Hello from North Yorkshire

[Yorkshire Dave]

Evening gents.....and possibly ladies. After a 35 year hiatus, I need to get back in the saddle. At 58 years of age, I have to remember, I ain't as young as I was!! Initially I thought about a Triumph Tiger 900 Rally but have decided against it on the grounds of complexity, weight and cost. I thought about a Honda CRF300 but decided against it on the grounds of lack of weight and lack of grunt as a most of my riding will be on road. So, the one bike I keep coming back to as the best of all worlds is .........yes, you guessed it! So I'm going to lurk around here while I find a mint used (preferably Rally Edition) Tenere. Anyway, get ready for some really stupid questions about everything from clothing to maintenance to accessories and the bike itself!!

Best wishes and ride safe

Dave

[thepointchris]

The older we get  the better we were, Dave. Welcome to the Forum - no stupid questions here, but maybe the odd dumb-ass answer! You're just approaching your peak, so great time to jump back in,  and there's no better out there than your T7 (no bias, I swear).

Safe riding,

Chris

[RIDER GUIDER]

Awesome. Good luck in your T7 hunting, you can't really go wrong mate.  Also after 35 years off the bike you won't be anything other than absolutely amazed at the bike even if you keep it standard. 

[Yorkshire Dave]

8 hours ago, thepointchris said:

The older we get  the better we were, Dave. Welcome to the Forum - no stupid questions here, but maybe the odd dumb-ass answer! You're just approaching your peak, so great time to jump back in,  and there's no better out there than your T7 (no bias, I swear).

Safe riding,

Chris

Ha ha........much appreciated Chris!! You're absolutely right........I seem to remember back in the '80's I was an absolute legend (in my own mind!). One day, I'll get back to California.....relations in Oakland SF, Palo Alto and up in Leavenworth WA, Chicago and VA.......miss the road trips badly! Anyhoo.....thanks for saying Hi and welcoming me on board. Ride safe bruv!!

Dave

North Yorkshire

England

[Yorkshire Dave]

8 hours ago, RIDER GUIDER said:

Awesome. Good luck in your T7 hunting, you can't really go wrong mate.  Also after 35 years off the bike you won't be anything other than absolutely amazed at the bike even if you keep it standard. 

Many thanks RG.......I'm excited by the prospect. I've missed a couple so I'm kicking myself. It's hard to imagine that an off road bike such as the T7 is more powerful than my last road bike.......a GPZ550 Kawasaki. I also had endless fun on a Yamaha DT175 and Suzuki TS100 and TS185. The GPZ wasn't a road burner but very respectable back in the day. I'm 5' 10" so I really need to throw my leg over one but if it's too tall, I know there are things you can do to improve that "issue"......though I'm sure I'll be fine with the standard set up. By the way, love Australia.......son lives in the NT and daughter in WA. Anyway, thanks for saying Hi!

Best wishes and ride safe

Dave 

[Guest]

Welcome! I’m sure you’ll find many answers and inspiration on this forum, I know I have…. lots of knowledgeable riders here!   Curious, What bike(s) did you ride 35 years ago?

Best wishes on your new adventure!

[Hollybrook]

@Yorkshire Davemy first real dirt bike was a TS125.  I had lots of adventures on it. If only the foot pegs wouldn't bend down landing from big jumps! 

[Yorkshire Dave]

9 hours ago, DuncMan said:

Welcome mate. The T700 is a good choice. Good luck finding one. 

Thanks Duncman!

[Yorkshire Dave]

8 hours ago, PondHawk said:

Welcome! I’m sure you’ll find many answers and inspiration on this forum, I know I have…. lots of knowledgeable riders here!   Curious, What bike(s) did you ride 35 years ago?

Best wishes on your new adventure!

Hi PondHawk! Okay, in order. I started with a Suzuki Ts100. Then a Ts185. Then an Yamaha Xj550 with the Ts185. Then a Kawasaki Gpz550 with the Ts185. Then a Yamaha Dt175 with the Gpz550. Oh, and the use of a Canam Bombardier in the Territorial army. Not that many really. Need to scratch the itch once more though!!

[Endopotential]

Greetings from SF!  You'll love the Tenere

 

I grew up reading the James Herriott "All Creatures Great and Small" books based in Yorkshire, so that's a place I've always wanted to visit.  I imagine all the moors would be ripe for ADV exploring!

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Yorkshire Dave said:

Hi PondHawk! Okay, in order. I started with a Suzuki Ts100. Then a Ts185. Then an Yamaha Xj550 with the Ts185. Then a Kawasaki Gpz550 with the Ts185. Then a Yamaha Dt175 with the Gpz550. Oh, and the use of a Canam Bombardier in the Territorial army. Not that many really. Need to scratch the itch once more though!!

Cool vintage bikes! My brother had a late 70’s early 80’s DT175, it was one of my favorite bikes of all time. I love that first generation mono shock.  I’m in a similar situation, my last bike was a 1981 PE175, stopped riding and sold it in 1987… picked up riding again 3 years ago and love it….very therapeutic! Best of luck.

[RIDER GUIDER]

On 2/13/2023 at 8:48 PM, Yorkshire Dave said:

Many thanks RG.......I'm excited by the prospect. I've missed a couple so I'm kicking myself. It's hard to imagine that an off road bike such as the T7 is more powerful than my last road bike.......a GPZ550 Kawasaki. I also had endless fun on a Yamaha DT175 and Suzuki TS100 and TS185. The GPZ wasn't a road burner but very respectable back in the day. I'm 5' 10" so I really need to throw my leg over one but if it's too tall, I know there are things you can do to improve that "issue"......though I'm sure I'll be fine with the standard set up. By the way, love Australia.......son lives in the NT and daughter in WA. Anyway, thanks for saying Hi!

Best wishes and ride safe

Dave 

Dave, I'm a short arse and haven't even lowered it, I'm a smidge over 5'7" now.  You'll be just right!  That whole GPZ range was legendary back in the day.  That era was just a year or so prior to me passing my test and I sort of missed out on it, the magazines were just a tease haha.  I used to dream of owning even a GPZ305 as a kid haha.  Brilliant.  First bike Suzuki ZR50SL, then  GP100 (because I couldn't afford an LC) then quickly worked my way through a gaggle of stuff ... AR125LC eventually came and went, Suzuki X7 (remember them?) a TZR250, then a CBR600 plus more.  What an era.  I worked at Jefferies in Shipley for years so had the run of pretty much a fleet of Triumph and BMW demos plus the odd Ducati and got to ride some proper stuff then.  No Kangaroo to dodge over there.  I ride far more sedate these days.  Keep me up to date with how the hunt is going.  If you struggle I might know a man who can find you one in Yorkshire

[Lewie]

Welcome

ive have a few DT’s and TS’s X and ER’s

my younger brother and my  TS’s- I have the 250 he the 125

possibly 1987

 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Lewie

[Yorkshire Dave]

4 hours ago, RIDER GUIDER said:

Dave, I'm a short arse and haven't even lowered it, I'm a smidge over 5'7" now.  You'll be just right!  That whole GPZ range was legendary back in the day.  That era was just a year or so prior to me passing my test and I sort of missed out on it, the magazines were just a tease haha.  I used to dream of owning even a GPZ305 as a kid haha.  Brilliant.  First bike Suzuki ZR50SL, then  GP100 (because I couldn't afford an LC) then quickly worked my way through a gaggle of stuff ... AR125LC eventually came and went, Suzuki X7 (remember them?) a TZR250, then a CBR600 plus more.  What an era.  I worked at Jefferies in Shipley for years so had the run of pretty much a fleet of Triumph and BMW demos plus the odd Ducati and got to ride some proper stuff then.  No Kangaroo to dodge over there.  I ride far more sedate these days.  Keep me up to date with how the hunt is going.  If you struggle I might know a man who can find you one in Yorkshire

Jeez RG.......what a small world!! I used to frequent Jefferies in Shipley every Saturday..........I used to live in Heaton, Bradford!! We used to do a Saturday circuit of Motorcycle World, Kawasaki Centre, Steve Rhodes Motorcycles, sometimes Brooke Listers and one other off Thornton Road that I can't remember........ and then Jefferies!! We were outside Kawasaki Centre when Valley Parade went up!! We'd go drag Racing at York Raceway and Santa Pod with my mates uncle who was a top flight drag racer and had a shop at Pudsey.......initials C.R. I was pretty much done with bike ownership by the late '80's due to marriage. What a small world.........when did you move to Oz? I was there in November!!

[AZJW]

Welcome from Arizona and best of luck locating a T7 to get you back in the saddle. 

[Yorkshire Dave]

9 minutes ago, AZJW said:

Welcome from Arizona and best of luck locating a T7 to get you back in the saddle. 

Thankyou AZJW.......much appreciated! Had a cousin who lived in Phoenix but moved to VA.

[Yorkshire Dave]

4 hours ago, Lewie said:

Welcome

ive have a few DT’s and TS’s X and ER’s

my younger brother and my  TS’s- I have the 250 he the 125

possibly 1987

 

 

Many thanks Lewie.........loved my Ts's.....actually preferred my Ts185 to my Dt175 tbh. The Ts felt more rapid and I never really gelled with the Dt. My 185 was yellow too.  I stole it, oooops, paid about £200 for it and it had 400 miles on the clock......it was mint! 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Yorkshire Dave
addition

[RIDER GUIDER]

3 hours ago, Yorkshire Dave said:

Jeez RG.......what a small world!! I used to frequent Jefferies in Shipley every Saturday..........I used to live in Heaton, Bradford!! We used to do a Saturday circuit of Motorcycle World, Kawasaki Centre, Steve Rhodes Motorcycles, sometimes Brooke Listers and one other off Thornton Road that I can't remember........ and then Jefferies!! We were outside Kawasaki Centre when Valley Parade went up!! We'd go drag Racing at York Raceway and Santa Pod with my mates uncle who was a top flight drag racer and had a shop at Pudsey.......initials C.R. I was pretty much done with bike ownership by the late '80's due to marriage. What a small world.........when did you move to Oz? I was there in November!!

I'm from Wilsden mate!!!  Them bike shops take me back!  There was a breakers that had a little show room just off Thornton Road, it'll come back to me.  Quite possible we've met on one of them Saturdays maybe?  Although my shop days were nineties in to the noughties after they moved down the road to go just BMW.  I was back there in September (family visit) and ran in to Nick for a good catch up.  I have a lot of amazing memories from them days with the shop and DJ etc.  Emigrated in 2006 but I keep in touch with everyone, including (name drop) Hutchy who I missed seeing in September because I got bronchitis towards the end of the trip.  As you can imagine I made a few friends on the flight home coughing my lungs up hahhaha.  

[Yorkshire Dave]

17 minutes ago, RIDER GUIDER said:

I'm from Wilsden mate!!!  Them bike shops take me back!  There was a breakers that had a little show room just off Thornton Road, it'll come back to me.  Quite possible we've met on one of them Saturdays maybe?  Although my shop days were nineties in to the noughties after they moved down the road to go just BMW.  I was back there in September (family visit) and ran in to Nick for a good catch up.  I have a lot of amazing memories from them days with the shop and DJ etc.  Emigrated in 2006 but I keep in touch with everyone, including (name drop) Hutchy who I missed seeing in September because I got bronchitis towards the end of the trip.  As you can imagine I made a few friends on the flight home coughing my lungs up hahhaha.  

Oh my lord.....bought my first house in Wilsden......Farndale Road.....then Birchlands..... Then moved to Harden!! Used to love the test days at jefferies back in the '80's.....borrow a bike and let rip for half an hour!! Once took a bollocking off nick jefferies for, shall we say, deviating from the test route on a gsx750 demo bike.....I deserved it!! The dealer I' m thinking of was Steve or was it Geoff Hirst yamaha on Thornton Road. Just as an aside, when I was in Perth in November, we were at a winery out in the sticks. My daughter was quizzed by a lad about her accent. Long story short, he lived at stapper Green and went to school with my best mates daughter! It got better......turned out I worked with his god father for 15 years!!! Truly is a small world!! 

[RIDER GUIDER]

15 hours ago, Yorkshire Dave said:

Oh my lord.....bought my first house in Wilsden......Farndale Road.....then Birchlands..... Then moved to Harden!! Used to love the test days at jefferies back in the '80's.....borrow a bike and let rip for half an hour!! Once took a bollocking off nick jefferies for, shall we say, deviating from the test route on a gsx750 demo bike.....I deserved it!! The dealer I' m thinking of was Steve or was it Geoff Hirst yamaha on Thornton Road. Just as an aside, when I was in Perth in November, we were at a winery out in the sticks. My daughter was quizzed by a lad about her accent. Long story short, he lived at stapper Green and went to school with my best mates daughter! It got better......turned out I worked with his god father for 15 years!!! Truly is a small world!! 

This is a bit mental, okay so I lived on North View as a kid, bought my first house opposite the Co-op on Royd Street with the first wife after which we bought on Low Wood off the new roundabout at Ling Bob.  We split up, I ended up with a great bachelor pad on Albert Street, before meeting the current Mrs and buying 73 Birchlands!  My mate Bruce emigrated to WA similar time to us but lived on Stapper Green, I wonder!?  What years were you in the village, were you biking then?  We must definitely know the same people, and my brother (biker too) is 58 in April, lived in Wilsden up until about 16 years ago before he moved to Scotland.   CRAZY.  Oh and it was JK Hirsts, I had actually forgotten about them!

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by RIDER GUIDER

[Yorkshire Dave]

2 hours ago, RIDER GUIDER said:

This is a bit mental, okay so I lived on North View as a kid, bought my first house opposite the Co-op on Royd Street with the first wife after which we bought on Low Wood off the new roundabout at Ling Bob.  We split up, I ended up with a great bachelor pad on Albert Street, before meeting the current Mrs and buying 73 Birchlands!  My mate Bruce emigrated to WA similar time to us but lived on Stapper Green, I wonder!?  What years were you in the village, were you biking then?  We must definitely know the same people, and my brother (biker too) is 58 in April, lived in Wilsden up until about 16 years ago before he moved to Scotland.   CRAZY.  Oh and it was JK Hirsts, I had actually forgotten about them!

 

Oh my lord........the co-op! Probably squeezed past you in there a time or two! Came out of there one day and watched some workmen remove the roof off the Methodist church. Imagine my surprise the following day when the T&A front page was all about the THEFT of the roof of the Methodist church! We lived in Wilsden between 1988 and 2000. Harden, 2000 to 2016. Gave up biking in about '87.........other than blagging the occasional ride on other people's bikes. When were you down Birchlands? Was it Avenue or Grove? JK Hirsts......that's the one.......another blast from the past! Isn't life full of incredible coincidences? Don't suppose you're coming back to Blighty any time soon!! My kids have just been invited to apply for PR.........it's taken one 6 years and the other 8 years!! Hopefully, me and my wife will get chance to move out when we retire......a few years off yet. How does life in Australia suit you?

[RIDER GUIDER]

13 hours ago, Yorkshire Dave said:

Oh my lord........the co-op! Probably squeezed past you in there a time or two! Came out of there one day and watched some workmen remove the roof off the Methodist church. Imagine my surprise the following day when the T&A front page was all about the THEFT of the roof of the Methodist church! We lived in Wilsden between 1988 and 2000. Harden, 2000 to 2016. Gave up biking in about '87.........other than blagging the occasional ride on other people's bikes. When were you down Birchlands? Was it Avenue or Grove? JK Hirsts......that's the one.......another blast from the past! Isn't life full of incredible coincidences? Don't suppose you're coming back to Blighty any time soon!! My kids have just been invited to apply for PR.........it's taken one 6 years and the other 8 years!! Hopefully, me and my wife will get chance to move out when we retire......a few years off yet. How does life in Australia suit you?

Birchlands Ave, back of our house overlooked Stapper, 2004-2006 before emigrating.  I remember that church roof getting stolen too LMAO.  It's now converted into apartments I think?  We were definitely in the village at the same time for sure.  We were back there in September at the same time Liz popped her clogs sadly, no concrete plans for a trip back just yet.   Best thing we've done is come out here to be fair.  None stop adventure, on and off the bikes, living in a wine region is quite nice too.  You need to definitely try and retire out here.  Get away from the circus that is currently a very un-United Kingdom  

PS .... you a Bantams fan then?

Edited February 16, 2023 by RIDER GUIDER

[Yorkshire Dave]

On 2/16/2023 at 6:10 AM, RIDER GUIDER said:

Birchlands Ave, back of our house overlooked Stapper, 2004-2006 before emigrating.  I remember that church roof getting stolen too LMAO.  It's now converted into apartments I think?  We were definitely in the village at the same time for sure.  We were back there in September at the same time Liz popped her clogs sadly, no concrete plans for a trip back just yet.   Best thing we've done is come out here to be fair.  None stop adventure, on and off the bikes, living in a wine region is quite nice too.  You need to definitely try and retire out here.  Get away from the circus that is currently a very un-United Kingdom  

PS .... you a Bantams fan then?

It is converted to apartments now. The butcher at the top of the main street (Howard C) bought one......pretty swanky. We are headed out there mate. Our daughter is sponsoring us but it'll take years.......5 to 8 years we've been told..........and that's with paying a lot of money!! It might be a bit more united now that wee jimmy krankie has resigned!! Our daughter is coming over in two weeks so it'll be interesting to see what she thinks about life in dear old blighty now? Thanks for the heads up on the Rally T7......it's a bit far to travel because I'd want to see a bike in the flesh before I bought.  

[RIDER GUIDER]

10 hours ago, Yorkshire Dave said:

It is converted to apartments now. The butcher at the top of the main street (Howard C) bought one......pretty swanky. We are headed out there mate. Our daughter is sponsoring us but it'll take years.......5 to 8 years we've been told..........and that's with paying a lot of money!! It might be a bit more united now that wee jimmy krankie has resigned!! Our daughter is coming over in two weeks so it'll be interesting to see what she thinks about life in dear old blighty now? Thanks for the heads up on the Rally T7......it's a bit far to travel because I'd want to see a bike in the flesh before I bought.  

Howard is a great mate, I used to ride with him back in the day amongst a few others.  We'd meet up at the Malt Shovel early doors Sunday and blast around the Lakes for the morning.  I remember now that he'd moved in there!  I'm getting all soft in the grey matter haha.  So what's the plan?  Perth?  Wonderful city!

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:48 AM, RIDER GUIDER said:

Howard is a great mate, I used to ride with him back in the day amongst a few others.  We'd meet up at the Malt Shovel early doors Sunday and blast around the Lakes for the morning.  I remember now that he'd moved in there!  I'm getting all soft in the grey matter haha.  So what's the plan?  Perth?  Wonderful city!

 

Mate.....check your pm's.