Bikes that were loved and lost

[ajscomboman]

Biggest improvement to be made to a 400/4 is convert to electronic ignition and remove the points and condensers. No more faffing with individual components and really makes the little devils sweet revving. Also the front caliper pivot is prone to seizing.

"Points taken", electronic as soon as the postal services recover! Brake pivot, been there, done that!

Yep I got the T shirt as well. They are a total swine to free up if a previous owner hasn't kept on top off it.

[Cjay59_LAPSED]

the thing about motorbikes is they are a passionate affair, I started with a Greeves 197 girder forks, horrible but fun to learn how to take apart and put back together, Cotton mud bike up the woods, great to learn how to control and ride, my brothers Triumph Tiger Cub, 200cc's of fun on the road, heavy, and loved to go in a straight line, on corners you had to force it right over and the footpads would dig into the tarmac. The bike I loved was alway the AJS 500 Thumper, that was the machine Iloved and had fallen in love with, but in 1976 I still hadn't passed my test and the 250 Stormer was right up my street, on road and off, but being lazy I never passed my test, I was happy just riding, in 1980 I had left it too late, the law had changed and I couldn't do the test on my 250 so I bit the bullet, and my pride, and got a Kawasaki KE 175, it was a revelation, it was like riding a push bike, the lightest thing I had ever been on, you could just throw it about and it would go in any direction you liked, absolutely brilliant, passed my test and happily went back to my Stormer. Rode a friends Yamaha XT 500 again brilliant, so comfortable, like riding an armchair, soft seat and spongy grips, beautiful bike, come my sixtieth birthday, can buy anything I LIKE, so finally my 500 single Thumper.....

[Triumph-Legend]

CZ 360 moto cross bike converted to endure trim. Quite a few mods to get this bike into endure legal trim but it was worth the effort. The crosser had long travel suspension with Marzocchi front forks and laid down Koni rear shock. Cracking bike to ride but it had one serious problem, the rear forks welding cracked more than once. She would out climb far better bikes especially on long muddy climbs. (Stomped a mates new KTM lap after lap).

Had a bit of a donk riding the Natterjack down at Bordon camp. Following a friend on his CCM through a wooded section, his bikes seat came adrift, then he pretty well lost it as he came across the track in front of me. I ducked over to the right to avoid running into him. Smack! Copped a cut tree bough in my face. Open face helmet, so I was just wiped out. Woke up some time later, could not see and face felt like a right mess. It transpired that dried blood had glued my eyes shut. As I lay there I think somebody came along and chucked ketchup all over my front. Got one eye working and staggered round for a bit, luckily I came across a couple of blokes with a radio. They pointed me in the direction of a small tarmac track and I was carted off to the medic tent strapped behind the rider on an Armstrong squaddy bike. Medic did a clean and patch up job for me but I decline a ride to hospital as I was miles from home.
Army lads picked up the bike for me. I know this I saw one having a play on it. Anyway, had to load up and drive home, feeling pretty bloody awful. After a good few days I thought I had better go to the doctor as the nose was all over the place, face a bit cut up and black and blue, also I could not hold my head up straight. I would also wake in the morning with the pillow glued to the side of my face, so something needed sorting. I had avoided going to the doc as he would be bound to pock my about, and it still bloody well hurt a lot. Anyway, saw the doctor and was sent off to hospital for ENT specialist to have a look. Not good news. I had done a busting good job on my hooter and needed an operation to get it fixed. Was booked in for the Monday. You won't believe this, but I went out for a bit of gentle practice in Marlow woods at the week end. I thought that if I did any more damage it would not be so bad a I had a bed booked anyway.

Now the good bit.
Face fixed up. Head still in place. Bike in one piece.
Got an entry for an event at Paderborn. Where the hack is this. I thought it was down in the west country. My riding buddy thought it was up north somewhere. Tankies will know this place.
Yep near Detmold, Germany. The Paderborn guys had organised the camps first enduro and I got my usual invite.
So work all day, get home and grab a quick bite to eat, load car and trailer, drive into town to collect mates bike and gear. Drive over to Norfolk for the ferry, land at the other side and drive over to Paderborn. A couple of wrong turns on the way. Get to camp, dump motor and trailer have a beer and hit the hay. Next day was Saturday so a bit of a rest, then race Sunday, get some sleep on Sunday night and drive home on Monday. I was bloody well knackered but pleased. Tough trip but worth it.

Thanks guys. Bloody lovely circuit and organisation. Even had a chuck wagon at lunch break, water bowser and medics on hand. Excellent time keeping and marshalling. Could not have done a better job.

The poor old CZ worked well that day and I got a nice result and a medal for my effort. Not a win but best guest rider, which was OK. Saw off plenty of better, newer and faster machines which proves you need to use the head bone as well as the throttle hand.

Yep CZ 360 not to be under estimated. Not flash but strong motors and tough bikes.

The 250 trail bikes were also a brilliant bike for the money. Same motor as the crosser.

[Dave T_LAPSED]

Cor Blimey, sounds like both you and the CZ are made of the same stuff!

[Cjay59_LAPSED]

CZ 360, Freddie Mayes favourite bike, is the nose still straight !!

[ChrisTheChippy]

Best bike ? Most missed ? Norton commando fastback . Had my brother on the pillion and he kept urging me to open it up whacked the throttle open in second and ended up with him hanging on with his feet on my shoulders ! God how we laughed after the event .
Most unreliable bike ? Norton commando fastback , bloody electrics were a nightmare and I didn't have a clue what I was doing with electrics in the end I had enough and swapped it in for a 750 Honda . Absolutely reliable never let me down but bored the pants off me .
Had a z900 and a 400/4 both good bikes which I enjoyed owning .
The bike I most regret selling Kawasaki kh 250 S1 . Light manoeuvrable and pretty quick but the best thing was the sound from those 3 pipes .
Owned it in the days when I had a young family and the ( now X ) wife kept nagging me about going on holiday so stupidity gave in and sold the bike .
Instant regret . Should have got rid and kept the bike !
Bike I always wanted matchless or ajs . Now have both . So life ain't that bad.
Cheers Chris

[Triumph-Legend]

Cor Blimey, sounds like both you and the CZ are made of the same stuff!

Not really, just a typical daft young bloke riding enduros or anything else that looked interesting. Nose took a long time before it worked properly, sense of smell seemed to disappear. Teeth sorted with a bridge across the front. Ah, fond memories of Bordon.

CZ. Tough bike or what. First ever enduro was down in Devon. Slept in the van between two bikes and it snowed over night. Bloody well freezing in the morning, finally managed to get a hot drink when the chuck wagon turned up, then signed on and paid for a day licence. (I had taken the ride of a guy that had let his mate down). It was hell, sheet ice and massive steep hills. I along with a number of other riders religiously complied with the course markings at one particular section. Across some big tree roots long side a river bank, launched the bike and rider into the freezing waters of the rocky stream. Having got myself to the bank, soaked and freezing I looked and could see the end of the h/bar sticking up out of the water. Nothing for it but to team up with a few other riders and get the bikes out of the water. As this was going on a marshal came and changed the course routing. Once out of the water the next thing was to see it it could be got working again. (never try to kick over a motor full of water, it will likely bend the con rod). Out with the spark plug and C/case drain plug, wring out the foam air filter, remove float bowl and jets, empty exhaust system by laying bike over and with help, stood it up on its rear wheel with the front wheel in the air against a tree. Chuck it all back together and give it a good kicking. After a good kicking it fired, coughed a bit then cleared. Good to go. Well for a bit any way. Down the side of a bog, along beside a stone wall. through a gap and then on the other side of the wall the biggest slippy climb straight up through the woods. Riders laid out all over the hillside. Hmm. No run up, so put the rear wheel up against the stone wall second gear, lay on the bike and just nail it. It worked, not tidy but it got me up that Bleeping hill. All going well until I tried the brakes on straight before right turn anda steep down hill back into the woods along a veryy narrow rock track up agianst a rock face. Well the CZ has a big drum front brake, but even a big old brake won't work if it's soaking wet inside. I went through the ropes, picked myself up got on and found out that I had broken the front brake cable. Clutch was also a bit iffy. Sod that was it for me. I DNF'd. First ever ride and I got stomped. Probably the toughest ride I can ever recall. A right bleeped.
No shame really. there were an awful lot of DNF that day and perhaps predictably the ambulance was needed, thankfully not for me..

An interesting ride. What one might refer to as a steady little tickle.