SCOOPERMAN!

The sunny side of the classic world, with the VJMC’S Steve Cooper

Where would we be without our friends and mates? How

many of us can actually say we can get by without input, advice, parts or the physical help without someone else who is similarly afflicted with this bizarre hobby of ours?

These are the people who make up our own private world. Some are close to hand, some are the other end or side of the country, there’ll be some overseas that you only see once in a blue moon and a handful that are virtual mates from the other side of the world. Most of us have them and they are utterly indispensable.

A ‘virtual’ friend of mine lives in Malaysia. We met on the ubiquitous Facebook obsessing over small Yamahas and it turned out he has a side-line in old bike spares. Without this guy two of my small Yamaha twins wouldn’t be up and running. He’s subsequently supplied me with more crucial parts and I help him occasionally looking out old part number and bike IDS.

A mate that I’ve known for decades always manages to turn up obscure parts; anything from cables to piston rings and more besides. We share a similar sense of humour, like the same bikes and have spent many a happy hour ferreting through old-style dealerships looking for parts. The stuff we’ve turned up over the years has generally had us covered in grime looking like Victorian chimney sweep apprentices, yet laughing like a pair of school kids. Both being obsessive parts hunters generally had us swapping out stock to each other as a sort of mutual aid service. Sharing this knowledge, parts and expertise has been priceless.

Another really good mate has mentored me for years, shown me how to do apparently baffling jobs, rebuilt wheels for me when I had a real job and was too busy, laboriously explained certain techniques over the phone when I’ve had my stupid head on, and has even rebuilt crankshafts for me. This guy and many like him are the true roots of the classic Japanese scene and without their like we’d be stymied.

Then there are the mates of mates who end up as really good friends and even let you ride their bikes. One such good friend has lent us at CMM his own bikes for road tests and even when I low-sided his MZ at a pedestrian 4mph didn’t hit me! The very fact that he’s offered me/us more of his eclectic collection speaks volumes of the close relationships we build.

Trust, mutual respect, an innate understanding of each other’s capabilities, a willingness to learn from each other and so much more are the very bedrock of what we do. When you can happily swap banter, insults and bike parts with people you know you have to be doing something right.