Vintage Bike

Triangle

Hey lads,
I know this is a vintage car forum but i'm hoping your knowledge of vintage motors isn't limited

I'm looking for any place in ireland that deals with vintage bikes - searching the internet brings up a host of American companies but i'm having trouble limiting the search.

Anyone know where i should start looking?

Thanks in advance,
Trig

galwaytt

I was on a committe for a vintage mcc for a few years............

The best place, tbh, is gone!! Eddie at Mountjoy m/c's was a gent and had great experience and enthusiasm.

However, I'm not aware of a shop in Irl that deals solely in vintage - the market is too small, and, ssshhh to be honest.....vm owners don't like spending in shops.......

The Taney Show held in November is a good place, and the Kilkenny Show in Spring. Haven't heard if the Taney Show is going ahead this year, though.

What part of the country are you in, and what are you looking for (general..) ?

Kevin_Herron

As far as I know the Taney show is on November 15th this year.

I should probably add its held in Taney National School in Dundrum!

galwaytt

is that definate ? I know someone who wants to bring his bike to sell it.

Triangle

Gtt - I'm in Galway. As to what i'm looking for i'm not exactly sure.

I've just started looking for a bike and prefer the look of the vintage models.

But looking on the web just gets me nowhere fast (prob using the wrong search terms).


I'll take a look at the taney Show, Cheers lads

macnab

I have been thinking about buying a classic bike too, but I have decided to research the models first, find out stuff like are they easy to start, are they oil tight, what did people think of them when they were in production, are they easy to get parts for, and most importantly what price bracket do they fall into, 2nd most important is looks of course. Then when you decide what bike you want start googling that specific model. But thats just the way I do things. Best of look with yours.

galwaytt

Triangle - PM sent.

macnab - just my 0.02........

Having spent a few years organising vintage bike rallies here in the West, perhaps my insight might help avoid some pitfalls.

First, we need to get a handle on what people mean by 'classic'. Generally, for VMCC runs/rallies, it's considered 25 yrs, but some runs are 20.......so if you look back that distance, you're actually way into the '80's....in which case, the world is your oyster. Loads of very, very good stuff to choose from, without breaking the bank, and they'll be cheap and easy to keep running. Stuff like GPz's, GS's, all that kind of thing. Hey, for novelty, think 2-stroke !

However, some people have an idea in their head of what a 'classic' is, and usually think of a brit bike, e.g. Triumph etc....

Not going to rain on your parade (too much ! ), but there is absolutely no such thing as a cheap, or oiltight, Triumph, in that sense ! My wife has had 2, so I speak from personal experience, a '63 3TA and a '71 T100P.

Unless you're used to, prepared to - including the bouts of guilt and depression when it goes pear-shaped - then a traditional old brit bike will involve (nearly always...) having a car trailer (or knowing someone with one...), involved constantly, constantly, fixing it. It WILL leak. Oil. Petrol. Air. Or all 3. Possibly, probably, simultaneously....:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

They are not cheap - good ones, that is. And it's simple, 'good ones' have had all the work done already, and that costs €€€. Everything else will take time/energy/€ to keep going. A lot of Brit bikes were used and abused when new, and weren't minded, and now, 40+ yrs down the road, they are a mass of stripped threads, crap electrics (read: none), and cranky either to start, or easy to start and cranky to keep running. With ****e electrics and kickstarts, oh, and really awful brakes and suspension. And they weren't well built even when they were new, so you're on the back foot already......

And that's why Japan won the ........war peace. They just outdid everyone else at their own game. Buy a 25 yr old Jap bike and it'll have proper electrics, brakes and suspension. And at least, if it has stripped threads - they're metric !!

There is one other way to do it, and I see a number of them at Rallies; those who keep the tyres pumped, the oil and petrol tanks filled.........and just ride. If it leaks - top it up. If the kickstart is broken........push it. These bikes, funnily, actually give their owners the best return, as their expectations are not hampered by cosmetics and the appearance of dribbles, sorry, deluge, of oil under it at the 1 o'clock lunch stop...........

Mind you, they still have to be home before dark............

galwaytt

This might be at Taney for sale. I say might, because some bastard just stole the bike trailer that is normally used.............:mad: :mad:

p.s. note the picture was not taken in Florida/whatever. Taken in Salthill on sunny day....(remember them...?? :rolleyes: )

Sids Not

What are you looking for exactly....a jap ,brit, old bmw, benelli,moto morini....if you're seriously looking i suggest you take a trip over to the Classic bike show in Stafford (uk) on the 18-19 oct......you'll be spoilt for choice..bring plenty of sterling though..;)

Kevin_Herron

I agree about Stafford. Its only a short distance from the boat if you're taking a van or whatever.
There are bikes there to suit every price range.
Best bike show in U.K.

Eno808

Taney Show has relocated to Lepoardstown Racecourse under the main stand this year. 14th November from 11 am.

dillontobin

Triangle wrote: »

Hey lads,
I know this is a vintage car forum but i'm hoping your knowledge of vintage motors isn't limited

I'm looking for any place in ireland that deals with vintage bikes - searching the internet brings up a host of American companies but i'm having trouble limiting the search.

Anyone know where i should start looking?

Thanks in advance,
Trig

are you looking for a vintage bike or a classic bike becouse vintage is from 1919 to 1930 and classic is anything befor 1979 i have a cuple of vintage bikes but none of wich are for sale but i do have some classics for sale
dillon

rugbyman

any details? Dillon

Rugbyman

Run_to_da_hills

I had a stall at Tainey Rd about 15 years ago selling BSA M20 and Triumph Tigercub bits. Go to the same show today and you will see the exact same parts I sold still floating around with over inflated prices.

There is a recession on so god knows what could be for sale this year. May be worth a gawk.

Thinkingaboutit

http://www.classicmotorcycle.ie/ has classic bikes. Cheap bikes can be found privately, but a dealer does remove a lot of the risks, what with a warranty of some length and better legal protection. Hardened rubber pipes, rubbish starter clutches, sealed beam headlight not really working, oil strainer blocked, etc. can erode the savings from a private sale. Bringing along someone mechanically minded, even if you are, helps. Another eye can spot something hiding in plain sight.

Oh, this is an old thread.

hi5

You could try these people in Kilkenny.


http://emeraldclassicmotorcycles.com/

Hifive

hi5 wrote: »

You could try these people in Kilkenny.


http://emeraldclassicmotorcycles.com/

Wow great link, thanks Hi5

Never heard about these guys and I'm only down the road in Waterford.

I used to be big into bikes but nothing British, mainly Spanish trials bikes, Bultacos and Montessas. actually I did have a BSA bantam 175 when I was about 15 but only for messing about in fields.

That Kilkenny dealer has an absolutely gorgeous Norton 750 Commando that I would love to own.

kathleenl

You could try this website. http://emeraldclassicmotorcycles.com/
If you do a google search check out the left side of the screen and you will see a link for sites in Ireland only. If you click on that you should get up any irish site you want.

macplaxton

I know this thread was overdue it's annual revival....

It's the second time it's been resuscitated