Is motorcycling allowed?

[IceCreamMan]

For sure.

If you can get the right one, in the right condition and at the right time for demand then they are good investments. Getting those three things right is the trick.

But nostalgia, I suppose you should think about how much freedom a Nokia 3310 brought, endless games of snake but nobody is running back to them.

My RD350 was amazing, but 15-18yrs later it was just meh, especially when compared to more modern machinery that actually stop, turn and don't need you ride with spare plugs or 2T oil......

 

I hear you. But i really enjoy my gamma i must add. Its such a thrilling an engaging ride. 

 

but i have only had it 4 months or so and only done around 1000 kays on it. I wont use it to go long distance as i cant afford the fuel and dont want to hunt for parts , it gets around 11 kays to a litre. 

 

mid life crisis i spose, existential crisis who knows , but i am loving it

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

I hear you. But i really enjoy my gamma i must add. Its such a thrilling an engaging ride. 

 

but i have only had it 4 months or so and only done around 1000 kays on it. I wont use it to go long distance as i cant afford the fuel and dont want to hunt for parts , it gets around 11 kays to a litre. 

 

mid life crisis i spose, existential crisis who knows , but i am loving it

 

That is what it is all about, and happy to hear you are using it. They are lovely bikes these 2T's but they need lots of love, perfect if you enjoy fiddling. I am over those days though. They are heavy on fuel, used to get the same fuel consumption on my old YPVS as my TL1000R with huge performance disparity. I know which I would rather ride right now if given the choice.....

 

I have a FB acquaintance who bought up about 6 RD350 LC's some time ago. Just sitting on them as an investment. Seems a waste firstly, secondly when the price bubble bursts (and it will 14kGBP is crazy for that bike) it will be a struggle to sell them.

 

Reminds me of the peole in Pretoria who planted palm tree's as they heard Sol was buying them up for Sun City. Now they are paying big bucks to get them removed from properties......

[IceCreamMan]

Bought anMT5 Tornado on eBay last night. Needs work they say. Pristine ones go for 3 grand. I paid 1100 for one that’s been in storage since 1997. All parts are there an it has ‘good compression’. Gets delivered Saturday.

 

Elbow grease needed and respray. Seat re covered. Hopefully internals all good.

 

Lots of parts available as these were sold here from 1979!to around mid 90s. Mines a 92.

 

(Will post pics)

 

 

Started ishooing some autosol to the MT.... it has lots of surface rust on the wheels, tank etc. Lots of work needed. Bought some grade 0000 steel wool to help with the task.Going to take a while as each spoke has to be individually cleaned and polished. 

 

Got spark and fuel flows out of the tank and out the carb overflow and all over the floor. Compression is good by my hand measure so we have the components for combustion to occur. Now need to make it all happen inside the head.. Next weekend its carb off, its either full of dirt resulting in the flowing out the carb or the floats are knackered. Get some cheap oil, do an oil change...get it started and running. then strip it all down for powder coating etc. Some parts of it are pristine like the number plate and tool holder ...rest not so much. 

 

But it is so lekker to work on a lil bike like this, it weighs nothing, everything is accessible. 

[sawystertrance]

That is what it is all about, and happy to hear you are using it. They are lovely bikes these 2T's but they need lots of love, perfect if you enjoy fiddling. I am over those days though. They are heavy on fuel, used to get the same fuel consumption on my old YPVS as my TL1000R with huge performance disparity. I know which I would rather ride right now if given the choice.....

 

I have a FB acquaintance who bought up about 6 RD350 LC's some time ago. Just sitting on them as an investment. Seems a waste firstly, secondly when the price bubble bursts (and it will 14kGBP is crazy for that bike) it will be a struggle to sell them.

 

Reminds me of the peole in Pretoria who planted palm tree's as they heard Sol was buying them up for Sun City. Now they are paying big bucks to get them removed from properties......

 

 

..And they smell good. you forgot that part.

[IceCreamMan]

Stunning paint scheme... wonder if there is a R1 coming out like this at some point

 

 

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

http://yart7.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Yamaha_YZF-R1_20-Anniversary_YART_5101.jpg

Edited March 15, 2021 by Steven Knoetze (sk27)

[sawystertrance]

Not my kind of bike any more but anybody seen this?

 

 

[RoddieJ]

Not my kind of bike any more but anybody seen this?

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLm_L7EWcFY

Eye-watering tech into this bike.... But, who rides these things? Okay, okay... it’s rhetorical, I couldn’t help myself.

 

Absolutely stunning bike [emoji1419]

[sawystertrance]

Fair question which occurred to me too but he answers it in the video. It's mainly bought by guys or teams who want to race although so many parts are changed it sort of doesn't make sense.

 

But, eye-watering tech indeed.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Fair question which occurred to me too but he answers it in the video. It's mainly bought by guys or teams who want to race although so many parts are changed it sort of doesn't make sense.

 

But, eye-watering tech indeed.

 

With an equally eye-watering price........

[IceCreamMan]

Last bike I refurbed was a 63 Vespa 125 about 15 years ago. Getting nicely reacquainted with grade 0000 steel wool and autosol. ????

 

Honest toil. A little bit every day. No rush. Lots of parts are going to need to be rechromed/ painted/ powder coated etc.

Edited March 17, 2021 by IceCreamMan

[IceCreamMan]

First week was spent trying to neaten the bike up. Wheels are pitted so probably will need some pro care. Tank will need respray and frame will need to be redone. It looks ok from far kinda thing. Friday arvie I did an oil change on the MT, just to put my mind at rest. Gunk came out and I filled it with fresh 10/40 cheap oil. It had not run since 1997.

 

Removed carb and opened it all up. Float bowl had 2 mils of hard varnish like gunk from the crap in fuel. Soaked everything. Took the main jet out and could not see through it, but being a 65 I could not recall whether I was supposed to be able to or not. Last time I worked on a 50 was 1983. My eyes also not my eyes had back then.Soaked it plenty overnight in degreaser and prodded with thin copper wire and eventually the gunk gave and eureka I could see through it. Floats were good, needle moved nicely. Cleaned the carb as best I could. Took tank off ,rinsed with fuel. Bought cheap 2 smoke from tool station and put some in. Put carb all back together will need a carb kit and replace all the parts an gasket cos the gasket was not in good Nick. Carb kit is like 8 euro. Had a look at the reeds and they look good. Bear in mind the bike only has 12 000 miles on it.

 

Put it all together and went out to buy fuel but got side tracked at my mate and watched rugby etc and anyway he said he wanted to be there when I tried to start it as his first 50 was an MT and we go back 30 odd years so I said cool.

 

This morning he came round and went to garage. We looked it over a spoke bout the work I did on it. Turned ignition on 3 kicks no response. 4th kick a lil life an 5th kick it burst into life. Man, what a glorious feeling. Maslow speaks of self actualising and that moment was it.

 

Rode it up an down the road. Goes over 30 quite easily so I think it’s already been derestricted and the exhaust bears the sign of having been cut so possible,

 

2 issues. Only runs with the choke out so will need to strip carb again but that’s fine and it also has a knock on the overrun now and again. I can’t tell whether it’s a bearing or fuel ignition issue. No vibration and does not happen under load. Will check bearings when I strip motor for painting. (Piston slap?)

 

Lekker day.

[patches]

I watched these vids while on the bus this morning. Made me realise I pack WAY too much, even for a 3 day trip through comparatively developed areas.

 

 

[IceCreamMan]

I hear Alan from KCR passed away earlier today. Motorcycle accident. RIP. 

 

When Alan left SAA and bought the lil shop at the top of Kempton it was a dingy lil place. He then upgraded it and made it into a sparking showroom when he bought those houses in kepmton (forget the street name) dual carriage way road. 

[IceCreamMan]

Ordered some parts from Holland for the mighty MT. 

 

1 x exhaust system up to tail section.

1 x carb kit 

1 x extra jet 

1 x inlet manifold

2x inlet manifold gaskets

1 x air filter 

couple of odd bolts 

 

Total 74 euro.... shipping +16 euro. I laughed... 

 

now wait to see if UK customs sting me... 

 

Prices are insanely cheap. Pattern parts so hope they are good. 

[Latent_Blue]

Oh man, I like Cafe racers... What I wouldn't give

 

(1983 XJ750)