The "Moocher" says hello.
Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:59 am
Me: old bloke who passed bike test on a borrowed Ariel Arrow in 1965 (two days earlier on my old BSA Bantam I had "T" boned an uninsured SMIDSY.
My bikes ( this is to share my history so you'll know just how far back I am in the knowledge department) :-
1961 350 Royal Enfield sold for £30 to finance next project, Hell do you know how much it would be worth now?
1954 500 BSA B33 Built up from a box of bits slow but in those days so was everything else. Gave it away when wife and child came along.
Reliant Supervan 111 say no more needs must etc.
Ex Police 'Noddy Bike' 200cc Velocette. So quiet that only by blip'ing the throttle could you tell the engine was running.
M125 Puch - Brilliant commuter that took me all over the country.
80cc Suzuki - that was found rotting in a friends garden and rebuilt
90 cc Jawa trail bike - rotary valve two stroke wheelie machine
new 350 Jawa 40000 miles and then was completely worn out.
two 70cc Honda step through's London commuter requirements
Off bikes 1985 to 1990
XBR 500 Honda nice little single
New NTV 650 not as good as I had hoped and rattled ( needed a louder can)
VX800 Suzuki nice engine but shy of corners. sold it due to frozen shoulder problems which was misdiagnosed as arthritis
Off bikes from 1996 to 2003
600 Yamaha Diversion (vibrated - horrid thing worse bike I ever had)
BT 1100 Bulldog - Could be ridden all day but top heavy and a bit slow
500 TMAX Scooter easy handling twist and go that showed up a couple of 848 Ducati's on local B roads
and another not as nice as the first one so traded in for
2009 1250 Suzuki Bandit - went fast enough for me but my old legs were not strong enough to hold it up with confidence.
2010 800 Suzuki Intruder low seat and nice handling but not enough poke
2011 1500 Suzuki Intruder* mid range grunt and ok up to indicated 80 then the air blast gets a bit much
2009 Suzuki 650 Vstrom - got it as a rat bike to save the Intruder from winter muck
March 2012 750 GSR ( lasted 6 hours before another SMIDSY took me out rather than hit a Pheasant)
July 2012 750 GSR ( Soon as I was able to ride again - well I had to didn't I) After 3000 miles I realised it as just too small for me.
2008 1000 Suzuki VStrom
2013 650 Vstrom*
I think there is 'V' engine pattern here
1997 1000 Firestorm.*
* bikes now in the garage
At the local petrol station, about a year ago, I saw a really nice old bike on a "P" plate and just had to go over to the rider and say how nice his bike looked. I had never heard of the Firestorm. Then a week ago I saw an add in MCN for a Firestorm in my area and thought that well this is probably my last chance in life to ride something different and out of my comfort zone. I went to see it and yes it was the same bike I had seen earlier and with only 10700 miles on the clock I just could not resist.
I have no handbook for the bike so I will have to ask you all for help with even the basic stuff.
Best regards to all
"Moocher"
My bikes ( this is to share my history so you'll know just how far back I am in the knowledge department) :-
1961 350 Royal Enfield sold for £30 to finance next project, Hell do you know how much it would be worth now?
1954 500 BSA B33 Built up from a box of bits slow but in those days so was everything else. Gave it away when wife and child came along.
Reliant Supervan 111 say no more needs must etc.
Ex Police 'Noddy Bike' 200cc Velocette. So quiet that only by blip'ing the throttle could you tell the engine was running.
M125 Puch - Brilliant commuter that took me all over the country.
80cc Suzuki - that was found rotting in a friends garden and rebuilt
90 cc Jawa trail bike - rotary valve two stroke wheelie machine
new 350 Jawa 40000 miles and then was completely worn out.
two 70cc Honda step through's London commuter requirements
Off bikes 1985 to 1990
XBR 500 Honda nice little single
New NTV 650 not as good as I had hoped and rattled ( needed a louder can)
VX800 Suzuki nice engine but shy of corners. sold it due to frozen shoulder problems which was misdiagnosed as arthritis
Off bikes from 1996 to 2003
600 Yamaha Diversion (vibrated - horrid thing worse bike I ever had)
BT 1100 Bulldog - Could be ridden all day but top heavy and a bit slow
500 TMAX Scooter easy handling twist and go that showed up a couple of 848 Ducati's on local B roads
and another not as nice as the first one so traded in for
2009 1250 Suzuki Bandit - went fast enough for me but my old legs were not strong enough to hold it up with confidence.
2010 800 Suzuki Intruder low seat and nice handling but not enough poke
2011 1500 Suzuki Intruder* mid range grunt and ok up to indicated 80 then the air blast gets a bit much
2009 Suzuki 650 Vstrom - got it as a rat bike to save the Intruder from winter muck
March 2012 750 GSR ( lasted 6 hours before another SMIDSY took me out rather than hit a Pheasant)
July 2012 750 GSR ( Soon as I was able to ride again - well I had to didn't I) After 3000 miles I realised it as just too small for me.
2008 1000 Suzuki VStrom
2013 650 Vstrom*
I think there is 'V' engine pattern here
1997 1000 Firestorm.*
* bikes now in the garage
At the local petrol station, about a year ago, I saw a really nice old bike on a "P" plate and just had to go over to the rider and say how nice his bike looked. I had never heard of the Firestorm. Then a week ago I saw an add in MCN for a Firestorm in my area and thought that well this is probably my last chance in life to ride something different and out of my comfort zone. I went to see it and yes it was the same bike I had seen earlier and with only 10700 miles on the clock I just could not resist.
I have no handbook for the bike so I will have to ask you all for help with even the basic stuff.
Best regards to all
"Moocher"
