A passion for bikes is inborn l think so.

[thaiguzzi]

1 hour ago, Neilly said:

Came across this the other day...I can imagine the power band on the 2 strokes was about a gnats chuff wide

 

 

Which one?

the 125cc Yamaha V4?

Jeez i thought Honda Wave pistons were small. That thing has 35mm pistons.

Never even knew about it.

Nice wall poster by the way...

[transam]

17 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

Which one?

the 125cc Yamaha V4?

Jeez i thought Honda Wave pistons were small. That thing has 35mm pistons.

Never even knew about it.

Nice wall poster by the way...

 

[thehelmsman]

My father told stories of the Ariel he rode in Denmark, had a separate set of bars for passenger he told. Single thumper.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, thehelmsman said:

My father told stories of the Ariel he rode in Denmark, had a separate set of bars for passenger he told. Single thumper.

Ariel Square four ? ?  my dad wanted on of em.

[Kwasaki]

Having a beer today and thinking back,  l know thinking can be dangerous it's just that the many bikes l have ridden over the years weren't mine they were either me test riding at bike shops or riding guys bikes that they brought to me for servicing them. 

The bike l really liked the engine of & riding was the VFR750 but never got to buy one because l could not get on with the look of it,  l bought my 92 Blade because it had a similar look to the RC30 & even a better look of the RC45 and affordable.

What was it that anyone here got because you just had to have it. ?

[CMKiwi]

Saw a rather large Thai guy on a VFR1200 yesterday...the bike was more than able to cope.

 

It was a darn fine looking bike too

[Damrongsak]

I think I found the perfect bike for my second childhood - a street legal MX type bike.

 

[transam]

They say you never forget how to swim or ride a push bike. Seems there is stuff that does stay in your old gray cells...

When I came to LOS I hadn't been on a m/cycle for about 40 years, Mrs.Trans near all her life.

I bought a Honda click for her, I had a go and thought what a horrible thing. Soon sold it and bought a Honda Airblade, I had a go and thought this is more like it, feels like my old Lambretta. Now remember the 40 year thing. Where we live there is a 7km windy road around the edge of a lake..

I said to her..Jump on the back, within no time l was leaning this thing over to the limit around the bends with her screaming in my ear...AAAAAAAAAAAAH.....So, seems ones rascal riding habits stay with you too......

We have a PCX now, it's fine but the Airblade was a fun scooter for me.. I rarely ride the PCX though..

[Kwasaki]

12 hours ago, CMKiwi said:

Saw a rather large Thai guy on a VFR1200 yesterday...the bike was more than able to cope.

 

It was a darn fine looking bike too

270 kg !!  Go body-building and get one. 

 

One was sold s/h baht/sold 500+ something.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Kwasaki

[Kwasaki]

On 7/25/2017 at 7:13 PM, thehelmsman said:

My father told stories of the Ariel he rode in Denmark, had a separate set of bars for passenger he told. Single thumper.

The Ariel Red Hunter bikes were singles 250 / 350 / 500 .

Ariel has a diverse interesting History they bought Triumph at the top of their success, then later sold to BSA and dropped.

There name is still used and the Ariel bike made is only £50,000.

 

[Neilly]

15 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

What was it that anyone here got because you just had to have it. ?

For me it was the RD350LC...I was totally possessed with it! I think it was about six months from when it was first unveiled at the Tokyo show until being released in the UK...I saved like crazy, I stopped drinking except on a Sunday lunchtime, I did every single bit of overtime I could get my hands on...and it was all worth it!

[Kwasaki]

48 minutes ago, Neilly said:

For me it was the RD350LC...I was totally possessed with it! I think it was about six months from when it was first unveiled at the Tokyo show until being released in the UK...I saved like crazy, I stopped drinking except on a Sunday lunchtime, I did every single bit of overtime I could get my hands on...and it was all worth it!

l had a go on a RD350 once,  never any that followed and LC was better looking IMO.

Did you stick with the same bike or get a later YPVS. 

[soihok]

Wanted an LC at the time, but was seriously out of pocket.

[thaiguzzi]

16 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Having a beer today and thinking back,  l know thinking can be dangerous it's just that the many bikes l have ridden over the years weren't mine they were either me test riding at bike shops or riding guys bikes that they brought to me for servicing them. 

The bike l really liked the engine of & riding was the VFR750 but never got to buy one because l could not get on with the look of it,  l bought my 92 Blade because it had a similar look to the RC30 & even a better look of the RC45 and affordable.

What was it that anyone here got because you just had to have it. ?

S/H Moto Guzzi Centauro GT. In British Racing Green.

[thehelmsman]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

The Ariel Red Hunter bikes were singles 250 / 350 / 500 .

Ariel has a diverse interesting History they bought Triumph at the top of their success, then later sold to BSA and dropped.

There name is still used and the Ariel bike made is only £50,000.

 

The old bikes were sure a pretty sight. The above bike is surely suited for the  biking elite.

As I get older I wished I had asked more questions of my dad's life.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, thehelmsman said:

The old bikes were sure a pretty sight. The above bike is surely suited for the  biking elite.

As I get older I wished I had asked more questions of my dad's life.

l would thought it would been one of the Red Hunters they were the main single made others were fours and twins.

Yeah getting my Dad to talk was hard the war kinda did that my mum said.

My way was a couple beers and just mention his old Rudge. 

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

S/H Moto Guzzi Centauro GT. In British Racing Green.

l use to see Moto Guzzi at motorcycle meetups l only remember the one had a headlight in a front fairing.

I never remember seeing this,  is this the one, expensive new l guess.

 

 

[Motard]

5 hours ago, Neilly said:

For me it was the RD350LC...I was totally possessed with it! I think it was about six months from when it was first unveiled at the Tokyo show until being released in the UK...I saved like crazy, I stopped drinking except on a Sunday lunchtime, I did every single bit of overtime I could get my hands on...and it was all worth it!

I agree,unfortunately I just bought an XT500.I remember my pal and wife on his new LC and I with wife got stopped as we wheelied away from the lights in Bristol Sunday having visited the bridge.The book was out but when we unveiled our old age they said off you go

 

[Neilly]

6 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Did you stick with the same bike or get a later YPVS. 

No I didn't...I had two 350LC's, the first was the white/blue and the second was black/red...I was toying with the idea of getting an RD500LC, but then I went into my XS1100 stage

[Neilly]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

l only remember the one had a headlight in a front fairing.

I'd hazard a guess at the 850 Le Mans...

[thaiguzzi]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

l use to see Moto Guzzi at motorcycle meetups l only remember the one had a headlight in a front fairing.

I never remember seeing this,  is this the one, expensive new l guess.

 

 

That is a Centauro indeed. Yellow and metallic grey.

Mine was the Centauro GT, which had more farkles inc a very nice bikini fairing. They all had two tone paintwork, mine being British Racing Green with the white stripe down the middle.

8V motors with belt drive to the cams. Huge torque, and yes, ridiculously expensive when new. One of the reasons they did'nt sell that well, also styling wise, they were a bit ahead of their time, or er, very different.

[thaiguzzi]

4 minutes ago, Neilly said:

I'd hazard a guess at the 850 Le Mans...

Original MK I's are fetching stupid money these days. MK II's are not far behind.

As for the Ducati Desmo 750 and 900SS, well, you better re-mortgage the house....

Not seen a mint original one below £35k for a couple of years now...

[thaiguzzi]

9 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

The Ariel Red Hunter bikes were singles 250 / 350 / 500 .

Ariel has a diverse interesting History they bought Triumph at the top of their success, then later sold to BSA and dropped.

There name is still used and the Ariel bike made is only £50,000.

 

Ya know why that looks nice?

1. It's not wrapped in plastic doodads.

2. It still has a round headlight and hence does'nt look like a transformer.

3. It's all black. Basic black. Not 4 different colours with a daft scheme that someone has just puked it on.

Edited July 28, 2017 by thaiguzzi

[thaiguzzi]

10 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

The Ariel Red Hunter bikes were singles 250 / 350 / 500 .

Ariel has a diverse interesting History they bought Triumph at the top of their success, then later sold to BSA and dropped.

There name is still used and the Ariel bike made is only £50,000.

 

Not quite correct.

When Triumph were top of their game, they were bought by BSA. Unfortunately.

Without delving into my books, Ariel bought Triumph before they'd even brought out any of their famous twins, ie 1936, i think.

[Kwasaki]

14 hours ago, Neilly said:

No I didn't...I had two 350LC's, the first was the white/blue and the second was black/red...I was toying with the idea of getting an RD500LC, but then I went into my XS1100 stage

Wow !!   150 kg to someik like 280 kg a big change. 

[Kwasaki]

14 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Ya know why that looks nice?

1. It's not wrapped in plastic doodads.

2. It still has a round headlight and hence does'nt look like a transformer.

3. It's all black. Basic black. Not 4 different colours with a daft scheme that someone has just puked it on.

 laugh yeah everyone to there own like but your #3 comment reminds of wana-be GP riders that turned up at bike-meets with one-piece coloured leathers matching their bikes,  they got some stick. 

[Kwasaki]

14 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

That is a Centauro indeed. Yellow and metallic grey.

Mine was the Centauro GT, which had more farkles inc a very nice bikini fairing. They all had two tone paintwork, mine being British Racing Green with the white stripe down the middle.

8V motors with belt drive to the cams. Huge torque, and yes, ridiculously expensive when new. One of the reasons they did'nt sell that well, also styling wise, they were a bit ahead of their time, or er, very different.

Interesting unlike cars,  bikes could get face-lifts during production more often and you needed frame numbers to nail down what they looked like.

Was yours this model suppose to be Gt but ya never know.

 

[Neilly]

28 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

150 kg to someik like 280 kg a big change

After riding an LC everything else seemed tame LOL

 

Here's one for you...my mate in UK keeps his Z900 in his living room

 

 

[thaiguzzi]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

Interesting unlike cars,  bikes could get face-lifts during production more often and you needed frame numbers to nail down what they looked like.

Was yours this model suppose to be Gt but ya never know.

 

Nearly. Nice innit?

It's got the GT bikini fairing, but stock would also of had the rear seat cover and belly pan as in your other pic of the yellow/grey one. IMHO a great looking, different bike.

You can see the (awful) plastic cam belt covers at the front of the motor. 99% of Big Twin Guzzi's were still being sold as OHV pushrod 2V motors at the time and IMO were a better motor.

[thaiguzzi]

Edit.

It probably is a GT, with a damaged belly pan removed for some reason, and someone is riding pillion, so the seat cover is off and the pillion pegs down.