Thumper Club Forum
Club House => Chatter => Topic started by: xbally on August 08, 2022, 06:39:58 PM
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Here's a pic of my latest acquisition
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WOWSERS Martin, I haven’t clocked eyes on one of those in a very long time. Is it roughly circa 1978/79? Used to know a lad (not that well😉) that had one in exactly that colour.
Have you been out on it yet? Hopefully it rekindles a touch of that hooligan youth in you😉
Cheers, Michael
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Hi Michael.
Bit of a story to how I got this.
I've had my eye on for a while. A friend of mine got it from the first owner who had it from first reg in 1974.
It's done under 3K miles believe it or not.
I was going to have a new one when I turned 17 in 1974 but by chance I managed to get a used 250 instead.
I had the sales brochure for the 185 and 125 from a local dealer and was trading up from my Fizzie.
It was actually the PO's wife who the bike was for but I understand she didn't ride it much and it was carefully stored away for most of its life.
My mate got it in the last couple of years and recommissioned it but didn't restore as such.
Took him ages to get off the preservative which had ben used.
It's still on the OE tyres. Normally these would be changed as a matter of course but they were deflated and stored with zero sunlight and there are no cracks or anything in them.
I will only be riding this occasionally during the better weather. Yes I've ridden it about 100 miles and it rides like new unbelievably.
My mate has gone through everything. You would think the crank seals would have gone but the PO was an engineer and knew how to look after and store it.
It's lost the original reg-it's a Birmingham bike and I have the one and only previous MOT cert. Bike came from Vale Onslow's some may have heard of.
Tank had to be re-sprayed as it got dented in storage but side panels are original.
There is some pitting on some of the chrome but it would be a shame to lose any patina.
The 185 has a leccy start which is weired as well but it usually starts first kick!
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Jimmy in the squad, in the IoM Forestry Lands and Mines Board went and bought a blue one of those brand new, when he started. That would have been 1976.
It's that lack of "patina" that takes the shine off owning something like that for me, but I hope that you can enjoy it xbally.
Good health, Bill
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Great story Martin, there can not be many left in that kind of untouched condition. Although I do in some respect feel it a tad sad that a bike has been bought and squirrelled away somewhere and not ridden. However I suppose one could say “their loss, your gain” hope you enjoy it and those folks down brummie way better get used to the sound of a screaming two stroke flying by. 😉👍
Cheers, Michael
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What a nice bike. I was very jealous of a mate of mine back in 1975 as I was pootling around on my CZ125 in two-tone baby shit brown and cream and he was whizzing around on his new blue GT185. I could only keep up with him as he was an awful rider who gave up bikes about two years later!
Have fun and enjoy that 2 stroke ring-a-ding.
Ian
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Hope your trip down memory lane is every but as sweet as the bike looks, Martin. Ps are you sure those tyres haven't hardened off at all?
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What an absolute gem. You lucky so and so Martin! I'm really envious because it comes from "my era". Enjoy every second on it mate. Perhaps we could find room for it on the stand at Stafford? 🤔 Only joking!
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Matt-no I was amazed to find the tyres are like new but I totally understand caution to be the bye word. If I use it more than I anticipate or if there is any sign of age I will replace. I do trust the professional judgement of the two PO's though. IIRC the 70's Jap tyres were one of the first things we got rid of.
Ians-I have coveted this bike since I first saw it. It is very pretty in a 70's Jap way and it was my era too.
As I said only the tank has been painted and apart from minor pitting of the chrome it looks as though it's just come out of the showroom back in the day. Even the frame paint is original with the great welding of the day.
It does need to be ridden though-being a 2T it isn't really happy until it's in the power band.
There are two keys as well which is a bit of pain. I was told someone tried to nick it and damaged either the ignition or the steering lock.
It's good to have some the history that goes with it after all these years. I feel more like a custodian than owner!
Michael-I don't think it was deliberately squirrelled away-just how things panned out.