Motorcycle Dreaming

[Jaws]

I do believe the saying goes you are not a Goldwing rider until you have ‘dropped it’.

I will go one further
Until you drop it in front of s couple of hundred German and Italian bikers !
Its amaxing the amount of adrenalin you get flowing
Dropped mine and had it back up before anyone noticed.. Or so I thought..
Of course EVERY ONE saw it and ribbed me for days !!!!!

 

[jongood]

The new 1250 RT top of the range is not so cheap nowadays. I was looking a few months ago and was quoted £22K for the bike and stuff i wanted on it. Didn't bother.
My Wing is 423Kgs, propper heavy. A reverse gear is almost a must have.

Wow. No I was referring to the earlier bikes, At Stafford show endless "project bikes" for £10K+ and an apparently mint 20 year old RT For about £2.5K.

My K1200LT had a weird reverse gear operated by the starter motor button.

 

[Geistguy]

Not been able to ride this beauty for 16 months following a broken leg and fractured ankle, hoping to be riding in a couple of months though.
PS injury was ladder, not bike, related

 

[zac]

R1200rt etc are a lot of motorcycle for the money but they are a bit boring to ride, always sound flat.

The glitz always put me off goldwings, although I do quite fancy an original naked one. I had a K1200LT for a few years, lovely bike and surprisingly good handling but boy was it heavy.

That brings back some memories, i had the same bike ie K1200LT and yes it was darn heavy, there was no way you were picking that up on your own if it went over . The only pic i have of it is quite low resolution as it was back in 2011 when phones were not that good at taking pics. Dream to ride though with the heated seats

 

[jopparocks]

I have toured France a few times and Spain on a Honda Goldwing 1500, as a pillion rider though. Going over the Pyrenees from France to Spain absolutely stunning. I have rode pillion on quite a few other bikes and non as comfortable as the Goldwing.View attachment 671010

I could be persuaded!

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[David and Sally]

I have just sold a K1600GTLE. That was heavy but low-down heavy. Smiles per mile was the best bike ever.

Now have an R1250RT which is very capable - but it's not a K1600 !

 

[bobnick]

This is a genuine question as that's a very heavy bike, but does it have stabilisers that pop out automatically when you stop and retract when you pull away? I'm asking because I could imagine having to stop maybe at roadworks traffic lights and there being some adverse camber on the road leading to an involuntary dismount, having fell off a stationary K100RT when the side stand went down a pot hole I wouldn't fancy lifting a wing up off its side.

No it does not. In fact it's quite nimble on the go. As for stopping at lights n stuff AND even on a adverse camber it's just like any other touring bike, in fact i would say better as it's very well balanced.
I cannot get it on it's centre stand now without help, so it's the side stand 99% of the time.

 

[bobnick]

Wow. No I was referring to the earlier bikes, At Stafford show endless "project bikes" for £10K+ and an apparently mint 20 year old RT For about £2.5K.

My K1200LT had a weird reverse gear operated by the starter motor button.

The 1st Wings operated the reverse on the starter.

 

[David and Sally]

The 1st Wings operated the reverse on the starter.

The new K1600 does that. Press the reverse button and the engine revs rise to match the starter motor which has a cog on the end to engage reverse gear. A pal has just bought a new one and it works a treat.

 

[bobnick]

One i had earlier.
Sold the white one for the RT.

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[Gingernuts]

As an ex motorcycle instructor, I can say that all motorcycles are good, but some are better than others! If I can’t do an oil change and most maintenance by myself it’s not a proper motorcycle! BMW lost me as a customer when you had to plug in a computer to do anything! You can’t change the oil on a new bmw without plugging in to put the service light out! I have an fjr1300, GL1500 Goldwing, Xt250serow, and a Suzuki address 110 all of which I can service myself! Alas at 64 with newly diagnosed arthritis and asthma and no longer having a garage it’s becoming more difficult to look after my bikes. I am putting my bikes up for sale as I can’t take them all to Portugal with me, so today I’ve put a Watling scooter rack on my van and will try out taking my scooter on trips and if that doesn’t work it’ll be electric pushbikes for me

 

[bobnick]

As an ex motorcycle instructor, I can say that all motorcycles are good, but some are better than others! If I can’t do an oil change and most maintenance by myself it’s not a proper motorcycle! BMW lost me as a customer when you had to plug in a computer to do anything! You can’t change the oil on a new bmw without plugging in to put the service light out! I have an fjr1300, GL1500 Goldwing, Xt250serow, and a Suzuki address 110 all of which I can service myself! Alas at 64 with newly diagnosed arthritis and asthma and no longer having a garage it’s becoming more difficult to look after my bikes. I am putting my bikes up for sale as I can’t take them all to Portugal with me, so today I’ve put a Watling scooter rack on my van and will try out taking my scooter on trips and if that doesn’t work it’ll be electric pushbikes for me

I would love an old classic from the 50s or 60s, BUT having absolutely no mechanical no how i will not buy one unless/unless i can find someone locally to look after it for me.
All my other bikes go to a dealer workshop even for the most minor of issues.

 

[ChrisL]

I would love an old classic from the 50s or 60s, BUT having absolutely no mechanical no how i will not buy one unless/unless i can find someone locally to look after it for me.
All my other bikes go to a dealer workshop even for the most minor of issues.

Old British bikes are generally easy to work on, just get a workshop manual and some Whitworth and AF spanners and sockets and you'll be away, if you have the space a bike lift will save your back. For some jobs you may need to get help from an engineering company, but not many. Rebuilding bikes is as much fun as riding them.

 

[Spriddler]

leading to an involuntary dismount, having fell off a stationary K100RT when the side stand went down a pot hole I wouldn't fancy lifting a wing up off its side.

 

[Spriddler]

Old British bikes are generally easy to work on, just get a workshop manual and some Whitworth and AF spanners and sockets and you'll be away, if you have the space a bike lift will save your back. For some jobs you may need to get help from an engineering company, but not many. Rebuilding bikes is as much fun as riding them.

Exactly right.
I've been riding and restoring Brit bikes from the 1920's to 1950's for more than 50 years and still do, for myself, chums and advising newcomers to old bikes.

The engineering is pretty agricultural and short of (rare) catastrophic mechanical failure can be fixed at the roadside - unlike modern bikes.
Luckily, factory original Owners and Workshop manuals are available on the web as back in the day most owners expected to do all their own maintenance and repairs in their front garden, tool shed or on the pavement.
The trouble is that most of us with 'the knowledge' and the tools are dying out. The small jobbing/one-off engineering firms are disappearing fast and larger businesses want (non-existent) CAD drawings to produce even simple parts on their high speed sophisticated machinery with a minimum run of at least several hundred. For diverse and understandable reasons few 'youngsters' are coming into the hobby.
The average age of the Sussex section of my AJS and Matchless Owners Club is over 70.

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[ChrisL]

Thanks for that, I have seen it before, I just need to take her with me when I go out on the bike you don't have her number do you?

 

[Vansflyer]

BMW old stuff is really good, apart from the clutch slave cylinder. This leaks over time and buggers up the friction plate... my K1200LT had this issue and it cost a small fortune to get the clutch replaced, boxer engines are a bit better but the wallet still gets hit. Just be aware and if possible change the clutch slave cylinder for a better after market version if going the BMW route. I loved my old BMW's but avoid now and gone to Team Tango for my sins

 

[Spriddler]

you don't have her number do you?

Haven't had the courage ChrisL . Too fit for me.
After ten minutes with her I couldn't even pick up a Wickes catalogue.

 

[jopparocks]

One i had earlier.
Sold the white one for the RT.
View attachment 671123

Bob yer living the dream

 

[Orion]

My father worked for Matchless/AJS/AMC at Plumstead where I was born and I was transported in a sidecar attached to a G9 before I could walk. I’ve had my own motorcycles for the past 50 odd years - Suzuki T250J was the first - and have always had at least one on the go since then. In 2000 as a joint silver wedding anniversary present Mrs Orion and I were looking for a machine that we could tour extensively on. The criteria were (for me) shaft or belt drive, and (for her) it had to “look like a ‘proper’ motorcycle without plastic hiding everything.” So that limited our choice somewhat! After discounting some of the limited options either on grounds of cost or availability we settled on our Moto Guzzi California EV. After having the riders and pillion seats and backrest re-upholstered and putting 500 miles on the engine for a first oil and filter change, we headed off on a month long tour of Euroland, taking in Spain, Andorra, France, Switzerland, a full loop around Italy before heading up to Cherbourg for the ferry. All accomplished with two 30ltr panniers - mine half full with tools/spares (of course!) - and a small backpack on the rack. Given subsequent holiday packing ‘adventures’ how she managed to return with at least one unworn top has remained one of life’s great unanswered mysteries! There’s something about the 270 degree V-Twin that’s both soothing and exciting at the same time, plus it handles really well, which isn’t surprising as the Tonti frame is almost identical to the original LeMans.

Anyhow, since then we’ve had great annual adventures on the Guzzi and latterly, with my son and fellow Guzzistas - two very close friends are also California converts - have been on annual pilgrimages to all points south and east - Covid permitting.

The Cali at the back is our keeper, the Centauro in the foreground I keep threatening to sell (until I take it for a ride!) and the other one and a half LeMans in the garage are a ‘maybe’!

Our California EV.

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[Spriddler]

My father worked for Matchless/AJS/AMC at Plumstead where I was born and I was transported in a sidecar attached to a G9 before I could walk. I’ve had my own motorcycles for the past 50 odd years -

We've hsd a couple of AMC testers speak at out bike club. Fascinating history and anecdotes.
There's an excellent book detailing his apprenticeship and career at Plumstead by Bill Cakebread entitled 'Motorcycle Apprentice'.

Motorcycle Apprentice by Bill Cakebread | Waterstones

Buy Motorcycle Apprentice by Bill Cakebread from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

www.waterstones.com

Also free downloads of the history of the Plumstead factory and personal memories here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/general/Working_for_AMC.pdf

http://archives.jampot.dk/general/Memories_of_Plumstead__John_and_Rose_Rourke.pdf

 

[Orion]

We've hsd a couple of AMC testers speak at out bike club. Fascinating history and anecdotes.
There's an excellent book detailing his apprenticeship and career at Plumstead by Bill Cakebread entitled 'Motorcycle Apprentice'.

Motorcycle Apprentice by Bill Cakebread | Waterstones

Buy Motorcycle Apprentice by Bill Cakebread from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.

www.waterstones.com

Also free downloads of the history of the Plumstead factory and personal memories here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/general/Working_for_AMC.pdf

http://archives.jampot.dk/general/Memories_of_Plumstead__John_and_Rose_Rourke.pdf

Did they provide details of the bikes awaiting dispatch stored under tarpaulin on the roof and the surreptitious ‘liberating’ of parts by the nightshift? Apparently the ‘stiff-legged’ walk when clocking off might have accounted for certain worker-owned machines sporting excellent condition fork legs and silencers!

 

[Sapper520]

My father worked for Matchless/AJS/AMC at Plumstead where I was born and I was transported in a sidecar attached to a G9 before I could walk. I’ve had my own motorcycles for the past 50 odd years - Suzuki T250J was the first - and have always had at least one on the go since then. In 2000 as a joint silver wedding anniversary present Mrs Orion and I were looking for a machine that we could tour extensively on. The criteria were (for me) shaft or belt drive, and (for her) it had to “look like a ‘proper’ motorcycle without plastic hiding everything.” So that limited our choice somewhat! After discounting some of the limited options either on grounds of cost or availability we settled on our Moto Guzzi California EV. After having the riders and pillion seats and backrest re-upholstered and putting 500 miles on the engine for a first oil and filter change, we headed off on a month long tour of Euroland, taking in Spain, Andorra, France, Switzerland, a full loop around Italy before heading up to Cherbourg for the ferry. All accomplished with two 30ltr panniers - mine half full with tools/spares (of course!) - and a small backpack on the rack. Given subsequent holiday packing ‘adventures’ how she managed to return with at least one unworn top has remained one of life’s great unanswered mysteries! There’s something about the 270 degree V-Twin that’s both soothing and exciting at the same time, plus it handles really well, which isn’t surprising as the Tonti frame is almost identical to the original LeMans.

Anyhow, since then we’ve had great annual adventures on the Guzzi and latterly, with my son and fellow Guzzistas - two very close friends are also California converts - have been on annual pilgrimages to all points south and east - Covid permitting.

The Cali at the back is our keeper, the Centauro in the foreground I keep threatening to sell (until I take it for a ride!) and the other one and a half LeMans in the garage are a ‘maybe’!

View attachment 671290

Our California EV.

View attachment 671293

I had just about 1000 miles on the clock, and my wife’s had about 1500 miles when we went off to Italy in 2013.

Wife enjoying the snow.

First time I’d ever washed our bikes on tour. The mountain passes had only been open a week or two.

 

[Spriddler]

Did they provide details of the bikes awaiting dispatch stored under tarpaulin on the roof and the surreptitious ‘liberating’ of parts by the nightshift? Apparently the ‘stiff-legged’ walk when clocking off might have accounted for certain worker-owned machines sporting excellent condition fork legs and silencers!

I have heard that's what happened.
(According to the gate security guy similar 'funny walks' occurred at knocking off time when I worked at Falmouth Shipyard ).

One of the ex-AMC factory chaps alleged that a couple of times whilst out on a test run one of the testers was known to occasionally stop off at home for lunch and return to the factory by bus.

When asked what the worst model was that he tested he said: "The 250cc Norton Jubilee. I was blasting full throttle up Sydenham Hill, bum in the air and chin on the tank when I was overtaken by a trolley bus".

 

[10tenmen]

Just returned from 10 days in Austria doing the passes below a picture of the Stelvio had a great time on my R1250GS with 3 friends 1600 miles covered.

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[Twoleftfeet]

I find the big GS models a bit top heavy, I prefer my 33 year old R80RT which has happily conveyed us around Europe trouble free

 

[Oldrat]

Just returned from 10 days in Austria doing the passes below a picture of the Stelvio had a great time on my R1250GS with 3 friends 1600 miles covered.

Welcome home.
Got to love a Triple Black

Hope all is well fella

 

[Sapper520]

I was a late starter to bikes, it was born out of needing a second form of transport, and a second car was out of the question.

This was my first bike. Yes, I got it up and running…..more by luck than judgement.

 

[Badknee]

and before that a VFR 750

I’ve still got mine tucked away in the garage jopparocks

 

[SeanF1]

I’ve got the GS750s it’s fantastic.
There is only ever me on it and it gives more then enough even loaded up for a trip, I’m only 5’5” and 9 stone so being a bit lighter it’s great. I’m a bit stuffed at the moment though after 2 heart attacks and a quadruple heart bypass 14 weeks ago I’ve been told by the surgeon not to even try and ride it for at least 6 months he would rather it be 12 months

I'm loving this thread. I'm 5'6" with 28 inch inside leg and would love to buy a used BMW motorcycle of at least 750cc that will fit me comfortably (max 30/31 inch seat height) but there are so many variants and seat heights that the mind boggles. Can anyone distill it down a bit for me and maybe point me in the direction I should be looking please?? Many thanks. Sean

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