Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms TMers motorcycles

My first "big bike" after passing my test was a Triumph Bonneville T140 upon which a very young myself and Mrs FT ventured to France as our first holiday together (see pics below - a very different France back then as well). Whilst in France the engine decided to eat itself and we hitch-hiked home, the bike arriving two weeks later courtesy of the AA. In the meantime someone had leant me a Japanese bike, a Suzuki GS1000, which was a revelation: fast, smooth, comfortable, vibration-free and oil tight. Well that was it; there was no going back. Went through a succession of bikes always seeking that mythical beast the "perfect bike". Strangely I think I might have found it now in my Royal Enfield 350 Classic. Or maybeI've learned to live with its imperfections!

Bit flash having a rear disc brake mine had the old drum set up.

I ended up buying new in a futile gesture to save the Meridan Co-operative which was struggling at the time. I like to think I kept it going for a few more years!

Back in the day I converted (over several years) this



into this.



A 950 Le Mans look alike with nickel plated frame and full fairing although shown with it removed.

Latest acquisition is this.



A Royal Enfield Guerilla 452 water cooled single.

Nice. I really like a twin myself. My favourite engine of all time is the 1990s Ducati Desmoquattro … I’ve owned these two for over twenty years.

888 SP4 #374



996 SPS #407

Here you go.




The Guzzi Le Mans MKIII & the Bonnie are at our home in the Kawartelaan, Den Haag & the Enfield Bullet at the company house in Nairobi.
Missing are 3 Hondas, a Ducati Monster (not mine but dt=riven regularly) & a BMW K75S

Like the red painted FPS wheels John

I also have a couple of much rarer Ducatis:

2008 Desmosedici RR #1467 of 1500 built and the last one in the world sold new to me by Ducati Glasgow in 2012, with 3 years warranty and servicing included. I fitted fibreglass bodywork to replace the standard carbon fibre items, changed the suspension to make it compliant enough for road use, enlarged the fuel tank as its standard range was 60 miles, and changed the wheels for BKS carbon to accept modern rubber (the standard rear was 16.5 inch to mimic the MotoGP bike and hence there is only one specially produced tyre that would fit).

This made it quite a usable bike and I have taken it to the TT, toured Scotland, Spain, France, Germany and Italy on it and had it on track at the Nurburgring, Mugello, Misano, Portimao, Jerez, Almeria, Magny Cours, Donnington and Silverstone.



In all I did 15,000 miles on the bike within the first three years so that the big 50-hour engine out service would be free.



It is now the highest mileage example in the world by some margin. It has lived under my stairs for a few years but is going in to be recommissioned later this month.



900SS Baines Imola #007 of just 38 built. This one also really needs an enlarged petrol tank as it too only has a 60 mile range at best. I have a spare tank in my loft but it is going to be quite a job as the battery and igniter coil packs will need to be relocated.

That Ducati Desmosedici is impressive Dave. Apparently 0 - 125 mph in 7.4 seconds

It is quite the machine Richard … not so much the power and speed (quite enough, and exceptional in its day, though modern superbikes are faster) but the manner in which it is delivered … it is a genuine MotoGP replica. It is very loud, hot and stiff but up to 6,000 rpm the engine is a pussycat … much easier to manage than the v-twins in my collection. From 6-10,000 revs things happen at a blistering pace and it requires skill and commitment in equal measure to ride quickly. The harder you can ride it, the better it will handle. From 10-14000 rpm it is like Armageddon … it shakes, it screams and it genuinely feels like it wants to kill you. Full throttle down the rettelinio at Mugello on this bike is like nothing else I’ve ever ridden!