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I'm West Yorkshire. You need to get that EXUP open and serviced! Like you say, they're rare now, so you don't want it to wear too much...

makes an awful noise, but since it is only a worn valve i have left it, they are like hens teeth to find and even then the access fixings will be rusted. whereabouts are you s/bite please? just roughly.

Looks like you've got your original exhaust on. How's your EXUP doing?

I test rode one of the sportsbike style SOLO bikes (full fairing). It did everything I wanted it to and it was like s**t off a stick. But there was no soul to it... It was merely something to get you from point A to point B. Would be good as a commuter bike. The problem is, when you view them like that, who cares what they look like? Who cares whether it's sportsbike styled or cruiser styled. Why would you pay extra for styling or extra acceleration???

What do you reckon? They might be fun but then I've never ridden one. I know that I'm often glad to be behind an electric car, if I have to be in traffic that is, as opposed to some poorly serviced diesel lol.

south coast neo, kent mostly, bit of sussex - brighton, lovely place to be. the piece was prompted by attending SS90's funeral, about 3 years ago.

Nice read there Mr B, and many thanks for taking the time to write that out, all to common is a few lines with little content, I'm glad to see there are still some of us that like to write a little bit more. I for one can get carried away with an explanation, and it takes time to compose and write it out. I'm not particularly quick on the keyboard so i appreciate your efforts, well done sir. Nice to see that you owned a 400/4 too. I've still got mine and i like to think it still looks good. What area did all these memories come from,? and what coast are you referring to? I'm down on the South Coast and have not really ventured far from my home town of Brighton, and still live not far from there. I have a similar story to tell, with a group of fellow early riders; Vespa 50 and Honda SS 50, along with Fizzy and Crazy Pete on a Lambretta. Maybe I'll write it down one day. In the meantime, I'll re read your post for some more inspiration. Many thanks.

best bike i've owned, three years of happiness now, what's not to like - comfy, sits well and goes well.

Teenage Memories There was a gaggle of us back then, I had a battered Honda twin 125 of around 1963 vintage that somebody had sprayed white, what were they thinking of? It didn't go that well but it was 'alright', main thing I recall is how smooth it rode after my jerky Bantam. My friend had a new Honda 90 SS which seemed quick to us. My other friend had a scooter with dampers on the front wheel and his cousin had an earlier model that had been bored out to 200cc. Our motley gang was occasionally supplemented by a small bloke on a British bike that had a side car frame attached, sadly he died before getting much older, through cancer I believe. Then there was a German chap - funnily enough on an MZ 250, who swore a lot - I got the impression that he didn't realise what some of the swearing he did actually meant. Finally, there was a BSA C15 boy who was always fun to be around, his mum and dad were similar. The crew with their seven assorted machines would bunch up and travel from town centre to town centre, visit cafes there but mostly just hang around and bump into other not dissimilar rabbles. Every now and then there would be a spontaneous trip to the coast. Honda SS and BSA were ahead of the game as they might bring their then molls who looked good and giggled. Once, when Honda SS was one up, he charged into a huge spongy hedge out of exuberance. There was another chap, Honda 350 twin, who lived further way and didn't join the evening sprees or the coastal trips but was there albeit, in the background. He got an apprenticeship that was time in industry so to speak and time on a sandwich course. It involved periods of long commutes,. I remember the way he would stuff newspapers down his bike over trousers and jacket in an attempt not to freeze. 350 was cleverer than the rest, he'd continuously mess with the engine, I must say that it ran very well indeed. We wasted the time that should have been spent studying for A levels. Fortunately for us, there were more opportunities in those days and we eventually gained reasonable jobs. Probably the most surprising was Honda SS who became an auditor having been a poor mathematician all his life. Cannily he married the girl mentioned above who was gifted in the maths department. I got local work initially for the ready money but I could see the future in the staff, my grades were good enough for further education and there were grants available. I took the bike to college, 200 miles away, the headlight wasn't up to the task and it got robbed of parts one night. I got a anti social hours holiday job in a bakery towards the end and saved for another 125, this time a Honda trail bike. When the course finished jobs were harder to get, I sold the motorbike for lack of funds and used a bicycle. In due course I was taken on and that involved a rail journey which was OK when it ran but this was a period of strikes, signal failures and 'driver shortage' disruptions. Fed up with cancelled trains I was pleased to accept an MZ125 from SS who was by now established. he had been using the bike for site visits yet claiming car rates and had now moved on to an office based position. Latter I took out a bank loan and upgraded to a Honda 400/4 and thereafter others. A driver abruptly turned into me but then the roads seemed less threatening or maybe I worried less. SS is no more, 350 is a recluse, Scoot with dampers lives in an executive enclave and 200 is divorced/shunned apparently. I don't know about the other two, I've lost touch. I expect you have a history that isn't too different except you may have been more adventurous, gone abroad on your bikes for example and had a more upmarket experience but, at the end of the day, it's that basic thrill and freedom that comes with motorcycling that's the universal pull. Cars keep you dry and safer, however they aren't so raw and sensual. There's danger with a motorbike but there's being outside, leaning and being part of the scene as opposed to observing it. Bikes are integral to our world.

incredible transformation, i sold my xj900f pre diversion recently, totally stock and same colour as the one you show at the top of the photo sequence. i think those engines will go on until the end of time, hardly stressed are they? I now have a Thunderace which is a different set up, crouched forward as opposed to sit up with the XJ. Really impressive work, well done, something to be proud of.

membership resolvbed with thanks

I'd think any deep cleaning with aluminium as the subject is rather a dodgy business, I'd try Youtube on that as alloys in general can be damaged fairly easily

hello john what bike have you got and where abouts are you please, just roughly. Ian This is my thunderace, I don't have to worry too much anout cleaning the engine as it is largely hidden lol.

and a warm welcome from me too.! as regards to cleaning aluminium .....errr, i do!😂 Now to be fair you've not giving much away to what you're cleaning!! Equally, the question of How do you clean the top of the engine , is open to interpretation!! Are you asking , how do you clean it? as in "How do you get in all the nooks and crannys?" With a hose? a jet washer? a toothbrush? take the tank off?, that sort of how...or... do you mean "How do you clean it when it's dirty?", as in what products do we owners use? I'm not being funny, its just that I can read it both ways! and I'm sure others would agree. Nonetheless, I'll answer on the basis you're asking what do we use (products) to clean it....... I've got two bikes; both with aluminium heads. However one is painted black and the other is polished ali, but both need cleaning! The DT 175 MX has a black painted ali head. Over time , despite being painted, little areas of oxidisation can break through the paint film, I keep it clean with soap and water, you have to be careful not to use anything too abrasive as the paint can dull, nonetheless, I don't go overboard on it! although if you left it the oxidisation creates little mounds of crystals which you can rub off in the early stages, leave it too long and you'll need a wire brush!!! however, sometimes it needs a bit of a touch up with a rattle can of Engine black satin enamel paint. My 400/4 , that's a Honda not a Yamaha!!, has the polished ali head, which when new probably had a clear lacquer coating on it, but that went yellow with the heat and was removed years ago, thereafter, I polished the ali with Autosol Chrome cleaner paste and a lot of elbow grease!!!, again, I keep it clean with soap and water then apply the polish, over winter a spray of ACF50 protects it. Both simple routines, but I've been doing that for over 40 years and it seems to work for me! Incidentally, don't waste your money on fancy named cleaners that cost a lot, I just use washing up liquid and hot water! Elbow grease is cheap and effective.! If you're asking How? jet wash?, hose?...I'll leave that for later depending on what you think of my first answer! Hope that helps.

Hi John, welcome to YOC... Errr, I don't...

Can I ask how do you clean the top of the engine aluminium

Hold my beer... The Magic Roundabout in Swindon UK

Just seen this in my local news... luckily it's not near me. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/is-this-sydney-s-worst-roundabout-drivers-perplexed-by-bizarre-new-intersection-20250627-p5mapt.html

i PM'd you ages ago and thought you were sorted. I took photos and just need to WhatsApp the photos if you PM your mob number

hi drewpy have you had any luck finding the carb bodys

So Roger the Bodger was a previous owner of the bike!! Whilst his putty job got it going it didn't fix it.....then you bought it!....and now the Wallet Emptying Barsteward is finally fixed. Congratulations. Well done that man. You deserve a medal for perseverance............medal....medal!! says Mutley 👍👍

Well, at least it's fixed! lol