1
New toy: it's an '87 RS, but not as we know it! Mon Feb 29, 2016 1:00 pm
sidecar paul
Life time member
Between 1972 and 1986, I spent many a weekend competing at road race events organised by the Vincent Owners Club, the Vintage MCC, the MCC and any 'modern' race meetings that had a class for older bikes.
All the bikes I rode were actually converted road bikes, so they never left the factory as racing motorcycles, even though they looked the part.
This Vincent Series 'A' Comet Special came close as it was the road version of their TT Replica with a bronze head, Amal TT carb and 5X cam.
I also had a lot of fun on my friend's Vincent Grey Flash replica. (the great John Surtees rode a genuine Grey Flash early in his career.)
As a diversion from Vincents, I built this OHC Norton from bits, starting with a 1937 engine that I bought for £2; ah, those were the days!
Sometime in the early '80's, a friend of mine bought a 125 water cooled racing Bultaco and I had the opportunity of riding it at a practice day at Donnington Park. What a delightful little bike to ride, being as flat as a BSA Bantam until it hit it's power band and then it flew. I was sorry when he sold it, but at least I had ridden a genuine racing motorcycle.
Over the last couple of years, I thought that, as two strokes seem to be disappearing from the racing scene, there must be some racing 125's on the market and, last August, I went to see a Honda RS125R for sale in Kent. A ride around a car park convinced me that I had to have one of these.
That particular one wasn't precisely what I was after, but I eventually found one for sale in Japan
. In December I collected it from the importers in Bristol and, for a 29 year old bike, it's in fantastic condition.....I don't think it ever saw rain until I loaded it onto my trailer! It's a 1987 RS 125 R NF4.
I wasn't sure about posting all this, but, as you all want some sort of K connection, well, here it is:-
Well, I do like the idea of having a 125 with a 130mph potential made for one purpose only and these Hondas were ridden by such riders as Danny Pedrosa, Tony Elias, Joey Dunlop and Neil Hodgeson to name but a few. I just love it.
Paul.
All the bikes I rode were actually converted road bikes, so they never left the factory as racing motorcycles, even though they looked the part.
This Vincent Series 'A' Comet Special came close as it was the road version of their TT Replica with a bronze head, Amal TT carb and 5X cam.
I also had a lot of fun on my friend's Vincent Grey Flash replica. (the great John Surtees rode a genuine Grey Flash early in his career.)
As a diversion from Vincents, I built this OHC Norton from bits, starting with a 1937 engine that I bought for £2; ah, those were the days!
Sometime in the early '80's, a friend of mine bought a 125 water cooled racing Bultaco and I had the opportunity of riding it at a practice day at Donnington Park. What a delightful little bike to ride, being as flat as a BSA Bantam until it hit it's power band and then it flew. I was sorry when he sold it, but at least I had ridden a genuine racing motorcycle.
Over the last couple of years, I thought that, as two strokes seem to be disappearing from the racing scene, there must be some racing 125's on the market and, last August, I went to see a Honda RS125R for sale in Kent. A ride around a car park convinced me that I had to have one of these.
That particular one wasn't precisely what I was after, but I eventually found one for sale in Japan
. In December I collected it from the importers in Bristol and, for a 29 year old bike, it's in fantastic condition.....I don't think it ever saw rain until I loaded it onto my trailer! It's a 1987 RS 125 R NF4.I wasn't sure about posting all this, but, as you all want some sort of K connection, well, here it is:-
Well, I do like the idea of having a 125 with a 130mph potential made for one purpose only and these Hondas were ridden by such riders as Danny Pedrosa, Tony Elias, Joey Dunlop and Neil Hodgeson to name but a few. I just love it.
Paul.
__________________________________________________
'84 K100RS (0014643) (owned since '85), 86 K100RS (0018891) with Martello sidecar (built as an outfit in '88),
'51 Vincent (since '67),'72 Montesa Cota (from new), '87 Honda RS125R NF4 (bought 2015)
....No CARS never ever!
Ah power bands, the good auld days.... been to a few race meetings, especially the amature races, and i've come to the conclusion that yer all mad..
