My dream 4 bike garage

[dazza]

Not including the Fazer of course.
I don't know about any of you but I got a little hot under the collar looking at these lot.
Only one I've not ridden was the NSR.
How I wish I had kept my 500LC, bought it for £500 from someone's back garden where it had been standing for over a year.
Had to pull it out from the brambles that had grown up through it but a trip to the steam cleaners, set of second hand forks and some fresh petrol saw it fire into life with that sweet burble from it's 4 exhausts and that distinct smell of two stroke. Ahh, the memories.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201188226315?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Granted they all look a bit dated now but with a bit of fettling......

[hotmetal]

That's an awesome story about the LC! I can only imagine how you're kicking yourself for getting rid. Probably saved you a fortune in top end rebuilds though.

[bigralphie]

I saw a lovely unrestored one going through its MOT when I was getting tyres couple of months ago
was great to hear all that fizzing and popping again 

[Hedgetrimmer]

Wow. I think this bid will go pretty high, considering a good nick RG500 alone could well fetch £10k.
As if there wasn't already enough tempting stuff out there, and you have to come up with this Dazza  You barsteward! 

I loved my RG, even though it was totally impractical for what I needed at the time. If I owned these, yeah, I'd have to ride em, but I don't think I'd want to put too many miles on them. And to think, the money is sitting there in the bank right now! 

[dazza]

There's something about these 80's  strokers. The fact that they will never be produced again down to emission laws make these so desirable and they are only going to rocket in value.
Wouldn't want to have that money in the bank Nick as my self control would probably go out of the window and I'd get myself into a bidding war with these beauties.
Even this unrestored LC has made over 5K and still rising 

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201187408255?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 

[NorthWestern]

I always fancied road registering my old mans TZ750... :p


It's now in Australia...

[Hedgetrimmer]

I always fancied road registering my old mans TZ750... :p


It's now in Australia...

There used to be a guy went up High Beach on a road registered one of those, way back when. Green colour if I remember rightly. Wonder if he survived it? 

[ChristoT]

Braaaaaap.

You can tell the oldies by the guys going misty eyed over a glorified moped. Us young 'uns don't know what we missed, and so relish our 4 strokers' reliability. 

( )

[YamFazFan]

I always find it a bit sad to think that they will never be produced again .2-strokes of this era had that fantastic rebel image about them didn't they.I was out riding with a mate that has a 350lc the other week and following behind I noticed how much the publics reaction to them has changed since I had my 350YPVS.Years ago people just accepted that a good proportion of bikes chucked out a bit of smoke now & then.Now it's all hands waving in faces & theatrical pretend coughing!.They prob think the bike is about to go terminal!

[YamFazFan]

Braaaaaap.

You can tell the oldies by the guys going misty eyed over a glorified moped. Us young 'uns don't know what we missed, and so relish our 4 strokers' reliability. 

( )

 

[Hedgetrimmer]

Christo, you don't know what you missed 
If you ever get the chance to ride one o' them ol' strokers, jump at it; just remember, they don't handle, have crap brakes and go like stink!

When the LCs first came out, I wasn't quite old enough to have them. But I remember I used to cycle around the country lanes around Epping, and coming around a bend to be confronted with packs of the things haring towards me, clouds of blue smoke trailing in their wake. You could have the 250 on L plates, and there was a proper crazy-gang mentality to it all. And the police weren't quite so hot on speeding then; no cameras, no radar traps; oh yes, you don't know what you missed! 

When I worked at Waltham Cross m/cs back in about 2006/7, ol' Locky dug a GT550 out of one of his lock-ups to get running and sell. When Andy took it out for it's first ride, there was so much smoke, you could literally not see from one kerbside to the opposite one 

[ChristoT]

When I worked at Waltham Cross m/cs back in about 2006/7, ol' Locky dug a GT550 out of one of his lock-ups to get running and sell. When Andy took it out for it's first ride, there was so much smoke, you could literally not see from one kerbside to the opposite one 

Animal Farm quote? Check. Promises of smile and adventure? Check. Picture of source of smiles and adventure getting her tits out? Double check!! 



Text: Top: Women and motorcycles are all the same. But some of them are "more" equal
Left text:
The relaxing of the Warrior
Back from hunting
A body that is offered in the game of the abandon, an invitation to leave all behind

And the certainty that it is the one. It always forgives after the adventure. It's only weapon: a smile.
The footprint of the new Samurai

Right text: Brake and various other spec (overview)

[ChristoT]

(And thoughout foccerhood, all the oldies are fapping to this post.  )

[Kosmic Kartman]

I had the opportunity to ride one these many years ago.

http://www.motorlife.be/Graphics/Oldtimers/Bikers%20Classics%202009/27_racer.jpg

It was an ex Barry Ditchburn KR750. This thing had me shaking with adrenalin before I'd even ridden it and after a trek/blast round the streets of Bermondsey (yes you read that right), and I'm going back to the days when there used to be a large church in the middle of the road on the approach to Rotherhithe tunnel from the old Surrey Docks) I had added tears streaming uncontrollably from my eyes soaking the cheek pads of my Kangol. Fuck knows how they managed to race them. There was no telling when the powerband would kick in. Sometimes at 4,000 rpm, sometimes at 9,000, sometimes anywhere in between. You couldn't read when it was coming, it was just there in a rush ripping your arms and shoving your arse to the bum stop. The bike was owned by a an old mate of mine who bought it in bits. I remember one thing that surprised me was that the the transfer ports were laid out diagonally. This made for a very narrow engine... quite clever IMO. The bike also came with two sets of front discs, one alloy set and a steal set. Can't think why alloy discs apart the weight but they don't stop you (think big bike with shit drum brakes and you'll get my drift, they just gently slow you down to the point wher you've gone beyond where you want to stop, nothing like the breaking technology we have today. As an 18yo still on a RD's with L plates this bike was in a different league... on another planet. No wonder the people that race them are called aliens.  It was and still is the scariest bike I've ever ridden, with a psycho mentality to match. If you ever get the chance to ride one of these 70's war horses do so but approach it with caution and remember they often have a mind of they're own and aren't easily tamed.

[Kosmic Kartman]

Christo, you don't know what you missed 
If you ever get the chance to ride one o' them ol' strokers, jump at it; just remember, they don't handle, have crap brakes and go like stink!

When the LCs first came out, I wasn't quite old enough to have them. But I remember I used to cycle around the country lanes around Epping, and coming around a bend to be confronted with packs of the things haring towards me, clouds of blue smoke trailing in their wake. You could have the 250 on L plates, and there was a proper crazy-gang mentality to it all. And the police weren't quite so hot on speeding then; no cameras, no radar traps; oh yes, you don't know what you missed! 

I was fortunate enough to have had these bikes during my youth being dragged up in SE London and as Nick says "proper crazy-gang mentality". I wouldn't change it for anything. Best time of my life.

[YamFazFan]

I always fancied road registering my old mans TZ750... :p


It's now in Australia...

What an amazing bike.The guys that designed & produced these were geniuses.I defy anyone that's heard one of these at full chat not to get a tingle down the spine!.

[YamFazFan]

I had the opportunity to ride one these many years ago.

http://www.motorlife.be/Graphics/Oldtimers/Bikers%20Classics%202009/27_racer.jpg

It was an ex Barry Ditchburn KR750. This thing had me shaking with adrenalin before I'd even ridden it and after a trek/blast round the streets of Bermondsey (yes you read that right), and I'm going back to the days when there used to be a large church in the middle of the road on the approach to Rotherhithe tunnel from the old Surrey Docks) I had added tears streaming uncontrollably from my eyes soaking the cheek pads of my Kangol. Fuck knows how they managed to race them. There was no telling when the powerband would kick in. Sometimes at 4,000 rpm, sometimes at 9,000, sometimes anywhere in between. You couldn't read when it was coming, it was just there in a rush ripping your arms and shoving your arse to the bum stop. The bike was owned by a an old mate of mine who bought it in bits. I remember one thing that surprised me was that the the transfer ports were laid out diagonally. This made for a very narrow engine... quite clever IMO. The bike also came with two sets of front discs, one alloy set and a steal set. Can't think why alloy discs apart the weight but they don't stop you (think big bike with shit drum brakes and you'll get my drift, they just gently slow you down to the point wher you've gone beyond where you want to stop, nothing like the breaking technology we have today. As an 18yo still on a RD's with L plates this bike was in a different league... on another planet. No wonder the people that race them are called aliens.  It was and still is the scariest bike I've ever ridden, with a psycho mentality to match. If you ever get the chance to ride one of these 70's war horses do so but approach it with caution and remember they often have a mind of they're own and aren't easily tamed.

...& I was thinking that 'The Swarm' at Thorpe Park last week was the scariest machine a human being can ride!,maybe not,that KR sounds like a right animal .My first proper bikes after passing my test in the late 80's were RD's & you blokes are spot on,there was a real cult scene about them.The 500 was quite a rare beast even at the time tho,you didn't see them very often.I think the complexity of the V4 lump + all the additional cost prob put a lot of people off.short production run as well I think.Used to see a few more RG500's about,but that was reckoned to be the better of the 2 wasn't it?.Don't remember seeing hardly any NS400's at the time.All I really recall about that was the weedy sounding exhaust note compared to the lovely deeper burbling of the other 2 bikes .

[NorthWestern]

He made it himself, frame, pipes, swingarm, tank etc engine tuning suspension

[YamFazFan]

He made it himself, frame, pipes, swingarm, tank etc engine tuning suspension

That's awesome .I take my hat off to anyone that can do that sort of thing.

[hotmetal]

Ah, nice. My sister's bf had a 350LC, had a go on it and it was so awesome, big cloud of blue smoke and ringadingding! I only had a Vespa 150 at the time so it was like a space rocket to me. I remember opening the throttle all the way and thinking "this isn't that fast" while it was burbling, then it shot off and nearly had me on my arse LOL! Haven't had that feeling again until I took my mate's R1 for a tear up the day before he flogged it.

[Deefer666]

I wish I had kept my 500 Gamma, it had a ZXR400 fairing complete with tank modified to take the "hoover" hoses to go through, RGV250 style single seat unit, and GSX-R750 front and rear suspension, wheels and brakes.


It was in a local bike shop for £1250 for  ages and rumour had it that it scared pretty much everyone who rode it.... Nearly killed a few potential owner on test rides. I ummed and arred about buying it for a long time, before finally making my mind up to buy it. When I appeared at the shop with a wad of £20's in my hand it had gone. Apparently they were selling it for someone who had got fed up with them not being able to sell it and had come and taken it back.


I threatened the address out the showroom staff and rushed round the geezers house offering to buy the bike, He said he was too scared to ride it and just wanted shot of it so I could have it for £800.... Probably one of the looniest bikes I ever had, I regularly used to try and spit me off the back..... wheelies, slides, wheel spins, it was mental with a powerblade about 1000rpm wide at 7k that was as vicious as a kick in the nads from a gang of skinheads. Wound up it did about 20 to the gallon, but I loved it.


I eventually sold it to an bloke who had been making noises about restoring it.... Yeah right! I would love to know where that bike is now.


 

[Hedgetrimmer]

They were mental bikes with only one purpose - thrash the nuts off it! 

Was yours tuned at all Deefer?

[YamFazFan]

Year=1990,RD350YPVSF11,my first brand new bike .Couldn't bear to part with the black LC for the time being tho,so kept that for a while as well.Both long gone now

[Deefer666]

[size=78%]Oh yes, I don't know who by but it was always intended as a full blown track bike before someone had the bright idea of putting back on the road. I never got into what had been done to it but it was impossible to ride in the wet, impossible to ride in town, impossible to commute on. The power delivery was so vicious it was just impossible to ride unless it was flat out. It was complete unadulterated evil with the sole intention of maiming anyone silly enough to attempt to ride it.[/size]

[Deefer666]

I was a two stroke loon, I had a load legal KX500 and CR500, I had a TZR 250 V Twin & Reverse cylinder, I had several kawasaki triples and a Dresda GT380


As well as these two: