The Bikeshite Thread

[martc]

A bit more smokey than the current steed. But I passed my test on a TS125 and then owned two TS150's, they were much better bikes than the press would let you believe, once you'd ditched the awful Pneumants, before they ditched you.

[RayMK]

4 minutes ago, martc said:

A bit more smokey than the current steed. But I passed my test on a TS125 and then owned two TS150's, they were much better bikes than the press would let you believe, once you'd ditched the awful Pneumants, before they ditched you.

I bought a brand new MZ 250 Supa 5 in the late 1970s.  A tank slapper at 60mph on the way to work occurred as I crossed a slightly raised bitumen joining strip at a slight angle.  Convinced I'd got a punctured front tyre, I stopped at a convenient lay-by a few hundred metres later to inspect the damaged tyre.  It was absolutely fine.  I looked back down the road and could only assume the bitumen strip had upset the still quite new and unworn Pneumants.  Avons replaced them and that sort of heart stopping moment did not happen again.  However, I considered my earlier CZ175's handling on Barums was superb compared to the MZ's tendency to 'fall into' corners.  My brother, also an ex CZ rider, got on much better with his later MZ TS150.  I don't have any photos of my '71 CZ but the attached is pretty much identical to the one I had - including the headlamp shape, chromed tank, posilube and colour scheme.

[martc]

13 minutes ago, RayMK said:

....MZ 250 Supa 5 in the late 1970s.  A tank slapper aPneumants.  Avons replaced them and that sort of heart stopping moment did not happen again. ....

I had a Supa 5, not brand new I hasten to add, but still on it's original Pneumants which I immediately swapped for Avons. This Supa 5 is the bike I look back on with the fondest of memories, I would have it back in a heartbeat.

I particularly remember a duel with a Hardly Dangerous which beat me, obvs, on the straights but was going round corners so gingerly that I caught it up,. The increasingly frustrated middle aged middle ranking accountant hard ass bro' on board tried to outrun me again on the straight by going faster and faster  only for me to catch up again at the next corner. This went on for about 10 miles until he pulled in and I left him in a cloud of blue smoke, RING D DING DING!

[twosmoke300]

I ran a 1978 TS150 for a year or two . Much better handling bike than the jap stuff. 
 

[RayMK]

2 minutes ago, martc said:

I had a Supa 5, not brand new I hasten to add, but still on it's original Pneumants which I immediately swapped for Avons. This Supa 5 is the bike I look back on with the fondest of memories, I would have it back in a heartbeat.

I particularly remember a duel with a Hardly Dangerous which beat me, obvs, on the straights but was going round corners so gingerly that I caught it up, only for the increasingly frustrated middle aged middle ranking accountant hard ass bro' on board to try and outrun me on the straight only for me to catch up again at the next corner. This went on for about 10 miles until he pulled in and I left him in a cloud of blue smoke, RING D DING DING!

My equivalent 'duel' was on my occasional commute from near Lincoln to Alsager, Cheshire.  I was tanking along as usual at 65mph on my CZ (more or less flat-out) when a bloody hot kneeler scooter gradually edged past.  I got him on the corners and we eventually parted routes when he turned off near Newark with a cheery wave.

[sdkrc]

I saw this on a FB marketplace ad and I'm absolutely obsessed. What is this and wtf are the wheels? Was it a scam at £3995? I can no longer find the ad

[Stinkwheel]

6 minutes ago, sdkrc said:

I saw this on a FB marketplace ad and I'm absolutely obsessed. What is this and wtf are the wheels? Was it a scam at £3995? I can no longer find the ad

my initial thought was Gilera CX 125

 

The wheels certainly are, but with the alloy frame and honda tank, it kind of looks like an NC30 or NC35 base with some Gilera items added on ?

[tom13]

Anyone have a small trail bike for sale sub £1500? Or an adventure/touring bike?

I ended up selling the Himalayan which for anyone wondering is a fantastic bike. I would 100% recommend one. I only sold it as I now want a slightly smaller bike for Laning.

I want something like a DR200 DR350, XT350 etc etc. Would maybe consider a 650.

Would also maybe consider a cheap translp or something as well. 

I have a 2002 cb500 I could throw in a a cheap PX. 

[Stinkwheel]

11 minutes ago, tom13 said:

Anyone have a small trail bike for sale sub £1500? Or an adventure/touring bike?

I ended up selling the Himalayan which for anyone wondering is a fantastic bike. I would 100% recommend one. I only sold it as I now want a slightly smaller bike for Laning.

I want something like a DR200 DR350, XT350 etc etc. Would maybe consider a 650.

Would also maybe consider a cheap translp or something as well. 

I have a 2002 cb500 I could throw in a a cheap PX. 

If you can get options go for a DR350 rather than an XT350, i found them much more capable on green lanes, an early KLX250 even more so

[tom13]

3 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

If you can get options go for a DR350 rather than an XT350, i found them much more capable on green lanes, an early KLX250 even more so

Why is that? You hear so many rave reviews of the DR350.

I would actually rather have the 200 but they are nowhere near as common. 

[Stinkwheel]

11 minutes ago, tom13 said:

Why is that? You hear so many rave reviews of the DR350.

I would actually rather have the 200 but they are nowhere near as common. 

The XT felt more top heavy than the DR did to me and the DR would 'plod' really well, whereas the XT wanted revs all the time. Ive never ridden a DR200 i must admit.

The reason thr KLX250 wins though is weight, its so much lighter and steers where you want it to with much less effort than either of the 350's

Having said that i spent most of my green laning time on an 89' XR250R honda, and that was just fine for 99% of what i was prepared to tackle and no worse on road parts than the more road focussed bikes. Im now too old and fat for laning though

[Dave_Q]

I agree the mystery bike is probably a Honda, I think it might be an RC36 VFR750 with Gilera front/rear and some sort of race fairing.

The tail piece and frame look pretty RC36 to me, not sure what the main fairing is off.

[Stinkwheel]

5 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

I agree the mystery bike is probably a Honda, I think it might be an RC36 VFR750 with Gilera front/rear and some sort of race fairing.

The tail piece and frame look pretty RC36 to me, not sure what the main fairing is off.

I was thinking similarly, I've got an RC36/2. The reason i said NC30 or NC35 was im thinking the CX125 Gilera wheels wouldnt look quite so big against the physically bigger RC36? All supposition though

[sdkrc]

Found it! Good shout on the Gilera wheels.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1445397839357199

 

[Stinkwheel]

Just now, sdkrc said:

Found it! Good shout on the Gilera wheels.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1445397839357199

 

Ah so it was an NC35 (RVF400) - Damn im an anorak 🤣

[sdkrc]

[Jerzy Woking]

I had a DR350. Only get an electric start one, as kickstart only one's are a real bastards to start when warm (at least mine was). Not what you want when you are stuck in a rut in the middle of Thetford Forest.

And yes, it was set up correctly. Electric starts are for winners.

[Stinkwheel]

Just now, Jerzy Woking said:

I had a DR350. Only get an electric start one, as kickstart only one's are a real bastards to start when warm (at least mine was). Not what you want when you are stuck in a rut in the middle of Thetford Forest.

And yes, it was set up correctly. Electric starts are for winners.

I've always been a don't care about kickstart only type person, grew up starting my Dad's Velocettes etc. After those anything with an auto decompressor and more modern carb is a piece of piss 😉

[Jerzy Woking]

I also had a number of kickstart only bikes, from a BSA A65 (when I was a skinny 16 year old) through to an XR650R (when I was a fat 50 year old), all a piece of piss to kick start, hot or cold, once I learnt the knack with each.

The DR350 and the XT500 I owned were the exceptions to this. No matter how many times I adjusted the ignition timing, the tappets and the carb.

There are bikes that remain complete and utter bastards.

[Stinkwheel]

3 minutes ago, Jerzy Woking said:

The DR350 and the XT500 I owned were the exceptions to this. 

There are bikes that remain complete and utter bastards.

To be fair i did have one DR350 that was  a swine to start, but id slightly bent a valve hyro-locking it when i fell off in a big puddle with softer than expected bottom (which is what i had when i realised id slightly knackered it) 

[tom13]

If anyone is breaking or has some spares for a 2002 CB500 let me know. After quite a few bits, radiator is a top priority though. 

[Psycho Charlie Knobcheese]

 

[hairnet]

Want

[Rustybullethole]

On 03/11/2023 at 13:30, tom13 said:

If anyone is breaking or has some spares for a 2002 CB500 let me know. After quite a few bits, radiator is a top priority though. 

Shout me. Please say you need wheels i have loads of them. Pretty sure i've used/given away the rads mind. 

[hairnet]

On 06/11/2023 at 18:59, hairnet said:

Want

conan said thats an old style plate - that thing has been unused for so long that it would have to go back on a modern square plate

which is a shame

[straightSix]

Saw some mad cunt on the M40 this morning in the pissing rain commuting in on an R6. Couldn't help but admire him 

[castros_bro]

Notta BSA.

 

[Stinkwheel]

1 hour ago, castros_bro said:

Notta BSA.

 

Bridgestone? Minsk?

[castros_bro]

3 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

Bridgestone? Minsk?

Not close - no cohiba.    

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casal

Don't look at this listing.

https://www.olx.pt/carros-motos-e-barcos/motociclos-scooters/casal/?search[order]=filter_float_price%3Aasc

 

[hairnet]

19 hours ago, straightSix said:

Saw some mad cunt on the M40 this morning in the pissing rain commuting in on an R6. Couldn't help but admire him 

absolutley binned it down here from about 3 till 3 40 ish 

madman on the concrete side  of the motorway (so standing water and spray everywhere) on a R nine T bmw but only light kit on - for some reason on usa plates..............