Defunct Motorcycle Industry

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pipme

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One of our Villiers 250cc twins a Norman B4 sports circa 1960.
We were right on the cusp here ... styling, superb little 'stroker' engine and gearbox unit, already many years old .. crying out for developement. Of course, we fell on the wrong side of the fence, Japan grabbed the baton and they are still running with it !! Long may they continue to give the customer what he wants.
B4S.jpg


:mad:
 
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Nice bike but we're back though pip. Triumph has risen from the ashes, thanks to John Bloor, and has been in production since 1991. I've got one myself, a 900cc Thunderbird Sport that's as good as any jap bike. I've also got an old 1978 750 Bonnie that is still a great bike but I don't ride it much as all my mates have got modern bikes and it doesn't keep up, but I'll never sell it.
Are you into bikes yourself?
 
Not now, but I had the Norman B3 Sports 1st bike, don't know about you but what a buzz, great days ... Graduated to Cooper 's' after nearly buying a Goldy.
I can remember Murray Walker commentating back in the '60's .. We used to listen to his Long Play record commentaries on the Isle of Man TT races.. I must go over for the Manx grand Prix one of these years !

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We put a 500 Manx together (I was just helping) in the 70's using rtv silicon gasket as a cement .. Mate did the Senior Manx with only a tiny oil leak at the end. Heady days !!

There we go, who decided to split the sump horizontally then ..'Ah so .. how keep oil off drive .. think lateral !!"

A friend recently asked me how to keep oil off the drive ... Buy a Nissan 15 yrs 3 different cars no oil ... min 50m a day.

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I reckon you could compare a Triumph to a Japanese pocket-rocket in the same way that you would compare an Aston Martin to a Honda NSX: The NSX might be a little quicker and cheaper, and possibly more reliable, but let's face it, you would rather have an Aston. When I see a Hayabusa or an R1 I know it is an insanely quick machine in it's own field, but I just love the ruggedness of the Daytona.

Of course, I would probably dismiss all the above and get an Aprilia RSV 1000, if it wasn't for the fact I would probably find myself going far too fast into the back of something far too solid within 10 minutes of picking up the keys. :confused: It's flippin' mental. :evil:
 
Had the pleasure in the late 70's of owning a Ducati Darmah SD900 a beutifully handling bike(you had to do something completely daft to come off it) with plenty of torque and a wonderful feel and sound. Also had the luck to have a go on a mates race tuned Goldie, What a beast! the day i rode it it was hammering down with rain but i wasn't going to turn down the chance of a ride, i took it up the road and boy it had acceleration trouble was the throttle cable stuck and it was getting faster and faster as i approached a T-Junction! I had to slam hard on the brakes and considering it was pouring down i thought that i was about to meet my maker but to my surprise the bike came to a controlled stop with no hint of a skid! Brilliant grip terrific handling, only problem i then had was turning off the now racing engine which wasn't easy as it only had a cutoff button mounted on the magneto low down on the engine and this was on the same side as the clutch i was holding so i had to reach over with my other hand and could barely touch the button, several times the engine died down only to roar back into life it seemed like an eternity before i managed to kill it :oops: mind you it was worth it :)
 
Just thinking on some old local 70's characters.
Dave Richards rally Navigator Bath Motor club ... BAR now, is he doing well ?
Dennis Trollope 'Trolly' of Fowlers MoCycles Bristol .. club racer .. went on to manage Webster and his chair to World championship.
The Marks bros from Bridgewater .. top notch club racers .. in the 'Silver Dream m/c' (as were other club riders).
In '79 Clive Watts club racer, a real natural, IOM Manx Senior (10.4 secs chopped off lap record from standing start !! ) + Junior (more records), double on Cowles Suzuki , he raced out of Llandow .. IMHO Clive should have been a pro .. he had only ridden the Suzuki at a couple meets prior to IOM !! Just shows how many must slip through the net. (Still have the pages from MoCycleNews 'Electric Watts !!' )
What great memories these guys will have..... Not superstars .. but that close, maybe a coat of paint or smear of ink on a contract !!

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kendor said:
this was on the same side as the clutch i was holding so i had to reach over with my other hand and could barely touch the button,
Click to expand...

I know in the adrenaline and cacked-pants filled moments of a near death motoring experience it can be hard to think, but did the bike not have a Neutral gear? ;)

A mate of mine did his direct access, one of those few-days crash courses where you go in with no experience and come out with a licence (what a stupid idea those are). When he got home his brother tossed him the keys to his Ducati. He took it out on the road, as soon as he hit the main road he whacked open the throttle... front wheel took off, he came off the back, bike landed on it's tank. One angry big brother and several thousand pounds in repairs later (luckily the police didn't investigate: riding without insurance) the bike is fixed. But it demonstrates why I reckon everyone should have to ride 125s for at least 2 years before being allowed on the big toys.
 
Like rounding a tight bend footrest just tickling the road 65 on the clock (sounds dangerous to non bikers but it is surprising how precise the lean can be )... Then ! highlighted in cold November night by one's headlight -- gravel all across the apex of the bend, each stone casting a hard little shadow ... girl friend on pillion ..... action ? A sense of 'oh ****' . Then just remained astride the bike feet on rests, the single crash bar, so derided by mates as 'just a flippin badge bar' became the axel in my pirouette down the yellow brick, that bar never even rotated on main down tube, or bent just destroyed the plastic end hole trim !! .. Proper leather bike boots .. helmets (felt my own scuff the road, GF's also scuffed) .. no injury whatever, confidence not dented really .. GF had stepped off at about 45 and rolled ok !!
After that I could ride a bike ... you do not know how until you fall off !!
Also realised just how lucky we were ... remained in the subconscious and that hint of caution saved many more incidents I am sure.

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pipme said:
After that I could ride a bike ... you do not know how until you fall off !!
Also realised just how lucky we were ... remained in the subconscious and that hint of caution saved many more incidents I am sure.

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Click to expand...

Well, I had my close-calls but never any incidents. Like the time I rode back from Chichister to Surrey in the dark. Going down some unfamiliar hills in pitch black night. Thought it was straight so opened the throttle. Then saw headlights come from the side, realised there was a tight left-hander not too far ahead. 70 down to about 30 in no time at all, just made the corner. Respected unfamiliar roads a lot more after that!

But I reckon that being forced to ride 125s for a couple of years seriously reduced my likelihood of incident. Everyone I know who did a direct access (both people :LOL: ) had tank-slappers. Even the guy who is a highly sensible medical student who would never do anything silly managed to take a corner too quickly and came off. I know you can corner too fast on 125s, but the problem with inexperienced riders on big bikes is that the bike inspires such confidence that it is comfortable to go so quickly and then find your ability runs out when you try to get your knee down!

I am yet to ride anything greater than 125, mind.
 
rember a lot of years ago riding a suzuki "kettle "down one of the main drags in the town
steady 25 or 30 "honest" taxi decides to pull of the rank"in middle of road" approx 20 feet ahead
dropped the bike "thank god for crash bars " slid along the road bike hits taxi making a mess of the side big style
i gets up walks to bike picks it up (not easy) puts stand down
then decides to meander in the direction of said taxi
one large shout of ouch later i checks bike lost a bit of chrome off the bars
but still here to tell the tale :D
 
AdamW said:
I know in the adrenaline and cacked-pants filled moments of a near death motoring experience it can be hard to think, but did the bike not have a Neutral gear? ;)
Click to expand...
If i remember right What with clunky gearboxes of the day that i was unable to select neutral and therefore had to hold the clutch in which i also seem to remember was backed by heavy springs and my hand was aching too hence my rush to kill the engine :LOL:
 
kendor said:
......... could barely touch the button, several times the engine died down only to roar back into life it seemed like an eternity before i managed to kill it :oops: mind you it was worth it :)
Click to expand...

Surprised there mate, didn't they have the ignition cut out button on the handlebars ? ...Used to use that to kill revs when fast gear-changing .. button in, clutch -(sometimes) , gear select, button off ... throttle still wide open, get it right and only the slightest blip betrayed a gearchange.

How about the compression lifter lever (holds exhaust valve open a little distance)? Although that mayvery well be removed on racer .. used to bump start races in those days.

Q was .. what about neutral ? Well, what about over revving engine ? probably be more damaged by irate bike owner than ensuing crash !! :mad:

I remember Royal Enfield bullet and Constellation had 'neutral selector' extra gear pedal which selected neutral with one prod of heel.

Think the Bullet still being made in India ? Googled and - Bu99er me they're all over us like a rash !! Nice to see it !!
http://www.royalenfield.com/index.asp

A modernish test
http://www.streetbiker-mag.com/sb0121/5.html
Has it changed ?
350b.jpg


Road safety to one side .... what a way to tour India (plenty of spares) - on a Bullet !! Multis are great with the calico ripping acceleration sounds of fury but then all that weight on the wrists when plodding .. The big single delivers the lazy smooth torquey power -- with an upright relaxed riding position - real tourer .. love it !!

Mind you !! 500S Enfield Cafe racer on sale today ... a beauty in the old 'Clubmans' style !!
Clubman_front.jpg


http://www.royal-enfield.com/clubman.htm

Bikes are definitely alive - maybe not being kicked(over) as much ;)

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