I saw this bike.........

[Pantah]

With modern technology the way it is,most of us are walking around with digital cameras/computers/telephones in our pockets....... these days when I see an interesting bike I pull out my mobile and take a shot...... Sometimes the quality is average,but it doesnt matter. Anyway in Osaka on the weekend I saw this .A very nice Norton Commando 750s. I will shoot pics of more bikes when i see them out and about.I hope some of you do too.........

[Faster1]

no, you have it all wrong, that's a new prototype Norton GP bike for 2011, Notice the new technology brake called,, I think,, "drum brakes",.

Sweeeet !

[RatsMC]

Wow. I don't think I have ever seen one so close to standard on the road before.

Anyway, you won't be seeing many pics from me. It is about 115 degrees (46C) here and pretty humid. No one rides unles they absolutely have to. In the winter there are more bikes but nearly all of them are Harleys with dentists aboard.

[Pantah]

Rats,I saw a new VTR at the supermarket on Thursday.I went to take a picture and realised my pre 2 year old daughter had been at my phone and changed the settings from photo to video......... Luck Id say....but no luck for us.....I will endevour to do better....

[8 dirt]

It is about 115 degrees (46C) here and pretty humid. No one rides unles they absolutely have to. In the winter there are more bikes but nearly all of them are Harleys with dentists aboard.

Ah, yes. The Monsoon Season in AZ. It can be nice....from 0600 to 0615 hrs. Careful of the gullys and ditches. Drowning in the desert is the zenith of irony. cheers.

[Pantah]

I saw this whilst driving around Santa Monica on the weekend.

[RatsMC]

Oh, yeah. We have a few of those out here. It is odd but not quite as weird as the Gold Wings with outrigger wheels. I'll have to get a pic of one of those once it cools off here (only another month before it drops below 110F (44C) average) and the bikes come back out.

[TwoStroke Institute]

I wish I was in the crowd to see THE MOST FEARSOME BIKE EVER

[Desmo44]

I was there and getting to see Kenny on the TZ alone was worth the ride to Indy for the MotoGP weekend- and I'm not even a flat track guy, as this was only the second flat track event I have ever attended. The SOUND and that RIDE were incredible. KR didn't just give a demo ride, he flailed that beast just like it was 1975. I had casually timed the lead rider in a heat earlier at 48.5 (certainly not the fastest lap of the night), but on the lap when I timed Kenny on the TZ, he did a 43.5! I'll never forget that night.

[Albert]

I wish I was in the crowd to see THE MOST FEARSOME BIKE EVER

I'm with you 100% on that one TSI!
Absolutely incredible and totally insane all at the same time!
I was supposed to go with some mates to watch one of our UK Speedway riders Peter Collins I think it was do some demo runs on it but I was too damned ill! (For ill read Hungover!)

[TwoStroke Institute]

REPORT there is a shorter youtube clip where there is a quote (lady) "Whaaaat is thaaat" (Hubby) "It's a tooooo stroke"
Ablert funny you mention Peter Collins a friend sent me On Any Sunday II that watched for while last night and Peter is in that, in the Speedway Masters.

[heng47]

[RatsMC]

heng, what on Earth is that Suzuki?

[Pantah]

heng, what on Earth is that Suzuki?

That would be an RG 250.They were also released as 400s here as well.The 400 has 4 cylinders.In Australia you could get the 500 model.....

[RatsMC]

Dammit!

I swear, I am going to save up all my money and travel the pacific rim picking up all those old 250s and 400s that no one there thinks much about.

Of course, I know two guys that actually ride their DesmosediciRR's around on the street.

[TwoStroke Institute]

Too late Rats were onto that already, plus the underground 2T network has it all covered, unless you join the brotherhood The RG250 is a different spieces to the 400/500.The 500 is a stepped square disc valve engine, mild tuning has about 100hp on the wheel, with RGV/TZ cylinders your at the 140 mark and big bore 570's go to 150-160. They are HIGHLY sort after and fetch big bickies.A 500 with 125km recently sold here for $27500AUD.Don't discount the 250 chassis as it was the original 'Yammagamma' that a RZ350(banshee) engine was shoehorned into by Stan Stephens all those years ago.The modern incarnation of it is the TSS 500 which is having the finishing touches put on it ATM.
ANyway's have a look atTHIS NUTTER

[Rusty Bucket USA]

I recommend this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uesfZUjMbVw&feature=related
(see if you recognize anyone...)

[TwoStroke Institute]

THIS is is.....is....well it just IS

[motomania]

Jules got some great video there, nothing like standing inside the armco on a corner at a mile race to get your blood PUMPING!!!

[RatsMC]

I don't know if any of you have had the opportunity to spend any time around pulse-jets but listening to a two-stroke on a mile track you can clearly hear the relationship between the two.

[Albert]

heng, what on Earth is that Suzuki?

That would be an RG 250.They were also released as 400s here as well.The 400 has 4 cylinders.In Australia you could get the 500 model.....

Lovely little bike! If memory serves correctly it would be one of the first alloy framed bikes to be put into mass production! (and it was also one of the first with Fully Floating rear suspension!)
My eldest daughter Donna bought one from the Knockhill Circuit Racing School several years back courtesy of an old friend of mine who was selling it on. (Ex Racing school bike!)
Jean recreated the original shape of a very badly dented tank which meant using some filler and a LOT of patience in making it look right because there were 3 different lines that all came together at one particular point - which happened to be where the dent was!
She also recreated the Suzuki name on the engine cases which had been ground away by several excursions down the track! A friend provided some industrial “plastic metal” by the trade name of Devcon! Good stuff if you can get hold of it!
A couple of years down the line Donna doubled her money passing it on to it's next owner! (who fairly quickly blew it up cos he wasn't used to 2 strokes!)



Apologies for the poor quality photo - it didn’t scan too well!

PS. Rather ironically the RG was the "Dream Bike" of Donna's future husband!)

[Pantah]

Nice one Albert.....I still remember the first time I ever rode a road bike....A local guy had an RG 500.We were in town and he said " have a go..." I said ok.He said " Go easy..." I said "Ok...."
The middle of my local town ( population 1000) I get on and GO............. Slip it into third and look down at the speedo.......160kmh.........( in a 60 zone Lucy!). Brake U turn and same again........HIs response...." I thought that would happen......." I was hooked.....Not bad for a 17 year old kid with no licence at all...................
In Australia these days you could be hanged for that! ..........Or lose your licence for a looooong time........

[TwoStroke Institute]

Would certainly love both the Gamma's in my (non existant)collection.I remeber the 250 was the first proddie to top 200kmph at Bathurst. Of course that made me want to buy one instantly, because my RZ only did 180(indicated)
Nice tales there fella's
Albert EXACTLY what mechanical skill were you passing on to your daughter with a 3lb lump hammer and rolled up newspaper? No wonder it went bang................

[Albert]

Nice one Albert.....I still remember the first time I ever rode a road bike....A local guy had an RG 500.We were in town and he said " have a go..." I said ok.He said " Go easy..." I said "Ok...."
The middle of my local town ( population 1000) I get on and GO............. Slip it into third and look down at the speedo.......160kmh.........( in a 60 zone Lucy!). Brake U turn and same again........HIs response...." I thought that would happen......." I was hooked.....Not bad for a 17 year old kid with no licence at all...................
In Australia these days you could be hanged for that! ..........Or lose your licence for a looooong time........

Great memories Pantah - First time I ever rode an RG500 I was VERY careful! I only opened the throttle all the way once I was vertical! The f**kin’ tank nearly smacked me in the face!

I fell in Love!

Albert EXACTLY what mechanical skill were you passing on to your daughter with a 3lb lump hammer and rolled up newspaper?

Ahh mate - you had to be there!
The lump hammer was cos Jean had been using it to level out the flagstones that the Gamma is standing on, and the newspaper (old MCN!) was what she’d been kneeling on!

Jeez mate - you couldn’t expect me to do it ------ I’d just had a manicure!

[motomania]

Here's a link over to SuperBike Planet where there's a YouTube video from Dunlop about KR Sr. and his ride on the wicked TZ750 this year at the Indy Mile.