St Landrew

What did you think of that cute Benelli 750 six picture, hamster..? I had a litle admire of it, before I posted it, trying to recapture what I thought of it when I first saw it in Bike magazine. Recognise the front mudguard..? That's Moto Guzzi or I'm an NSU Quickly. I'll check: Looks like I'm a German moped, but having checked I couldn't NOT post this fabulous picture of the 750S3 from the mid 70s's. One of those V-Twins the Italians were trying to outdo each other with. Imagine riding that beast, knowing the mains were being gouged away with each mile. They cured the problem, of course. But mud sticks.

Writing about my bike earlier, I suddenly realised that I hadn't really gone near it in a month. Since then we've had some cold moments, and some ****ty weather. So today, as soon as I could, I took my keys and a couple of tools to the bike, so that I could remove the battery to give it a charge. After all, it had been powering the clock for more than 4 weeks, plus alternators can have a net drain on a battery over time unless their components are in good nick. So I took the cover off the bike, and looked at the display clock. It was an hour fast, of course. The year 2000 electronics aren't that intelligent. But I decided to stick the keys in the ignition to see if the battery would do anything. Not only did it do something, it fired up the bike pronto. I left it ticking over for a few seconds, checking that things were A1. They were. The point I'm making is that, right from their beginning, Japan turned motorbikes from a dirty, greasy, do it your own maintenance style of motorbiking, to a clean fingered, sober and rather civilised pastime. We have a lot to thank them for. As it happens I will maintain my bike for some things that aren't critical. But one day, it'll get quite old and I may not own it. But if I do, I might even delve inside, just like we used to in times past.

Was just coming to the thread as the thought had occurred to me also. I'm a bit stumped now, tbh. Tell you what, ask him which boot manufacturer was his favourite back then, and what does he think of blades..? I've got a feeling I'd know his response to the last point.

I don't blame Frankie Boyle in the slightest. If you book him you'll get that kind of comedy. Quite obviously, the BBC wanted him to make stupid comments that were verging on being liable to offend. They have to take responsibility for that, not Boyle. Personally, I'm not the universal fan of his comedy. Sometimes, I find him hilarious, sometimes he's a dead duck. I love Hugh Dennis'es p!ss takes of the Royal Family when he does his commentries. That doesn't seem to offend anyone. In which case, is it time to f**k off, Ma'am..?

And that is exactly the response I was expecting. You can point to one instance, or one race, and everything's supposed to be alright. Even the experts after this last race were saying how the double diffuser had got around the aerodynamics, and so still made it too difficult to get close enough to overtake. I'm sorry mate, but there's no two ways around it. It isn't as exciting as it ought to be, and they've got to sort it out. Pretty soon someone respected enough will say, actually guys, this isn't as good as it was 20 or 30 years ago, time we stopped kidding ourselves, and made the racing really great to watch again. Because that what it needs. Well they've made a start in the right direction from next year. No more refuelling. Great. At least that means the owness is much more in the hands of the driver. I'd also like to see the end of Car/Pit radio. Only allow what can be put onto a information board at the end of a lap. That puts it into the drivers hands even more, and mistakes can happen. Mistakes mean drama, and that's more excitement.

I like it. Hope he bloody wins.

Tbh, I think Hatch makes a relevant point. For all the noise and back slapping that goes on about F1, it is often woefully uninteresting as a race. As a spectacle, it is brilliant. But that's not what it's all about is it..? If you say yes it is, then you lost the idea of F1, IMO. For very many years now, it has been the Emperor's clothes. If we all say how brilliant it is, perhaps it will be. Well it isn't. It's processional and there's little overtaking. And the last couple of seasons have been a lot better than average. Jenson Button showed in the last few laps how he could chase up on another car. It was pretty good watching him do it. Then the cursed aero problems came in [for pete's sake, sort that out, F1] of the following car, and he couldn't get by. There's huge potential real excitement in F1, not just drummed up hype. And season after season it is largely wasted. I still watch in hope that one day they'll finally sort it out.

I've been sat here trying to think of a 750cc bike that I really like, and the only one I can come up with is a Benelli 750 Sei. Not because it was any good; apparently it wasn't overwhelming to anyone who bought it, but because to see 6 cylinders across the frame in the mid-1970's must have been a real head turner. All the big bike italian manufacturers were trying to outdo each other back then with V-twins or inline 4s, and Benelli had a 650 parallel twin, but then they went mad: It was usually seen in red, but they also produced it in this beautiful green. It looks like British Racing Green, and what could be better. Considering the proportions of that engine, I think Benelli got it just right. Honda did a 1000cc inline 6 a couple of years later, and it looks way over the top. The Benelli Sei teeters on the edge of being ridiculous, which is how it should be. Of course, I can't let the 750-800 bracket go by without mentioning the Viffer. It is easily the best bike I've ever owned, and probably the best bike I've ever ridden. When I bought it I knew nothing about them except they were well thought of. Mine is in very good condition, and the price was laughable. I had to have it. Owning it and having read reviews, it comes as little surprise that I often see phrases like probably the best all-round bike ever made, and such, and the best of these were the 1998 to 2001 bikes. Mine's a 2000 model. Pure chance that I got a real good 'un too. It's torquey, quite poweful, and handles like a dream. You've seen pics, so here's something a bit different. A VFR exactly like mine on a dynamometer. Yes, I've left out supersports bikes. But I've got a couple of those to come later. If I can remember.

Agreed Ponty, but MotoGP has dull moments and is generally interesting. F1 has interesting moments, but...

Of late..? And I thought I had a lousy memory.

Ooh clever.

Oh well done Kobayashi again.

Lovely track, lovely setting. Race was an utter bore until the final few laps. Once again, the following car performs less well than the leading car once the following car catches it. They must address this in the design rules for next season. And perhaps the races could be shorter..? Say, around 40 laps instead of 70 odd..? The only thing to stop me nodding off [all season] once again is a British World Champion. Well done Jenson.

Or you could just say that the team scores more goals with Antonio and Connolly in the side, rather than Papa and Wotten.

He won't get a reprint, as there are still a few original print run copies available, I believe. It's nice to see someone take the trouble to back up their opinion with some hard evidence. As it happens, he's certainly picked the golden era, but for me I'll add the 1966 - 73 era, perhaps, with a touch of Chris Nichol's era too. And WGS's. I think I've covered everything there. Oops, forgot 1976..!

Very interesting set of stats, that.

I'll add something a little later about the bigger bikes. Don't forget the 750-800s. Like the Ogri avatar though. Used to read about Him, Kickstart his Dog, Mitzi and Malcolm, in Bike magazine, in the 1970's. Bought the August issue Bike mag, but he wasn't in that, although I read that he's still going somewhere, on his Norvin - now that's a bike and a half. Actually, it's two bike halves really. Shall we leave that [and Tritons] to a specials section..?

Well, now your just putting excuses in the way of freedom. OK, I can get around that. I don't think I'll upset the applecart by telling this true story. Earlier this summer my niece broke up with her long time boyfriend. She was really upset by the whole proceedings. Feeling for her grief, we tried to include her in everything we did, if she would accept the invitation. So we brought her along on our sailing and biking trips, just to give her something to distract her from her obvious distress. It would also mean that we would be there when she wanted to talk things through. As it happened, she loved the biking trips so much, she decided to take her CBT, which she sorted within a couple of weeks, and then she went on to pass her test after another two weeks. She's a natural motorcycle rider, showing great style and control. So within 6 weeks of first stepping on a bike as a pillion passenger, she then rode her own 250cc bike, and is now looking for something a might more powerful. Food for thought, eh..? About time you explored your obvious curiosity..?

Aha, so this is what you want...? A Honda NS125RR. You can ride this: What a sweetie. I'd have a go at scraping a footrest on one myself, given the opportunity.

Some bikes are masculine, some are feminine. Does that answer the question..? Actually, they're bits of metal. What do the latin countries call them..? But here's a question..? When I look at the Viffer, it is undoubtedly a masculine bike. It is red. It is hard; it has muscle, and chunky good looks. Check the Avatar. But when I'm aboard it, it's feminine... oops..!?!

I believe the next league match is at Home. I think that means 4-4-2. If it had been an Away venue, I would have voted to stick with 4-5-1. Someone said today that we moved to 4-3-3 against Orient, whent he chips were down. Which kind of puts a curve in the whole debate. Besides, I'd take the opinion of Pardew over anyone here. He's a professional. We are enthusiastic amateurs.

Yeah saw that. Much as I like Stephen Fry, I do think he's beginning to believe his public image. If you going to leave, say goodbye and be done with it. Don't hang around for the comeback calls.

hamster, stop messing around and get yourself a motorbike like you know you want to.

Don't think the Beeb stats agree either: Orient---------------------Saints 49%-----Possession---------51% 2------Shots on target--------9 4------Shots off target--------8 5----------Corners-----------13 9-----------Fouls------------14

600 and 650cc bikes. I don't know why there are 600cc bikes, in all honesty, unless I'm missing something like a change in taxation class over that capacity. I know why 650cc, as it's the classic 40 cubic inch size. Plus, the classic peak efficiency volume of a internal combustion engine cylinder is around 325cc. In a motorcycle this threw up the classic [it's all classics, this engine size] 650cc parallel twin. In British bikes this meant a 360º parallel twin, with all it's attendant vibration problems. But the engine was compact, torquey and developed good BHP at lower rpm. It was economical, yet you didn't have to wind the engines up to get them to go. It's often a condition of modern bikes that you are endlessly changing gear to get the right power for the given situation. The old bikes had a good spread of easy power and it made them less frenetic to ride. Unfortunately, old British bikes were often badly produced, using build practices that didn't keep up with the designs. Hence, they were unreliable. But the best of these was the iconic Triumph. So cool were they that fictional characters played by Henry Winkler [Fonzie], Brando and McQueen all had to ride them. McQueen did it for real too, and by choice. Remember the Ford Puma advert..? McQueen looks at his Triumph leaning against the wall. No Harleys here. In 650cc form the Triumph was unbeatable, whether it was single or twin carbed. Since the mid 1950's and the T110 [110mph], Triumph were building the fastest 650s. Down the road they added the TR6 and the Bonneville, and the legend was set forever. Here's a 1959 T120 Bonnie: It has an engine and separate gearbox behind [note gearchange on the right, and some say correct side], an arrangement called a pre-unit contruction nowdays, due to Triumph combining the two casings [unit construction] in later years. It was capable of 61mph in first gear and could reach 120mph in top [4th]. Today, amongst motorcylists of a certain age, the engine note through the Burgess silencers is as recognisable as a Merlin engine in a Supermarine Spitfire. It has the similar effect of making the hair stand up on the back of the neck. The Triumph quite possibly qualifies as the most iconic motorcycle ever made. Certainly in the top 3, alongside the big 1000cc Harley and Vincent V-twins. I suppose a little story can illustrate the myth. Just this summer, SunnyFields Organic Farm was having Bike Nights on Thursdays. One week a Triumph 650 Bonneville and younger 750 Trident was there as we rolled up on our VFRs. Later, there were a few of us chatting together near the two bikes as the owners got on them to leave. The Trident was fired up. It made a very nice sound, reminiscent of older bikes. Then the Bonneville owner tickled the Amal carbs, swung the kickstart to compression on one cylinder, and then brought his weight down on it. The bike fired up immediately. It had a beautifully quiet mechanical rustle about it, and the owner blipped the throttle. The throatiness of the Burgess silencers made 8 middle-aged blokes turn 6 to 16 again. We looked at the bike as it rode away, and then we looked at each other. A couple of blokes blew their cheeks out, and a few looked a little red-faced as they ran a hand down the back of their necks. For a moment a piece of machinery had transported them to their childhoods and they'd seen their parents, or uncles and aunts young again or alive again. Of course, other bikes have this effect on people, but no other comes close. Even the Harley people there showed respect. They had just seen the bike.