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Messages - masonmart
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46
« on: April 12, 2019, 12:33:08 PM »
It is running, there is a god after all.
48
« on: April 11, 2019, 06:42:03 PM »
I don't think I would knowingly pick up a book with the word zen in the title. Maybe Prisoner of Zenda. 
The book title was a play on the classic book Zen in the art of Archery, another discussion of philosophy and psychology. I haven't read it but I believe it's very good. Sorry for being a bit serious but I really enjoyed Zen and the art and the bike Pirsig rode on his journey was a Honda CB77 which is one of my favourite bikes.
49
« on: April 10, 2019, 10:51:45 AM »
In loving classics and preferring to be a book reader not a book burner, I'm obviously not a real biker. I've read the book several times now and enjoyed it and learned more from it each time in terms of quality and mental illness.
50
« on: April 01, 2019, 09:02:27 PM »
Thanks Masonmart, yes it’s a nice thing considering it was made as a workman’s commuter back in the 50’s, well the handover to Father didn’t happen!, it ran beautifully on Saturday evening but on Sunday morning it resolutely refused to start, no idea why but the spark was weak, the night before it was very good, so I’m picking up an electrex electronic ignition kit for it on Friday, I had planned to fit one eventually but will do it straight away, also having it rebored, I’ve picked up a NOS oversize piston so I’ll get that done as well, I’ll be good for a few thousand miles then.
The problem I've had with classic 2T's of mine (super 6) is that eventually you can't get them to run well because the crankcase seals harden and fail through not being used. Small 2Ts were amazing then because there were so many different variations. They're difficult to use now because of the performance gap with modern traffic. Still fantastic bikes.
51
« on: March 30, 2019, 09:17:19 PM »
Nice bike Mark, I remember them well from the 60's. Other nice bikes to with 2T and 4T engines. They are real classics.
52
« on: March 29, 2019, 04:33:35 PM »
Sorry, l didn't mean it to be a discussion of the book only that the love of classic bikes is explained in the philosophy of the book. The book is the story of a man who tries to define what quality is and why we have it. He explains his arguments in various situations in his life and the quality of writing and how it is judged is a key aspect. The applicability to bikes is where he discusses Classic and Romantic philosophy. People who tend to like classic bikes are very much Classicists who find quality in the bike and the relationship they have with it whereas romanticists like the wind in the hair and the journey on the bike and would prefer not to touch it.
What we see as classic is of course our own thing but my own feeling is Thruxton, Manx, Bonnie, Honda 4 and that the classic era ended circa 1980 with naked bikes. I don't think any faired bike is of the classic era although some will be investment grade (RC30/45). I personally don't like anything pre '60 especially with rigid frames as performance is still meaningful and from the mid 60's bikes tended to perform well. Most would probably disagree but I think the classic era maybe ended with the CB750 as this ushered in the very heavy muscle bikes with disc brakes that were less easy to do your own maintenance on.
Yes, breakdowns are a worry but the key is not to cane them. With modern oil though they'll do great mileage.
53
« on: March 28, 2019, 06:46:09 PM »
I've read Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It's not the easiest of books to read but finally concludes that true quality is at the point where the aesthetic meets function. Some bikes have that- looking-right-and-working-right in abundance. I'm thinking 400four here of course.
I tried to read it when it was first published.
It took about 30 years before I tried again.
I think it illustrates the difference between modern riders/drivers and us slightly older engineers.
It highlights those that regularly check and understand the bike.And those that just insert the key and press a button.
Call the AA if/when anything goes wrong
Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
John, that was a very key thing, the difference between those for whom everything was the bike and those for whom it was the journey and the bike just a means. As you say, it is what in some ways separates an elder breed from a modern breed. Nothing at all against the modern and yet I know now many younger riders who really get the classic thing. My son's friend uses his old man's Triton as his best bike
54
« on: March 28, 2019, 06:37:16 PM »
I've read Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It's not the easiest of books to read but finally concludes that true quality is at the point where the aesthetic meets function. Some bikes have that- looking-right-and-working-right in abundance. I'm thinking 400four here of course.
That is a fair comment MTB, form and function and the interaction with the owner for total quality.
55
« on: March 28, 2019, 09:33:25 AM »
Starting is interesting. Sometimes I can start it first or second kick and then, if I haven't started it for a while, I have to work on it. It's really how confident you feel. The Mikuni carb isn't really a first kick carb because it doesn't have a tickler to flood the cylinder with gas. If it's wet sumped It's impossible to kick it over but I've stopped that with a valve from Honda
I had a lovely run yesterday and then serviced it for an effective cost of £0 as I already had the 20-50 Classic that I use and there was nothing else that needed touching. Drained the oil into a magnetic tray and, after about 700 miles since the last, it was really clean.
I'm a massive fan of the form and function of the early CB500's too, much more so than the CB750 and the later muscle bikes but everybody has their favourites usually based on what they owned or wanted to own in the day.
To understand why some "Get" classics then read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle mechanics. I think it explains the philosophy well.
56
« on: March 27, 2019, 05:53:57 PM »
This is a picture of my Thruxton Velocette that was built in 2014 from all NOS parts from Geoff Dodkin's (the Velo Guru) final stock, one of only two made from those spares. With a genuine 40+bhp and low weight it goes really well and I've improved it by fitting a Nova 5-speed box to get rid of the high first gear and by changing the GP carb for a Mikuni unit which has a tickover. These mods transform it from being a very difficult bike to being a true joy to ride. I get the pleasure to ride it maybe once a week in the good weather season, I don't hold up the traffic but may surprise some drivers with the thunder from the fish tail silencer. For me they are one of the best looking bikes ever made. I love the Honda GB500TT too which is much more civilised but the original is for me the greatest. This will be the last of my bikes to go or it'll be polished, kept in the living room and eventually left to my kids as an investment when I can't ride it any more
57
« on: March 14, 2019, 06:01:48 PM »
On other Japanese bikes when one out of 2 leaked I used to take off the bowl and let fuel flush through the needle valves or just tap the carb with a driver but these are all seeming to leak. The redex tip is interesting, never heard of it.
58
« on: March 13, 2019, 07:14:11 PM »
Tried to start my Dresda 500 today but on turning the petrol on found it flooded out of the overflows. Will take them off tomorrow to have a look at the floats and needle valves but any thoughts on what else I may need to look at?
Many thanks
59
« on: March 10, 2019, 06:53:16 PM »
Sorry, looking again the firming up of VFR750 prices possibly isn't correct. It was one bike really, there weren't many others and not a lot of apparent interest.
60
« on: March 08, 2019, 08:49:32 PM »
For all interested parties. The order of launch was as follows.
337, 344, 319, 314, 310, 306, 331, 928, 914, 929, 939, 916, 380, 354, 364, 316, 312, 383, 304, 357, 950, 920, 381.
Air spares 802, 427, 812.
Leaving 315, 352, 377, 313, 360, 320, 308, 346, 317 on the pan.
301 was billy no mates in 11Sqn area.
Can you do that in English Trig 
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