The Black Arrow Summer Memories

I love these photos by Jean-Francois 'Jeff' Muguet of me and my Suzuki at the Cafe Racer Festival, Montlhery from earlier this year. Good memories of a really nice event.
I write regular updates on this bike for Performance Bikes magazine. G

Black Arrow update

The Black Arrow is progressing, slowly, but in the right direction. I bought a completely different engine, from Pete at Eat the Rich's eBay page. Why did I need another engine? The full story is in Performance Bikes (that runs updates on this project every month).
I made a seatbase I thought looked great and took it to Steve Adams (who made the seat for Sideburn's Project FT and the Sideburn Royal Enfield) and he turned his nose up at it, then fettled it into shape.
The Black Arrow is now at Racefit for a full titanium Legend exhaust system. Oh boy! G

Racefit HQ: where dreams come true.
Early Fireblade and Z900 tanks with RCD twin fillers. The Black Arrow has one of these endurance fillers. They're machined from billet in the UK. Amazing things. Racefit then make the platforms to fit them to tanks.
Jon, one of Racefit's co-owners. The other is Phil, who was busy welding. Jon is looking at wheels he's bought for a future four-wheeled project. What a man.
Jon's 'going to the sandwich shop' bike.

Below, Racefit's first toe in the water of short filmmaking.

The Black Arrow update

The Black Arrow. Remember it? My Reynolds 531-framed GSX-R1100? Click the label below to find out more, if you're interested.
Anyway, it's been bored out to take 1216cc CP pistons and Guy Martin spent 15 hours polishing and porting the head. Progress is slow-going, but I love it. Carl at CFM helps me out loads. Racefit have too. Engine rebuild next and the seat base is with Steve Adams (who covered both Project FT and our Enfield's seat. He's brilliant).
Read the progress every month in Performance Bikes magazine. G
Photo (of my head in Guy's workshop): Jon Urry

The Cockroach

I needed a winter bike. Well, I needed a bike to ride until the Black Arrow is finished. After having to get rid of one British automotive design classic a little past its best, I decided to buy another. This is a 1999 T595 Daytona in Speed Triple trim. It's rough. I've named it the Cockroach.
It has a bad rattlecan paintjob, the indicators don't work, nasty enduro front light, broken gear lever, the ugliest stick-on tank protector in the universe and uncomfortably low bars, but it has a couple of month's tax and test, it runs and starts really well, sounds great and, the clincher, it was £730. Yes, 730 quid! G

My Old Guzzi

Chris bought my Guzzi in April. I thought we'd be like penpals and he'd send photos of himself frollicking in the South of France (where he works) with my former love. As it turned out, he didn't send a single note. Not a word. I started thinking perhaps the bike had let him down (though it was always reliable with me - except when I let the oil run too low. Dickhead).

Then, finally, in November, Chris got in touch to say he'd had a great summer on the bike and sent some photos. All is good. G

Sunday Night, Monday Morning

My old mate Matt says, 'We've got a spare ticket for The Black Lips at the Brudenell tonight. Do you want it'
[Thinks] It's 115 miles away. [Says] 'Yeah!'
I'm glad I did. It was great. G

The Black Arrow's Engine

This is how the GSX-R1100 engine I bought for the Black Arrow was delivered. Eek. It's over at CFM.G

What have I done?

I was content with the bikes I had. Didn't want any more or less. Then Sideburn reader Chris emailed to ask if my Guzzi was for sale. It wasn't. But the seed was sewn. Anyway, I thought about it, then forgot about it. An offer came in. Then a bigger one. A week later and it's gone. I hadn't ridden it for about six months, but put a new battery on it last night and it started like a brand new bike. I thought I'd never sell it. I'd owned it for nearly nine years. I'm not sure if I'll regret it, but it's gone and I've got some cash to spend on the Black Arrow. Time to move on. G

Who Are You?

1995(?) I was shooting a photo-story for Classic Bike magazine, on the re-opening of Battersea Bridge powerstation - as an events venue, anyway apart from the usual suspects there were a few strangers. Namely you cutting a dash in moleskins and suede boots on your BSA Spitfire Hornet. I'd never seen one before and it made a change to see a US export spec Brit amongst the two-a-penny caff racers. Then in the summer of 1996 (?) I had to suck eggs to undertake you at Brands Hatch on my Guzzi, in one of it's earlier incarnations. Who Are You?! Do you still have the BSA? BP

Rich's XS650 - UPDATED

From Rich

My street tracker needs a new rear tyre fairly soon and really want to get a pair of K180's for front & rear if possible to replace the TT100's.
Do I remember rightly a while back that you fitted a K180 VanVan front 18" onto the rear of one of your bikes. How did it work out in the end, any problems or was it ok.
If it went ok I was thinking of doing the same, if it'll fit between the swing arm on my XS650. I've got a spare front hub and would then get it built up onto an 18" rim and fit the vanvan K180 on the front as well, bingo! a set of new K180's.
Since the photo, I've just fitted some Hagon progressive fork springs and dropped the forks which has brought the front end down a bit and it feels great, much improved from the old knackered springs.
I couldn't get to the last Rye House meet, went to the one before and dragged along a couple of mates & we loved it, even thought about giving it ago until that poor bloke on an orange xs650 crashed near the end and broke his collar bone I think, respect. Hope to get to some this year.
All the best, Richard

You're right, but we haven't done a ton of miles on the FT (with its VanVan rear tyre) because it's been on show at different places. If you don't want kneedown potential I'd say it was fine, but I'm just a rider, not a tyre expert. If you're in doubt, you should check with tyre people. I'd fit one to an XS and not worry, but I'm not much of a worrier.
I also did a season racing on VanVan tyres and they held up remarkably well, so I'd say they're pretty hard. It's probably a much better idea that fit chewing gum soft Maxxis race tyres to 19s to run on the road. G

UPDATE:
Richard, I hear hear Gary's line and would go VanVan, but if you do decided to put tyre technology (or lastest tyre fashions?) before Le Look le plus cool...
The trusty all weathers Michelin Macadam 50 I used to run on my Zagato Guzzi, aren't made anymore. Andrew Gray recommended me against the very tacky (as in sticky not kitsch) classic racing Avon AM22 + AM23 as they dont make the street compound anymore and they're fakin expensive even if you buy them direct from the factory in Melksham (-on-Avon). There is not much shopping choice for wider than standard (not by modern bike standards) 18" rims. I did look at the Avon Road Rider but went for Bridgestone BT45 in the end; 110-80 front, 130-80 rear. But haven't ridden them in anger yet so I can't truly vouch for their capabilities (bizarrely the front tread depth is very shallow compared to the rear. I know they wear slower, but even so). BP

Moulton TSR

Almost a year ago, after a hearty curry in Brick Lane, I cycled my Moulton APB west to Kilburn but promptly fell off the back. Tipsy but not that pissed, I remounted and immediately embarrassed myself again. Assuming it was just a loose saddle I dug out my Allen keys but it then became apparent the normally vertical seat-post section of the frame was crushed like a toilet roll where it meets the rubber ball suspension mount - and takes the force of the sub-frame. Surprising that it should buckle as it's made from world renowned Reynolds 531 steel. Maybe not surprising as I'm 6' 2" and 15 stone - but even so.The Pashley made APB frame has now been superseded by the TSR (named after the 60s supersonic jet) and upgraded with Reynolds 525 tubing. Crucially the sub-frame now meets the seat-post in-line with the top-rails. My original bike was built as a one-off special with a sneaky Sachs 2-speed kick-back gear. The new bike uses a Sturmey Archer copy of this system. BPThis is a new frame with my old running gear.Mrs P on her 8-speed + creature comforts APB Moulton

The Black Arrow

I'm on with another project. I mentioned it six months ago. I finally got around to loading up the parts and the one-off frame and heading over to Carl at CFM (who did all the hardwork on Project FT), to help me get it rolling. It was a great day. It's a hell of reminder to me, who has never built a bike from the ground up, what's involved in getting things to fit other things they were never design to fit. I've barely started, but it feels good. Follow the progress, in more detail, in PB.

Steve (who built the Spencer Evo and had this frame and swingarm built before rejecting it and selling it to me) has christened the bike the Black Arrow. GI
PS Took me 20 minutes to get the LDV off the ice outside Carl's house - where this shot was taken, with both Carl and his missus, Frankie pushing.

N-130 Basque Country

Picking up Meyer Ranch's comment from GI's roads post, I can vouch for the same road in my top 10. NB it's essential to take the N-130 that goes through Lizartza, a truck-stop village on the old national road. Things to watch out for: post siesta drunks on the wrong side of the road; especially blind corners. It's safest to ride from 12:00 - 15:00 when the natives are tanking up. Also eat lots of carrots as it's impossible to adjust your eyes when wearing sunglasses to combat the blinding sun but then enter a pitch black tunnel at full tilt. Also watch for loose masonary / rocks that litter the road after storms.
I went to Pamplona in 2000 with 3 biking friends from Amsterdam, and my wife to be. A Guzzi, a Laverda SFC, and the then brand new Ducati MHe. The dead-weight of the Guzzi got me trounced on the mountain section. My testicles are not large enough to run with bulls (or my survival instinct logic is adequately developed enough to realize better).
What's the name of the intoxicating crushed ice drink consumed locally by the jug full? Possibly related to Hemingway's Death In The Morning? More of the same please. BP

Realisation...

UPDATE: Sorry for lack of replies. I've had a catastrohpic computer breakdown.
Answers to some of the comments.

1. Speed, dunno. Fast enough. My speedo isn't calibrated. About 40-50mph.
2. No, I don't use a throttle lock, just get up and back down. It's very stable right down to 20mph or so.
3. The Guzzi is stable is a straight line, the engine orientation makes no difference.
4. Those aren't winter trees. This photo was taken by Ben last Thursday evening.
G

Preparation...

Someone told me I was crazy to ride my Guzzi without head protectors. Especially with what I had in mind. GI

Sunny Guzzler

I had to go to a meeting the other day and it was a no-brainer to go on the Guzzi. The last few years I've been lucky enough to be loaned a brand new bike for 9 months of the year. I've had some beauties, but I turned one down this year for a variety of reasons, but mainly so I could ride my Guzzi. I ended up riding with a 1972 BSA 650 Lighning for a while. We appreciated each other's rides at 60mph.
The red trousers are overalls to keep my smart meeting trousers bug and oil-free. GI

GI's new project

These parts are the ones I bought from Jon Racefit for my Suzuki project. It's not directly Sideburn related, but it will appear here every now and then. It's inspired by John's Racefit Monster and Steve Elliott's Spencer Evo. It won't be as nice as either, but it will be cool.
Wheels are Braking by OZ, forks and brakes are GSX-R1000, yokes (triple clamps) are Robby Moto.G

Euro Trash

No embarrassing 'action' photos have yet surfaced in the media, but here are a few statics of the CCM complete. A heinous creature at this stage before it goes for a full sex change when time and funds permit, but it does go and it is fun. As GI has pointed out, the arse in the sky back-end is probably more just a matter of modifying the rear sub-frame rather than the need for any radical suspension changes.
No modifications to the machine will make it faster, only my ball size is holding me back. Thanks to all those who held my hand at Ammanford. BP
NB above photo is a deceptive as there is a tie-down inbetween axle and handlebar, squashing the front end to get it in the car