The Good Old Days

[Len W]

People used to be less suspicious of others, always ready to help but back then most had nowt. The people are the same it's just that times are different. Just keeping track of new and inventive ways of killing time PS games mobile phones AI and the ever present google answering algorithm. Seems like we have forgotten how to just be human. Definitely different times. I was treated to the side of a persons head the other day. When I asked the lady if there was anything I could help her with she turned and scowled in my direction. Her nose buried in her phone and her headphones rattling away to some drumbeat. At some point I think we all have to concede times have changed and we're just along for the ride. Either that or become a recluse, personally I have always preferred CL sites in a quite corner of a field.

 

[Hutch]

We are now in our early 70's my wife uses a mobility scooter, to get to the pub with myself walking our dog. , I still ride my motorbike when the weather is good.
My son lives in Dulwich, London. He came up to our local village with his female friend, his female friend was astounded that everyone was friendly. She has always lived in middle London. Where she said it was strange to know so many friendly folk.

 

[Len W]

We are now in our early 70's my wife uses a mobility scooter, to get to the pub with myself walking our dog. , I still ride my motorbike when the weather is good.
My son lives in Dulwich, London. He came up to our local village with his female friend, his female friend was astounded that everyone was friendly. She has always lived in middle London. Where she said it was strange to know so many friendly folk.

We live in rural Lancashire where most folk are friendly. as a kid I owned a triumph tiger cub I used it on the fields nr home wound up in the river on many occasion. Later I got hold of an early Vincent black shadow .
Too much bike for a young kid the constant tinkering eventually broke it. I worked in London briefly when I was 18 I am 69 now but I do remember it seemed to me a place where you could be alone in a crowd.

 

[toad a caravan]

Started of with a 150 triumph terrier last bike Norton commando 750 roadster,give it my son 5 years ago

 

[Len W]

If only we had these bikes now back in the day everyone wanted Kawasaki's .Old bikes where frequently left to rot in peoples gardens, I used to knock on doors and ask people what they where doing with them. often resulting free bike if you could fix them

 

[Hutch]

Mine was the Trident.

Dunstal twin discs on the front.

 

[toad a caravan]

Couple of mates had them,one had BSA rocket 3 ,and another a hurricane,

 

[Len W]

Very nice fab bike but wouldn't want to spend the time maintaining one today, My next project is languishing in the garden at present my old 2002 p38 range rover. Used it as a tow car for years cant let it go and no one in there right mind would want one.

 

[Steve1962]

I have ridden bikes from 17 yrs old, and have easily clocked up many miles..... mine have included:
Honda C90
Honda H100
Kawasaki KH125
Kawasaki Z250
Harley Davidson Heritage Softail
BMW 1150GS
2 X BMW R1100RT
BMW 1200RT
BMW R1100R

Here's me a few yrs back on the BMWR1100R....

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA9cvkWaBVk&t=154s


My current motorbike is....... a Bailey Unicorn Valencia 2017

 

[RogerL]

I had a couple of Lambrettas as essential transport - couldn't wait too get inside something metal rather than sitting astride - still have the A group on my licence so could ride anything, in theory

 

[Hutch]

I had a look at a BMW R1200R, I was shocked to see how wide it was, so still on my CBF500.

 

[Ferrodo]

My old girl. I can get on and ride okay it’s getting off the problem 🤭

 

[Steve1962]

Here's a couple of snaps..... my R1100RT....which I called ( rather ironically)....Pathfinder, taken in the village of Compton Abdale...... followed by a moody shot of the 1200RT, taken in a field on the Cornbury Park Estate... bloody hell I do so miss riding a bike.

 

[Hutch]

Myself and friends go out Wednesdays, weather permitting for a ride to different pubs for a pint and a light meal. We were part of the Toddington and District motorcycle clubs from the 1960s.

 

[Steve1962]

Myself and friends go out Wednesdays, weather permitting for a ride to different pubs for a pint and a light meal. We were part of the Toddington and District motorcycle clubs from the 1960s. View attachment 8443

Nice..... I assume that is a blue and white striped tank from an 1150 GS in the background?

Here's my 1150 GS in the village of Little Barrington.... with my eldest son on it.....we went to Scotland for a week on this bike, based ourselves in Fort William and had a cracking time riding some great roads, including Applecross..... he's now 34 with 2 kids of his own!

 

[Hutch]

Well spotted.

 

[otherclive]

Been going through old slides and came across this one of my second bike, a 350cc Matchless GS. My first bike was an Excelsior Talisman 250cc twin carb, rear sets and expansion boxes. Had to sell it to pay a fine, so took my test on a friends Lambretta ( no insurance) then bought the Matchless when I had earned some cash. After that I had AJS 650 cc CSR, but then moved to the dark side in a quest for performance and reliabilty.

 

[Buckman]

My first bike was an Ariel Red Hunter 500cc. I think the big four square Ariels had engines up to 1200cc which was very big for the late fifties / early sixties.

 

[Steve1962]

Here's my R1100R......a bit more grunt than the 1100RT as it didn't have the weight, but actually not quite as economical as the RT which was more aerodynamic.

The R 100 RS was the world's first production motorcycle with standard full fairing developed in the wind tunnel, providing wind and weather protection.
Oddly enough, the index number on the 1100RT was S52CEU, and on the 1100R it was S51CEU!

 

[toad a caravan]

"those were the days my friend,we thought they'd never,oh yes those were the days"

 

[Hutch]

"those were the days my friend,we thought they'd never,oh yes those were the days"

Mary Hopkins, 1968
Those Were the Days" is a song composed by Boris Fomin (1900–1948) but credited to Gene Raskin, who put a new English lyric to Fomin's Russian romance song "Dorogoi dlinnoyu",[a] with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevsky. The song is a reminiscence of youth and romantic idealism. It also deals with tavern activities, which include drinking, singing, and dancing.

 

[jimmyg352]

I expect (hope) most of you bikers both ex & current, have been to Sammy Millers Motorcycle Museum in New Milton? Not far from Brockenhurst CAMC site & a fair amount of CL’s in The New Forest.
As an ex motorcycle trials rider I can highly recommend it.

 

[Buckman]

In the late sixties we were trained to ride the BSA, Norton and Matchless motorbikes. Some were single engine and others twin. Although it was mostly on road training, we also had to do off road training plus have the knowledge to do minor mechanical repairs as the Africa is a very harsh training ground.

 

[toad a caravan]

Had an ex army M20 and B40,very low geared

 

[Ferrodo]

Had an ex army M20 and B40,very low geared

M20 and M21….. fired once every lamppost 😉