Don't forget that the best bike in the world is the bike that your riding .This thread has reminded me that I have a Suzuki SP370 lying dormant
in the cellar. I bought it around 1984 and had loads of fun with it, even
though it was never really highly regarded by the biking fraternity.
Think I'll go and give her a visit later ....
ETA: Cracking looking bike you've got there @lotus_esprit_s1
My bro used to say the same. It's more fun to have an imperfect machine that challenges you than the best machine that does the work for you.
I think it all depends on which era you grow up in . In the 50's and 60's the bikes were basic KISS and were fixable with a few basic tools plus being easy to modify or as we called it tune. Now if you don't have the services done at the prescribed intervals by a franchised mechanics with OEM parts you can kiss goodbye to any Manufacturers help . Unfortunately all I see in the new era of bikes is sales 'come on' gizmo's that by en large take away the requirement to learn the skills we thought were part of the ' fun'. Having dealt with literally 100's of customers I can only remember one that made any impression on me for the right reasons. A stunning blond lady wandered onto our stand at the NEC and we got chatting ,as you do, and the subject got onto MIG welding . I mentioned the possibility of MIG welding Ally and she put me wise including the requirement for a new inner core . Long time ago but she appeared be interested in hands on biking.
I was sent to Goodwood one day to ride in a 6 hour test against the other Jap manufactures restricted 125's for a well known bike magazine. Motorcycle Mechanics from memory. Thought I had been given the short straw as the other service guys were at Donnington on an all bike promotion. We thrashed those 125 to within a .001 of their lives and had a fantastic day. I spent a tankful of fuel within a bike lengths of a Journo named Steve ,never found out his surname out braking and slipstreaming each other to the extent that I suffered Tennis elbow for a couple of weeks from being tucked in and full throttle. The laugh was that the others weren't allowed to ride the bikes just do the B.S.Job for the press etc. AND I called it work!!
Cg125 and the Suzuki equivalent. 65 mph flat out EVERWHERE.
That would have been the GS125 like mine then
possibly. The interesting thing was the differing 'power' characteristics that were apparent at different parts of the circuit.That would have been the GS125 like mine then
He's been gone a year this month, we miss him.
Than God for traction control then.
That’s seriously nice!
Its so nice, Ithink you should deliver it to me so I can relive some of my yooth with rose tinted glasses on!
Very pretty! The brakes should not be that bad ,perhaps whip the wheels out and check the shoes for high spots . I've used those brakes for 50 years and always found them up to the job , just not as good as a decent disk set up. Possibly sub standard cheap shoes .
