Topic: The 2021 "Run what you brung" ride thread. What bike are you riding today?

[34barab]

Sometimes we don't realise how lucky we are until we meet someone who's never quite achieved their dream, especially when their dream is just something we take for granted. I rode off with mixed feelings, happy that he liked my bike, and a little sad that he hadn't quite achieved his goal.   Hopefully he'll get one eventually, and it'll live up to his expectations.      

+1

[Terry in Australia]

These old bikes are timemachines.
I'm often back into my 20's remember good things when riding on the same roads as back then, but with much better economy today!

Both I and wife work from home so it's OK. Only thing missing is travels to the sun. Last year at this time Canarian Island Tenerife with nice warm climate all year seldom too hot except for a month.

August/Sept usually 2 weeks in Crete, all inclusive hotel. More I eat and drink cheaper it will get. Drinks from 10 am. Have to wait 2 hours after breakfast. 
At least 2-3 GinTonic and similar plus 2-3 small beers  before lunch ensure holiday mode forgetting my job  
Usually min same after lunch before dinner.

May, a week in Spain like Benidorm or Alicante area.

Last summer 5 days tenting 350km north
BUT, I did a little bit over 10.000km on my K6! Most of it from end of March to June. Daily 220km rides.

That's a lot of riding Per, I hope I can get a lot more rides in on the K0 this year, but when it gets cold and wet I'll be back on my modern bikes, as it won't be as heart breaking if I lay one of them down on a wet road, plus their brakes work a hell of a lot better in the wet than my 750's.    

[PeWe]

These old bikes are timemachines.
I'm often back into my 20's remember good things when riding on the same roads as back then, but with much better economy today!

Both I and wife work from home so it's OK. Only thing missing is travels to the sun. Last year at this time Canarian Island Tenerife with nice warm climate all year seldom too hot except for a month.

August/Sept usually 2 weeks in Crete, all inclusive hotel. More I eat and drink cheaper it will get. Drinks from 10 am. Have to wait 2 hours after breakfast. 
At least 2-3 GinTonic and similar plus 2-3 small beers  before lunch ensure holiday mode forgetting my job  
Usually min same after lunch before dinner.

May, a week in Spain like Benidorm or Alicante area.

Last summer 5 days tenting 350km north
BUT, I did a little bit over 10.000km on my K6! Most of it from end of March to June. Daily 220km rides.

That's a lot of riding Per, I hope I can get a lot more rides in on the K0 this year, but when it gets cold and wet I'll be back on my modern bikes, as it won't be as heart breaking if I lay one of them down on a wet road, plus their brakes work a hell of a lot better in the wet than my 750's.    

I got the feeling back for riding a bike. Especially the K6 that was a part of me in the 80's.
How to enter corners with nice flow on the roads.
Long rides just cruising around several days a week. Some weeks every day.

[ofreen]

It was a windy, but dry and somewhat warm day today, so put about 70 miles on the 750.  Found some good light -

[Terry in Australia]

Looks magnificent Greg, and reminded me that I've done a couple of rides since my last post, so here goes:

Well it was Saturday night as I wrote this drivel, the first half decent day in the last few, no rain after about 10am, so I started to form a cunning plan to go for a ride. Now my oldest boy (36) who was only going to be moving back in for a couple of months after he broke up with his previous girlfriend, got stuck here due to the Covid lockdowns for over a year, has finally leased a new apartment in Bondi in Sydney, overlooking the beach, so as I knew he'd be blocking the driveway with his Ford Exploder as he loaded all his stuff in, I'd intended to drive over to the self storage place and jump on the big blue Yamaha or VFR750 and go for a squirt.

The wife explained that no, big boy will wait for me to get home before he blocks off the driveway, so I can take the K0 out if I want to? I want to! The K0 just keeps getting better, it started right away with minimal choke, but did decide to dribble a little fuel while warming up, so I had to tap the float bowls with my big wrench to nip that in the bud. I think it was just trying to get rid of the 95 RON fuel I put in it last time. I presumed that the hot weather was making it a little cranky last week, but I think it was the fuel, because after I filled it up with Shell 98 this morning, after a couple of miles it just felt so much better. I rode on to Heathcote for a pie (I know, I know, "All Terry does is ride to Heathcote for a pie....") but what the hell, after a week of either no riding due to crap weather, or being stuck down the virtual salt mine, I'd been looking forward to it all week, and it really is a great ride, with a minimum of (yawn) freeway, and lots of twisties, fast sweepers, and opportunities to be a little bit naughty with the throttle hand.

I had a delicious "Beef and Shiraz" pie, my juice, and my anti-inflammatories, in the reverse order.

K0 Saturday 30 Jan 2021 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I hadn't stopped for any pics so rode to a nice old building up the road from the bakery and took some.

K0 Saturday 30 Jan 2021 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

K0 Saturday 30 Jan 2021 4 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I was about to get back on the bike and go when I glanced at the odometer. That was kind of ironic, 1 mile per cc so far!

K0 Saturday 30 Jan 2021 6 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Spotty, wonderful man-mountain that he is, had been working fervently to pull the DT1 engine out of the rusty frame so I can (hopefully) harvest some organs, so I rushed back to Melbourne, refuelling again (didn't need to, it only used around 13 litres for the 140 miles, but I wanted to further expel the dregs of the 95 RON muck and have a full tank for my next adventure, next weekend. Very happy though, it's now done 800 miles, which is a bit of a record for me, I don't think my K2 bitsa has done 800 miles on the 3 or 4 engines it's had in it since I built it in 2017.

K0 Saturday 30 Jan 2021 7 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

My poor old boots have finally gone to God after almost 20 years. I was given them by a former employer and found them very comfortable, so always wore them, until the other day I realised that I've not just worn the tread off them, I've actually worn a hole through the sole.

K0 Saturday 23 Jan 2021 9d by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

K0 Saturday 23 Jan 2021 9e by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I supposed I could have bought a tube of "Shoe Goo" and patched the hole, but hell, this isn't a third world country, and anyway, I have more boots than Amelda Marcos. I ratted thru my wardrobe, and found this pair of actual motorcycle racing boots that I bought before I bought this house in 2001. I think there was a bike shop having a closing down sale not far from where I was working in my first job after I resigned from the regular army. Looking at the price tag, it was a very long time ago.

K0 Saturday 30 Jan 2021 9 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Yes they're red, but what the hell, I was riding a red bike, so I was colour coordinated. Not particularly comfortable for walking any distance in, but fine for their intended purpose.

K0 Saturday 30 Jan 2021 8 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

And that was it. I rushed over to Spotty's place and had a yack, grabbed the Yamaha engine and some other bits, and tomorrow will do some work on the RT3, hopefully sorting the ignition issue. We'll see.........  

[Terry in Australia]

And Sunday was a "bonus ride" day for me. My big boy left for Sydney at 0730, so the wife woke me up to say goodbye, and he was off up the highway.

That meant that the driveway was clear, I was sick of pulling apart my DT1 engine that was more rusty mud than it was usable parts for my RT3, so I decided a ride was in order.

DT1 engine 7 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

DT1 engine 4 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Thinking about high octane for high compression engines, I read another article about adding a cupful of Acetone to a tank of gas to increase the octane by a few points. I tipped around 400ml into the full tank of 98, and while I didn't notice any real improvement, the bike did run very well.

Now as you all know, I can eat pies every day, but just for the sake of a change, I did a 150 miler to Yea, via Whittlesea, and Kinglake. There were heaps of bikes on the road, mostly Harleys and Adventure Bikes (you know, those big trail bikes that are never actually ridden off road?) and I got a lot of waves and nods, which was nice.

I stopped in Yea for lunch, and a disappointing repast it was, went to a "Charcoal Chicken" and didn't want to wait for something to be cooked, so had the only thing ready, the two oldest dim sims in Yea, or possibly Victoria, but it was nice sitting under a tree in the park watching all the bikes go past. I think there was an all female bike club in town, as just about every bike (Harleys, Sports Bikes, Cruisers, Adventure Bikes etc) was ridden by a girl. Not too hard on the eyes, even though they probably weren't that interested in guys..... I had a missed call from Spotty, who told me that the next time I'm in Kinglake I should stop at the gas station there, apparently they sell 105 RON fuel.

K0 Sunday 31 Jan 2021 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

K0 Sunday 31 Jan 2021 4 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Back on the road again, I stopped for a pic from a spot I hadn't been near for many years. It's near a lookout, so while I was taking a pic of the old beast,

K0 Sunday 31 Jan 2021 9c by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

A guy wandered over to admire my bike, and offered to take a pic of me with it. Why not?

Terry and K0 31 Jan 2021 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I chatted to him for awhile, we didn't exchange names, but I'm pretty sure it was a guy called Bob Rosenthal, the current president of the BMW Club of Victoria. I've only met Bob once before, but he told me today that he has an S1000RR and a F750GS, and he looked familiar. Bob was a big time racer back in the day and a bike journalist, I really must go to more meetings....... 

The old beast has now done 952 miles, so I think it's time to drop the oil and filter, and hopefully very little metal will come out with the oil. So far, it's going great, I'm a happy boy.

K0 Sunday 31 Jan 2021 9e by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[Trevor from Warragul]

I was out and about on my 350/4 today.  I went along a favorite road, then decided to turn left instead of right at a T intersection.  My riding buddy previously told me "There's a little bit of dirt that way".  Okey-dokey, 15 kms of gravel road later, I reached tarmac, and discovered the "Grand Ridge Road".  About 30 kms of narrow winding mountain road, perfect on a little bike!  At one point, this guy started to cross the road, heard the bike, and took refuge on the roadside:



All-in-all, a great days ride!

Trevor

[Terry in Australia]

Beautiful! I often take the “Back Road” from Bairnsdale to Sale Via Bengworden etc, and the amount of wildlife I see is amazing, compared to when I’m on the Princes Highway. I hope you had a great ride Trevor, and I envy you, I wish I was out riding, but I’m giving the K0 an oil change in preparation for the weekend!

[Trevor from Warragul]

I wish I was out riding

Yep, retirement is pretty damn good!

[ofreen]

Back on the road again, I stopped for a pic from a spot I hadn't been near for many years. It's near a lookout, so while I was taking a pic of the old beast,
K0 Sunday 31 Jan 2021 9c by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Nice shot.

[PeWe]

Nice photo, indeed!
I'm still waiting, one bike ready to go. Warmer today, -8C

[Stev-o]

I'm still waiting, one bike ready to go. Warmer today, -8C

You need a snow machine Pewe!


I wheeled out the Beast over the weekend.  It's been a couple months since I rode him but started right up and ran great!

[Terry in Australia]

I wheeled out the Beast over the weekend.  It's been a couple months since I rode him but started right up and ran great!

And a beautiful beast it is too Steve! I've got to assemble my Z1B soon, I got sidetracked with F2's, then K0's, RT3's and currently the world's most disgusting Suzuki T350, but once I make my way back into my Kawasaki pile, I just need to bolt everything I have back together. I'm not putting the lesters on it now that I have two nice original wheels, and I scored two drilled discs for it a week or so ago, so I just need a couple of stock calipers (probably new repro's) and I think I have everything I need.

[scottly]

What did the dykes on bikes think of your pretty red boots, Terry?

[Terry in Australia]

I didn’t ask them Scott, I was outnumbered 20:1, so I parked a block up from them and sat under a tree admiring my K0 while trying to swallow the worlds oldest dim sims, pondering which was older, my K0 or these two dim sims?

I shouldn’t be too harsh though, some of them gave me a wave as they rode past, admiring my K0 I presume, or maybe my new (old) boots?

[PeWe]

Steve-o, that Z1-900 is a real beauty! 1975 B, right?
A must have together with a CBX1000-78/79 in red candy.

Terry, your boots might be newer than your bike. 70s style, right?
I had famous Italian boot brand I do not remember. Bought them 1979. Black and red old race style.

[Terry in Australia]

Steve-o, that Z1-900 is a real beauty! 1975 B, right?
A must have together with a CBX1000-78/79 in red candy.

Terry, your boots might be newer than your bike. 70s style, right?
I had famous Italian boot brand I do not remember. Bought them 1979. Black and red old race style.

Thanks Per, these are "Spider" brand, I had some black ones for years and they were great. I still have my Aussie made "Rossi" MX boots that I bought new in 1975, maybe I should start wearing them again? They're out in my back shed, so are probably full of spiders (no pun intended) so maybe not?

[PeWe]

Steve-o, that Z1-900 is a real beauty! 1975 B, right?
A must have together with a CBX1000-78/79 in red candy.

Terry, your boots might be newer than your bike. 70s style, right?
I had famous Italian boot brand I do not remember. Bought them 1979. Black and red old race style.

Thanks Per, these are "Spider" brand, I had some black ones for years and they were great. I still have my Aussie made "Rossi" MX boots that I bought new in 1975, maybe I should start wearing them again? They're out in my back shed, so are probably full of spiders (no pun intended) so maybe not?

Matching clothing will make you look like a guy entered a time hole, direct from 69-70 on your nice bike!!

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Per, I've still got my old cut off from when I was 21 with all the patches on it, it probably fits again now, maybe I should wear it too? I've also got other boots dating back to the 70's, maybe I'll dig them out, I'm pretty sure there's still a pair of WW2 fur lined "Flying boots" somewhere? They were very popular "back in the day" as we could buy them cheap from the local Army Disposals store.

I'd love to have my (RIP) brother's old German helmet (not the BS plastic Chinese ones you see d1ckheads wearing nowadays, the real Whermact issue helmet) my brother wore on his BMW R69S, back in the day.  

[ekpent]

 If your going to go old school clothes and all no more waving with just a couple of fingers twinkling in the air hanging under your handlebar.  You need to go full bore left arm extended with the clenched fist sitting proudly upright in the air !!  That's how it was done in the olden days 

[Stev-o]

I wheeled out the Beast over the weekend.  It's been a couple months since I rode him but started right up and ran great!

And a beautiful beast it is too Steve!

Steve-o, that Z1-900 is a real beauty! 1975 B, right?

Thanks guys.  Yes, '75 Z1B, last year of the Z1 900.  "Candy Super Blue" is the color, the body kit is aftermarket from Doremi [the Kawasaki equivalent of Yamiya]

Already making plans for a Friday "Happy Hour" ride!

[Terry in Australia]

I wheeled out the Beast over the weekend.  It's been a couple months since I rode him but started right up and ran great!

And a beautiful beast it is too Steve!

Steve-o, that Z1-900 is a real beauty! 1975 B, right?

Thanks guys.  Yes, '75 Z1B, last year of the Z1 900.  "Candy Super Blue" is the color, the body kit is aftermarket from Doremi [the Kawasaki equivalent of Yamiya]

Already making plans for a Friday "Happy Hour" ride!

Looks good Steve, I've got the same Doremi body set as yours that I bought last year, beautiful paint!

[Terry in Australia]

If your going to go old school clothes and all no more waving with just a couple of fingers twinkling in the air hanging under your handlebar.  You need to go full bore left arm extended with the clenched fist sitting proudly upright in the air !!  That's how it was done in the olden days 

Thanks Eric, nah, we never did that here in Oz, a clenched fist is generally only used here to settle an argument. It's always been a wave or a nod of the helmet here, and I'm happy that I still give and receive plenty of them, even from Harley riders when I'm on my Honda's. Wop bike owners here can be a bit standoffish, or it might just be that they're too scared to let go their handlebars, in case their handlebars fall off.........

[ofreen]

Another mild day for February, so took the Road King out for about a 90 mile ride. 




I have posted photos of the barn in the background on the forum over the years.  I first saw it back in 1993 and have watched it slowly deteriorate over the years.  I was a little sad today to see it has finally fallen in.  The owners told me it fell during a storm a couple of months ago.  They have started the cleanup, so it will be gone soon.

[PeWe]

Nice photos and a good looking bike! That color fits the bike.

Dark maroon red candy almost black was my favourite color many years ago. On a US car or bike, maybe with 24 carat gold details.