what would be the best pre78 bike to have.

[firko]

CCM + Jimmy Aird = fast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6NCiDt1bm8

Two outstanding points are obvious from that video......1: Jimmy Aird is still rocket fast and smooth as silk,even at 60 plus years of age. 2: CCMs are fast despite them being "old British shit" as one forum punter once described them. There are a lot of red, white and yellow two strokes getting smoked in that video by that old bloke on an uncompetitive 4 stroke  and it's not just Jims riding. He hole shot them big time as well.

[NR555]

If you watch near the end of the video, when he just rolls on the throttle out of a turn.. that's the CCM power everyone raves about.  Not uncommon to do entire race meetings in 3rd gear.

[mx250]

CCM + Jimmy Aird = fast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6NCiDt1bm8

CCMs are fast despite them being "old British shit" as one forum punter once described them. There are a lot of red, white and yellow two strokes getting smoked in that video by that old bloke on an uncompetitive 4 stroke  and it's not just Jims riding. He hole shot them big time as well.

Ya not 'having a go' at me are ya Firko  . Yeah it's true I'll sling off at the Poms and 60's and 70's Pommy engineering at the drop of a hat  , but hey it's well deserved .

Born of parents of the heroic WW2 generation imbued with 'to the last man and the last shilling' Empire spirit, the last rays of the Pommy Imperial splendor took a long time to disappear from our household. As a consequence I've worked on many a Mini, Triumph (car and bike) and Cortina much to my chagrin. And I have experienced that dreadful feeling of exciting spirited motoring being brought to an unexpected loss of forward progress by some irritating, avoidable Pommy quirk of engineering or electrics.

So let it be with CCM. I come to praise Caesar not to bury him.

They could be a great bike but they won't a great bike from the factory. There was the need for secret hand shakes and initiation into the secret world of CCM ownership starting with a lathe,  an engineering degree and access to ancient pagan rites and witchcraft. I think this bike may of had that advantage plus 30 years to refine it's advantage.

That's a great ride but 'one swallow does not make a summer'. That's the CCM's 'home track' advantage. Perfect traction with a gentle undulation as the nearest thing to the off-road. Put the CCM on a hard packed clay surface with ruts and more than 100 metres between corners and you'll get a different result regardless of the pilot. 

[Nathan S]

Hey Nathan,
Why do '76 CR250 Husky's make you "crash a lot"?

It was a dig at Snowy76, but sadly, no bites...

Having briefly raced a '76 360, I agree with you, actually. The motor was about a zillion times faster than I could dream of using properly, but they're a sweet bike.

[SAABCOMBI]

Mark you are right, ccm is the way to go.

[firko]

Ya not 'having a go' at me are ya Firko  .

Actually Graeme, I wasn't having a go at you, I was referring to another fella but if the cap fits..............

They could be a great bike but they won't a great bike from the factory. There was the need for secret hand shakes and initiation into the secret world of CCM ownership starting with a lathe,  an engineering degree and access to ancient pagan rites and witchcraft. I think this bike may of had that advantage plus 30 years to refine it's advantage.

Based on what experience Graeme, some magazine piece? I know two people who currently own CCMs, one of them having his '74 since new and not only have both bikes been rock solid reliable, they are both exceptionally quick without either owner needing the services of a "a lathe,  an engineering degree and access to ancient pagan rites and witchcraft.". I promise you that once you have a ride on a CCM your may change your mind. If you're coming to CD7 I'll make sure you get a few laps in on one of them.
I agree that British engineering left a lot to be desired, especially in the sixties and seventies but sometimes they got it right and the CCM is one of those cases. They took a very obsolete and flawed bike, the BSA B50 and turned it into a genuine contender. You still don't think they were contenders? Check a report on the 1976 Carlsbad USGP and you'll find that CCM riders John Banks and Bob Wright were pulling away in both motos until the riders were overtaken by heat exhaustion. That's just one instance , mentioned because I was there and completely blown away by the vision of seeing 4 strokes blitzing the worlds best on "Pommy Shit".

Because I own a V12 Jag, I get this this crap thrown at me all the time. Unreliable, time bombs, over complicated, slow.....I've heard it all. The most common one being "When are you putting a Chevy in it"? Naturally none of the know-alls have ever driven a V12, or any Jag for that matter but because they read some shit in a magazine they become experts. Once they have a drive of the Jag and experience how quick and smooth it is compared to a rattly old pushrod V8, their attitudes very quickly change. It's the same with a CCM. Ride one and it may just change your perception of "British Shit"

However, Sptite, American Eagle and Alron.......that's a very different story. They redefine the phrase Pommy Shit.

[Nathan S]

Is now a good time to mention my experiences with TR7s?

[firko]

Is now a good time to mention my experiences with TR7s?

Yep, they were crap Nathan but the TR2/3/4/5/6 were good solid cars. I made my point because I get tired of the British Shit slag as an all enveloping description for anything made in England. For that matter all forms of 'mechanical racism' generalisation (Jap crap, Euro trash etc gets up my nose. There are good and bad made everywhere by everyone but by just dismissing something because it's made in a particular country is ignorant and wrong. I don't own a CCM nor do I have a particular need to own one but I know enough about classic motocross bikes to categorically challenge that they're shit. Their a great example of British craftsmanship, an example of what the Brits could do if they did it right.
It's the same thing as saying "I got ripped off by a Queenslander once so all Queendslanders must be thieves".

[jimg1au]

so mark you are a reds supporter then
jim
go the tahrs and sothern districts what a turn around

[SAABCOMBI]

Firko, you are so right, l rode a b50 at barrabool, and fall in love with it ASAP, rode Stewart Youngs GP 441, just brilliant , so Stewart and l built a Metisse, and a B50 ,Greame take the opportuniy and have a ride on a CCM, or B50, it will change the way you think about 4 strokes.

[dalesween]

My sister and brother in law had one of those v12 jags years ago and that thing was POWERFUL, the thing did 150mph and i remember cruising  in the passenger seat at 100mph and all we could hear was the clock ticking ,hell thirsty though and servicing was an issue with lack of underbonnet space!

[firko]

Dale, Power is one thing the XJS has by the bucketload to the point that mine will easily peg my mates sons current model 5.7 Maloo ute, not bad for a 34 year old piece of flawed engineering. My earlier black XJS, with modified computer and other tweaks was even quicker, despite being only 5.3 litres compared to my current 6l Walkinshaw version.

But we are straying from the thread. Please resume normal broadcasting.

[Simo63]

Without Question, this would be THE best pre 78 bike to have..
Jim Pomeroy's 1977 RC500

       just been lookin for one of these-not too many on evil bay.... 

Stunning bike but is that really a 77 Model (genuinely asking)?