No more NBTs from me, well for now anyway..

[Taipan]

On my 17th birthday, I hit the road on a RD250F in white and red and I fitted some allspeeds to it a few weeks later. Sadly it got stolen but I loved that bike and went everywhere on it. The one below popped up for sale literally just around the corner from me. God I was tempted as the sense of nostalgia was overwhelming, but my wife actually asked me to get rid of the other one (CB1R) first. She moans about my bike purchases obvs, but has never asked me to not buy something*, so i took it on board. Also, my colleague said to me it had to be a nostalgic purchase as my current two bikes are better in every way possible. I took on board what he said too. Plus will I actually use it at all? Ever? I might put a cheeky bid in on the odd lot of a 250lc at the auction i linked to, but think i'll leave the 2s purchase for now. So no new bike threads from me this year, mainly because the Africa twin is so damn good and it looks like nostalgia can't trump it!



*normally because she doesn't know until I get it home!

[Rockburner]

On my 17th birthday, I hit the road on a RD250F in white and red and I fitted some allspeeds to it a few weeks later. Sadly it got stolen but I loved that bike and went everywhere on it. The one below popped up for sale literally just around the corner from me. God I was tempted as the sense of nostalgia was overwhelming, but my wife actually asked me to get rid of the other one (CB1R) first. She moans about my bike purchases obvs, but has never asked me to not buy something*, so i took it on board. Also, my colleague said to me it had to be a nostalgic purchase as my current two bikes are better in every way possible. I took on board what he said too. Plus will I actually use it at all? Ever? I might put a cheeky bid in on the odd lot of a 250lc at the auction i linked to, but think i'll leave the 2s purchase for now. So no new bike threads from me this year, mainly because the Africa twin is so damn good and it looks like nostalgia can't trump it!



*normally because she doesn't know until I get it home!

You've already bought it haven't you....

[Yorick]

Nostalgia belongs in the past. Loved my GT750 and LC350. But I'd hate them if I rode them now.

[Taipan]

On my 17th birthday, I hit the road on a RD250F in white and red and I fitted some allspeeds to it a few weeks later. Sadly it got stolen but I loved that bike and went everywhere on it. The one below popped up for sale literally just around the corner from me. God I was tempted as the sense of nostalgia was overwhelming, but my wife actually asked me to get rid of the other one (CB1R) first. She moans about my bike purchases obvs, but has never asked me to not buy something*, so i took it on board. Also, my colleague said to me it had to be a nostalgic purchase as my current two bikes are better in every way possible. I took on board what he said too. Plus will I actually use it at all? Ever? I might put a cheeky bid in on the odd lot of a 250lc at the auction i linked to, but think i'll leave the 2s purchase for now. So no new bike threads from me this year, mainly because the Africa twin is so damn good and it looks like nostalgia can't trump it!


*normally because she doesn't know until I get it home!

You've already bought it haven't you....

Lol, no I haven't, honestly. I was bloody tempted though as its a ringer for my old one (not literally) and only a mile away too. Maybe if the CB1000R had been sold, but Im away in my camper most weekends or tied up with family stuff so not sure i'd ever get to use it. It'd be a lot of money sitting there just for the occasional sunday blast?

[Count Steer]

TBH TP, you'd be as well buying a couple of Allspeeds and getting them turned into something like 'feature' lamps (with sound effects) for the nostalgia angle. Then you'd see and admire them daily if they're not attached to something you'd use once in a blue moon (if it started ). That way you don't have to worry about tax, insurance, maintenance, theft.....

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Buy it, you know you want it

[Skub]

Only a mile away? You could push it home.

[ChrisW]

You'd only muddy the happy memories from when you had one at 17 if you bought & rode one now, it's not going to be as good as you remember it.

You can never go back!

[KungFooBob]

Ask if they'll do a straight swap for the CB

[Count Steer]

Buy it, you know you want it

I used to have a postcard on the pinboard in the kitchen. It said:

'Lord protect me from that which I desire'.

(Can't remember who sent it or why though - but sometimes the sentiment rings true).

[Skub]

I used to have a postcard on the pinboard in the kitchen. It said:

'Lord protect me from that which I desire'.

(Can't remember who sent it or why though - but sometimes the sentiment rings true).

A postcard from 'the loft of plenty'.

[Count Steer]

I used to have a postcard on the pinboard in the kitchen. It said:

'Lord protect me from that which I desire'.

(Can't remember who sent it or why though - but sometimes the sentiment rings true).

A postcard from 'the loft of plenty'.

Alongside my postcard was another that said 'Humanity will only be happy when the last capitalist is strung up with the guts of the last bureaucrat'....but I remember who sent that one. (I guess I had some strange friends ).

[The Spin Doctor]

On my 17th birthday, I hit the road on a RD250F in white and red and I fitted some allspeeds to it a few weeks later.

I still have a vivid memory of me nearly wheelie-ing one 'Red Heat's into the side of a taxi on the Tottenham Court Road.

I'd borrowed it from a buddy for a few hours. I'd ridden it before but he'd just fitted spannies to it. I'm fairly sure they were Allspeeds. Whatever they were, they moved the power band and made it razor edged... I was filtering between two cars and I gave it a bit of a handful to get out from between them when the front wheel suddenly shot skywards, just as the taxi pulled out. I just managed to get the front down and steer round the back of it!

That didn't happen on my 400-four

[Taipan]

On my 17th birthday, I hit the road on a RD250F in white and red and I fitted some allspeeds to it a few weeks later.

I still have a vivid memory of me nearly wheelie-ing one 'Red Heat's into the side of a taxi on the Tottenham Court Road.

I'd borrowed it from a buddy for a few hours. I'd ridden it before but he'd just fitted spannies to it. I'm fairly sure they were Allspeeds. Whatever they were, they moved the power band and made it razor edged... I was filtering between two cars and I gave it a bit of a handful to get out from between them when the front wheel suddenly shot skywards, just as the taxi pulled out. I just managed to get the front down and steer round the back of it!

That didn't happen on my 400-four

Lol, might have been Microns as they were (even) more peaky than allspeeds iirc?

[KungFooBob]

This is a proper RD250... which was two years older than the person riding it.

[DefTrap]

A friend is considering a 550 zephyr that's been stood a dozen years (her first 'big bike' in the 90s) because it speaks to her ffs.
They were fairly shit in the 90s if I recall and kwaks really don't like being stood doing nothing

[Rockburner]

A friend is considering a 550 zephyr that's been stood a dozen years (her first 'big bike' in the 90s) because it speaks to her ffs.
They were fairly shit in the 90s if I recall and iwaks really don't like being stood doing nothing

I'd argue a 550 Zephyr can be made into a good bike fairly easily tbh, but yes, there's not many bikes that will take being stood for years

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

A friend is considering a 550 zephyr that's been stood a dozen years (her first 'big bike' in the 90s) because it speaks to her ffs.
They were fairly shit in the 90s if I recall and iwaks really don't like being stood doing nothing

I'd argue a 550 Zephyr can be made into a good bike fairly easily tbh, but yes, there's not many bikes that will take being stood for years

They're alright, the engine and gearbox are the same as the GT550 and there are loads of those around still running, it will probably want a set of carbs, Bandit 600 carbs fit.

[DefTrap]

I'd argue a 550 Zephyr can be made into a good bike fairly easily tbh, but yes, there's not many bikes that will take being stood for years

I'm only going off my old zed (not one of the collectable ones) which was ruined after three years stood in a dry shed. Calipers were nearly dead, chain stiff and clunky, carbs almost irretrievable. And that's before tyres.
I just don't think it's worth it. It's like saving a Bandit.

[Noggin]

Please can someone explain 'spannies' for me? I've seen the word a lot recently but have absolutely no idea what they are. Obviously nothing to do with spanners, so ???????