So a Couple of Old Photos Popped Up.

[Muzz]

Since we installed W10 and a new hard drive the screensaver is accessing a few extra files. A couple have popped up which almost brought a tear to my eye.
My bro with his Vincent 500 (he still has it) my mate (later my best man) with his 650 Thunderbird  my neighbour Max back left who has a Ninja now, Jerry who never owned a bike and me parked between the two front wheels.



Down to Christchurch. Frame got changed while I was at uni.



What I had planned. 350 AJS7R motor in a 650 AJS frame. Note that the gearbox is still the BAP Burman out of the '48. Could not locate a later box and the shape of the BAP gave no clearance for primary chain adjustment. project sadly scrapped.



My flatmate and myself off for a midnight blat over the Port hills in the middle of winter. 8.5 US gal tank gave unlimited range.




Times change. my fiancee (and still married after close to 45 years) up in Palmerston North going to a mates wedding.




About to be sold. '65 AJS 650 frame, '60 saddle tanks. G45 tank, '57 AJS CSR forks, '50 Triumph back mudguard, 250 BSA rear brake linkage, Honda 50 mirrors, Matchy front mudguard, flywheels were still the lighter '48 ones, '47 BAP Burman box, Norton speedo, Triumph headlight and the front brake was a Suzuki Titan. The AJMatraNortyBeezUmp HondUki.



And the other side.



My present ride. 2003 Breva heading in to a weather bomb on a 2600 mile trip around the South Island.
Where I caught up with john r for the first time.



John r with his Cali and me with the Breva. 5th gear shed all it's hardening on this trip, but I made it back to Golden bay ok.




Steamdriven and his Monzada. 750 Nevada shoehorned in to a Monza. not a straight swap by any means but what a fantastic job.



Steamdriven, john r, Pete Roper and myself after shoehorning the V11 motor kindly donated by Wildgoose Chase members in to his Cali after the dealer bodged the recall on the hydro motor. It was certainly not a straight forward swap and to date the breather system is proving problematical.




Note, the fire extinguisher in my hand is not just for show. While priming the oil we set the thing on fire! Mad panic. The sensor got fried, and we finally got it to run by replacing it with a radio tuning dial.

[oldbike54]

 Great bit of time travel Muzz 

 Dusty

[Tom]

Thanks for posting the pix.  Wondered what JohnR's bike looked like.

[Waterbottle]

Very nice Muzz. That little monza would have been a weapon in it's day 
Loved you old bikes too . Cheers

[Muzz]

Very nice Muzz. That little monza would have been a weapon in it's day 
Loved you old bikes too . Cheers

Don't worry, Kev's Monzada still goes pretty well!

Couldn't find a piccy of the original '48, which was the last of the rigid wartime models. Had an early Aerial tank fitted when I first got it. I fitted a Triumph dual seat on it so I could cart a pillion around , and fitted what was evidently a Norton tank of about 5.5 US gals on it. Had AJS stickers on it. It never was original from day1.

I did about 200,000 miles+ on Little Esmel. I fitted a rather large carb and a 9.5 comp piston in it. The '48 motor did not have as big a fins as the later engines did, so she could get a bit hot and carbon up the exhaust valve every now and then, but it went like stink. It was faster and would drag the 500 single no sweat and sounded really neat. Top speed of over 85mph.(On a cool night)

Little Esmel was also known as Oily Esmel, Old Clatterbang, and sometimes Start ya Bitch. We had many advetures together. Bought it in 1964. Sold it in 1985.

[steamdriven NZ]

Very nice Muzz. That little monza would have been a weapon in it's day 
Loved you old bikes too . Cheers

Still is, still have it. (owned 28 years now) It'll get a lot more use from next year when we live over the hill and HAVE to ride it over Dyers Pass Rd most days. It'll suck to be me 
Sorry for reviving such an old post, just got back from Santa Barbara-Oshkosh-LA trip. A friend of mine has a BD-5 which he flies (yes, one that got finished and flies!), going to convert it to a BD-5J. So many trips to people who have the jet version flying or in build to see what needs to be done.
 
I have to say coming from Wisconsin and California heat to NZ and 3 below freezing has rattled the teeth a bit. Now I know what it's like to be heat treated, as much heat as you can take then into the ice water tank!

[Muzz]

So, when does the shift happen Kev?

You contemplating doing the Tattley Rappet this year?

[steamdriven NZ]

We bought a section in Governors Bay, Muzz. Amazing flat-ish 1/4 acre section down off Sandy Beach Rd. Never built on. Literally a stones throw from the beach if you have a good arm (I don't any more!)
we hope to build starting next year, in the design process right now. Most importantly, a small house but four car garage for the cars, the Chev and one bay for the pure unadulterated luxury of being just a workshop area. I know, dizzying, just the thought of it. So should be moving in about now next year.

The dogs will be getting regular swimming in the tide, there are bush walking tracks in both directions (one to the pub  ) and it's pretty sunny for over that way.

We have lucked in deluxe, reward for clean living I say.... *cough!*

[balvenie]

Muzz, love the pic of you and your pillion. How Cramped is that How dedicated is she
The Suitcase: how resourceful and enthusiastic you were.

[Muzz]

Muzz, love the pic of you and your pillion. How Cramped is that How dedicated is she
The Suitcase: how resourceful and enthusiastic you were.

If you saw how the "packrack' was constructed you would have to laugh. Just before that trip I had visited my parents, found a piece of tubing, bent it around the clothesline and by flattening it and drilling a couple of holes I was able to attach it to the bike. A big flat board screwed down on to it et voila, a suitcase rack. (Guzzi content)

Seating was tight. The 7+ imperial gallon tank was a lot larger, and longer by a good 6" than the 2.3/4 gallon original. The seat had to be moved back to fit it on. In the photo of the midnight blat you can actually see the hole where the handlebars originally mounted just behind the top of the steering head. I made up a bracket that was held on by the stanchion caps, and mounted a Suzuki riser bar to clear everything. The seat was actually really comfortable.

My darling rode pillion for many years, until about 8 years ago when we went down hard on a huge oil slick and she broke her elbow, which still gives her grief. She decided to pull the pin after that sadly. She got her bike license the day she turned 15, which was the minimum age at the time. She rode every bike I ever owned, bar the Breva. The overgrown Matchy was a handful for her, as she is just over 5 foot and it had high ground clearance.

[balvenie]

Muzz,'
It has been said that the most fun is often had with the least money.

[Muzz]

Muzz,'
It has been said that the most fun is often had with the least money.

Oh the Matchy tales. Bridges I have slept under, chains I have thrown, oil it has leaked. And, not forgetting the time I went to sleep on it and she went over a rather long drop...and survived!