Classic motorcycle photos

[Richard230]

Check out these two bikes that I saw at Alice's Restaurant this morning. An old CT-90 that looks to me like it has a Chinese-clone 125cc engine and the "Money Bike" whose owner seems to want to send an expensive message to the onlooker.

[Richard230]

My son-in-law's neighbor has sold his 1960's-era Honda 300 Scrambler to a fellow back east for $6,500. Before the Honda was shipped out, he took these photos of the bike that shows the "Snuff or Not" exhaust pipe inserts that were popular back in the day on the Honda Scrambler models to cut noise a bit after removing the original muffler and running your open pipe. I haven't seen any of those devices for many years, especially is such good shape.

He also had this comment which had me scratching my head a bit: [i]The little "Battery" label shows the location of a battery disconnect switch he installed. Apparently when the points on this bike are in just the right spot it can create a small load which can drain the battery, so the switch can be used to totally isolate and protect the battery.

Also attached is a photo of an immaculate Royal Enfield diesel model that was recently posted on the Royal Enfield forum.

Should you want to buy a new Snuff or Not, which used to cost $3, here is a link to someone who is selling them on eBay. They no longer cost $3 : https://www.ebay.com/p/568542749

[Richard230]

While at the BMW EuroCycle Sonoma shop yesterday, located in Northern California for their open house event, which featured nothing but the BMW 1800cc boxer pig, off in the corner I saw what I believe is an early 1960's BMW R27 250cc single that was in mint condition. I was told that the previous owner displayed it in his home for many years before the current owner bought it. Photos attached.

[Richard230]

While I was searching my computer files, I came across pictures of an old 1928 BMW R2 that you might find interesting. It was displayed last year at the BMW dealership that I frequent during their open house event in January, 2020, right before the pandemic hit and our lives all turned upside-down. I wouldn't be surprised that I have posted these pictures before, but it wouldn't hurt to see them again.

[Richard230]

Here is a motorcycle that you might find interesting. Some years ago I bought a model of this Honda 50cc racer from a specialty catalog and then never saw it again. It was quite expensive, but I am sure it was less expensive than the real thing.

[Richard230]

Here are three photos of a really clean 1960's BMW /2 that I saw today in the parking lot across from Alice's Restaurant.

[Lighning]

Something timeless about those old black BMW's.

[Richard230]

Here is a mid-1980's Honda RC-30 (if I recall correctly). You don't see those very often in the wild. And a picture of a cute sticker on the tank of the Japanese bike parked next to it. And then we have an orange GS cargo carrier.

[Thestrauss]

cool....Where do you get pictures like that?

[Richard230]

cool....Where do you get pictures like that?

Alice's Restaurant, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 40 miles south of San Francisco, CA.

[mnbikeguy]

Here is my 1979 Honda CB750F Super Sport that I restored. It had been wrecked and the owner sold it along with another CB750c for $200. The CB750F was the beginning of the arms race between Honda, Kawasaki, and Susuki. It had an air-cooled dohc engine that made 72hp and preceded the VF750 Interceptor. It was a significant step towards the modern-day superbike. Still, a fun bike to ride on occasion.

[Richard230]

I used to ride a 1980 Honda CB750F. However, I wasn't too impressed with the bike. Too heavy and under-damped "Fade Very Quickly" shocks. I was much more impressed with the 1983 Kawasaki KZ750-L3 that replaced it.

[mnbikeguy]

Definitely not a lightweight! I think it's around 510 lbs and forks are pogo sticks unless you go up the oil weight, cut the spring, and put in a spacer. Still wouldn't press it very hard. It does have a pleasant sound and it turns heads at bikes and coffee.

[Richard230]

At Alice's Restaurant today I saw this beautiful 1938 Indian 74 (Chief?) and parked next to it was a nice old 1960's Triumph 500 bobber. Photos attached.

[Richard230]

It has been a while since I have seen a 1986 Yamaha SX600, like this one.

[Gunther]

Wow! Congrats on the owner. It's always been one of my favourite, a naked bike as it should be, even though I've seen only the EU version, without the oil heat exchanger, also side panels came without slits. I suppose it's the japanese version, the EU one came with a solid torque bar.
Unfortunately, here you can hardly find one, more chances in Switzerland, France and Germany (not cheap though )

[Richard230]

Wow! Congrats on the owner. It's always been one of my favourite, a naked bike as it should be, even though I've seen only the EU version, without the oil heat exchanger, also side panels came without slits. I suppose it's the japanese version, the EU one came with a solid torque bar.
Unfortunately, here you can hardly find one, more chances in Switzerland, France and Germany (not cheap though )

The owner said that it was a poor seller in the U.S. and was only imported here one year. He said that since it was kick-start only, most motorcycle riders didn't want it as by the 1980's motorcycle riders had lost their interest in kick starting a motorcycle. He found his example sitting on a showroom floor with just a couple of thousand miles on the clock and paid something like $2000 for the bike. He also mentioned that he had modified his bike somewhat, with a different muffler, ported the head and it is possible that the oil cooler was added. I forgot to ask about that, but I don't think that was on the stock models.

[Richard230]

Here are a couple of photos of the latest and greatest Honda sport bike that I saw parked in a dirt lot across the street from Alice's Restaurant yesterday. A 2021 1000cc Fireblade, I believe. Quite some paint job. Other than that, I know nothing about this model.

[Richard230]

Today at the Alice's Restaurant parking lot was another Yamaha SRX6 and a pretty decent BSA 441 Victim, still plugging along.

[Sprint-Man]

Great photography and sometimes happy memories attached, thank you

(If Alice has her restaurant in California but Alice Springs is in Australia (Northern Territories I believe) - That's a hell of a pipeline?)

[Richard230]

Great photography and sometimes happy memories attached, thank you

(If Alice has her restaurant in California but Alice Springs is in Australia (Northern Territories I believe) - That's a hell of a pipeline?)

Alice's Restaurant, located 30 miles south of San Fransisco, was never owned by a woman, much less owned by someone named Alice. It is currently owned by two brothers who live in the area. They bought the restaurant about 10 years ago when it was going downhill as the previous owner was snorting all of the profits. I don't know what the original name of the restaurant was, which was built sometime during the 1930's, but its name changed not long after the Alice's Restaurant song and the movie of that name became popular, around 1970, I believe. A bit of a ripoff, but it worked to make the place a lot more popular, especially with motorcycle riders during the 1970's and 1980's, when hundreds of motorcyclists would visit the restaurant and park three rows deep in the large Skylonda strip mall parking lot across the street. Unfortunately, the scene up there is not like that anymore. Now you are lucky if you see 20 motorcycles on a weekend parked on either side of Skyline Boulevard and the expensive sports cars outnumber motorcycles 2 or 3 to one.

[Lighning]

I used to ride a 1980 Honda CB750F. However, I wasn't too impressed with the bike. Too heavy and under-damped "Fade Very Quickly" shocks. I was much more impressed with the 1983 Kawasaki
KZ750-L3 that replaced it.

Funny, to an 18 year old suddenly into motorcycles, 1970 Monte Carlo 402 small block purchase fell through, that Honda 750 seemed like a really nice bike although I really wanted the Turbo 500. I bought a 1977 Honda 400 Hawk as my first bike and that bike was had the worst suspension and brakes but it was pretty fun.

[MGD109]

.........but its name changed not long after the Alice's Restaurant song and the movie of that name became popular, around 1970......

Thanks for enlightening me Richard. I wonder, every time you post pics form here which came first. If I honest I'm a little sadden that this is not the place you can get anything you want.

[Prof]

Just got a new old bike. It's a 1989 Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy. In the UK, I think it was called the Clubman. Only imported for 2 years in the US, ridiculously expensive for what it was, not very fast, but Soichiro Honda's tip of the cap to the Matchless G50 and other British singles that were winning at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy back in the 60s is still a very pretty bike. My cousin, who also owned one, was talking about the experience of riding one of these little 500cc thumpers. He said it was a "happy" bike, and I agree. Great fun, and even turned the heads of a few Harley riders a week or two ago. I will now try to post a picture for the first time. Let's see if it works.

[Richard230]

Here are some photos of a Royal Enfield 500 Bullet Royal "Oilfield" that I saw today at Alice's Restaurant. If I had to take a guess I would say it is a well restored late 1960's model, but I don't really know for sure. Maybe someone here can pin the tail on this donkey.

[ccwatchmaker]

If memory serves, the short shift lever is for finding neutral from any gear. Unique, I think, to Royal Enfield. With turn signals, maybe early seventies.

[Richard230]

Apparently that Royal Enfield Bullet 500 that I posted photos of above is a highly modified Indian-manufactured bike, according to the experts on the Royal Enfield forum.

Here is a comment about that Royal Enfield from a RE forum member:


That is an INDIAN-built Bullet, check the frame with the big through bolt above the gearbox. Indian wheels, Indian forks, Indian etc...

Yes, someone has changed the headlamp assembly, switches and carb, but that's not enough to judge by, quite a few Indian iron barrel Bullet owners do that. A quick look through the Hitchcocks' accessories catalog will confirm.

Someone has even fitted a Redditch "Big Head" cylinder head, which might be a Redditch original, or it might be or one of Hitchcock's reproduction items from a few years ago. These have the letters HMC cast into the right hand side, but those could easily be ground and polished off.

Another RE forum member says:
It's a late model Indian made IB bullet, like Adrian mentioned the through bolt above the gearbox is a good indication of being an Indian made frame. The spoke pattern, hub and brakes too are from the Indian made bullets.

Looking at the Timing Cover, cap screws are used which would indicate its an engine with metric fasteners and would have had a PAV emissions head on it. The font of the engine number stamping and breather is also a give away.

Another thing that easy to overlook is that on the frame gusset plate it has a hole underneath the front of the fuel tank. That is a provision to add the frame gusset cover plate which was standard on the Thunderbird models.

Looks like a lot of work trying to make an Indian model bullet look like a Redditch model.


Well, that bike sure had me fooled.

If you really want an education regarding the differences between the British-manufactured Royal Enfields and the Indian-made ones you can watch this video. One thing that caught my attention was the examples of the old bikes' frames. From a modern perspective, it is amazing that they didn't bend in half when cornering.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCAgfPw4xhw

[Rev Ken]

Apparently that Royal Enfield Bullet 500 that I posted photos of above is a highly modified Indian-manufactured bike, according to the experts on the Royal Enfield forum.

Here is a comment about that Royal Enfield from a RE forum member:


That is an INDIAN-built Bullet, check the frame with the big through bolt above the gearbox. Indian wheels, Indian forks, Indian etc...

Yes, someone has changed the headlamp assembly, switches and carb, but that's not enough to judge by, quite a few Indian iron barrel Bullet owners do that. A quick look through the Hitchcocks' accessories catalog will confirm.

Someone has even fitted a Redditch "Big Head" cylinder head, which might be a Redditch original, or it might be or one of Hitchcock's reproduction items from a few years ago. These have the letters HMC cast into the right hand side, but those could easily be ground and polished off.

Another RE forum member says:
It's a late model Indian made IB bullet, like Adrian mentioned the through bolt above the gearbox is a good indication of being an Indian made frame. The spoke pattern, hub and brakes too are from the Indian made bullets.

Looking at the Timing Cover, cap screws are used which would indicate its an engine with metric fasteners and would have had a PAV emissions head on it. The font of the engine number stamping and breather is also a give away.

Another thing that easy to overlook is that on the frame gusset plate it has a hole underneath the front of the fuel tank. That is a provision to add the frame gusset cover plate which was standard on the Thunderbird models.

Looks like a lot of work trying to make an Indian model bullet look like a Redditch model.


Well, that bike sure had me fooled.

If you really want an education regarding the differences between the British-manufactured Royal Enfields and the Indian-made ones you can watch this video. One thing that caught my attention was the examples of the old bikes' frames. From a modern perspective, it is amazing that they didn't bend in half when cornering.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCAgfPw4xhw

Riding an Army RE the frame didn't bend, but it did sheer off at the head stock going cross country..... My swallow dive was much appreciated.....

[ccwatchmaker]

While starting to read Richard's post this morning, I had a strange moment. When I read the phrase, "That is an INDIAN-built Bullet..." I was thinking no, they have it just backward. It was Royal Enfield that built Indians.

I was back in the early fifties, thinking of the Indian Motocycle Co. (Yes, it is Motocycle, Indian spelled it always without an "r"), but Richard was referencing the manufacturer in India that makes the modern Royal Enfield motorcycles. As I read further it dawned on me that it was the company in India that Richard referred to as Indian, which is of course correct, but initially confusing to one with a long memory.

Back to the fifties, the early fifties, when the Indian Motocycle Co. was struggling to stay afloat, they were selling Royal Enfield motorcycles in the U.S. rebadged as Indians. I always recall a close friend and fellow biker who referred to the company as Royal Indianfield.

[Richard230]

More motorcycle photos from Alice's Restaurant.

[Richard230]

Here is an interesting motorcycle that I saw today at Alice's Restaurant. It appears to be a very custom bike built by ARCH, which I believe is a custom fabricator. Lots of interesting parts if you look closely. It is powered by an S&S engine and they did a really good job of hiding the air intake and filter.

[TheMeteor]

I had to look up Arch as I knew I had heard of them. However, I was thinking it was the renamed Confederate Motorcycle company. Looks like it is Keanu Reeves company. Not my thing but hats off if he can make a go of it and folks like it.

[Gunther]

Guzzi Days held in Genoa in mid may

[Richard230]

Very nice, Gunther. I recognize all of the Moto Guzzis other than the one in photo 1, which looks like something around 100cc from the 1930's. Do you have any idea which Guzzi model it is? I found the hand shift interesting.

[Gunther]

It should be a Motoleggera 65, aka "Guzzino" (little Guzzi)
Moto Guzzi Motoleggera 65 - Wikipedia
I'm afraid it's written in italian (and german), maybe google translator could help
By the way, in '49 Guzzi organized a meeting for Guzzino owners, in Manello came 14.257 people riding 12.660 Guzzini, from Italy and other parts of the world (so they said).
Prehistory This reminds me the 9 italian championship won by Genoa football club between 1898 and 1924, they didn't win anything else after '24

[ccwatchmaker]

Not Alice's Restaurant, this is a usual Reno NV Saturday meet for coffee of the Comstock Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America.

1934 Harley-Davidson RL 45 cu. in.



1937 Harley-Davidson UL 74 cu. in.



1948 (?) Indian Chief 80 cu. in.

[Richard230]

Nice! They don't make them like that anymore.

[ccwatchmaker]

Saturday morning at Villa Basque in Carson City, NV. A 1910 Harley-Davidson single, 35 cu. in. Single speed, belt drive, total loss oiling system, maximum speed about 40 mph. Ridden to coffee this morning from the owner's home about 20 miles one way.On the left side photograph, the words Harley-Davidson are just barely visible.

[Richard230]

Very classic!

[Richard230]

Now here is a bike that you don't see every day. A Suzuki 500cc square-four two-stoke Gamma. I was told that only about 300 of this model were imported into the U.S. I forgot to ask what year it is. My guess would be sometime around 1990? I am sure someone here knows more about this Suzuki than I do.

[TheMeteor]

That Suzuki is indeed sweet.

[ccwatchmaker]

Two Vincents showed up for coffee this morning in Virginia City.

[Richard230]

Check out these two neat Triumphs that I saw at Alice's Restaurant today.

[Richard230]

Today I saw my first F900Sport parked in the Alice's Restaurant parking lot. Photos attached.

[ccwatchmaker]

Thank you Richard. It is unlikely I will be trading in my '14 GT. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[TheMeteor]

I have not yet seen an F900 in the wild.