The 7 day challenge

Rising to fellow(ess?) bike blogger Trobairitz' challenge to name a bike for each day of the week given a lotto win or similar, here are my picks.  As befits a person of errr... mature years, some of the choices are from way back when.  This isn't because I think they're better bikes than today.  One of the main reasons was that as an impoverished student, and later as a mortgage-holder with a young family; they were out of reach in terms of price, so I'm allowed to indulge now!!

I'm not going to include the two best bikes I've ever owned, the Honda Blackbird and the Triumph Street Triple, simply because I've owned them!

Unsurprisingly (see my previous post), my Monday bike is a Tricati.  Elegant, handles like a dream and despite being 4 decades old, still looks fantastic.  The photo shown arrived today courtesy of a friend in Scotland. This one has the 250cc Ducati rolling chassis and although I'd prefer the 200cc Elite to stick a 500cc Triumph engine in.  I wouldn't be complaining though, you understand!

The timeless Tricati - an enduring obsession

Tuesday sees me riding a 1969 Thruxton Bonneville (not a current pale imitation).  I was at the 1969 Isle of Man TT when Triumph factory rider Malcolm Uphill averaged 100 mph in winning the race.  Again, I was at an impressionable age and lusted after one!

Thruxton Bonneville photographed in Auckland, 2010

Wednesday sees the last of the "classic" bikes wheeled out, a Suzuki T500 Titan.  I never owned a big, leery 2 stroke but have always wanted to.  The T500 wasn't as hairy and impractical as the Kawasaki Triple, but could still shift along and the noise from one fitted with expansion chambers gave more pleasure to a young lad than a copy of Playboy!

Suzuki T500 (file photo)

Thursday wheels out one of Trobairitz' choices, the Harley Davidson XR 1200.  Good for cruising and blasting and has looks inspired by the great flat-tracking days.  Mean-looking and brilliantly executed.

True to its traditions (file photo)

Friday's child is the Benelli TNT 1130 cafe racer.  Impossibly exotic, brutal as heck.  A real street fighter that's a bit different from the rest.  I love it!

Corrrr......  (file photo)

Saturday's mount is something pretty ordinary, but a brilliant all round bike, the Yamaha XJR 1300.  Ohlins suspension as standard, uncluttered appearance and bulletproof.  This one is owned by one of my IAM Examiners, Wayne Holden.

Wayne's lovely XJR 1300

Sunday and last, but by no means least (I bet you never saw this coming, did you???) is.... wait for it.....  a Honda C70 cub!!  "Why", I hear you asking incredulously!  Well, as many regular bloggers know, I've completed the annual Grand Challenge 1000miles / 1600km in 24 hours 5 times on a number of different bikes.  As long as you prepare properly, doing the distance in the required time isn't too bad.  Confessions of An Ageing Motorcyclist time.... I still have a yearning to try and make it on a Honda Cub!!!  Fit a long-range fuel tank to minimise stops and a couple of other mods and I reckon it's just about possible.  Watch this space.........

The mighty C70

Special thanks to Trobairitz for the fun in putting this together!

Classic race bike weekend, Auckland NZ

Just had a wonderful weekend.  On Friday, we hosted a Blackbird owner and his wife (Steve and Debbie Downes) from the UK as part of their month long holiday in NZ. Actually, he's just sold it as a concession to Debbie's comfort and bought a Pan-European!  Lovely couple and we really hit it off.

This weekend also happened to be the Annual 3 day long International Classic Race Bike Festival at the Pukekohe circuit in south Auckland. I haven't been for many years and what a treat I've been missing!  Over 250 riders and bikes from all over the world come along, many of them in successive years because they enjoy themselves so much.  Kevin Schwantz, Giacomo Agostini, Paul Smart, Peter Williams, Stan Woods and Lea Gourlay have all been here and are unbelievably approachable. It's incredibly laid back and for the $25 (10 pounds, $20 US) entry fee, you get a beautifully produced programme and unlimited access to the pits.  It's fantastic to see enthusiasts running an event where the public aren't ripped off - quite the reverse in fact.I've attached a few photos to the blog as a "taster".  If you'd like to see the full set, here's the link: PukekoheClassic2010 .  If you're ever planning to come to New Zealand on holiday, make sure you're here for this annual event!!!

 

 

Next weekend should be an absolute ripper too.  I have a 3 day "boys weekend" riding round the North Island's East Cape.  Approximately 1300km round trip of largely deserted twisty roads.  Can't wait!!!