Erm...Iv'e got an RD250 too, a 73' residing in my loft at present
Yes friction damper and hydralic one fitted on the A7 (It's fitted on t'other side) but still gets frisky on bumpy roads at speed.
I hope the A7 will get snapped up by somebody as it has to finance my Monster, I think it will because it's a genuine UK bike, I even contacted the original owner who's father still lives at the same address since the 60's age 90!
This is what I got back after talking to Tony who purchased the bike new in 71', enjoy-
Hi Steve,
Thanks very much for sending these. The bike looks absolutely beautiful and exactly as I had it until it was sold (It was never left dirty - an engineers legacy from Ruston's) I often wondered what ever happened to HDT 856J!
The bike gave me great pleasure from the day I bought it until I regretably sold it for a Honda 400 Four in '76.
I rode it alll around South Yorkshire until getting a Job with Ruston Gas Turbines in Lincoln in the very early 70's. During that time I commuted between Hoyland Common and Lincoln once a week, occasionally leaving the bike at home and using the train, if I had a lot of kit to carry arround. At one stage it had a touring screen fitted and some heavy duty Lucas handlebar switches that were common to the NVT range - because they were more waterproof! On summers night the lads from works all rode to Cadwell Park circuit in the middle of Lincolnshire and found a "secret" way in, off some back lane or other, one of the local lads knew about and did some laps on the circuit dodging the rabbits in full moonlight. Stuff like that one never forgets!
Yes the bike hold many fond memories including taking my future wife, Brenda, for a run from Manchester (where she lived) over the Woodhead pass to my sister's house in Hoyland to drop off some house keys I'd inadvertently taken with me.
Best memory was burning off a fully leathered commando rider whislt riding over the railway crossing in a place called Worsborough on my way into Barnsley one morning. I was at the front of the queue waiting for the gates to open (gates in those days) and this guy flitering up and sitting on my tail blipping the Commando and annoying everybody.
As the gates opened I set off and he'd missed a gear perhaps embarrasing him in front of the car drivers behind him.
As I cleared the crossing I was in second and heard the Commando set off with a vengance He stayed on my tail to goad me into a burn up climbing the long hill towards Barnsley. Well as he dropped his bike a gear I dipped the clutch in second and poured on the revs and fed it in leaving two streaks of blue smoke like a jet fighter on afterburn (well thats what I thought at the time!) It was a decisive lesson for this guy and gave up - all done in one gear. I supposed treating a Norton cluch like that would have killed it but Kawasakis were made of stern stuff even back then.
I also did this afterwards riding up the long hill itno Hoyland and got stopped by a young bobby who just wanted to have a look at the bike as it was quietly getting known as a flier! The constabulary had just got rid of their fleet of LE Velo's so you can immagine the difference in performance they would have to contend with on the roads.
Well I'll delve into our photo archive and see if I can find some old pictures of HDT which may help with its history for you and any other snippets I remember.
Kindest Regards
Tony.
PS. Sorry to talk about my A7, I don't have a Monster yet
