Doctor Who's Bessie.
- Thread starter blake7
- Start date
Thanks guys! Last update because I can not afford $20 for each action figure or go through my drive to find a 70's land rover defender to recreate that picture. Funny how your memory plays tricks on you. Two friends of mine had a Kawasaki Vulcan. 89 and 94 models. I rode the 94 when it was new. Liked the smooth drive shaft shifting, and some power,but handled like a MAC compared to my Radian . Went online to look at them, and not like I remember them.
You didn't derail my thread. My bikes need some work too, but no funds for them. My son last summer gave me a 87 Suzuki Intruder, but it too needs some work. The 4 wheeler is a 88 Yamaha Terapro. All my toys are in the 80s.
Most of mine are 70's Suzuki T500, 2 GS750s, Honda 400/4, Honda cb125s. From the 80s I have a VF750 and the one that works is a 90s Suzuki GN250. There is a 250 Superdream as well but I fear that will be scrapped. When I worked I had the funds but not the time then after the accident I had the time but not the funds and now with my wifes' health I have neither lol. My friend would definitely fight you for the Intruder.
- Apr 5, 2013
- 13,876
- 10,216
- 228
Sorry still no pictures of Bessie but found these of the rather slow progress on the GS. Your model Bessie actually looks better than the real one
The frame came out really nice. One thing to note about Suzuki is that they nly regulated one lead from the Stattor. The other two leads were rectified to 12V's )plus 12, more like 13.8) but they were not regulated, thus the regulator only works one leg of the stator, while the other two legs swing up and down in voltagee wildly. This puts a strain on a stator, and causes it ot burn out, along with the regulator/rectifier unit. I switched mine to a Rectifier/Regulator off of a KZZ1300, and put it where the tool try was. I put the tools in the convenient tailpiece trunk. The + and - leads of the regulator are wired directly to the battery, this eliminates around 4 feet of wire. I then wired the 3 stator leads directly to the Regulator//Rectifier assembly, saving another 3 feet per lead. The new stator from "Electrosports" supplies 20% more amperage, and all three legs of the stator are now regulated. This affects almost all Suzuki's that have electronic problems. I have purchased some bikes and flipped them, with a nice little profit, after buying them "dead", and doing this repair. Never use stock Suzuki Voltage regulators, or Stators.
- Apr 5, 2013
- 13,876
- 10,216
- 228
That is one clean looking Cb125!! A CB350 fron fork set should bolt right one, giving you the ability to mount a front disc brake. Very nice, and economical bike to drive.
It's a fun little bike I think my brother is eyeing it as a runabout I know he wants to play with the T500. I had thought about getting forks from a CB125j which had the front disc but it's not really that hard to stop it with the front drum. Getting the damn thing to go though, that's a different storyThat is one clean looking Cb125!! A CB350 fron fork set should bolt right one, giving you the ability to mount a front disc brake. Very nice, and economical bike to drive.
- Apr 5, 2013
- 13,876
- 10,216
- 228
It takes all the fun out of riding, and frankly, if you need that stuff, either you are riding past your skills, or you just shouldn't ride. There is a much nicer front two wheeled motorcycle out already (Piaggio), and it has been quite a success. I can stand on my two wheels without moving on my Suzuki for quite a long time. Most experienced motorcyclists can. The videos of this 500cc Piaggio hitting a curb with one front wheel, and the other staying firmly planted are amazing. Of course, being as wide as it is, this might happen ore often. I'd challenge any of these bikes of Quaker Hill Rd, a little further up Rte. 22 in New York. Then again, I have yet to meet any motorcyclist that can hang with me on that road. It is the only road I know of with incredible turns, on 90 degree one, beautifully cambered sweeping ones that you can comfortably scrape you foot pegs (on my bike that is impossible, though I have ground the flats into very small pieces on the center stand. Had to weld them up a little twice., some of the countries best views, and one section, where it is possible to do 100 mph plus driving through this anything but straight roads, as there are no stop signs for 8 miles!!. Gotta watch out for the deer though.
Honda, IMHO, has a way of making some very bland motorcycles, historically speaking, peppered with exciting ones. Servicing the valves is murderous, especially on the V4 models. Personally, new bike are out for me, as I will not buy a motorcycle that needs a catalytic converter.
We interrupt this discussion of motorcyles to briefly return to this thread's original topic...
In looking at Mr. Seven's interesting paper Bessie build it occurred to me that Bessie bears some resemblance to brass era Model T, though not quite. I did a little research to learn the real world origin of the car. I found this:
So it was a fiberglass kit car. The body is quite T-ish, but the hood seemed a bit long and the wheels are certainly not vintage style. The Ford Prefect E93A was apparently a Ford model made in the UK from the late 1930s through the 1940s. Anyway, now back to motorcylcles...
In looking at Mr. Seven's interesting paper Bessie build it occurred to me that Bessie bears some resemblance to brass era Model T, though not quite. I did a little research to learn the real world origin of the car. I found this:
So it was a fiberglass kit car. The body is quite T-ish, but the hood seemed a bit long and the wheels are certainly not vintage style. The Ford Prefect E93A was apparently a Ford model made in the UK from the late 1930s through the 1940s. Anyway, now back to motorcylcles...
- Apr 5, 2013
- 13,876
- 10,216
- 228
That's good information, I had a feeling something was amiss about that car. Maybe I watch "Chasing Classic Cars" too much!!
I don't know how old the article is but the first comments were 2010. The Whomobile (Alien) was sold for £12oo around that time!
https://www.retrothing.com/2010/08/the-fate-of-the-whomobile.html
https://www.retrothing.com/2010/08/the-fate-of-the-whomobile.html
