Motorcycle Investor mag
What's happening
Suzuki XR69 for sale, Nov 25
Classic Suzuki track weapon for a sale - a snip at Au$57,000...Facebook video
Pantah Auction, Nov 24
A reasonably well preserved (but not perfect) 1981 Ducati Pantah 500 with around 34,000km sold at auction in the USA last week for Au$7800, which seems like solid buying. You don’t see the come up very often and they’re a very significant bike in Ducati history - essentially the starting point of the entire modern range.
Here’s the listing.
Pantah profile.
Home-built BSA V-twin, Nov 23
Another amazing one-off BSA built by Doug Fraser. See the story from Old Bike magazine.
SIxties Boxer Scrambler, Nov 21
BMW 600cc Scrambler claiming 47hp and built in 1967 for Swede Boss RIndar.
Mr Trustworthy, Nov 20
First proper hot day in Melbourne tomorrow, and I need to be on deck early for a mag deadline. There’s only one choice of mount in the home fleet - previous experience says nothing puts it off its game. It’s seen much worse. (YouTube video 2013)
New rubber for the Alice Springs Boxer, Nov 20
Much-needed rubber going on the 1989 R100GS Paris Dakar at Pablos Motorcycle Tyres in sunny Melbourne. That’s Rick doing the fitting, and it’s always fascinating to watch an expert at work.
He makes it look easy, but had a few goes at seating the bead on the rims before he was satisfied. I first watched him do this 30-odd years ago, and it’s still interesting. There’s a process at work that is part logic and mostly feel and experience.
The previous old hoops got worn out on the 2200km Alice Springs to Melbourne pick-up run.
We went for Metzeler Tourance - as good as any other option and in stock.
Next step, getting a roadworthy cert, so we can put it on club plates.
Look for the upcoming story in Motorcycle Trader mag.
#homingboxer
Happy video, Nov 19
Something to brighten your day... (Facebook video)
R&R for the R100GS, Nov 17
Rest and repair day for the R100GS Paris Dakar. We've fitted new carburettor diaphragms to replace the badly damaged ones that were in it, fitted a new front brake master cylinder kit and replaced a rear indicator stalk. Total cost about $230 and it's made a big difference. See the next Motorcycle Trader mag for the story on the trip.
Speeder in New York, Nov 16
We all need one of these...
Exercising the Strokers, Nov 15
Honda exercising some of its priceless two-stroke GP bike collection.
Supercharged Honda 500-Four, Nov 14
Supercharged 1971 Honda 500-Four, anyone? For sale on Facebook at $9000.
Double K0s, Nov 12
Not one but two Honda CB750-Four K0s coming up at different Shannons auctions over coming weeks.
Sydney, 18 Nov;
Melbourne, 9 Dec.
We made it, Nov 9
Homing Boxer update: well, that’s it. Made it! We’ve completed the Alice Springs to Melbourne run on the newly-acquired R100GS PD. Against expectations, the dodgy repairs to carburettor diaphragms held up for 1800km of the 2200km trip and the bike is still running okay.
Have ordered a few parts online, including new carb bits and a sorely-needed front brake master cylinder rebuild kit.
This is my third buy-fly-ride home trip in the last couple of years (two from Alice Springs, one from Brisbane) and I can recommend the experience, even if you cop the odd drama!
Now, there must be something interesting for sale in Perth...
Look for the upcoming story in Motorcycle Trader mag.
#homingboxer
Dodgy repair survives another day, Nov 8
Homing Boxer update: another 500km-plus racked up on the dodgy race tape carburettor diaphragm repair - we’ve made it to Mildura.
Spent the day getting blown all over the road and riding through a dust storm that seemed to have its own postcode.
Today’s “how the hell did they get away with that” award goes to the massive Dunlop billboard east of Renmark, which spans the entire highway!
It seems the company once sponsored the local speedway (thanks to Brian Rix for the info) and now the sign highlights the local phylloxera checking station. Phyllo...whatever is an insect that’s deeply unpopular with local grape growers.
Nevertheless, imagine trying to get that through planning in the city!
#homingboxer
And our favourite road sign from the trip...
Triple Bypass, Nov 8
Proof yesterday's dodgy carburettor fix actually works! #homingboxer
Boxer smiles, Nov 7
Homing Boxer update: who would have thought it would work? This morning we discovered the cause of the running dramas - wouldn’t rev above 4000, using huge quantities of fuel - was two badly torn carburettor diaphragms.
The instant dodgy fix was to use patches of a vinyl race tape I’d picked the previous day to rescue a loose indicator.
Incredibly the tape has held and the bike is running pretty well. We’ve done just shy of 800km today and have pulled up for the night in Port Augusta.
There’s a good chance it will make it home as is. If not, I have a few spare metres of tape...
#homingboxer
Boxer fix, maybe? Nov 7
Homing Boxer woes: found the culprits. Repaired with a little vinyl tape and hoping for the best.
#homingboxer
Boxer dramas, Nov 6
Well it’s been an entertaining day on the homing boxer. The trip from Alice Springs to Melb is going much slower than planned, due to a mystery ailment that prevents it revving much past 4000rpm.
That means a top speed of 110km/h on the flat and utterly appalling fuel consumption.
All sorts of components have been checked across several stops, with no luck so far.
Have consulted with Motorcycle Trader Mag’s very own Spannerman, and he reckons the next thing to do is check and seal the carb diaphragms.
Of course the screws In the tops of the Bing carbs are stuck fast, so hopefully an overnight bath in penetrating fluid will change things.
Meanwhile we’ve pulled up in Marla, a couple of hundred kays short of our intended target of Coober Pedy.
There was no point in staying out and playing chicken with the roo population.
Wish us luck...
#homingboxer
Boxer pick-up, Nov 5
And here it is, the R100GS PD with John B from Alice Springs.
This is the second bike I’ve bought from him and ridden home to Melbourne - the first was a Kawasaki GPz900R.
Like last time, he and a few mates from the Ulysses Club plan to escort me out of town in the morning...
#homingboxer
Homing Boxer, Nov 5
That dry-looking country out the aircraft window is South Australia. On the way to Alice Springs to pick up a 1989 BMW R100GS Paris-Dakar this afternoon, and ride it back home to Melbourne.
It won’t be as shiny as the one shown in the brochure shot.
I road-tested one for a mag when they were new and remember them fondly. It’ll be fun to see how 30-year-old version stacks up.
Wish us luck...
Model profile & specs
#homingboxer
Merlin Monster for sale, Nov 5
Remember Lucky Kaiser and his monster V-twin bike, displacing five litres from two cylinders cut off a Merlin aviation engine? The machine was a regular at shows from the mid-1980s and is now on the market for a heady $240k!
Suzuki GS750 offering, Nov 4
Suzuki GS750. Under-rated in Australia, but a very significant model in Suzuki history. It is essentially what gave the company credibility in the then burgeoning big four-stroke market. This 1977 example is for sale at Mick Hone Motorcycles for $8k. Suzuki GS series profile at Wikipedia.
Aston Brough, Nov 1
Aston Martin and Brough Superior are to unveli a collaboration bike in Milan omn Nov 5. Let's hope it loks more polished than the latter's current efforts. See more here.
Plunger Bimmers, Nov 1
From Garth Asmussen to the BMW Airheads group on Facebook: "Hello to all I am a machinist, welder and hobby builder in Pittsburgh PA. I concentrate on Airhead powered plunger frame bikes. Hope you all can appreciate, lots of hours and elbow grease in my builds."
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