Defying the laws of physics

[kuhner]

Forgot to add my buddy had one of the last Ossa trials bike made. Intrigued me that it was electronic fuel injection, no battery.

How that thing fired the fuel pump, and injector, all with magneto within the stroke of the kick start was amazing.

 

[Pete O]

This is the kind of stuff that keeps emergency rooms, orthopedists and insurance companies in business.

[28 Chrysler]

The only bike I had was a used Honda 160.

I think the 160 stood for it would do 60 once.

[padgett]

Yes, for interstates you want a big bike with a fairing but at the time my drive to work did not involve anything over 45 and the National Maximum Speed Limit was in effect so a CB160 was just fine & cheap.

 

ps had a CT70 that went on a rack in the front of my Westphalia. Do think it is easier to get into more trouble on a small bike than a big one.

[TerryB]

2 hours ago, TAKerry said:

I had a 73 Kawasaki 100 street trail,  stripped it down to make it all trail! My best friend had a Hodaka combat wombat?, At the time I thought it was the ugliest bike made, but boy was that thing fast!!!! His brother had a stretched Bultaco that he hillclimbed.

 

Terry, have you been to the White Rose M/C Club?

Yes, but just for the Vintage Japanese motorcycle event they used to hold each year in August.  

[TerryB]

Have this one out in the shed.  Bought it with 200mi on it, now has 600mi.  1970 Yamaha Enduro 90. The pic is from the internet but mine looks just like it. Used to ride it with a friend who had a Hodaka ACE 100.

[TerryB]

This keeps it company in the shed, 1964 Vespa VNB125cc.

 

[TAKerry]

I used to go to White Rose for the end of the year AMCA meet. Been a couple years though.

[zepher]

 I never raced any type of motorcycle on or off road but I did work with one of "Ironman" Ed Kretz's sons.

He is the one that helped me decide which street bike to buy.

I had narrowed it down to two - a Kawasaki Zephyr or the Honda NT650.

His advice was, 'Pick the one that makes you want to go out and rub on it even when you can't ride it'.

That was hands down the Hawk so I went with that one and have never regretted the decision.

 

I did get to meet Ed Kretz only once but at least I got to meet a true motorcycle legend.

His son still had his Dad's Indian that Ed had won the first motorcycle Daytona on.

I don't know what happened to that bike after his son passed away but Jay Leno was after that bike for years.

[28 Chrysler]

2 hours ago, TerryB said:

This keeps it company in the shed, 1964 Vespa VNB125cc.

 

Are you part of the gang ?

[nzcarnerd]

I owned a few bikes, starting with a 1952 AJS 350 in 1969. I progressed though a BSA Golden Flash, a 1970 Honda CB350 in 1971 and late in 1971 bought one of the last new BSA Thunderbolts. In early 1973 I bought a 1971 Laverda 750 SF that had been the Australian agent's demonstrator before being brought to New Zealand by the new-at-the-time agent. I kept it for three years before deciding I wanted something smaller and lighter and bought a 1974 Honda XL 350, which was great street bike - adequately fast but didn't handle particularly well. In October 1976 I bought a new Yamaha XL 500 which was a much better handling street bike though the brakes were less than brilliant. A friend had the front end from a Yamaha TX750 (the short-lived roadgoing big twin) in his shed, and I found that it slipped straight into the XT's clamps. Result - magic brakes although reduced top speed - ok for the local hill roads. Tired of bikes after that and bought the 1965 Pontiac which I still have, although there were a couple of other bikes along the way. There is a 1982 Canadian market Honda CB450T in the shed which gets ridden occasionally. It arrived in NZ in 1993 - before my kids were born - with only 18,000 kilometres on it. My sons use it occasionally and it has recently gone over 40,000 km.

 

A later owner of my Laverda, who bought it in the early 1980s, kept it for many years along with several other Laverdas but sold it just a few years ago due to ill health. The next owner has restored it and the second photo below is a scan  from a local magazine article from June 2019. The first photo was taken at a winter rally in August 1973. The bike went through several colour changes - it was originally metallic green. Whether it was coincidence he painted it white with a blue stripe I don't know.

 

 

[TerryB]

Had one of these, 1989 Honda TransAlp XL600V.  Only sold in the states in 1989-90.  Later sold it to get a Suzuki DR650 to have a better off road bike.

 

Edited February 22, 2021 by TerryB (see edit history)

[Max4Me]

Mine, yellow 2000 Dyna Wide Glide, my son, blue 2019 Softtail Slim. Anymore I defy gravity just staying upright.🤨

[TAKerry]

2021-02-23_08-55-41 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

Whats left of my collection.