advertisement


Starting to get warmer... any other motorcyclists gearing up on here?

paulfromcamden said:
I've noticed a few YBR customs for sale and wondered about them. I'd just assumed they had more shiny bits to go rusty but maybe they're worth considering.

I'm 6'4" - how much do I need to consider seat height?
Click to expand...

At that sort of height I think you'd definitely want to try one to see. I've not ridden the YBR custom but if it's like the SR125 then that was on the small side of ok for me, but then I'm only I'm 5'10". The standard YBR would be a better option I think as while the seat height is still low, it's not that low. Something like the Honda Varadero 125 would probably be an even better option.
 
paulfromcamden said:
I've noticed a few YBR customs for sale and wondered about them. I'd just assumed they had more shiny bits to go rusty but maybe they're worth considering.

I'm 6'4" - how much do I need to consider seat height?
Click to expand...
I think if they are still good when you buy them, happy days. At 6'4 seat height should certainly be checked, otherwise you will look like those twits on bobbers in the US.
 
SteveG said:
When I was a teenager you used to see a fair number of MZ's around - not just the 250cc 2-strokes but another one there were a few of was their 50cc sports moped. What I recall about those is that they didn't appear to be restricted at all, so were way way faster than the 50cc's the rest of us had (I had a Suzuki X1 that eventually was tuned up enough to get close, but was use to blow up regularly).
Click to expand...

MZ Simpson IIRC...
 
Arkless Electronics said:
MZ Simpson IIRC...
Click to expand...

Correct. As far as I could tell they didn't appear to have bothered trying to restrict them at all. The other "hot" 50cc at the time was the Honda SS50, although it was genuinely an older pre-restriction bike and could do something like 40-45mph.

There were all sorts of weird and wonderful sports mopeds back then - Fantics, Gileras and the like - in addition to the more common Japanese ones that we mostly had. Some of those were quite nice though: Honda MTX 50 and MBX 50, Yamaha FS1E , AR50 and DT50X etc. I friend had a DT50X and that was a nice looking bike although very slow.

This is me on my X1, so will have been about 1984:

143374050.ooK9FI0T.x1_1.jpg
 
image


Other than the missing rubber "knee grips" on the fuel tank this little beauty is just like the one I had.
Must have about the longest exhaust in biking...
Pillion seat is (according to passengers) incredibly uncomfortable as there is a steel tool box built into it so in fact only about 1/2" padding!
Front brake is for display purposes only.... but check out the length of the rear brake lever. The slightest touch can lock up the rear wheel. Great fun for the first few rides out on it as when lights turn red you apply mainly front brake as normal... and find that nothing happens so give it more back brake... and leave a long skid from the back end... and that's just the underwear situation:D
They can tackle "sleeping policemen" at 80mph effortlessly.. just seems to float over it... weird!
There's more than enough grunt available to humiliate the RD125LC-YPVS "power rangers" who think they will easy beat this ancient "dads bike" in the traffic light GP, and in fact enough (just) to beat most of the Japanese 4 stroke 250's 0 - 60 wise.
Bags of character, usually gets you there, no one wants to nick it, dead easy to work on and was really cheap as had street cred of Cliff Richards to those who didn't "get it". £150 -200 ish for a 5 year old one back in the day. No doubt now regarded as a "rediscovered classic" or whatever and 10X more than I would pay for one!
 
I think the only MZ I've actually ridden was the 660cc MZ Skorpion 4-stroke single as the place I used to get tyres fitted had one as loaner so I had a spin on it whenever I was getting tyres changed on one of my own bikes. I was quite pleasant for a trundle around town although I never rode it far. There were a couple of track prepared ones that folks in the internet group I did Cadwell track days with. They could be hussled around the bends at a very decent pace.
 
SteveG said:
Correct. As far as I could tell they didn't appear to have bothered trying to restrict them at all. The other "hot" 50cc at the time was the Honda SS50, although it was genuinely an older pre-restriction bike and could do something like 40-45mph.

There were all sorts of weird and wonderful sports mopeds back then - Fantics, Gileras and the like - in addition to the more common Japanese ones that we mostly had. Some of those were quite nice though: Honda MTX 50 and MBX 50, Yamaha FS1E , AR50 and DT50X etc. I friend had a DT50X and that was a nice looking bike although very slow.

This is me on my X1, so will have been about 1984:

143374050.ooK9FI0T.x1_1.jpg
Click to expand...

Had a FS1E here and a mate had a DT50MX, which couldn't get anywhere near my fizzy. He had the last laugh as his next was an RD250LC and all I could afford was a Suzuki GP100U...

Your pic reminded me of finding one a year or so ago of myself sat on said FS1E aged no doubt 16... Seems like yesterday in my mind and I'm sure I could go straight to one and remove and strip the carb in minutes still... I have more trouble remembering being THAT slim and youthful looking and no grey hair though!
 
richardg said:
Lot of odd bikes getting too much praise on here!
Click to expand...

Here's another one - not that unusual, but perhaps unusual in getting praise! The bike I bought after doing my direct access was a Honda Deauville which I ended up keeping for 11 years until replacing it with the CBF1000GT I still have (and have also had for 11 years now). During that times many other bikes came and went (I usually had about half-a-dozen bikes at any one time) but the Deauville was the one I always kept. It wasn't fast (125mph top speed at best) but it was low maintenance (shaft drive), very comfortable and handled well enough that it was pretty quick on back roads and especially in the wet - helped by the gentle power delivery.

112348152.GwQ4j6jL.glen_cafe_1.jpg

The CBF that replaced it is of course much quicker but as an everyday bike I'd probably have to say I preferred the old Deauville - it was certainly more comfortable. If Honda still made it then I'd buy another one as it'd be well sedated to my more sedate pace these days!
 
Arkless Electronics said:
Had a FS1E here and a mate had a DT50MX, which couldn't get anywhere near my fizzy. He had the last laugh as his next was an RD250LC and all I could afford was a Suzuki GP100U...
Click to expand...

There were loads of GP100's in our area as they were very cheap and pretty capable.

Your pic reminded me of finding one a year or so ago of myself sat on said FS1E aged no doubt 16... Seems like yesterday in my mind and I'm sure I could go straight to one and remove and strip the carb in minutes still... I have more trouble remembering being THAT slim and youthful looking and no grey hair though!
Click to expand...

When my son turned 16 we bought him this 50cc:

142125664.MpBjMHpr.apr2.JPG

Even though it was pretty scratched up etc. I'd have loved one of those when I was 16.
 
SteveG said:
Here's another one - not that unusual, but perhaps unusual in getting praise! The bike I bought after doing my direct access was a Honda Deauville which I ended up keeping for 11 years until replacing it with the CBF1000GT I still have (and have also had for 11 years now). During that times many other bikes came and went (I usually had about half-a-dozen bikes at any one time) but the Deauville was the one I always kept. It wasn't fast (125mph top speed at best) but it was low maintenance (shaft drive), very comfortable and handled well enough that it was pretty quick on back roads and especially in the wet - helped by the gentle power delivery.

112348152.GwQ4j6jL.glen_cafe_1.jpg

The CBF that replaced it is of course much quicker but as an everyday bike I'd probably have to say I preferred the old Deauville - it was certainly more comfortable. If Honda still made it then I'd buy another one as it'd be well sedated to my more sedate pace these days!
Click to expand...

They had rather unfortunate styling that reminded me of "bathroom furniture" but I've never heard a bad word about them from those that owned them:)

Anyone remember the Yam XTZ550 with similar engine but ten years earlier? I don't think they sold well...
 
Arkless Electronics said:
They had rather unfortunate styling that reminded me of "bathroom furniture" but I've never heard a bad word about them from those that owned them:)
Click to expand...

The early mag reviews didn't get the reason for that sort of bike so it called "Dullville" etc. however at the time if it's wasn't a sports bike they weren't interested. Later reviews were pretty good when done in context i.e. a lightweight tourer or everyday commuter. One of the bikes I had at the same time as it was a Suzuki Bandit 600S (the only with the top fairing) but it was crap by comparison so I only kept it for a few months as I found I wasn't using it. It was quicker than the Deauville in a straight line but slower everywhere else - partly because the suspension was crap by comparison (and best not to talk about build quality). The Bandit 400 on the other hand I liked a lot and had 2 of them - one a UK bike (single disc) and one an import (twin disc).

Anyone remember the Yam XTZ550 with similar engine but ten years earlier? I don't think they sold well...
Click to expand...

It was properly hideous though! I've actually not had many Yamaha's - I think the XT600E put me of as it was an unreliable POS.
 
Here's another from my current fleet:

88731139.AwhkFZwg.cbr600f_s.jpg

It's up the back of the garage and hasn't turned a wheel in quite a few years. It's on my project list to get it back road legal again - but that's a long list! I've owned it from new (2000 or 2001) if I recall. It was one of the first fuel injection CBR's and is a UK bike although in one of the lesser known colours.
 
Arkless Electronics said:
They had rather unfortunate styling that reminded me of "bathroom furniture" but I've never heard a bad word about them from those that owned them:)

Anyone remember the Yam XTZ550 with similar engine but ten years earlier? I don't think they sold well...
Click to expand...

I remember the XZ550 but only saw one once, in the car park at Thruxton. It was too complex, expensive and considered to be underdeveloped. Was there a T version with a fairing say? It looked good but did not suit the market

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_XZ_550

scroll down for a picture

https://www.mcnews.com.au/yamaha-xz550/
 
herb said:
I remember the XZ550 but only saw one once, in the car park at Thruxton. It was too complex, expensive and considered to be underdeveloped. Was there a T version with a fairing say? It looked good but did not suit the market

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_XZ_550

scroll down for a picture

https://www.mcnews.com.au/yamaha-xz550/
Click to expand...

That's the one yeah! XZ not XTZ yes. I recall them going on sale, looking a bit odd, getting good reviews... and then no one bought them and I only ever saw maybe 3 on the road ever... Didn't they have Honda-esque cam chain tensioner problems or something?
 
-alan- said:
I don't think I've ever come across a bike that didn't have at least some redeeming virtues.

Except this one..

JEiVzMJh.png
Click to expand...

Ah yes I remember it well... See the problem with the Fantic is it was so bad it's good.

We need to delve deeper into the chamber of horrors really... Triumph Tina... BSA Dandy... Ariel Three... Ariel Pixie.
 
Arkless Electronics said:
That's the one yeah! XZ not XTZ yes. I recall them going on sale, looking a bit odd, getting good reviews... and then no one bought them and I only ever saw maybe 3 on the road ever... Didn't they have Honda-esque cam chain tensioner problems or something?
Click to expand...

Looking at a few sites there is no mention of a camchain problem. Plenty of charging system, carbs, flighty handling problems, though one engine went to 85000 km. They did come with a fairing but that made it even more expensive.

Yamaha made a few interesting machines, remember the 750 and 850 triples? The first 750s were famously unreliable but the 850 version cured the problems, but the damage had been done.
 
herb said:
Looking at a few sites there is no mention of a camchain problem. Plenty of charging system, carbs, flighty handling problems, though one engine went to 85000 km. They did come with a fairing but that made it even more expensive.

Yamaha made a few interesting machines, remember the 750 and 850 triples? The first 750s were famously unreliable but the 850 version cured the problems, but the damage had been done.
Click to expand...

Oh yes I remember them... I had a poster of the 750 on my bedroom wall when it came out! They looked good I thought... and yes many wise people realised the 850 was a good machine and bagged a bargain;)

That's just reminded me of a machine with no redeeming features to go on the list! The Yamaha XS250! The carbs could go out of balance if you stared at them for more than 5 seconds... and it was only a twin...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top