-
-
Now that the weather is on the turn, I'm back on this one. It's been my winter runabout for the past ten years.
Crude, heavy and slow by modern bike standards, it nonetheless never fails to be a lot of fun....
NickComment
-
NICE big an sturdy bike just right to go ploughing through the snowdrifts Nick as ive had motorbike but never a scrambler
becarefull on it m8
chris an jenComment
-
well heres my tuppence worth.. started on a c70 honda step through never had any intrest in bikes but failed my car test and this was going for a song taxed and insured it took me on a journey of discovery no joke semi automatic clutch and after the first ride i just loved the freedom it gave me, 2nd yamaha xt125 bit sluggish but it was a small 4 stroke so i traded it for a dt125 now this could shift after a bit of fine tuning flipped it a couple of times but learned (the hard way) how to balance on one wheel while going up through the box the power band could catch you out quite quickly hence the flips,
passed my test and bought an xt500 in boxes a mate was going to put it together for me but after a while i started it my self and to be fair it when together really quickly moted and away i went again.. kick backs were common but my dad and big brother showed me how to set the points and as long as you did it regularly it was fine it normally gave you a reminder when you least expected it and this helped focus the mind but you pointed it at anything and up it when… swopped it for an rd400 back to 2 strokes and this was a powerfull we beastie when it ran!, I popped a few postons seized it a couple of times rebuilt it over and over again final straw was a long straight and flat out on the tank BANG con-rod snapped and jammed in the exust port. Skid marks were left but not only on the road.
next up xj650 fore damaged rebuild 1st shaft drive i had and in line 4 nice bike but if you backed of the rear end always dropped and i didn't like that so traded it for an xt600, had this for a few years and loved it toured al over France and in to Spain with it miss that bike B416WST no longer on the dvla data base so i suspect it has been scrapped, sold it to a dealer when my wife fell pregnant..
waithed quite a few years then bought a new xt 660 but nothing like the old ones had a small ish with passing out and had to have heart surgery to replace my aortic valve sold it just after chest wasn't as strong as it use to be. that's when i got in to modelling during my recover.. should have stuck with the bikes it would have been cheaper
a few years later i bought an xt250 project and still tring to finish it off got all the parts just time todo it and inclination
this year i bought a kawasaki W800 just to run about on, its new and nice to ride weve had a few runs on it when the suns out managed just over 1000 miles on it it garaged for the winter now. so then one night a couple of week ago i bought another xt600 (1996) this had an mot and a nasty rattle but i didnt pay a lot for it as many of you know the xt range is super exspencive whish id kept the xt 500 they are mental money but the 600 was running* so i have had a few rides on it not many, really need to clear out the garage and get this looked at it’s complete and as far as i can see very original just the engine needs removed and repaired one day i will get round to
ok sorry for harping on and on and on
got lost in nostalgia there for awhile
simonWhy is common sense not so common?Comment
-
The new XT and the W800
im sure i have other pictures of the older ones but not sure where…Why is common sense not so common?Comment
-
Great story and pics Simon. I had an xt550 back in the 80s. That was kick-start only too. The W800 is a lovely bike - shame they seem to sell so few of them. A lovely feeling of momentum to the engine which seems so rare on most new bikes these days....
NickComment
-
Its a 2019 they didnt sell any due to covid and it was a real steal it runs nice and sitting at 55 ish its just great for touring about putt putt sounds great from the twin my only criticism would be it feels like it needs another gear.
not perticualry fast but if you do drop ot acouple of gears and wind it up it soon flies up to the ton not that i would do such a thing (often).
simonWhy is common sense not so common?Comment
-
Funny story when i first got theW800 my to nephews both asked for a ride on it, so i said ok minute i started it & they both ran for the hills, But Molly our 3 year old granddaughter ran towards me saying i want ago granddad .. this is one of the best pictures i have you can tell by her grin she loved itWhy is common sense not so common?Comment
-
Priceless grandad moment!!!!!
She'll be the one to watch.Comment
-
About time I got back to another Motorcycle ! - I made one of these a long time ago in Titanium Grey as I had a real one, but as I sold the model again on Ebay and I had also owned a lovely Silver one, I have been bidding and finally nicked one on Ebay again £13.00 plus p and p ! This one will be Silver - Happy days !
Comment
-
Nice bikes those, Steve.
NickComment
-
Well, I took the 650 Suzuki out for a toodle round the backroads this morning. With the weather being so mild and all the Christmas and New year family stuff done, wifey expressed an interest in going for a spin. This is probably the first time she's been on the back of the bike during the month of January since we had kids!
My route took in the old Birch airfield where one of the runways became a public road after the war. According to the usual sources, the airfield was completed in 1943 by the US airforce, but never became fully operational. It was used as an emergency landing field and for the massing of transports and gliders for the crossing of the Rhine. More recently it has been used buy dads taking their offspring for first drives and for late night silliness...
NickComment
Comment