Classic motorcycle photos

[Richard230]

Here photos of four interesting motorcycles that I saw this weekend.

[Rev Ken]

Nice to see the HRD/Vincent, but never seen a green one and the front mudguard doesn't look original. Not sure about the back one either.

[Richard230]

Nice to see the HRD/Vincent, but never seen a green one and the front mudguard doesn't look original. Not sure about the back one either.

Well it certainly looked like a daily rider, so maybe it is a bit of this and a bit of that.

[Richard230]

Here are photos of a nice 1960's-era English-import Norton 350 that I saw today. The owner is a member of the local Norton Owners Club and was helping to clean trash from Skyline Boulevard to either side of the State Highway 35/84 junction, where Alice's Restaurant is located.

[Rev Ken]

Nice!

[Carlos Fandango]

Looks like an early '60's Model 50, lovely bike, very desirable

[Richard230]

I think you are right. I believe the owner said it was a Model 50. He also said that they were not very popular because for another $10 (or was it 10 pounds?) you could get the 500cc version.

[Richard230]

At Alice's Restaurant today I saw a couple of old Indian motorcycles, with appropriate-looking riders. The painted one is a 1939 model and the rust-colored one was built in 1934. Quite a difference in engine design between the two, I thought. The riders rode in surrounded by a cloud of hydrocarbons, filled up with modern gasoline, and rode off down the road, looking very busy operating all of their appendages to work the clutch, transmission, spark advance, throttle, and who knows what else - while trailing a cloud of hydrocarbons. Those things sure have a lot of controls to operate to get them moving, too. Photos attached.

[TheMeteor]

Came across this fine Kawi yesterday. 1990 IIRC.

[Carlos Fandango]

Early ZXR 750, lovely!

[steve n rose]

I was just scrolling back through the posts and the ol' Rat Fink still brings back memories of Big Daddy Roth's work.

[Richard230]

Attached are photos of a 1961 Honda CB-125 that I saw today, along with a picture of their 1962 ad that I copied from a 1962 Cycle World magazine issue in my collection. The bike was selling for just $175 more than I paid for my 1962 4.9 hp Vespa scooter. I wish I had bought the Honda, but $175 was big money for me in those days when I bought my scooter. Plus, I was only reading Sears Roebuck catalogs and not motorcycle magazines in those days. (Cheapskate! )

And I will also toss in a photo of an odd Ducati Scrambler Big Wheel.

[Richard230]

Now this is the way they used to do it when an airplane owner needed to transport their motorcycle so that they could get from the dirt landing field to the nearest town.

[Richard230]

Now here is a classic from the early-1980's when big taillights, big turn indicators, 85-mph speedometers and slow bikes were all the rage.

Since I know you won't like that little piece of history, here is something that might be more to your taste. A late-1970's R100RS with an interesting paint job. Was that stock?

[guidoveloce]

That was not a color scheme of the RS, here the first models were only white or light metallic blu, then it came also with a dark blu and silver scheme. This one should be the first series, the one with the short saddle. The R100RS was the first bike with a full fairing produced in series.

[Richard230]

I picked this story off of the Royal Enfield forum and thought it was kind of unusual and interesting.

It's unbelievable but true. World's smallest theater is performed out of a Royal Enfield sidecar. It's run by The Grand Theatre of Lemmings, and has been in existence since the 1970's, although in the beginning it was not a Royal Enfield motorcycle but a Panther motorcycle. The owner of the motorcycle sidecar, a certain Marcel Steiner, heard someone joke about the big sidecar that "That sidecar is ridiculous! You could build a theatre in that sidecar". And that is exactly what he did.

Marcel toured the world with his smallest theater in the world, and for 30 years he performed for 100% sold out performances, not a single seat remained without a spectator... with only two seats in the sidecar it wasn't a big accomplishment.. but still, it's got to be a record.

Since the demise of world's smallest theater, it has recently been revived. The Grand Theatre of Lemmings have taken a Royal Enfield sidecar and fitted it with 2 seats and are now touring the UK with the gigantic production of King Kong. King Kong in a sidecar.... I got to see that!..........

[Rev Ken]

I seem to remember he was quite a hit at the Edinburgh Festival many years ago!

[Richard230]

Here are photos of a nice clean 1938 Knucklehead and an Indian Chief (?) that showed up at Alice's today.

[Demonty]

Very nice bobber style spotted in Frejus France today.

[Richard230]

Very nice bobber style spotted in Frejus France today.

Next year Triumph will have one of their own: http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...r-preview.html

[Number8]

Me with my 1972 Honda CB250 K4 'cafe racer. '

[Richard230]

Me with my 1972 Honda CB250 K4 'cafe racer. '

I don't think we got the 1970's CB250 in the U.S. All I can recall is the 350cc (325cc?) version being sold here. Followed by the unappreciated mid-1970's 360cc model.

[Carlos Fandango]

Me with my 1972 Honda CB250 K4 'cafe racer. '

That is stunning.

Not sure about the HiViz though, you need an old pair of Levi's Doc Martens and. Belstaff to complete the period look

[Number8]

Carlos, I appreciate, I'm used to riding around on a bicycle, and you definitely need the hi-viz on that. I'm brave but not suicidal. The old Honda is fun.

[Number8]

@Richard, the CB250K series was popular in the UK because at the time 250cc was the largest machine a learner rider could have, ridden with an 'L' plate. Of course there was competition with Suzuki and Yamaha 250s being available at the time (I think BSA were still going in 1972 and they made a 250 Starfire) but the Honda was definitely the most popular bike around at the time. The 325cc CB350K version was a lovely bike with a genuine 95 mph top speed and great economy too. Happy days!

[Richard230]

Here is an early 1980's Kawasaki GPz1100. Gotta love those instruments.

[Richard230]

With winter arriving and the number of classic motorcycles photo opportunities somewhat limited right now I thought that I would post a couple of scans of a 1969 Garelli brochure. The cover page shows their model range for that year, with a single rider leaping each model over the moon (apparently). The bike on the left is their 50cc sport, the one in the center is the 125 like I had and the one at the right is their big 150cc scrambler. Note that each model uses an engine from a different Italian manufacturer. My 125 Gran Premio had an engine supplied by Benelli.

The second scan shows the page of the brochure describing my bike. Note that the power is listed as being 15.3 hp. That made it technically legal to ride on the freeway, although the bike's top speed was only 55 mph and Honda Super 90's would walk away from it from a stop, so it probably really only made about 6 or 7 hp. Those were the days of hard Italian seats and wildly exaggerated Italian power claims and speedometer readings.

[Richard230]

You might find this article (part 3) about touring on a motorcycle 100 years ago interesting: http://www.soundrider.com/current/1612/old-days-3.aspx

[Richard230]

Here is a really neat short video regarding very old Triumph motorcycles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jrem0xIM3g

And an hour-long one about Ariel motorcycles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxwWlP_27hI

[Carlos Fandango]

Thanks Richard, I'll be catching up with those this evening and no doubt then trawling eBay for a cheap T120!

[Richard230]

Since this is the slow season for classic motorcycle photos, I thought I would submit some pictures of an amateur motorcycle scrambles race that I attended while I was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone during the mid-1960's. I do remember that one fellow was racing a BMW R25 single, complete with its Earls fork. I thought that was a little unusual. Unfortunately, he must have been moving so fast that I didn't get a photo of the bike.

[Richard230]

Here are three photos that I thought were interesting. Two of them have political "overtones".

[Will]

I do remember that one fellow was racing a BMW R25 single, complete with its Earls fork. I thought that was a little unusual. Unfortunately, he must have been moving so fast that I didn't get a photo of the bike.

Was it like this one?



My 1963 BMW R27 currently on the workbench until I get around to sorting out an electrical problem.

[Will]

Here are three photos that I thought were interesting. Two of them have political "overtones".

The Trump (Trump-Jap) was made in England from 1906 to 1923.
They used a full range of engines made by J.A.P. of 248 to 996 cc capacity, as well as British-Anzani V twins.
(source Peter Henshaw)

[Richard230]

Was it like this one?



My 1963 BMW R27 currently on the workbench until I get around to sorting out an electrical problem.

It definitely was not in as nice a condition as your R27. The R25 scrambler that I saw looked like it had been "scrambled" more than once and had few dirt-inspired modifications - like extra dirt and dents and trials-universal tires on its mostly-round wheels.

[Richard230]

Here is a picture of a vintage biplane-motorcycle.

[Richard230]

I don't know if this is a "classic" or not, but it certainly isn't a motorcycle that you will see very often - and probably for good reason.

[Will]

I don't know if this is a "classic" or not, but it certainly isn't a motorcycle that you will see very often - and probably for good reason.

There's more information about the bike and the maker on this link Richard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSRt0N-Ag5w

[Richard230]

Maybe this should be posted under the "Worst Jokes Ever" thread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9qiprE7P6g

Shall we try for a V-6?

[steve n rose]

Here is a picture of a vintage biplane-motorcycle.

I don't think that model would take off!

[Richard230]

Back to the thread topic. Here is a real classic for you: Today a fellow rode up to Alice's Restaurant on his (apparently unrestored) 1918 H-D. It seemed to be running just fine and apparently it doesn't even need LAP (light pedal assistance) to climb the hills in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as the bike's pedals have been removed. It also had a Garmin Nav 1 on the handlebars. One thing is for sure, I bet our BMWs won't last for 89 years and still run and look this good. Although it does appear that you need to be an octopus to operate the thing by looking at all of the plungers and other controls on the bike. It also looks like the perfect vehicle for splitting traffic lanes. Photos attached.

I just realized that a H-D is not a classic car, but a classic motorcycle. Fortunately, I now have the power to fix that minor brain-fart.

[Will]

One thing is for sure, I bet our BMWs won't last for 89 years and still run and look this good.

Or even 99 years Richard! My little BMW is trying her best though at 62 years.

[Richard230]

But Bill, your BMW doesn't have a chassis full of electronic parts made by companies who will be out of business within 10 years. 89 years from now all you will be able to ride is a solar-powered bouncing and vibrating chair that will simulate actually riding a motorcycle.

[Will]

89 years from now all you will be able to ride is a solar-powered bouncing and vibrating chair that will simulate actually riding a motorcycle.

I need one of those now.

In 89 years years I'd be 172!

[Richard230]

Now that the rains have stopped and the sun is out, a couple of EPA-hating modified smokers showed up at Alice's Restaurant today.

[Richard230]

Here a couple of odd motorcycles that I saw today. A Honda custom. I have no idea if it is a stock model or one that has been customized as I am really not up on the latest Honda cruiser styling trends. And then we have this Honda Gold Wing bobber - which has definitely been "customized".

[Carmona]

Looks like an early '60's Model 50, lovely bike, very desirable

That is super nice.

[Will]

And then we have this Honda Gold Wing bobber - which has definitely been "customized".

That would be painful if you moved further back on the seat.

[Richard230]

I displayed my Royal Enfield Bullet 500 today at a local high school car show today. A couple of people asked about the bike, but most just walked passed and to look at the 1946 Buick convertible that was parked next to me. However, I did have one Indian fellow who stopped by and showed me his RE Thunderbird that he has garaged back in the old country. A few photos attached. More to come via the classic car photo thread.

[Richard230]

This guy must be part of the sweeping crew.