Old school rides: Let's see 'em!

[305racer]

[Inane Cathode]

Originally Posted by Mark 42

http://www.minidoodle.com/id242.htm

http://jleibovitch.tripod.com/id210.htm

http://kpr.craigslist.org/for/536467809.html

Nope, not even close. The one i had was much better designed, and had a solid rear pivot arm that both wheels attatched to, and a solid frame all the way around the bike. Wasnt nearly as long as the first two you linked. The third is just a regular tote gote :o

[OldSchoolMike]

Bought this just a few months ago with 23k miles on it. All stock except for a couple of period-correct upgrades: Koni shocks, Teleflex fork brace, oil temp gauge on dipstick. I added a pair of Dunstall-replica mufflers.

I've put ~3500 miles on it, including this weekend ride through Arkansas in October. A friend had one just like this in 1975 and I've lusted after exactly this bike ever since. I love it!

[Sparkster]

For those who don't frequent the "Adventure in Ohio" thread, here's my 1980 GS850G that I acquired in January. Both getting it and revamping it has been on a shoestring budget and yet it still looks pretty decent.

Before:


After:

[Billyboy]

Originally Posted by Sparkster

For those who don't frequent the "Adventure in Ohio" thread, here's my 1980 GS850G that I acquired in January. Both getting it and revamping it has been on a shoestring budget and yet it still looks pretty decent.

Before:


After:

That's a cool ride, Sparkster! My GS has the same bags, minus the guards, I took 'em off. Pics in the last page.

[Jinx]

Originally Posted by s10rat

What a beauty!!
I always liked it
This guy Lord Hesketh produced only very few right?
I think he got inspired by Ducati (reminds me of the darmah)
Great style and components
I bet it must be fun to ride

As I recall, His Lordship was heavily involved in racing back in the 1970's, first F2 and then F1, with his race shop in the converted stables of his estate. As part of that effort they were one of the top engine builders for the Cosworth DFV that were ubiquitous of that era.

Hesketh is remembered as one of the rare few that actually seemed to enjoy F1, and pretty much everything else he did.

I think the Hesketh Motorcycle engine is closer to an air-cooled slice of a Cosworth DFV than a Ducati.

What killed it was that the early gearbox was a complete disaster (pity he didn't just copy the Kawasaki Z-1 gearbox, which was plenty strong enough). By the time they sorted it all out the possibility of any sort of large-ish scale production had passed, so they soldiered on and made about 100 originals until the Bankers stepped in and the whole episode ended in tears in the finest GBW* tradition.

Almost: In the best "Great British Looney" tradition, others, (with some back-door help from Hesketh), acquired a good bit of the original tooling, continued to make improvements, provided spares, and even built the occasional new motorcycle.

Beautiful machines

*Great British Worldbeater

[Sparkster]

Originally Posted by Billyboy

That's a cool ride, Sparkster! My GS has the same bags, minus the guards, I took 'em off. Pics in the last page.

thanks! I'm not quite done since you mention it. I picked these up today and plan to replace the Shoei's with 'em:

($8 ea. at a local surplus store)

And then I'll be sorely tempted to go with an olive drab rattle-can job on the bike itself. Not too sure about that, though.

[Trailing Jack]

Originally Posted by Jinx

As I recall, His Lordship was heavily involved in racing back in the 1970's, first F2 and then F1, with his race shop in the converted stables of his estate. As part of that effort they were one of the top engine builders for the Cosworth DFV that were ubiquitous of that era.

Hesketh is remembered as one of the rare few that actually seemed to enjoy F1, and pretty much everything else he did.

I think the Hesketh Motorcycle engine is closer to an air-cooled slice of a Cosworth DFV than a Ducati.

What killed it was that the early gearbox was a complete disaster (pity he didn't just copy the Kawasaki Z-1 gearbox, which was plenty strong enough). By the time they sorted it all out the possibility of any sort of large-ish scale production had passed, so they soldiered on and made about 100 originals until the Bankers stepped in and the whole episode ended in tears in the finest GBW* tradition.

Almost: In the best "Great British Looney" tradition, others, (with some back-door help from Hesketh), acquired a good bit of the original tooling, continued to make improvements, provided spares, and even built the occasional new motorcycle.

Beautiful machines

*Great British Worldbeater

Thanks for the history lesson Jinx

I swear I never heard of those bikes.
When did they make them? They look like '80's types.

[dragoon]

Originally Posted by Trailing Jack

Thanks for the history lesson Jinx

I swear I never heard of those bikes.
When did they make them? They look like '80's types.

Go to bed.

[Trailing Jack]

Originally Posted by dragoon

Go to bed.

What are you doing up??
I just got off work 4 hours ago...

[dragoon]

Originally Posted by Trailing Jack

What are you doing up??
I just got off work 4 hours ago...

Can't sleep. I must be getting old.

[Trailing Jack]

Originally Posted by dragoon

Can't sleep. I must be getting old.

Hear that... check your pm's. No sense highjacking this one.

[roadholder]

Me with my 1973 Norton 850 Commando I've had for almost 30 years.
It's an original condition bike. My dad with his 1967 BMW R60 in the background.

[claude]

This is a sidecar outfit we worked with last year. It is a Triumph Trident with a much modified Cozy sidecar on it. We did the sidecar modification and mounting part but the owners, John and Angel, did the rest.

Picture was taken at the ISOK Sidecar RON DEE VOO last year where Angel won the people's choice award.

John's Norton can be see on the background. Wish I had a better picture of it.

[Byrd-Man]

This is my R100/7 I just got off the bench. I have restored it with a few modifications for northwest riding. We have a lot of fire roads in Washington and our backroads are filled with some epic potholes. I beefed up the suspension, braced the forks, put GS bars for a more comfortable riding position. I put a 37/11 ratio rear end for snappier cornering and acceleration, braced the rear swing arm and put a cush drive in it. Lightened the flywheel, put a motorrad elektric omega system on it and few few hundred other things. Still have the body work to finish.

Cheers,
[IMG]file:///Volumes/700GB%20Disk1/Personal/Motorcycles/R100:7%20Reconstruction/R100_overview.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]file:///Volumes/700GB%20Disk1/Personal/Motorcycles/R100:7%20Reconstruction/R100_overview.jpg[/IMG]