Cavcraft 2021: More Italian slow shite.

[chaseracer]

19 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

...or someone with hitherto unknown levels of insanity...

It had already found that person, our Billeh... ?

[Cavcraft]

He bought it! He's also selling a 1980-something CB250RS Honda, but it's a non-runner. Quite tempting though.

[wuvvum]

Nice little bike the 250RS.  Much lighter and more agile than a wet dream.

[Cavcraft]

Yeah, quite funky. Not tried one but like the look, is it true they share the same twin port(?) engine as the XL250? 

[UltraWomble]

1 hour ago, Cavcraft said:

Yeah, quite funky. Not tried one but like the look, is it true they share the same twin port(?) engine as the XL250? 

Different cam profiles & heads with the CB having larger valves. Other than that the same donkey.

[UltraWomble]

https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Honda/honda_cb250rs 81.htm

Bit of info here - twin valves rather than bigger and electronic ignition on the CB. So my bad. Im fairly sure that tuning cams for the XL will fit if you want to warm it over a little. Surprised at teh chain and front sprocket life though. 4K seems a bit pants.

[Zelandeth]

Hopefully the gearing on your T25 is less annoying than mine...the gaping chasm between them was probably the most irritating thing about mine - though granted I only drove it twice on a private road, and it was the 1.6 petrol with all of 50-ish bhp and a four speed box.  The gearing being far more sensible on the Merc was a big plus for me...though I do remember that my T25 rode really nicely, even on the horribly worn out farm road I was on.

Still do regret not having the time to get this back on the road...being such an early one she deserved to be saved.  Apparently is still safely tucked away though so might yet be saved one day.

Couldn't believe that despite having been abandoned under a tree for a decade it still drove well...even braked in a straight line!

[Rave]

Nice, I always wanted a CB250RS. In the late nineties there were usually one or two in the MCN classifieds at £450 or so, but I never found one local to me when I had the cash.

[Cavcraft]

4 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Hopefully the gearing on your T25 is less annoying than mine...the gaping chasm between them was probably the most irritating thing about mine - though granted I only drove it twice on a private road, and it was the 1.6 petrol with all of 50-ish bhp and a four speed box.  The gearing being far more sensible on the Merc was a big plus for me...though I do remember that my T25 rode really nicely, even on the horribly worn out farm road I was on.

It's stupid. Changing up isn't too bad, but coming back down is just dog shit on toast.

[Zelandeth]

17 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

It's stupid. Changing up isn't too bad, but coming back down is just dog shit on toast.

They're in the wrong place for the gears in a van anyway...

 

[LightBulbFun]

17 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

They're in the wrong place for the gears in a van anyway...

 

I know I have seen a picture of the vans gear knob before and I knew of dog leg first gears before hand but its interesting to see that after I have driven the Lada, and @Mrs6C's Citroen ZX a couple times times  

I just spent a few minutes comparing the 2 in my head, extra curious to have a go in the van now and see what its like  

[Zelandeth]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

I know I have seen a picture of the vans gear knob before and I knew of dog leg first gears before hand but its interesting to see that after I have driven the Lada, and @Mrs6C's Citroen ZX a couple times times  

I just spent a few minutes comparing the 2 in my head, extra curious to have a go in the van now and see what its like  

That's one of the reasons I really didn't want you to have the van as your first experience.  Reference points for things like where first gear is can take a while to get used to.

I cheated a bit there as I was messing about with buses and agricultural stuff pretty much as soon as I could walk.

[wuvvum]

Quite a few vans have first on a dogleg - first-gen VW LTs with the 5-speed box have it, as do pre-2000 Iv*co Dailies.  And lots of heavier duty stuff like Dodge 50s.  Doesn't take long to get used to TBH.

[Cavcraft]

In today...

 

And this horrible thing came last night and went this morning...

 

Last night it didn't start, but the key worked. Today it didn't start and the key didn't work. Hey ho, it's going somewhere better-Liverpool docks in about 287,000 pieces, hopefully. 

 

[Cavcraft]

Despite trying, couldn't get on with this. It was ok in top doing 55-60mph just bumbling about, but changing gear (especially going down) was awful, reminded me of the battles I had with a Merc 307D in the eighties. 

 

 

The previous owner missed it, luckily for us both, so a deal was struck where I took custody of this...

 

...which is a weird version of the 2.2 ticking time bomb. Weird because the emissions are so low as to apparently render it for £140 a year road tax. It's smoother and quieter than my old 2.0 TDCi one, but the latter is a bit nicer because its nearer to the old Di in the noise and take off speed.

Also added to the mix was this...

...which was a delight to ride. Only did a couple of miles on it, but an absolute belter of a thing to pilot. 

[Skizzer]

Ooh, that Kwakker looks a real honey.

[eddyramrod]

I could get quite moist over that Transit!

[Mally]

Seen the light Eddy, pile of crap those CF's.

[155V6]

On 10/2/2019 at 12:52 PM, wuvvum said:

Quite a few vans have first on a dogleg - first-gen VW LTs with the 5-speed box have it, as do pre-2000 Iv*co Dailies.  And lots of heavier duty stuff like Dodge 50s.  Doesn't take long to get used to TBH.

In my 1st driving job,I had a petrol C reg daily.1st gear was very low,I could beat anything from the lights,but finding 2nd was another story ?

[eddyramrod]

Just now, Mally said:

Seen the light Eddy, pile of crap those CF's.

Wash your mouth out!  That Transit is the same as the one I've been driving for the bakery, so I know they're good.  Earlier models, that were concurrent with the CF...somewhat less so!  I can't understand how Ford ever sold a Transit (or anyone else another van) after the CF arrived on the market.  The CF was so superior.  However, 40 years on and the Transit Billy's just picked up is a huge improvement on the preceding generations.

[greengartside]

”Do I like that Transit”, as Graham Taylor once famously said.

[Mally]

59 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

Wash your mouth out!  That Transit is the same as the one I've been driving for the bakery, so I know they're good.  Earlier models, that were concurrent with the CF...somewhat less so!  I can't understand how Ford ever sold a Transit (or anyone else another van) after the CF arrived on the market.  The CF was so superior.  However, 40 years on and the Transit Billy's just picked up is a huge improvement on the preceding generations.

Was a bit tongue in cheek.

Mine was quite nice. 

[Cavcraft]

Where are we up to? Oh aye, this arrived...

Doesn't run and is clearly a bit shit. Some sort of Peugeot iirc.

Anyhow, the van went and got replaced by...

 

...which seems quite fancy, dare I say it. Garage situation now raised to CRITICAL CODE BLACK, and the emergency lock-up has had to be deployed. The non-running Peugeot (above) has been usurped to the spare garage, but it leaves another problem because the Li is away being fixed and has 'done a Lambretta' in style now, with an ever growing list of repairs to be done. Helicoil for the head, new clutch, complete re-cable, strip and clean carb, replace airbox pipe, speedometer not working and apparently some oil seal thing has gone and saturated the brake shoes. It really needs a disc conversion up front tbh, but at £350 or so, I'll just ride even slower and leave bigger gaps. 

[wuvvum]

Ooh, a Beemer - you posh fecker.

That Peugeot looks like a clone of those generic Chinese 50cc scooters you used to get on the youth mobility projects a few years back.

[Cavcraft]

11 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Ooh, a Beemer - you posh fecker.

That Peugeot looks like a clone of those generic Chinese 50cc scooters you used to get on the youth mobility projects a few years back.

Oddly enough, the back light is EXACTLY the same as the Lexmoto. Bet the Peugeots were built in China, too.

[hairnet]

Old man bike but then you're far too old and past it anyway

 

200 2 nite m9

[Cavcraft]

Lambretta lasted 35 yards, think the throttle cable has come off at the carb end. It's going back to the garage tomorrow, can't see it being a big job 

Took the Honda out for a spin and it wouldn't start but that's because I'm a knobhead and forgot about the kill switch.

Then it was time to collect this little wonder*

 

I was revving the bollocks off it in the dashboard picture, as the battery was flat. It's actually fucked, but I got it home about 8 miles on a wing and a prayer, as forgot to bring my boost pack. Put a good (but flat as bollocks) battery on it and fingers crossed a decent run out should see it charge up ok. Hopefully. 

Oh, every panel has a scratch and someone had keyed 'slag' on the bonnet, but it was replaced by one that has been resprayed by someone drinking 15 litres of B&M chalk board paint, then pissing on it on a windy day.

 

Isn't it wonderful for a 2009 car, hey?

[HH-R]

Dacia Sandero development hack.

[SiC]

How is the XJS running nowadays?

[Cavcraft]

Truth is I don't use it.