[Author Index] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

[ST] More previous bikes



It all started with a '67 Bultaco Lobito, 100cc of snarling (whining?)
power, 4-speed, pre-mix 2-smoke, shift on the right, but it was mine.  My
office mate in grad school and I bought identical bikes the same day, in
fact, we later realized, when one of us compared the rego to the serial no
on the engine, that we had ridden each others bike home.  Friend later
bought a Triumph Cub, so I followed suit and for $50, brought home a '55
Triumph T110 as a rolling chassis and 3 boxes of parts.  Wifey ver1.0 was
impressed.  Eventually got that one running (the bike that is) and enjoyed
riding it mostly off-road due to its fantastic suspension, especially the
Girling shocks.  When California started requiring motorcycle tests for
riders in the late 60's, the Trumpet was the bike I rode to the test.  It
surely wasn't easy doing the low-speed maneuvers on the knobby-tired 650,
but at least I passed the test.

Then, entered '69 Bultaco Montedero, the enduro version of the Bandito short
track bike.  That was kind of fun and was pressed into service for my
inauspicious motocross debut in 1970.  The 500cc Novice class and I were not
a good match, so next went to a '71 125cc Sachs.  Much better suited to me
and ran well for a few years, even with the well know numerous false
neutrals in that gearbox.  In '73, I bought my final Bultaco, a 125cc
Pursang.  That bike was really a nice riding MX'er in its day, which was
before MX bikes had real suspensions, and before the hoops got enormous.
That was my race bike until I stopped racing in '75.  Went bikeless for a
few years then bought my first real street bike, a '72 Norton Commando.
Nice handling bike when the swing arm was shimmed correctly, and great
sounds from the Dunstall "silencers".  Sold it for some stupid reason and
went bikeless again for a while.  Next came a new '86 GSX-R750.  What a
bike.  It was my daily commuter and I put 11K miles per year on it the first
two years.  Sweet.  Had it for nine years then went bikeless again for a few
years.

In 1998, I discovered the new Triumphs.  Bought a leftover new '96 Sprint
and had a blast with it.  Replaced that in '01 with a Sprint ST, followed by
an '04 ST last year to replace the crashed '01.  And, in late '02, a friend
and I teamed up to buy the '95 TZ250.  It's quite a hoot to ride on the
track, but unfortunately sits in the garage far too much.  Gayle (wife
ver3.0) has an '85 Honda CB450SC, which is her first bike.  I doubt it will
be her last.

Happy motoring.

Rich (Thunderdawg) Rumble
2004 Aston Green Sprint ST
1995 Yamaha TZ250



_______________________________________________
Triumph Sprint ST/RS mailing list
Send list posts to ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Change your list options at www.TriumphNet.com