OWNING UP !

OK, i bought it ...


Bit of Shovel progress, swinging arm in brakes fitted and working, almost ready for some paint now..

JOHN, MORE BLOODY BIKES AND A MAN DOWN

Ive used John now to collect and deliver bikes from far flung areas for about 3 yrs, the most reliable bloke i deal with. He collected a bike to go to Ireland this morning and said he would be with me at 10. He pulled into the yard at 9.59 ! If you've bought a bike and need it picking up he's yer man. Tel numbers are on his van or you can e mail him for a price at er1c@hotmail.co.uk



Another load of GSXR1100 oil boiler stuff today, if youve got anthing tasty to sell please dont tell me about it, ive got enough !



Tragedy struck yesterday as Little Jim popped his tiny clogs, he hadn't been at full squeak for a week or so. Down to 2 pigs now, Arthur Scuttle and The Cowsie (pictured), both in rude health.

SHOULDNT HAVE DONE IT

Probably the only bike i really shouldnt have broken up and sold. I bought it from Nige Barker about 4 yrs ago and it was just beautiful. 1430cc, just about everything you could do to an old Z had been done and done properly. I was nearly finished building my 1340 GSXR for dragracing at the time and had to decide betwen one or the other. Should have kept them both, the more i look at these photos the worse it gets !

DIRTY PHOTOS

About 20yrs of rallying here on my workshop door, sadly most have suffered from the damp and grime. Click on the pic for a big version you may be able to make some out but a few are so faded its impossible to even see what sort of car it is.

SEREN

Seren was the model for the BSH studio shoot. I took a few photos while the professionals were fiddling with monitors and stuff, she modelled a Schott Perfecto jacket i had to sell on ebay, signed my bike and even made me a cup of tea. She also said " i dont know anything about bikes but i know thats cool". Seren didnt get much of a look in (or a mention) in the mag so here you are...







Mint ! (could do to eat a pie or two though)

BIG Z AND THE MOB

Had a busy Sunday buying, GPZ 1428cc turbo project, loads of new Orient Express stuff still in packaging. Parts will be listed on ebay from tonight or if you see anything you fancy drop me a line at tri650@live.co.uk



Also got this little sweetie. 1948 Mobylette autocycle. Lots of really cool little details on it. Might put it on ebay or just keep it to look at, if you fancy it give me a shout.

A PUND OF NEWARK TERMARTERS

HIPPIE THE GREEK

Found this groovy BMW chop in Corfu town a few years ago, owned by a Greek hippie parked outside a hippie shop. Get close to the screen and you can smell the patchouli..

HARLEY 45 FOR SALE

The brother of a guy i deal with in the rallying world has imported a few bikes from South America. BMWs and Triumphs mainly but also there is a Harley 45. I said i might be interested and he sent me this photo. on the back it says, "1947 750, includes seat and original locking petrol cap with key, rust free condition, £1500. Richard" then his telephone number. I havent done anything about it.
It was 18 years ago though so its probably gone by now.

GIXERVILLE

Over the last 15 years ive bought and sold, broken, built and ridden oil cooled GSXR1100s. When they came out in 1986 they were the race replica to have, and despite ever worsening handling (but more and more power) with each model they are still the mainstay of streetfighter society. I have built four to call my own and broken probably 30-40 for parts. It is just a big re-cycling process, all over Europe people are still building them.


This was my first that i bought in '96, an 89 L with M bodywork it was quite a famous bike around York for all the wrong reasons. I had to get rid of the pink wheels quick as Traffic Police in the area were on the look out for it in relation to various motoring offences, most of them performed on one wheel.


Over time bits got modified and polished..



Finally ended up with 1216 piston kit, Kent cams etc. This was in 1998. Sold it later that year to Wesley Patterson from Cork.

TONYS TRIUMPH

Tony sent me this photo of the lovely Triumph he built a couple of years ago. He's looking for a Shovelhead to build now, if youve got owt let me know and i'll pass it on.

70s CHIC

BSA A7 i had around late 80s/early 90s. A project someone built in the 70s but never finished. It got pulled to bits and sold as usual. Thats all so vague it could be a Daily Mirror news report ! "photo shows mad motorcycle with building shock".

STUFF YOU CANT LIVE WITHOUT

These big boys have been in a shed in London for over 30 years, if you need them in your life mail me at tri650@live.co.uk



Got 3 S&S ram pipes left, 1 shiny and 2 satin black, £30 inc post to anywhere.



Breaking another GSXR11 this week. 1991 N model.

GOOSE

I built this little Suzuki Goose in 2005. A grey import with DR350 mechanicals they were renowned for superb handling but were a bit gutless. Among other things i rebuilt the motor with a 440cc piston and liner which together with a Web competition cam and a bit of a porting job on the head made for a load of fun.

BLOWING MY OWN TRUMPET

Its 13 years since i had a bike on BSH cover and centrespread, also a reverse head Triumph. Blue has done a crackin job with the feature in this months issue, on the shelves this coming Thursday.



I lost track of the Zeitgeist bike in about 2001, anyone know where it is ?









Double hard bastards, or Superleague as it is officially known kicked off last night with Rhinos stuffing Crusaders 34 - 6 in the snow. It was a lot closer than the scoreline would suggest though. Photo shows Keith chatting with Lee Gilmour during a Leeds/St Helens clash last year, plenty more of the same to come !

VIC

Al and i called in to see Vic yesterday, its about 15 years since Lin (now his wife) called in and introduced me to Vic and despite rubbing shoulders with the worlds most famous custom bike builders ( and celebs, see pic in this months BSH with Charley Boorman) he is just the same top bloke as he was then. Do you know he still calls mudguards, mudguards and i for one love him for that !

VIBES UK

In 2005 Vibes produced an english language edition of the magazine, i finally got a copy, cheers Paul



Up till now i only ever understood these pages.

FIRST RALLY

My first rally driving a Cortina GT on the Moonraker in 1972. This photo has been stuck on my workshop door for 20 yrs so is in about the same derelict state the car was in then. We came to a halt several times during the night due to rust in the fuel tank. A few months later i broke the car and sold it in bits, its rare ive sold any vehicle complete since then.