Weird motorcycle things you remember

Anything you like about motorbikes
Le_Fromage_Grande
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Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by 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?
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by weeksy »

I'm impressed anyone is still opening my thread.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by KungFooBob »

That helmet attachment that worked like a windscreen wiper.

The Norton Nemesis.

Carlos Checa having a BT1100 as his road bike.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by 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.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by cheb »

Spinning disc visors for better visibility in the rain.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

weeksy wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:08 pm I'm impressed anyone is still opening my thread.
It's Friday afternoon, I'm clock watching, waiting to go home
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by JackyJoll »

Reliant adverts in Motorcycle Mechanics.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by Rockburner »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:07 pm 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.....
non quod, sed quomodo
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by 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.....
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by Le_Fromage_Grande »

Bigjawa wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:47 pm
Then there was Slik Move, a bike racing board game.....
Was that the one with Grand Scratch as the track?
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by The Spin Doctor »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:07 pm 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.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by 1913 »

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:07 pm 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.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by 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.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by 1913 »

Police on bike that were far slower than bike with a quarter of the capacity.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by 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.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by David »

1913 wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 11:22 pm Police on bike that were far slower than bike with a quarter of the capacity.
I have a couple of those.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by Druid »

Newey wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:22 am 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
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Integrated Starter Generator. Only now becoming common (on cars) again.
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by KungFooBob »

Druid wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 10:16 am 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 :)
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Re: Weird motorcycle things you remember

Post by asmethurst99 »

Sidewinder combo for LC's