2020-01-01_Motorcycle_Trader

MOTORCYCLETRADER 73

bike had two distinct
shocks bolted to the rear.
I remember this from the
time we had to drag the
bike backwards out of
a mineshaft my friend
had drunkenly ridden
into to escape the local
constabulary. Yamahas of
the era certainly featured
Monocross rear ends, albeit
the motocross bikes, not the
road bikes [it was fitted to
the RD250/350LC in 1980].
Yamaha rightly lays claim
to pioneering single-shock
motorcycles, although this
arrangement had been seen
on factory competition
bikes of other makes.
I also enjoyed Guido’s
article on the CBX550,
which brought memories
flooding back, albeit an

unpleasant ones. The year

was 1987, I was in the

final months of single life,

and I’d decided one last

bike trip was called for. I

was bikeless at the time,

having sold my XL250R to

buy an engagement ring

(yes, I know).

I wandered into Garner’s

Bike Hire looking for

‘something interesting’ and

left the store on the CBX550,

heading for the Great Ocean

Road. Unbeknown to me,

the interesting bit was the

handling, or lack thereof.

My future bride never

knew how close she came

to becoming a widow even

before walking down the

aisle.

Thank you for letting

me trip once again down

memory lane, as we who

are old are wont to do. I

still have that SL70, albeit

in pieces, and your article

about Pud’s Four Parts

may have inspired me to

restore it.

Oh, and in case you’re

wondering, yes, I’m

shutterbug Ben’s dad, and

that SL70 was Ben’s first

ride.

Mark Galli

[email protected]

The passion – and

knowledge – for

motorcycling runs deep in

the Galli family, and it’s

clearly all thanks to you,

Mark. Sounds like there’s a

RD400-type itch that needs

scratching. Perhaps you

could recreate your

famous wheelie in front

of impressed friends.

LOST MEMORY

Age is a funny thing –

not split-your-sides-type

funny, but more like ‘man,

that’s weird shit’ type

f u n ny.

My wife and I have

decided not to talk to each

other unless absolutely

necessary after the hour

of 3.30pm as we have

smoothly transitioned

into incomprehensible

babbling seniors after that

hour. I recently mentioned

I’m going to purchase

another bike (as usual, the

last one had to go due to

loaning my licence back

to the local authorities for

a period of time), as I’ve

been at least 12 months

without one.

Imagine the confusion

when my carer (this

is the wife when I’m

carrying another self-

inflicted injury) in a not-

to-be-messed-with voice,

demands this will not be

so until the existing bike

goes.

I immediately check my

watch. No, it’s not 3.30pm

yet. What are you on

about? You know I sold

the last one to that poor

bastard with emphysema.

“No!” she retaliates, “The

The year was

1987 and I was

bikeless, having

sold my Honda

XL250R to buy

an engagement

ring

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY

HAMILTON MCC, NZ

A century is a very long time for a

club in any sports, and the Hamilton

Motorcycle Club is proud to call on

former members in New Zealand and

overseas to celebrate its milestone

achievement in 2020.

A number of activities are well into

the planning stage for the club’s 100th

year, starting with a recreation of a

1920 Hood Street gathering of road

riders on Sunday morning March 29, to

begin the celebrations.

Easter Saturday (April11) includes

a special anniversary dinner. Several

members of the Hamilton Motorcycle

Club are creating a unique history of

the club from inception through to

current activities, which will culminate

in 2020 with a special centenary book.

The Classics Museum in Hamilton

will feature 50 special machines from

former and current club members,

so if you have something special in

the garage and have been an HMCC

member and therefore are part of its

event history, please get in touch. The

museum motorcycle show kicks off on

April 11 and runs until April 26.

The joined HMCC and Waikato

Classic Motorcycle clubs annual swap

meet will then be staged on April 19.

Prominent current and former

members include MotoGP

race director Mike Webb,

multi-NZ Superbike champion

and Britten rider Andrew

Stroud, plus four-time world

champion and two-time

Isle of Man TT winner Hugh

Anderson.

The 100th Anniversary

dinner has limited seats so

interested members book via

[email protected] or visit

http://www.HamiltonMCC.org.nz

Terr y Stevenson

One hundred years is indeed a

very long time for any club in

the Southern Hemisphere.

Congratulations Hamilton

Motorcycle Club and all its

members past and present. There’s

still time to jump across the ditch

to join Hamilton’s biggest parties in

100 years. Have a great night.