The Bikeshite Thread

[pilninggas]

Just picked up this for £50.

Needs an overhaul but wasn't refusing it for half a century 

[Stinkwheel]

13 hours ago, pilninggas said:

Just picked up this for £50.

Needs an overhaul but wasn't refusing it for half a century 

Solid bikes these along with the bigger 750. Always made me laugh how kawasakis of this age had a choke that allowed the bike to idle at 3000rpm until warmed up, well bought 

[pilninggas]

8 minutes ago, Stinkwheel said:

Solid bikes these along with the bigger 750. Always made me laugh how kawasakis of this age had a choke that allowed the bike to idle at 3000rpm until warmed up, well bought 

Anything, cars included, that have an air leak and are idling at stupid-rpms we always call a Kawasaki coldstart. 

[Fat_Pirate]

Some BMW R100's spotted at Sammy Miller's museum this morning, I now kind of want one, they're quite handsome.  

[Stinkwheel]

41 minutes ago, Fat_Pirate said:

Some BMW R100's spotted at Sammy Miller's museum this morning, I now kind of want one, they're quite handsome.  

I was in the showroom floor, selling parts and accessories for these when the last models were being sold in 94/95  , as a 17 yr old who had a tdr250 and 600 bandit and didn’t really like the old man bmw image of the time. I grudgingly (and secretly) liked them to ride even then, now I’d love one 

[Iamgroot]

On 27/07/2024 at 09:12, Stinkwheel said:

Solid bikes these along with the bigger 750. Always made me laugh how kawasakis of this age had a choke that allowed the bike to idle at 3000rpm until warmed up, well bought 

I have an '81 Z750 and can agree 😆

[Rustybullethole]

'Cos race bike;

Yes a centre stand is bloody useful. I shall keep it in the garage to be held in place with a couple of bolts as it does aid maintenance and general tinkering. It also however is Gr8 for reducing ground clearance off road and occasionally scraps on the tarmac too when large rider goes in a little too hot.  Not only but also the more bits I can bin off the lighter and faster it gets. 

Snapped my biggest zip tie and grazed knuckles before employing spring puller mk2

Just waiting for some raising links to turn up in the post for more clearance and to get the geometry back in shape then shall be hitting the road west. 

[UltraWomble]

24 minutes ago, Rustybullethole said:

 

 

Safety flip flops

[Rustybullethole]

1 hour ago, UltraWomble said:

Safety flip flops

Man dem won wars in flip flops. 

Fueled up, jacked up and packed up. Wash the grease of my hands have a piss then ready to roll. 

[Jerzy Woking]

Until recently I had a 411 Himalayan, which introduced me back into riding on unpaved roads. There are hundreds of kilometers of them around me  so a shame not to use them. Never used it on muddy lanes, as a lack of rain here means they don't exist. And when it does rain, the mud dries out rapidly.

The 411 is great as a green lanes starter bike as it gives confidence from the off. Not too fast, not too powerful, but with decent suspension and decent handling on road too. I did 5000kms round trip through Spain and Portugal, never missed a beat, and acheived an average of 85mpg (no motorways used). Could have done with a few more bhp, but I said the same of my 190bhp KTM RC8-R.

Now I have a 452, an entirely different kettle of fish. Not one component is carried over from the 411, but it dtill has that Enfield "feel". Faster (it will cruise at 130 kph, with a little more to spare), has nearly double the power (23bhp v 40bhp) and in my opinion, far far superior build quality, (and the 411 was fine). Road handling is superb, the Ceat tyres are well grippy on hot tarmac, and it just floats over road imperfections, the Showa suspension front and rear is a real step up.  I've now set the rear shock up to suit me, and it's a bit firmer but still comfortable on 300km rides.

It's a bit trickier riding off road onto gtavel and rutted tracks, but having had the introduction to them on the 411, it is a great stepping stone upwards. Or just to stick with it and get better. 

Looks are subjective, but I like it now. Downside is the engine vibration over that on the 411, but its either lessening as I cover more kms on it, or I am dialing it out. But then, vibration is inherrent in big singles. The Yamaha XT500 (like the 411, only 24 bhp) I had was horrendous and gave me white knuckle on rides of more than 20 miles.

Very happy with both the 411 and the 452, would never have considered buying an Enfield before.

I've since ridden the 350 Meteor, the 350 Hunter, and the 650 Shotgun, and all are far better than I thought they would be.

 

[Rustybullethole]

Great review there @Jerzy Woking Thanks for taking the time. 

Looks great in that shot too. 

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, Jerzy Woking said:

as a lack of rain here 

BASTARD!!!

an entirely different kettle of fish. OOER MISSIS

 

1 hour ago, Jerzy Woking said:

and it just floats 

 

 

FNARR

[Jerzy Woking]

1 hour ago, Rustybullethole said:

Great review there @Jerzy Woking Thanks for taking the time. 

Looks great in that shot too. 

Cheers. Both are great bikes, enjoying my 452 nearly as much as I did my 411, but every ride it gets that little bit more familiar and better. 

[Rustybullethole]

Nice. Its good to hear both sides. Nothing beats seat time hey. 

Talking of which i can see a few inchs more foam on my purchase list. Stopped for a smoke at Pamgbourne. 

 

[Jerzy Woking]

1 hour ago, Rustybullethole said:

Nice. Its good to hear both sides. Nothing beats seat time hey. 

Talking of which i can see a few inchs more foam on my purchase list. Stopped for a smoke at Pamgbourne. 

 

TKC80's? Had them on my 411, but a bit of overkill with no mud!

Is that a Lidl stuffa bag? This was taken in Portugal on 2019, and everywhere we rode there were bikes with the same bag on the seat.

I use a sheepskin cover with a slab of 2cm thick gel between it and the seat. No longer need the gel pad on my NC750 or Street Triple, but it will be on the 452 for another 1000kms until the seat softens a bit. I hope🫤

[hairnet]

i think everyones got one of them

8 quid i think they were??

only used mine once still have it somewhere i think

 

[Barry Cade]

Needed to step off the world for a few days, so couple of mates ,beer, fire and some of the best roads I've ever ridden on..

 

[Rustybullethole]

11 hours ago, Jerzy Woking said:

TKC80's? Had them on my 411, but a bit of overkill with no mud!

Is that a Lidl stuffa bag? This was taken in Portugal on 2019, and everywhere we rode there were bikes with the same bag on the seat.

I use a sheepskin cover with a slab of 2cm thick gel between it and the seat. No longer need the gel pad on my NC750 or Street Triple, but it will be on the 452 for another 1000kms until the seat softens a bit. I hope🫤

Currently has a Borelli medium enduro on the front. I bought it new as there was a half price deal and I was racing* it a couple of days after christmas. Went for the medium as knew id leave it on has lasted well though cracked up pretty bad now and did so pretty soon from new. Ain't buying another. Rears a Mitas stone king. Big savage knobby bastard when new. This ones third hand and squared off big time. Had loads of these over the years will buy again if my mates ain't got a cast off going spare.

Do like the Tkc's, pretty good all rounder though wear quick. Like all 50/50 tyres they're not really up to British slop. I prefer to have the right tyre for the shit conditions and suck up the road manners. 

That yellow bags a Lomo i was given with the bike. Yellow lidl one fell off the back of my gs on a rock section in Northern Spain melting itself and my swimming trunks to the exhaust. Still have a blue lidl one, think thats the only true dry sack I have left i.e not holes. 

Need a bit of experimentation with the seat. Flatter and taller would be a good start. Am taken with the coolmax cover. Keeps the ball sweat at bay and never needs the rain wiping off either.

Edited July 31, 2024 by Rustybullethole
Rubber hoop hot pics!

[Rustybullethole]

4 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

Needed to step off the world for a few days, so couple of mates ,beer, fire and some of the best roads I've ever ridden on..

 

Nice. Where abouts in the world are you?

[Barry Cade]

Just now, Rustybullethole said:

Nice. Where abouts in the world are you?

Scotland.  I went to the empty bit.

[twosmoke300]

Had a fantastic weekend of trail riding , eating and drinking at the Dirty Weekend on the South Downs 

Even better that the missis bought me a new enduro bike while I was away !

Id been wibbling on about one since about 2018 and now they were down to 5895 brand spankers so had to be done 

 

[Rustybullethole]

6 bags is a lot of wonga though that's a lot of bike. Nice prezzie. 

[Rustybullethole]

Since the clocks have stopped working this has stayed a low milage example so exact figures are guess work though just sitting here having my morning coffee has made me think its due an oil change. 

Luckily one of the previous workers up here was into classic motors and has kindly left some suitable grade soup in one of the workshops. If id of remembered that yesterday would of dropped it whilst it was hot. Seem to have demolished all the beer last night so will be going shopping today shall do it then. 

[twosmoke300]

28 minutes ago, Rustybullethole said:

6 bags is a lot of wonga though that's a lot of bike. Nice prezzie. 

About 3k less than most enduro bikes tho . And better cos Honda 😂

My 250x has done 250 hard hours now and not one single breakdown or failure . More than I can say for the euro stuff I ride with . 

[Rustybullethole]

Todays ride;

I part ex'd a Yamaha Breeze for this with cash on top many moons ago whilst working for a different employer. It was liberated to its now new home some 5/6 years ago who are now my new employer. 

Not as good at pulling trailers though far better at going sideways than the Foreman 400 one we have too. 

[andy18s]

https://www.bikewale.com/royalenfield-bikes/himalayan/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEXbN9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUyez3ygd-uHAqlWfGbGxyVYVxRjZXAhgZg2SLnYIvzpKP9tohKtorm24w_aem_a4sZWDbKoe0ZqvlsPtpKIQ

[bangernomics]

Since the clocks have stopped working this has stayed a low milage example so exact figures are guess work though just sitting here having my morning coffee has made me think its due an oil change. 
Luckily one of the previous workers up here was into classic motors and has kindly left some suitable grade soup in one of the workshops. If id of remembered that yesterday would of dropped it whilst it was hot. Seem to have demolished all the beer last night so will be going shopping today shall do it then. 

Really like the look of these they have a smidge of MZ about them that really appeals to me these days.


Gzongenflatch
In memory of Phil.

[Rustybullethole]

15 hours ago, bangernomics said:

Really like the look of these they have a smidge of MZ about them that really appeals to me these days.


Gzongenflatch
In memory of Phil.

Mz inspired tank design me thinks. Might of out this up before and not bright enough to do a link today but this was a good listen. 

The Tamp podcast though equally Protoje if you like a bit of reggae. 

[Cavcraft]

18 hours ago, andy18s said:

https://www.bikewale.com/royalenfield-bikes/himalayan/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEXbN9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHUyez3ygd-uHAqlWfGbGxyVYVxRjZXAhgZg2SLnYIvzpKP9tohKtorm24w_aem_a4sZWDbKoe0ZqvlsPtpKIQ

Is that 298000 rupees as in £2,774?

The black ones look ace.

[Cavcraft]

Lobbed a new battery on this and took it for the first ride in a while. Gave it some beans on the way back and it pulled much better than I thought it would. Took me back to the early 1980s with the way it looked, felt and rode, so had a great spin out on it.