Discretion being the better part of valour ....

[Taid]

Had intended to exercise the AJ round local streets today ..

Perhaps I have had better ideas ...

Capture.JPG

and still snowing

[alanjennings Profile]

2 inches here in Northampton- not motorcycling weather!

[teebee67]

Believe it or not in 1967 I passed my motorcycle test in such conditions. It was snowing when I arrived but as I started my test it turned into a blizzard and there was a several inches by the time I finished. The emergency stop was hairy. The examiner said he decided to allow me to finish my test as I had started but all tests (including cars) were abandoned for the day and probably longer as the snow stayed with us for a while. Don't think it would happen nowadays.

[Reynard24]

[quote]Believe it or not in 1967 I passed my motorcycle test in such conditions. It was snowing when I arrived but as I started my test it turned into a blizzard and there was a several inches by the time I finished. The emergency stop was hairy. The examiner said he decided to allow me to finish my test as I had started but all tests (including cars) were abandoned for the day and probably longer as the snow stayed with us for a while. Don't think it would happen nowadays.[quote]

Much the same for me in December 1982 - On my emergency stop the back wheel almost caught up with the front and the b***er failed me. I was happy to have stayed upright. Similar thing on way home from work on Xmas eve the same year. Almost home, I saw dad looking for me from the living room window, applied the brakes and slid slowly by our gate and up the street - again I stayed upright but boy was I glad to get home.

[56G80S Profile]

Yes, rode to work on the Triumph TR6P in weather like that but wouldn't do it now.

The Matchless with the box sidecar was brilliant in those conditions.

Johnny B

[SPRIDDLER Profile]

The Matchless with the box sidecar was brilliant in those conditions.

It could've been you......

Winter riding.jpg

[Taid]

Yes, rode to work on the Triumph TR6P in weather like that but wouldn't do it now.

The Matchless with the box sidecar was brilliant in those conditions.

Johnny B

Are we more nervous, or do we have a more refined sense of risk at our age ..

Have been wondering about a chair .. I like 3 wheels .. my push-bike is a trike .. rode it Land's End - John o' Groats and back in the 80s

[56G80S Profile]

"It could've been you......"

Nope, the box on mine was really a box. My old Dad made it for me. I'd ridden down from, then, Middlesbrough with a suitcase lashed to the chassis.

He was a builder and to be honest seemed to make a good job of anything practical. Scaffold boards supplied a base, I think some kind of marine grade blockboard the sides and lid with heavy triangular wooden reinforcements at the corners. He made aluminium u channels screwed across the box for a 1/2" marine ply slide in/out divider, just wide enough for the 6 volt car battery and plenty of tools. Wired up the light on the sidecar mudguard as I hadn't bothered. Painted the whole thing black. Excellent hasp and staple with a Hobbs padlock (still have them).

It was brilliant for me. Terrifically robust and the weight was actually a boon. When a car came down Borough Road towards The Shipmate and turned right across my path I pulled over to the right (wrong side of the road)and hit the car's nearside headlight and wing. It was wrecked. Paint damage only to the box. Fortunately there were witnesses as the chap was fuming despite being absolutely wrong. I rode off, he was waiting to be rescued.

Johnny B

[Pharisee]

"It could've been you......"

Nope, the box on mine was really a box. My old Dad made it for me. I'd ridden down from, then, Middlesbrough with a suitcase lashed to the chassis.

He was a builder and to be honest seemed to make a good job of anything practical. Scaffold boards supplied a base, I think some kind of marine grade blockboard the sides and lid with heavy triangular wooden reinforcements at the corners. He made aluminium u channels screwed across the box for a 1/2" marine ply slide in/out divider, just wide enough for the 6 volt car battery and plenty of tools. Wired up the light on the sidecar mudguard as I hadn't bothered. Painted the whole thing black. Excellent hasp and staple with a Hobbs padlock (still have them).

It was brilliant for me. Terrifically robust and the weight was actually a boon. When a car came down Borough Road towards The Shipmate and turned right across my path I pulled over to the right (wrong side of the road)and hit the car's nearside headlight and wing. It was wrecked. Paint damage only to the box. Fortunately there were witnesses as the chap was fuming despite being absolutely wrong. I rode off, he was waiting to be rescued.

Johnny B

My dad built his own sidecar, too, in the very early 60's. It was a very similar to the Busmar "Astral".

[39speedtwin Profile]

In 1958/9 I had a BSA B33 (1948 model) with a float, used for carrying a 250cc JAP engined grass track bike.
It would drift nicely in the snow but stopping was dodgy, had to use the gears, however it got me to college all winter.