Thanks for the offer but I pass on that . Too old ,too heavy and too difficult to manhandle . Both of us.Ridiculously heavy, handles like a barge, brakes from a Raleigh Chopper and more torque than a Foden. It also does less to the gallon than the van. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the 1980s View attachment 407608
Aero's for 2 things. Sales B.S. and easier to keep clean .Just a quick wipe over and forget the rest of the bike . O.K. some people do make a proper job of cleaning but a lot don't.Yes but look at it .... no plastic aero ,,, you dont need aerodynamics if you can build engines ...
{ an Enzo Ferrari quote I think.}
I do love the bike, as much for its shortcomings as because it's a childhood "Wow! What a machine, I'd love one of those." memory from 1981.Yes but look at it .... no plastic aero ,,, aerodynamics are for people who cant build engines ...
{ an Enzo Ferrari quote I think.}
Spondon ....I do love the bike, as much for its shortcomings as because it's a childhood "Wow! What a machine, I'd love one of those." memory from 1981.
It's got some work planned for the Winter as I need to take the big bore barrels and pistons and the big valve Upperton head back off. I put them on for expediency and to run them in for another build, but the torque increase is wasted and it also means you have to be very careful not to give it a handful as the brakes, frame and suspension weren't really adequate for the standard engine. With the extra torque if you're to enthusiastic, late, or early with the throttle things get exciting and not in a good way.
It's a bit like favourite foods, in most cases people tend to like what they grew up with.How are we still alive
Never really liked the look of Spondon frames, much prefer a Mag 2 Harris or a Bakker.Spondon ....
Of their time. Skinny tyres, cr4p brakes, terrible suspension, no one cared as long as it went fast, very fast.Sounds like the common problem of "Too much GO, and not enough WOAH"
At the '65 MGP we all decided to swap bikes and take a 'serious' go at the Gooseneck one at a time with the non riders giving the all clear . I had a go on a lads cb72 a bit different to my BSA Road rocket. First time on a LH gear shift. YEP As I change down the first of 2 changes and well laid over no problem but 1/2 second later tried to do second down shift with the brake pedal realised instantly the mistake but was then too well into the corner so just kept on cornering in the hope . Needless to say it didn't end too well and left 2 diverging chatter marks on the road. On reaching our digs the owner said don't worry about the damage I 've decided to race it and would throw those bits away any way. Of the 6 of us 5 went on to race . The following year in a Castletown cafe a guy on the next table had the 67 calendar and commented on the chatter marks left by a competitor the previous year. My marks! Didn't have the courage to own up.It's a bit like favourite foods, in most cases people tend to like what they grew up with.
A few years back at the TT after a bit of chat and banter between age groups over a few beers some of us agreed to swap bikes and do a lap. I swapped the ET I had at the time with a GSXR1000 and we did the lap. I really couldn't get on with it at all, it just felt all wrong, nothing happened when it was supposed to and I just started ploughing through bends quicker and quicker but found I'd hit almost a mental block by the time I got to the Gooseneck and just didn't want to push anymore as no matter how much I pushed it didn't seem to change anything. I was so far out of my comfort zone I had no idea how far was too far if you know what I mean.
Anyway, got back to the Grandstand fully convinced that a modern sports bike just wasn't for me. Discussed the lap with the other two 'experienced' gentlemen, one on and R1 and the other on a 600 'blade. Some considerable time later the younger lads came drifting in, no surprise that they were slower, but they were way further back than the usual gap between old and new. The language was something to witness, one lad was white as a ghost none of them wanted to get on a bike for an hour or so. All the comments about flexing in corners, bouncing, head shaking, no brakes etc were hilarious.
The point being we knew no better having essentially grown up on those jelly framed things with no brakes so just ploughed on and let them do their thing under you.
Remember the Vid " wobble and weave " put out by I think BMW?It's a bit like favourite foods, in most cases people tend to like what they grew up with.
A few years back at the TT after a bit of chat and banter between age groups over a few beers some of us agreed to swap bikes and do a lap. I swapped the ET I had at the time with a GSXR1000 and we did the lap. I really couldn't get on with it at all, it just felt all wrong, nothing happened when it was supposed to and I just started ploughing through bends quicker and quicker but found I'd hit almost a mental block by the time I got to the Gooseneck and just didn't want to push anymore as no matter how much I pushed it didn't seem to change anything. I was so far out of my comfort zone I had no idea how far was too far if you know what I mean.
Anyway, got back to the Grandstand fully convinced that a modern sports bike just wasn't for me. Discussed the lap with the other two 'experienced' gentlemen, one on and R1 and the other on a 600 'blade. Some considerable time later the younger lads came drifting in, no surprise that they were slower, but they were way further back than the usual gap between old and new. The language was something to witness, one lad was white as a ghost none of them wanted to get on a bike for an hour or so. All the comments about flexing in corners, bouncing, head shaking, no brakes etc were hilarious.
The point being we knew no better having essentially grown up on those jelly framed things with no brakes so just ploughed on and let them do their thing under you.
Some of us moved ahead and our bikes wore the TT 100,s...Don't know if it was placebo rubber or they were actually better but we seemed to ride fasterOf their time. Skinny tyres, cr4p brakes, terrible suspension, no one cared as long as it went fast, very fast.
The ET was quite an animal in its day (1980) straight out of the box it'd do the standing 1/4 in 11.4 seconds at 118 mph and 0-60 in 4.3. To put that 4.3 into perspective 43 years later you'd need an Audi RS3, Aston, Merc etc to equal or beat it.
I didn't until you mentioned it.Remember the Vid " wobble and weave " put out by I think BMW?
That ET has 100/90 x 19 front, and 130/90 x 17 at the back. What more do you need?Some of us moved ahead and our bikes wore the TT 100,s...Don't know if it was placebo rubber or they were actually better but we seemed to ride faster
Found it and it was Dunlop.Remember the Vid " wobble and weave " put out by I think BMW?
That really has taken me back. I remember demonstrating to a few customers that it wasn't really a prob;em if you knew what to do. Unfortunately quite a few didn't . I was luck to be sent to Germany to test a new machine before production , Turned out to be the CBX 1000 /6 and boy did that wobble .Ona particular section of intersection between two motor ways was a right hand sweep that was an easy 130+ with the weave so extreem that I could hear the tyre squealing as it hit the road surface having jumped from left to right and back repeatedly during the weave. Jap manager accused me of PIO , F*****g cheek so I demonstrated to him on an gentle LH brow at 120 just holding the tank with my Left hand and finger and forefinger on the twist grip. We were there for 2 weeks and by then had got used ( blasé) about it.Found it and it was Dunlop.
looks like my 1290 superduke when wound openFound it and it was Dunlop.