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RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:40:08 GMT

Thought you must've been busy - surely 'twas too soon for another holiday!

Funny you should mention CBR front ends... industrial quality, I would say! Anyway, it wasn't my fault somebody put a traffic island there when I wasn't looking...

I'd be delighted to try out the reviewing section, sadly (or possibly mercifully) my riding has never been captured on video, but pictures aren't a problem, though.

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:22:13 GMT

A man like you Endo with all the machines you've had should write me a review of at least one of them! i.e how robust are CBR front ends etc.. (chortle).

Been rather busy pushing through some new site developments and pleased to announce as of yesterday all submitted reviews can now feature pics and a video clip. Fancy guinea pigging the system old chap? Oh and by the way PM me for a T-shirt, hastily designed by lone punkster of Hastings Richard Stone ( www.portisart.com )

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:42:20 GMT

It has long been a quirk of mine (as you probably remember, Hoov) to fit a sports rack and an assortment of bungees and cargo nets to every bike I own. (Thinking about it, I probably should've bought shares in Renntec...). It's allowed me to get away with having some fairly high-tech road scalpels that can still be practical all-year round rides: used to be able to get a week's shopping at a time, even on last-generation litre sportsbikes - and that included four lots of cat food. Granted, the racks themselves do tend towards the hideous end of ugly and with the aforementioned shopping on board one does look like one of those third world types four-up plus livestock on a C90, but it can be done. Ruins the handling, tho', without a doubt - more so, the more poised the bike to begin with. I can see why manufacturers continue to keep their big-engined tourers separate from their big-engined track monsters...!

I'd love to do the credit card/toothbrush thing along the coast roads from Cannes to Rome: it's just a fantastic trip. Sadly, I've only ever done it in an antique camper van that struggled to hit 60 downhill with a tailwind. But for "proper" touring, yep: definitely want something roomier than an '08 1000.

Nothing wrong with your powers of recall..."Bridge of Sighs" it is.

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:08:05 GMT

Gentlemen, so many answers required.

The Buell made me grin, the Blade made me tight lipped and shallow breathed as I needed to concentrate more, so as you say Endo my dear chap Ruthless function for the BladeO

Rebber,There aint nothing wrong with the Trumpet, its probably more comfy, better mpg, less license losing potential, more of a grin to ride fast (you find the supposed inadequacies in comparison to a blade so probably more enjoyable, more rider input) and forget about luggage on a litre sports bike, not only would it be a heinous sin but there's nowhere to put it, the rear of the fuselage is so skinny it'll probably just snap or something. Travel light on one of these things, credit card and toothbrush (which you'd probably have to put in your jacket pockets because the storage space under the seat isn't there.

'Why so cold..' Bridge of Sighs? or is my recall letting me down, 'Victims of the fury' possibly? Gonna have to go home and find out now damn it!

RE: new bikes

rebelman — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:03:02 GMT

Gotta hand it to you Hoov, a great review. I just need some money now you have convinced me my bike is really not up too scratch! LOL Acctually I know what you mean about using all the capabilities and it's power, don't think I really need one of these or the new Kwacka of which there were two of parked up in Brighton the other week with sequensional number plates. One was grey and the other black, they looked a million dollars both wearing panniers etc. Can the new Blade be fitted for lugage? Would it be right to do so? The coolest place to ride this sort of bike if skilled enough would surely be around the Alps or somewhere like it on all the twisty roads with some motorway occasionally to blast it for awhile.

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:06:06 GMT

Cracking blog review of the 'blade, Mr. Roadhoover. As good as expected (bike and review). I wonder, though, is it coincidence that there is more technical analysis than alliteration, compared to, say, the Buell review? Or is it that the Honda inspires the head to think engineering where the Buell inspires the heart to write poetry? Which may answer the question posed as to why one would need a litre hyperbike. Answer: because it is the ultimate in unguided missile engineering: as close to a perfectly-integrated riding mechanism as possible and there to be admired as a statement of ruthless function. (Or, at a slightly less intellectual level, it has "1000" on the tank, which means the rider is a man of steel, with cojones the size of pumpkins and the abilities of a riding god). In a way, it doesn't even matter that it will probably never be used to the limit, because - off the racetrack - that isn't really what it's for.

Personally, though, I got a little jaded with all that unflustered near-perfection and limitless capability, preferring to return to machines more closely matched to my own abilities. Reckon that's where most of the fun is!

Not often you see a Robin Trower quote in print...tho', for this weekend I think I prefer: "Why so unforgiving, and why so cold?"!!!

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:35:01 GMT

‘I say what a fine array of shiny missiles you have my good man’

‘Absolutely Sir, are you looking for anything in particular, we have the full line up of weaponry from the Honda Skynet corporation on display with appropriate demonstrators. Perhaps a sub spatial orbiter, stratosphere cruiser,…

‘That one there is rather appealing with the stubby exhaust vent‘.

Ah, of course, the latest generation of Fireblade, note the sleek outer shell and pared down profile for decreased molecular friction. Perhaps Sir would care for a swift lunge into hyperspace? The oxygen tanks are full and should see you through two hours of earth time heavy breathing. If we could just take a little blood for the demonstrator contract…. (A tiresome necessity you understand should you burn up and trash on re-entry‘).

‘Don’t mind if I do, a couple of millilitres be sufficient‘?

‘Perfect Sir. If Sir would care to get suited up I will just run through the instrumentation checks before you launch onto the supernova space highway‘.

‘Be aware that the thought police will be surrounding the outer limits of the atmosphere to snag the unwary aero space age warrior as they accelerate into the golden void‘.‘No problem my good man, see you in two hours’

Space was cold and the poison rain threatened, white finger and cold tyres. Shades of Brock, Butterworth and the dead poet Calvert.

And to quote Robin Trower, 'where are the roads to freedom'?

Are litre class sportsbikes redundant, I hope not but in order to enjoy the ride and surf the exhilleration you need space and lots of it.

RE: new bikes

rebelman — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:50:46 GMT

Looking forward to the Blade test too Hoov.

Thing about new bikes I disslike is that the manufacturers seem to imediately run stocks of bits for the older models down and generally like my now only 4 year old bike it seems an impossibility to find genuine accessories for it. Sad for us peeps who really cannot afford a new ride every time an updated model comes out. Be a great idea if the makers continued to provide new accessories to improve and up-grade the older models to benifit those of us whose pockets are not so full.

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:25:03 GMT

I guess Euro-III's a right pain to engineer for, judging by the work manufacturers have had to put in to comply. As I recall, the Honda's got some sort of space-age resonance chamber design going on, in conjunction with dual EXUP-type valves. KTM seem to have gone the low-tech route and bolted on a cat/collector box about the size of a shipping container. Aesthetically, I've got to say the Honda wins out there, although the KTM box is at least mostly hidden. And the KTM, for me, still wins on overall appearance.

Even so, I can't see why (a lot of) the biking press were complaining about the Blade's styling: looks fine to me. Not as pointy at the front as a lot of current bikes, but nonetheless a purposeful snout.

You could be in luck: weather forecast is for the better. I shall look forward to the review with interest: get the feeling it might be an impossibly brilliant bike.

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 11:04:24 GMT

Test riding the new RC8. That would be a bit of a coup.

Hopefully going to take the new Blade out for a spin this week if the weather holds up. What about the exhaust on that? Aesthetically I don't mind it, it is incredibly well engineered as you'd expect from Honda, it's how it works and what is inside it that is the thing to wonder.

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:31:58 GMT

Just been reading the launch review of the KTM RC8 and I have to say I rather like the look of it (apart from the exhaust, which is possibly the ugliest ever manufactured). In orange, of course. Nice to see the Austrian lads branching out a bit: it's rumoured to be headed for the Superstocks as a proving ground.

If you get to review one, Hoov, can I have a go???

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:33:03 GMT

With mischievous grin: how hard were you trying to get that wheelie, then?

(No offense - I've never been able t'wheelie any damn thing. On purpose, that is!)

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:42:13 GMT

On the vid I don't think it looks all that in terms of lean angle, when I was riding it felt like I was nearly horizontal, another vain dream quashed by reality. But it is so easy to push about, you guys could do the same with confidence I have no doubt, I bet the Duke is a sweet handler as well Mr BD

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:36:58 GMT

rebelman (01/03/2008)

Love the easy looking way you took the roundabout Hoov

I thought that too. That was some lean angle and a decent corner speed, although it looked pretty relaxed. I suppose that's the mark of a decent-handling bike.

RE: new bikes

rebelman — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:10:02 GMT

Love the easy looking way you took the roundabout Hoov, looked so relaxed in it's job the bike,looks like it just wants to keep playing out on the open road. Great reading Hoov, makes even a relative novice like me want to test drive one. Shame I have a distinct lack of sheckles too.

A bike thats easy to enjoy to the full, must be a back to biking bike!

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:16:04 GMT

Cheerz BD, love Dogzuki, Geraint is a clever old kiddie and it fits the vid well I thought. It was pretty and dirty when I gave it back. Sob!

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:11:39 GMT

Great review, hoov, and I loved the video. Interesting two-part wheelie, and good to hear Dogzuki again.

Keep up the good work.

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:38:14 GMT

Punk music fans can now delight in some very fine Dogzuki music to acompany the posted today video supported review of the Buell Lightning, and who is the man in the '27' jacket I wonder?

Anybody who knows me, will know that I have a 100 mile round trip commute to work and back per day. Like I say in the review, I know certain aquaintances are going to collect partially rotten tomatoes with a view to hurling at me whilst decrying my treachery or weirdness at the same time for liking the Buell. But I tell ye, the day I had to give it back was possibly the last occasion I might get to really ride the thing, so at 6.45 Thursday morning I made it my goal to really ride the mammalians off it.

It was a trifle greasy, but not too much to worry about, wasn't cold, (made a change), really gave it a few handfuls on the approach run to UKBike Central, managed to activate the fan whilst in motion on the way, landed, walked into work, looked at the clock. 46 minutes! I've tried hard on the venerable Nine but the Buell bested the nine by close to ten minutes, like I say in the review a riders bike. The cycle parts were a bit furry when I gave it back though I must admit. (winter riding, salt sudden extremes of heat in a cold clime, who knows)?

http://www.ukbike.com/Roadtest.aspx?RoadtestID=4

Read and watch, weep or whoop, post your comments here gentlefolk.

C'mon someone out there must have got their mitts on a new Fireblade or ZX10, Hypermotard or Superduke-R by now for a demo, let us know.

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:58:47 GMT

Yep, have to agree it's not all about having the big numbers on the spec sheets. I can see the argument for big-horse mile munchers if you're off touring - I did lust after the early Super Blackboards, after all. And there is something nice about riding lazily on the enormous torque in 2nd/3rd on a litre hypersports, 'specially if you're in town going nowhere terribly fast. The rest of the time I'd far rather have something that feels like it's alive and working hard in the twisties.

My 01 'blade was so composed I couldn't provoke it at all on the road. It wasn't boring - nothing that fast and sharp can really be dull - but it was rather clinical. I could've been anyone, with pretty much any level of skill, and the bike would've behaved just the same! The 96 'blade I swapped it for was better, needed a firm hand to keep it in line. I'd quite like to try the new one, though, see whether it's gone back towards crazy or forward towards perfection (I suspect the former, just looking at it)...

Multis have always been my favourite, but maybe I haven't ridden enough twins. Particularly the newer ones. Hmmm, might have to investigate further!

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:47:26 GMT

Yeah mate I did like it. Saturnine is my usual winter condition, natural demeanour maybe, The Buell made me grin like a pumpkin (inwardly naturally, hearts on sleeves...nah).

Simplicity equalled large fun.

Went to the new Fireblade launch last night, the difference between the two is poles apart.

The Blade looks sharp, sculpted from some exotic billet of sci-fi rocket metal. This I should imagine is so efficient that it's probably quite intimidating, I defy anybody to ride this to the max on the road, The Buell you can.

Not sure if I would be deflected from my desire for a KTM 950SM, but I believe for most of us, these sub 125hp big twins are more satisfying than the raft of mega cylinder sports bikes on offer. If you can only use 60% of the power, what's the use in buying it in the first place? Other than pub talk, Track days and posing? (trying not to pontificate, guilty of pub talk, posing and track daying myself, but my views are slowly changing).

I think the early Buells were responsible for the reliability record, the latest ones I believe aren't too bad. Other than electrics, there can't be alot to go wrong with them.

I think you know my views on RIDE magazine in a former life.

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:08:38 GMT

You saying you quite liked it then, Hoov? More desirable than a KTM, perhaps? Looks like you were trying quite hard to stay saturnine when you really wanted to grin like a pumpkin!

I do remember encountering (or should that be 'being ambushed by') a Buell - think it was a Firebolt - on a roundabout last summer and I have to say I was stunned by the handling of it. Didn't realise what it was at first when he stuffed it up the inside of me, so I followed for a bit. And even on a fairly frisky sort of a day, it was hard work keeping up. No problem in the flat, as you'd expect on a big multi, but his cornering ability was truly, outrageously in excess of mine.

Shame it probably broke down within ten minutes of my peeling off for home: they don't come highly rated for reliability (copyright Rider Power Survey, years 1896 to 2040)...!

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:20:56 GMT

new bikes folks?

Just finished my review of the Buell XB12 Lightning, what a fun motorcycle. Writing it caused me major headaches as I completed it twice and both times the poxy 'puter errored and I lost the lot, so not quite as it tumbled out of my jangled brain but I hope you get the message and like the review. heres an excerpt...

''.....

I now believe Bike magazine when they voted it the best handling road going machine they had ever tested. I believe now that the accompanying picture in that particular article was not airbrushed software enhanced propaganda. I believe owners I have spoken to who have claimed outlandish hours of happiness and pleasure of ownership from their Buell, I’ve looked into their eyes for signs of over embellishment, of some of the stories I have heard. There was none. I believe Erik Buell has got it right.

The wheels are slender sculptures of motion gripped by Pirelli Diablo tyres in standard sports format of 120 and 180 sections, allied up front with the quirky rim mounted disc the unsprung weight must play a part in the bikes quick turn ability.

I can also attest to the single six pot and rim disc braking efficiency when the other night a white junker of an excuse for a van that was no longer a credit to Ford juddered to a halt like the rudder nosed rotten vehicle that it was with no sign of light escaping from its smashed and splintered rear lens’, the forks soaked up my sudden deceleration stopping me most efficiently without the butt clenching alarm of possible imminent impact and not even the hint of a squeak from the front tyre. The engine braking obviously helps rapid deceleration and stamping down through the box helps naturally. I steered round the rancid excuse for a Transit hurling potent and strident curses of assorted pox on the driver in his smoking and ruinous cab, (and his descendants) and thudded off up the road....'

Full report on the blog. Link to it from the button on any of the main site templated pages. cheerz peeps!

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:39:01 GMT

Yup - agree with all of that!

I keep my old Land Rover for the fun of it, and because I like machines that I understand and can fix. I expect that one day I will buy myself a cheap old Brit bike and cherish that too, and for the same reasons. But I won't kid myself it's better than my fuel-injected, modern-chassis Ducati. I'll have it because I just love to fiddle and fettle. Not many modern bikes allow that.

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:37:32 GMT

All very fair points: particularly the one about someone always being ready to claim it's the beginning of the end of the world! But I guess the whole point about the Golden Age of anything is that it has to be in the past...

I'm not anti-progress or anti-technology in the least, but equally not in favour of technology either for technology's sake or to the detriment of rider skill and control.

Up until now, technology advances have been about giving the rider more control, sharpening that connection between throttle, brake, tyres, road and rider - and that's what I love about riding. So, yes, tyre improvements have been absolutely fantastic for grip and feedback - probably made more of a difference than any of the changes to the actual bikes!

In fact, the last really big improvement I personally noticed in bikes was the mid-90s move towards really stiff beam chassis. The other stuff all seems rather incremental, often cosmetic and a bit like tinkering around the edges: digital clocks, USD forks, radial brakes, mass centralisation imperatives and so on. And we all seem agreed that EFI ain't all that in the improvements department!

Which is why, in terms of enjoying the rider experience in comparative safety, I'm not sure that we have come all that far in the last ten years or so.

It does look as though mainstream electronics will be the next big revolution and that's something I view with mixed feelings. For the first time, it's no longer about reacting to rider input, it's about intercepting it, deciding what the rider meant, whether it's safe to do that and overriding the input as necessary. Not so sure I welcome that philosophy...

There was an article about electronic aids in last month's Performance Bikes, where the features editor was basically saying he thought they were great because they'd allow him to ride like a complete loon with a get-out-of-jail-free card if it all went wrong. I'd like to think he was joking...but he didn't seem to be trying out his irony gland. It's already there on the racetrack, particularly with the Duke superbikes: you can see the pilots whacking the throttle wide open mid-apex and full lean and letting the electronics sort it all out. Call me old-fashioned, but - especially on the road - I'd rather find my own/my bike's limits, learn to read the road and make the right decisions than rely blindly on the bike's brain!

On the servicing front, though - you're absolutely right about people adapting and that the kit will become much more available and cheaper. Given that I'm a highly-trained IT professional and pretty woeful with a set of spanners, I probably ought to welcome that!!!

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:06:33 GMT

Tyres are the one area where recent technical progress is, in my opinon, completely 100% worth while. I returned to biking after a layoff of 10 or so years, and the wet-weather ability of tyres was the biggest shock to me. I now routinely ride as fast in the pouring rain as I used to in the dry in my earlier days. Modern tyres are awesomely good. The technical reason is new silica compounds (or so I'm told). The result is sticky rubber that feels safe, trustworthy and predictable.

RE: new bikes

rebelman — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:31:58 GMT

I too tend to agree with most of the above but truthfully BD hand on my heart when I had the Bonnie with car like tyres on somehow I felt safer than with the tyres of today on the RS which look like someone has just taken a blade too and carved a few small grooves in. Its not untill someone explains the new technology to you that you begin to understand and trust in it. For my part I would in no way look at taking the engine appart on the RS. Esp. the injection unit which as you say probably costs me more in fuel than the previous carbed Sprints.

RE: new bikes

rebelman — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:27:59 GMT

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:45:25 GMT

There's an editorial in one of the classic bike mags this month which deals with this very topic. The drift of it is that we have always said this kind of thing. When hydraulic disc brakes came along, riders said that the average Joe would never be able to service them, have to be tied to the dealer network, etc etc. We just adapt and get on with it.

I do a fair bit in the world of Land Rovers as well as mucking about on two wheels, and the same argument rages there from time to time. A lot of guys (I'm one of them) have old Series vehicles that can pretty much be fixed with a screwdriver and a couple of hair grips, and we like them for that very reason. The later Defenders, Discos and Range Rovers are all computer controlled, with diagnostic sockets, CANBUS wiring and fault codes that only a main dealer can reset, and a lot of Land Rover people don't like that. But the price of OBD-compliant diagostic systems which are compatible with LR's TestBook are coming down, to the extent that some enthusiasts are clubbing together to by one, so they can do all the things a main dealer can do at a fraction of the cost. And IT skills are definitely getting more widespread in the community. Soon, the backyard bodger will regard hooking his old Rangie up to his Rovacom and reading the fault codes in the same way that I regard using feeler gauges to set the timing on my Series 2a.

I'm a bit of a Luddite at heart meself, as I tend to like things I understand and can fix, and I'm sure (as you point out) that not all progress is really desirable. Fuel injection, for example - how come the performance is the same as with carbs, but fuel consumption is usually worse? And yet you only have to think of how you can ride a bike in the wet on modern tyres, compared with the brown-trouser moments of 20 years ago, to see that progress sometimes has its benefits.

RE: new bikes

endemoniada_88 — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:36:25 GMT

Some interesting (and occasionally heated!) views in this one before it petered out..

It's natural to be nostalgic, as much for the moment as for the technology - remembering when and how you first discovered a bit of control over wayward physics and started to become a rider rather than a passenger... In the case of the *ahem* more venerable peeps out there, that'd be the Zeds/CBs/Jota triples/Commandos and whatever else - and, hell, they're all classics in their own right so why not still enjoy 'em?

I came along a bit later than that - my first proper bike was a Suzuki GSX550ES with full-floater suspension that didn't, anti-dive that did, a main fuse that blew everytime you indicated right and bakelite Pirellis. Followed by a Honda CX650 Eurosport shaft-drive monstrosity that hated turning left and kicked the back end out with every move on and off the throttle. I suspect they may never be included in anyone's list of milestones in biking history, but I still look back on their idiosyncracies with fondness.

That's not to say I'd want to go back to that era now, but I'm glad to have lived and learned through it.And I think piloting all those 80s and 90s sheds (and non-sheds, to be fair to many of them) through all weathers made me a better rider than I'd've otherwise ever been (opinions vary on that among those who've seen me riding, of course!).

New bikes, though - perhaps the question is what we as riders gain from the continual upgrade cycle. Is there a point where it all starts detracting from the riding experience? Are we at that point already? We've lost trivial things already - like the right to decide whether our headlights are on or off - traded roadside bodging for roadside recovery and dealer-only electronic wizardry, accepted variable-power switches (wasn't that supposed to be the throttle?) and ludicrous underseat exhausts (what do you mean you wanted to carry a U-lock?). And all the safety-driven imperatives in place or coming: launch/traction control, ABS/CBS...a good thing, or the start of a slippery slope that'll only end when riders are as insulated from their vehicle as any German saloon car driver is today?

Manufacturer convergence seems to be on the increase, too: identikit budget/supersports/hypersports models that even the professional journos struggle to differentiate between. It's a far cry from the hectic rush of experimentation, innovation and individuality that used to drive the industry.

What's my point? Well, I ride all year round (don't do cars at all). I've had modern hypersports bikes and frankly couldn't use a 1000 to anything like it's limits for something like 99% of the time. So I dropped back to a 600, where I can make it work hard (ie have fun) for a living. And yes, I think it looks fantastic in black, like a stealth fighter. It undoubtedly has an edge in handling and braking over older bikes. But - and it's a big but - the EXUP1000 I owned about ten years ago had similar performance figures, stuck to the road with all that I threw at it, cost about the same to run (allowing for inflation...) and returned better mpg. And it looked gorgeous, had distinct character, wasn't like any other manufacturer's kit and got places just as fast. So if I haven't gained in performance, economy, style, enjoyment or street cred - what have I gained?

That's not say "modern life is rubbish" - there are some damn fine-looking bikes out there and for a lot of riders they give more accessible and tractable performance (although the downside is that, often, when it all goes wrong it does so very, very fast indeed). Perhaps it's just that you develop skills appropriate to the machinery you learn on and hence feel their loss when you don't need or get to use them any more.

Anyhow, it isn't what you ride, it's why. Ref: Colin Schiller and Mark Williams.

Nostalgia, see?

RE: new bikes

Ems — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:42:04 GMT

yeah i thought that! Very strange!

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:42:50 GMT

It's a picture of his Mini - as in the avatar.

Methinks we have a troll.

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:40:39 GMT

Hello chap, welcome and all that. Whats the pic? Canna see nothin'

RE: new bikes

johnts — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:29:53 GMT

new to you all

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:06:19 GMT

Whoss that a thermal kickstart for more efficient cold starts?

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 09:23:45 GMT

roadhoover (26/02/2007)

Which is a point actually where can one read some Mark Williams words these days?

Or Long John Kick Start?

RE: new bikes

roadhoover — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 08:35:51 GMT

Marshall Deeptones, Alpha systems, Dunstall specials, reverse mega's, jumpers for goalposts, you'll be banging on about spenders and stinkwheels, Schiller and Williams next.

Which is a point actually where can one read some Mark Williams words these days?

RE: new bikes

Mr Black — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 15:15:43 GMT

Number 6 (20/02/2007)

Anyone remember the Bill Roberts Sports Special fairing? Nuff said.

Still got your copies of Which Bike ? then?

Now there's an opportunity to lapse into nostalgia....

RE: new bikes

Number 6 — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 14:50:05 GMT

Anyone remember the Bill Roberts Sports Special fairing? Nuff said.

RE: new bikes

Black Dog — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:15:41 GMT

RE: new bikes

Zimodile — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:56:20 GMT

marvellous stuff Black Dog - centre of pressure ahead of CG and therefore inherently unstable. Didn't expect that level of detail in a reply - good man!

Zimodile Dunweird.