A little more nostalgia, including a bit of BMW

[Dizerens5]

Here are a couple of photos from years ago almost before time began:
1) My BMW R60/5 in Asiatic Turkey in 1973. My road map is long lost but the road signs would give the location if I still had it! It was a great trip.
2) This was my 1958 BSA 650 cc Golden Flash, somewhere in Switzerland in 1964. We didn't have too much cash for luggage equipment then! The smart lady in black: later we married and brought up three children -  one now lives in Minnesota. My dear biker lady died 7 years ago but we had some great rides all over Britain and Western Europe.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Thanks for sharing the memories.  Those are priceless and I'm sure there are some more good stories to go along with them.  Like we told Lucky Lou, if you ever get to North Texas drop in and we'll share a ride, some real beer (not that training stuff that Monte loves so dearly) as well as a cup of conversation.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

My road map is long lost but the road signs would give the location if I still had it!

See if this doesn't get you in the neighborhood:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=aglasun&sll=39.453161,35.332031&sspn=5.564161,9.876709&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=A%C4%9Flasun,+Turkey&ll=37.73434,30.593491&spn=0.356233,0.617294&z=11

[Dizerens5]

Thank you! How about a few very unusual boxers?
1) A 570 cc Condor side valve twin from Switzerland, built around 1950. Like the French Ratier, the Condor was sold almost entirely to the military. It looks really tough and agricultural but in fact had a bad reputation for being unreliable.
2) A Douglas 350 cc twin, built England around 1955. It had leading link front forks and rear torsion bar suspension and was reputed for very good roadholding, though a bit delicate in the engine parts. It had chain drive therefore a 90 degree bevel at the gearbox output.
3) This is the Russian built Ural 750 cc twin I owned from new inn 2004. I had it about 4 years. Usually they have a sidecar, mine did not. They were said to be unreliable but mine was almost trouble-free. I did one long trip on it (to Eastern Germany). Its roadholding was pretty borderline even with the Russian tires thrown out, and it was not much good above 65 mph. Its problem was that being built to haul a sidecar and three hefty Russian soldiers with arms and ammunition, it was constructed out of parts left over from building the Eiffel Tower and was unbelievably heavy. Still, it was good fun.
     Anyone have a photo of the Universal boxer from Switzerland, around 1950? I recall the company once got sued by BMW for patent infringement, I think BMW won the case?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Anyone have a photo of the Universal boxer from Switzerland, around 1950? I recall the company once got sued by BMW for patent infringement, I think BMW won the case?

I don't think it was Swiss, but EMW built almost exact copies of one or two models.

[trolle]

Are those boots on the photo wellingtons?

greetings from a for once sunny north

[Dizerens5]

Yes Trolle I'm sure they were. I don't specially recall them but I do know that in those days neither of us had the money for leather boots (which are almost impossible to keep watertight anyway). Now on the R65 I just wear a pair of waterproof walking shoes. The cylinders do the rest!

[Lucky_Lou]

Heartwarming stuff there mate, im doing a gig (cowboy camp) in Folkestone next May (1st bank hol) hoping to bring the bike down to meet up with some of the gabfesters if our Windsor gig doesn't happen,
Maybe we could meet up for a training beer or 3.
Lou

[Dizerens5]

Sure thing Lou I've put it on my next year calendar. Message me nearer the time? I'm about 3 miles out of Folkestone.