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Messages - MCTID
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91
« on: April 23, 2022, 09:55:31 PM »
I have had all sorts of Helmets over the years but the last two have been Shark......the latest has a flip up section and a flip up Dark Visor. Blo*dy brilliant bit of kit. (NEVER mists up like so many other Helmets do - I reckon because the visor is thicker than other makes) and it's comfortable and reasonably priced.
I really like being able to flip up the front section while waiting at the lights, then back down again quickly when on the move.....same with the tinted interior Visor when you suddenly encounter bright sunshine. I wear prescription specs/ sunglasses when riding and the Shark helmet accommodates them perfectly.
Suits me anyway - but happy to recommend.
92
« on: April 13, 2022, 12:04:45 PM »
I REVISED my post as Laverda Dave's comments prompted me that I'd noted Parcel to go when I meant Parcel Monkey ! DOH.
Parcel Monkey is cheap....for a reason. If something goes astray and you contact them, they simply refer you to the Courier who they placed your parcel with. In effect they are just acting as a 'go between' so they have no responsibility for loss, delay or damage......that's why they are cheap ! UPS is OK for large parts (Frames etc) as their prices are reasonable....it's just their Website is a PITA to negotiate (IMHO) but otherwise I have found UPS to be OK. I never did figure out why the Triumph Frame I sent to Cornwall (from Blackpool) - spent a week sitting in their Norwich Warehouse !
Parcelforce is OK although my local PO Staff are another PITA if every T isn't crossed and every I isn't dotted 100% correctly, but the Parcelforce Drivers are really good so nowadays I book it Online and the Drivers collect it from me. They are probably the most expensive service, but as always you get what you pay for. Forget E Bay Shipping estimates - steer well clear of them when placing a sale on the E Bay Website ! They haven't got a clue about the real world and their Profit seems to be the only thing they care about ! I don't send anything overseas any more....too much hassle.......too expensive, too much red tape and too much grief ! If you undervalue your parts on the Customs Declaration (or ask Sellers to do so) you are actually defrauding the Taxman so think long and hard about doing so.........not worth it really and many Sellers won't entertain it - especially US Dealers who I have bought a lot of parts from over the years. I haven't used DHL, Hermes etc to ship anything, although their deliveries to me seem to be OK. The local Hermes bloke is excellent, but that might just be because he's a conscientious and decent bloke.
Like most things, do your research on shipping various sizes/ weights and destinations (especially overseas) then you'll settle into a routine....and BEWARE of Companies offering you unbelievably cheap deals just to get your business as there is ALWAYS a catch !
93
« on: March 31, 2022, 11:32:56 PM »
Back in 1988 I was a Quality Manager for a Blue Chip Commercial Vehicle Component Manufacturer in Runcorn when I went on a Seminar on Total Quality Management (TQM). It was a good days Training and I thoroughly enjoyed it.......although I remember giving my MD a Debrief after and saying that although I enjoyed it, he really was the one who should have attended....but it 'Wasn't for him' (his words),
One of the more interesting presentations was from a Senior Quality Manager from Natwest Bank, which had recently introduced a new type of Bank Account for existing Customers only. It really was a great deal and lots of people took it up. After a few weeks, local Natwest Bank Managers from all around the UK were regularly complaining to their Head Office that they were getting serious grief from some of their best and longstanding Customers, who Natwest was really pi*sing off because they had no response to their postal applications to participate in this wonderful new initiative.
After a lot of legwork, this Natwest Quality Manager tracked down the problem to the fact that 6 or 7 sackfuls of mail (Applications) were being delivered to the HQ of the Natwest Bank EVERY day, but the number of Employees assigned to process them was totally inadequate, so the old sacks of mail were being left at the back of the room gathering dust and they were only processing the latest Applications.....so the older Applications just went backwards - hence the complaints from some of their best Customers that 'If Natwest can't process my Applications in a timely manner, then maybe I need to find myself a more efficient Bank to look after my money and substantial investments'....so not only were Natwest missing out on the takeup of their new Bank Account, they were losing some of their oldest and most profitable Customers in droves.
Remember that this was back in 1988........and I could be a smartarse and say that surely the DVLA and all their highly paid (overpaid) Executives should have seen this coming, but as we are talking about the DVLA, it's hardly surprising really is it !
94
« on: March 31, 2022, 05:42:43 PM »
Some time ago I sent an important letter to the DVLA - Recorded Post. You won't believe me that it was delivered to my House the next day.......some zombie in the PO Sorting Office had read my 'Return address' on the back of the envelope and another PO zombie delivered it.
I had a moan at my local Postwoman and said I couldn't believe that anyone could be so stupid......she just rolled her eyes and said "With some of the people in our PO Sorting Office....I certainly can believe it" ! She said if I had anything 'important' such as original Vehicle documents it was vital to send them to the DVLA by REGISTERED POST. Recorded Delivery Post just means that you had some confirmation that it had been delivered but Registered Post meant that the PO could tell you the time and date when it was delivered and who signed for it.
Like many other Government Departments, many people working in the DVLA are just Agency workers who may or may not be there next week so they don't get much training, and the Procedures used by many Government Departments are so overly complicated and bureaucratic, that even seasoned personnel don't actually know what to do when something out of the ordinary lands on their desk.....hence long delays in processing time.
Better safe than sorry in my view !
95
« on: March 16, 2022, 06:25:00 PM »
The problem is that at £13K....and reading the sh1te the Seller is spouting, he obviously doesn't really know much/enough about this bike.......or even CB750K's in general..... which is worrying
I wonder if he's just bought it or P/X'd it and thinks he can make a killing - like Watty's CB350F which was the subject of some debate on here recently ?
I think I'd walk a mile and look for something else.....not that I'd pay £13K for one like this when you can get a really well sorted one rebuilt properly by some of the Members on this Forum.
Even a fair K3/4/5/6 can be bought for around the £4K/£5K mark and even after putting a fair amount of work into it, you'd have a nice reliable bike knowing that you don't have to worry about anything for the next few years if you wanted a keeper'.
I think there is a lot to be said about buying an older bike from somebody who really knows what they are doing, and can demonstrate that the bike they are selling really is as good as they claim, and worth the asking price.
Time will tell.
96
« on: March 08, 2022, 07:41:14 PM »
I can't stress too much (I can't cos I have a hernia LOL) the importance of using a Company who are used to working with old bikes and cars as they KNOW what they are doing and will take good care of the things that matter.
Just picking a local Company out of the blue is always asking for trouble, so always seek recommendations from other Members of the Forum.
The Royal Observer Corps had a Motto which is very appropriate today 'Forewarned is forearmed' !
97
« on: March 07, 2022, 06:58:04 PM »
Mmmmmmm......I recently challenged a US E Bay Dealer how it could possibly cost 94 US Dollars (to post to the UK) the small Latch Assembly that locks the Fuel Tank Cap.................
He did offer a way around it but I think that was more from embarrassment rather than anything else....although he did appear to be as surprised as I was annoyed TBH ! I came to the conclusion that E Bay is trying to 'bump up' the Shipping Costs as they also take a % of those costs - which are actually nothing to do with E Bay....Shipping Costs are Shipping Costs when all is said and done, and if an unscrupulous Seller is trying to 'fiddle E Bay, they should punish the Seller and not their Customers' !
This was his reply:
That sounds insane!
I offer 4 levels of shipping service, make sure you check the First Class international option, I have a feeling E Bay is steering you towards the Priority Express option!
Sometime if you click on shipping details, it will only give 2 options, you may need to add the item to your cart before you can choose from all 4 options.
It should be 1/3 of what they are showing you.
All the best
Steve
I recently bought three Chrome CB750 Rear Mudguards from another US E Bay Dealer.......the Shipping Costs for each were about £100, but after some shenanigans the total cost worked out at around £125 ! The Dealer was really helpful (once again) but I felt that E Bay were just doing their best to rip me off. If they carry on like this much longer, they might find their overseas business has gone the same way as the Dodo ! (or Gerald Ratner).
Yours disgustedly,
A grassroot from Eccles.
98
« on: February 03, 2022, 07:01:00 PM »
I have just bought 3 used CB750K Chrome Rear Mudguards from the USA. These are the 341 type for 1972 to 1976 SOHC models.
I'm keeping one, but if anyone needs one or both of the other two, I'm asking £100+ P&P each........as the shipping from the USA is mega expensive now.
They are in good solid condition with a few small dings and some small rust spots around the mounting holes and in the 'creases' (they are all the same now after 50 years) and surface rust underneath, which can be treated and cleaned off. The Rear Light Assemblies are available separately.
These are good enough to use as is, or ideal as a spare. They would also make a good resto for a concours bike if you were to get them re-chromed.
Reproductions are available of course, but they cost around £250/ £300+ P&P and they are unlikely to be as good quality or fit as these originals.
Let me know if anyone wants to buy them or I'll put them on E Bay.
Cheers.
100
« on: January 13, 2022, 11:57:18 AM »
Seeing the Timber packaging inside that container reminded me of a QA/QC job I had many years ago.
We were sending some Ingersoll Rand Compressors out to Thailand where they were going to be used out in the jungle. These were BIG Compressors and the Timber Crates were about the size of a large Garage. The Specifications for the Timber Packaging were a bit bizarre and called for some significant treatment against Termite (and other exotic creepy crawly bugs) Infestation.
We were used to this kind of stuff, but in this case we found it all a bit OTT as once the Compressors were unpacked, the Timber Packaging would be discarded anyway. But the Customer is always right - especially when they are paying for it !
Some weeks later, our Service and Commissioning Engineers oversaw the Compressors being installed on site and everything went well and we had yet another satisfied Customer........they sent us some photos from site and also some pictures of the Timber Crates - which had since become home to a couple of Families !!!
101
« on: January 02, 2022, 02:28:01 PM »
Candy Antares Red was the first paint choice for my K4. It's actually a K6 colour, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out and I'd still choose Red again if I had to.
Not the original Valley Green mine came with but I really don't like that so it was a no brainer. Gold seems to be very popular on the early K's but the gold and orange options don't do much for me I'm afraid.
The blue is another favourite of mine............
102
« on: December 27, 2021, 05:43:20 PM »
Yes....of course you should do a blow by blow thread Roy.........I have seen your rebuilds in real life and they are all splendid. As my eldest Daughter says - 'If you've got it....flaunt it' ! LOL.
There is always somebody new on these Forums and there are always questions that a newcomer wants to ask but is too worried about being seen to be naive or stupid........not that the lovely peeps on this Forum take the piss (unlike some other bike Forums), so let's see what you are up to and we can all share the ups and downs.
Your CB350 and the Black Bomber threads from the recent past were really interesting and the CB750 one will no doubt be just as entertaining and informative........don't forget that this one will also be in the archives and available for others who might go down that path in the future. Good stuff, done well is 'Gold Dust' when you are embarking on a journey into the unknown !
One of my 'mantras' when I was an Auditor and a Quality bloke was - 'If it isn't written down....it never happened' - so having a storyline and photos makes your end result that much more worthwhile - and valuable to any potential future Buyer.
Go for it our Kid.
103
« on: December 22, 2021, 04:59:56 PM »
I remember having a conversation about this 'issue' before June 2016 with my Son in Law who owns a Garage employing about 20 peeps in Manchester. He specialises in German Cars and his 'claim to fame' is his hourly rate which is a fraction of the relevant Main Dealer prices.....he also gets a lot of Kudos because he only fits OEM parts and all his Technicians are Factory Trained, the Manufacturers warranty is valid. He also knocks 10% off the price of OEM parts and he will also tell you if a VW badged part will fit your Audi or Porsche and the price difference.....i.e. a Brake Caliper in a VW box will cost 1/3 of the same part in a Porsche box. It's the same part but if your car is out of Warranty, do you really need to spend a lot more dosh than you need to.....or Porsche want you to ?
His business also handles a lot of Fleet Cars and Vans, and again, he will offer Owners an alternative part if there is a significant saving as many parts for Citroens, Renaults, Peugeots and Vauxhalls are basically the same, but the price difference may be significant. Another factor is who can supply the part today or will you have to wait 48 hours for it to be delivered from the Main Dealer/ Motor Factor - a vital factor when you have a vehicle stripped down on the ramp taking up workshop space awaiting parts to get it back on the road....think Fleet Vehicles here folks !
He tells me that other Independent Garages like his will also offer alternative parts just like he does, and for a large Fleet, the annual savings can be substantial. Fleet Owners expect him to be proactive and to add value wherever possible and repeat business is often won by passing on these savings.
The conversation we had back in June 2016 was about an EU initiative to prevent the use of non OEM parts on vehicles....which would have had a major impact upon his business without adding any real benefit or ensuring Customers had a choice. Although we all accept that Emissions should be tightly controlled, is it really a good thing that a mild steel exhaust system provided (not made by the Vehicle Manufacturer but outsourced) retailing at £250 might be outlawed and instead the Customer has no choice but to buy the Manufacturers Stamped exhaust system at £750 ! It's made from the same material, made to the same specifications and made by the same Factory, but you will only be able to buy it from the Manufacturer and you will have to pay the asking price they want ! So much for choice, value and the 'free market' ! Similarly, should a Headlight or a Door Mirror which you can buy as a Pattern part be available for £100 or £50 or should you be forced to pay 4 or 5 times that price because legally, you can only buy it from the Main Dealer ?
Back in 2026, my SIL was aghast that such an initiative was being considered and felt it was a negative proposal........and although many thought it had bit the dust since then, it's obvious that somebody somewhere has refused to let it drop and is trying to introduce it again !
I signed this petition and also responded to the call for comments that the BMF asked for - despite it being a PITA to complete and return the formal Response Form......in my experience, when any Civil Service Department deliberately makes it difficult to air your views, then there's usually a very 'dodgy' reason behind their subterfuge and sleight of hand........i.e. they don't actually want people to comment because they have no interest in what Joe Public wants as they have already made their minds up.
Let's hope that common sense prevails in this matter, but if it doesn't then we may all need to badger our local MP's or we will once again be stuck with it !
104
« on: December 10, 2021, 05:05:42 PM »
This is going to be SOME Project ! I love the old Honda Police Bikes (The Kwackers too.....as the CHIPS TV show was a regular watch for me back in the day).
I was wondering if you had the rear wheel driven siren as I was going to volunteer to assist.....having successfully emptied numerous barrack rooms in the early hours with my very good impression of a Siren in my TA days.......for which I got a good hiding off the lads......all part of life's rich and merry pageant !
Can't wait to se it progressing....no doubt it will be just as good as all your spectacular rebuilds, but it will probably make a more 'arresting' sight !
105
« on: December 08, 2021, 12:15:47 PM »
Aha.......the Armstrong MT500.......the bike that got me back into biking after 7 years without one. We got an Armstrong MT500 in my TA Battery around 1984 and i wangled a go on it............it fairly flew that bike !
A few weeks later a very nice CX500 appeared on my drive as a Christmas pressie to myself. SWMBO was not best pleased (not surprisingly). HoHoHo.
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