Advice on selling my bike

[Rex]

I have friends who no longer get any pleasure or enjoyment through working on old bikes, and are resorting to moderns to still come out for a ride.
Fair enough, we're all different, but if the greasy spanner bit fails to excite me any more then that'll be the end of my riding.
I rode modern japanese bikes to work every day for decades and excellent machines though they were, machines was all they ever were.
As some clever sod once said, it's the journey not the destination, and that rings true with me.

[Worty]

I have friends who longer get any pleasure or enjoyment through working on old bikes, and are resorting to moderns to still come out for a ride.
Fair enough, we're all different, but if the greasy spanner bit fails to excite me any more then that'll be the end of my riding.
I rode modern japanese bikes to work every day for decades and excellent machines though they were, machines was all they ever were.
As some clever sod once said, it's the journey not the destination, and that rings true with me.

That's where I am Rex - always the journey, never the destination.  I rode Japanese bikes all through my youth, and got attached to some, including my RD350B.  The reason why that was special was because it was my first 'bigger' bike at 17, and I had the tank repainted/smartened it up - really liked that bike.  Thing is, I was always looking for something a bit different, which is when I found the R60 in an old ladies chicken shed - that really interested me, bringing it back from obscurity, and I loved that bike.  Similar to the Beeza, found in an old geezers garage, so this one will stay until the end of my riding days.  The Kwacka will see action, but only the times when the GF is off the road, or I need a greater degree of confidence in getting back home after a long run.

Japanese bikes get me on the road riding, the GF sometimes gets me on the road, but when it does, that's where my biking really is.  I also like the challenge of fixing things and seeing them work.

[groily]

Well, GB, if you ever give up riding you can devote more time to playing with that there lathe of yours, and get your kicks in another way.

Has to be said that I also increasingly like doing things I can do standing up, without all the aches and pains of grambling around at funny angles, and with simple wipe-clean hands.

Mind you  . . .  when your new baby gets a bit older  . . .  if you keep it  . . . you'll have to go, Omigod, a bit metric!

[Joolstacho]

Neil that little Austin seven... My good ol' mate Allan Card and his pal Richard drove one of those overland from GB to Oz back in the 50's or early 60's.
They are both big guys. At Allan's funeral just the other day, a local feller drove his Austin seven right into the hall in Ballarat.

At one point in Melbourne, Allan was missing his family in England and he suggested to Richard that they go back for a visit, so they did, - and went via South America in the little Austin ! Richard still has the car.

They don't make 'em like that anymore do they... men or machine!

[Greybeard]

I know many of you have modern bikes. I presume you get pleasure riding them.

[Worty]

I know many of you have modern bikes. I presume you get pleasure riding them.

You're right GB, although I would imagine the real passion lies with the peculiarities of older machines using technology long since past.  I, for example, have the Kwaka, which is a really, really nice bike to ride, and it has characteristics a little more in line with the Beeza.  Apart from a Yam XS650, I wouldn't have considered anything else (possibly an old BMW??).  The difference - the Kwaka is a (good) copy of the old Brit twins, but isn't one - like your new bike.  Having something obsolete and quirky is what makes biking fun for many on this forum.

I suppose when you see the many, faceless, super-reliable, plastic clad Japanese machines on the road today, it just doesn't inspire some people to ride them, they just don't have any character although I think the Kwaka has more than some.  I guess that people on this Forum want to ride something that has character, age, pedigree, etc, and that's all part of the experience.  Having said that, things do change in life, and being on two wheels is better than retiring to the car.

Cheers GB

[Greybeard]

This is probably my main motivation for parting with my bike:
If the 70 year old conrods on my GF were to go walkies I know that I would not be willing to go through the pain and expense of repairing the bike; it would probably sit in my shed until I passed away and someone would have to sell it for spares. Better to sell the bike while it is still glorious and let someone else take care of it.

[Worty]

This is probably my main motivation for parting with my bike:
If the 70 year old conrods on my GF were to go walkies I know that I would not be willing to go through the pain and expense of repairing the bike; it would probably sit in my shed until I passed away and someone would have to sell it for spares. Better to sell the bike while it is still glorious and let someone else take care of it.

Very fair point

[RDfella]

If the 70 year old conrods on my GF were to go walkies I know that I would not be willing to go through the pain and expense of repairing the bike; it would probably sit in my shed until I passed away and someone would have to sell it for spares. Better to sell the bike while it is still glorious and let someone else take care of it.

Understood - but a pair of new Thunder rods and a day fitting them (don't forget the crank needs re-balancing as those rods are heavier) would be cheaper than a new bike! And you'd still have your pride and joy, but without the worry. Twas why I took mine apart again to fit new rods, as everytime I rode it I was waiting for the bang.

[RichardL]

I no longer enjoy tinkering.

This is the one statement that is really sticking with me. Hard to get around it, even as your friends here try to encourage you stick with the common binding element, our A7's and A10's. RD's point about Thunder rods is a symptomatic solution, but it flies right in the eye of anti-tinkering. Neil, I hope I don't really need to say this, but if we could order you to do one thing (assuming you go through with the sale) it would be to stick with us even if your direct interest diminishes. Others have done it, Erling comes to mind, though I'm not saying his interest has diminished, just his riding.

Richard L.

[Worty]

After 12 years on the Forum, and well over 8k posts, I think you'll be a honourary lifetime member without much complaint I'll wager!

[Greybeard]

Gee, thanks guys 😘.

I don't think I can just walk away from this forum; I consider you to be my friends. To those who find my constant input annoying, I'm sorry but I enjoy it here.

[Rex]

Make sure you stick around....you might need this place when sometime down the line you think you need another A series in your life...

[berger]

GB has the new bike got a sludge trap? 

[Greybeard]

GB has the new bike got a sludge trap? 

🤔