Sheffield Spur
Øyvind Leonhardsen
The Moto Guzzi 850? 1980's when I used one. A long time ago, but from memory: low (ish) seat height, bit heavy, low centre of gravity, good for short-arses, not bad grunt for a late 1970's shaft drive 850 twin. Reasonable handling. A touch of class. Prescence. Pretty. I guess a good one will appreciate in value now, being a classic. Lovely engine, frame, brakes, looks... but questionable electrics and some build quality. The Yamaha XS750/850 triples I had at the time would knock spots off it for performance, but they didn't look as nice, or have Moto Guzzi on the tank. Plus the Yamahas handled like a pig. I wish I had ridden the Moto Guzzi 1000 Le Mans. I bet that was something.....
My mate paid just over a grand for a purple/white 1975 Triumph Trident triple 750 last year. He has spent c. £3,000 on the engine. Its now immaculate, and he reckons its worth £20k! He had a 1980 Ducati 900 Darmah which got totalled by an 84 year-old, OAP, who decided to roll out at a junction whilst gassing to passenger and not looking. Years ago. Then his Ducati 748 got trashed too (his fault) so he is keeping his lives left and not having mega performance machines any more. Much to his wifes' approval!
Back in the mid 1980's another mate got hold of an old Triumph 350 twin. With an ugly fairing on it. The cops used them late 1960's/early 1970's. It had been in a ditch for donkey's years. He spent years doing it up. A complete strip, rebuild and makeover to original. It, no kid, was better than when it was new. Totally immaculate and stunning job. Deep chroming etc etc. He wouldn't take it out if there was any chance of rain! Usually used his old nail of an MZ250, which - incidentally - he used a nail instead of a key to turn the ignition on! Street cred, huh!
To those that are not bike-minded, not all bikes suit everyone, and thats massively true and important. Your height and build/weight are very important to marry to the correct bike. I got a brand new Kawasaki GPZ 600R in 1987, just before the FA Cup Final (less said the better there!). I am a gnats over 6ft. That 600 had a low scolloped-out riders seat, and tiny fairing, and it was great for a shorter rider. But not me. Sixteen inch wheels, short trail and rake and short wheelbase meant that it was brilliant for 'flicking' around country lanes. But straight line stability? Horrid. Any side turbulence and it felt like it was going to do a tank slapper. Not a motorway bike. Fitting a steering damper may have helped a bit. I should have bought a GPZ900R, but couldn't afford a new one. So the new 600 won. Big mistake! The 900 was a stunning machine. Physically bigger. A bit heavier, but it had train-like stability. Very sure footed. And made for me. Not quite as flickable as the 600 but my oh my, what a lovely all-round package. A milestone and quantum jump at the time. The 600's motor was an utter dream though. 600cc 16 valve across the frame, four stroke four. Fluid power output which just kept coming! Amazingly economical too. Easily did 60mpg on a run.
So questions about ride must bear individuality in mind. The Kawasaki Tengai was made for me. Height, weight, grunt, looks, image, style, seating position. I fitted that like a glove. One I hired in Crete in 1993: me and the wife. Spurs shirt and shades. Posing along in Agious Nicolais and Heraklion. It would pull a standing start in 3rd gear (!!) two up. That lovely big 650cc four stroke single motor. Huge gob fulls of torque. Loved it to bits! I want one now. A nice project for the future I think.
The Ducati 500 Pantah? Out on the open road it was pure sex! Lovely, lovely package. It felt like it was on rails, it handled so well. In town? Buy a new left wrist.... the clutch lever was for Godzilla clones only. Incredibly heavy. But would I want one now? You bet! The Desmodromic (SP?) valve gear in the v twin motor is a swine to set up correctly needing 'engineers blue' IIRC. A bike to buy, do up and then go and write poetry about!
The worst bike I rode? Apart from a Solex in France in 1976, and a Z900 Kawasaki there too, briefly (hinge in the middle. Horrible handling. Bent frame maybe) was a Yamaha XZ550. IIRC. The one with the leading axle on the front forks. Total turkey. Horrid. The VF400 V4 Honda was instantly forgettable (was like riding a hairdryer) and the Honda CX500 really was a plastic maggot! Despatch riders rode them galore, but they were awful for blowing alternators and chewing cam chain tensioners. The most reliable bike ever. Got to be the Suzuki GS550E. THE classic Jap across the frame four stroke four. Bulletproof engine and classy looks. Unreliable but loved it? The Suzuki SP370. I loved it dearly, even though it had a tendancy to strip the splines in the kickstart shaft. An no electric start, so a problem if you were no good at bump starting it!
http://www.suzukicycles.org/SP-series/SP370.shtml
Others I rode/borrowed/tested/blagged I forgot before?
The Suzuki GSX550 and GSX750
CB650 Honda.
X5 200 Suzuki.
Yamaha XS500
I never did get my mitts on Suzuki RG500 or Yamaha RD500 2 strokes. Probably just as well!
Apparently the Yamaha VPVS RD350LC in the 1980's had a higher power to weight ratio than a Panavia Tornado fighter bomber!
Eeee.... bikes. Get me going on that subject.
I'm more into this style though
