!!

toby4594 · 12 December 2007, 22:01

Not sure what the law is now ,but you certainly could then ride a big bike on a car licence if fitted with a sidecar.I think the one your on about codders was called a sidewinder and thats all it was ,a basic frame and a bloody little wheel.The one I had was a proper sidecar ,it was frightening!

ian parkes · 12 December 2007, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Can you still get those stupid luggage carrier 3rd wheel things that pretends to be a sidecar? You used to be able to fit one and drive an FZR1000 on a car licence. I saw one once and the wheel barely touched the ground!!!

It was called a sidewinder I think, I don't think they are available now