A picture a day....biker banter (Vol 4)
Discussion
Had a bit of a Firestorm biased last few days, did a track evening on it at Rockingham on Friday, which it acquitted itself very well in all honestly, it stops, steers and goes very well considering its a bit of an all rounder, certainly more on the sporty side of sports touring .
I did start running out of ground clearance in the last but 1 session session and have the forks complaining as well but with every session of every group red flagged, sometimes more than once , people coming back to the pits in ambulances and bikes in bits, I decided to miss the last session out and go home tired but with my bike intact.
The following morning I rode my previously immaculate bike into a large and prolonged downpour to attend a 20th anniversary event for the launch of the Firestorm (1997 was 20 years ago!!) at the national motorcycle museum in Brum.
Around 45 bikes made it, which considering the weather was pretty good I thought.
A journo was present for a feature on the day/bikes, a pair of rare and very trick Firestorm BSB Moriwaki bikes where bought along as part of it, they did look very trick...but very dated too.
I did start running out of ground clearance in the last but 1 session session and have the forks complaining as well but with every session of every group red flagged, sometimes more than once , people coming back to the pits in ambulances and bikes in bits, I decided to miss the last session out and go home tired but with my bike intact.
The following morning I rode my previously immaculate bike into a large and prolonged downpour to attend a 20th anniversary event for the launch of the Firestorm (1997 was 20 years ago!!) at the national motorcycle museum in Brum.
Around 45 bikes made it, which considering the weather was pretty good I thought.
A journo was present for a feature on the day/bikes, a pair of rare and very trick Firestorm BSB Moriwaki bikes where bought along as part of it, they did look very trick...but very dated too.
GSXR-400 GK73A. Managed to pick one up that was stored up the back of a garage for 10+ years. Stripped it down, powder coated wheels and rear tail framework, new tyres, front discs, pads, braided lines and a full service etc. Love riding the thing! It's currently at a mates having the carbs rebuilt and balanced etc so can't wait to get it back out
jakjak8 said:
GSXR-400 GK73A. Managed to pick one up that was stored up the back of a garage for 10+ years. Stripped it down, powder coated wheels and rear tail framework, new tyres, front discs, pads, braided lines and a full service etc. Love riding the thing! It's currently at a mates having the carbs rebuilt and balanced etc so can't wait to get it back out
patchb said:
That's cool. I've got the opportunity to buy a 1991 L1 ZXR400 for £300. It's all there, the fairings were painted years ago then wrapped up and never fitted. Not been on the road for 10 years but for £300 I think it'll make a nice little project, either restoration or lightweight daytime MOT trackbike.
Do it mate! Not the fastest but good fun to ride and becoming a bit of a rare classic nowadays!
Gunk said:
jakjak8 said:
Hi folks! newbie here! some cracking bikes on this thread! Here are both of mine. My 98 zx6r and my 88 GSXR-400
Another classic sports bike fan, we are a dying breed!
Not sure my other lump qualifies as "sports bike"
Maybe this one does
Or this one if I ever get it back together again
B'stard Child said:
Gunk said:
jakjak8 said:
Hi folks! newbie here! some cracking bikes on this thread! Here are both of mine. My 98 zx6r and my 88 GSXR-400
Another classic sports bike fan, we are a dying breed!Not sure my other lump qualifies as "sports bike"
Maybe this one does
Or this one if I ever get it back together again
The 1000RX was a smart looking thing but didnt sell that well Vs the 900 IIRC
Would be good to get the YamaGamma back on the road again, dont see many of those about.
podman said:
All bikes I lusted after back in the day.
Same for me hence ownership now 
podman said:
The 1000RX was a smart looking thing but didnt sell that well Vs the 900 IIRC
I think the 900 was a better bike and of course it had the top gun cacheAfter 31 years it was interesting to run it on a dyno and see how many bhp had disappeared
Not many it seemed
podman said:
Would be good to get the YamaGamma back on the road again, dont see many of those about.
Was badly built originally - bought it, rode it, kept finding issues, so striped it down for a full resto and then several cars got in the way so I chucked it in the garage loft to clear some space........B'stard Child said:
podman said:
All bikes I lusted after back in the day.
Same for me hence ownership now podman said:
The 1000RX was a smart looking thing but didnt sell that well Vs the 900 IIRC
I think the 900 was a better bike and of course it had the top gun cacheAfter 31 years it was interesting to run it on a dyno and see how many bhp had disappeared
Not many it seemed
podman said:
Would be good to get the YamaGamma back on the road again, dont see many of those about.
Was badly built originally - bought it, rode it, kept finding issues, so striped it down for a full resto and then several cars got in the way so I chucked it in the garage loft to clear some space........My YamaGamma was a riot but that ended up the way of most of them it seems, seized...regret selling it but it went to its original owner.
podman said:
B'stard Child said:
podman said:
All bikes I lusted after back in the day.
Same for me hence ownership now podman said:
The 1000RX was a smart looking thing but didnt sell that well Vs the 900 IIRC
I think the 900 was a better bike and of course it had the top gun cacheAfter 31 years it was interesting to run it on a dyno and see how many bhp had disappeared
Not many it seemed
podman said:
Would be good to get the YamaGamma back on the road again, dont see many of those about.
Was badly built originally - bought it, rode it, kept finding issues, so striped it down for a full resto and then several cars got in the way so I chucked it in the garage loft to clear some space........podman said:
My YamaGamma was a riot but that ended up the way of most of them it seems, seized...regret selling it but it went to its original owner.
My first one was a cheap skate - 350 non YPVS but this one had a well sorted and nicely ported YPVS lump and I found a set of Stan Stevens pipes which really woke it up - albeit with a rather knackered head after a ring broke up.I do like a stink wheel for back roads so much easier to hustle around!!
dc2rr07 said:
Yes photobucket have certainly done a proper job on screwing a few forums up, complete tossers.
Glad it's not just me. Bloody arse holes whatever they've done. I emailed them as I thought at first it was something I did but they never came back to me and then reading on my Aprilia Forum I realised from others what it was Some pics from Santa Pod this weekend, old bikes and old riders..
Supercharged BSA A65 (I think), running Methanol with 25% Nitro .. to 'wake it up.. '
Blown Vincent outfit, they had trouble with the clutch, but got it on the track later in the day
Twin Supercharged Norton, now ridden by the son of the original builder, who I had a chat with, he's now in his 90's. Amazing he build it in a shed back in the 60's
The mighty twin engine, supercharged Weslake Triumph.. The Hobbit, once the fastest bike in the world.
Supercharged BSA A65 (I think), running Methanol with 25% Nitro .. to 'wake it up.. '
Blown Vincent outfit, they had trouble with the clutch, but got it on the track later in the day
Twin Supercharged Norton, now ridden by the son of the original builder, who I had a chat with, he's now in his 90's. Amazing he build it in a shed back in the 60's
The mighty twin engine, supercharged Weslake Triumph.. The Hobbit, once the fastest bike in the world.
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