High cost of precision engineering

[Spectric]

Always wanted a 400 four

Nothing like a 750 tripple stroker.

 

[Amplidyne]

Always wanted a 400 four, a mate had one and it was a really nice bike, and that exhaust ! A work of art in itself.

People say "Not powerful enough" now, but I don't know, at the time it seemed OK. A relatively nimble bike as well. I really liked mine.

 

[Fergie 307]

Nothing like a 750 tripple stroker.

Used to have an RD250, pretty fast. But the RD500, now there was a beast. Only 80hp out of the box, but weighed about as much as a tea tray went like the proverbial stabbed rat

 

[Fergie 307]

People say "Not powerful enough" now, but I don't know, at the time it seemed OK. A relatively nimble bike as well. I really liked mine.

Had a few rides on my mates and loved it. Ran like a sewing machine, brakes and lights that worked, electric start and didn't leak oil everywhere. Handled well too. Like a spaceship compared to most of the stuff from the British makers at the time. Loved bikes like the Bonneville, but let's face it and antiquated piece of junk by comparison.

 

[Amplidyne]

Had a few rides on my mates and loved it. Ran like a sewing machine, brakes and lights that worked, electric start and didn't leak oil everywhere. Handled well too. Like a spaceship compared to most of the stuff from the British makers at the time. Loved bikes like the Bonneville, but let's face it and antiquated piece of junk by comparison.

That's the thing with them. As long as you keep up with the oil changes and general maintenance (same with anything) they're dead reliable, and no trouble.
I had a 750, "Bad Boy" US spec Bonny in the early 90s. Looked great, and was in great condition, but it was tall (I'm 6') heavy, vibratory, and the carbs needed a tune before every ride.
I never rode it fast or anything, but as people seemed to be trying to kill me every time I went out, I knocked the bikes on the head.
Haven't got anything now.
I wonder if I can fit in a Caterham Seven?

 

[paulrbarnard]

Or in racing engines the famous 1960's Honda straight six 250, an amazing piece of engineering.

Now that was an engine! At idle it sounded like most bikes at full revs.

 

[evildrome]

Now that was an engine! At idle it sounded like most bikes at full revs.

Honda had a 50th anniversary at the IOM.

I'd dropped my RC30 and broke the clutch lever.

Someone suggested I go down to the Honda pits and see if they had one.

They didn't (got one eventually from IOM Honda) but what they did have at the pits was all the top brass down to see the bikes they'd brought being checked.

The 250 six was wheeled out and started.

Oh my God. What a noise. Unbelievably loud. I've never been sat next to a machine gun but I imagine it must be similar.

I had to back off it was so loud.

It does sound amazing but ear plugs are not optional at less than 100 yards.

Speaking of high revving yet reliable engines, the CBR250RR revved to 18,000 rpm.

I always fancied one.

 

[Fergie 307]

Took my daughter to the Moto GP some years ago, big Rossi fan. She couldn't get over how loud the bikes are.
Same when I took the missus to Le Mans, she loved it. Especially at night with great flames from the exhausts and the discs glowing red hot in the wheels.
I was there in 92 when Peugeot won and the crowd predictably went completely berserk.
I think that was the same year the guy leading the open single seaters, with the Peugeot Mi 16 engine blew something a few laps from the end. Kept going slower and slower till he was passing the pits at maybe 40mph, waving to the crowd who were all on their feet cheering him on. The guy in second, and several laps behind, driving like a maniac to try and catch him. Eventually won the class with the guy in second about 50 yards behind as he crawled over the line, then finally blew up in a cloud of smoke at the end of the pit lane, brilliant.
Shame they now have fencing everywhere instead of just the wall, not the same atmosphere at all.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Honda had a 50th anniversary at the IOM.

I'd dropped my RC30 and broke the clutch lever.

Someone suggested I go down to the Honda pits and see if they had one.

They didn't (got one eventually from IOM Honda) but what they did have at the pits was all the top brass down to see the bikes they'd brought being checked.

The 250 six was wheeled out and started.

Oh my God. What a noise. Unbelievably loud. I've never been sat next to a machine gun but I imagine it must be similar.

I had to back off it was so loud.

It does sound amazing but ear plugs are not optional at less than 100 yards.

Speaking of high revving yet reliable engines, the CBR250RR revved to 18,000 rpm.

I always fancied one.

I was similarly fortunate in hearing it up close and personal. Many years ago I worked in engine analysis tool development and was fortunate enough to work with Honda at the TT on a few different occasions. As the apprentice I was a bit of a hanger on but my mentor at the time used to knock up special tools like timing strobes with very fast response to work on the racing engines. Towards the end of that era though I also did a few track days with the race team which was fantastic.

 

[John Brown]

Wankel? Gas Turbine?

All right, I know, both tried and failed

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_JET1

 

[picsnbits]

They do indeed. Not a car, but a motorbike. August Bank Holiday 1971, a couple of mates and myself decided to go to Bridgenorth on the one guy's M21 Combo. We went puttering happily along, and when we came to the Stanmore straight, this Tiger Cub that had been knocking around our area and was reputed to be a "100 mile an hour Cub" came past us like we were standing still. He got a few yards past us, and there was a huge bang and smoke. We stopped, the chap was sitting on what was left of his bike. (Nice bike, quality build by the look of it) Literally all that was left of the engine was the brackets. He was luckily unhurt.
He said he was OK, and there was nothing else we could do so we left him there.

Had a Cub way back in the ‘60s. Had a book or 2 on tuning and a basic grasp on fettling metal.
Bike would happily end stop the speedometer showing in excess of 80 mph. Unfortunate down side was around 1500 miles to a big end!! Couldn’t get the original plain bearing con rods and couldn’t figure out how to tweak the lubrication to suit the roller bearings I could get.

 

[Amplidyne]

Had a Cub way back in the ‘60s. Had a book or 2 on tuning and a basic grasp on fettling metal.
Bike would happily end stop the speedometer showing in excess of 80 mph. Unfortunate down side was around 1500 miles to a big end!! Couldn’t get the original plain bearing con rods and couldn’t figure out how to tweak the lubrication to suit the roller bearings I could get.

That was the trouble with a lot (most?) of those engines. You could make them go, but it made them a lot more powerful than the bottom end was designed for.
I rode a quick Bantam a few times that belonged to a mate. That was good fun. It had been ported and polished. I had a cub, but TBH, it was a nail.
Even the 650s were much nicer as the originally designed 500s. One of the nicest bikes I've ridden was a well sorted Triumph 500 twin. Pre unit single carb.
Not particularly fast, but it was just a nice ride.

 

[okeydokey]

Had a Cub way back in the ‘60s. Had a book or 2 on tuning and a basic grasp on fettling metal.
Bike would happily end stop the speedometer showing in excess of 80 mph. Unfortunate down side was around 1500 miles to a big end!! Couldn’t get the original plain bearing con rods and couldn’t figure out how to tweak the lubrication to suit the roller bearings I could get.

I also had a Cub, I remember fitting a sports cam doubt it went faster but I thought it did