Any other motorcyclists here?

[merseymouth]

Hi all, What nostalgia? I remember the BSA "Titanium Frame" era, I was at Hawstone Park when JV Smith retired form the big race with "Electrical Issues"!
As Jim Royle would say "My Ar*e!". Out on the course it was hidden in bushes with the frame snapped in two! Took them ages to sort out their welding technique with that stuff.
Another works BSA man has recently passed away, Vic Eastwood, lovely smooth rider.
But I prefer good old fashioned "Scrambling" over modern Motocross, stupid show off session!
IGICB MM

[Tiberius]

You guys lusting after the Suzuki T500/GT500 range, have a go on one today.

I rode a GT500 years ago and then more recently I had a go on this beauty. It ran well but it was harsh, vibrated big time and I couldn't wait to get off it. I promptly threw my rose tinted specs into the bin !!

Looks great though eh ???....

[Hobbs1951]

Interesting, neither contemporary road tests nor recent ones (in magazines like Classic Bike) criticise the T500 for vibration* - perhaps the one you rode looked good but was mechanically not so.

I see it's an American import.

John.

*ridden using the T500s torque rather than thinking it's a screamer like an RD !

[reohn2]

Interesting, neither contemporary road tests nor recent ones (in magazines like Classic Bike) criticise the T500 for vibration* - perhaps the one you rode looked good but was mechanically not so.

I see it's an American import.

John.

*ridden using the T500s torque rather than thinking it's a screamer like an RD !

My overall impression of the T500 was it was just as smooth as the four cylinder Honda 750 I traded in for it.It was as you say no screamer more of a burble with a low moan when opened up,alround nice bike that I could ride all day at 70mph+ but I had flat handlebars on mine.

[mercalia]

You guys lusting after the Suzuki T500/GT500 range, have a go on one today.

I rode a GT500 years ago and then more recently I had a go on this beauty. It ran well but it was harsh, vibrated big time and I couldn't wait to get off it. I promptly threw my rose tinted specs into the bin !!

Looks great though eh ???....

maybe the big end bearing were gone? I know my SI triple the big end bearing were very loose by the time it was stolen. not roller/needle bearings but simple balls

[Hobbs1951]

My overall impression of the T500 was it was just as smooth as the four cylinder Honda 750 I traded in for it.It was as you say no screamer more of a burble with a low moan when opened up,alround nice bike that I could ride all day at 70mph+ but I had flat handlebars on mine.

That was my impression when I rode one...a smooth, relaxing motorcycle to ride - popular in the USA bitd as a mid-weight tourer - one magazine (Cycle or Cycle World tested one in Death Valley - I have the magazine somewhere).

John.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Probably ends gone as said, even four strokes twins were prone to that too.
Just before my mate sold his CD175 he used to rev it to 12500
The result was you could not keep your feet on the pillion foot rests through the vibes.

Twin two stroke has same power strokes per crank rev as a 400 4 four stroke so should be smooth, like a car motor.

[pete75]

You guys lusting after the Suzuki T500/GT500 range, have a go on one today.

I rode a GT500 years ago and then more recently I had a go on this beauty. It ran well but it was harsh, vibrated big time and I couldn't wait to get off it. I promptly threw my rose tinted specs into the bin !!

Looks great though eh ???....

No it doesn't with those ridiculous chrome decorations on the side panels, the lurid paint job and the scrambles handlebars.
The Eddie Crooks version looked a lot better. Ridden by Frank Whitehead it won the 500cc production TT setting new race and lap records.

None of the T500s I've ridden vibrated much.

[hondated]

Here"s my 1970 BSA Victor, a 441cc single which I've owned since almost new. I rebuilt it a couple of years ago, it's great fun to ride and oil-tight too!

P1060481.jpg
Rob

Didnt Jeff Smith win his world scrambler championship riding on of these.

Twice.
Difficult to imagine the engine was based on the 250cc C15 motor which in turn was based on the 200CC Tiger Cub engine which itself was developed from the 150cc Triumph Terrier.

Thanks Pete I didnt know that

[hondated]

How many people here passed the proper motorcycle test, L plates on your 250 and a guy with a clipboard observing you from time to time?

Me ! I cannot believe I thought it was difficult at the time but as I wrote on a previous post I have never stopped learning.

me 2. Not sure I could pass the new test

Definitely agree and I admire anyone going through the process these days.

[hondated]

Hi all, What nostalgia? I remember the BSA "Titanium Frame" era, I was at Hawstone Park when JV Smith retired form the big race with "Electrical Issues"!
As Jim Royle would say "My Ar*e!". Out on the course it was hidden in bushes with the frame snapped in two! Took them ages to sort out their welding technique with that stuff.
Another works BSA man has recently passed away, Vic Eastwood, lovely smooth rider.
But I prefer good old fashioned "Scrambling" over modern Motocross, stupid show off session!
IGICB MM

Sorry to read this MM as I remember watch him race. I think after that he had a shop near Dartford.
Should of added yes I agree with you I preferred Scrambling. I went to a Motocross meeting at Canada Heights Kent and was disappointed to find it was one jump after another. Only ever tried it once and I was pathetic as I didnt ride it quickly enough to get it smooth over the rough ground.

[Cowsham]

Super six what a bike ! We had Bonnie's ,A10s & Road Rockets and one day one of our mates turns up on this rice burner 250cc. Didnt take us long to realise how good it was though when he disappeared into the distance on our first ride out with him. As for the Honda 4 when it came out it was game over for British motorcycles not long after that.

On paper they beat a Commando hands down, on the road it was a different matter altogether.

Dont necessarily agree as a lot of it is down to the rider.
I was never going to beat Hailwood Read or Sheene even if we had the same bikes.
Sadly Colin Seeley died a couple of days ago. Nice fella.

Sad to hear about Colin Seeley -- Joey Dunlop made his TT debut on a Seeley framed TZ 350 Yamsel.

[merseymouth]

Hi Cowsham , Hawkstone Park "Mountain" did't have many folk jumping over the top, one was jush praying to get up it without spinning out then hurtling down it again! Great viewing spot.
You mention the "Yamsel", that hybrid of Yamaha might & Seeley craft. The name that springs to my mind with regards to that machine is John "Mooneyes" Cooper. Remember him scratching his way around Oulton Park, only MSBH on his Honda 6 could master him!
As you has been said Colin Seeley was a really nice man, spent his latter years scouting for an auction house.
Joey was a one off, with a real compassion for the needy. "Yer Mon" will always be held in high regard. TTFN MM

[Tiberius]

...I know..I know..I know......We will ALL believe it when we see it, BUT....Wouldn't this be great...

https://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news ... gp-by-2026

The current MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 bikes sound great close up but it would be great if they could introduce a class for the modern, ultra clean 'strokers'.

[mercalia]

...I know..I know..I know......We will ALL believe it when we see it, BUT....Wouldn't this be great...

https://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news ... gp-by-2026

The current MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 bikes sound great close up but it would be great if they could introduce a class for the modern, ultra clean 'strokers'.

Hyrdogen 2 stokes?

and presumably no need any more to decoke the pistons/heads? any one remember having to do that?