OUR CLASSICS
Record-breaking weather and a thriving local scene mean Mike’s TDR250 gets more use than ever…
Touring on a Norton, welding an Enfield, new tyres for a Yamaha
Expect Castrol to announce great profit this year. It’ll be from the unprecedented sales of their Power 1 Racing two-stroke oil, most of which has gone into the annoying horizontally-mounted filler on my 1990 Yamaha TDR250.
The parallel-twin two-stroke only shows 23,000 miles, meaning an average of little more than 800 clicks a year. Bikes are for riding and I try to add to this count whenever I can, be it the 80-mile round trip to CB’S secret lair or popping one of the kids to school. However, this 1976alike summer means I’ve been sliding the Yam out the shed and adding sweet-scented smoke to the breeze more than ever. And a steady stream of local classic-biased meets and events means ample incentive. My nearest town, Melton Mowbray, has one in the centre on the last Friday of the month. There’s Greetham Gathering, a short leafy ride into Rutland where there was also a recent bash at Rutland Water. There’s a meet on Wednesdays in nearby Sproxton, various gettogethers and small shows at tea rooms and pubs... you get the idea. Even my village has a growing show.
I prefer these small low-key events. While I’ve nothing against big headline-grabbing bashes, local stuff often feels friendlier, with a greater sense of community. Everyone knows someone with a cracking tale, or a rare bike, or knows where to get hold of that bothersome missing part. Or at least that’s how it feels.
After two wash-out months, June’s epic weather promises a healthy turnout in Melton, so youngest son Lyle and I use it as the destination for the TDR’S first run on new tyres. With a lightly-squared Bridgestone rear and ageing Pirelli front with odd shoulder wear, it had a dropping-in feel to the steering, so I’ve gone for Avon’s proven Roadrider (avon-tyres.co.uk/ motorcycle). Even with a tenyear-old pillion the steering is crisper, the lightweight Yam rolling into turns with a smooth accuracy the previous mismatched pair couldn’t provide. We arrive in the bustling town suitably buoyed, and I get stuck into explaining to Lyle what a Triton is – and then explaining it’s unlikely anyone has mixed a Milwaukee V-twin and KH500 to make a Harlasaki. Maybe they should.
After nosing at everything from BSA C15 and Honda NSR250R to Jaguar D-type, we head home. It’s only a tenmile thrum, but with gorgeous late-evening light, chirpy twostroke power and grinning boy on the back, it’s perhaps the ride of the year so far.
Isn’t summer wonderful?
‘I’VE ADDED SWEET-SCENTED SMOKE TO THE BREEZE MORE THAN EVER’