An encounter with an authentic cafe racer.

brut33

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I came across a chap broken down yesterday on his first trip out of the year (I was in my car).
Fortunately he was only 200yds from home, so I helped push it back to his driveway.

He told me he'd just fitted an electric starter motor which I didn't realise was possible on
such a machine. "I'm told old to kick start it now" he quipped.

Back at his house he replaced the newly fitted NGK spark plug with a Champion plug as the
former was sooted-up. Started first flick.

We got chatting about his bike which he'd owned for over fifty years and three rebuilds,
originally bought from a local bike shop Geoff Dukes in another time.
He'd also fitted a Yamaha clutch for good measure. What a guy.

He asked what bike I had, I replied a BMW 800GS. Blank looks from him, "Never
heard of that one".

He said, If you like BMW's...He then lifted a roll of carpet and a pile of bedding sheets in
his garage to reveal a mint (the poor quality of the photo doesn't do it justice) airhead.
"This is my other bike that I've had since new".

A bit more conversation then he thanked me for my assistance and rode off on his Goldie
to J&S in Delamere to treat himself with a new set of gloves.



Well, what a gem of an encounter that was. A priceless way to spend half an hour.:)
Oh, and the sound of the Goldie accelerating up the road into the distance.:bow


[video]https://photos.app.goo.gl/HYMYgULK6mNBCxeg8[/video]
 

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Sorry about the poor photo quality.
 

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That's the sort of thing to really lift the spirits ....... priceless.

Nice that being a helpful gentleman is rewarded. Well done Stu.
 
Nice story and lovely bike.I'm no Goldie expert but there is a guy called Phil Pearson in Norfolk who is the Goldie guru and I'm sure he does electric start conversions amongst other interesting modifications.

Kimbo
 
Wonderful bike. Proper enthusiast.

Bumped into this chap when I "did a Giles" several years ago en route home from the ferry. He stopped to help as you do. 92 then, from Eastbourne and doing his end to end for the second time. First time was in 1947 on a Triumph he bought with his RAF demob cash. I gave him my address etc and invited him to stay on the return trip. He never showed and I often wonder how he got on. Probably passed on now but I hope I've got that get up n go spirit if I reach that age! :hrh:
 

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Nice story and lovely bike.I'm no Goldie expert but there is a guy called Phil Pearson in Norfolk who is the Goldie guru and I'm sure he does electric start conversions amongst other interesting modifications.

Kimbo

You're spot on Kimbo

There are two Phil Pearsons (Father & Son) who do Goldie leccy start conversions amongst other things

https://www.bsagoldstar.bike/

There's a guy in our village has a DBD34 that's been converted. You still have to use the valve decompressor to get the starter motor to crank the engine over though :thumb2

 
I came across a chap broken down yesterday on his first trip out of the year (I was in my car).
Fortunately he was only 200yds from home, so I helped push it back to his driveway.

He told me he'd just fitted an electric starter motor which I didn't realise was possible on
such a machine. "I'm told old to kick start it now" he quipped.

Back at his house he replaced the newly fitted NGK spark plug with a Champion plug as the
former was sooted-up. Started first flick.

We got chatting about his bike which he'd owned for over fifty years and three rebuilds,
originally bought from a local bike shop Geoff Dukes in another time.
He'd also fitted a Yamaha clutch for good measure. What a guy.

He asked what bike I had, I replied a BMW 800GS. Blank looks from him, "Never
heard of that one".

He said, If you like BMW's...He then lifted a roll of carpet and a pile of bedding sheets in
his garage to reveal a mint (the poor quality of the photo doesn't do it justice) airhead.
"This is my other bike that I've had since new".

A bit more conversation then he thanked me for my assistance and rode off on his Goldie
to J&S in Delamere to treat himself with a new set of gloves.



Well, what a gem of an encounter that was. A priceless way to spend half an hour.:)
Oh, and the sound of the Goldie accelerating up the road into the distance.:bow


[video]https://photos.app.goo.gl/HYMYgULK6mNBCxeg8[/video]

Sorry about the poor photo quality.

Nice uplifting read 33; it's stories like this that keep us going; well they do me;; that r650 is one of the first Euro style BM twins; did it have the cockpit fairing that surrounded the clocks;?:beerjug:
 
Nice uplifting read 33; it's stories like this that keep us going; well they do me;; that r650 is one of the first Euro style BM twins; did it have the cockpit fairing that surrounded the clocks;?:beerjug:

I never saw the front end because he didn't lift the cover all the way off the bike. I'll no doubt drop on him again sometime
as he lives nearby. In the meantime I've been reading about Geoff Duke (local hero) who he knew and sold him the Goldstar.
 
Three years on...

Not often you see an original Gold Star rock up on a car park these days. When he took his helmet off it was the bod I helped three years ago as per Post#1. I haven't seen him since and it was great to see him again riding his bike. What a work of art the original Goldie is. I felt like a complete philistine as I pointed to my Indian made BSA water cooled pretender. I told him I'd bought it since I last saw him and he took great interest in my bike saying they've done a good job on it. I took this as a compliment from a longtime owner of the original. As we parted I thought to myself, perhaps he was just being polite.😊

Another nice encounter.(y)


IMG_20240318_135003915_HDR.jpg
 
Is brilliant to hear that the electric starter kit has enabled him to keep enjoying what must be his pride and joy. Strength to him!
 
Is brilliant to hear that the electric starter kit has enabled him to keep enjoying what must be his pride and joy. Strength to him!

I had a good look at it and still scratch my head. How a Yamaha starter motor could be mated to a classic
British bike from another age, when I'd probably have difficulty fitting a Yamaha starter motor to a Yamaha
motorcycle. :D
 
A lovely story, hope the old boy can ride for many more years.

Approx' fifteen years ago a mate bought a 'Goldie' This mate is a bit of a money head and although he intended to ride the bike, he had one eye on it's investment potential. The bike had had a full Pearson rebuild but my mate could never start it and so it just sat there in his dining room for three years. He then sold it. He told me that it had made him a grand/year of his ownership.
 
I had a good look at it and still scratch my head. How a Yamaha starter motor could be mated to a classic
British bike from another age, when I'd probably have difficulty fitting a Yamaha starter motor to a Yamaha
motorcycle. :D
Great story 33; i thought it might have been a Yamaha starter; yours looks like a decent cover version of the old boys; they certainly has some class those old Goldies. :beerjug:
 
Great story 33; i thought it might have been a Yamaha starter; yours looks like a decent cover version of the old boys; they certainly has some class those old Goldies. :beerjug:

They certainly are a classy motorcycle and a piece of mechanical art as well. I could sit and look at one all day.
:beerjug:
 
So true; would much rather have living usable art like a Goldie than a picture on a wall; :beerjug:
 


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