A picture a day....biker banter (Vol 3)
Discussion
gareth_r said:
Just found out that Dave Bickers has died.
Winner of the 250cc European motocross championship (World championship in all but name) in 1960 and 1961, stalwart of Saturday afternoon scrambling on Grandstand, and founder of Bickers Action (purveyors of air cannon to Top Gear).
It is a real shame. I first met him around 2010 when I did my first Irish Rally. He was a regular (along with Jeff Smith - they both rode sidecar outfits), and my brother and I turned up looking a bit lost. He found out we were from Suffolk (like him) and came over and introduced himself and took us under his wing.Winner of the 250cc European motocross championship (World championship in all but name) in 1960 and 1961, stalwart of Saturday afternoon scrambling on Grandstand, and founder of Bickers Action (purveyors of air cannon to Top Gear).
I hope he's causing havoc up there on the great scrambles course in the sky
Hooli said:
rat840771 said:
went to local bike show this weekend in the village
this won best chopper...OMG
Then there was this 'Madmax' thing
Chitty
This was a beast
WTF????this won best chopper...OMG
Then there was this 'Madmax' thing
Chitty
This was a beast
None of those are chops & they are sodding awful!
it is described as a "cafe/bobber/scrambler" for sale asking £8k
Some hipster
will snap it up.If you're not a short arse wind the preload up a bit at the back - makes them almost handle. It'll tip into bends a bit better, feel like the centre of gravity is lower, weave less and the front end will feel more confidence inspiring, especially in the wet.
While you're there make sure the swing arm isn't nearly rusted through. It makes the handling even more vague, if that is possible.
Possibly the comfiest bike ever built. I bought one on a whim for 100 quid a while back. It had 273000 miles on it. I kept it until 320000 miles as a daily use, keep outside bike and then sold it back to the chap I bought it off... And then bought a low mileage one.
While you're there make sure the swing arm isn't nearly rusted through. It makes the handling even more vague, if that is possible.
Possibly the comfiest bike ever built. I bought one on a whim for 100 quid a while back. It had 273000 miles on it. I kept it until 320000 miles as a daily use, keep outside bike and then sold it back to the chap I bought it off... And then bought a low mileage one.
Caruso said:
The Maggot at the seaside. I've been riding it every day, and today was the first day I didn't discover a new problem. That's what you get using a 33 year old for your daily ride. 
y2blade said:
Nice, how are you getting on with it?
It's excellent! Much more comfortable than the SV, the upright position suits me much better. Very smooth power delivery, with an extra kick around 6000rpm, very good handling at low speeds (I didn't find the SV too good for that, so town work was a bit of a pain) and also when pressing on a bit. The SV was a very good bike but it was time for a change and for me the z1000 is the perfect upgrade. Hooli said:
WTF????
None of those are chops & they are sodding awful!
Yes - they were hideous, my bro-in law has a VN800 converted into a 'Bobber' and it would have easily won the show and is actually quite cool and great fun to ride. But it amazes me how much money this Café/bobber bikes can go for, he paid £1800 for a P plate VN800 and then spent a ton of cash on it. ( the same money I paid for a mint GSXR1000)None of those are chops & they are sodding awful!
If you go into the Krazy Horse there a bikes going for 20 to 30K for a tarted up Harley sportster!
srob said:
gareth_r said:
Just found out that Dave Bickers has died.
Winner of the 250cc European motocross championship (World championship in all but name) in 1960 and 1961, stalwart of Saturday afternoon scrambling on Grandstand, and founder of Bickers Action (purveyors of air cannon to Top Gear).
It is a real shame. I first met him around 2010 when I did my first Irish Rally. He was a regular (along with Jeff Smith - they both rode sidecar outfits), and my brother and I turned up looking a bit lost. He found out we were from Suffolk (like him) and came over and introduced himself and took us under his wing.Winner of the 250cc European motocross championship (World championship in all but name) in 1960 and 1961, stalwart of Saturday afternoon scrambling on Grandstand, and founder of Bickers Action (purveyors of air cannon to Top Gear).
I hope he's causing havoc up there on the great scrambles course in the sky
http://youtu.be/jhuZk5q0qCs
RumpleFugly said:
srob said:
gareth_r said:
Just found out that Dave Bickers has died.
Winner of the 250cc European motocross championship (World championship in all but name) in 1960 and 1961, stalwart of Saturday afternoon scrambling on Grandstand, and founder of Bickers Action (purveyors of air cannon to Top Gear).
It is a real shame. I first met him around 2010 when I did my first Irish Rally. He was a regular (along with Jeff Smith - they both rode sidecar outfits), and my brother and I turned up looking a bit lost. He found out we were from Suffolk (like him) and came over and introduced himself and took us under his wing.Winner of the 250cc European motocross championship (World championship in all but name) in 1960 and 1961, stalwart of Saturday afternoon scrambling on Grandstand, and founder of Bickers Action (purveyors of air cannon to Top Gear).
I hope he's causing havoc up there on the great scrambles course in the sky
http://youtu.be/jhuZk5q0qCs
Stick a jumper and cork helmet on then bump start your flame spitting, methanol burning, Castrol R oiled big single then race 35 other hard men.
It's funny, they are/were still so competitive. On the Irish you can do timed - which is an average of 24mph (I think) over around 125-175 miles on tiny back roads and tracks every day for four days - or uncompetitive like us.
Jeff Smith (most respected scrambles rider ever?) and Dave Bickers both rode sidecar outfits. On one notable occasion Jeff was met with a tractor coming the other way on a single width road. All the solos squeezed past, and the tractor awaited Jeff to paddle back. Nope. He gave it wide open throttle on his Matchless single, dropped the clutch and short shifted until he was meters away from the (now stationary) tractor. Quick veer left lifted the sidecar wheel which he balanced hovering about a foot off the top of the grass verge/ditch as he squeezed between the tractor and the edge of the road. A swing right once clear of the tractor dropped the wheel back down and away he went on his way. The tractor driver may still be sitting there, jaw on the floor of his cab remembering the mad old boy who rode flat out at the front of his tractor
Lovely old boys, both look/ed like grizzly bears, hunched over but as strong as ox's.
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