Monday, October 06, 2008
When the bug bit!
When I was about 15 - again thanks to Jim Fellows - I rode one of these Auto Cycles - I think it was like this one - a James - I remember the conical tank and when you took the cap off it became a measure for the amount of oil for a tank full of petrol - it was a two stroke - for engineering challenged readers!As you can see it has pedals like a bicycle to get you going with an exhaust lifter on the handlebar again like the Velocette. In this case you just pedaled like mad and dumped the exhaust lifter and off you went.
My father - dead now for 38 years - is probably turning in his grave because I wasn't even allowed to ride a bicycle at that age!
I seem to remember at least two of us on it and maybe three - it has a 98cc Villiers engine - to me it went like a rocket and sowed the seeds of a lifelong series of affairs with motorcycles.
I think I have owned 15 Hondas - both in the US and UK, two Suzukis, two BMWs two BSA's (contrary to what littlewilliam says) The first one I rode legally on the road was an NSU Quickly in York - which was a moped with TWO gears - a big deal for a moped in 1972.
# posted by william @ 5:58 PM 
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I don't remember saying that you didn't have English bikes, just that you prefered Japanese to English. I may be wrong about that too.
Are you exaggerating your conquests?
I only remember falling off - a suzuki in the garden & both of us off a honda as we turned off opposite the Green Man in Coleshill, very slowly.
My fault, no doubt.
Oh, & a long wet ride to Kidderminster, I think, & pouring the water out of my shoes on return home.
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I only remember falling off - a suzuki in the garden & both of us off a honda as we turned off opposite the Green Man in Coleshill, very slowly.
My fault, no doubt.
Oh, & a long wet ride to Kidderminster, I think, & pouring the water out of my shoes on return home.
# posted by 
: 2:19 AM
: 2:19 AM << Home
