A bike I lusted after in my youth

[crawsue]

Interesting posts....think we could organise a quiz along the lines of “ guess the generation from the bike choice”....... On another forum I’m a member of ,bikes that “qualify for the Banbury Run” are coveted......

[Darren69]

3C and 888 or Honda V4 750

[Chriswilly]

AJS 500 Spring Twin. Very comfortable - came off one saturday night after leaving a dance in the Marconi Club with a young lady on the back - dropped it on the first corner we negociated - a van full of PC's that was following us were very concearned and followed us home to check that we were OK!

Don't make cops like that any more !!!

[Nickj]

Originally Posted by slob

I lusted after a T140 US Export, a T160 ‘Lightning’, a Jota 120 and a Hailwood Rep. when I had my FS1E and a couple of Banthams.

I had a DT125MX, then a 250LC

The bike I’d still really like is Monjuic 500… wish I still had all my previous bikes, they’d be a better investment than my pension looks.

I did have a Jota, big orange lump with a skinny pilot, made the 500/4 that preceeded it feel like a moped
My brother had a Monjuic 500, people always thought it was a 750, I 'looked after it' for a few months while he was on a posting. I think he swapped it for a Porche while he was in Germany. The prices now are getting a bit silly.
Also had a 350 & a 250LC, the 250 was the other halfs but usually was thrashed by me. Got that off of someone who'd totted up a ban for peanuts.
Trailed and fun raced a 175MX that rapidly was swapped out for a KDX200, ran one event on a DT125LC which is nowhere as good as the KMX or the (now they tell me) TS200R.

[Nickj]

Originally Posted by Kato

For me the first bike I really took any notice of and it absolutely got me started on the 2 wheel journey was an MV 750 S never got one but would deffo still have one should the chance come along

HA!! I used to park the 250 desmo next to one of these when I was working at Frys (as was) in Keynsham, always liked those sand cast casings. Sounded rather tasty too

[Mr Gazza]

Velocette = motorcycle and sidecarp.

You had me going with your T160 Lightning Rob. I've never heard of that model. Vincent had a Black Lightning and BSA had the A65 Lightning. Maybe you were thinking of the X75 Hurricane?

I had a phwoar moment when I first clapped eyes and ears on a 750GT in about '75.
I only really had eyes for Triumphs in the 70's though and finally got my own Bonnie in '81.
I ticked that box several times through the 80's and 90's with several 650 and 750 Bonnies and Trophies/Tigers. I really do like the look of the T160 but not sure if Triumph number 12 will be another twin or a tripe hound. (I won't get a thirteenth.)
Really fancied the Moto Morini 3 1/2 sport and managed to tick that box with a real gem of a 1975 double sided front brake model.. The real McCoy.
Ducati released a model in 1993 that stole my heart, stylish seat not unlike a G50/7R, big red tank much like a G50 and a near vertical timing chest.. Very nice and not all covered in plastic either. I eventually managed to tick that box just into the Millennium and I'm on my second one which I think is near perfection for a motorcycle. (Gold timing covers like a G50.)
You have to kiss a lot of frogs if you want to marry a prince and I got through a lot of dogs. My saying back in the day was "So many bikes and only one of me!".
I still think the M900Sie is about as good as it gets, but I still very much hold a candle for a Gold/Black 750GT... Working on it..

[hhmunro]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Velocette = motorcycle and sidecarp.

You had me going with your T160 Lightening Rob. I've never heard of that model. Vincent had a Black Lightening and BSA had the A65 Lightening. Maybe you were thinking of the X75 Hurricane?

I had a phwoar moment when I first clapped eyes and ears on a 750GT in about '75.
I only really had eyes for Triumphs in the 70's though and finally got my own Bonnie in '81.
I ticked that box several times through the 80's and 90's with several 650 and 750 Bonnies and Trophies/Tigers. I really do like the look of the T160 but not sure if Triumph number 12 will be another twin or a tripe hound. (I won't get a thirteenth.)
Really fancied the Moto Morini 3 1/2 sport and managed to tick that box with a real gem of a 1975 double sided front brake model.. The real McCoy.
Ducati released a model in 1993 that stole my heart, stylish seat not unlike a G50/7R, big red tank much like a G50 and a near vertical timing chest.. Very nice and not all covered in plastic either. I eventually managed to tick that box just into the Millennium and I'm on my second one which I think is near perfection for a motorcycle. (Gold timing covers like a G50.)
You have to kiss a lot of frogs if you want to marry a prince and I got through a lot of dogs. My saying back in the day was "So many bikes and only one of me!".
I still think the M900Sie is about as good as it gets, but I still very much hold a candle for a Gold/Black 750GT... Working on it..

Had a red and white 750GT, first Ducati, bought it from a guy in Bristol who sold it to buy sails for the boat he was leaving the UK in his yacht... Then a 900 Darmah, then a 350 desmo single.. ironicaly I sold my 1000cc Le Mans when I sailed away from the UK in '97 in mine...

[Nickj]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

Velocette = motorcycle and sidecarp.

You had me going with your T160 Lightening Rob. covered in plastic either.

Enfield constellation and sidecarp .. we didn't gel

T160's the last year model using up the old BSA slanted motors?? Or was it a whole re-vamped one?

[slob]

yes, my mistake, Hurricane (X75)

[Mr Gazza]

Originally Posted by Nickj

Enfield constellation and sidecarp ..

That's not making any sense to me.
Motorcycle and sidecarp alludes to the Velocette's fishtail silencer. (A vintage joke)

The T160V was an almost clean sheet but took from the Rocket Three's slanting block with Triumph's gearbox and outer covers. It also had an electric starter, a five speed box and a crossover gearchange shaft to give it left foot change along with a rear disc hydraulically operated by the right foot. It was a different animal altogether to the T150 or Rocket Three. Strikingly modern compared to something like a Norton Commando.



The X75 was Craig Vetter's famous Hurricane. It always amused me that they described the Yellow stripe and Triumph logo as a "3M Vinyl applique". That's a sticker to you and me.

[Mr Gazza]

Originally Posted by slob

yes, my mistake, Hurricane (X75)

Yes. There she is Rob. Complete with vinyl applique, Rocket Three engine and comical front brake.. Sorry, Conical front brake. Another vintage joke!

[Kato]

WOW had never heard of the X75 untill this post, I'd have deffinately wanted one of those instead I had a T140e, probably spent way more time fixing it than riding, straight line were great but was always nervous around corners depending on how mmuch oil it had decided to leak over the rear wheel on that day

[PPuxley]

Laverda Jota. Finally obtained a 120 at age 28 and have had it ever since. Now at 1200 with Mikunis. 14000 miles since its last re-incarnation in 2017.

[Blah blah]

My mates AR80 (with allspeed pipe) - I may have had posters of one on my wall before he bought his.
A RD125lc painted in Wrangler colours that I couldn't afford
Another mate's Triumph Speed Twin chop with its massive forks, hard tail and tiny exhausts
That Spondon turbo from performance bikes (Steve Burns??) I still have the poster and one day the poster will go on the wall in the man cave (when I have a man cave) and not just because of the woman in the swim suit, oh no
A GSX1000 Katana as it was faster with its flat slides than the 1100, I still look at these now and if I didn't keep spending my money on 20 year old Ducatis and other assorted old Italian motorbikes then I would probably have one.

[Nickj]

Originally Posted by Kato

WOW had never heard of the X75 untill this post, I'd have deffinately wanted one of those instead I had a T140e, probably spent way more time fixing it than riding, straight line were great but was always nervous around corners depending on how mmuch oil it had decided to leak over the rear wheel on that day

I was always surprised by it, you look at the X75 and it was swoopy svelte, then you looked at the fairings vetter designed that looked like roadkill dustbins.