Steved53

[Chippy_Tea]

I cut this from your degassing stirrer picture, is that an old Moto Guzzi in the background? what make is the trials bike?


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[Steved53]

I cut this from your degassing stirrer picture, is that an old Moto Guzzi in the background? what make is the trials bike?


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Hi Chippy,

Yes, it’s an old 850 T3, with a few mods/non standard bits. The trials bike is a stock (apart from the broken rear mudguard) SWM 320 trials bike circa 1977.

I had previously owned a R100RT (1983), and I intended to purchase another BM in order to go on a bike tour of Ireland that had been arranged with my cousin. I sourced an R100RS in Oxford and flew from France to the UK to pick it up. I wasn't happy with it and didn't buy it. I got to Liverpool and started searching around. I bought the Guzzi, but before we left I discovered some issues with it that didn't give me the confidence to take it over to Ireland. I borrowed a CX500 at v. short notice and went on that. It didn't miss a beat, although I didn't find it very inspiring. The Guzzi sat in my cousins shed for a few years until I managed to get over with a van, and since then it has sat at mine, with very few sorties, as I have been very busy building a house, and just generally disorganised. That was about ten years ago!

The Guzzi and the SWM have always started when I tried them, until recently. The Guzzi started and then decided it didn't want to run, and the SWM just didn't want to, and now the kickstarter is very loose. I need to get them back inside, before they deteriorate.

A good job I didn't take a photo with all the cars I have sitting there in the background, waiting to be repaired! So many things to do, so little time to do them! For the moment it is going to be setting up my brewery!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks for explaining, if i remember right the CX500 (pic 3 below) was the London couriers bike of choice as it never broke down, not the best looking bike ever made (probably the worst) but they were popular.

My first bike was a Suzuki GT250 (pic below) as you could learn on a 250 all those years ago, i had quite a few bikes before finally giving up as travelling to work in winter on a bike was no fun, i do intend to get another bike but persuading Mrs Tea that its a good idea is going to take time.


I have added pictures of the bikes we have mentioned for the younger brewers. :lol:

CX500.

 

[TartanSpecial]

snap...my second bike was a suzuki GT250 of similar vintage...post ram air system (and blue per pic). The CX 500s were good reliability wise, but I remember some people called them plastic maggots when they first came out because of the small plastic instrument housing and radiator cowling .... those were the days...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Mine was the ram air, the picture was one I found online.

 

[Hoppyland]

No!!!!!!! :twisted:
I thought I might escape bikes on this forum...:twisted:
A year ago, I moved from S Ayrshire to Skye. Ran out of time. Began to get ill with the stress. Left a load of stuff....brand new Husqvarna chainsaw, Lister 5kw genset....
But what really still gripes is my Suzuki VX800 (14000 miles), and the Jawa 350 sport that was immaculate, and I was about to put back on the road.
Gifted them all - and more besides - to the guy that bought our smallholding.
Ah, well......

 

[Steved53]

Well, better leave them than get too stressed up, but leaving that lot would grieve me too. Saying that, almost everything that we moved (at great expense) when leaving the uk over fifteen years ago, stayed in boxes and is only now being sorted out (to make room for my brewery!). Most of it is simply getting chucked!

Steve.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Gifted them all

Not a wonder you are gutted.

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[Hoppyland]

Not a wonder you are gutted.
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Yep, guess so! Mind you, I'm glad I was in a car on Sunday evening. On the way back to Skye then Bang! Out of nowhere a stag (Hairy Stag not Triumph :lol:)

No chance, if I'd been on a bike!

 

[Hoppyland]

I reckon my VX800 was rather better looking, and I guess a lot nicer to ride, with the lower bars!

Can't say the same for the Jawa, though. Mine was nearly 40 years old, and not such a sleekit thing as in your pic. The best you could say was "Classic" - aka Plug Ugly :-(

I'm now trying to persuade Mrs Hoppyland that, since the remains of our car have just been towed away, and we have no wheels (nearest shop 4 miles, nearest decent shop (Co-op) 20 miles, that we definitely need backup. A bike is the obvious answer!

 

[dad_of_jon]

Yep, guess so! Mind you, I'm glad I was in a car on Sunday evening. On the way back to Skye then Bang! Out of nowhere a stag (Hairy Stag not Triumph :lol:)

No chance, if I'd been on a bike!

there'd have been less damage if it was a triumph stag, they don't build them as safe as they do these days. hope you're all ok, and that you now have a plentiful supply of venison for your trouble :-o

 

[VW911]

Another ex GT250 owner here.
(Although mine was just the engine in a converted Yamaha TZ frame.)
Triumph Daytona 675 these days...

 

[murphysmum]

Oh my goodness - brewing and bikes? What more could a girl need! The pic's are bring back all sorts of memories and a longing for us to get another bike. We sold our last 'baby' about 5 years ago (GSXR 750) and have missed 2 wheels ever since. Must start to seriously save the pennies for a classic - he'd like a Triumph, I'd like a Rudge but we shall see.

 

[Hoppyland]

he'd like a Triumph, I'd like a Rudge but we shall see.

Not heard Rudge mentioned for ages! Wish I'd got my Dad's bike. I still remember him taking me on rides - though I guess neither of us knew that the name "Vincent" would resonate so much 50yrs later. It was only the single - Comet 500 as I remember, but still!!

Hey, just remembered that a teenage school friend & I, who used to fish a lot & were members of a club in Leicestershire, noticed an oily sheen on the brook we were fishing & went upstream to find a nearly-new Norton 750 dumped in the water. We hauled it out. The police took it away. We drooled...........:twisted: