Well, if you must know...my parents split when I was 12. My father was murdered when I was 16. I stayed in school while working three jobs as my mother was a convenience store cashier. I needed transportation that was cheap to buy, maintain, and insure. And gas was roughly 87 US cents per gallon.
Its shitt like that early on in life that maketh the man .................you certainly seemed to have learned from the experience thats the most important thing , from exhausted Harley to Maserati , thats a degree and a half in my book
Thanks, my friend. Have made more than my share of mistakes, but I generally consider the fact that I'm not imprisoned or dead a win...
I always wanted an early Sportster Den, the 900 with a drum brake up front. I went to buy one once, a 1971 model with only 8000 miles showing on the clock but lanky me was too big for it so passed on buying it.
That would have been awesome...I actually went through an 83 883 Sportster and an 87 Softail, as well, though (a little) later in life...
That would explain a lot, and apologies for bringing it up. However, I would have thought you’d suffered enough before you bought the chopper. Weren’t there any motorbikes in America at that time? I had desperate need of cheap transport in my formative years, and that’s why I spent £75 on the C15.
No worries; we never know where someone is coming from.
I’ve bought some C15 parts off a guy in Shropshire who has all the BSA despatch records. I gave him my engine and frame number and he told me what he has. It turns out, my bike was a Sapphire Blue SS80 that was supplied to Merseyside in September 1962, and the engine is from a Maroon C15 Star supplied in August 1960. Strangely, before I knew all this I’d upped the engine spec to SS80 and I’d decided on Candy Sapphire Blue as the final colour! Consequently, it will now be badged as an SS80 and in time, although I’m not keen on them, I might go for chrome mudguards to complete the restoration. The only thing lacking will be the SS stamped on the engine case in front of the number. I’m also looking at converting the front bake to twin leading shoe to try and improve the questionable retardation of the original set up.
...reading that book, at the moment.Long live the Blues Brothers!
lol The only thing is Phil you might've noticed bikes like Norton Commandos and Triumph Tridents have shrunk since our youth. A Norton Commando use to look massive, looks tiny to us tall blokes now.Never fancied old British iron but now I'm older they do have an appeal
When I‘ve cleared enough space in the garage, I’ll be looking out for either a T160V or an Interstate Mk 3. Those are two bikes I’ve always lusted after but I can’t decide which one to go for. I think a couple of test rides are required.
I think you’ll find T160s have dropped a bit in price Benny. I must admit I rode a Mk3 Commando my mate owned when I owned my second T160 and preferred it to my T160, with four gears and plenty of torque there was no need to drop a gear to pass a car.
Thought this might give you some ideas as an anti theft device Ian once she's sorted and on the road , looks to me as an ideal solution , im sure if these were fitted to cars there would be a lot less car theft
I have to say the Come-and-go was always my favourite British bike but I do like the sound of a beefy triple. A late Intestate 3 in silver with the left hand gear change and Police spec silencers (not peashooters) would be the one I go for. Best I start the swear box up again!
By the time they've done a stint in Prison they won't be anal debutantes anymore
