The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

[Mike H]

This was delivered yesterday:

Already got the towbar but not fitted it yet - waiting for the weather to get less crap!


Yes it's colour matched to the Ural.

[Dave the bass]

Nice one.

So, Lincolnshire gets a new mobile ice cream vendor when the weather improves yeah?

[Mike H]

Either that or as a beer cooler, haven't decided yet

[Dave the bass]

Motorcycle Subwoofer carrier!

Following on from the RG500 tale and looming redundancy, I didn't really need a bike for a few years so the little RXS100 was left chained to a concrete pillar next to the River Thames which did the chrome and paint no favours at all unsurprisingly but I was busy making sweet music and being paid for it so did I care, nah.

Fast forward about 2 years later and lo and behold a 6 month contract came up to do some Electronic work up in London which was handy as a Butlins 'entertainments' contract had fallen through due to an agency foul up. I got the London 'day gig' and set about resurrecting the rusting heap. It got me up and back to London for the 6 months term which then got extended to 2 years which was handy cos the brilliant boss knew about my other bass-ing 'career' and was very accommodating with me going off gigging a lot 'on the side'. After the 2 years up I was offered the Electronics Technician role full time (and still allowed 'gig-time', cheers Boss!) so the lil' RXS100 ended up doing a stonking 62,000 miles until it was just unfair to ask any more of it. About this time I was getting confident in keeping lumps of poop going or so I thought, aha, a brainwave... "I know, lets get another lump of poop and learn how 4 stroke engines work at the same time as riding it to work everyday..."

Advert in 'Loot' free-ads paper, ring number, sounds good, that'll do....

Well hello you handsome fella...


When I bought it I didn't realise I'd have so much trouble with it and only get it working properly about 20 years later!

Also, having two lumps of poop to maintain was incredibly time consuming, the RXS100 eventually went and the Bullet was my 'commuter'. Not ideal, I was learning about 1950's 4 stroke bike maintenance but not enough to keep up with the ~10,000 miles a year I was doing back then. I battled with it for a few years but in 2000 a bike came out on the market that really caught my eye. It ticked a lot of boxes, it looked ace, it was air cooled, it was a sensible size and power for the mileages I was doing, I had enough cash to buy one outright, so I did.....

Hello there you handsome Japanese Brit looking lovely....


Phwoaaaaar! A brand new Kawasaki W650. It was great. The Bullet got 'retired' to the shed and covered up (upon which a sheet of chipboard was fitted to act as a worktop for me to later build speakers on.... like this...)


...so in early 2000 the 'Dubya' became my main bike for the next 11 years and 104,000 miles in total.

After 11 years of solid and reliable all-weather commuting it looked 'a bit sorry'. I have no idea why, I mean.... I washed it yearly for each MOT...












And in 'winter-mode'....


The Dubya was superb.

[Ray P]

Either that or as a beer cooler, haven't decided yet

Ahh! I thought it was a porta-potty on first viewing.

[Mike H]

Gross!

DTB -

Do like that Kwacker, in a different life, different circumstances...

[Dave the bass]

Do like that Kwacker, in a different life, different circumstances...

....it may have been given more Cosmetic attention...

Yup, so did I Mike, it was very reliable and a great get to work bike. In all those years and miles I never once did a top end service or valve clearance check. The OHC was driven by a Bevel gear, no chains or belts to worry about. I sold it on eBay for about £1400 which almost paid outright for its replacement...


...which has been awethumnly brilliant for the 45,0000 miles its done as a commuter hack too. 'Downsizing' from a 650cc to a 125cc took a bit of getting used to but the lightness and maneuverability of that little CBF125 in monster heavy London traffic was amazing. You could do 90 degree lock to lock turns to help you get through nose to tail traffic jams.

And in winter....

...warm digits and a big rack to carry loudspeaker projects and amps up to work.... no problems


Its been SORN'd since I left employment in London. Time to get it MOT'd and sold now as its no longer needed.

Just the Bullet to play with now, <mutters> "blummen fair weather biker-boys..." Yep, thats me

[Mike H]

Lookin' tasty.

[Mike H]

Been doing this last couple of days -

Spare trailer wheel and fitting kit:

Below image is equivalent, not actual items purchased:
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The drawbar is quite thin so had to make these packing plates:
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[Mike H]

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The ass end now with new reflectors and 50 mph sticker:
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[SteveH]

So, how fast does it go when it's attached to the tractor?

[Mike H]

Same as normal I imagine

[Dave the bass]

Howsabout a little rack mounted on top of the trailer lid, like old sports cars used to do to carry clothing or a picker nicker?

Like this?

[Mike H]

Already got one on the boot lid?

[Mike H]

Last post on this (give someone else a chance)


It has taken three and a half months of planning, purchasing not just of the trailer but also endless sundry other bits and pieces, and modifications and adaptions, to get to this stage where the two can finally be coupled together for the first time. I now have a slight electrical issue however...







But it is definitely still a milestone to be celebrated! Open the champers darling!
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Still wating on couple more bits, hitch lock and safety chain, but otherwise it's all there now.

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