Got a thumper! (at last)

[fraggle850]

Thanks to everyone who has provided advice and encouragement; I am now the proud owner of an '86 XBR500 (for proud read 'grinning like a loon')

Expect further questions and requests for assistance in the near future.

Initial impressions are of how phyiscally small it feels and how I feel perched atop with my a**e in the air. Haven't had clip-ons before. Oh, and the rather fruity exhaust note from a cut-down predator end can.

I'm just off to play in the sunshine...

[xbruby]

Good init Fraggle?

Took my XBR out for a spin in the Peak District yesterday, bloody lovely!

Every time I ride my XBR I grin like an idiot, so join the club. Always reminds me that inter stellar performance is not necessary to enjoy a motorcyle.

My BT45's are nicley scrubbed in now so carving through the bends up through Via Gellia was an absoloute hoot! Can't wait for the warmer weather.

Andy


e author=fraggle850 link=topic=724.msg3956#msg3956 date=1172925761]
Thanks to everyone who has provided advice and encouragement; I am now the proud owner of an '86 XBR500 (for proud read 'grinning like a loon')

Expect further questions and requests for assistance in the near future.

Initial impressions are of how phyiscally small it feels and how I feel perched atop with my a**e in the air. Haven't had clip-ons before. Oh, and the rather fruity exhaust note from a cut-down predator end can.

I'm just off to play in the sunshine...

[fraggle850]

Yep! Absolutely fantastic!

I was wondering whether rose tinted spec's might be making me hanker after another 500 single but no, riding the XBR yesterday confirmed it for me.

My old 500 wasn't the fastest or sharpest handling bike I've owned but I really do think it gave the most smiles per mile; it's the one I aways think of and think 'I wish I'd kept that'

The XBR handles beautifully.

[guest7]

Some bloke rang me up to talk about his race tuned XBR and he said "of course i will have to change the frame, the standard one is rubbish".

I told him that if he cared to join a group of us on the A470 from Builth to Rhayader then we would prove to him that he was talking tosh.

If the power output went up a huge amount then the chassis might struggle, but as it is the bike handles like a darling.

I do get a bit fed up with power rangers telling me that my stuff is old-fashioned. I always want to remind them that the day they do a lap of the Island at something even approaching the speed of a Manx or Velo then they can lecture me about chassis design.

Glad to hear you're enjoying the bike, just remember, 1,000 mile oil changes and Castrol GTX is fine at those sort of intervals.
GC