Motorcycles I've known

Roger, Dreamer

You know I belonged to the Poly Penguins whilst I was at Cal Ploy in the 50's. We put on the High Mountain Enduro. After I left I tried to ride it once, but after we got there (somewhere behind Atascadero) it rained all night and we had to be towed out: truck trailer and kids. The guys in the club during the 50's had a reunion last year at Poly Royal. It's certainly a different world. The bike shop we used in San Luis Obispo is now a antique store. What a comedown. But the Poly Penguins are still going strong.

SteveJ

I had one of those iron barreled Sachs. The problem was the Germans designed everything so that it had to be perfect to work. I'd set up the shifter before a race and half way through it'd be out of whack. A guy in the club designed a shift rod with some spring loaded slop and that fixed the problem. Great bike though, with an Earls fork that'd go over everything. Some guy won overall on a 125 Sachs in the desert. He passed me once, a foot high over the rocks and then whilst still in the rocks slid sideways around a corner. Never heard the motor shut off.

Boris
 
I just bought several more ! one a really nice 1965 BMW R50/2
and several sidecars.....

Problem is both sidecars are in North Carolina.... anyone coming this way ??

Joel
SEA2PO
 
1966 H-D Sprint 250 high pipe
1966 Triumph 500 T100C, turned A- Enduro at Jack Pine Enduro 1968
1971 Husky 360
1972 Honda XL250 w/ Powerol kit
1972 MZ ISDT 250, later put in Husky frame, still in the barn
1976 Husky 250 WR
1979 Honda XL250 in Maico Frame
1973 Triumph 500 Trophy Trail, still in the barn and running
1965 Triumph Cub T20M 200, still in the barn needs ignition upgrade
1992 Rokon Scout 2-wheeled drive w/ homemade side car and log skidder
 
rich/judy:

Did you just ride enduros or any scrambles? Though enduros, in the East, aren't that easy. Too many trees. I remember the #1 desert rider (Mike Patrick) went East and his reflexes weren't set up for trees. Anyway, nice list.

Boris
 
DD, I thought the Victor Special was a 441 CC ???? Or was that a different model ?
Marc

Marc,
Missed this, the 441's were 1968,69 maybe 70 vintage. The 500 Victors were 1971 and 72. Whole new motorcycles and new motors. My bike came with an extra clutch adjusting set screw with lock nut that laid in the bottom off the primary case until a perfect bump let it get it up on the primary chain when it hit the sprocket the chain broke and came out thru the front of the engine case. Warranty, but a sad day none the less.

Jim,
Being a poor the 750 Honda's were a value to me at least at that time. Triumph's leaked oil and not to mention Larry Lucas electronics who we jokingly called the Prince of Darkness. We had a local guy, a friend who could stop a Triumph from leaking and could make them fly. I didn't to put up with the constant tweaking.The Honda's were big heavy and fast right out of the box. The Triumph's handled better,looked better, sounded better and had torque out the wazoo. I had both, liked them for different reasons. I agree I'd probably ride a twin now for the handling, torque, and the lighter weight. The Ducati's were beautiful and sounded lovely but I could not afford one.
D.D.
D.D.
D.D.
 
Boris- Journey On

Rode moto-x, scrambles. hare and hound and sportsman TT. My senior project in college was designing and building a backbone frame for a 500 Triumph with oil in the frame. The engine was one that I pieced together after I thru a rod up in Michigan at Jack Pine and lunched the cases. Enduros were big time in the Midwest at that time. You could ride an event almost every Sunday during the spring and fall. You are right though, the trees and mud holes made things interesting. Handle bars were cut short and brush bars saved on the knuckles.

Rich
 
OK, Rich, where did you go to school? I went to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (as did Dreamer,) and they required a senior project. Mine was the design of a leading link suspension for a small english bike (Dot, Fanny B?.) Got approved and finally graduated. Some friends of mine actually built a swing arm for a BSA as their project. More work, but more of them (2 ea.) Afterwards they tried an automotive machine shop in SLO, finally went broke and had to get good jobs.

Interesting thing about senior projects, people are scared of them. I worked near the Cal Poly auto shop which was run by a WWII vet. He had all his course work completed, but couldn't bring himself to do the project. So there he sat with no degree for years. Also, when I went to UCLA (also in Ca.) they required a thesis for a masters. Looking back at mine, it was trivial, but it proved i could do it, I guess. Even there some people choked and transferred to USC, where all they required was a final test. I hate tests.

Boris

P.S. Only tried 2 enduros and never finished either.
 
Boris,

Graduated from Purdue Univ. Calumet Ext. BSMET 1971. I forgot two other bikes that were not on my list: 1968 BSA 650 Lightening Rocket and a 197? Can Am 175. Never really got into road riding and the 175 was too small for a 220 pounder, so I traded it for a some frames, forks, wheels and other dirt bike parts to tinker with. The result, several mongrel bikes that I played with in the shop. I sure was surprised at the number of C-Brats that are or were into motorcycles. Enjoy your posts.

Rich
 
Ahhh! The good old days! Being 14 and having a Cushman Eagle!

1949 Cushman Road King (A real Dog)
1958 Cushman Eagle
1961 Cushman Super Eagle
1963 Yamaha 80cc
1964 Yamaha YDS2 250cc
1946 Harley 80 cu In Flathead - Spring Fork (Fun to Start)
1964 BMW R69S

Mike
 
Short list...

Yamaha RD350 (my only 2 stroke)
Yamaha XS750
HD 883 Sportster
BMW R100 RT
Yamaha SR500 (single lunger)
Honda XL650 Enduro ( single lunger)
Honda CB500 (single lunger)
Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic
 
Sarge, that's a great list of bikes. However, herre's a picture of a Honda CB500.

[img= [url=http://www.c-brats.com/albums/Journey-On/honda_CB500.jpg]http://www.c-brats.com/albums/Journey-O ... _CB500.jpg[/url] ] Honda CB500 [/img]

OK, I surrender, just click on the link. BTY, those bikes are worth real money now

I always wanted one of those 750 V-twin Ascots, but I had too much child support.

Boris
 
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