LIFE and TIMES motorcycle &motoring stories:-)

[David Bee 10]

Post any of your motorcycle or motoring stories especially in the days of romance and the fun that you had together . Your fist car or bike with all it's faults -learning to drive-crashes-funny stories-car salesman stories-anything you like to do wither your transport.

[langy 10]

When I lived in England I couldn’t afford a car so me and the wife went everywhere on a bike, work, shopping, day trips to Brid, etc. In the early eighties one of the bikes we owned was a Suzuki SB200, two stroke twin with drum brakes. It wasn’t too bad as a one up commuter around town but with two of us on it (neither of us were light weights) and especially with shopping bags as well it was hit and miss if the brakes would stop us, sometimes you could feel the front brake cable stretching and I remember closing my eyes and hoping for the best on at least one occasion. Great days though.

[David Bee 10]

When my brother mike was sixteen, which would be nineteen sixty four,he applied for his driving licence,then passed the required test to drive three wheelers.He had a succession of Reliant vans . I used to get "HELP" calls regularly to a destination where his van was layed on its side with his lady friend helping to get it on to its wheels again. As you know two wheels at the back one on the front, unstable. He then bought a Berkeley three wheeler two at the front one at the back, much better. It was red with a black soft top and a two stroke engine .One sunny evening it was parked on the drive ,roof down and I couldn't resist taking it for a run. I was coming down Ecclesall road south near Park Head when I felt a sudden jolt through the steering. I was following a lone wheel and tyre along the road complete with brake drum.I quickly summed up the situation, no steering and no brakes oh no mike'sgoing to kill me."HELP"

Edited April 9, 2014 by David Bee

[hillsbro 33]

...passed the required test to drive three wheelers...

My B1 licence qualifies me for 3-wheelers but Mrs hillsbro won't let me have one...But I can't say that I blame her as my track record with 3-wheelers could be better. In 1972 I paid £425 (half a year's income for me at the time) for a secondhand Reliant 21E van. I bought it on a Monday and wrote it off on the Saturday...Fortunately it was comprehensively insured. But with my B1 licence I can drive certain types of smart car. There's even a rather neat-looking one for sale on eBay I wonder.....

...it was hit and miss if the brakes would stop us...

My dad would know exactly what you mean, langy. Just imagine coming down Lodge Lane on this Triumph Thunderbird combination with dad (10 stone), mum (a bit heavier) and three assorted kids - with drum brakes designed for a solo. In bottom gear the chain fortunately held otherwise I might not have been here to tell the tale..

[carosio 186]

He then bought a Barclay three wheeler two at the front one at the back, much better. It was red with a black soft top and a two stroke engine but no mattress! One sunny evening it was parked on the drive ,roof down and I couldn't resist taking it for a run. I was coming down Ecclesall road south near Park Head when I felt a sudden jolt through the steering. I was following a lone wheel and tyre along the road complete with brake drum.I quickly summed up the situation, no steering and no brakes oh no mike'sgoing to kill me."HELP"

I think they were called Berkeley three-wheelers! https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=berkeley+three+wheeler&rlz=1C1GGGE_enGB439GB439&espv=210&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xVBEU6T6KJSM7Aac3oCwAw&ved=0CDkQsAQ&biw=1455&bih=694

 

Reminds me when I was driving my 1954 Morris Oxford through Stocksbridge one night when the front wheel folded under the car, brought me to a halt in a shower of sparks!

[David Bee 10]

"Brother and I driving back from Bournmouth at night."It had been a good summer Holliday.We used to stay at the same hotel as our parents who were good fun to be with and there were many outings.At some time over the Holliday brother had been exposed to rally driving and especially navigating.we were in a Triumph TR4 sports car and Mike had the road map on his knee giving me the occasional prompt as to speed ,expected direction and at what pace.we were in the flow of it near the town of Divisers. The instruction "straight for three quarters of a mile ".third gear was selected and fourth at five thousand reves.I had hardly completed the gear change when the unmentioned hump back bridge rose up in front of us! My stomach,aww I 'ate flying,and we were air bourne.They say it's the takeoff and landings that are dangerous but the bit in the middle is safest. To damed right, we landed hard.Time to sack the bl..dy navigator.The paint on the door edges to back wing had been chipped as the car flexed in the middle and there were two stretch marks in the fabrics roof where our heads had been.lol:) Mikes navigational skills have improved over time and he now works for" Walt "at Never Never Safaris in Australia,at something or other, walk about creek in the northern territories.

Edited April 9, 2014 by David Bee
Additional information

[Banker 10]

My B1 licence qualifies me for 3-wheelers .... But with my B1 licence I can drive certain types of smart car....

You mean with a B1 (old-style motorcycle) licence you can actually drive a 4-wheel smart car?

[David Bee 10]

Well the suns out yipeeee off for a ride on a reproduction Royal Enfield five hundred trials edition! Looks lovely and has a healthy big single cylinder exhaust sound which I love. Built in India in two thousand eight. The first production in the fifties was poor but some fifty years later they have the hang of it and I am lucky and have two of them,the other a custom build by a retired Rolls Royce aircraft engineer where any thing that can be made in alloy,is so made.big wheels, small frame with a big engine so looks the way a child would draw it. Tall bike, I have to stand on the kerb to kick start,and if it back fires your glad you got your pilots licence lol:)

[hillsbro 33]

You mean with a B1 (old-style motorcycle) licence you can actually drive a 4-wheel smart car?

Yes - anyone who passed their motorcycle test before mid-2000 was given a B1 licence. At one time this was valid only for 3-wheelers (originally this was only if they had no reverse gear - but Bond countered this with their Minicar that could turn in its own length, and the DVLA removed the restriction). Nowadays a B1 licence is valid for any vehicle under 550 kilos unladen weight, irrespective of the number of wheels. I might just be tempted….

Well the suns out yipeeee off for a ride on a reproduction Royal Enfield five hundred trials edition! ...

Hang on a minute - is there room for me on the pillion?.

[Oh Carol 10]

Well the suns out yipeeee off for a ride on a reproduction Royal Enfield five hundred trials edition! Looks lovely and has a healthy big single cylinder exhaust sound which I love. Built in India in two thousand eight. The first production in the fifties was poor but some fifty years later they have the hang of it and I am lucky and have two of them,the other a custom build by a retired Rolls Royce aircraft engineer where any thing that can be made in alloy,is so made.big wheels, small frame with a big engine so looks the way a child would draw it. Tall bike, I have to stand on the kerb to kick start,and if it back fires your glad you got your pilots licence lol:)

My proper first trials bike was an Ariel Red Hunter 500cc ex works trials ex Wilf Coldwell.Had many a near miss on that one!

Before I could afford a bike I used to read friday nights full page adverts for motorcycles in the "Star" then on Saturday afternoons would go rubbernecking/gawping round Grays on West street Ropers on London road,Bentleys and Wilf Greens on Abbeydale Road!.............happy days!

 

Have you any pics of the Bullet David?

[PeterR 10]

My B1 licence qualifies me for 3-wheelers but Mrs hillsbro won't let me have one...But I can't say that I blame her as my track record with 3-wheelers could be better. In 1972 I paid £425 (half a year's income for me at the time) for a secondhand Reliant 21E van. I bought it on a Monday and wrote it off on the Saturday...Fortunately it was comprehensively insured. But with my B1 licence I can drive certain types of smart car. There's even a rather neat-looking one for sale on eBay I wonder.....

My dad would know exactly what you mean, langy. Just imagine coming down Lodge Lane on this Triumph Thunderbird combination with dad (10 stone), mum (a bit heavier) and three assorted kids - with drum brakes designed for a solo. In bottom gear the chain fortunately held otherwise I might not have been here to tell the tale..

 

Nice pic of the combination hillsbro. Wish I had a photo of my Dad's. He had, I believe, a BSA combo. in about 1946 when I was three.

 

Anyway, on the subject of dodgy brakes, my first car was a 1958 Ford 'Pop'. I did a straight swap for my Lambretta when I was 20 in 1964. On the way home to Sheffield from my girlfriend's house one day, I was approaching Worrygoose roundabout on Bawtry Road a bit too briskly. Having braked heavily I was reminded that the old 1930's style rod operated brakes were not adjusted too well. After a brisk steering adjustment to recover, I felt lucky not to have rolled it! Didn't do that again.

 

Here we are :-

 

 

Sorry, seem to be parked on a steep hill. Can't seem to move it.

 

Someone seems to have rotated the pic now

Edited April 13, 2014 by PeterR

[David Bee 10]

Oh carol Hi, yes I have pics of both zen fields but I don't know how to get them from my I pad to the forham:confused:

 

---------- Post added 09-04-2014 at 14:04 ----------

 

Hey up is that you Garry re pillion? It'll have to be on the astral plane,single seat on the bike mate.i do in the dim and distant seem to remember a joke about two on a bike,girl and boy. She was riding on the cross bar but when they arrived at their destination it was a girls bike with a step through frame. Hmmm

 

---------- Post added 09-04-2014 at 14:39 ----------

 

Peter R Hi,Lovely pics .In our own way we were all handsome, great gatsby in all of us,full of life off to conquer the world till we got side tracked by the important things the girl we fell in love with and off spring.Missed some of that but all good now.It all started in a motor car hmmmm that was a long time ago.Oh my god it's a pander car,get dressed quick. Knock, knock at the window,is this your car sir,yes officer. Would you mind stepping out of the car. Now seated in the back of his panda car answering a lot of silly questions about my activities without incriminating my self. Time passed and I was released and made my way back to my car.The moment of passion had passed and we got dressed properly,except for me,my very trendy pants were missing. Not in the car anywhere and not on the floor outside on my walk to the panda car. The theory was that in the hurry they laid loose up my trouser leg and were now in the back of the panda car. What fun ,the explanation as to how trendy pants finished up in the back of that officers car, as it was cleaned at the end of his shift. he he he:confused: