revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Just out of curiosity. I'm sure there's plenty but I'd expect them to be really obscure or very old. The bikes, not the owners.

Anyone owned a Hodaka or a Bridgestone?

I was very taken with the Bridgestone GTR 350 in the mid-late '60s, but never even saw one in the metal, much less owned one.

Bridgestones used to feature in Classic Bike fairly often, a popular niche bike I suppose. Or maybe it was just the one lots of times.

I'd like a Panther or a Scott.

Two very different engines, I know

I can't see anyone on here having been a Zenith, Scott, Victoria, ABC or Sunbeam owner....


(Although I'm now waiting for Cousin Jack to prove me wrong....)

I'm sure we've had at least two Sunbeam owners!

KungFooBob wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:41 pm I'm sure we've had at least two Sunbeam owners!

There's at least one, I can't remember who though.

Bring things forward a bit into the 70's, a mate has an SWM he's owned from new, anyone owned one of those? I'm sort of tinkering with the idea of buying a 70's/80's Montesa Cota if I can find a decent one.

KungFooBob wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:41 pm I'm sure we've had at least two Sunbeam owners!

Me by proxy. Any Cagiva?

ChrisW wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:46 pm

KungFooBob wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:41 pm I'm sure we've had at least two Sunbeam owners!

Me by proxy. Any Cagiva?

My Ducati had a rear wheel off a Cagiva Alazurra GT....

Rockburner wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:48 pm

ChrisW wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:46 pm

KungFooBob wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:41 pm I'm sure we've had at least two Sunbeam owners!

Me by proxy. Any Cagiva?

My Ducati had a rear wheel off a Cagiva Alazurra GT....

And I've remembered I had a WMX125, but never a Ducati. Huh.

Most obscure thing I owned was a MuZ 301 Saxon Tour NE.

Rockburner wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 7:40 pm I can't see anyone on here having been a Zenith, Scott, Victoria, ABC or Sunbeam owner....

I did help restore a Scott when I was at school. (Flyer iirc, I think it was a 600cc watercooled twin). I say 'restore' but it can't have been that old but even so it was a complete strip down so the frame could be stove enamelled so it must have had a hard life!

Oh yeah...I had a P&M.

Silk?

The Spin Doctor wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 8:03 pm Silk?

Over only ever seen about 3....

(Spotted one at Andover Norton only a month or 2 ago)

The Silk was just a developed version of the Scott, wasn't it?

Rockburner wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 8:05 pm

The Spin Doctor wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 8:03 pm Silk?

Over only ever seen about 3....

(Spotted one at Andover Norton only a month or 2 ago)

I've seen one at H's Cafe just s of Oxford a few times.

KungFooBob wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 8:06 pm The Silk was just a developed version of the Scott, wasn't it?

From memory, the early ones used original Scott engines, but the later ones used a new motor based on the Scott deflector piston principles. I may be wrong

mangocrazy wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 6:48 pm I was very taken with the Bridgestone GTR 350 in the mid-late '60s, but never even saw one in the metal, much less owned one.
Bridgestone-350GTR.jpg

A thing of beauty,even yet.

mangocrazy wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 6:48 pm I was very taken with the Bridgestone GTR 350 in the mid-late '60s, but never even saw one in the metal, much less owned one.


Bridgestone-350GTR.jpg

I know someone with a couple of Bridgestones, a 175 and a 350

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 8:47 pm

mangocrazy wrote: Sun Aug 20, 2023 6:48 pm I was very taken with the Bridgestone GTR 350 in the mid-late '60s, but never even saw one in the metal, much less owned one.


Bridgestone-350GTR.jpg

I know someone with a couple of Bridgestones, a 175 and a 350

As I recall they were marketed as a 'premium' product; i.e they were a fair bit more expensive than your run of the mill Hondas, Yamahas and Suzukis. And they didn't have much of a dealer network. The Kawasaki Avenger 250 and 350 (disc valve 2T) models were of the same era and very tasty.