NBT: I've just bought my forever bike!

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Yeah I get the crash bars, but what are the spots supposed to do...

Give more light than high beam?
Make you more visible to other road users?
Annoy the fuck out of everyone else?

All three?

Same as on the Talbot Sunbeam I had, put more light on the road so you can see better at night, what else would they be for?

Are you admitting too having had a talbot sunbeam?

I had two of them, a 1.3, and a 1.6ti which made a claimed 100bhp, it was fairly tail happy, the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus won the World Rally Championship, most of the Lotus engine was made by Vauxhall.

[David]

Same as on the Talbot Sunbeam I had, put more light on the road so you can see better at night, what else would they be for?

Are you admitting too having had a talbot sunbeam?

I had two of them, a 1.3, and a 1.6ti which made a claimed 100bhp, it was fairly tail happy, the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus won the World Rally Championship, most of the Lotus engine was made by Vauxhall.

I was working in a chrysler/talbot garage when they were current. Yes, quite nippy but not at all well put together.
Most of the Avengers coming in new had the floating spare wheel option, the Hunters, being built in Ireland had to have the door trims removed checking fo plastic explosives.
In passing, one of the kids there (nephew of the foreman) was sat in an auto talbot one lunch time...listening to the radio with the engine running. A couple of the older lads went to open the doors and pull him out, so having locked himself in on the drivers side he lurched across to lock the othe side and knocked it into gear, as he was revving the engine, it buried itself under the work bench.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Both my Sunbeams were solid cars, I don't remember either of them being rusty at 10 years old, the 1.3 was red and had faded quite badly, the ti was white and the paint had gone a bit yellow, apart from that they were good, the 1.3 did around 30,000 miles with no servicing at all as I forgot, still ran fine at 90,000 miles when I gave it to my dad, the ti went to about 100,000 miles and the suspension felt distinctly loose, sold it to a friend of my dad's who used it for Autocross.

Just remembered, Talbot Sunbeam is the only I've had with a chipboard floor in the hatch area, the chipboard was covered in carpet, but was still chipboard.

[David]

Both my Sunbeams were solid cars, I don't remember either of them being rusty at 10 years old, the 1.3 was red and had faded quite badly, the ti was white and the paint had gone a bit yellow, apart from that they were good, the 1.3 did around 30,000 miles with no servicing at all as I forgot, still ran fine at 90,000 miles when I gave it to my dad, the ti went to about 100,000 miles and the suspension felt distinctly loose, sold it to a friend of my dad's who used it for Autocross.

Just remembered, Talbot Sunbeam is the only I've had with a chipboard floor in the hatch area, the chipboard was covered in carpet, but was still chipboard.

That must have been the posh version.....

[v8-powered]

I can remember having a Avenger as a courtesy car back in the late 80's (showing my age!), my first car was a Capri and I was amazed that the Avenger was even more tail happy!
It would also happily spin up the rear wheels in 2nd gear on a damp road - impressive rolling burn-outs

[Taipan]

No Talbot was well put together. They made Fiat and Lancias look galvanised! But we can credit them with the birth of the Land Rover Discovery!

[Big Red]

No Talbot was well put together. They made Fiat and Lancias look galvanised! But we can credit them with the birth of the Land Rover Discovery!

I worked on these beuties when serving my time as an apprentice.
Biggest piles of shit, although quite desirable when they came out.
Few local farmers and estate workers moved from their simca vans to these, but they didn't last long and most were replaced quite swiftly with subaru estates.

[Bigjawa]

Totally agree.

I've been followed by a BMW GS (I only found out it was a GS when it overtook), that had about 3 extra sets of lights, all permanently on. All I could see in the mirrors was "light". Couldn't even see any part of the bike, had no idea how far away it was, couldn't even see the cars behind it (this was in a line of traffic heading south out of Guildford during the day). All the extra lights simply hid the bike and rider completely.

I used to call it the triangle of wankerism.

No Talbot was well put together. They made Fiat and Lancias look galvanised! But we can credit them with the birth of the Land Rover Discovery!

I worked on these beuties when serving my time as an apprentice.
Biggest piles of shit, although quite desirable when they came out.
Few local farmers and estate workers moved from their simca vans to these, but they didn't last long and most were replaced quite swiftly with subaru estates.

Wasn't the Rancho basically a Simca van with windows and a 1442 Alpine engine?

A few of the mummies when I was in primary school had them. Like a 1980s Rav4 or Freelander.

[Big Red]

I worked on these beuties when serving my time as an apprentice.
Biggest piles of shit, although quite desirable when they came out.
Few local farmers and estate workers moved from their simca vans to these, but they didn't last long and most were replaced quite swiftly with subaru estates.

Wasn't the Rancho basically a Simca van with windows and a 1442 Alpine engine?

A few of the mummies when I was in primary school had them. Like a 1980s Rav4 or Freelander.

Yes it was a simca with a fancy frock
it didn't take to long before they were all replaced with the subarus though.
They probably thought that the would be able to withstand the crap dirt track roads better than the simcas because they looked more landrover

[Mr Moofo]

Totally agree.

I've been followed by a BMW GS (I only found out it was a GS when it overtook), that had about 3 extra sets of lights, all permanently on. All I could see in the mirrors was "light". Couldn't even see any part of the bike, had no idea how far away it was, couldn't even see the cars behind it (this was in a line of traffic heading south out of Guildford during the day). All the extra lights simply hid the bike and rider completely.

I used to call it the triangle of wankerism.

No Talbot was well put together. They made Fiat and Lancias look galvanised! But we can credit them with the birth of the Land Rover Discovery!

I worked on these beuties when serving my time as an apprentice.
Biggest piles of shit, although quite desirable when they came out.
Few local farmers and estate workers moved from their simca vans to these, but they didn't last long and most were replaced quite swiftly with subaru estates.

Wasn't the Rancho basically a Simca van with windows and a 1442 Alpine engine?

A few of the mummies when I was in primary school had them. Like a 1980s Rav4 or Freelander.

My wife had one of those when I met her - metallic brown, I think.

[A_morti]

My wife had one of those when I met her - metallic brown, I think.

Proving that you can roll it in glitter

[Mr Moofo]

My wife had one of those when I met her - metallic brown, I think.

Proving that you can roll it in glitter

It may actually have been baby shit brown. Which would have been apt!

[Bigyin]

My GS has the optional factory spots fitted.

I've never used them, I would prefer it if it didn't have them.

Are they not just a fashion accessory?

My Multistrada has optional spots fitted but i dont get the "cover the bike in as many forward facing lights as possible" thinking some seem to follow. The ones on mine are meant to be fog lights going by the beam deflector to give a wide low aimed beam. I have used them in fog once or twice but apart from that i only use them when filtering in heavy traffic as they are at car mirror height and ideal for "coming through, make a gap" in addition to the twin LED, bright as fuck, headlights

[Taipan]

I said i'd keep the trail tyres in case i went exploring anywhere, but as I think thats unlikely i'm going to get some Conti Trail Attack 3s fitted whilst I'm on summer leave. As they are tubed i'm going to get the tyre place to fit them and decided to use a ride in/out service but that does add a chunk of change onto the purchase price. Ho hum.

I also fitted the cheap intercom system to my lid today and paired my iPhone & Zumo to it. Look forward to trying that out when I get booked in for the tyres.

[Rockburner]

I said i'd keep the trail tyres in case i went exploring anywhere, but as I think thats unlikely i'm going to get some Conti Trail Attack 3s fitted whilst I'm on summer leave. As they are tubed i'm going to get the tyre place to fit them and decided to use a ride in/out service but that does add a chunk of change onto the purchase price. Ho hum.

I also fitted the cheap intercom system to my lid today and paired my iPhone & Zumo to it. Look forward to trying that out when I get booked in for the tyres.

When was the last time you changed the tyres on a bike?

[Taipan]

I said i'd keep the trail tyres in case i went exploring anywhere, but as I think thats unlikely i'm going to get some Conti Trail Attack 3s fitted whilst I'm on summer leave. As they are tubed i'm going to get the tyre place to fit them and decided to use a ride in/out service but that does add a chunk of change onto the purchase price. Ho hum.

I also fitted the cheap intercom system to my lid today and paired my iPhone & Zumo to it. Look forward to trying that out when I get booked in for the tyres.

When was the last time you changed the tyres on a bike?

Not long ago, on my MT09. Why?

[Taipan]

Tyres are c£255 to buy. Ride in/out quotes are £340 local. £349 next local. £315 London (FWR).

[weeksy]

Tyres are c£255 to buy. Ride in/out quotes are £340 local. £349 next local. £315 London (FWR).

Well it's going to take an hour to swap wheels/tyres, so really... even if at FWR that's say £60 an hour to remove, replace, refit, it's hardly unreasonable.

[Rockburner]

Tyres are c£255 to buy. Ride in/out quotes are £340 local. £349 next local. £315 London (FWR).

Well it's going to take an hour to swap wheels/tyres, so really... even if at FWR that's say £60 an hour to remove, replace, refit, it's hardly unreasonable.

True - we often forget to factor in the time element and it's financial value.

[Taipan]

Tyres are c£255 to buy. Ride in/out quotes are £340 local. £349 next local. £315 London (FWR).

Well it's going to take an hour to swap wheels/tyres, so really... even if at FWR that's say £60 an hour to remove, replace, refit, it's hardly unreasonable.

I'm not cribbing at labour charges, especially as the are tubed tyres, plus, I don't work for free so don't expect anyone else to. Just wondering if I CBA to ride into London to save £25 and I think the answer is no. I'll keep it local!