Happy new year folks!
By TMX Archives on 2nd Jan 09
JD, another year older and, hopefully, wiser looks back to the stone age, when bikes were bikes... EYES down for the first column of 2009!
And first of all, thanks to you all for taking the trouble to read this column each week and thanks especially to those who take the trouble to comment on the points made, whether making the odd wry observation when I bump into you good people in all kinds of places, dropping me e-mails to tell me when I've dropped a clanger (only all the time) or even ringing the office. Incident-ally, some people are amazed that I actually answer my own phone at work, they seem to think we have staff in T+MX editorial – I wish! Whatever, it is always a pleasure to talk to fellow enthusiasts, especially when I come away from the exchange armed with more knowledge than when I entered into the conversation – which is virtually always!
One thing I don't have is all the answers – but I do know the questions!
In fact, the older I get the more I realise how little I know – which is something I am thankful for. Mainly, I know just enough about lots of things to be dangerous! I know a bit about basic engineering, a bit about engines, a bit about riding, a bit about chassis design, very little about suspension (it goes up and down), a bit about organising, a bit about all branches of motor cycle sport, etc, etc.
As with most people, there was a time when I actually did think I had all the answers. It takes a lifetime to discover how little you do know... One thing I know nothing about whatsoever is electrics and I'm happy to keep it that way. I know when a spark plug is doing its thing or not. And if the answer is ‘not' then that's that. What I do love is the term ‘black box' in its electrical meaning. To me it might just as well say Black Magic. I'm not even curious to know what goes on in there. I am just happy that whoever invented the black box did just that. Prior to Black Boxes, all the bikes I owned had bloody mechanical points hidden behind flywheel mags and I seemed to spend half my life on my hands and knees in my dark workshop, with a torch in my teeth, poking about with screwdrivers and feeler gauges. Yes, I could do it, as well as anyone else, but I got no pleasure from these en-counters – but lots of frustration. Why the hell should I be setting the timing of Mr Bulto's latest, or Mr Montesa's Cota Mk4B. I had bought my bike brand new and in my opinion the timing should have been set and it should damned well stay there. In truth, that's wrong as well because thinking about it, if you were wise you also set the
timing yourself on delivery of the factory fresh bike. Barcelona's best weren't always too fussy about when the spark went off. Not in your bike anyway, I'm guessing the factory boys' bikes fired on time...
Which is exactly what happened when I moved on to Mr Suzuki's wonderful offerings, complete with Black Boxes, in the 1970s. Ah, heaven. Buy bike, ride bike, forget timing! I did occasionally remove the flywheel cover, on the face of it to see if there was any water present but mainly just to revel in the fact that there were no daft mechanical points hidden behind the flywheel that I would have to threaten with a selection of pointy things.
How the hell did I get on to this rant about ignition on old bikes? Glancing back, I see now, it was just picking up on one of the many things I know nothing about. Believe me, the list is long...
Time to fast forward to 2009 where, on the new bike front things have moved on to wondrous new levels. Off-road motorcycles in 2009 are works of engineering magnificence that weren't even dreamed of back when I started riding. And amazingly, that was not on a wooden-framed, iron-wheeled mechanical cow powered by coal-fired steam at the turn of the millennium before last... although it sometimes feels like it.
What I am getting round to is DON'T let all the doom and gloomsters get to you and spoil your sport. Times may be hard but just remind yourself, bikes have NEVER been as light, fast, powerful, comfortable, fanciable OR affordable as they are now. If you want to forget your troubles... get your bike out!
As ever, it's a pure pleasure writing this column and I look forward to seeing you all throughout the year... and please, have a great 2009...