Britbike forum Forums General discussion The Rod and Tappet Holiday Monday's Fun

Easter and four days away from the Hell that is work, did some 'Honey Do' list stuff and a bit of motorsickly work, then before I knew, it was Bank Holiday Monday. I had Cochise booked into the Ashford show/jumble, and it was with massive trepidation that I dragged that particular machine out of the fettling shed, after nearly giving me my first heat attack trying to start this bugger last year, it has now left me with doubt in my mind. So much so, that I didn't even ride it to get petrol for it....


I took the easy way out, I had a can in the Commuter and as I fill that up twice a week I also filled the can, transferring the fuel when I got home, so now there sat on the drive was Cochise, a full tank, oil tank full and with brand new gearbox oil. Nothing left but to give it a go, went through the Priming lark, switched the key on, and.....

BURST into life FIRST kick, Happy Daze are here again....

I'd chosen a nice route to the show, through some villages and little lanes, out in the warming morning Sunshine, that bike sure is one smooth beauty. All was well in my World, 40 odd miles later there we were at the show.....






As I was TRYING to park the bike in the show, some bloke kept talking to me about how he used to have an Indian, y'all KNOW what type of bloke I'm on about here, no matter where I wanted to go there he was, proper getting in the way. So I stopped trying to roll the bike into position and just stood there looking at him, then he says...My mate outside has a stall, and has a Carb for one of these if you're interested, where I asked..? I'll wait till you park up says our hero, at LAST I managed to park up, sort meself out and away we went, our hero leading the way. And there it was, a Linkert M-18 looking like brand new and for hardly any money. So whether it fits Cochise or not, money was exchanged and its now mine. So I'll forgive that annoying bloke, just so glad I never told him the second word.....OFF...Y'all know the first word....


And so a mooching I did go, although this proved extremely difficult, I couldn't walk more that 50ft without someone who knew me. So I would have to stand there chatting, then there was that wonderful pastry stall. So that just HAD to be visited, but finally I got me some photos....















Me chums from the mighty BSA Kent Branch were there as well....



























This is a good little show/jumble and remember here dudes 99.9% of the bikes on display were ridden there, so it's not all trailer queens like most shows are these days, time was creeping on and looking at the clock I was well past Beer O'clock, nothing for it then but to say my goodbyes and roll Cochise outside and away from the crowds, nothing worse than trying to start a bike that has a reputation for not starting, with everyone and their dog having suggestions on why it won't start....


I need not have worried, cos after the priming lark, Cochise burst into life once more, a gentle rev of the engine, and it died....


WHAT...Went through it all again, and it died again, tried it once more but THIS time I turned the fuel ON....


And away we did go, all happy and content arriving soon after at a very local to me Micro Brewery, the Musket Brewery for a light refreshment whilst Cochise cooled in the afternoon Sunshine....








Next time I ride Cochise I MIGHT actually fill the tank at the station, it's starting that well now after all the winter fettling my mate did, I need to ride this machine loads this year, to get into the swing of things, but fear not, the FORTYINCHER will be dragged out very soon, for there is an overseas Rally afoot, stay tuned for that yarn....

Seems a vague familiarity about that place.
In the dim distant past would we have, for some reason, have been there?

Like the pcs btw

Bryan lad, fairly certain that you've not been to that Brewery, well not with me anyway, I only knew about it when the plague started. T'was the only place I could get decent Ale to take away, then I went down there with a bunch of Olde Brits and the Indian Riders Club had a stop over there on their FREE Rally last year, that's when Cochise nearly killed me trying to start the Bar Steward....

It was either going to be a box of matches and a gallon of Paraffin, OR, seek out a lad that knows he's stuff, and the yarn proves I choose the correct path for once. Must be the little bit of East End lad in me, Doug and Dinsdale Piranha were pussy cats compared to the stock I come from....

But you'll have to fill me full 'O' Ale to hear that yarn lad, already said too much, and you know careless talk and all that....

There were a lot of olde and rare bikes there but yours was in the top rank of them, when you and I were lads there was no such thing as an 81 year old motorcycle, because they hadn't been invented then...!

Lannis

Jeez do you mean that you & ol' TwoCoons is older than me!

Well, no, I don't think that would be possible .... Just saying that when Shaun and I were, say, 16 years old, an 81-year-old motorcycle then would have been from the late 1880's, and there weren't no such thing.

Now when YOU were 16 years old, an 81-year-old vehicle would have been ... what, a Roman chariot?

Lannis

Probalby why, back in the day, sidecars were known as "chariots"

Whenever I see those old chariot race films, the two phrases "male generative glands" and "church bells" come to mind .... !!

Lannis

Well they went on way past the 40's as I was born in 54
I can remember seeing thes same thing at Royal Easter Shows fairly regularly till I stopped going to them in the mid 70's
Usually a night event .
In those days the same arena was used for Friday night speedway so no doubt they were some speedway riders cranky because for the 2 weeks of the RES there was no speedway .