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Ride Impressions:<br />
We popped through to their place to<br />
check the bike out and take a quick ride…<br />
the first issue was to get it started – 15<br />
dozen odd kicks and the owner arrived<br />
home and started it first try. Gosh…<br />
Guys and Gals – did you ever own one<br />
of those chopper bicycles back in the day.<br />
The whole seating position is kinda like<br />
that – laid back with ape hangar like bars<br />
and chilled posture. It’s like stepping back<br />
a bit to a time when neighbourhoods were<br />
terrorised by the bike brigades.<br />
The two stroke mill is easy to start and<br />
burbles along quietly. Remember – old<br />
school – air cooled and large in size. The<br />
seat is made for - well short rests – the<br />
bike is undoubtedly a stand up machine.<br />
The whole bike is very narrow. The pegs<br />
are kinda skinny… were we to buy one<br />
to live with wider pegs would be the first<br />
addition. Other than that, the bike is pretty<br />
straightforward and we love the classic<br />
old school styling.<br />
First gear is strong and very low – this is<br />
where we spent most of our time messing<br />
about at a rocky little place we know.<br />
Very soft power delivery. The bike is well<br />
balanced, you point at a ledge, open the<br />
throttle and the trials tyres propel you up<br />
in a hurry. You can put along in first doing<br />
tight turns and hoiking up the front wheel,<br />
enormous fun. Hit the open trails and we<br />
saw a top speed close to the 90kph mark<br />
so she’s no slouch and even though this<br />
bike is almost as old as the guy riding it,<br />
it feels fresh and is tremendous fun. Don’t<br />
push your luck though – drum brakes do<br />
not give the positive feedback that you’ve<br />
come to appreciate with modern discs –<br />
and the suspension… well it is nearly forty<br />
years young.<br />
It’s fantastic to see old bikes like these<br />
still running about. If you thought that<br />
KTM was on to something with their<br />
Freeride –Yamaha already did it years<br />
ago. This one is still ridden regularly –<br />
and although it is already in fairly pristine<br />
condition, plans are afoot to get it back to<br />
brand new condition…<br />
George Abehlo and his bike...<br />
Christian Rayer<br />
Mick Andrews<br />
The whole family climbed in...<br />
32 DIRT & TRAIL MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2017
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