What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[Richard]

I was trying to remember what the third six cylinder bike was, it just popped into my head now- Benelli Sei

 

 

 

I like the three-into-one-into-three exhaust on the 750.

[michael1703]

This is the best 6 cylinder bike

 

 

[Cavcraft]

And here is the best motorbikes ever built, with half the amount of cylinders are those four stroke pansy mobiles 

 

 

and the runner up...

 

[oldcars]

The Reliant now has a clean MOT A couple of little things needed done but its back on the road 

[Asimo]

Honda CBX, Kawasaki Z1300, Benellie Sei, and now BMW with this

 

So there have been as many transverse straight six bike engines as transverse straight six car engines. (BL E Series, Volvo S80 Mk1, S80 Mk2 / Freeloader, Chevy  / Suzuki / Daewoo Epica thing.

 

If BMW cars hadn't gone down the drain that they have, they could build a cracking sports car around that K1600 engine. I would buy one.

 

They won't do it though, joyless bastards.

[phil_lihp]

Seeing stories of weather based KAOS in the UK, and I have just woken up to a lovely sunny day in Perth (not the Scotch one) and am expecting to do nothing more strenuous today than getting some beers and resisting the urge to buy a Holden.

 

I'll have to consider tying the Y10 down if this wind keeps up, otherwise with the shore so close by I'd be concerned about it disappearing one night and washing up in Perth in 4 months' time.

[beko1987]

Our local council offices burnt down over night

 

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11726143.Blog__Fire_at_South_Oxfordshire_and_Vale_of_White_Horse_district_councils__building_in_Crowmarsh_Gifford/

 

Only in here as no one was in there at the time I suppose, it's not really news, it's not a grump etc

 

Wonder if they'd notice if I accidentally* cancelled the council tax DD...

[quicksilver]

Got to use the medical school's most prized possession today, their 70 inch 4K television. Plugged in my laptop and up came my desktop background of Ratdat's Cherry Europe in glorious massive high definition . Very nice it looked too!

[xtriple]

And here is the best motorbikes ever built, with half the amount of cylinders are those four stroke pansy mobiles 

 

 

and the runner up...

 

One of those poxy Kawasakis is the reason I'm now a fookin' cripple! Had a slight interface 'twixt it/me and the rear of a parked Transit van!

[andy18s]

My dad had a gt750 kettle.i used to borrow it and was amazed at the amount of flex in the frame.....I got a pic of it here somewhere

[wuvvum]

Big '70s Jap bikes need larger knackers to ride properly than I can muster, sadly.  I once had a go on a 1973 CB750 - it felt like the frame had been sawn in half and then tied back together with string. 

[oman5]

Aren't Holdens basically Vauxhalls with stupidly large engines? All Vauxhalls are... what was it again?

 

I'd imagine resisting the urge to buy a Holden would be a full-time occupation...

No, one of these, Holden HQ. It's Holden's own design, no v*****ll content.

 

Engines are stupidly large though. 2.8 i6 up to 5.7 v8

[xtriple]

I loved all the 70's superbikes! Yes, they did handle 'oddly' but compared to the competition (British, european) had electrics that worked and engines that kept the fluids inside the cases and went well. Yes, all the Italian bikes handled better and had better brakes (mostly) and the British bikes were great fun to ride and then hand back...

 

My CB750 (K6) made a mate on the back so scared he got off at the first junction we arrived at which was many miles from where we started and refuse to get back on it as he reckoned the back was sliding on every corner. It wasn't (I don't think?) it just felt that way... Had a Z1R that used to weave like a bitch at above 100 unless you had a pillion... so nice skinny girlfriend acquired!

 

One of my last bikes was a 69 Bonnie. It was modded quite a bit and looked lovely, had Morgo 750 barrels/pistons and a full engine rebuild (and I mean FULL), had TT exhaust with reverse cone megas and everything on that bike was perfect/new/rebuilt/set up to perfection. I loved it with a passion and so did my wife (she even rode it once, but stalled it and couldn't re-start it so had to call me to come and rescue her!) but it used to vibrate like a jack hammer at 90plus, so badly that you could no longer read the clocks and the needles used to fall off the clocks regularly with the vibration and it used to break down/fail to proceed quite often. It never leaked oil though.... It was always stupid little things that would break, apart from the clutch which used to try my patience severly - even though it had 'the ultimate 7 plate clutch' it still used to slip sometimes. Mind you, parts were always available next day...

 

I could see why people loved British bikes (| still do) but if you wanted transport, then it had to be Japanese. The way we used to thrash the tits of all our 'Jap crap' no Brit bike would have lasted more than five minutes.

[Richard]

I'm told the procedure was buy parts with wages on Friday, fix bike on Saturday, ride on Sunday, work all week to fund spares on Friday. Repeat until you weaken and buy car or Jap bike. Not that the car experience was necessarily much different, just a bit drier.

[andy18s]

Big '70s Jap bikes need larger knackers to ride properly than I can muster, sadly. I once had a go on a 1973 CB750 - it felt like the frame had been sawn in half and then tied back together with string.

Must admit that the early Gsxr1100 prematurely aged me a few years.

Absolutely ballistic machine which just would not turn in...

[Bren]

Must admit that the early Gsxr1100 prematurely aged me a few years.

Absolutely ballistic machine which just would not turn in...

Jap bikes killed the british stuff of practically overnight - they were fast, reliable and looked good.

You did'nt have to spend days repairing them or running along side them.

[Honey Badger]

Due to being stuck in bed after having steroids injected into my lower back, via my arse crack no less, I've spent the day watching shit on tv, now watching a fascinating programme on the manufacture of the Lexus LFA, the engineering of everything from the carbon body tub to that screaming V10 engine is done with such precision and the engine sounds awesome.

 

Not all Japanese cars are shite.

[nigel bickle]

If I had only one vehicle ( unlikely!) it would be a bike. It's where my heart lives, even if my body can't cope right now.

 

I was lucky enough to buy a good few early Suzukis, from around 1962 (Colleda 250) through the toddlers to an early Kettle & Re5.Stopped when the 2 strokes ended, and have some real belters. I've a few Eyeties too, snd a couple Brits , mostly stuck in a distant barn.

 

Right now iIve my Honda Kinetic scooter ( for the bad times), an NVT 175,K100RS & a Blackbird at home. Last time I rode any of them?

 

Late autumn. Bah!

[michael1703]

If we're having bike love, how about some rotary burble?

 

[scruff]

Passed my friggin' class 2 HGV first time this morning!! Cowabunga!! 

 

Straight out in the lorry with a load on a hour after passing, loving it!

 

 

[MrDuke]

having steroids injected into my lower back, via my arse crack

 

My own sphincter is refusing to unclench itself after reading that.

[EssDeeWon]

BP expect the low oil price of $50/60 a barrel to remain for the next three years.

[dollywobbler]

BP expect the low oil price of $50/60 a barrel to remain for the next three years.

 

Which I should imagine means the government will go back to increasing fuel duty...

[Junkman]

Not if you vote for UKIP.

[MrDuke]

BP expect the low oil price of $50/60 a barrel to remain for the next three years.

 

According to the news, they've been voicing butthurt about the effect of the price dive on their operations, and having to lay off employees etc etc - I'm wondering whether their projected figures are just an attempt to scare the gov into some kind of intervention? I mean, I'd love the prices to stay low for a few years, but nothing good is ever that simple.

[DSdriver]

Went to my Aunt's funeral yesterday. The hearse when it rocked up at the cremmo was a Vauxhall thing with rusty door bottoms and one tyre half flat. I WANT that car for my funeral whenever it may be.

[cort1977]

According to the news, they've been voicing butthurt about the effect of the price dive on their operations, and having to lay off employees etc etc - I'm wondering whether their projected figures are just an attempt to scare the gov into some kind of intervention? I mean, I'd love the prices to stay low for a few years, but nothing good is ever that simple.

Apparently Nicola Sturgeon has written to Westminster asking for tax relief already so yes I would say they are trying to put some pressure on the govt.  

 

$60 is not actually that low historically.   When I first started working in the industry in 2001 the oil price was around $20, there was still work around.   It may be the end of an era for the North Sea though as the costs are rising there due to aging infrastructure.

 

On the whole the low price will probably benefit the UK economy overall.   I would agree with the BP prediction of $50-60 for a couple of years but as Mr. DW says, that gives the govt the perfect chance to un-freeze the fuel duty escalator.   Should I have put this in the grumpy thread?

[dollywobbler]

Not if you vote for UKIP.

 

I'll take more expensive fuel thanks.

[Cavcraft]

I'm told the procedure was buy parts with wages on Friday, fix bike on Saturday, ride on Sunday, work all week to fund spares on Friday.

 

 

To be fair, you could throw those remarks at a Suzuki (GT250) X7 or a Kawasaki KR1S and still be on the money.

[Cavcraft]

Let's not forget the people losing their jobs as a result of cheap oil, or at least BP (and others) blaming that reason.