54: Motorcycle Misadventures Not to be Made Public
On this episode, motorcycle stories that were never meant to be told - like Grant Johnson running from the police, Sam Manicom using his newly acquired F800GS to bend someone else’s sheet metal before he even gets it off the centre stand, Brian Rix almost losing his shot at the police academy all over a gold bikini top, Shirley Hardy-Rix discovers that she actually was breaking the law by not wearing a helmet and Graham Field camps in a field of Marijuana. All this, first bikes and more…
Image: Sam Manicom’s first bike: KDX 125
Image: Graham Field - First Bikes
Image: Graham Field - First Bikes
64 Ducati 250 Scrambler - Not the actual bike, but the same one as Grant Johnson’s first bike.
Grant Johnson: Second bike, 64-ish Bultaco 250 Pursang in '68. Not a great street bike, ;) though I rode both it and the Ducati to the races, raced and rode them home. (Lights were added to the Bultaco to make it street legal, but my girl friend was not impressed with it.)
Grant Johnson: Also my third bike, 750 Norton Scrambler for fun. You’d think I liked scramblers…
Brian Rix: Although Brian doesn’t have any photos of his early bikes, here’s a very detailed list he’s shared with us:
Yamaha LT100cc @1967-8
Honda Dream 305cc @1962 the one with the valanced guards and ‘rotary gearbox’
Ducati cub (a bitsa and a bomb) turned me off anything Italian…..) might have to get over that!
First road bike Honda CB350 twin circa 1972 – Ace bars, Dunstall megaphones….. blew it up chasing 750 Hondas…..
Honda CB750 K2 1972….. 4 into 1, Ace Bars, La Parisienne fairing…. 150 odd thousand Miles on that one….
Yamaha XV100 RH model with fully enclosed chain, V twin… highly sought after now.
Then BMW’s:
K100LT @ 50,00km on that
K1100LTSE - 120,000km on that one
R1150GS (first travel bike) 158,000km before I smashed it into a four wheel drive in the bush
R1200GSA ‘Big Red’ currently 309,000km
‘others’…..
1966 Royal Enfield 350cc (now a 535cc)
1984 Yamaha TT600 Trail bike for bush bashing
1984 BMW R100 (in a BMW 650 frame café racer (currently at the doctors…… needs a new crank…. Must have pushed it too hard too early.
1976 BMW R90s a very slow crankshaft up re-build and costing a mint!
1972 Honda 750 K2 (re-living my youth) full restored to original condition and a beautiful ride.
1993 Triumph 900cc Sprint. Recovered this one from a back yard and is now a good bike after a lot of blood sweat and tears.
1999 Kawasaki 1000GTR A shaft drive road tourer – goes VERY well……
Once I finish the R90s I’ll be looking for something else to re-build/restore……
…….Brian Rix
LINKS
SAM MANICOM:
The Book Depository - https://www.bookdepository.com/author/Sam-Manicom
Audible - https://www.audible.co.uk/search?searchAuthor=Sam+Manicom
GRANT JOHNSON:
Video Streaming - https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/free-dream
BRIAN RIX and SHIRLEY HARDY-RIX:
Wall to Wall Ride - https://walltowallride.com
Australia Health Minister showing how easy it is to put on a mask - https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-australia-greg-hunt-face-mask-video-struggles-to-put-on-covid19-protection-health-news/7422b933-dfef-435d-9ab9-aaf9ce601423