Motorcycle users group, seriously !

[mercalia]

I once rode my Laverda Jota from the Isle of Skye to my home in Kent in a day.

John.

I rode a Puch Maxi moped from Warrington to London and back in a day (actually 26 hours).
My bottom has never forgiven me.

well my first motorised transport ( heh I think it can be called that ) was a Tomos moped ( bought from Woolworths in Croydon ) I rode from Lowestoft to London & back in Winter time , long time a go - I used to use my bike and stopped off at Colchester YHA in the day but now could do it all in one go

[Hobbs1951]

Hi,

I once rode my Laverda Jota from the Isle of Skye to my home in Kent in a day.

John.

I rode a Puch Maxi moped from Warrington to London and back in a day (actually 26 hours).
My bottom has never forgiven me.

Did not put you back out lifting on to train either

Lift a Jota...are you kidding ? Plus Skye never connected to mainland train network, no bridge in those days either !

John.

[Hobbs1951]

I once rode my Laverda Jota from the Isle of Skye to my home in Kent in a day.

John.

I rode a Puch Maxi moped from Warrington to London and back in a day (actually 26 hours).
My bottom has never forgiven me.

well my first motorised transport ( heh I think it can be called that ) was a Tomos moped ( bought from Woolworths in Croydon ) I rode from Lowestoft to London & back in Winter time , long time a go - I used to use my bike and stopped off at Colchester YHA in the day but now could do it all in one go

Woolworth Croydon...Church Street ?

John.

[mercalia]

I rode a Puch Maxi moped from Warrington to London and back in a day (actually 26 hours).
My bottom has never forgiven me.

well my first motorised transport ( heh I think it can be called that ) was a Tomos moped ( bought from Woolworths in Croydon ) I rode from Lowestoft to London & back in Winter time , long time a go - I used to use my bike and stopped off at Colchester YHA in the day but now could do it all in one go

Woolworth Croydon...Church Street ?

John.

I thought it was in North end the pedestrian walk way now? was so long ago. I think it cost me £200, again cant really remember. I had to take it back as the forks started to go wrong and the manager was swearing why on earth they sold the **** thing. Not a bad 2 stroke device that got me around and better than cycling.......

was one of these things but in white

tomos moped

[Tiberius]

I once rode my Laverda Jota from the Isle of Skye to my home in Kent in a day.

John.

OOOOooooooohhh.....I bet the fuel stations loved you !!

And I bet you didn't care, Jotas are as cool as motorbikes get.....assuming it was orange and silver ???.....

[Hobbs1951]

I once rode my Laverda Jota from the Isle of Skye to my home in Kent in a day.

John.

OOOOooooooohhh.....I bet the fuel stations loved you !!

And I bet you didn't care, Jotas are as cool as motorbikes get.....assuming it was orange and silver ???.....

Not orange and silver, it was earlier than that livery(bought new in early '79). Mine had a black frame with metallic gold bodywork - I put Mirage handlebars on it, I didn't like the adjustable drops.

John.

[Cunobelin]

I once rode my Laverda Jota from the Isle of Skye to my home in Kent in a day.

John.

I rode a Puch Maxi moped from Warrington to London and back in a day (actually 26 hours).
My bottom has never forgiven me.

well my first motorised transport ( heh I think it can be called that ) was a Tomos moped ( bought from Woolworths in Croydon ) I rode from Lowestoft to London & back in Winter time , long time a go - I used to use my bike and stopped off at Colchester YHA in the day but now could do it all in one go

There was a story about a Naval Nursing Sister in Plymouth

One of the more Senior Sisters noted she had plain black shoes, but they were NOT uniform, junior Sister explained that she had packed in a hurry and they were at home

Senior told the Junior Sister to "Go Home and get the proper shoes". Junior Sister tried to argue, but was told it was "an ORDER"

So Junior Sister went back to her room, changed into Leathers and mounted her Bonneville, and proceeded home to...... Aberdeen

Returned 3 days later and when asked where she had been, explained that despite truing to explain she had been ordered to return to Aberdeen and collect her shoes!

[Whippet]

Wasn’t the Jota another bike with the cool “widow maker” reputation?

[Hobbs1951]

Wasn’t the Jota another bike with the cool “widow maker” reputation?

Nope, it was a legendary bike though.

John.

[Whippet]

Here's one of the most memorable parts of my biking career. At the end of 2008 I bought a Triumph 675 race bike from an up and coming racer who was moving up from club to BSB. I spent 2009 racing the bike in club endurance while the guy I bought it off struggled on an R6 with a best result of 22nd in BSB Superstock. I had a chat with his team owner and offered to lend his old bike back late in the season just to see if he went any better on it. I wasn’t really following the race as was on holiday in France. I then started getting mates texting me to say he’d put my bike on pole, and then that he’d won the race! I think this was Triumphs first BSB win. The rider concerned, John Simpson, went back to Triumphs with full factory support and even won the Manx GP in 2012.
Here’s the BSB race he won with a picture of my bike:

http://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news- ... or-simpson

[Hobbs1951]

Here's one of the most memorable parts of my biking career. At the end of 2008 I bought a Triumph 675 race bike from an up and coming racer who was moving up from club to BSB. I spent 2009 racing the bike in club endurance while the guy I bought it off struggled on an R6 with a best result of 22nd in BSB Superstock. I had a chat with his team owner and offered to lend his old bike back late in the season just to see if he went any better on it. I wasn’t really following the race as was on holiday in France. I then started getting mates texting me to say he’d put my bike on pole, and then that he’d won the race! I think this was Triumphs first BSB win. The rider concerned, John Simpson, went back to Triumphs with full factory support and even won the Manx GP in 2012.
Here’s the BSB race he won with a picture of my bike:

http://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news- ... or-simpson

Very interesting - good stuff.

John.

[100%JR]

I started riding motorbikes when I was 6 or 7 back in the mid-70s and was never without one until just before my daughter was born 17 years ago.I haven’t owned one since.
I did the Hardly Dangerous thing the wrong way around ie in my early 20s not late 40s I was coerced into buying an 883 Sportster which was a total waste of time so I swapped it for a 1200 Sportster after a couple of weeks.....which was no faster,no better at stopping and generally as bad as it’s baby brother.Horrible things!I sold the 1200 a few weeks later.My HD period lasted about 2 months I still look at them now and they do look nice but I doubt I’d every buy one again.
I’m pondering a new bike....My last bike was a ZX6 but I doubt my body would put up with the riding position of Rocketship though

[bigjim]

I've got a VFR800 F1. Does not get used that much now but they fetch little money so may as well keep it. Lovely bike when I do use it. Sold a 1985 GS 850 last year and a Superdream.

[cyclemad]

well my first motorised transport ( heh I think it can be called that ) was a Tomos moped ( bought from Woolworths in Croydon ) I rode from Lowestoft to London & back in Winter time , long time a go - I used to use my bike and stopped off at Colchester YHA in the day but now could do it all in one go

Woolworth Croydon...Church Street ?

John.

I thought it was in North end the pedestrian walk way now? was so long ago. I think it cost me £200, again cant really remember. I had to take it back as the forks started to go wrong and the manager was swearing why on earth they sold the **** thing. Not a bad 2 stroke device that got me around and better than cycling.......

was one of these things but in white
tomos moped.JPG

I recall these being sold in Woolworths at one time...They had one in the window of our local shop in the late 70's

[mark a.]

Hopefully next year I'll be joining the motorcycle world. It's something I've wanted to do for years and soon I'll have the time and money to give it a go.

I don't have any family with motorbikes, and only one or two friends have or had one, so I'm not entrenched in the world. What I'll end up getting is completely up in the air - I don't even know what type of bike to get. I have vague plans of a Honda CRF250L to start, then an Africa Twin later on, but it might just come down to the fact that the Yamaha dealer is within walking distance.