Question for the "old guys"...Is it just me or are there others?

[Whitworth]

That happens to be a true story ( except the part about being killed.) Amer.& Jap = Brake on the Right ft. Eng. Brake on the left.I don't know why it is , it just is. 650 Triumph chopped ,16"over ,raked & hardtailed. be safe...Wally

Yup, gotta have your head on straight when on a strange bike. I once had a right side shift 1973 Triumph 3 cylinder Trident and a left side shift 1978 Bonneville at the same time. Had to stay on my toes when riding them

 

[Whitworth]

you are totally correct. honda made a 4 cylinder 450 in 73 I think. believe it or not it was hondas favorite motorcycle

Honda never made a 450 four, the 450 twin came in 1966 I think. Honda SOHC fours were made in 350, 400, 500, 550 and 750 ccs. I grew up eating drinking and sleeping motorcycles. I bought one of the new Honda 750 fours, it was a motorcycle milestone but had no personality. My kick starting Triumphs did in Spades .

 

[B P Arn]

My very first motor vehicle was a 1964 650 BSA, and it was a great bike. After I sold it I owned a Japanese motorcycle, and there were definitely a few thrilling moments until I re-learned the new shifting and braking orientation. All of the motorcycles I have owned since then have been Japanese.

For the past few years I have been considering getting another old BSA or Triumph motorcycle, but the difference in brakes and shifting has me concerned enough that I don't think I will do it.

I am a real fan of the British bikes.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Honda never made a 450 four, the 450 twin came in 1966 I think. Honda SOHC fours were made in 350, 400, 500, 550 and 750 ccs. I grew up eating drinking and sleeping motorcycles. I bought one of the new Honda 750 fours, it was a motorcycle milestone but had no personality. My kick starting Triumphs did in Spades .

You are probably correct which is why i was not sure. I imagine it was a 500 4. A friend of mine had the 750 4, and it truly changed the motorcycle world IMHO.

 

[senseisugarbear]

You are probably correct which is why i was not sure. I imagine it was a 500 4. A friend of mine had the 750 4, and it truly changed the motorcycle world IMHO.

I started on a 72 Honda, it wasn't a 4. that size frame was a 500 -4. the Triumph 650 beionged to my brother. I had 6 older brothers. We chopped the fore mentioned bikes. They laid you out in the most comfortable cruising position.Just a dream on the hwy.you could ride all day and not get tired. but with the hard tail you'd feel it if you ran over the white line.I never did want a 4 cyl. to sync. the carbs. took vodoo magic & luck. my brothers use to buy the retired police Harleys.$75 - $125 each. top running bikes W/ a mantienance log....and Dad was always chewing on us cause we get an Indian. It's been quite a ride. ( so far) I'll probably die owning my Soft tail Heritage.........Wally ..if you really want a ride get one w/a suicide clutch.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I started on a 72 Honda, it wasn't a 4. that size frame was a 500 -4. the Triumph 650 beionged to my brother. I had 6 older brothers. We chopped the fore mentioned bikes. They laid you out in the most comfortable cruising position.Just a dream on the hwy.you could ride all day and not get tired. but with the hard tail you'd feel it if you ran over the white line.I never did want a 4 cyl. to sync. the carbs. took vodoo magic & luck. my brothers use to buy the retired police Harleys.$75 - $125 each. top running bikes W/ a mantienance log....and Dad was always chewing on us cause we get an Indian. It's been quite a ride. ( so far) I'll probably die owning my Soft tail Heritage.........Wally ..if you really want a ride get one w/a suicide clutch.

I have a 2007 Dyna with 6800 miles on it! It will never get sold.

 

[Coinneach]

No, I don't thank unions for anything. They are legalized extortion.

As an example one Jimmy Hoffa, I wonder what happened to him......

 

[Snake Pleskin]

My first involvement in a union was a trade union, I went from making $7 an hour building houses to $17-$21 per hour depending on the job. For the most part it was all bull work, and yes, we worked, the guys that didn't were sent home at the end of the week. My last couple of years in construction I did a lot of lay out and instrument work because I was thorough and very particular. I enjoyed that work because it made my mind work, and I didn't feel like a mule pulling a plow every day.

I left the trade to work in a union chemical plant, it's a completely different structured union than trade unions. The work was more busy work, but it was 12 hour swing shifts, if you've never worked them, you have no idea what they do to you, and I can't explain it to make you understand. It's one of those things you have to experience to understand. We made good money, at least for around here but you are being paid for your health.

I've been told several times by company people who were involved in contract negotiation that our wages were only a small part of the cost for making the product. At least in the chemical plants I worked in.

Unions aren't perfect, but when they came about, they were needed. I have seen folks protected that should've been fired but I have also seen the inverse.

For folks that say unions ruined whatever industry, corporate greed plays a role in it too.

Are unions perfect? No, but who are what is?

The corp made jobs ,like it or not, the Unions didn't

 

[Coinneach]

Ah, right. So you have wide historical experience of both cars and motorcycles built in Great Britain.

An old MG of indeterminate age that blew a battery in spite of your advise.

And a 'canned' motorcycle from WW2 that for some unaccountable blew the tires after being stored incorrectly for an undisclosed number of years.

And for those instances, all British-made cars and motorcycles are c**p.

Okay.

Really ?
Rolls Royce.
Bentley.
Land Rover.
The Merlin Engine (Rolls Royce) ask me why the American Mustang aircraft in WW2 were fitted with them.
The Supermarine Spitfire in all its marks, did you know that the American USAF flew them ? Ask yourself why.
The Lancaster Bomber (powered by.....Rolls Royce Merlin Engines).
The De Havilland Mosquito (powered by ....Rolls Royce Engines).
Jaguar Cars....ever heard of the E Type Jaguar ?
Lotus Elan
Mini Cooper S model.
Triumph motorcycles, the latest being the Black Bobber 1200cc, BTW I own one.
And many more examples

You need to do your homework.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Really ?
Rolls Royce
The Merlin Engine (Rolls Royce) ask me why the American Mustang aircraft in WW2 were fitted with them.
Jaguar Cars....ever heard of the E Type Jaguar ?
Lotus Elan
Mini Cooper S model.
Triumph motorcycles, the latest being the Black Bobber 1200cc, BTW I own one.

You need to do your homework.

Bentley Turbo R !!! Aston Martin DB9 Yes!

 

[GREENSWLDE]

A Nice bit of Welsh mountain road. The stretch looks familiar from my old rallying days..
Think the PORK had a nice airing. What was the odd bit towards the end? O.D..

 

[GREENSWLDE]

First byke I had was a 1946 BSA C10 250. was reliable but not very exiting, so fitted a 1929 JAP 344
cc IOV Sports Lump. Much more exciting.Stopped me riding bykes after the second clatter, Two wheelers don't stop quickly when the front brake cable breaks...Now go by..OLD DOG..

 

[TFoley]

Really ?
Rolls Royce.
Bentley.
Land Rover.
The Merlin Engine (Rolls Royce) ask me why the American Mustang aircraft in WW2 were fitted with them.
The Supermarine Spitfire in all its marks, did you know that the American USAF flew them ? Ask yourself why.
The Lancaster Bomber (powered by.....Rolls Royce Merlin Engines).
The De Havilland Mosquito (powered by ....Rolls Royce Engines).
Jaguar Cars....ever heard of the E Type Jaguar ?
Lotus Elan
Mini Cooper S model.
Triumph motorcycles, the latest being the Black Bobber 1200cc, BTW I own one.
And many more examples

You need to do your homework.

You, sir, need to do your reading. I didn't write that they were crap, I was quoting the person who did - Vintovka, post 179....my comment was actually a 'WTH - these two things put you off for life?'. Context is all.

Quote - 'I have disliked older UK made cars and such for over 50 years due to two outstanding incidents.

First was i was instructed to jump start an old MG (?). I recall i told the owner it may be a positive ground. He disagreed and the bottom of the battery (and all the acid/plates) blew out. Luckily the gas station owner heard me warn him and the owner telling me to do it.

Second was buying a wartime BSA still in its 55 gallon drum. Took 3 months pay as a Basic Airman to pay for it, First ride both tires came apart from rot. Later it seized as it could nor keep up with the 120F temp at the base in Las Vegas.'

 

[Snake Pleskin]

First byke I had was a 1946 BSA C10 250. was reliable but not very exiting, so fitted a 1929 JAP 344
cc IOV Sports Lump. Much more exciting.Stopped me riding bykes after the second clatter, Two wheelers don't stop quickly when the front brake cable breaks...Now go by..OLD DOG..

I remember we used to "chrome" the slides of the old Triumph& BSA carbs made out of pot metal, so they would not stick! The pot metal could get too hot and warp a bit and the slide could stick. very bad when it sticks open at full throttle!!!

 

[Snake Pleskin]

You, sir, need to do your reading. I didn't write, I was quoting the person who did.

Ok , no being cranky on the posts LOL : )

 

[TFoley]

Ok , no being cranky on the posts LOL : )

 

[TFoley]

A Nice bit of Welsh mountain road. The stretch looks familiar from my old rallying days..
Think the PORK had a nice airing. What was the odd bit towards the end? O.D..

Come out of Llangollen and head up the hillside road to the 'Ponderosa' bikers' cafe at the top.....my BIL has holding the camera. Do you mean the bit where he tried to take a pan to the right and down the hillside to show the route up?

 

[1BadDart]

The corp made jobs ,like it or not, the Unions didn't

Where did I state that unions created jobs? I'm well versed in how unions work.

 

[earlwb]

Going back to the topic of skills or as some would call old ways, it is stunning to me how ill prepared people are today for any type of emergency.

Just last week I saw another story of a hiker death. This guy was described as an "experienced hiker." He decided to hike up Mt Washington in New Hampshire. Even in June it can get pretty bad weather wise up there, and it is not unusual for snow to be on the ground at the higher elevations. He either got lost or disoriented, I'm not sure. He wasn't dressed properly, and I'm positive he had no survival kit. He did, however, have a phone in which he was texting his wife telling her he was getting worried over the weather and temperature drop.

His last text to his wife was he was "cold and wet." and worried about hypothermia. Rescuers risked their own necks and found him unconscious and sadly he died enroute to the hospital.

Why he didn't attempt to build a makeshift lean-to or shelter I don't know. If he had a basic kit, he could have also built a fire and stayed put until the cavalry arrived. Maybe he panicked, maybe he just didn't know how. I don't know. The news showed a picture of him probably from social media. At least he had nice boots.

Be Prepared. Oh wait, it's not cool for kids to be in Boy Scouts anymore. Or are they racist? Either way, many of the young just aren't going to make it. We have gone from the Greatest Generation to the Weakest Generation right before our eyes. I'm a tail-end Boomer and I'm sure glad I learned this stuff as a kid and had it re-enforced and improved by the Navy and a lot of time in the woods and marsh.

Yeah someone who does hike often would have had at least a light day pack of stuff to take along.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Where did I state that unions created jobs? I'm well versed in how unions work.

You didn't , i was just making that point. Touchy?