Motorbike photos

George,

    How dare you contaminate this thread with a non engined bike.

Please remove It immediately 

Steve, not wanting to start yet another war on the forum, I am not suggesting one version is correct, simply that if you own both old and new, IT would surely be a challenge to remember which side to change gear /brake.

I remember one of my mates riding these, sme time I had my katana. Seem to recall the engine was very loud, high revving and had a "rattly" sound

Paul,

I wasn't trying to be controversial. It's a bit like right hand drive cars vs left hand drive cars. The position of the levers I mentioned as "correct" was the British manner but obviously with the import of foreign bikes and the demise of the British motorcycle industry the opposite manner became the norm.

ATB

Steve

Just remembered the old suzuki RE5 with a rotary engine. Anyone owned one, if so what was it like to ride?

I still have fond memories of one of these.

I was too young and ignorant to keep it on the road for much over a year, it died in august 85 and I spent too much trying to resurrect it but just couldn't afford to in the end.

I killed one of these too.

but it never got under my skin like the duke. Bloody uncomfortable seat too.

My daily transport since 1997 has been one of these, in a rather brighter red then this one.

during which time that faring has remained in the garage.

With 950 barrels, an SS2 cam from raceco, 36mm phf delortos its all the bike I've needed.

Yeti,

     The duke is a great looking bike. The Desmo valve gear was unique. Like the external pushrods casings as well.

Would love to get an old one to restore !

The guzzi looks like its quite a handful

The laverda jota, one of my old time favourites. Pure muscle

I've only ridden a jota briefly as it was cutting in on the 3rd cylinder only occationally, speaking to owners you had to show it who's boss to make it behave itself. the Duke and the Guzzi both look after you, the duke particularly. Those tubes contain  driveshafts to the overhead cams which on the 750GT and 750sport didn't involve desmo operation, you needed the SS for that, the frame was esentially the same Colin Sealey design.

Between the Duke and the Guzzi apart from the BM there where a honda 750F1, which wobbled, a Honda 550F which was a sweet little bike but too easily thrashed, I wore it out in 2 years, and one of these.

a Panther M100, this time it definitly is a pushrod tube, I did 10000 miles on this in 6 months including a trip to the north west corner of Scotland on the way back from which the top of the piston parted company with the rest of it somewhere north of Manchester. I rebuilt it and fitted a double adult sidecar when I got the BM for solo work but it spent most of the next 20 years  in my garage.

There was also a 1987 Honda CBR1000 which did the trick of going from boring to frightening with no enjoyable bit in the middle, the Guzzi is the oposite, enjoyable at any speed, after I got used to it, it takes 50 miles to get the point of a Guzzi. Mine has Jota bars and a LM1 faring, I don't fancy the barn door that came with it.

Nice Yeti. I take it that is a seperate gearbox and engine. Good old fashioned engineering.

Never ridden with a sidecar. Must be interesting?

George and Mildred !!

When I was riding the Katana, as a young free and single fella, I always stripped the bike down completely every winter, and brought the bike ( in pieces) into the spare bedroom.

I recall one spring, after rebuilding the bike, it was running like a dog,and just wouldn't accelerate properly. Took the bike to local bike shop for an opinion and after one look the mechanic said he new what the problem was.

He simply pulled out the rubber vent pipes that connect to the top of the carbs, saying they had kinked when put through the frame. I of course didnot believe it was such a simple issue.

I started the bike and wound the throttle back as usual.

The bike shot off like a scalded cat, with the biggest wheelie ever, and me hanging on for my life.

God was that a memory I will never forget

Arthur and Olive, the glamour couple from "On The Buses"

That's the way to park the bike.

Just leave the wife by the roadside

Great photo

This has to be the coolest motorbike photo ever. Francoise Hardy, epitome of Gallic chic(k)

I had 2 dealers who used to concentrate on spares for these pigs,sorry bikes. Only ever ridden one,from memory bit like trying to do ballroom dancing wearing steel toe capped Doc Martins.

One of the nicest bikes i ever rode,not the quickest,was the Honda VFR750,it just felt right to me.

Mista H

H,

   Your description of ballroom dancing is "classic"

A real rib tickler

Kevin,

    What a superb photo, on so many levels.

The pure beauty of the B&W

The clarity and detail even in her hair strands

The detail of the tyre tread

The sensuality of the leather clad lady.

OMG-- have to stop now.

Who is she anyway?

That's a Brough Superior that George is sat on! I'll have to track down some of the shows. Never ridden a combo - seems to combine all the disadvantages of bike and car with none of the advantages. I know some people do love them and I understand they are very good in snow which is very relevant right now!

Mixing music and leather, this one gets my vote.

Hang on, someone's nicked the bike

In those days, the boys would ride anything!

Lets be honest, Suzy q was probably on most boys bedroom walls

To hell with the bike.

Oh, and scroll back up the thread to review Ann Hathaway on the bat bike

Oh yes !

Paul, FH was the most interesting French pop performer of the 1960s and 70s. She was also an actress. Hung around with Dylan, Delon, Miles, all the cool types.

Her music's pretty cool and still widely available. Worth buying for the sleeves alone

As well as riding motorcycles she also drove F1 cars: