Started motorcycling in 1962, still biking now. Couple of pictures, one in 1968 of me production racing on a Triumph Bonneville, rode to the circuits and rode home!
Other pictures, my 1200S Monster in the IOM.
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Last year I was looking through some pics of bikes I had in the 70s, 80s and 90s and put together this montage of some of them. The black/pink/purple Kawasaki ZXR at the top was probably a favourite though the Honda CBR1000 was a superb long distance bike that did many thousands of miles in the UK and Europe. The BMW was a big mistake as I didn’t get on with it at all and sold it within a couple of months.
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Is the 'blade an RRT? Mine was, bought it by mistake on eBay showing my better half how automatic bidding works. I put in a bid which I expected to be immediately out bid, but it wasn’t. Two hours later I owned a Fireblade!
I do fancy an old air head BMW, but not as a main bike. Likewise on your Jota, love to own one…
Nice memories.
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It was indeed the RRT - I bought it new in 1996 and sold it in 2000. It was my last motorcycle. The Jota was the 120 version which was a lot smoother than the original 180 degree. Even so, it still had a habit of destroying the welding on the exhausts. Great sound though - I don’t think there was much (if any) sound reduction material in the silencers. As I said in the original post, the black/purple/pink Kawasaki ZXR was a real favourite. Even though the Fireblade was a good deal lighter, the ZXR (to my mind anyway) had much more planted steering with better feel overall. I think it was partly to do with the lower riding position - almost like your hands were gripping the front axle which gave great feedback on what the steering and brakes were doing. It’s probably the one I would still like to have now, if I had the choice.
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I had a Kawa zx9 C2 I bought new in 1999, was a fabulous bike, but swapped it for an Africa Twin around 2002 which was a completely different but also awesome bike. The AT is the one I wish I still had out of 40+ bikes owned over the years, that one and a Husqvarna CR500 from 1987 - a proper point and shoot race bike.
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A work colleague lucked onto an immaculate ZZR 1100 (showroom condition, 850 dry miles at two years old).
After a year and a half of commuting on it in all weather on the M4 he decided to emigrate to NZ.
Several of us offered to take respectful care of it for him in case he should change his mind and come back to UK.
Alas, he took it with him…
Seven weeks ago I bought a 1980 Moto Guzzi V50. I wanted a tax exempt bike with a low seat height, indicators and a starter motor. I still have my Velocette Venom but was feeing vulnerable giving hand signals. I did not want a high performance bike and the V50 fills the bill, it steers beautifully and the linked brakes a revelation. It has only done 24,000 miles and I have now ridden it 500 miles. It is perfect for me to ride around our country roads.
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Looks a really nice, slightly more practical alternative to the Velocette for everyday use.
Barrie
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The practical vehicle for everyday use is a diesel Focus Estate. Everything else is for fun. Being retired there are lots of high days and holidays!
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When I was 16/17 I used to have a 50/125 (DT50/MTX125). I used to do a LOT of miles on them. However I got into cars. I passed my bike test in 2000 and did a few miles, but felt like I had a great big target on me and never really felt safe. My brother in law went to Canada and I got this from him. I had it 2 years and did 8 miles, to get an MOT. Polished it a lot but eventually sold it.
Since then I have been doing biking up a mountain in Wales at the Mick Extance off road place. Great fun and definitely recommended. See second picture, where they used either 250 Hondas, or KTM’s now - went a couple of months ago…
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I restored this in the early 90’s
BSA 441 Shooting Star.
Sprayed the tank and side panels in my kitchen one winter evening.
Only afterwards did I look around and see that a blue film covered everything.
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I used to have one of these
Bought brand new in 1978 from Mocheck.
I also considered a brand new Triumph Bonneville 750 Silver Jubilee, but I was commuting from Reading to Wembley around the North Circular and it was just physically too big and heavy for me ;-(
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Always liked the 400 four! I had this around 1976,
It got stolen from outside my house at the time. Although recovered and repaired, I never got on with it after that so bought this,
Library pictures though, never really took pics of any of my motorcycles back in the day!
Barrie
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Its great looking back on these bikes. I started my biking career all very sensibility on Hondas, firstly an SS50 at 16 then I passed my test on a CB175. All my mates were getting 2 strokes though so I got rid of my sensible start & joined the 2 stroke mayhem of the '80s with a series of KH triples. With hardly any brakes, rubbish tyres & frames made out of a very rare wibbly wobbly metal, I used to think that sliding down the road on your backside was a normal part of biking!!
After years of riding more modern stuff now I don’t think I would enjoy very much riding an old one now. It was all we had at the time though and it was a great time to grow up, I look back with fondness what we got away with.
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I had an excellent lunch today with SWMBO while catching up with Hon No.1 Daughter. We were basking in the sun on the terrace at The Orchard (Harefield) overlooking the beautiful lakes in the Colne Valley. Service was a bit slow, but we did not mind while enjoying the view, the weather and each other.
Walking back to the car I saw these two beauties, a Bonneville T100 and a Thruxton 900, and had a chat with the three owners, bikers all their lives apart from the usual hiatus with a brand new family. Dry weather toys both but ridden all year round - along with their other bikes, in rotation a few weeks each! Envy!
I missed photographing the third Triumph, hidden just around the corner, picked up brand new today, and was only able to see it when driving out.
Beautiful weather, good food, perfect company, and able to see properly and drive again.
Then the bonus of the brilliant bikes, it made my day!
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The Thruxton looks cool 
Not proper Triumphs though are they?
Not an oil leak in sight,
I did notice how sparkly clean they were, but I wasn’t going to make with the negative waves
My 1956 Thunderbird didn’t leak from the engine joins, thanks to lashings of Hermetite etc. No silicone RTV in those days.
But on a run to Germany a rocker cap vibrated off and enough grit got in to compromise the oil-scavenge pump, and instead it went out the breather into the primary chaincase and then onto the rear chain and back wheel.
Oops.
.
One of the three Triumphs (I forget which, maybe the newest) even has a switch to cater for different fuels including E10, in essence it selects between different default timing maps.
I do like this pic. Shiny, shiny, oooo…
Beautiful. Always wanted a cbx.
But stripped naked like that, doesn’t the chassis look spindly…
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