selling up

[K2-K6]

I guess there isn't anyone who can make the decision about your own safety for you but maybe all the feelings lumped into one question appear quite large.

To me there are really three questions:-
1) your own safety and attitude to riding.
2) is the number of bikes overwhelming...and would you want to prune some stragglers to concentrate on a smaller group to not feel burried by them.
3) what is a top down list of priority if you do want to keep say 6 to 10 bikes....which ones fit the can't really be without theme.

On a lighter slant I always use this statistic when people ask me the question "isn't it a bit dangerous riding bikes" I heard that on average, 41 people die each year in this country from falling out of bed......and I wouldn't be proud to have that written in memories of me.

Stairs are statistically the most dangerous things in the country...followed up by kitchens!...so it follows that you shouldn't ride your bike in the kitchen, or up the stairs for that matter.

It's bikes that keep us lifelong bikers interested in most things really....so take them away and you'll probably find yourself on a mailing list for retirement housing outside Eastbourne, wearing taup coloured trousers (technical warning:- taup is not a real colour, just what is left in the fluff filter of a tumble-dryer. And why is it that whatever is dryed, always leaves grey with a hint of purple heather) and dreaming of the opening times to the bowling club!

Went to a pre-65 bike trial the other day and there was an old bloke with long white beard competing, I said about him to another spectator "look it's that good, god himself has given up a sunday to come out and ride a bike" and for all those who thinks god rides a Harley, well I can tell you he was on a Matchless that day.

Listen to your mum Pete and see how you feel as summer starts coming to us.....and mums usually make a cracking bread pudding as well.

Nigel.

[UK Pete]

Nice words Nigel, i am fighting this believe me, i am not ready for  taup coloured trousers ha ha
I have prepared my first bike ready for sale took it to mot station today and really enjoyed the ride,(the sun was shinning) the plan  is to reduce the collection starting with the one i mot'd today then keep getting rid of the ones that i dont have the real need for
On a kawasaki forum  one of the guys has bought a air bag vest of some sort, F--k that i would rather ride in my underpants than start all that health and safety shite, its not about protective clothing for me its about having fun and being a free spirit , doing what i want when i want, the trouble i am having is a confidence thing almost like a mental block, where all my thoughts are about crashing and flash backs of me hitting the car , if i could get rid of these thoughts things would be back to normal, i am also wondering if some sort of therapy would help, or as many have said  maybe the better weather  might just be enough,
Pete

[Rozabikes Tim]

Pete

Good to see you posting again regularly on the site. How are the biker blues, do you feel better about things now? A bit of time and (some) sun.

Tim

[UK Pete]

Tim thanks for asking, i have regained my confidence and am enjoying riding again, although i dont push my luck like i used to, i am getting back into my K0 restoration and enjoying that, but will still be down sizing the bikes, i sold one the other week and am preparing the next, but the good weather definetly done the trick
pete

[UK Pete]

Well the sun was shining at the weekend so i made the time to dig out the K1 from the back of the garage, ever since i bought the bike there have been a few things that i kept meaning to do but never bothered, firstly i changed both tyres, if you take a look at the picture you will see why, i think they have been on there since the 70's
While the rear wheel was off i replaced the cush drive rubbers WOW they were knackered to the point the bike was getting awkward to pull away on, also i replaced the slow running jets in the carbs, the bike has always run rich and when warm ran very rough at low revs making round town riding very unpleasant, and no matter what i did to it it stayed like that, so i replaced the 40's with 35's, problem now solved , so new jets , better tyres, and cush drive rubbers have made it very usable, also this has increased the feel good factor and has increased my enthusiasm for bikes and riding ,


You can so why they needed replacing


In prevoius weeks , i have rebuilt the bike i crashed on with new frontt end Tank,and frame, also prepared and sold another one that i did not use

Here is my rebuilt crashed bike believe it or not this has to be one of my all time favourite bikes


Here is the bike i just sold


With that all done it is time to recommision the F2 and get that on the road, then after that the Rickman Kawasaki will get the same treatment and back on the road, oh yes forgot to mention above that i took the K1 for its MOT today so that is all done and ready for riding through out the summer now, all my spare time has been on bikes lately and i am really enjoying it
Pete

[Green1]

Hi Pete nice bike are they the original hm300's they look very clean.I miss mine they made an awesome noise and the bike was much more responsive with them.My tyres are also shot but I can't decide what to replace them with.
The Kwaka is just how I like a bike.My favorite bike is a 15 year old Aprilia pegaso that never works and leaves me stranded constantly.
Once your bit your hooked forever. 
Mick

[UK Pete]

Hi mick, yes they are the good old Honda HM300's, and sound awsome, they have a few reapairs and a bit of surface rust to the wheel side but still clean up ok, the worst visual part is battery acid staining, the bike is a great unrestored survivor, dents scratches and faded paint but beautiful
pete

[mick]

Your old K1 looks well Pete  , mines the same as your's an unrestored example has the odd little dings and blemishes but there all part of its history so i'm leaving it as it is  cheers Mick. glad to hear your not hanging your helmet up yet