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• #14202
I blame Ed march and the other fella who lost his when it fell in the river crossing in the Congo.
Might also be the fact that they are actively raced to death and the bulk of good cheap runners have been written off and the others have rotted at the bottom of the garden and now they have cult status and James May likes them and finding a good runner with MOT for a few hundred quid days are mostly gone.
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• #14203
https://ventura.craigslist.org/mcy/d/simi-valley-honda-c/6959208753.html
This is a little beauty. Original and crispy. If I had room in the garage, I'd be over there in a van with a gorilla to waft under his nose...
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• #14204
Yeah the james may program seems to have increased the value of the c series.
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• #14205
Doesn't take much room and it may be an investment.
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• #14206
Anyone here owned a KTM RC8?
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• #14207
Really? WAC.
All my bikes are investments...that's why most of them never get used. That's my excuse anyway...I've actually got two that I've never ridden further than round the block. That's sad.
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• #14208
What would be a good bike to get to leave at my parents house - rural Wales. I'll just use it to tinker with and run to the shops every few months, possibly gentle green laning. I'm thinking cheap, simple, too old to need an MOT. Old 250 dirt bike?
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• #14209
Looking at a four stroke as a two stroke may have issues with crank seals if left sitting.
MOT wise insurance companies like to see the vehicle is roadworthy easiest way is to have an MOT.
Honda xl185? Have had issues with points if the bike has been siting for sometime. But might be easier to get a dr350 and use fuel stabilizer as modern stuff goes gummy quite quickly.
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• #14210
Small wheels again. They've got it right with the SH300, not sure why they bother making the other ones :)
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• #14211
Silverwing, the giant scootay.
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• #14212
Some insurance brokers are ok with >40 yr old 'historic' vehicles without MOT (form V 112 when it comes to rubber stamping the zero rated road tax) - possibly more so if you're outside London?
I've used Peter James Insurance for many years for a couple of 1950s mopeds - seems fine so far, but then I haven't made any claims.Edit - possibly this should have been a reply to @n3il ? FWIW I'm in rural Shropshire, possibly comparable to rural Wales for insurance purposes.
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• #14213
After read through some of this thread, I'm now convinced I need a motorbike. Either cafe racer or a bobber. Sadly it will be a 125 to begin with. I'm not adverse to doing some of the work myself either as I have an angle grinder a welder.
Any recommendations would be helpful.
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• #14214
Do NOT buy a project
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• #14215
Am wary of insurance companies trying to avoid paying out, and previously insuring bikes the underwriter has asked for MOT. May be it was because the bike hadn't been insured for a decade.
Then I've had insurance for a 750cc motorbike cancelled as I could not produce a valid CBT.
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• #14216
.
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• #14217
I'm stretching a point to call either of mine motorbikes...
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• #14218
The most important thing to look for is a donor bike that has a lot of unnecessary weighty items which you can cut off and discard. Always chop the rear subframe off first because you can get a good idea of your personal seat style. Don't keep any of the existing clocks or lights as that dates your cafe bobber, you can always buy new digital clocks and led lights for a few thousand and Halfords have plenty of wire to make a wiring loom. Suspension and wheel/tyre sizes are easy enough to eyeball, rear suspension is pretty much optional and that's where a welder comes in handy. When you come to test drive it it's easier to get a friend to ride it while you drive alongside, that way you can check out how well it looks and handles and make some notes + get some sweet footage for the interwebs.
It helps if you decide on a "garage name" before you get stared, you are building a brand and a reputation from scratch. Always use the time honoured format x & y, where x is metallic and hardy and y smells of adventure, something like Iron & Salt etc. etc. People make the mistake of thinking the good ones are taken but I'd suggest Grind & Weld based on your post.
Lastly, do you have a beard? You are going to need one if people are going to take you seriously. I have one that birds can actually nest in while I'm riding. Clean shaven is just not an option. Beyond that you'll find accessorising with your new bike will be easy because there are so many clothing startups catering to the cafe bobber stylist.
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• #14219
Seems like good advice. I best start growing a beard.
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• #14220
In all seriousness there’s limited point to a heavily stylised 125. They’re just too small to ever look good, or give the right riding position. I regularly come across a guy on a Sinnis Hoodlum and it’s just hilarious. Makes me think of Bill Bailey drinking mini bar spirits and pretending to be a giant.
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• #14221
I get what you're saying. I've never had a motorbike before so my enthusiasm is high.
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• #14222
Do your time on a 125 without piling money into it, or buying someone’s vanity project. You’ll end up doing your test in under a year most likely
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• #14223
The enthusiasm doesn’t really reduce
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• #14224
Too right! I hadn't ridden in a month (paternity leave) and went out on Tuesday... It was still ridiculous!
Though not as ridiculous as my boss trading in his recently bought, nice sensible upright position X4 for a hayabusa..!
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• #14225
I’ve finally sprung for a new battery for my old shitter GSXR. After 4 months of spiderweb and ant colony testing in the back yard, I’m actually quite excited to ride it again. 160 donks do not get boring after all. What’s the bet it fires straight up?
I have a c90, bought for six hundred quid of eBay. It lives at our place in Kerry nowadays. One of the best bikes I’ve had, you can leave it for months and it starts second or third kick, it’s great fun on wee country lanes and is a good laugh on forestry tracks. I keep toying with getting a few more to tinker with but as said the prices are a bit silly now.