Greetings,

Here’s the latest from Chateau Motorcycle Trader.

Enjoy…

In the test shed

I’ve just been firing around the landscape on a Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport 4V, which is a complicated way of saying sports tourer. Guzzi is one of those brands you either love or dismiss as weird, and the Sport is a very different animal even for this brand. Big, boofy, grunty, a little quirky, and with a sensational bass note to the exhaust, it’s winning me. I wasn’t a fan of the styling, but am changing my mind as three folk in 48 hours have hauled me up, begging for a ride in exchange for unusual favours. “Motorcycle porn,” was one victim’s description. You’ll see the test next issue.

Meanwhile Ed Wootton has been playing with a Z1000 Kawasaki and lined it up against the legendary ‘Jaffa’ Z900 for an upcoming feature.

Young Mr Blackbourn has his scone-grabbers on a warmed-up Triumph Thunderbird, and is singing the praises of the operatic noise coming from the pipes. Blame his engineering background…

Spannerman, meanwhile, has been let loose on a BMW S1000 RR. “It’ll do 160 in first!” he tells us, before gibbering about flashing warning lights and traction control. Not sure where that’s going, but watch his column.

Coming home to roost

This is an issue at home (may soon be looking for a new home – not fussy, a corner of your shed will do) but I recently fell foul of temptation and bought not one but two Suzuki 1100s.

The current Motorcycle Trader mag explains the full horror of the situation, but the short version is I handed over large amounts of the folding for a near-mint 1986-build GSX-R1100H ‘slabbie’ and a 1981 GSX1100SXZ, aka a rare wire-wheeled Katana production racing model. Without having clapped eyes on either of them. It was all done by internet and phone.

This is risky. I have some detailed knowledge of each model, asked for lots of pictures, and spoke at length with each (interstate) owner before handing over the money. And got their home address.

None of this is bulletproof and I decided before each purchase that, if the worst happened, I could probably wear the financial loss. Yes, you’d be very very grumpy and looking for revenge – but the loss cannot be enough to lead to financial ruin. If it is, walk away. Or fly up there and exchange keys for cash.

I could have flown up in both cases (don’t you love cheap airfares?), but time was against me. Each bike would have taken two or three days to buy, ride home or store and transport.

There were some uncomfortable moments in the last month as I waited for the machines to be delivered by Motorcycle Transport & Logistics.

First the GSX-R turned up. It’s in truly stunning condition – not perfect but damned close. Frustratingly, it needed a new battery, which meant I couldn’t start it until the next day, leading to a night wondering if the thing was okay. It is.

I last rode one when they were new, over 20 years ago. Now it’s a little clumsy by current standards, but still appallingly fast, light, and happy.

And the Katana? This is a motorcycle I’ve lusted after for over 20 years. When it turned up in the driveway, it too was just fine.

Though the first time I rode the thing it steered like a truck. No fun.

I was really hoping not to do this but, bugger it, let’s shout it new tyres. A set of Avon Roadrunners made it a ‘new’ motorcycle, happily tipping in any time I liked.

Tyres really are cheap insurance and by far the easiest way to sort out the handling though I grumped about the $400-plus at the time.

I’m justifying both buys on the home front on the basis they’re investments, which they might be. Truth is though that they’re fast toys with loads of character.

This week, my perfect minimalist garage is a new do-anything motorcycle like a BMW GS series, and a big angry classic Suzuki. Of course next week it’ll be different…

Clearance week

With two toys to stuff in an over-full shed there’s an urgent need to find space, so I’ve revived my Ebay use. In recent weeks I’ve sold spare mufflers for a Triumph Daytona 1200 and crankcases for a Yamaha SR500, which has seen the bank account look a little less red. And a couple of other folk get essential bits for their favourite project bikes.

I like the quick and simple auctions for parts – you have to be ultra-honest to keep your reputation – because it’s a good way to clear out the “that might be handy one day” stuff. Cash is much more useful.

Also have a small fleet of ‘old skool’ dirt bikes (TT600, XT250 and TS185) to sell and Ebay isn’t the right forum. Putting them in the mag is a little slower, but I prefer the personal negotiation that goes on to ensure everyone is happy.

That’s it for this week…

Guy Allen