Motorbikes

Can anyone remember 5 star ? oh those halycon days of 11.5 to 1 pistons , and the smell mmmmmmmmm

pjti wrote:

Can anyone remember 5 star ? oh those halycon days of 11.5 to 1 pistons , and the smell mmmmmmmmm

Outed Patrick you must be a motorbike man.
With its factory skimmed head my 1972 commando interstate used to run at 10 to 1,but with a standard head fitted and atlas convex/concave? pistons fitted,shes now about 8 to 1.The bike is also fitted with a 850 cam,more overlap but less lift,she runs pretty well, now not like her rider.
5 star is still available at certain outlets in the UK.



Van

yep fraid so, I had a TR6R then aTrident for a short while (10.5 - 1) but alas it was a bit too heavy for me. My mate ran the HC in his T120 / Ariel special- humungus pistons , it never stayed to gether very long LOL. 5* tasted so much nicer too - we constantly ran out and had to siphon, ahhhhhhh - 17 - 21 yrs old the golden years then women spoilt it all.

Gotta R90s and a 350 single Duke ( and a 900SD in bits) but alas I aint fit enough or brave enough to ride these days - and my 5 yr old leathers have shrunk drastically.

5 star? I thought you were referring to that crappy disco group. Us Mods never liked those greasy motos!!

Mikey

Ha don't make me laugh - anyone remember the Rafferty Newman Wildcat conversion ?

Two Corks and a pack of Araldite !!!

Patrick you've lost me now

Mikey

mikeyh wrote:

Patrick you've lost me now

Mikey

Perhaps like me you were never a biker?

Very true Brian. i've never ridden on a motorbike in my life (pillion inc.). Mind you i'd like to at least once.

Mikey

Sorry maybe it was a bit to cryptic .

Mods rode Lamby's and to some extent vespa's. Some of my "mates" had Lamby's and to tune em they started off with a phase one Rafferty Newman conversion. I think it was 3 quid or so, anyway it was the aforementioned 2 corks and some Araldite.

The idea was that you mixed the Araldite, spread it over the corks and stuffed the corks into holes in the crank web - thus increasing crankcase compression and a performance boost to boot.

It was just funny I suppose. I think you could do it to Bantams as well, nasty things them - you could use them for target practice.

Gotcha. be good if we could do that with the steamers!. all my mates had Vespas until the Lambretta 200 came out.Used to love all the chrome and headlights. oh and the punch-ups at Margate. tottenham Royal for ever!

Mikey

pjti wrote:

Two Corks and a pack of Araldite !!!

If I remember correctly was it G.Todd who sold the same setup to tune bantams.

Had quite afew bikes upto moving overhere,but kept my Yamaha xjr1300sp had it from new,my Norton Commando had her since 1974 and two Royal Enfields.
Also had a collection of stationary engines,Nationals, Petters,Blackstones,Fowlers,Mclarens and others.But thats another story.



Van

GWhizz wrote:

mikeyh wrote:

Patrick you've lost me now

Mikey

Perhaps like me you were never a biker?

In the sixties we were rockers,back then if a girl was friendly in a very friendly way,she could at least expect to have some oil or grease on her tights by the time you had dropped her off at the end of her street.
By the same token as I hate the word trucker,I`m a lorry driver,so the word biker gets short shrift,I`m a motorcyclist.

Van

pjti wrote:

Sorry maybe it was a bit to cryptic .

Mods rode Lamby's and to some extent vespa's. Some of my "mates" had Lamby's and to tune em they started off with a phase one Rafferty Newman conversion. I think it was 3 quid or so, anyway it was the aforementioned 2 corks and some Araldite.

The idea was that you mixed the Araldite, spread it over the corks and stuffed the corks into holes in the crank web - thus increasing crankcase compression and a performance boost to boot.

It was just funny I suppose. I think you could do it to Bantams as well, nasty things them - you could use them for target practice.

The only motorcycle(note the terminology Van) I ever owned or rode was a 125cc BSA Bantam, perhaps that's what put me off motorcycling (Van) forever!

Talking of the smell, it's Manx Grand Prix week - and a lot of the classic lads (and lass) still use castrol R - it's the best!

If only I could can it and export it......

Neil

hey Neil hows it going ?

Do people still tip castor oil in the fuel tank to smell like racers ? have you ever tried it in/on your steamies LOL, actually it would be good in those lectric room deodorisers too.

Does Castor oil make good smoke oil - who will be first to try it ? Strange to think that the humble castor plant can be both pleasurable (R smells) and deadly (Ricin) wouldn't rate yer chances after sniffing that stuff.


Glad you dropped by - I suppose you are sort of Continental ''

[quote="pjti"]
Do people still tip castor oil in the fuel tank to smell like racers ?

Back in the mid sixties,us lads that knocked about around Sherburn in Elmet,used to put some in the petrol tank.To get a stronger smell we used bigger doses,but as everyone knows carburettor jets started to block up.Nearly everyone at the time were riding late fifties early sixties bikes and mostly fitted with Amal Monobloc carbs,so if nothing else we became experts at roadside carb stripping.The fad of adding Castrol R among the group of lads I knocked about with lasted about six months,if we needed a fix it was a rideout to either Cadwell park or Mallory park.


Van stainzless and hoping it stays cool today,so that I can get some work done outside.

Hi Patrick!!

Yup, they still add it, esp at TT or MGP week!!

Sherburn!! Have some pals live near there, Van - usually go to the 'new' place once a year or so too - the cafe moved out of town!

NHN - with a Stainz somewhere.....