Weird motorcycle things you remember

[Rockburner]

My GT185 had the samegenrator / starter

Talk of friction dampers just reminded me I have a complete NOS friction damper fro a H1A in the garage, big black knob, shaft, all the plates, still in original Kawasaki bags.I should get the thing on ebay !

Take it to the Antiques Roadshow.......

[Skub]

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

And the R90S.

[Skub]

I remember Tony Galea the camchain specialist. There wasn't a Honda made that didn't need his services.

https://www.pressreader.com

I remember what it was like to legally ride on the road with no helmet.

I remember front numberplates and being stopped by plod asking where mine was.

[Newey]

CZs combined kick starter and gear leaver.

[Rockburner]

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

And the R90S.

And most classic brit bikes.

[JackyJoll]

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

And the R90S.

I thought the BMW R90S had a hydraulic steering damper with a knob on the steering head that looked like a friction damper. Have I got that wrong?

[JackyJoll]

CZs combined kick starter and gear leaver.

The amazing lever also had declutching mechanism built in.

So it was bad at three jobs.

[JackyJoll]

The Zener diode.

[Skub]

[

I thought the BMW R90S had a hydraulic steering damper with a knob on the steering head that looked like a friction damper. Have I got that wrong?

You have me doubting myself now,but you may be correct. In my defence it was a long time ago.

Edit...

https://partsss.com/en/bmw/spareparts/m ... 63769.html

[Horse]

I remember front numberplates

My first bike had one (registered '74), I removed it.

They had the nickname 'pedestrian slicer', don't know how deserved that was.

[Bigjawa]

CZs combined kick starter and gear leaver.

The amazing lever also had declutching mechanism built in.

So it was bad at three jobs.

It was great for eating Mars Bars when stopped at the lights.

The 350 actually had a second neutral between 3rd and 4th.

[Skub]

I remember front numberplates

My first bike had one (registered '74), I removed it.

They had the nickname 'pedestrian slicer', don't know how deserved that was.

I have a scar running almost the full length of my left leg,so yes a well deserved nickname.

[JackyJoll]

CZs combined kick starter and gear leaver.

The amazing lever also had declutching mechanism built in.

So it was bad at three jobs.

It was great for eating Mars Bars when stopped at the lights.

The 350 actually had a second neutral between 3rd and 4th.

While we’re at it, super-cheap communist bikes!

[mangocrazy]

I remember front numberplates

My first bike had one (registered '74), I removed it.

They had the nickname 'pedestrian slicer', don't know how deserved that was.

My first 3 bikes had front number plates and they were indeed hazardous to pedestrians. I remember when they were decriminalised - I took mine off that very day. I also remember going for a blat up the road on the day before helmets were made compulsory (without helmet, obvs) and at not much more than 30mph my eyes started watering from the wind. I'd always worn a helmet and could never understand the opposition to the helmet law.

I'm also old enough to remember the joke of a motorcycle test that existed in the '60s. You were told to go round the block by a man on foot with a clipboard, who could only observe your riding for a maximum of a quarter of the distance you travelled. To test the emergency stop he'd pretend to jump out in front of you and see how you responded. As long as you didn't lock up or hit him, you passed. And his intention was telegraphed for so long in advance you had to be a complete numpty to fail.

[Newey]

Can anyone remember the bike/device that made a 250cc 2 cylinder bike a 125cc 1 cylinder bike, this is when they brought in the new learner law in the mid 80s???

[KungFooBob]

Can anyone remember the bike/device that made a 250cc 2 cylinder bike a 125cc 1 cylinder bike, this is when they brought in the new learner law in the mid 80s???

A sparkplug spanner?

[Nobby]

Can anyone remember the bike/device that made a 250cc 2 cylinder bike a 125cc 1 cylinder bike, this is when they brought in the new learner law in the mid 80s???

Cheb mentioned it in post 4

[ogri]

CZs combined kick starter and gear leaver.

The amazing lever also had declutching mechanism built in.

So it was bad at three jobs.

Aso fekked peeps who left their foot on the gear lever, as on my old jawa 250 2-stroke

[Newey]

Can anyone remember the bike/device that made a 250cc 2 cylinder bike a 125cc 1 cylinder bike, this is when they brought in the new learner law in the mid 80s???

Cheb mentioned it in post 4

I thank you

[Druid]

I'm also old enough to remember the joke of a motorcycle test that existed in the '60s. You were told to go round the block by a man on foot with a clipboard, who could only observe your riding for a maximum of a quarter of the distance you travelled. To test the emergency stop he'd pretend to jump out in front of you and see how you responded. As long as you didn't lock up or hit him, you passed. And his intention was telegraphed for so long in advance you had to be a complete numpty to fail.

that test was still in use in 1981, when I took my test. On a 250