It is my dad's 65th birthday next Jan and I was trying to come up with something special(ish) for him. I am thinking of a bike to help him wind back the years, nothing flash, just something he would never expect of me and a budget of approx 1k. He lives in the IOM and still rides (albeit a Harley) but he is still quite handy on most things he rides. My thoughts so far are: 1. Something I can remember him owning - Z400, Honda VT500E, VFR750, ZX10 being the older models. I think I have ruled out the bigger two for the reason he does not really ride sports bikes much anymore. 2. Something from 1950 the year he was born or '66ish when he would have first started riding. I am thinking twinshock trials - OSSA, BSA ect. I don't really know where to start. I have looked on evil bay and there are a few things that have caught my eye but I don't want to spend my life traveling the country on wasted trips to try to buy something to bring back to Herts and then have to transport again, but I don't mind for the right bike and the right money. Anyone have any sensible suggestions of where to start looking? Or any advice on the older stuff and what I should be looking for? Am I living in cloud cookoo land thinking I can get something that preferably needs little work for the budget I have set myself? Above all, I would like him to be surprised and have something he can enjoy at his leisure without him having to do a lot of work to get an old dog running. Cheers
What about a bike from the year you were born or the bike he owned when you were born celebrating both of you? Twin shock trials are quite small is he flexible enough to sit on them?
Very nice, ossa mar Is your Dad a project kind of person or must it be a runner, for your budget there is a few projects out there, the Triumph link above looks interesting.
If it is anything like mine, it will keep him well occupied.........what a b*****d mine was, wouldn't keep running, wouldn't start etc etc etc..........despite hour after hour and loads of dosh spent, I finally gave up and broke the d*mn thing. This might be easier to live with.... BSA Bantam D14 For Sale (1969) on Car And Classic UK [C494984] or this Kawasaki GPZ 900 - barn find. complete For Sale (1988) on Car And Classic UK [C468033]
Thanks for the reply guys. Yeah he would be fine with a kick start...he might be 65 but his wife is 34 so there is life in the old dog! GPZ I will steer away from as it is too big. I had spotted the OSSA and have a bid on it. Gonna call the guy and see if I can buy it earlier than the acution.
Spoke to the guy re the OSSA and he wants to let the auction run which is fair enough. He did say it has no paperwork as it is 1972 and never been on the road. So knowing nothing about this, how hard would it be to register a 1972 bike with no paperwork? I would assume it has engine and frame numbers? (something I forgot to ask) Cheers
We driving to France and the top end of Spain Catalunya for our holidays and in the local town is a small bike shop with lots of mint trails bikes, they do look good when restored.
Missed out on the OSSA. I put a cheeky 1180.00 bid on it with 20 mins to go and was the leading bidder. Was a but over what I wanted to pay but was prob worth 14/1500. Ended up going for 1200.00. Still a few months till the old mans birthday, who knows what will turn up.
Something completely different? 1974 JAWA 350 or BSA BANTAM 175CC, 1965, STARTS AND RIDES (SPRING PROJECT) BSA BANTAM 1968 125cc IDEAL SPRING PROJECT Yamaha CT1 DT 175cc enduro 1971 restoration project classic rare barn find
