Our Bikes

Our Bikes, past and present.

See also Chris's Bikes and Alan's Bikes NEW

(Click on bike, use ^ to jump back to top)

Not including bikes owned for less than one month.
This list goes backwards in time.
Some of the bikes have links to pictures

Dave's Bikes

Honda VFR750FR
Honda VFR750FH
Honda CBX550F2
Moto Morini 350 Strada
Yamaha XS2
MZ ES150
Honda CB72
Honda CB77
Suzuki A100

Pauline's Bikes

Kawasaki GPZ500S
Kawasaki GPZ500S
Honda CB250RSD
Yamaha YB100

Dave's Bikes

Honda VFR750FR

Current Bike.
Bought new in 1994. Fairly standard but a few mods and additions.

Micron "race" can; Saves pounds in weight, looks neat, sounds great (not too loud but a nice burble), masks the "sewing machine" sound from the gear driven cams. End caps removed and turned through 180 degrees, this puts the "Race Use Only, Not For Road Use" engraving underneath, out of sight. Plug-chops confirm standard jetting is OK, this was a surprise but has been confirmed by Dyno-Jet importers who say "Euro-spec '94-on model responds well to free-flow exhaust without carb changes. Noticable increase in power." I think it could do with a bit more fuelling in the first third throttle for stronger acceleration, will try raising needles when I'm not busy working on everyone else's bikes.

Givi rack; useful platform for stowing stuff and used with E36 topcase when touring.

Baglux "tank bra" with Alpha Tank Bag; not left on the bike all the time (water gets under bra and damages paint. Bag very useful with two height setting, weekend/overnight and touring

Fender extender; extention to rear of front mudguard to keep muck from engine and radiator. Does the job without looking out of place.

Fibreglass hugger; fitted in place of chain-guard. Makes the back-end tidy and keeps the muck off the rear shock/linkage.

Flip-up screen; fitted in a attempt to reduce wind noise but not a great success. Increased buffeting, slightly for rider but much worse for passanger, and increased sensitivity to cross-winds. Currently removed.

100/80W headlight bulbs; the highest practical on a twin-headlight bike without wiring mods. Very useful down unlit roads and for getting the attention of dozy motorists.

Autocom Eurocom Intercom system; Fitted alongside the battery with plugs extending via rh air vent. Direct power from battery via ignition controlled relay (cuts down noise from regulator. Works with Motorola P200 radios for bike-to-bike communication. (Original Autocom 49Mhz transceivers are rubbish). ^

Honda VFR750FH

Bought in '88, eighteen months old for £2,700. Traded-in for new VFR in '94 for £3000! (an indictation of the growing respect for the model after the problems with the original VF750).

Standard apart from sports rack, flip-up screen, Goodridge brake hoses and Michelin radials.

Slight "gravel rash" on rh side, following low-side on roundabout. "I was distracted by a van pulling out in front, didn't see flattened fuel filler cap in road which did a good impression of an ice-hockey puck as soon as my front wheel went over it" ^

Honda CBX550F2

Bought (cheap) from guy with 35-week pregnant girlfriend.
The bike had a flat front tyre, "sick" engine and noisy exhaust, and there was 2" of snow on the roads! (Oh I do *hate* taking advantage).

The flat tyre was a leaking valve housing, cured by letting the air out and spraying silicon grease on the outside of the housing. The "sick" engine was an old piece of towelling left under the seat which had been sucked into the airbox (I'd guessed it was bad fuel, or at worse gummed-up carbs, it just didn't feel like anything mechanical, even though the engine was way down on power)

The engine was never really happy with the Alfa 4-into-1 that had been fitted. A 4-into-2 replica system from Jama transformed the bike, it looked standard, including the cross-over header-pipe arrangement (at less than half the price) and the engine ran so much better.

Flip-up screen, Goodridge brake hoses, sports rack and engine bars were the only significant mods.

The only problem with the bike was when the rear caliper seized-on going down a hill. By the bottom the back wheel had caught fire! The only damage was to the pads and the caliper seals, although I checked and re-packed the wheel bearings just in case.

The standard mirrors gave a good view of the dead bugs on your shoulders, but little else! These were extended by sawing through the stems, drilling, tapping and screwing in a length of 6mm studding. The studding was then covered in body filler to match the original profile. Once painted they looked standard but were 1.5" longer (it makes all the difference!).

This bike "overlapped" with the VFR750FH and for a few months Pauline used to ride round on it. It was a bit tall for her, especially since the previous owner had fitted over-size tyres (which did not improve grip and made the steering a bit slow). ^

Moto Morini 350 Strada

Bought in '78 as a "sad case" for £500, with bald tyres, rusty chain, toothless sprockets and flat battery. A few pounds spend on a tidy-up and I had a great little bike. The first time I took Pauline on the back the engine died (with a sheared key on the generator) the second time she went on it the cam belt stripped a bunch of teeth. These were the only times the bike gave any problems over the 15 years I owned it!

After the first eight years we gave the bike a total re-build, in the spare bedroom. The frame was stripped and stove-enamelled. The tank and side-panels were re-sprayed. The wheels were fitted with alloy rims. The original switchgear had fallen apart and was replaced with parts from Yamaha. The seat was replaced, for something that turned-out to be about as comfortable as a sandbag! A remote oil filter housing was fitted to the front engine mount, the original filter is just a plastic strainer.

The completed bike was lowered down the stairs by ropes, with four of us trying to catch it! ^

Yamaha XS2

This was one of my father's bikes, but I did many more miles on it than he did.

It was Yamaha's attempt to improve on the British twins and in some ways it did. The engine was strong and didn't leak oil (except when it blew a head gasket) but the handling was aweful. Yamaha recognised this and the later XS650 had a much improved frame with stronger front down-tubes and gussets around the steering head and swinging-arm mount.

The brakes where fine in the dry but in the wet the front brake just made the fork dive, the steering shake and a very strange howling noise would be emitted (sometimes from the rider). Drilled discs were becoming the vogue so the rotors were removed and given "the treatment". This resulted in wet weather brakes that did nothing for the first two seconds, then locked solid. A few years later (this was still in the late seventies) the manufacturers came out with pad materials that worked with the stainless steel rotors, even in the wet. ^

MZ ES150

Another of my father's bikes which I "borrowed" for a few months.

This was a strange beast with an all-in-one fuel tank and headlight, huge leading-link front forks and a silencer that looked like an anti-tank gun.

The forks used torque reaction for anti-dive, to the point that the front would rise under braking. The original tyres where made of a plastic that would last forever. On dry roads they could be made to howl when cornering hard. In the wet the bike never went the way it was pointing.

I remember a thirty-mile journey across London one wet Sunday night in convoy with a friend on a, then new, Ducati GTS860. When we got to our destination the other guy was mad as hell, shouting and calling me a lunatic. On the wet and greasy roads the MZ was sliding all over the place, but I was used to it. He, on the other hand, had one of the best handling bikes of the time on nice grippy rubber. When his bike slipped, even slightly, he panicked.

I was always impressed by the engineering on this bike, which did nothing to acknowledge "normal" motorcycle practices. The huge front suspension brace and the centre-stand were sand-case alloy. The chain ran in rubber sleeves with expanding "boots". The (6 volt) electrics were like something off a 'fifties car, with a huge mechanical voltage regulator. It was the electrics which caused the only breakdown. It took me ages to work out that there was a fuse on the earth as well as the positive feed. ^

Honda CB72

Actually two '63 CB72's bought as "basket cases" for use as parts donors for the CB77. The CB72 was identical to the CB77 except for a smaller bore resulting in a capacity of 250cc. Once all the parts had be sorted and the rubbish junked I found it was possible to make-up one good road bike and still have enough spares for the CB77. ^

Honda CB77

The CB77 was a sensation when it was lauched in '62. Though only 305cc it was faster than the 650cc Triumphs and BSA's. The engine was OHC, smooth, oil tight and had an electric starter.
I bought my '63 model in '76 as a tatty but standard road bike. It was soon converted into a "cafe racer" with clip-on bars and racing seat.
I started racing it in the 350cc classes but it was giving too much power away to the new Yamaha 350 two-strokes. In response, the winter of '77 saw a major engine rework including new liners and forged pistons, taking the capacity to 347cc. Larger valves and reground cam improved the breathing along with a custom made 2-into-2 exhaust (the 180 crank produce a firing pattern that didn't work well with 2-into-1.
Experiments with "fuel injectors" was interesting. These were plain bodies with gravity fuel feed and butterfly valve air control. The only adjustments were the size of the single jet and the linkage between a fuel flow valve and the butterfly. Once setup they could produce more power than the original carbs but required an "idle" speed of 1500-2000 rpm and were very sensitive to changes in weather. Lap times (at Brands Hatch) would vary by 2 seconds between a cool morning and a warm afternoon. As the bike was still road legal (well it still had lights) the injectors were too impractical and junked. A Weber 45DCOE twin choke was acquired but never made it on the bike. A pair of Amal concentric MKII's were borrowed for a weekend but were to difficult to setup. In the end the original carbs were bored by 2mm, re-jetted and proved to be the best solution.
On the track the bike was competitive. The class required road tyres and the handling was OK. The non-adjustable forks were fitted with spring spacers but had to be left fairly soft otherwise they overcame the poor rebound damping. The original rear shocks were replaced with something firmer (don't remember the brand).
The wheels were re-laced with wider alloy rims.
The front (twin leading shoe) drum brakes were fitted with racing liners but they took a while to warm up and would overheat by the end of the race. This made the first and last laps "interesting".
The increased power required a much higher gearing. The rear sprocket was made as small as possible and the front as large. The bike would still pull an indicated 120mph at the red-line in top.
The transmission had no shock absorber, the rear sprocket was solidly bolted to the rear hub. This would sometimes result in the chain breaking under sudden acceleration. Strangly it never broke at the split link.
After two years I gave up racing. My excuse was lack of funds, and my mate sold his van. In reality it had more to do with two major accidents on consecutive weekends. Neither were my fault, both were caused by other riders "out-braking"themselves and taking me out with them. In both cases I walked away without serious injury although my leathers stank for weeks from the stagnant water that the impact released from the tyre-wall!
The problem was that ex-GP bikes were getting into the hands of "squids" who had no idea how the handle them. It was just too dangerous to share the track with these guys and I didn't have the money to get into a more professional class.
The bike was converted back to a (still fast) road bike and went on for years, finally sold in '85 to a friend who was into "classic racing". ^

Suzuki A100

My first legal road bike. This little 100cc two-stroke was amazing. Totally unmodified it was good for 80mph (90 with a tailwind). It never broke down despite much abuse and 80 mile weekly commutes in all weathers.
It was eventually written off by a guy turning right without looking or indicating. When the paperwork came through I found he was an Undertaker! His insurance never paid for the bike, at least my insurers told them where to go when they counter-claimed. The only good thing was that I had a home-made paddock stand (for the CB77) straped over the rear seat. This took most of the impact, saving my leg and opening up the side of his car like a sardine can! ^

Pauline's Bikes

Kawasaki GPZ500S

Kawasaki GPZ500S

Current bike. Just to prove you can't have too much of a good thing I bought this black '94 model secondhand at 8 months old with only 500 miles on the clock. It had some strange damage to the rh side including bent brake lever and pedal, bent handlebar and the whole exhaust system had been pushed an inch to the left. There was none of the usual scrapes associated with sliding down the road. The seller had no explanation and knew nothing about bikes. Turns out he was an accountant and the bike was the company vehicle of one of the partners who had left the firm. We made an offer (of 2/3rds the list price) and walked away. He rang the next day and said OK.
When we examined the damage in detail we found a small star of green canvas in the cross-head screw on the end of the twist-grip. The bike must have been blown over whilst under cover. This explained the strange damage.
Anyway the bike is great now. Modifications are limited to a sports rack with small quick-release top-case, fender extender, Autocom intercom and radio system (to work with Dave's VFR ) and fairing infill panels . These panels fill the gap between the half fairing and the belly pan and give the effect of a full fairing, hiding the radiator and pipework. ^

Kawasaki GPZ500S

This red '94 model was bought from a dealer. With 20,000 miles and showing signs of being ridden through a hard winter. New Michelin Macadams and front pads were negotiated in the deal. We had been looking for a grey import VFR400 NC21 but these were overpriced and most were tatty. Within six months we came across the black GPZ and bought that as well. The red bike was sold to a friend who had just blown up his VF400. He was amazed at the increase in power and handling, in comparision. After two years he moved on to a VFR750, to keep up with his son. ^

Honda CB250RSD

The RSD was based on the popular RSA, a single cylinder 4-valve four-stroke. The RSD had electic start (with larger battery and alternator) and modified transmission, larger chain and cush drive for longer chain life. The problem was that the starter was bolt-on which engaged via a bendix. This made aweful noises and was none too reliable especially when the bike had been left standing. My sister had a CL250 with the same engine and she modified the cases to take the RSA kickstart to supplement the starter. We never got around to putting this mod on the RSD. It's strange that the kickstart had a cable-linked exhaust valve lifter but the electric starter had to cope with full compression.
Our mods to this bike were a cut down seat (I'm only 5' 2"), crash bars and Goodridge brake hose. This bike was sold to a friend who, while using it everyday, had no problems with the starter. This bike went for a holiday to the IOM TT, complements of Ron & Val who's Triumph's clutch went the day before they were do to go. It seemed a shame for them to lose out, having booked the ferry and the hotel, etc. ^

Yamaha YB100

My first bike. Having been a passenger for a few years, I decided it was time to learn to ride. The YB was found hiding at the back of dealer's showroom looking very tidy but with a sick engine (although the dealer denied it). We did the deal and Dave rode it home, standing on the footrests and "giving it the whip" to get it up the last hill in a cloud of smoke!
A checkover at home revealed some bore wear, a misadjusted oil pump and "God knows what" in the oil tank. It was only when we cleaned-out the tank that we discovered what we thought was just a level window was actually a gauge, previously hidden by the thick oil. A rebore with new piston and rings was the only real work required and the bike was as good as new.
The only mod was dog(puppy?)-leg levers to allow me to operate the brake and clutch with my small hands. ^

Return to home page

Last updated: Friday, January 01, 1999.