New J-tat at Seth towers

[seth]

This is um, perhaps bad timing what with Father Ted's recent incident but I went and picked this up today. I've never owned anything two wheeled before but can apparently ride this 49cc monster without doing a CBT. So its going to be a minimal cost exersize in low buck city mobility. 1972 vintage Honda PC50 for these like me that wouldn't know his handlebars from his chain box. Being a '72 it will even save me 15 (yes, fifteen! Count 'em) pounds on tax a year! It runs but I need to MOT it too. Much smaller than a car though so not particularly worried about that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*sits back and awaits chicken related jokes...

[pogweasel]

Bloody hell, rather you than me! The thought of anything two-wheeled in the big smoke scares the shit out of me. Still, at least the bus lane from yours into town is also motor-cycle compatible.I look forward to seeing it turned into a sparkly chopper or satin black salt-flat-racer / bobber affair. LOL.

[M'coli]

Leave the front numberplate on it as a period feature. The thought of being sliced by it should help persuade tardy pedestrians out of the way. Fit a veryloud horn, too!!

[AnthonyG]

Love the front numberplate position. Are you going to get appropriate safety wear, i.e. goggles, old style crash helmet, big leather coat, galoshes, gauntlets and everything else circa 1972?

[pogweasel]

Are you going to get appropriate safety wear, i.e. goggles, old style crash helmet, big leather coat, galoshes, gauntlets and everything else circa 1972?

The sight of which would cause uncontrollable LOLLING if spotted.

[Guest greenvanman]

Love it!

I look forward to seeing it turned into a sparkly chopper or satin black salt-flat-racer / bobber affair. LOL.

Noooooo! Just give it a wash and enjoy the patina.Change the oil, buy a hi-vis vest and pick up an orange Rickman top box for £2 from your local boot sale. Then get out there and FEEL THA POWER of 1.8BHP - remembering to always do your lifesavers, of course!One final thought, if you've not ridden before maybe it would be a good idea to do the CBT or 1/2 a day with your local riding school? When I got back on a bike after a 15 year hiatus I found the afternoon ride part of the CBT provided some useful pointers about things I was/wasn't doing out on the road. I'm not trying to put you off, just mindful of Marty's accident as we all are and want all us two-wheeled 'shiters to keep the shiny side up

[Richard]

If you're going to pay for lessons you'd be as well to get a CBT certificate out of it.

[Guest]

I reckon you should strap a cage full of chickens on the back and ride around with your entire family clinging on, "developing country look".

[pandamonium]

Maybe this year 'chicken look' will surpass 'ratlook' !?

[MrRegieRitmo]

You can do the 'Chicken Run'

[Heep]

One final thought, if you've not ridden before maybe it would be a good idea to do the CBT or 1/2 a day with your local riding school? When got back on a bike after a 15 year hiatus I found the afternoon ride part of the CBT provided some useful pointers about things I was/wasn't doing out on the road. I'm not trying to put you off, just mindful of Marty's accident as we all are and want all us two-wheeled 'shiters to keep the shiny side up

Agreed completely...I've ridden these both before and after taking a motorcycle course and the difference was night and day. Even little stuff like this, you'll be much better equipped to ride.Sweet machine.

[seth]

Thanks for input chaps. I had considered doing a CBT anyway as I realise it will teach me a not insubstantial amount about two wheeling.

 

I suspect I would look a little bit like this in all the period clobber.

 

 

That's fatha_seth by the way circa 'mid sixties

 

I think first job is to get the thing MOT'd. I could do some "kool" stuff to it but will probably start by just tidying it up eg paint the fuel tank, clean up the paint, make the wiring look prettier. The front number plates will definitly be staying as they are one thing that attracted me to it - perfect preiod items you never really see these days.

 

Riding it through town will be interesting I'm sure. My bro in law cycles to work from near us into the city. I think picking routes is quite important and I'd likely avoid playing with the buses on major roads and choose quiter back streets.

[M'coli]

Is that a Dommie?

[bigstraight6]

That's great! a 'piss pot' helmet is a must

[Torsten2001]

looks like a Dommie 99 with swept back exhaust, clip ons and rear sets, ooooooober kool! You, along with your Dad are a dude. Cool PC50, now join this lot: http://www.thebuzzingclub.co.uk/

At £9 a year it's the bike equivalent of Autoshite and a very, very useful club!

[M'coli]

Cheers Torsten for the link, I've got me dad's Dommie 88 to rebuild at some point in the future!

[seth]

Sounds like you're on the money there Torsten! I don't know a huge amount about it but know it was hopped up quite a bit. I've got a parts list from a tuning firm somewhere with various bits ticked off Scared my mum on it a few times apparently. He's not around any more to ask unfortunatly Link looks great. Was going to ask if anyone had any choice sites/forums/parts places to visit thhat won't take the mick out of a chicken chaser.

[Torsten2001]

The NACC is such a great club, they have a Technical officer for the PC50 and they so do not take themselves seriously, always lots of runs out, great mag but I warn you that it was soon after I joined the NACC, possibly 18 years ago (?) that I got the bug, at one point having 160 bikes, mostly 'peds. About 10 years ago I was given a Puch Maxi moped, at the time I was working in Brick Lane and the commute from my flat was taking about 40 minutes on my BMW R60, 600cc, I swapped to the Puch Maxi complete with pedals and it shaved 10 minutes off my time, it was an amazing bike.

great bike though Seth, should've bought a Raleigh though!

 

 

 

[Torsten2001]

Actually Seth, in the for sale bit of the NACC mag wot landed on my mat today there's a PC50 Honda workshop manual for £4, PM for details!

[autohausdolby]

That 177MPH plate must now be worth 189BILLION POUNDS. FACT. Cool wheels BTW.

[seth]

 

You didn't tell me they came so well equipped!

[Torsten2001]

* ice cream stand not included

[pogweasel]

So to recap, how does this work?

Sub 50cc I don't even need to do a CBT?

All sub-50cc or just these push-bikes-with-lawnmower-bits-strapped-to?

 

I've been thinking about doing something similar up for a while, just because I could tink with it in the shed, rather than suffer the elements as I do with 4-wheeled beasts.... don't have much desire to ride them especially, just taking apart and putting back together

[Guest greenvanman]

So to recap, how does this work?

Sub 50cc I don't even need to do a CBT?

All sub-50cc or just these push-bikes-with-lawnmower-bits-strapped-to?

 

I've been thinking about doing something similar up for a while, just because I could tink with it in the shed, rather than suffer the elements as I do with 4-wheeled beasts.... don't have much desire to ride them especially, just taking apart and putting back together

You can ride anything sub-50cc that hasn't been de-restricted on your car licence providing you're a bit old like me and passed your test back in the day.

 

EDIT: Yes, 2-wheelers are ideal for working on in the shed/garage. Mrs GVM works on the principle that if she can't see it, it's OK. Ergo this:

 

 

[Richard]

If you have a P on your licence you're good to go- at 28mph

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547

[pogweasel]

Hmm...

 

Now I am sure that my original paper licence (pre-photocard) had something about peds on it.

 

One I was forced into having (shits) with a photocard makes no mention.

 

Unless it's class f,k,i,n,p, but I am not sure what they are as there is no picture.

 

-------------------------------

 

Edit,

 

Already solved, then. Cheers Richard.

 

Next: if you de-restrict how fast will they go? and how does 'THE MAN' know you have done it?

[Guest greenvanman]

Next: if you de-restrict how fast will they go? and how does 'THE MAN' know you have done it?

Generally it involves knocking a washer out of the exhaust, or on autos removing a restrictor from the variator that stops it opening to its fullest extent. Most old shite is easy to derestrict, if indeed it is, but watch out for horrors like the Aprilia SR50 Ditech that need connecting to a computer (or a suitably equipped Gameboy apparently) in order to be derestricted. Even de-restricted modern 50s won't be pulling up any stumps - my old SR50 could barely break 45mph, even with a complete new top end. There's far more stylish ways of doing that sort of speed on 2 wheels - do the CBT, you can ride up to 125cc for 2 years which expands your horizons to all sorts of lovely 2-wheeled shite.As to how easy it is for 'THE MAN' to spot, wacking on a big chrome/blue anodised exhaust/expansion chamber etc is a bit of a giveaway. Something like a big bore cylinder kit less so. Or there's always the other alternative - pass yr bike test and ride what you like

[pogweasel]

All very interesting. To Freecycle! Let the scrounging commence!!

[Richard]

Next: if you de-restrict how fast will they go? and how does 'THE MAN' know you have done it?

When THE MAN sees you overtaking Hayabusas on your Honda Express he'll know.

[Guest greenvanman]

looks like a Dommie 99 with swept back exhaust, clip ons and rear sets, ooooooober kool! You, along with your Dad are a dude. Cool PC50, now join this lot: http://www.thebuzzingclub.co.uk/At £9 a year it's the bike equivalent of Autoshite and a very, very useful club!

And their very active Yorkshire section is about five minutes from where I live. Think I'll drop them a line myself - cheers Torsten!