Proper bikes!

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by ian parkes

B1 had twin shocks and FI no fairing B2 was similar but with better FI and a bikini fairing .
the later A1 had unitrack and a bigger top fairing and more laid down riding position with fuel guage on the tank A2 was an updated model of the A1
My dad and I had identical B2's then he bought an A2 and I had the 900r when it first came out .

The 1100 models didn't handle too well ,flexy frame, but the 900r was a revelation , it won the IOM in 1984.
My mate had one too we went to a trackday at Goodwood and ended up in the local paper with the fastest speed ever recorded on a bike down the strait 147mph . Mainly because nothing very modern had raced at the old circuit in years. There was a copper there on a bike recording the speeds with a vascar I think.

Yeah, a 900r also gave an F14 jet fighter a good run down the runway at Miramar to a dodgy soundtrack.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by ian parkes

The 1100 models didn't handle too well ,flexy frame,

No sh*t-I had to plan corners 30 seconds in advance on mine and woe betide you if you had to change direction in the corner. I did rather like it though. Something to do with that exhaust

[Jono]

Awesome in a straight line in their day....but handling?..Oh, My! Still we really didn't know any better back then.....

[randski]

Originally Posted by ian parkes

I think Randski had one when he was a boy

I had the Z900 (1976 I think it was) it went through a chain a month, frame had a hinge in the middle, tyres had NO grip in the wet But I loved it

[randski]

Pic...

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by randski

Pic...

Am I right in thinking that Kawasaki in the 70's introduced their own insurance as UK insurance companies were running away from them? People were falling off the old green meanies at such a rate.

[Nos4r2]

Not sure about the '70s but they did in the '80s. I remember a couple of mates being insured by them on new KMX125s.

[randski]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Am I right in thinking that Kawasaki in the 70's introduced their own insurance as UK insurance companies were running away from them? People were falling off the old green meanies at such a rate.

Not sure, I was in the Army in Germany at the time and had German insurance, but could only insure them for three months at a time

[Hugh Jardon]

i had one of those gpz 550 for dispatching but was a bit revvy and slow compared to the cbr 600 i also had at the time, chopped it in for a 650 maggot which was superb

i had a zx10 in black with silver stripes, that was a great bike with a nice useful fairing and was superb for high speed cruising thru france and spain

always liked the older kwackers

[BruceB]

Do none of you have a real bike?

[Hugh Jardon]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Do none of you have a real bike?

my dad remembers his dad having one of those

[Limey Linda]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Do none of you have a real bike?

Nice one Bruce
Unfortunately someone talked me out of my fully restored 1961 Triumph Tr6
about 10 years ago. Big mistake. Don't even have a pic.

[ian parkes]

Yes I had a BSA Bantam 175 . My first bike I learned to ride on in a field .
My Dad spent longer rebuilding the motor and getting it running than i ever did riding it i think.

Hey Bob that z900 would be worth a bit now , they are the next generation vincent I reckon in terms of vintage bikes . A mate has just sold a suzuki kettle for £3500 in original condition.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by ian parkes

Yes I had a BSA Bantam 175 . My first bike I learned to ride on in a field .
My Dad spent longer rebuilding the motor and getting it running than i ever did riding it i think.

Hey Bob that z900 would be worth a bit now , they are the next generation vincent I reckon in terms of vintage bikes . A mate has just sold a suzuki kettle for £3500 in original condition.

I had a '53 Beezer 500A7. Bought it 'coz the no. plate was my old man's initials. All my mates were blasting about on Jap trail bikes. A de-restricted KMX 125 was quicker 2 up than the 500 1up .Brilliant fun, chicks loved it. You could yank the advance/retard lever and back-fire a 2ft flame out of the thing.

[BruceB]

I have just finished building that one, next project is a 250cc 2 stroke Ariel Arrow

[ian parkes]

Originally Posted by BruceB

I have just finished building that one, next project is a 250cc 2 stroke Ariel Arrow

It looks good , very satisfying . If only I had the time .

[Nos4r2]

I had a Bantam D7 super and a Dresda framed gasflowed 750/4 with an 850 overbore. My right knee plays up after an accident with a '53 thunderbird kickstart ratchet too.
Oh, and the jap one below.
Does that count?

[Limey Linda]

The A. Arrow should be a great project and as they ( and the Leader) were so popular you should not have a problem with parts. Fastest 250 in their day with the possible exception of the 250 Ducati. I was very lucky as my grandfather worked for a motorcycle dealer Alec Bennet, in Portswood, Southampton so I got the pick. Alec was a 1940/50's TT racer using 500 Norton Internationals. His other claim to fame was that he sold T.E. Laurence his Brough Superior. Whoops The deal of a lifetime that I missed was a 350, BSA Goldstar, Clubman, 1957, for sale in Brighton in 1981 with only 200 miles on it.
Oh well.
Regards.

[toby4594]

I Know what your all gonna say but its still a classic or should I say Legend,

[toby4594]

I think its great ,someone mentions a bike ,and wakes everyones memories of bikes that they used to have or in fact still have ,we should have a ribnet ride out .I am very much a fair weather rider now ,and to be honest the sheer volume of traffic makes it hard work ,in fact the continent is a much nicer biking experience.