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Time for a motorbike list

RustyB said:
especially as the suspension stays on track settings. I'm too lazy to change it, which makes for interesting ride-outs with the local group who are mainly on big adventure bikes, especially on some of the Cornish goat tracks we end up on![/QUOTE]

Not a good idea IME; RD 400 spat me off on bumpy corner, riding on the road with race set up on the forks.
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It's been like that for several years, so I think I'm used to it by now.
 
My similarly square-tanked RD250 with the same chassis went into a terminal wobble showing off to my mates circumnavigating a local roundabout. Seems they were well capable of biting back every now and then.
I'd like to think it was a combination of the wrong tyres (a worn rear off a proper TZ250) / wear in the swing-arm bearings - but I've always had a sneaking suspicion it was a classic case of MATT :)
 
An RD400 is likely to misbehave more than an SV regardless of settings, I would imagine? The say the SV is fairly good. They say 70s bikes are fairly bad!
 
Yeah, the RD's all handled well, but they were short and light, so easier to destabilise than bigger, heavier bikes.

At least by the RD 400 E that I had, the infamous under-pipe footpeg bracket had been consigned to history. I hate to think how many riders have crashed all manner of air cooled RD's from grounding those bloody things.
 
I used to think I failed if I didn't get footrests on my KH250 folding up round every corner.

Pete
 
Around 1981, I had a Z250 G (LTD) custom which I converted to a C (normal look) which made a fine learner MC. My old man had acquired an old Benelli 250 2C 2-stroke which I requisitioned and what a bike! I used to really annoy the local RD 250 LC owners as I overtook them at every opportunity with ease on that 1973? hooligan bike. :D
Quite primitive,oil-in-tank, only 231cc and so-called "Silentium" pipes, Marzocchi suspension F+R, twin leading shoe front brake, 6v electrics but that wee thing went like shite off a shovel!
(Until the pick-up for the electronic ignition shook itself loose after a couple of years of being thrashed).
 
richgilb said:
An RD400 is likely to misbehave more than an SV regardless of settings, I would imagine? The say the SV is fairly good. They say 70s bikes are fairly bad!
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I have never tried the RDs, but I suspect you are right. The SV is quite benign, but with suspension, brake and engine upgrades they make quite successful racers. I have the bike upgrades, but not the rider upgrades. :(
 
kendo said:
My old man had acquired an old Benelli 250 2C 2-stroke which I requisitioned and what a bike! I used to really annoy the local RD 250 LC owners as I overtook them at every opportunity with ease on that 1973? hooligan bike. Quite primitive,oil-in-tank, only 231cc and so-called "Silentium" pipes, Marzocchi suspension F+R, twin leading shoe front brake, 6v electrics but that wee thing went like shite off a shovel!
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d2f44e366b08fc1cba5c0acbfee66801.jpg


Has the look of a raker's machine alright. Never saw one in real life. Yours must have been tweaked a tad, as the specs had them down as about 20% on power vs the LC
 
Wow, did not know this one, first glance I thought it was a Morini 3.5, which I am not so keen on.

Defo want one of those. Does it run ok? Parts etc?
 
Talking of Benellis, I did a track day at the old Anglesey circuit the day before a classic race meeting, and an acquaintance on a Benelli racer was practicing at the same time. His huge sweeping lines around the bends frightened the life out of the regulars on modern bikes! He was damn quick too. :D
 
I think it would look very much the part with drops and a nice welded-up-from-stainless pair of spannies, even if the MoT tester might not be so keen.
 
richgilb said:
I'd have to get some drop bars and modern spannies made for it, though
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You could go the whole hog:

wmlc75.jpg


Fairly tunable machine it seems. If the blue plate's anything to go by, that one might even have been upped from the original 250cc.
 
stevec67 said:
The 350 LC engine I recognise but what's the frame?
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Steve, it has the DT200 motor in it....35bhp and 95kg. It is called the SDR200 and was only made for 2 years, 85-87. They go for about 3 grand now.

Back to the Benelli, we should set up a PFM Benelli 250 2C resto club, they go for about 1000 quid for a dog to 3k for mint, this is cheap in the scheme of things...I'm smitten. Got to get one.
 
-alan- said:
You could go the whole hog:

wmlc75.jpg


Fairly tunable machine it seems. If the blue plate's anything to go by, that one might even have been upped from the original 250cc.
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Completely sold on this bike....never even heard of it until it came up here. that one has a front end from something else, though.

Looks like it was also sold as a Guzzi 250 TS
 
First time I saw the 250 Guzzi I thought it was a reengined V50, the cycle parts were so similar.

Nice crackle off the little engine:

 
Benelli also made a 4 cylinder 4 stroke 250 with odd styling.... I wouldn't touch it or the 2C with a barge pole. Yamaha all the way for me when it comes to strokers!
 
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