Ride at the Museum

 

#MuseumSinsheim #TechnikMuseumSinsheim #AdrianGuggemos #TrialsBike #RedBull #Mercenary #MercenaryGarage

Quasar

I've always considered the Quasar to be ungainly. It just doesn't look right. It looks long and top-heavy. And it's ugly. The view from the front isn't too bad but from every other angle it's a mess.

So last week I was fortunate enough to find myself in The National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham and in the lobby was an example of this rare machine (less than 30 were made).

The photos I've seen don't quite do it justice - it's even more repulsive in the flesh. But it had a sign on it inviting visitors to sit into it. Initially, I was disinclined to do this but then I managed to overcome my prejudice and climb aboard.

And I was hooked! For all its ugliness on the outside, it feels fantastic to sit in! It felt a bit like the Akira Bike and a bit like a fighter-jet and it was very easy to imagine how cool it would be on long motorway journeys. I'd love to have a go in one.

Photo Agata Winiarska






#Quasar #QuasarMotorcycle #FeetForward #NationalMotorcycleMuseum #Mercenary #MercenaryGarage

Mad Max Museum

Broken Hill, Australia.

#MadMax #FuryRoad #BrokenHill #PedestrianTV #AdrianBennett #Mercenary #MercenaryGarage

Vincent

#JeffDecker #MotoHeroes #HRDVincent #Mercenary #MercenaryMotorcycles #MercenaryGarage

Museum

My friend Melissa the Honeybadger managed to secure an invite to a private motorcycle museum in Dublin. It's an amazing and varied collection of machines and memorabilia, with a very gracious host.

It was a lovely day out.

Two Sunbeams...

Honda CBX 1000 - In-line 6 cylinder motor making 105 BHP in the mid-seventies!

Honda CBX 1000B - As above, but with mono-shock rear suspension and a fairing and (very small) cases.

Neither of these CBX 1000s have ever been run on the road. They're as new.

Gilera CX 125 with single sided suspension front and rear. I read an article a while back claiming that this was one of the 50 most iconic bikes in history. Oh, really?

Early 60's Suzuki/Colledas

1960's BSA Gold Star

Kawasaki Scrambler

Bridgestone, the tyre manufacturing powerhouse, used to make motorcycles.

Honda CB 250.

The Bridgestone again.

The blue bike in the background is also a Bridgestone.

Kawasaki Z1 - Now that is iconic!

Kawasaki Z1 R.

Kawasaki Z1300 cutaway engine and drive-train. I remember this when it was in KDI in Golden Lane

Kawasaki Z1300, liquid cooled, 6 cylinders and quite heavy!

Yamaha RD350 YPVS. Iconic? Maybe. But probably not as iconic as the LC.

Yamaha RD400.

Sunbeam S7, air-cooled inline twin with shaft-drive. There's something very appealing about this machine. It just looks... right.

Bimota SB8.

EXUP engined Bimota YB11

Bimota 500 V-Due. A 500cc 2-stroke twin with Direct Fuel Injection and electronic ignition.

It was a fantastic idea, but it didn't work.

The bike was so unreliable that it bankrupted Bimota - Read the story Here

Ducati 160cc Single.

Kawasaki 2-stroke triple.

Melissa and the Soviet.

Melissa.

HRD Vincent. Also iconic...

Kawasaki GPz 1100.

Kawasaki Z1000 Mk II

Kawasaki Z650.

Honda CB900F and Suzuki GT750 Kettle.

Yamaha TZ350 Race-bike.

Honda VFR750 RC45

Suzuki RG500.

Melissa imagines herself pootling down a country lane in Berkshire or Kent or somewhere like that...

BSA M20.

Triumph Trident triple.

Elefant

I'm off to Italy on Monday to (hopefully*) recommission my Africa Twin and ride it back to Dublin - So Italy and adventure bikes have been occupying my thoughts...

Anyway, I was in the Ducati museum in Bologna a couple of years ago. It's good. If you're in that part of Italy, it's worth a detour. This was my favorite bike there...

*The reason I'm hopeful about this trip, as opposed to in a sort of 'taking it for granted' mindset is, I'm not entirely sure that the bike is where I last left it. Nor am I sure what condition it's in. So it might get complicated...



#CagivaElefant #DucatiMuseum #Mercenary #MercenaryGarage