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When Men Were Men...

5K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  Rex in the Big Easy! 
#1 ·
#3 ·
My father also rode this one when he was in his 70's. When I first bought it (a Ducati 888SP4) it had a speedo in kilometers. I rode it round to show Dad my new bike and he wanted a ride and I told him it had a K calibrated speedo, but it started pouring with rain so it was a few days later before he had a go and by then I had put an MPH speedo on it. I forget to mention this as he was off on it as soon as I arrived. When he came back I was surprised to hear from him that whilst it was quick - "it took longer than expected to reach a ton". A short chat and the mystery was solved. He had taken it to an indicated 160 still thinking that it was a kilometers speedo and 160kph would be 100mph. So my 70+ year old father had just done 160mph on the Alton bypass! Mum was not amused, though dad clearly was and had a cigar and a beer to celebrate... My dad carried on riding bikes until he was 87 and then decided he was getting a bit old for bikes and bought himself a sports car
Holy shit, that's awesome!
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
"My father also rode this one when he was in his 70's. When I first bought it (a Ducati 888SP4) it had a speedo in kilometers. I rode it round to show Dad my new bike and he wanted a ride and I told him it had a K calibrated speedo, but it started pouring with rain so it was a few days later before he had a go and by then I had put an MPH speedo on it. I forget to mention this as he was off on it as soon as I arrived. When he came back I was surprised to hear from him that whilst it was quick - "it took longer than expected to reach a ton". A short chat and the mystery was solved. He had taken it to an indicated 160 still thinking that it was a kilometers speedo and 160kph would be 100mph. So my 70+ year old father had just done 160mph on the Alton bypass! Mum was not amused, though dad clearly was and had a cigar and a beer to celebrate... My dad carried on riding bikes until he was 87 and then decided he was getting a bit old for bikes and bought himself a sports car"





im speechless!! wow!
 
#6 ·
Thanks guys, nice to see that it touched your hearts too!

I sent the link directly to a few riding friends today and they've all emailed, simply blown away.

I also sent the guy who put it on the web a one-line email (his address is on there somewhere towards the end) just to say that I think it's one of the best things I've ever seen on the web and that I hope he collates it into a book or maybe even has a t.v. programme produced of it?

When you think about how often people debate at length 'what's the best bike to go touring on', whilst often ignoring forum posters who simply type 'the one you've got'; this certainly puts that clear sentiment into hard to refute context.

What they did back in the day is certainly more adventurous than having your kitted out to £20k GS Adv. being followed by a £40k all-terrain support truck with GPS and satellite phones doncha fink?

I love the lack of ludicrous togs, the making a cuppa by the side of the road spirit and yes the bit about the old fella thrashing the Duke. Old boys that rock. Gotta love 'em...
 
#11 ·
Really enjoyed reading that. Best of British!
There's me all puffed up about the 3,500km ride we're doing across Australia for WSB in Feb and then I read this......
Loved it!
 
#15 ·
What a wonderful story and brilliant photographs. It made me realise that the bikes shown which were virtually new in 1953 were the 'bangers' of my day when I first started riding in the late 60's.
We used to buy and sell bikes for just a few quid in those days. I paid £3 for my first bike, a non-runner James Comet 98cc 2 speed 2 stroke which only needed the silencer taking apart and carbon build up clearing out to get it running. I regularly went over the Snake Pass in winter and covered miles on that bike as many of us at that age couldn't afford a car (or particularly wanted one). I had to carry a spanner with me though to tighten the nut on the brass magneto every few days as it had a habit of coming undone - it came off once and rolled down the road in front of me but 10 minutes later I was off riding again.
The last bike I had before an accident and then impending marriage enforced a long break off 2 wheels until the mid 90's was a non-runner Norton 600 Dominator that had been in a shed for many years. £15 later and it was mine! One new magneto ring, oil and plug change and she fired up 3rd kick. It took 2 years of scrimping and saving to complete a full nut and bolt restoration and conversion to twin carb 600SS spec. Two weeks later and a car pulled across in front of me at some lights, writing off the bike and my wrist in the process!

Another lasting memory was being towed 30 miles down the M1 at 60mph on my broken down BSA B31 by my mate on his Norton Atlas. I don't think we'd get away with that nowadays!

Wonderful memories,but don't ask me to give up my Carbon Red and go back to those days - I'll settle for my AJS 250 project in the garage to bring those memories back when I eventually find time to get it started.!
 
#17 ·
"Achingly beautiful photos, with text that leaves you wanting more"
... Paul told me that his site has now had more than 14,000,000 hits. I told him to turn it into a book and maybe even a tv programme. He told me that he's definitely thinking of making it into a book. I think that's wise, I couldn't see him selling less than a million of those and I'd certainly be one of his first customers. Some tv programmes and books about old bikes are delivered in a way akin to watching paint dry whilst slashing your wrists. No story, passion, love or care. This is totally different, so charming and engaging. Good luck to him I say!
 
#18 ·
Thinking about Brough more and more. It would be foolish to buy one of the new ones; and I feel a great urge to be such a fool. Anyway, I thought I'd bump this thread because the top linked article is just so damned good. There is even some humorous Ducati content involving the author's father. I hope you enjoy the reading and especially the photographs as much as I have.
 
#22 · (Edited by Moderator)
Immensely enjoyed thread.

It's too bad the Original Poster (a diavel-forum.com Global Moderator from inception) disappears from existence over a year ago.

LoL! They come and they go! I'll always pray for the best.

BTW, where's Dansax been lately?
Say Good Night Dick.


WARNING!!!!! The day I'll ever leave this forum, You guys will now about it. That is, if I'm alive by then to provide all the details.


Thanks again for sharing Reid.

safe/calm
 
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