Stan Burt Collection
Some info about myself. First licence in August
1949 (I am 79), a variety of
British bikes culminating in a Velocette Venom. After that a break for
some nine years for the usual reasons, mortgage and a family. Then the
purchase of trials bike for a nine year old son and heavily into the
schoolboys trials scene for some years, during which I purchased a trials
bike to follow him with. After that it was back to road bikes, with
Japanese
bikes mainly Suzukis, until the purchase of 52 year old 1949 Sunbeam S8,
which I restored and sold (I did not enjoy riding it!). Since then it has
been a mixture of British and Japanese bikes Including (new) Triumphs,
Suzukis and Yamahas. 10 years ago I bought a 1992 Yamaha SRX600 3SX model
-
electric start and monoshock rear - as a ride and restore project,
alongside the new bikes, this is one of the bikes that I currently own. It
has undergone quite a lot of changes, mainly to emphasise the café racer
style, including a single seat and different exhaust. I am in the process
of
running it in as it has just had an engine rebuild and tune - gasflowed
head, reprofiled camshaft and overbore to 620cc - by Slipstream Tuning of
Sevenoaks.
Last year I decided to look for a Honda GB500TT to add to my (small)
collection. As you know there are not a lot around, so I ended up getting
one imported from Japan by Bridgemoto of Reading. I am really delighted
with this bike, it is a 1985 model which had low mileage, but had been
stored a long time. Bridgemoto had it repainted and the wheels rebuilt
with
stainless spokes before I took delivery. Since then most of my efforts
have
been cosmetic, polishing engine cases etc, except for changing the
gearing,
which I raised by changing sprockets, to make it less 'buzzy' at 70 mph.
My most recent purchase was this year, after I sold my new Bonneville, it
is
a Suzuki Tempter ST400, again supplied by Bridgemoto. This is a bike that
I
bought because I loved the look of it, and was fascinated by the twin/
twin
leading shoe drum brake on the front, and I am not disappointed. It is a
1998 model with just 820 kms on the clock, and condition - including
cosmetic - to confirm that mileage, it is not as quick as the others but
is
a very comfortable and 'laid back' sort of ride. It is worth noting here
that the twin/twin brake is not as good as a single 27 year old disc!
I have taken, at different times, all three of these bikes to the Poole
Quay
Tuesday night meet, and the Suzuki generates a lot of attention and
questions, largely because it has Tempter on the tank and the Suzuki name
is
only found on the flange on the bottom of the barrel, and on the silencer!
I enjoy the older bikes because I can work on them, whereas the new bikes
I
had only really required cleaning, and I ride them regularly.
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