Discussion
I really like this. Have been trying to resist the urge to go and have a chat with them.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redmaxspeedshop/59424...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redmaxspeedshop/59424...
Build so far...
http://www.customfighters.com/forums/showthread.ph...
Oh, this is worth a watch. Captures the spirit of building...
http://www.pipeburn.com/home/2013/7/7/iron-geek-ga...
http://www.customfighters.com/forums/showthread.ph...
Oh, this is worth a watch. Captures the spirit of building...
http://www.pipeburn.com/home/2013/7/7/iron-geek-ga...
Riff Raff said:
It was a complete pig to ride though. The only bike I've ever had with a manual advance/retard lever. I'll never have another one.
A pig just because it had manual ignition?! I love manual ignition, makes an engine miles more flexible.We had a proper Rocket Goldstar for a couple of years, and sold it because it was too a pig to ride. Or not so much riding, but general use. You had to start it on the centre stand because when cold, even with my (not inconsiderable) bulk standing on the kickstart you couldn't get it over compression. Then once you got it going, it was quick by old bike terms but not by modern standards, so I always felt a bit of a tit in full on racer pose being overtaken by reps in their BMW.
Looked good though...
srob said:
A pig just because it had manual ignition?! I love manual ignition, makes an engine miles more flexible.
We had a proper Rocket Goldstar for a couple of years, and sold it because it was too a pig to ride. Or not so much riding, but general use. You had to start it on the centre stand because when cold, even with my (not inconsiderable) bulk standing on the kickstart you couldn't get it over compression. Then once you got it going, it was quick by old bike terms but not by modern standards, so I always felt a bit of a tit in full on racer pose being overtaken by reps in their BMW.
I think I meant it was a pig exacerbated by the fact it had manual ignition.We had a proper Rocket Goldstar for a couple of years, and sold it because it was too a pig to ride. Or not so much riding, but general use. You had to start it on the centre stand because when cold, even with my (not inconsiderable) bulk standing on the kickstart you couldn't get it over compression. Then once you got it going, it was quick by old bike terms but not by modern standards, so I always felt a bit of a tit in full on racer pose being overtaken by reps in their BMW.
Starting the thing was a bit of an art form. If you didn't have the ignition lever in exactly the right place, it either wouldn't catch, or worse it would kick back something fierce. Definitely not the sort of bike you would want to start in a pair of plimsols. No centre stand either - just as an aside I tend to only start my Bonnie on the centre stand - it just makes it so much easier.
I started riding bikes in the sixties, and I always admired people who could run off down the road, jump on the bike sidesaddle to bump it and then casually swing a leg over and roar off. That was quite a common thing back then.
Anytime I tried that I fell off. Which wasn't too bad if you fell off on the side you were bumping from. However going over the other side tended to smart a bit.
s3fella said:
I'm toying with the idea of one of them electric bike starters for my old boy to help with starting all his old stuff, velos etc. bit like a paddock starter.
They're pretty good - the electric ones that one person can use. The KTT Velo has no kickstart and I can bump it by running and sidesaddling, but having seen so many mishaps I tend to ask for a push where possible
dinkel said:
Laverda yum.
I kinda like these - http://kevilsspeedshop.com/cafe-racers/
Although, back in the day, the idea of a caffed beemer would have been a total mind f
k.Riff Raff said:
It was a complete pig to ride though. The only bike I've ever had with a manual advance/retard lever. I'll never have another one.
That reminds me of Royce Creasey's opinion of the Velocette Thruxton, which was something like; "Velocette set out to make a sow's ear out of a silk purse (the Venom)... and succeeded in making the complete pig.". 
(He thought that the Velo single was the only British motorcycle engine design capable of "modern" (1970s) high-speed use.)
gareth_r said:
Riff Raff said:
It was a complete pig to ride though. The only bike I've ever had with a manual advance/retard lever. I'll never have another one.
That reminds me of Royce Creasey's opinion of the Velocette Thruxton, which was something like; "Velocette set out to make a sow's ear out of a silk purse (the Venom)... and succeeded in making the complete pig.". (He thought that the Velo single was the only British motorcycle engine design capable of "modern" (1970s) high-speed use.)
I often wonder what he'd make of today's big scooters.
Mr Snap said:
gareth_r said:
Riff Raff said:
It was a complete pig to ride though. The only bike I've ever had with a manual advance/retard lever. I'll never have another one.
That reminds me of Royce Creasey's opinion of the Velocette Thruxton, which was something like; "Velocette set out to make a sow's ear out of a silk purse (the Venom)... and succeeded in making the complete pig.". (He thought that the Velo single was the only British motorcycle engine design capable of "modern" (1970s) high-speed use.)
I often wonder what he'd make of today's big scooters.
Creasy and T-Max in 2002
He's still around >>>> http://makerfairebristol.com/speakers
Just a little off-topic. Sorry!
Edited by gareth_r on Thursday 18th July 11:25
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