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  • Petrol prices & commutor bikes

    The middle east crisis in Egypt & Lybia has certainly triggered off some serious price rises in petrol & diesel again. Unleaded here in Cambridge has reached £1.34 per litre at main stream filling stations, more at the few village garages that are still selling fuel. One daily tabloid, the Express, has mooted an £8 gallon before the year is out.
    So far there has been little evidence of prices having effect on motoring habits, the roads still seem chocker block with cars, & 4x4s. Not a significant increase in bikes, although the local bike training school seem to be busy, and with older riders.
    I wonder if we will see a resurgance to motor cycles particularly for commuting? I suppose if it comes it will be with small capacity (125cc) bikes & twist & go scooters. There appear very few new 'grey porrage' commutor bikes available these days apart from Royal Enfield (now very expensive for still basically a 1950's bike), & CZ who market the only large capacity (350cc) two stroke twin. The big Jap manufacturers seem to now only market large capacity 'bum in the air resin rockets' that have the fuel consumpion of a large car & carry only two. Although Honda & Suzuki still do 125's in normal bike & step through scooter form. The Chinese are also getting into this latter market with cheap clones of Jap bikes.
    Maybe Richard Deal of Greeves would do well to get into this market with a Chinese built Greeves badged lightweight. They are already available with the AJS badge.

  • #2
    Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
    The middle east crisis in Egypt & Lybia has certainly triggered off some serious price rises in petrol & diesel again. Unleaded here in Cambridge has reached £1.34 per litre at main stream filling stations, more at the few village garages that are still selling fuel. One daily tabloid, the Express, has mooted an £8 gallon before the year is out.
    So far there has been little evidence of prices having effect on motoring habits, the roads still seem chocker block with cars, & 4x4s. Not a significant increase in bikes, although the local bike training school seem to be busy, and with older riders.
    I wonder if we will see a resurgance to motor cycles particularly for commuting? I suppose if it comes it will be with small capacity (125cc) bikes & twist & go scooters. There appear very few new 'grey porrage' commutor bikes available these days apart from Royal Enfield (now very expensive for still basically a 1950's bike), & CZ who market the only large capacity (350cc) two stroke twin. The big Jap manufacturers seem to now only market large capacity 'bum in the air resin rockets' that have the fuel consumpion of a large car & carry only two. Although Honda & Suzuki still do 125's in normal bike & step through scooter form. The Chinese are also getting into this latter market with cheap clones of Jap bikes.
    Maybe Richard Deal of Greeves would do well to get into this market with a Chinese built Greeves badged lightweight. They are already available with the AJS badge.
    I want a diesel Royal Enfield,that should sort it.

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    • #3
      Enfield diesel

      Stuart
      You can even buy one with a Greaves 325cc diesel engine http://myroyalenfields.blogspot.com/...-enfields.html
      Only 6.5bhp & 190 mpg (US gallon) at 25 mph. My Yamaha T80 Townmate step through is 8 bhp & gives 120 mpg (UK gallon) at 40 mph!!
      Last edited by John Wakefield; 26/02/2011, 03:09 PM. Reason: Extra text added

      Comment


      • #4
        Well I've managed to flog my MG ZT260.

        4.6 litre Ford Mustang V8 = 21mpg (or less)

        Phew!
        Colin Sparrow

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        • #5
          Who bought it Colin, James May (Captain Slow) or Clarkson
          Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Au?erdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

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          • #6
            hi.
            I converted my iveco camper van over to neat veg oil, works a treat, but you tend get loads of hungery people following behind!!!!. dave

            Comment


            • #7
              Marcelle34A you are right, here in 'cycle city' Cambridge we have the lycra commutors, get all dressed up in their lycra, on expensive racing type bikes, never use cycleways (too slow & bumpy), ride through red traffic lights, no lights, arrive at work all hot & smelly so have to shower & change clothes before starting work. Same again in reverse at night.
              The local Council did a 'race' during rush hour accross the city by bike, car & bus. the bike won.
              When I asked them why they had not included a motor cycle they said it was not a prefered choice of travel, rather dangerous.
              I got rid of my car some 5 years ago & use my Yamaha T80 step through as my main transport and my free travel bus pass. Wife has a small car which we use on longer journey's, and the Greeves 25DC in the summer months.
              I think one deterant to motor cycles is the high cost & hassle of passing the driving test. Going on a training course is almost mandatory, certainly the CBT part is. When I started in 1960 you just got a provisioal licence, put on L plates & taught yourself to ride. Some rode on L plates for years never taking a test.
              Last edited by John Wakefield; 26/02/2011, 10:23 PM. Reason: Extra text added

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
                Stuart
                You can even buy one with a Greaves 325cc diesel engine http://myroyalenfields.blogspot.com/...-enfields.html
                Only 6.5bhp & 190 mpg (US gallon) at 25 mph. My Yamaha T80 Townmate step through is 8 bhp & gives 120 mpg (UK gallon) at 40 mph!!
                I just need to work out how to fit pedals for the flat roads

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
                  Marcelle34A you are right, here in 'cycle city' Cambridge we have the lycra commutors, get all dressed up in their lycra, on expensive racing type bikes, never use cycleways (too slow & bumpy), ride through red traffic lights, no lights, arrive at work all hot & smelly so have to shower & change clothes before starting work. Same again in reverse at night.
                  The local Council did a 'race' during rush hour accross the city by bike, car & bus. the bike won.
                  When I asked them why they had not included a motor cycle they said it was not a prefered choice of travel, rather dangerous.
                  I got rid of my car some 5 years ago & use my Yamaha T80 step through as my main transport and my free travel bus pass. Wife has a small car which we use on longer journey's, and the Greeves 25DC in the summer months.
                  I think one deterant to motor cycles is the high cost & hassle of passing the driving test. Going on a training course is almost mandatory, certainly the CBT part is. When I started in 1960 you just got a provisioal licence, put on L plates & taught yourself to ride. Some rode on L plates for years never taking a test.
                  Our Governments want to ban motorcycles but cant so they are doing it by preventing new riders

                  Comment

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