Weird motorcycle things you remember

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Prompted by Weeksy's heated grip trauma, I remember an article in a motorcycle magazine in the 80s where someone decided to heat their handlebars by rerouting the water cooling hosing so that the hot water flowed in one end of the handlebars and out the other, I tried to find pictures of this wondrous piece of engineering but sadly, I couldn't find any.

What other weird and wonderful things do you remember?

[weeksy]

I'm impressed anyone is still opening my thread.

[KungFooBob]

That helmet attachment that worked like a windscreen wiper.

The Norton Nemesis.

Carlos Checa having a BT1100 as his road bike.

[cheb]

Jock Kerr's solution in making 250cc bikes legal for learners, who could only ride up to 125cc bikes.

Tilting sidecars for similar reasons.

The French dogturd cleanerupper, based on an XT500.

Paired brake discs. Two discs running next to each but with one caliper and three pads.

Inboard disc brakes by Honda.

[cheb]

Spinning disc visors for better visibility in the rain.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I'm impressed anyone is still opening my thread.

It's Friday afternoon, I'm clock watching, waiting to go home

[JackyJoll]

Reliant adverts in Motorcycle Mechanics.

[Rockburner]

Prompted by Weeksy's heated grip trauma, I remember an article in a motorcycle magazine in the 80s where someone decided to heat their handlebars by rerouting the water cooling hosing so that the hot water flowed in one end of the handlebars and out the other, I tried to find pictures of this wondrous piece of engineering but sadly, I couldn't find any.

What other weird and wonderful things do you remember?

Sounds like Malcom's Patent Winter 'Keep-U-Warm' Exhaust Extension - that wound around the rider's body before feeding back into the carb.....

[Bigjawa]

Bar snake, was like a solid rubber hose that you fed through your bars to kill vibration, you got a liquid version too that poured in and set.

Then there was Slik Move, a bike racing board game.....

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Then there was Slik Move, a bike racing board game.....

Was that the one with Grand Scratch as the track?

[The Spin Doctor]

Prompted by Weeksy's heated grip trauma, I remember an article in a motorcycle magazine in the 80s where someone decided to heat their handlebars by rerouting the water cooling hosing so that the hot water flowed in one end of the handlebars and out the other, I tried to find pictures of this wondrous piece of engineering but sadly, I couldn't find any.

What other weird and wonderful things do you remember?

I knew the guy. Complete lunatic. His kit was for the courier favourite - the CX500.

[1913]

Prompted by Weeksy's heated grip trauma, I remember an article in a motorcycle magazine in the 80s where someone decided to heat their handlebars by rerouting the water cooling hosing so that the hot water flowed in one end of the handlebars and out the other, I tried to find pictures of this wondrous piece of engineering but sadly, I couldn't find any.

What other weird and wonderful things do you remember?

Hardley Worthit sold a kit that used engine oil to heat the grips.

I absolutely shit you not.

[1913]

Alister ? early 70's exhaust silencing valve.

Think of a throttle valve with holes in the flap, operated by a lever on the handle bar.

open out of town, closedish in town.

[1913]

Police on bike that were far slower than bike with a quarter of the capacity.

[Newey]

Weird that the RD200 came with electric start but none of its brothers did. Also the RD125 came with a sort of steering damper ie a knob that you turned on the head stock to tighten the stem bearings.

[Potter]

Going to the bike show and seeing the NR750 concept bike, none of us had heard of carbon fibre and we were all talking in the pub afterwards about this weird matt like stuff under varnish.

[David]

Police on bike that were far slower than bike with a quarter of the capacity.

I have a couple of those.

[Druid]

Weird that the RD200 came with electric start but none of its brothers did. Also the RD125 came with a sort of steering damper ie a knob that you turned on the head stock to tighten the stem bearings.

iirc the RD200 alternator and starter motor were the same component - feed power to it to start the engine, then let the engine turn it to generate electricity.

The YDS7 and YR5 also used a friction steering damper, as did my Suzuki T500

[Mr. Dazzle]

Integrated Starter Generator. Only now becoming common (on cars) again.

[KungFooBob]

iirc the RD200 alternator and starter motor were the same component - feed power to it to start the engine, then let the engine turn it to generate electricity.

Same as the engine on a Smart car