Photos Classic Motorcycles and Traditional Knives

[Travman]

I have spotted a few classic motorcycles in the background of your pictures. Let’s see what you have stashed away in your garage this winter while we wait for good riding weather and clear roads. @The Zieg , ArchiveMoto

 

[Travman]

These were from last winter while working on my 1970 Moto Guzzi Ambassador.

 

[Henry Beige]

You have some pretty good taste in motorbikes there. I have put a lot of miles on airheads over the years; each one usually had an Opinel and an SAK in the tool tray. I think the R75s and R80s make the best all-around roadsters. Never owned get a plain-bearing R60, but have ridden a couple and found them quite pleasant.

How is the brake on your Ambassador? They can be made to stop as well as a /5 with (quite a bit of) fettling. I had one in my garage for a couple of months, but not long enough to sort the brake completely. My best Guzzi was a 1978 LM, now in the hands of the son of the guy who sold it to me. My only remaining one is a V50 Monza (autocorrect wants to say Monsanto).

 

[Travman]

You have some pretty good taste in motorbikes there. I have put a lot of miles on airheads over the years; each one usually had an Opinel and an SAK in the tool tray. I think the R75s and R80s make the best all-around roadsters. Never owned get a plain-bearing R60, but have ridden a couple and found them quite pleasant.

How is the brake on your Ambassador? They can be made to stop as well as a /5 with (quite a bit of) fettling. I had one in my garage for a couple of months, but not long enough to sort the brake completely. My best Guzzi was a 1978 LM, now in the hands of the son of the guy who sold it to me. My only remaining one is a V50 Monza (autocorrect wants to say Monsanto).

I have heard good things about the R75’s and R80’s. The drum brakes on the Ambassador works about as well as the brakes on the R60. Although, the Ambo is heavier so it probably takes longer to stop. The Ambassador my favorite for riding the local country roads. It is very relaxing with excellent pull, but not really fast.

 

[redsparrow]

1982 - Honda's First V-Twin

Honda designed this one to included many of the latest and greatest technologies available in it's time. Motor-sports writers of it's day speculated Honda was attempting to produce another game changing machine like their 1969-750 or their 1975 Gold Wing. Some of the then cutting edge innovations include; a water cooled transverse V-Twin with overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, shaft-drive, electronic ignition, comstar wheels etc. This particular Silver Wing is always ready to roll down the road whenever they are clear of ice and snow. It's sister model the CX500 is a favored platform among builders of cafe racers.

These two contemporaries of an "82" Honda could easily have accompanied it's rider on various excursions, riding comfortably in either the trunk or it's spacious saddlebags.

edit to add pics

 

[afishhunter]

My last classic bike was a 1965 Triumph T100C.
One of the most reliable bikes I've ever owned.

After 0.5 to 0.75 miles, on average, you could rely on one of the cylinders to quit firing.
You could also rely on one end of the clutch cable pulling off every time you took it for a ride, so you could even rely on pushing it home.
(Yes, it had a new clutch, installed by a Triumph motorcycle shop. They also tuned it up, just before I bought the bike.)

 

[Travman]

1982 - Honda's First V-Twin

Honda designed this one to included many of the latest and greatest technologies available in it's time. Motor-sports writers of it's day speculated Honda was attempting to produce another game changing machine like their 1969-750 or their 1975 Gold Wing. Some of the then cutting edge innovations include; a water cooled transverse V-Twin with overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, shaft-drive, electronic ignition, comstar wheels etc. This particular Silver Wing is always ready to roll down the road whenever they are clear of ice and snow. It's sister model the CX500 is a favored platform among builders of cafe racers.

These two contemporaries of an "82" Honda could easily have accompanied it's rider on various excursions, riding comfortably in either the trunk or it's spacious saddlebags.

That is a very nice lightweight tourer. I like the color. I am familiar with the CX500 and GL500. I owned a cafe racer CX500 for a few years. That bike now lives with my younger brother. Nice period knife selection too.

 

[redsparrow]

Thanks Trav. Honda used many of Guzzi's styling points in it's design. The GL500 is an extremely low maintenance machine, good for a slow 400 mi. day. Which is about all I'm good for so we're compatible. For the last several years it's been relegated to Sunday jaunts on which I most often carry a TRADITIONAL KNIFE, usually a VICTORINOX FARMER.
Fantastic looking Ambassador you have there! Top of the line Italian iron, very special and low miles, nice .
(includes knife content )

 

[Danke42]

Great shots. Beemer brings back the memories of pulling over beside the road to balance carbs and set the valves. All with the included toolkit. The current stable only goes back to 2000 so no classics here.

 

[Henry Beige]

I never owned a CX500,but I bought one for my son when he graduated from high school. It came with a Sportster-styled tank and a big fairing, both of which I traded for an old style humpback tank. We painted it International Safety Black, aka Rustoleum Satin Black. I think he had a pretty good time with me at Sturgis that year, but I know he did not like riding up the rock steps on a road behind Pactola, and he did not enjoy the road across Cuny Table, until we met the Italian tourists at the CUny Table cafe, who oohed and ahead over his Moto Guzzi t-shirt.

Never had a T100c, either, but my buddy Jeffie had one that I rode in a vintage motocross once, and a few years later took over Guanella Pass in February on the Elephant Ride. Aside from the weight, it was not a bad off-road bike, very torquey and predictable.

I used my little Anza to scrape a goobered-up primary gasket once, before knocking out a replacement with a plastic mallet and a brown paper bag.

 

[Travman]

I’d like to own another CX500 or maybe a CX650, which was made for one year. I doubt I will though. I have too many motorcycles as it is.

This 79 Workhorse whittler is often with me in the garage. I like it because it has all the main blade styles covered.

 

[redsparrow]

At one time I had a CX and a GL500 and it came time to sell one. A Japanese man here on a 5 year work visa was interested in buying so I gave him his choice. He picked the CX saying, in Japan the CX400 was the ultimate bike. He continued to explain, it was comparable in his country to the desirability of a Harley Electra Glide to an American. He said he never thought he'd own one. Of course he chose the CX and I was glad he had his grail bike.
Later on I found a sweet CX650 but at the time I already had 4 bikes in the garage and a wife who was strongly suggesting, I only needed three. Which is how many I have now, far short of the perfect number but, I do still have one very happy marriage.
I can think of at least 10 European Classics I'd like but, space constraints only permit subscribing to Classic Magazines and a couple shows a year. Fortunately knives don't take up too much space. Nice whittler BTW.
Looking forward to many more vintage bikes with traditional knives.

EDC knife on EDR (everyday ride) motorcycle

 

[ArchiveMoto]

Does it count if my knife was still in my watch pocket Happy to see this thread pop up as old motorcycles and motorcycle history are a passion of mine. I take my little 1941 Indian Scout up to Wildwood, NJ each year to run with my buddies on the beach at what is called the Race of Gentlemen. I'm fat and slow, but I wouldn't miss losing for the world. I will get a proper photo with a knife on it before long to post up.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Subscribed, two of my favorite things, vintage bikes and knives, (vintage and modern).

My only vintage is a 33 year old Yamaha Venture, aka my Road Sofa. I'll have to get some pics up and visit my buddy's shop to see what bikes he's workin' on. Love the old British and American scooters as well as the Italians and Japanese bikes. I have lots of pics of old ride just none with bikes.

Here's some pics of my buddy's house. He just got divorced, said his wife complained that there were bike parts everywhere, he might as well have a whole bike in the living room. He took that as permission. He noticed she was missin' by the weekend, on Monday his divorce papers were delivered, that afternoon the Norton went right into the living room. Here's some other pics from that day.

Lucky guy .

These were the knives I had with me that day.

 

[Travman]

Does it count if my knife was still in my watch pocket Happy to see this thread pop up as old motorcycles and motorcycle history are a passion of mine. I take my little 1941 Indian Scout up to Wildwood, NJ each year to run with my buddies on the beach at what is called the Race of Gentlemen. I'm fat and slow, but I wouldn't miss losing for the world. I will get a proper photo with a knife on it before long to post up.

Wow! That looks like fun. I’d love to see and hear your Scout running on the beach.

 

[ArchiveMoto]

Wow! That looks like fun. I’d love to see and hear your Scout running on the beach.

It is too much fun to be honest, all pre-war American bikes and hotrods running drags for two days, always seem to need at least a week to recover.

 

[ArchiveMoto]

Here is another that I shared a few weeks back in the 78 thread. My buddy Dale has a ridiculous motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley, NC and a few weeks ago we got this 1913 Harley running again after at least 80 years of sitting dormant. Really did nothing invasive, just heated up old oil to drain it out, lubed everything to death, put some NOS tires on the rims, cleaned the points, new fluids and she fired after only a few hours of loving. Headed back on Tuesday to get a 19 Harley going again, will snag a pic with something special for sure.

 

[davemonkey]

Here is another that I shared a few weeks back in the 78 thread. My buddy Dale has a ridiculous motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley, NC and a few weeks ago we got this 1913 Harley running again after at least 80 years of sitting dormant. Really did nothing invasive, just heated up old oil to drain it out, lubed everything to death, put some NOS tires on the rims, cleaned the points, new fluids and she fired after only a few hours of loving. Headed back on Tuesday to get a 19 Harley going again, will snag a pic with something special for sure.

You must be talking about Wheels Through Time. I went once 3 or 4 years ago. That place is unbelievable. Way too much to see in the few hours we were there. Even though they were busy, the owners were more than willing to answer questions and share the enthusiasm. Hope to make it back this summer.

 

[davemonkey]

OK, so not a bona fide classic but it was 60 degrees here in KY today so I got out my modern T100. Had this Schatt & Morgan easy open #06 with me. Matches a little even. And to keep the classic theme here is a 73 Honda Scrambler I got rid of a couple years back.

 

[ArchiveMoto]

You must be talking about Wheels Through Time. I went once 3 or 4 years ago. That place is unbelievable. Way too much to see in the few hours we were there. Even though they were busy, the owners were more than willing to answer questions and share the enthusiasm. Hope to make it back this summer.

The very same Dave, it is my personal Shangrila being a fan of the early American stuff. Dale and the fine folks there have become friends over the years and he and I actually host a web series about the machines and history they preserve there. Living in Atlanta I am a bit spoiled as I have Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley, the insane Barber Vintage Museum in Birmingham, The Coker Tire Museum in Chattanooga, and a good friend of mine here in town has an immense collection of pre-war German and Brit bikes at Blue Moon Cycles. It is good to live in the south if you dig old bikes, actually headed to Barber on Sunday for a meeting so will snap some pics there with whatever I am carrying.