Richard Pitman
Veteran Member
All above considered, I had an interesting afternoon. When I first stopped, a guy on a '78 Bonneville stopped to see if I needed assistance. Thanked him, but told him I'd got RAC breakdown and recovery cover. After he left and I'd rung the RAC, a 16 year lad on his 50cc bike stopped for a long chat. Then I waited and waited until RAC man arrived, with the diagnosis described above. After he'd gone, I went to sit by the water and wait, watch some youngsters on paddle boards.
Had a chat to a chap on a Bandit 1200, he was off to a local bike night. When I asked him where that was, he didn't know, was 'just going to follow my mate'.
Another chap came over to chat, car driver. He clearly knew his old Honda's, as he was bemused by my combination of single carb and electric start. Told me that CL350's didn't have estart ? Very interesting conversation ensued. He had loads of bikes, had once worked in a Honda dealership. At least five CB350's, along with many other bikes, I can't recall all of them as he was referring to them by their Honda codewords, RC whatever. He'd raced a CB350 a few years ago at the IOM Classic TT, and had in fact just returned from watching this years Classic TT, which was mainly rained off. He said he'd never seen a 350 cam snap at that point, but that as the cams are castings a fatigue fracture is not unlikely.
Later on, the recovery truck arrived. Driver was also a biker, currently owned a Fazer 1000. We loaded my bike onto his retractable flat bed, then he tied the bike down very tightly. On the centre stand, with four ratchet straps through the frame rails, another to stop the front forks flapping about, then multiple photos on his phone for the record. Bike arrived home safely, after a nice ride and chat in his truck.
Had a chat to a chap on a Bandit 1200, he was off to a local bike night. When I asked him where that was, he didn't know, was 'just going to follow my mate'.
Another chap came over to chat, car driver. He clearly knew his old Honda's, as he was bemused by my combination of single carb and electric start. Told me that CL350's didn't have estart ? Very interesting conversation ensued. He had loads of bikes, had once worked in a Honda dealership. At least five CB350's, along with many other bikes, I can't recall all of them as he was referring to them by their Honda codewords, RC whatever. He'd raced a CB350 a few years ago at the IOM Classic TT, and had in fact just returned from watching this years Classic TT, which was mainly rained off. He said he'd never seen a 350 cam snap at that point, but that as the cams are castings a fatigue fracture is not unlikely.
Later on, the recovery truck arrived. Driver was also a biker, currently owned a Fazer 1000. We loaded my bike onto his retractable flat bed, then he tied the bike down very tightly. On the centre stand, with four ratchet straps through the frame rails, another to stop the front forks flapping about, then multiple photos on his phone for the record. Bike arrived home safely, after a nice ride and chat in his truck.
