Readers Classic Motorcycles - Chat Photos Builds/Resto’s etc

[mk one]

Slow but steady, bit like today ride having been dragged out by Mike Muz on a course in the Forest of Dean that was either very up or down


heres where I've got to

and with 13yr old homegrown test pilot complete with my Eddie Lawson replica helmet from 1989

A apart from the front faring - next job is brake lines and then Gas


sod Doohan / Gobby Johnnie K ^^ (cool helmet thought)- give me 1988 & Gardner/Lawson/Rainey/Schwantz/Sarron/ Rocket Ron/Niall McKenzie and Rob McElnea

Are all plastics and paint original or have you re-done them?

 

[Retro Spud]

I do have all the original plastic but also have at least two extra sets of OEM ABS plastic panels that have since been repainted as the past 34yrs on ABS haven't been especially kind, UV had even bleached the Red/Gold/Blue anno on the Goodrich brake hoses/banjo despite the past 25yrs being sat idle in a workshop

The single seat conversion is the only 3rd party piece of body work I'm using and that's fibre glass - had a lot of help and input from the guys on the NSRworld.com forum - especially for sourcing parts etc mostly via Yahoo Auctions

my two repainted OEM front cowls - one with lights and indicators the other without for that clean look, lets face it I'm not going to be riding it at night or in the rain so #1 below is going to get fitted and then a MOT

Interesting read if you've got a few mins - no such thing as a daytime MOT.

Since I'm not planning on going out on rainy days (unless I fancy hospital food) its shod with these bad boys, proper soft compound tyres and probably good for no more than 2,500 miles .....if I'm lucky
Due to my "Rim size" being one inch bigger in diameter than UK standard tyre sizes these were only available in Japan or Auz (brother lives in the latter but Jesus H Christ was postage and import tax a kicker - the joys of owning a grey import

 

[Retro Spud]

Re:

Built this for a friend, it used to be mine.

Apologies for my crap photography skills...

tell me more - RS250 NX5 ?

 

[mk one]

I do have all the original plastic but also have at least two extra sets of OEM ABS plastic panels that have since been repainted as the past 34yrs on ABS haven't been especially kind, UV had even bleached the Red/Gold/Blue anno on the Goodrich brake hoses/banjo despite the past 25yrs being sat idle in a workshop

The single seat conversion is the only 3rd party piece of body work I'm using and that's fibre glass - had a lot of help and input from the guys on the NSRworld.com forum - especially for sourcing parts etc mostly via Yahoo Auctions

my two repainted OEM front cowls - one with lights and indicators the other without for that clean look, lets face it I'm not going to be riding it at night or in the rain so #1 below is going to get fitted and then a MOT

Interesting read if you've got a few mins - no such thing as a daytime MOT.

Since I'm not planning on going out on rainy days (unless I fancy hospital food) its shod with these bad boys, proper soft compound tyres and probably good for no more than 2,500 miles .....if I'm lucky
Due to my "Rim size" being one inch bigger in diameter than UK standard tyre sizes these were only available in Japan or Auz (brother lives in the latter but Jesus H Christ was postage and import tax a kicker - the joys of owning a grey import

Nice.

Yes it is worth reading the testers handbook, quite handy knowing what is actually needed for an MOT. I used to get pulled up for the front brake lever hitting the bar, it does on both my KTM and Triumph, though Triumph changed the design on the next years model because people did not like the lever going all the way to the bar, and knowing the handbook i was able to explain that a few bikes have this feature/quirk, and a quick check of the handbook, which i had to insist the tester check on one occasion, does say the lever should not touch the bar, but then goes on to say that on bikes where it does the brakes should be tested as normal and only the results matter, obviously the bikes always pass, in fact the Triumph has the best front brakes i have had on any bike Also the correct size number plate needs to be with the bike, my KTM runs small plate to prevent damage on a spill, as long as i take the large to the testing station and present it with the bike its fine.

 

[Markybeau]

The autographs are real - collected by myself. I have a couple of Revvin' Kevin - he was my hero. I've also got John Surtees, Ago and a young Marquez on his Suter from 2012.

Kocinski and Slight are particularly rare. Sat on Slight's RC45. Not many people liked him at the time but Kocinski was a phenomenal rider.

From Vale's dark period...

The NR poster was a genuine Honda promotional item from 1991, acquired from a dealership in Essex.

I've owned and ridden many many bikes, having worked in the trade for over 20 years, but I love Honda V - fours in particular. I've had 5 NC30's, an NC35, and two VFR750's - RC24 and RC36.

 

[Retro Spud]

Arron and Jonnie - remind me of Bert and Ernie

 

[Markybeau]

On an 87 /88 E - is that an MC16 or an 18?

 

[Retro Spud]

oooo now there's a man who knows his onions - its a MC18 R4J

same era a MK3 Suzuki Gamma and just before the RGV

 

[Markybeau]

I'm presuming if it was a grey import - possibly from somewhere like BAT in Croydon when you got it?

 

[Retro Spud]

Man you do know your onions - Being from the West Country it came from a grey importers in Malmesbury Wilts called Elliot's they did all sorts of weird and wonderful exotica and were only just over the county border from Gloucestershire
In 1992 I was down sizing from a GSXR750K (which I bought new in Oct 89) exactly like this one below and sold on as I needed a deposit for a house and the insurance was a little criminal,
..and to be honest I had more fun on my MK3 Gamma which was a lot lighter if considerably slower in a straight line and wanted a 250 again but RGV's were just to rich for my budget and the Gamma just looked flabby and old fashioned in comparison





If you skip back a page - Now you can see why I had a red Lawson lid but with a Suzuki decal on it .. it just looks rad with the same Red white and Black like the bikes colour ways

well it made sense to me at the time