Author Topic: Hello form York.  (Read 2760 times)

Offline Samz

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Hello form York.
« on: May 23, 2019, 06:34:08 PM »
Greetings.
  I’ve just discovered this site and saying hello.
My first bike after borrowing a friends 250 super dream to take my test was a maroon 400/4 in 1980.  Managed to get more than I paid for it in PX when I mistakenly traded it in for a xj650 yam.
  My second one (same colour) I bought in the late 80’s. It took myself and girl friend to the 1990 TT.   
  Today, whilst clearing out some old draws I found a receipt belonging to my late father.  It was for the purchase of a new Honda 400/4, in red, dated August 1st 1975. He bought it from his good friend and Honda dealer, Alan Mountain (Mountain’s motorcycles) here in York.  Price, £660.
  I remember the bike well, riding pillion with him all over.  I was aged 12 at the time. Great memories.
  The reg no. was MVY 673P.  Long shot I know, but does anyone on the forum know of it’s ware abouts?  Seems it was last taxed in 1982, so I doubt it has survived, but any info would be greatly appreciated.
  Sam.
 
« Last Edit: May 23, 2019, 11:16:19 PM by Samz »

Offline Johnwebley

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2019, 07:44:15 PM »
Welcome Sam

enjoy being here.lots of help and advice
lifelong motorcycle rider,and fan

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2019, 09:15:19 PM »
Welcome .. my 1st 400/4 XDN128R came from Alan Mountains as did my CB750K0 (14th into UK) Evidently he sold so many Honda 50's etc to Rowntrees / Terry's and BR workers that he won free trips to Japan and that's probably  why he got his hands on one of the 1st UK 750's. My mate Woody now has his 2nd shop (think it was Honda city) in Haleys Terrace and his mechanic Dave worked at Mountains originally.
“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

Offline Samz

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2019, 10:32:46 PM »
Yeah, Alan set his son Charlie up at Honda city.  Great Guy was Alan, always a good laugh and liked an ale in the Fox inn in Poppleton.  Was never late in opening his shop on holgate road in the morning  no matter how blitzed he got the night before.  And as for his trips to the Far East with Honda?  The less said the better!  Top man.    8)

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2019, 12:24:11 AM »
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“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

Offline paul G

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2019, 08:01:42 AM »
Welcome to the forum Sam :)
Honda CB400 4
Honda CB550 K3 (sold)
Honda CB750 UK K1
Kawasaki Z650 C2
Kawasaki Z650 cafe racer (Sold)
Honda CD175 sloper

Offline matthewmosse

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2019, 08:21:24 AM »
You never know with old bikes lurking in sheds, I have 2 500/4's that were last taxed in the 80's so it may be out there lurking in a shed. It may just have an age related plate too, you simply never know.
Got a 500/4 with rust and a sidecar and loadsa bits. nice and original and been round the clock

Offline Samz

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2019, 12:54:08 PM »
Great to see that pic Ashimoto.  Guessing from around 1975-77?  I noted the Goldwing, my dad bought one of those off Alan after the 400/4. Happy days.  ;D
  Be good to see any more pics forum members may have of past dealers in York. (Mountains, Suzuki centre, Shearsmiths, Reghams, Chapmans, Coopers). We had all the jap stuff covered back then!
  Hopefully MVY 673P is hiding somewhere, fingers crossed.

Offline Moorey

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2019, 02:09:50 PM »
Welcome to the forum and have fun.

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2019, 04:46:11 PM »
Great to see that pic Ashimoto.  Guessing from around 1975-77?  I noted the Goldwing, my dad bought one of those off Alan after the 400/4. Happy days.  ;D
  Be good to see any more pics forum members may have of past dealers in York. (Mountains, Suzuki centre, Shearsmiths, Reghams, Chapmans, Coopers). We had all the jap stuff covered back then!
  Hopefully MVY 673P is hiding somewhere, fingers crossed.
t

My mate Chris had Acomb Motorcycles, which he took over from Mick Butfield when he started up York Suzuki Centre. Acomb M/Cy  then passed on to my other mate Dave Wood who now has the old Honda City shop. That Acomb shop was a tiny affair but both my own 750K0 and 'UTTxxxH the very 1st UK registered CB750 both passed through there as used sales bikes  in the  mid 1970's .. so that was two bikes from the first batch of approx. 20 imported.

Don't despair there are loads of bikes not taxed since the  80's that come out of the woodwork. .. My CD175A sloper I bought last year was last taxed in 1981 !
“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

Offline Samz

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2019, 08:54:57 PM »
The “Acomb shop”,  was that on Viking road?  If so I believe Alan Mountain started out there before moving to Holgate road.  Small world as they say.
 I recall Alan calling round to our house when we lived Poppleton on an MV Augusta he’d taken in in part ex, seeing if my dad wanted to buy it.   He knocked it back!  ::)
 Unsurprisingly  my  first 3 bikes were Hondas,  XR75,  TL125 (150 kit in it) and a CB50J my first road “bike”. Then got into trialing bit more “seriously”  with a TY 250 YAM.  That was followed by my first 400/4.   8)

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2019, 09:00:32 AM »
Yes Viking Road and I am not 100% sure but I think Alan Mountain started there.

Here are a couple of your requested pics plus a couple from Hull.

York

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Hull

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« Last Edit: May 25, 2019, 09:05:24 AM by AshimotoK0 »
“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

Offline AshimotoK0

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2019, 09:02:38 AM »
Jordans Hull.

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“Alright friends, you have seen the heavy groups, now you will see morning maniac music. Believe me, yeah. It’s a new dawn.” Grace Slick, Woodstock '69 .. In the year of the Sandcast.

Offline Laverda Dave

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #13 on: May 25, 2019, 11:15:18 AM »
Welcome to the forum Sam, you are already stirring memories. I wonder where that MV is now?
Great photos  :).
1976 Honda 400/4
1977 Rickman Honda CR750
1999 Honda VFR 800FX
1955 750 Dresda Triton
1978 Moto Morini 350 Sport
1978 Honda CB400/4 'Rat' bike
1982 Laverda 120 Jota

Offline Orcade-Ian

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Re: Hello form York.
« Reply #14 on: May 25, 2019, 12:28:09 PM »
Welcome Sam from a Hullite!
These are great pics Ash and bring back happy memories for me too.  A relative of mine, Nev Waters worked for some time in the parts department of Jordan’s which was right on the top floor.  Heck, they had some stuff!  I bought a plexiglas head gasket for a KM24 Gold Star from him in the mid 60’s for an engine I got for £5 dismantled in a hessian sack.  My Dad bought a new gold Canterbury Venom sidecar, colour matched to our plunger BSA Golden Flash from them in Storey St.  That store became Grattans catalogue shop and offices.  Nev went on to manage ‘Sellit and Soon’ in East Hull - a secondhand emporium of mostly crap that they sold on your behalf for commission.
I love the fact that the early Jordan’s pic has used different colour capital letters which makes it look like ‘Ull - which is how most folk know it!

Ian

 

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