Motorcycles

[McnaughtonPark]

  I turned the volume off from the beginning so I don’t know where this is but it was a nice ride.  I heard the motor in my head, and after a minute or so was settled into the ride.  My thoughts drifted from wondering what a fan would feel like blowing over me to singing “Polythene Pam”.  It was a nice ride, warm and dry.

[john]

13 hours ago, McnaughtonPark said:

I can relate.  I’m fortunate in that I do get to ride still.  Have you tried a short ride, just out in the country on a beautiful stretch of road?  
 

I think I’d love to ride the roads of Scotland.  Of course, what I get to see of the countryside there are probably the most scenic spots in film and on tv.  Still, to be there looks like the kind of ride where I could lose myself in minutes.  

 

I wonder if the virtual reality headset games have ride scenarios?

I have to admit we are spoiled for beautiful roads, scenic views. I am in the central belt of Scotland, an area of lowlands between the highlands and Southern Uplands, but as soon as you are out the city it gets pretty scenic.

 

This is a video compiled from the North Coast 500 and Isle of Skye. Less big mountains but still beautiful:

 

 

 

[McnaughtonPark]

Yes.  That is how I imagined riding in Scotland, except of course the proper lane caught me off guard.  I know I would be finding old cemeteries and searching for ancestors, exploring museums and battlegrounds.  Id love to visit, and ride there.

[McnaughtonPark]

From my family tree,  the number of ancestors would be too many to visit all the cemeteries but the short list are those who fell at the battle of Flodden.  (I don’t know why the King is listed, I’m not related.) 

 

 

[McnaughtonPark]

My son and I went dirt bike riding last Saturday.  Our first ride of the year.  It was great to get out again, sore muscles and all.

[GregB]

I started out aged 16 in London on a BSA 250 twin 4-stroke scooter that easily burned off all my friends on their Lambrettas and Vespas.  I then had an MZ motorbike (Czech?) before family and cars took over. 

 

In Australia I've rented Hondas and a Harley (a pig of a bike!), but finally went back to scooters with the Kymco 500 for ten years ... a VERY comfortable ride!  I came off at speed on a corner in December 2018 just before I was to start recording a 30-track album.   I was SO lucky to hit the ground on a relatively smooth-grass verge, and had almost no personal damage, although it was month before I could play guitar again and commence recording. The bike was a write-off and, although I got an exceedingly generous insurance payout, I decided my skills were not as good as I had thought, so I've not bought another.

 

A scooter is a bit like sitting on a chair that's on a trailer ... a little precarious and with no ability to use your legs to muscle the machine around. However, had I been on a bike, I'd hate to think what would have happened to my ground-side leg! (Ground-mince?)

 

It's amazing that one can imagine various 'coming off' scenarios, complete with balletic falls and rolls. But in reality, there's a microsecond between realising there's a problem and hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes!

 

Living in South-East Queensland, this was my daily riding gear for 10 years:

[McnaughtonPark]

I’ve only ridden a scooter once, many years ago.  I do remember being surprised at how it could keep on on the highway.  I didn’t really expect too much but it was a nice ride.

[McnaughtonPark]

So I was like 9 or 10, maybe 11 at the time of my first motorcycle ride.  A friend of the family, who was recently discharged from the Army, had himself a beautiful new Honda.  One sunny summer afternoon he gave some friends and my brother a ride on his motorcycle, but I was the last of us he asked. I was afraid he wasn’t going to ask, and twice as afraid he would.  It looked kind of scary, and I had heard the others scream when he accelerated and turned the corner in front of our friends house. Before I knew it I was sitting behind Bob, arms around him and hands holding on tightly.  We didn’t ride far, just enough to grab a hold of the thrill that has never left my body.  Ever since then, I have wanted and needed to ride. I have never forgotten.

 

Bob died Saturday, his heart gave out.  He still rode and owned a Honda Goldwing.  
 

 

[john]

On 4/13/2022 at 7:33 PM, McnaughtonPark said:

So I was like 9 or 10, maybe 11 at the time of my first motorcycle ride.  A friend of the family, who was recently discharged from the Army, had himself a beautiful new Honda.  One sunny summer afternoon he gave some friends and my brother a ride on his motorcycle, but I was the last of us he asked. I was afraid he wasn’t going to ask, and twice as afraid he would.  It looked kind of scary, and I had heard the others scream when he accelerated and turned the corner in front of our friends house. Before I knew it I was sitting behind Bob, arms around him and hands holding on tightly.  We didn’t ride far, just enough to grab a hold of the thrill that has never left my body.  Ever since then, I have wanted and needed to ride. I have never forgotten.

 

Bob died Saturday, his heart gave out.  He still rode and owned a Honda Goldwing.  
 

 

It’s hard to forget that first thrill of being on a bike. You’re right. It never leaves you. I grew up listening to my dad’s stories. He rode in the army, and then raced for the army. Rode motor cross and speedway. He rode as a mobile motor mechanic when he got out the army. Like a lot of boys, I wanted to emulate my dad.
 

I’m sorry for your loss.

[McnaughtonPark]

I’ve been gone for a while now, had to finish this build so a friend could gift it to his son on his wedding day.  

[john]

hi MP

 

I am not seeing a photo, just the dpace it should be displayed it. Did you upload of link to a photo on another site?

 

Cheers

 

John

[McnaughtonPark]

Okay, that’s weird, I see it.  Let me try it again here

[McnaughtonPark]

And his sons reaction….

[john]

Lovely job MP! Z750 twin?

[McnaughtonPark]

That is a 1981 KZ440.  On the seat is a photo album we put together of various shots taken during the build.  Fun stuff.

Edited June 9, 2022 by McnaughtonPark

[john]

Very similar looking twins (other than size if right in front of you). Older bikes are just awesome to fix up. That late 70s - early 80s styling is a sweet spot in Japanese bikes. 60s - 70s for Brit bikes. They just polish up nice.

 

A nice spray job too.

[McnaughtonPark]

I managed to finish one project of my own, making it two bikes this year.  Yay!!

 

This was a 1977 Honda XL75.  I bought it, in rough shape, a few years ago and planned to restore it but the old Honda parts for it are scarce, and if I did find what I needed the price was too steep.  I decided to go with a one off build, sans the parts everyone thinks are so valuable.  Lol, jokes on them, this puppy is a blast to ride!

[john]

Nice job of that one too MP!