Mr Wiggy

I am a BeeM owner, and even I thought it extremely amusing, I laughted that much that I neary had an asthma attack, but I do have a wicked sense of humour. Ask S.D.

Wanted: An authentic Bag-pipe playing Scotsman wanted in the town of L’Absie the 79 region, for the Randonnée event being organised to take place on the evening of the 5th of July from 19:00 hours, so if anyone can help could they please get in touch by PM or email. Contact details edited by the moderators. As per the forum Code of Conduct, please do not post your private details on the forum.

      After receiving this months Pension, I noticed a sustancial increase in the PAYE (Over 100%). Has anyone else suffered with this same problem and what can we do to rid ourselves of the increasing tax burden that the UK government seems to enjoy implementing upon us all?

Talking of the good old Velocettes, that was later on to be another one of my projects. Because every one was building Tritons and Tribsas I decided to build something a little different, a Velton. This was a Velocette Thruxton engine with a BTH mag and 1&3/8 GP carb and gearbox with a slightly raised sprocket size shoe horned into a wide-line feather bed frame, and to do this I had to modify the top RH and lower frame tube’s to accommodate the rocker box and the crankcase oil way, similar to the Goldie lower tube. This was topped off with alloy tanks Manx style, single racing seat, alloy wheels with Avon GP tyres, Twin leading shoe front brake with racing linings front and rear and the obligatory Thruxton exhaust system. This baby went and handled as good as it looked and was clocked at a 115 mph at the Standard Triumph night shift production line rolling road during the night shift lunch break one Summers evening.

Can't Stand checky Kid's. Yes funnily enough I did have a mate who rode the GPO Bantams, and I also built a full blown Racing Bantam complete with close ratio  4speed G / Box, Compression Plates on the fly wheel which raises the cranckcases compression,  polished and expanded ex & in ports, George Todd Squish band Cy / Head with 13:1 comp ratio, a 1&1/4inch TT carb, and a full racing expanssion chamber and no muffler, Tiger Cub front and rear Hubs, ( bigger Brakes ) on alloy rims with road tyres, Alloy fuel  tank and fibre-Glass racing seat. For a 150cc it was B****y Quick.

That picture takes me back quite a way as I used to work at the Velo factory in York Road Hall Green, and on the very track that built the Le and also the Vouge. Thats showing my age.

Regarding the exporting a grey import from the UK, it will be more or less imposible as the machine was meant for the US market.All I did when I brought my Beems over was to send my Registration documents to the DVLA and got an Export cert for them. 

The out streched leg is to acknowledge ( wave) a thanks to car and truck drivers, also to wave to other motoecyclist's whom they have just passed.

Oh to be young again, the last time I had my leg over a machine like that was the week after the M42 opened and I borrowed a new and slightly higher geared 900ss and boy oh boy did it go, all the way up to  6500 rpm the max was 7000rpm if my memory hasn't let me down it was about 140-145 MPH. As for the boat My mates old Pop had a power boat until he reached 78 and I did go out with him on one occasion, being an inquisitive youngster, the old bugger scared the hell out of me, so now I keep my feet on dry land.                                                                        Mr W.

Nice looking Brazier though and not a spot of corrosion in sight, no doubt a  machine garaged in the living room. I know of a 900 Spondon Ducati kept in the kitchen, (Big Kitchen) as there is no room in the lounge because of two restored classic Kwakers 350&500 Tripples.                                                                                    Mr W.( as seen on B.P74-75 )

Hi GS. I am using Primus, (www.primus.fr) they have reduced my UK phone bill considerably  10. 1/2 hour calls to the uk plus all the local calls 26€ but you still pay the line rental to F.T.or there is also Cegital they are also quite reasonably. which ever you chose it will be cheaper than the rates charged by F.T.                                                                                     Mr W.

Hi Dave. From what I can make out the bike is a 450 Ducati of 60s ilk and don't let the drum brake fool you that is an Oldani double sided twin leading shoe brake, probably the best in its day and also a match for a disc brake. The other bike is a 750 Laverda (Lavatree) twin 70s ilk when I was doing crazy things, Club & National road racing.                                                                   Mr wiggy.

In the 60s everyone was building Tritonsor Tribsas,  To be different I went one better and built a Velton, A Velo Thruxton engine/Gearbox into a wideline featherbed frame Reg no VRM 364. Had to drasticaly modify the frame, top & bottom RH frame tubes to accomodate the unit and also had problems with the G/B Sprocket chain alignment. took 2 years to build and boy did it handle.

So did Moto Guzzi

Hi Chez. I must say that I was not very impressed with the Manager of the Poitiers BMW estabishment, a very arrogant and obnoxius little person.                                                                                                                                                                                                    I had arranged to have a conformance certification check for my K75s. The mechanic gave the bike a thorough check and as expected every thing was ok.All that was then required was for them to forward the form to Strasbourg so that they could issue the attestation of conformance.                                                                                                                                                                                      This arrogant little berk gave an assurance that he would send the form that day, lying little man. That form remained in his desk for an awful long time, over 3 months until I sent a very strongly worded letter to Strasbourg, who then Phoned this individual and informed him of  the possibility of them losing the dealership because of complaints from customers.                                                                           Two weeks later I recieved the attestation of conformance from Strasbourg and a letter of appology.                                                      All in all almost 4months before I got the Attestation.                                                                                                                        Would I go to BMW Poitiers again? Only to give him a good SLAP.                                                                          Mr W.

Hi Charlotte. From the replies I have received it appears that an awful lot of people are suffering with the very same problem, the time lapse before an appointment. 4-6 months seems to be the norm, which is far to long to have to wait. Another very good tip along with your's, was to hop over to Jersey, there and back in a day and return with a new pair of specs.Reguarding the actual test, it will take roughly an hour for a through examination, for things such as glycoma and diabetes. Along with yourself and all the other folk who had imput into my queary, Thank you all.                                                                          Mr W.

There seems to be a lack of eye specialists in the Deux Sevres, as I am due for an eye test and a change of lenses every 2 years, I was advised by my Doctor to phone for a rendez-vous at Niort central hospital. The earliest  that I could get is October 16th, five months away. Have other folk had the same problem trying to get a simple eye test carried out? I feel my only option is to do a quick trip back to the UK and pick up a perscription rather than wait.         Has anyone got any idea's or advice on this matter?

Hi Monaco. I can at last put my Hachette English<>French Dictionary to good use.décote :1  (fiscal) tax rebate 2 : (financial) reduction / discount & 3 : (loss)  sale of shares. Hope this has helped in some small way.                                                   Mr W.  

Hi Sam. What have you done with that Beautiful manicured lawn you had???                                                   Mr W.

Hi Bob. Having owned both a Guzzi 850 T3 and a Beemer R100Rs, as you say you do get torque reaction  quite severly on the BMs when at a standstill, and if the carb's were out of balance it was even worse, the Guzzi's also used to rock when the throttle was blipped while at a standstill. Now the modern bikes don't suffer with the old Rockin & Rollin, somthing to do with a counter weight system.                                                       Mr Wiggy.

Hi. As an ex LDV employee involved with the exporting of all models  I can't understand why, apart from the fact that maybe the side load door could be the problem as  the L-H-D commercial vehicles the door is on the near side and your's is on the road side. The other differences are just headlights and if I recall the later speedo's had dual display, another thing could be that all European vans were required to have either a ladder partition behind the driver's seat or a full GRP Partition. There are quite a few LDV Dealers in the area and have noticed that the Vendee Department have a fleet of LDV trucks. I hope that this has helped.                                             Mr Wiggy.

Hi There. Yes I'm a BMW rider (Not the arty-farty type though, if you get my drift) I have three K75 models 2xSs &1-K75RT, ex Birmingham City Police which has very low milage,34.000 along with one of my K75s done only 22.000 Mls, My run around has over 83.000 mls on the clock and still goes like a train.                                                             Mr Wiggy.