Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Good luck with that :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TlTDAqu9Ts

Drool.

Anyone been to the MCN bike show before?
I got given a couple of tickets to go this weekend but can't work out what actually happens there, is it just displays of bikes or can I buy cheap helmets etc?

Edit: just found their horrible website, it's a bit clearer but still muddy. http://www.mcnmotorcycleshow.com/index.php

If it's the same as 20 years ago, there will be a ball of death thing where motocross riders ride around upside down inside. They will then say it's not exciting enough, and two promo girls will get their boobs out and stand inside shaking them around while the motocross riders ride around them. This left quite the impression on 10 year old me.

I use a Schuberth J1 - really comfy, very quiet and loads of light.

The only caveat is that the visor mechanism is a bit fragile (have had two break in the 5 years I've had the helmet). £68 for a new visor each time.!

Do you already have a visorless open face helmet?
I have a cheap Caberg one without a visor, and its fine with sunglasses in the summer, but I generally use it without as it really slows me down, and I need that push to keep my speed down on the way to work!
Double safety?

Finally I've been riding my vespa around since Inchpincher and Trev turned it from a forlorn and forgotten relic into a quite frankly stupid but utterly beautiful way to spend the price of two or three new motorcycles on one 30 year old scooter.

I'm just about getting used to just how mentally fucking fast the thing is now, and how useless the fancy expensive suspension and 60's brakes are. (No I'm not getting a disc or fitting anti dive. Vanity before sanity.) But also just how noisy it is. What was great in my 20s is now somewhat embarrassing in my 40s. I might have to see if I can stuff more wadding in the possibly purely cosmetic silencer.
I also need to measure the fuel consumption. When it was standard and had 5½ horsepower it used a tank a week, about 60mpg. Compare that with now, tuned and modified to generate 18bhp. The same round trip journey, the other day, used ¾ of a tank. I'm guessing more like 15mpg! Either I can't do maths or it drinks more than my Merc :-)
Fuck yeah!

Talking of Vespas, I think I want a PX200/150. Anyone know of a decent, clean secondhand one for sale?

No, but I have been looking for an engine to convert my douglas to 10inch wheels and make it useable. But then I keep umming and ahhing and nothing happens.

Look at different brake show materials..

But yeah, trippled the power so quartered the fuel economy...

Christ BQ, the carb wasn't that big, it did have whopper porting though so can chuck the fuel around. From what I remember you've also got a fairly active right wrist, still have a gander for tell-tale 2T oil residue from a fuel leak or too much carb spit back.

MSN Bike show - Not much boob action, or sports bikes for that matter, both a bit out of vogue at the moment. A huge amount of GS/Trailtech/Off-road shiny born again bits, a few custom creations most of which were badly conceived cafe racers using modern donors which weren't suited to begin with.

I did however pick up a decent helmet for the girlfriend which means I don't have to lend her my 'not smelly' one when we ride. 5/10, should of got tickets for the London Bike (cycle) Show that was also on at the ExCel.

They tend to hold their value very well, especially clean ones. You could get a decent chunk of motorbike for the same £, I'd probably buy an un-tinkered with PX and using an online guide give it an engine refurb (bearings, seals, gaskets, piston/rings, barrel hone) and some fresh cables, brake shoes/pads and then run it around. Ebay is always a good start for guide prices.

What a let down. Does that mean motorcycle magazines don't have boobs in any more either? What is the world coming to??

you've also got a fairly active right wrist

What are you insinuating? :-)

I suspect it has rather more to do with this fact. The area by the carb is nice and clean, so I think all the fuel is going where it should. Trev had another play with the jetting a while ago as it was way too rich at low rpms, and that's made it much more driveable in traffic, but there's nothing quite like making it go "ptptptpptptRRAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!" as often as possible :-)

In other news I finally calibrated the digital speedo, so we will get some real figures out of it now.

you're getting 18 horses out of a Vespa?! What kit is in that? My Lambretta with Mugello 186 kit puts out approx 12bhp which is same as standard 200

It's got a Polini 130 kit, reed valve, lots of porting and polishing to a mirror finish, Worb5 crank 24mm carb, VSP road pipe.

oof, ok!

I had the kit, and some mild porting. I wanted the pipe and asked for the engine to be given sufficient tuning to make the pipe work. The reed valve was an accident really as the rotary pad was scored and had to go.

If I think about it I had a T5 with a Malossi 172 kit in it which went like shit off a shovel.....so yeah

Ah the magic of tuned two strokes. Most of the fuel goes straight out the exhaust, un-burnt. I love them. Must have a fairly lively powerband now then BQ?

The pipe is amazing and it's a lot more usable than it has any right to be, but yeah, it sort of goes "normal slow scooter, ah here we go on the power, shift into second, JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!"
I like it :-)