Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 09, 2020, 11:43:56 AM
I have to say mine was a Honda >:( I had a CB350K4 twin back in the mid 70's. Its one saving grace was the parallel twin engine sounded nice, even with the stock exhausts, but there wasn't much else to write home about as I recall. It was gutless and slow, the handling wasn't great either, but perhaps if I'd treated it to some decent rear shocks it might have been better, but I suppose it was a reliable old steed and it never let me down. I wasn't sad to see the back of it when I saved up enough drinking vouchers from my Apprentice wages to buy a CB400/4.
Post by: Andrew-S on April 09, 2020, 11:51:18 AM
Post by: bobv7 on April 09, 2020, 11:59:07 AM
Post by: Lobo on April 09, 2020, 12:00:27 PM
But hey, happy days....
(& the more observant amongst us might be querying why I’ve not nominated the Moto Guzzi Griso 😂.)
Post by: Green1 on April 09, 2020, 12:14:35 PM
It leaked like a 70's Triumph needing a new rockercover and sump gasket, the wiring harness rubbed through on the mono shock bolt, It went through 2 rectifiers, The rubber hoses perished, Swarf in the head race bearings from new and the alarm imobalizer was forever playing up. Far to many problems in 13000 miles
Oh and Triumph dealers are stuck up unhelpfull arseholes
Post by: Arch stanton on April 09, 2020, 12:22:23 PM
CBX750. The worst engine I have ever had.
3yrs old, 14,000 miles, Tony Scott blue print motor.
2lt of oil per 1,000 miles. Replacing the rings. Reduced that to 1lr per K. Threw the crank whilst following a mate on a 883 Harley.so Hardy revving. Utter crap.
Post by: royhall on April 09, 2020, 12:37:39 PM
Post by: ka-ja on April 09, 2020, 12:49:57 PM
Post by: Arch stanton on April 09, 2020, 01:50:59 PM
The bike was entered into the Production TT. By Bill Head motorcycles. Ridden by Phil Nicolls. The bike would have won but for Bill Head over ruling the rider. By not allowing a fuel stop. Phil pushed in to finish 26th after a good lead.
I think the race must have taken too much out of the motor.
I have had a Tiger cub & even a Norton Jubilee. Both were utter Shite. But nothing more could have been expected of those. But a Honda!
Post by: Nurse Julie on April 09, 2020, 02:20:49 PM
Post by: bobv7 on April 09, 2020, 02:42:40 PM
Post by: sye on April 09, 2020, 02:54:13 PM
Funny isn't it; two of the bikes so far mentioned I have rather fond memories of! :D
Me too, I had a CBX 750 from 89 - 96 as my only form of transport. Used every day and covered over 70k miles on it. Cost nothing except a battery, tyres and two chains. Utterly reliable, went like stink (to me at the time) and all day comfy. PX'd it against a VFR750, that was a good move too.
My worst bike ever was an A10. Utter pile of poo, leaked oil, almost never got me to where I wanted to go and tried to kill me every time I used the kick start. Let go of all its oil in Wales, was left in the hedge and I thumbed a lift home.
Post by: Johnwebley on April 09, 2020, 03:08:01 PM
it must have been in a shunt,as it had Royal Enfield forks,
magneto ignition,terrible to start when hot,rubbish brakes,
heavy as hell,
swopped it for a 500 Triumph unit twin,
I enjoyed that,
Post by: taysidedragon on April 09, 2020, 03:41:32 PM
Post by: royhall on April 09, 2020, 04:06:12 PM
CJ250T, don't need to add anything else, just the model designation is enough. Sold it after a week and got an SS50 with the money, the SS went faster.Was it by any chance canary yellow, or was it parakete yellow? Mine was horrible, a ford escort ran into the back of it whilst I was stopped at a roundabout. Wrote it off fortunately. Bought an RD350 with the insurance money, worst to best in one move.
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 09, 2020, 04:29:40 PM
CJ250T, don't need to add anything else, just the model designation is enough. Sold it after a week and got an SS50 with the money, the SS went faster.Was it by any chance canary yellow, or was it parakete yellow? Mine was horrible, a ford escort ran into the back of it whilst I was stopped at a roundabout. Wrote it off fortunately. Bought an RD350 with the insurance money, worst to best in one move.
The only ones I ever saw were Yellow although didn't they do them in red also? A friend had one, it was like a budget version of its forerunner the G5. Am I right in saying they took the electric starter off to save weight?
Post by: royhall on April 09, 2020, 04:36:03 PM
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 09, 2020, 04:39:03 PM
http://anarchadia.blogspot.com/2008/12/vintage-thing-no36-honda-cj250t.html
Post by: royhall on April 09, 2020, 04:54:49 PM
I just found this article:Great article, good find. I agree with the appraisal whole heartedly. I was so pleased when the insurance company wrote it off, says everything really.
http://anarchadia.blogspot.com/2008/12/vintage-thing-no36-honda-cj250t.html
Post by: Arch stanton on April 09, 2020, 04:59:29 PM
Want a 750 but can't afford the insurance?
Well have a 750 f1 with a 250 engine it.
I have seen restored ones. Why would anyone restore something. That should never have been built?
Post by: Laverda Dave on April 09, 2020, 05:20:25 PM
Post by: Rozabikes Tim on April 09, 2020, 05:50:04 PM
Mine was bright yellow, couldn't tell you what yellow as I just thought of it as custard vomited up. Tells you a lot when your willing to drop 200cc just to get more performance. No eleccy start, no guts, no handling, no brakes. I bought it because it was dirt cheap and now I know why, even the scrap man would pass it by.Why were they so bad? We're they not a dressed up G5 which were not brilliant but not as bad surely?
Post by: davefirestorm on April 09, 2020, 05:56:49 PM
Post by: SumpMagnet on April 09, 2020, 06:38:28 PM
I have owned some bikes that were worn out, damaged or suffering from neglect, but I don;t think it's fair to call them crappy because of that. A KH250 with a bent frame and knackered gear selectors....or an X7 with failing main bearings. Or a Z650 with ovalled out headstock....all things that ruined perfectly good machines which could/should have been fixed.
No....The award from me goes to the Yamaha MT07 I bought after my much loved SV1000 got wiped out by an idiot in the work car-park.
It was 4 years old with just 3000 miles on the clock. One owner. The engine was the trusty 660 lump I had had in previous bikes with no issues, only this was in a more road orientated chassis with better wheels and brakes. Should have been a great town bike. I owned it for 4 years and hated EVERY MINUTE after the first week or so to get used to it.
The tail bulbs kept blowing...and you couldn;t remove the light lense to swap the bulb...it was done from the other side which required dismantling about 5 nested brackets.
The thing had an underseat exhaust...so the rear light wires were routed under the mudguard. With connectors down there too. Mickey Mouse silly pinned brittle plastic things corroded to hell. So the rear light/brake light worked only when it was dry.
The brackets worked loose and the numberplate would fall off.... chafing the plastic bolts...or cracking the plate if you used metal.
The battery was under the tank and a nightmare to get to.
The oil tank ( dry sump motor) was low down at the front and would get covered in grit and dirt..so you had to clean it off to check the level
The seat had to be unbolted to get at anything ( including the tank rear mount.... ) and the base was plastic with no metal inserts to stop it getting chewed if overtightened. Both split on mine...
Then...finally...before I sold it...it destroyed the regulator and rectifier. And the battery. Which as it was laid almost flat...had to be overly expensive gel types.
Japanese reliability??? sure.... but the clocks bore the words 'Magnetti Marelli' .... yes. Assembled in Italy and all the electrics were sourced locally.
It also had clips and sticking out bits everywhere, so every time I cleaned it...I ended up bleeding! It never seemed to look clean even when I cleaned it.
But that was not the most hateful thing. No.
The gear ratios were stupid. First gear was so low you couldn't pull away from traffic lights and not need second before you got across the junction. The gaps in the ratios were odd, and if you tried gearing up a bit, it wouldnt pull top and had to nail it in every gear before changing up. So for most of it's life with me it had only 4 useable gears and a top speed around 80mph.....
Nasty thing.
It should have been a perfect town bike ...but Yamaha managed to ruin every bit of it and make it feel like a home brewed special lashed up in a shed somewhere.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on April 09, 2020, 06:39:01 PM
Post by: royhall on April 09, 2020, 08:56:00 PM
Post by: Laverda Dave on April 09, 2020, 09:43:11 PM
Whilst the Matchless 250 was my crappiest bike, it was well second hand and abused. The worst new bike I have bought was the Triumph ST1050 Sprint. Great engine but the rest of it, oh dear, poor build quality from paint to materials. The stainless discs went rusty around the bobbins within three months. Removing the seat involved removing two self tapping screws from below the rear overhanging foam of the seat. This resulted in the seat material tearing. Once out the screws were impossible to put back due to the stupid captive nuts not holding in the plastic of the tail piece.
When I took the fairing panel off to fit an alarm it was so thin and under so much tension it sprung off. When I eventually got it back on the panel fit was terrible. This applied to any panels removed, absolute sods to get back on. The paint on the wheels must have come from a rattle can, it just flaked off especially if a wheel cleaning brush was used. The first time I had a tyre change the paint came off with the weight leaving a bare patch.
It would eat batteries, I got through three in six years despite using an optimate. If I stopped somewhere I would get a sense of dread if it would start again, it would just give a 'click' and that was it, time to call recovery!
After the first winter of little use the alloy of the engine cases looked as though they had been left in a talc factory during an explosion.
I wanted to love the ST, the road tests were gushing about it, the new VFR they said, so I traded in my immaculate 8 year old VFR800 to buy it. It was great for six months and then it went downhill, rapidly. I eventually traded the ST for a 12 year old, 56k Blackbird that was as good as the day it was made. I sold that and bought a mint 18 year old VFR 800FiX for £1900, the bike I should never have sold to buy the ST in the first place!
Post by: AndyD on April 10, 2020, 08:40:21 AM
A few years ago I saw a couple of these going very cheap and for no good reason bought them so have 2 CJ250's in the shed (I think it collection cost than the bikes!)
Then when I got the 400f it came with a CJ360 so I've now got 3 of the much maligned beasts.
I admit they are a strange bike - kickstart only, very basic styling, 2 into 1 exhaust etc. - very marmite!
One good thing is that they share a lot of parts with the 400f so I have pinched various bits already off them.
One day I'll get at least one of them up and running again - just for old times sake!
Cheers,
Andy
PS back on topic I think the worst bike I had was a CD175 - first bike after a FS1E and came form a friend's Dad - big topbox, square tyres, awful paintjob ...but cheap. Snapped the camchain the first time I gave it some throttle, almost killed me several times until I discovered rounded tyres that could actually lean and go around corners.
But I also loved the old thing as the first real bike of course
Post by: Bryanj on April 10, 2020, 09:07:26 AM
As to the CJ range main problem was nobody ever took the clutch cover off to clean the centrifugal oil filter so top ends went.
Post by: florence on April 10, 2020, 09:07:55 AM
However, once it was going it was surprisingly nimble for such a top heavy lump and handled really well, would happily go round bends with everything scraping. The best part about it was the twin disks which would stop it on a sixpence.
Overall, bad design, but perversely great fun to ride. I would not buy another one.
Post by: Bryanj on April 10, 2020, 09:14:55 AM
Post by: Spitfire on April 10, 2020, 09:44:46 AM
Cheers
Dennis
Post by: Trigger on April 10, 2020, 10:00:37 AM
That water pump leak was rarely the seal but usualy the copper waser under the domed nut holding impeller on, people just saw a washer and never changed it but it deformed into the splines inside the impeller to seal water so leaked if reused.
We used to find that the owner had caused the leak and even worse. They would remove the impeller and notice that the spacer on the end of the shaft was missing, order another spacer and put it on the end of the shaft. The spacer was always there, it was stuck in the back of the impeller.
They would replace the impeller and NOT put a new copper washer but, now the ceramic disc in the back of the impeller would not be touching the mechanical seal, water would come out of the water pump safety drain hole, which they would plug up with chewing gun and the water was forced into the engine and bang goes the crank ;)
Post by: mike the bike on April 10, 2020, 10:17:28 AM
Due to a bad German design, the rear spines were shagged, not a lot of wear left, it smoked like a 2 stroke, especially after going on the side stand. Putting it on the centre stand didn't do my dodgy back any good. The centre stand wasn't too stable either. In a pub car park it rolled forward and clobbered my mate's 400four and I had to buy him another rear lens.
The rear shock was shagged, didn't damp at all. Just bounced it's way down the road.
The rubber pipes going to the petrol pump and injectors were all perished and needed replacing.
The starboard side panel used to fall off, secured with a discreet tie wrap.
And the tank was the wrong colour.
Apart from all that, it was a nice bike.
Post by: Bryanj on April 10, 2020, 11:11:28 AM
Post by: MCTID on April 10, 2020, 12:50:34 PM
The beautiful looking pimento red Triumph Stag was another story though ! If I was ever to strangle a vehicle and bury it in the woods or set it ablaze, that would have been the one !
What never fails to amuse me though is reading the Test Reports on a £20K or £25K new bike....'Innovative, refreshing, interesting concept' all describing characteristics which two or three years later, the same Journos and the same Magazines will describe as 'trying, expensive to repair, difficult to access, not to be purchased by inexperienced riders, only to be taken on if you have a wallet full of £50 notes - and a large wallet at that' etc etc.
These 'experts' always fail to ask the simplest questions of the manufacturers like 'How can you expect potential buyers to buy this bike when 16" tyres in this speed rating are not yet commercially available or affordable' ? or 'How can you justify the fact that at the 10,000 mile service, it will take a Dealer 8 hours to replace the OHC belt because the engine needs to be removed to undo one bolt which is inaccessible with the engine in place, at a cost of nearly a thousand pounds in labour charges' ? or lastly, 'Why have you opted for using an Air Filter Box which needs three pairs of hands to reinstall it after removal - just to adjust the tick over' ? I did manage to get some 'free' parts from Kawasaki when I complained that the front indicator on my new ZXR1200S which needed replacing due to knocking it against a car park bollard also necessitated a new half fairing, new decals, and a complete respray all because some dopey Designer had chosen to mount the indicator on the fairing rather than a stalk ! But that's another story.
To answer some of the dark and dismal tales of this thread, if only the Journos were to 'tell it like it is' and hold the Manufacturers to account, maybe we would get better products ! LOL.
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 10, 2020, 12:57:45 PM
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on April 10, 2020, 02:24:42 PM
... if only the Journos were to 'tell it like it is' and hold the Manufacturers to account, maybe we would get better products !
A good point and one made recently by an aspiring motorcycling journalist friend of mine.
You can read his take on “Is motorcycling journalism broken?” here: https://www.tvam.org/is-motorcycle-journalism-broken/
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: mickwinf on April 10, 2020, 04:29:30 PM
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 10, 2020, 05:51:07 PM
Post by: AshimotoK0 on April 10, 2020, 08:31:11 PM
BTW If you come accross any NOS CJ exhaust components grab 'em cos they are mega rare and go for lots of £££££
I always thought CJ was Reggie Perrins boss anyway.
http://classichondamotorcycles.co.uk/bikedetail.aspx?bike=4918
[attachimg=1]
Post by: AndyD on April 10, 2020, 08:52:07 PM
You're absolutely right about the exhausts.
I haven't seen any replacement ones made anywhere (I guess exhaust manufacturers have their pride!) so original ones are very rare.
I've got one with a almost new silencer worth more than all 3 bikes together probably.
The other two have the most hideous bodge jobs - one has a standard silencer shortened and an end cap welded on, the other a badly fitted odd megaphone silencer!
Cheers,
Andy
Post by: Bryanj on April 10, 2020, 09:10:09 PM
Post by: royhall on April 10, 2020, 10:03:28 PM
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 10, 2020, 10:07:36 PM
Post by: bobv7 on April 10, 2020, 11:15:00 PM
Nobody has mentioned the Yamaha XS500 or Honda 500T yet? :o Both examples of how even the smartest bike companies can turn out shit products. ::)
Post by: Bryanj on April 11, 2020, 07:23:43 AM
Post by: bobv7 on April 11, 2020, 07:39:39 AM
Post by: MrDavo on April 11, 2020, 11:59:19 AM
I once went down to Mallory Park to watch the Race of the Year, with Barry Sheene riding, plus the works MVs, A roads all the way down from Lancaster, but L plates off and used the M6 on the way home, after getting lost. That was when the pin vibrated out of the clutch mechanism and left me in ‘run, bump, crunch’ mode only. It was ok once I got into top gear, but I abandoned the bike at Preston and got a lift. I got towed home a few times, everything from not starting to no lights, the Wipac electrics were hopeless. It went missing after a Free gig at the University, plod gave me a lift home in a van, the next day I went looking for it on my Honda 150, and found it on its side, abandoned, about half a mile from where I’d left it, clearly the would be theives didn’t know the knack to starting it.
I passed my test on it, despite the base gasket leak that made the examiner ask if I was cooking chips down there, he later helped me adjust the front brake before sending me off around the block again to have another go at the emergency stop. Although I mostly enjoyed riding it, three days later I bought a BSA 500 Shooting Star and flogged the AJS.
Post by: bobv7 on April 11, 2020, 01:15:21 PM
Post by: Spitfire on April 11, 2020, 01:33:20 PM
(http://imageshack.com/a/img924/2094/HE8N86.jpg)
Cheers
Dennis
Post by: bobv7 on April 11, 2020, 01:53:20 PM
[attach=1]
Post by: MrDavo on April 11, 2020, 01:57:48 PM
Although mine started out bog stock, it ended up like Spitfire’s with Ace bars and a homemade fibreglass racing seat. At one time it even had a fairing, although the headlamp only lit up the treetops.
One icy morning on the way to school, I tapped the front brake and found myself sliding up the road, I went in one direction, the bike and seat both went their own ways. It’s scariest moment was when the Amal Monobloc carb fell apart as the threads on the top ring were shot, and the slide and choke came out of the carb body. Effectively flat out and fast approaching a T junction, I was frantically scrabbling around for the ignition switch, somewhere behind my left knee!! :o :o :o
Post by: Bryanj on April 11, 2020, 02:43:46 PM
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 11, 2020, 02:45:21 PM
Gosh it’s like the 14CSR owner’s club on here, no wonder we all ended up with the super reliable Hondas!
As we all know, the reliability of the vast majority of the Japanese motorcycles didn't help the British motorcycle industry one bit back in the late 60's and early 70's. My elder brother had a Norton Commando 750 which he had no end of bother with, he eventually sold it and got a Honda 500/4. My first motorcycle was a BSA Bantam which was crap, but I mentioned the 350K4 Honda as my worst bike because I expected it to be much better than it was, whereas I had no such hopes for the venerable Beezer. It took me a further forty odd years to pull the trigger on a second British bike (my current Triumph Thruxton), which ironically was built in Thailand as far as I'm aware. The thing is (like a Honda) it doesn't leak oil, it's reliable and the quality of finish is pretty good too. What if? What if?
Post by: OZZYSBIKES on April 11, 2020, 03:30:52 PM
Re the T140V being a worst bike nominee ! I loved my T140 Bonnie, I had sold a Suzuki GT750J and bought the Bonnie, in real life not much slower than the kettle and loads better handling and brakes, I never tested it but I reckon that I could have got round Cadwell quicker on the Bonnie, it also never leaked oil and never broke down, I had a good one ?
Post by: Bryanj on April 11, 2020, 03:58:39 PM
Post by: MrDavo on April 11, 2020, 04:52:15 PM
I did, however seem to spend an hour fixing it for every hour I rode i. I bought it new and traveled nearly 20,000 miles, but by the time I sold it, it was a proper Trigger’s broom having had a few trivial repairs such as another frame (cracked) and another crank (twisted). The wife just pointed out it did help pull her, so not all bad. 8)
Post by: matthewmosse on April 11, 2020, 10:10:45 PM
Post by: mike the bike on April 13, 2020, 10:46:47 PM
It wasn't the first time it had been looked at because the relay had insulting tape around the join.
Post by: philward on April 13, 2020, 11:15:43 PM
Post by: Tomb on April 14, 2020, 08:27:48 AM
Post by: Bryanj on April 14, 2020, 08:29:23 AM
After about 3-4 weeks of this i was early to work and saw the owner dropping the bike off in the sidestreet again, nice bloke but getting fed up, had a chat about the exact problem and then he had to go to work, lifted the seat and took out his leggings.
I promptly fell about and sold/gave him a bungie strap
Never saw it,apart from service, again!!!
Not my worst bike but thought you might like the laf
Post by: mike the bike on April 14, 2020, 04:40:30 PM
Post by: MCTID on April 14, 2020, 06:27:18 PM
Who remembers the American Tourist hiring a car in London and driving up to the Lake District. When she reached Carlisle the car was ferked and wouldn't run properly so she drove into to the local office of the Hire Company......she'd put it into second gear and driven all the way in second as she was used to driving Automatics !
LOL. Shouldn't laugh.
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on April 14, 2020, 06:31:38 PM
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: Green1 on April 14, 2020, 06:53:00 PM
I remmember when I was young sitting in the back with my little sister who always sat behind my nan. The car lerching back and forth everywere it went.
On day my nan turned around to my mum and said why does she keep hitting me on the head? Mum turns around and said its your crap driving. The car stutering used to cause my sister to fall of the seat. ;D
That was an early Mini in white, hinges on the outside of the doors and pull cord handles. That was stolen to order the day after my Grandad put a new engine in it >:(
She was a crap driver she managed to crash in to a shopping trolly in an empty car park.
She had three or four and they all rusted away I used to poke my fingers through the tops of the wings
Post by: Woodside on April 14, 2020, 07:34:58 PM
Post by: Bryanj on April 14, 2020, 09:52:52 PM
Having started the stories link, my uncle had a garage not far from park bakeries in Oldham and had 2 Mk1 escorts in on the same weel, both 3 yrs old and registrations close to each other, one a reps car and one the typical old ladies car, reps in for a service, old ladies in for new engine
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 15, 2020, 07:23:41 AM
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on April 15, 2020, 07:36:49 AM
Post by: bobv7 on April 15, 2020, 08:25:09 AM
Post by: royhall on April 15, 2020, 08:32:08 AM
Post by: mike the bike on April 15, 2020, 01:22:14 PM
Post by: bobv7 on April 15, 2020, 01:54:11 PM
[attach=1]
Post by: philward on April 15, 2020, 05:18:19 PM
Post by: Tomb on April 15, 2020, 06:20:32 PM
Post by: bobv7 on April 15, 2020, 06:26:18 PM
1. Buy crap bike , learn how to fix it.
2. Sell it, buy crap car know how to fix it.
3. Get good job, buy good car.
4. Spare cash, buy crap bike, fix it.
Simple! 8)
Post by: matthewmosse on April 15, 2020, 06:27:31 PM
Post by: Allington (Steve) on April 20, 2020, 10:36:08 AM
Unless you are a true biking masochist the Commando was a complete and utter horror story compared with what was available from the land of the rising sun at the time. Gave it away when it was about 2 years old to some idiot that came along and told me that it looked a lovely bike! The British bike industry up until around about the time of Hinkley had nothing at all to do with biking. It was just keeping the spanner industry going.
Funny enough if you ride a new Harley Davidson Sportster back to back with a 70's Commando now with your eyes closed (you might as well as both have no brakes) apart from the fact that the Harley starts easy and is quite reliable you would never tell which bike you are on. The riding experience is pretty much identical.
No idea how the Brit industry of that era managed to limp along for so long. The pleasure of giving the thing away outweighed the excitement of buying it!
Post by: Bryanj on April 20, 2020, 11:28:55 AM
Post by: royhall on April 20, 2020, 11:30:29 AM
That Combat engine should never have been put into production.
Post by: MrDavo on April 20, 2020, 11:30:39 AM
Same guy later lent me a Commando, I asked the passenger to put his feet down when he saw me squeeze the lever, I was joking but the brakes were pretty much useless. I remember the 750 was the MCN Machine of the Year at the same time as they were being recalled as the Combats were blowing their main bearings.
At one time if you had a Ford key you could get in any other Ford, but not necessarily free the ignition switch, I once moved a Granada blocking me in to the middle of the road at a funny angle, as I couldn’t get the steering lock off. I locked it up again and pictured his face when he came back.
I also had a Vauxhall Victor with a sun floor and brakes on one side only, but hey, it cost £30.
Post by: SumpMagnet on April 20, 2020, 01:34:28 PM
Jeez...I can't imagine something as big and heavy as a Dyna with a single disc.....unless said disc was teh size of a dustbin lid ( for the youngsters....look it up. It's what we had before wheelie bins and black bags!)
Post by: royhall on April 20, 2020, 02:19:54 PM
Post by: Allington (Steve) on April 21, 2020, 08:13:18 AM
You didn't like the commando then Steve.
The combat engine was either a drunk pub bet or Honda paid them to use it. It was like going from a Massey Ferguson barn find to a Porsche when I picked up my 500 four straight after. The tolerances and manufacture quality of most Norton parts are a lot better now and I would actually have a Commando back now as a toy to play with (NOT to ride!) and I think the virus is going to make them much more affordable so you never know.
My clutch hand has still never recovered :-[
Post by: Allington (Steve) on April 21, 2020, 08:15:11 AM
Hey my Sportster has good brakes! I insisted on buying the ‘R’ model with twin front discs after doing a bike swap with a friend’s Dyna Glide. Following me on my Triumph Daytona 1000, his first words were ‘God you were taking those corners fast!’ I explained that was only because there weren’t any brakes to speak of, I had the lever back to the bar!
Same guy later lent me a Commando, I asked the passenger to put his feet down when he saw me squeeze the lever, I was joking but the brakes were pretty much useless. I remember the 750 was the MCN Machine of the Year at the same time as they were being recalled as the Combats were blowing their main bearings.
At one time if you had a Ford key you could get in any other Ford, but not necessarily free the ignition switch, I once moved a Granada blocking me in to the middle of the road at a funny angle, as I couldn’t get the steering lock off. I locked it up again and pictured his face when he came back.
I also had a Vauxhall Victor with a sun floor and brakes on one side only, but hey, it cost £30.
Harley actually make some good stuff which you have to shell out for after you buy it new. I did some quick sums with mine to work out how much it needed spending and I just got rid of it :)
Post by: Allington (Steve) on April 21, 2020, 08:28:08 AM
Only thing that kept it going was nostalgia
I guess people had a lot less money (although not clever enough to budget in constant repairs), people were a lot more tolerant and older guys seemed to think that Jap bikes were the work of the devil. I remember being on an almost new gleaming red 750 kettle and an old guy on an old rat infested ex police 650 Triumph pulled up next to me at traffic lights and shouted over "I wouldn't have one of those f@*£ing things if you paid me!"
The change came and it came quick thankfully
Post by: royhall on April 21, 2020, 08:47:09 AM
In defence of the British it was pretty hard to work to fine tolerances on old clapped out machine tools that spent their best days churning out bombs etc. Thanks to the Marshall plan the Japs had the brand new latest machinery.
In 1980 I owned a Norton Commando 850 roadster that was good except for stripping the exhaust rings out of the head. A local guy machined them out and made phosphor bronze rings for it, they never went again. Even the electric start worked reliably though it did kill batteries.
Post by: bobv7 on April 21, 2020, 09:22:29 AM
Post by: MrDavo on April 21, 2020, 10:09:15 AM
I was pretty much in the Jap Crap camp at one time, as I stayed at home to disembowel my Triumph. Again. It was a great bike to ride, in between mechanical disasters.
What put me off all foreign bikes, when bikes were my only transport, was having to get a bus to a distant dealer, order whatever part I needed from a surly parts manager, get the bus home again and be a pedestrian for two weeks while I waited for the part to come in.
Now I can order online, using my iPad, from the comfort of my bed.
Post by: cooleronthecoast on April 21, 2020, 01:08:18 PM
I ended up getting a brand new Yamaha RD200 as they were quite a bit cheaper than the 250's at the time, £408 as I recall, against about £525 for the RD250 - Happy days Lol. The only new British bikes left by then were Triumphs Bonnevilles, the Trident and Nortons Commando 850. I think even the BSA version of the Trident, the Rocket 3 had gone by early '76. Didn't Triumph and BSA have a last gasp at a 350 twin, the Bandit? but I don't think it got into showrooms before they folded.
So really there wasn't much choice for a 17 year old learner rider outside the Jap 4 companies at that time.
Post by: Allington (Steve) on April 21, 2020, 01:53:55 PM
I remember a lot of jap hating in the 60s and 70s came from still recent memories of what the Japs did in WW2 passed down from the older guys. Strangely I don't recall those guys having it in for BMW. Plus a sense that the Orient was going to take our jobs as the bikes and cars from Japan were clearly superior. Fair shout really.
In defence of the British it was pretty hard to work to fine tolerances on old clapped out machine tools that spent their best days churning out bombs etc. Thanks to the Marshall plan the Japs had the brand new latest machinery.
In 1980 I owned a Norton Commando 850 roadster that was good except for stripping the exhaust rings out of the head. A local guy machined them out and made phosphor bronze rings for it, they never went again. Even the electric start worked reliably though it did kill batteries.
My friend Mick had a much modified 850 Interstate (he was an engineer) and it was a much better bike but he enjoyed the fixing as much as he did the riding which is possibly why. Fixed the constant exhaust problem in the end by drilling a fin either side and then the finned exhaust screw and wiring them.
Post by: Allington (Steve) on April 21, 2020, 02:00:08 PM
I think I came into road biking just as the British factories were having their last gasp. As a 17 year old in 1975, there wasn't any Brand new British bikes to be had under 250cc (I'm happy to be corrected on that point if anyone knows better). So to ride on L plates, it was either a used British C15 or a Bantam or similar or something of Japanese origin. There was the Ducati Desmo 250 single and AMC Harley had a 250 single too, but they were out of my budget new.
I ended up getting a brand new Yamaha RD200 as they were quite a bit cheaper than the 250's at the time, £408 as I recall, against about £525 for the RD250 - Happy days Lol. The only new British bikes left by then were Triumphs Bonnevilles, the Trident and Nortons Commando 850. I think even the BSA version of the Trident, the Rocket 3 had gone by early '76. Didn't Triumph and BSA have a last gasp at a 350 twin, the Bandit? but I don't think it got into showrooms before they folded.
So really there wasn't much choice for a 17 year old learner rider outside the Jap 4 companies at that time.
I had both a C15 and a Bantam but really as having a bike was your only form of transport and easily accessible HP by then it just meant you could get to work and have biking fun with the reliability. The 70's saw a new breed of biker with L plate usable bikes that were great fun.
Post by: bobv7 on April 21, 2020, 02:28:19 PM
[attach=1]
Post by: Laverda Dave on April 21, 2020, 03:09:43 PM
https://youtu.be/uvmIq6walP8
Post by: Colonial-Clive (yindi) on April 21, 2020, 03:12:53 PM
Post by: taysidedragon on April 21, 2020, 05:03:14 PM
They were hurried towards production so use front forks and brakes from the bigger twins, no disc brakes.
I think they were good looking bikes with a decent ohc engine and could have been successful. Too late unfortunately. I took these photos on an earlier trip to the museum. Well worth a look.
Post by: MrDavo on April 21, 2020, 05:24:05 PM
No driptrays there.
Post by: Allington (Steve) on April 21, 2020, 06:00:01 PM
A mate of mine still has his Interstate Commando bought new in 1972. Not entirely original now or without it's problems, but even with the Combat engine he has still singularly failed to blow it up. Here it is with my old CB175 and another friends Suzuki 500 as usual outside a pub in the rain. :(
(Attachment Link)
If it's a combat it will be about the only one in existence that hasn't. He deserves a medal :-\
Post by: Bryanj on April 21, 2020, 06:46:55 PM
Post by: taysidedragon on April 21, 2020, 07:51:08 PM
If it weren't for the lockdown I was scheduled to visit the Honda museum at Twin Ring Motegi sometime this week.
No driptrays there.
The driptrays were dry! Just standard for the museum I reckon because of the older leaky bikes.
The new 350 ohc twins still made the mistake of vertically split crankcases iirc so not quite up to Honda standard at the time.
Post by: davefirestorm on April 21, 2020, 08:12:13 PM