I-Spy Classic Cars/Bikes-What have you spotted?

[NewcastleFalcon]

I spy Classic Ice Cream Vans

Neil

[CitroJim]

Ohh That's just lovely

[NewcastleFalcon]

Stags often present a colourful show. Spotted a singleton in purple this morning but the Falcon camera was in the pocket...so a couple of pics from the archive.

The Herd in a nice line

One making a bolt for the gate

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

I spy Classic Bike Names and interesting retro's

These were a thing at one time but this one looks like a pretty modern version The Honda Gold Wing never seen one for ages

This is also a Modern Retro and for me this fits my image of what a motorbike should look like. Always liked the tank and the colour scheme is nice too. Triumph Bonneville T100

Neil

[CitroJim]

I like the triumph A very nicely done retro...

The Honda is amazing... More a two-wheeled car than a motorcycle...

[NewcastleFalcon]

So pleased to see it you are getting it twice

I had one of these in 1979, at the time very uncool, but inexpensive, and enjoyable. Passed my test on it and sold it for the same price I paid for it. Mine was of a more workmanlike condition and the previous owner had installed "cow horn" handlebars, and the tank was painted in black. Always liked the chrome side panels to the tank. Not the slightest bit cool at the time. This example spotted today was stunning in the flesh, never seen a shinier example and had a nice chat with the rider.

Neil

[CitroJim]

Wow! Lovely - real classics now and before Honda discovered how to make camshafts out of cheese!

[Armidillo]

I traded my first bike (a Honda 90 "Sports" ie not a step-thru) on a CB175 twin in 1972. At the end of that year I rode it from Sydney to Melbourne, then took it on the ferry to Tasmania where I worked for the summer, riding it home to Tenterfield at the end of the summer job.

Melbourne to Tenterfield was c. 1,500km - I split the trip over 3 days. I can remember running over a couple of goannas on the Newell Highway - silly lizards ran straight in front of me! Needed fuel every couple of hours - by then my bum would be so numb I couldn't wait to get off it!

My CB175 was green, and didn't have the chrome side panels on the tank like Neil's. The frame wasn't particularly strong (same issue as Mike Hailwood found with Hondas), but I remember that the pistons went up and down together, so the power strokes were evenly spaced, producing less vibration than some twins. The engine red-lined at 10,000 rpm, and would rev right to that red-line (at least in the lower gears). It was probably a bit underpowered for highway cruising with luggage, so I quickly learned to use the gears to maintain momentum - when I started to lose speed on a climb I would knock it back into 3rd (from 5th) and it would maintain 100km/h @10,000rpm up quite big hills. Probably sounded like a big bumble-bee (or blowfly) .

[CitroJim]

That's great Brings back happy memories of my tour of TAS - sadly not by bike... It was in a hire car - the model of which I now forget...

[Armidillo]

A couple of girls that Mum knew at school had married dairy farmers on the West coast (near Marrawah) - my summer job was milking cows (by machine) and carting hay.

With a bit of time off from work, I managed a caving trip (Mole Creek), a trip to Hobart by car with daughters of Mum's friend, walked up to Cape Grim (mostly along the beaches), and hitch-hiked to Queenstown (& back) while waiting for parts for the trusty Honda.

It was a very memorable summer - looking back, probably one of the best of my life!

[NewcastleFalcon]

I nearly bought a CB 175, they were less "commuter bike" looking and many degrees cooler

A nice pair with different tanks

Honda CB175 by Boo, on Flickr

Honda CB175 by Boo, on Flickr

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

My CB175 was green, and didn't have the chrome side panels on the tank like Neil's. T

One of the few green ones I could find, Peter N. should recognise the Location

Honda CB175 by Doctor Chill, on Flickr

Neil

[Armidillo]

That's it!!! Thanks - that would be exactly what mine looked like .

Now I think about it, I can't say that I ever saw a bike like your 175 in Australia Neil. What do you suppose the inspiration for that fabulous front mudguard was? German? Russian?

Did yours have the speedo set into the top of the headlight? Very like BMWs of that era...

[NewcastleFalcon]

Now I think about it, I can't say that I ever saw a bike like your 175 in Australia Neil. What do you suppose the inspiration for that fabulous front mudguard was? German? Russian?

Did yours have the speedo set into the top of the headlight? Very like BMWs of that era...

The design probably copied from what had gone before. Designed as a commuter bike really, maybe the large mudgards stopped trousers getting full of muck on the way to the office/factory.

Speedo in the headlight Alec as you will see in this video. Quite an engaging Irish take on the walkround and ride video.



Neil

[Michel]

In Streatley, last weekend..