RobbieRobot Cafe Racer Project in pictures

Aaargh ! They say 2 pack is teh only real solution for this problem and it seems that you can get it in an aerosol which has the catalyst in a can within a can..

Olivers Mount eh ? will make it up there some day. In the meantime off to the I-O-M next week for a few days. Me on a 79 A100 and my bro on a 78 CZ250. Maybe the XJ in a year or two. Just picked up an 80s vintage Alfa (Micron) exhaust for it - a replica of one I had in the 80s...
Cheers

James

 

Tank rubbed down ready for paint.

 

Tank in etch primer.

 

Tank painted and and lacquered in fuel resistant lacquer.

 

Pin stripes going on.

 

Pin stripes done.

 

Back on the road.

 

On the road again.

 

You make it look so easy! Looking good!

 

40 years ago today my dad bought me a Yamaha SS 50 identical to this. The SS stood for Sixteener Special. It was one year old and cost £120. I had to pay him back at £10 per month. Forty years ago tomorrow on 5th June 1974 I was legally entitled to ride it on the open road with no training whatsoever. I got up, did my paper round on it, then went to school on it and sat my maths O-level exam with thoughts only of riding out on the country roads. Happy days!

 

In that case, happy 56th tomorrow!

 

Thank you.

 

Last Wednesday I had a ride over to the Lake District via Alston to Pooley Bridge then on to Windermere via Kirkstone Pass. Return via Kendal, Sedbergh and then following the 2014 Tour de France (Yorkshire Grand Départ) cycling route through Hawes and Aysgarth before heading home via Leyburn and Richmond. It was warm and mostly sunny. My Café Racer and I covered 210 miles that day without missing a beat. With the weather being reasonably good over the last few weeks I've also been riding the 66 mile round trip to work. Surprisingly enough this now brings the total mileage, since engine 'B' was fitted, to over 2000 averaging around 40 miles per (uk) gallon. I have had to top the oil up 3 or 4 times using about a litre of oil. I'm happy to say that RobbieRobot Café Racer has proven to be a very usable classic.

 

Fantastic! The old photos made me smile, especially as I had an AP50 - which I had to pay my father back for.

Now I know where all the ebay XJs go - your garage!

I wonder how you cope with a technical job on 12 hour shifts? I am faced with that very prospect - and at almost 51 am not getting any younger!

 

Nice - mine was a purple FS1-E identical except faster :wink: - everyone knows the purple ones were the fastest.. Mine (a 75 model) cost 80 quid when I was 14 spent 18 months polishing it until I was on the road in December 1980.. Best ever - even with the nose fairing i put on it

Best

James

 

Hi Markie. I think the AP50 came a little after the original crop of sixteener specials. I moved rapidly on to larger capacity bikes so didn't have the pleasure of riding one. How did they compare to the 73 Fizzies?


I do keep an eye out for any XJs that come up on eBay but only within a 40 mile radius or so and obviously, the price has to be right.


Fortunately the environment I work in is reasonably easy going. Due to the nature of the work (civil airliner engines) it has been found that cracking the whip only results in more errors so we tend to be allowed to take our time and get things right. 12 hours is a long day but then I only do two then two 12 hour nights. It's not that bad when you get used to it and the time off is always welcome. I used to do 6 twelve hour shifts regularly when the kids were little. Now that's a grueller. What type of work will you be doing?

 

Hi James. I've heard that rumour, that the popsicle purple ones were half a mile an hour faster on a Tuesday evening. I can't confirm or deny it though.
Now that's dedication, getting one 18 months before you could legally ride it. My mate and I were given an NSU Quickly when we were 14. Were managed to get it running after several weeks of tinkering then rode it in a field. I have to say it's name wasn't an accurate description of it's performance. We also had a similar experience with a Raleigh Runabout. I think I could actually run faster. It all fed the hunger though. Until the long awaited day of FREEDOM. Brilliant. How do 14 going on 16 year olds get their kicks now? Actually, don't answer that, I'm not sure I'd like the answer.

 

Modified/improved tail light and license plate holder.

 

You sir have an attention for detail. Wonderful work! I don't know if I like the bike or scenery more. They both look amazing! The English countryside is definitely on my list of places to visit.

 

Very nice too.