Need help?


Search OutdoorKing-Forum by entering Key Words Below



Who's Online Now
0 members (), 7,275 guests, and 446 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Online Spare Parts


Online Store


Newest Topics
19 Inch Razor Mulch Plug
by AMP - 03/10/25 12:01 PM
Heavy Cut Parts
by - 02/10/25 07:30 PM
Yardking crank case
by Spreefarm - 28/09/25 09:00 AM
Yard King Mower Manuals
by - 23/09/25 01:12 PM
Victa Identification
by RayNewt - 19/09/25 09:28 PM
Topic Replies
19 Inch Razor Mulch Plug
by Bruce - 03/10/25 09:50 PM
Victa VM-3000 HD (Heavy Duty) Mulcher / Mulch Maker
by maxwestern - 02/10/25 10:41 PM
Heavy Cut Parts
by Lori - 02/10/25 07:30 PM
The bends in the snorkel?
by KevinJP - 30/09/25 05:22 PM
Yardking crank case
by Spreefarm - 30/09/25 09:12 AM
Contessa fan
by mice_elf - 26/09/25 08:58 PM
Yard King Mower Manuals
by Muzho68 - 24/09/25 02:02 PM
Victa Identification
by maxwestern - 20/09/25 10:05 PM
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Hop To
#85712 28/05/17 02:57 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 373
Likes: 5
Southern Cross Registrar
This might be interesting to ride
Ian
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Portal Box 6
IanOZ #85713 28/05/17 03:09 AM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 8,087
Likes: 222
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
It would be a bit of a slug using the old Sludgey Grey Holden motor, have to give them credit for effort though

IanOZ #85717 28/05/17 04:49 AM
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 4,675
Likes: 165
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
What good is all that low end pulling power on a motor bike??


Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,842
Likes: 14
Moderator
Originally Posted by Mowerfreak
What good is all that low end pulling power on a motor bike??
For riding twisty roads - bags of bottom end torque makes the ride a lot more fun. It's the main reason I love my current ride [Moto Guzzi California 1100i].

Sidecar outfits are another experience again, particularly on dirt roads - and I speak as one who rode one, as my only bike for ~8 years.
I've seen Russian Ural outfits with 1600cc Volkswagen engines in them, but the one that took the cake was a unit I only saw in photos, as it was built and owned by a bloke in WA.

That was the 'Toadmobile', based on a Honda Goldwing frame and a Datsun diff and transmission IIRC, hooked up to a Leyland 4.4L alloy V8!
[Linked Image]

Found a pic of that Ural/VW;

[Linked Image]

Last edited by Gadge; 30/05/17 01:43 AM.

Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
IanOZ #85756 29/05/17 04:15 AM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 304
Forum Historian
G'day all
I totally agree with Gadge on this.

Yes, the first machine is a 'show pony'.
But Gadge describes the desirability of bottom end torque for bikers.

My dream bike would be a Moto Guzzi Californian.
It is a Harley that had a high-school education ...

Cheers
----------------
Jack

IanOZ #85779 29/05/17 07:40 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,842
Likes: 14
Moderator
Yep, that low end grunt really comes into its own when exiting low speed corners.

Like on a 'Tour de Tas' I went on, back in 2008. The recipe was 5 blokes, 5 bikes [my Guzzi and an 850T4, a Suzuki GSX1100, a Triumph 900 Sprint, and a BMW R1200S] and ferry bookings 10 days apart. No advance accommodation bookings, except for teeing up to camp the first night at Boat Harbour, at the house of a mate of one of us.

It was a pearler of a trip, and I noticed that in the really tight twisties, like the roads out of Strahan and Queenstown, I was enjoying the ride a lot more than the sports bike riders!

To the point where, when a local asked one of us about his bike, the R1200S, Harps just told him 'it's a 25 year old's bike, with a 50 year old rider'!

The TdT Guzzi contingent at Devonport; my Cali on left, Tommy's 850T4 on right, with Tommy wearing the Akubra.

[Linked Image]


Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
IanOZ #85781 29/05/17 10:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 8,087
Likes: 222
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
Hi Gadge, a few years ago I fitted a sidecar to an Eldorado for a mate of mine, what a cracker of a machine it was it looked so classic, but the brakes were near non existant and it was very slow on the road but it cruised well with the Enfields at about 80kph. It was a long slow trip to Broken Hill

IanOZ #85784 30/05/17 12:19 AM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,842
Likes: 14
Moderator
G'day Norm,

My outfit was/is a SOHC Honda 750 Four, with a DJP chair. It hasn't been in rego for years, but still takes up room in my garage. I picked it up cheap back in 1986, because the owner had no clue how to set up the chair alignment - but I had a few chair pilot mates, who could point me in the right direction.

The brakes on that weren't all that flash either; the standard K2 750/4 drum rear and single stainless steel disc front setup. Did the job, though.

Might get around to putting it back on the road on club permit some day, but it would need a fair bit of time, and some coin, put into it. I even have a leading link front end sitting there too...

The outfit in its heyday [pic taken by a mate with my camera, so composition isn't the greatest];
[Linked Image]

Last edited by Gadge; 30/05/17 01:45 AM. Reason: Add pic

Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
IanOZ #85792 30/05/17 03:27 AM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 8,087
Likes: 222
SENIOR TECHNICIAN
I just paid the reg on my DOHC Honda the other day, only rode it once in the last 12 months, no time because of all these mowers

IanOZ #85809 30/05/17 06:28 AM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 304
Forum Historian
Quote
The outfit in its heyday [pic taken by a mate with my camera, so composition isn't the greatest]
G'day Gadge and Norm
Well, the bicycle in the background (in similar colours) is a nice touch.
And Fidel Castro in the sidecar is a nice touch too.

Here is a photo of Syd Bowditch (of Scott Bonnar Fame) on a Scott:

[Linked Image]
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/94854784@N06/

Cheers
---------------
Jack

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,842
Likes: 14
Moderator
Originally Posted by CyberJack
Quote
The outfit in its heyday [pic taken by a mate with my camera, so composition isn't the greatest]
G'day Gadge and Norm
Well, the bicycle in the background (in similar colours) is a nice touch.
And Fidel Castro in the sidecar is a nice touch too.
laugh 'Fidel Castro' laugh That bloke is actually named Ned Cooper!
Quote
Here is a photo of Syd Bowditch (of Scott Bonnar Fame) on a Scott:
Ahh, the Scott 'Flying Squirrel' - an early one, too, going by the acetylene lighting and fuel tank position.
A 600cc water cooled 2-stroke twin, they were known for the 'marvellous yowling sound' of their exhaust note. grin

[video]
[/video]


Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
IanOZ #85817 31/05/17 12:03 AM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 6,938
Likes: 304
Forum Historian
Brilliant Gadge !!! laugh
The video was excellent.

---------------------
Jack

p.s. Mum's the word on 'Ned Cooper'.
Brilliant disguise.

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,842
Likes: 14
Moderator
I actually know a bloke down my way who owns a Scott Flying Squirrel, and I've seen it.

A real character; owns 'classier' bikes, but his everywhere ride is an ancient and extremely ratty looking Matchless 500.
A pic pinched from www.austouring.com;

[Linked Image]

I saw it win a 'rat bike' award in 1982; that pic is from 2006...


Cheers,
Gadge

"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."

"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."

Moderated by  Bruce, Deejay 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Donation
These Outdoorking Forums have helped Thousands of people in finding answers to their equipment questions.

If you have received help, please consider making a donation to support the on-going running cost of these forums.

October
M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
ShoutChat
Comment Guidelines: Do post respectful and insightful comments. Don't flame, hate, spam.
Newest Members
Fh1991, Hawk08, Lori, Donkey, Stenny
17,611 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums145
Topics13,002
Posts106,910
Members17,611
Most Online16,069
Sep 18th, 2025
OutdoorKing Showcase
20 Bucks from FB Marketplace
20 Bucks from FB Marketplace
by Return Rider, February 20
Victa Cortina 2 Shed Find
Victa Cortina 2 Shed Find
by Return Rider, January 25
My Rover Baron 45
My Rover Baron 45
by Maxwell_Rover_Baron, April 16
SHOWCASE - Precision Mowers - 2021
SHOWCASE - Precision Mowers - 2021
by CyberJack, April 14
SHOWCASE – Atco Rotary – Paul C - 2020
HOME |CONTACT US
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0
(Release build 20240826)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 8.3.25 Page Time: 0.086s Queries: 41 (0.076s) Memory: 0.6816 MB (Peak: 0.7554 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2025-10-04 14:11:16 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS