50th anniversary Cafe Racer

Raphi said:

Are those reflectors compulsory in the US?

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My understanding is that it is a DOT (Department of Transportation) regulation and all motorcycle & automobiles sold in the US have to come equipped with side reflectors. Some riders keep them on and some take them off. I would hazard to guess that most state and local cops are not much concerned with whether you have reflectors or not if they pull you over for some reason. Besides, we're rebels here and we don't need no stinkin' Feds telling us what to stick on our bikes!

That's correct the US DOT requires new motorcycles built in the US, or imported here for sale to have reflectors.
When dealers in New York State perform an inspection for registration renewal they don't check for reflectors, or for that matter even OEM exhaust.

Fast Eddie said:

If only I weren’t so OCD. I’d love to be happy thinking like that. But it jus’ ain’t so !!

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After checking your photo a little closer I think you're right about the reflector.
Those black fork legs with the Roadholder emblem do look great, but would look even better without the reflector.
I checked my reflector in the garage and it does wiggle with a bit of hand pressure.
You should be able to remove it with a bit of moderate twisting.

Welshrugby said:

I forgot to ask Clem this but does the new 50th model have an alarm or at least an immobiliser? I am going to use an Abus Granite X68 disk lock and the 16mm Pragmasis chain which should be enough I hope.

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Hi - there is nothing fitted to the bike as standard. I got a tracker fitted at the factory. It was about £300 and has a yearly subscription around £100. The pragmasis chains look great - the most important thing is to ground anchor it at home. I am looking at putting a locked light RSJ across the garage entrance so they would have to lift it over the top after they'd removed it from the ground anchor. Anything to delay them while the garage alarm is going.

Wow. Is bike theft that rampant in the UK? It happens in my neck of the woods, but doesn't seem nearly as much.

Clive said:

Hi - there is nothing fitted to the bike as standard. I got a tracker fitted at the factory. It was about £300 and has a yearly subscription around £100. The pragmasis chains look great - the most important thing is to ground anchor it at home. I am looking at putting a locked light RSJ across the garage entrance so they would have to lift it over the top after they'd removed it from the ground anchor. Anything to delay them while the garage alarm is going.

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Hi ya Clive ,which make is the tracker please & did they manage to fit it near the ecu in tail section ? Almax chain & anchor also worth a look with squire s65 lock, cheers Richard

Clive said:

Hi - there is nothing fitted to the bike as standard. I got a tracker fitted at the factory. It was about £300 and has a yearly subscription around £100. The pragmasis chains look great - the most important thing is to ground anchor it at home. I am looking at putting a locked light RSJ across the garage entrance so they would have to lift it over the top after they'd removed it from the ground anchor. Anything to delay them while the garage alarm is going.

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Hi Clive, our village location is pretty safe to be honest, oil tank thefts mainly and some garden equipment but thankfully not us in the last 20 years. I have a decent alarm system in the garage, cctv external and within but wanted to improve the motorcycle security especially as the Norton is so valuable. Did a lot of research on the Pragmisis site and whilst the ground anchors are definitely a good idea (I liked the double doofer), I went for a 4mtr length 16mm chain with a noose link end so the chain can pass through it and create a loop, this loop will go around my garden tractor, then the chain will pass through my Guzzi, then probably looped around the Norton and D-Locked (which is also 16mm). I will secure such that the chain is not on the floor. As you will know, the 16mm chain upwards is un-croppable with bolt croppers and gold motorcycle secure standard. Affectively I am using the different items themselves as anchors because of their weight. An anchor for each item and 3 x shorter chains would offer more overall security but how far do you want to go. My option gives me a bit more flexibility.

Got the bike today, in the garage now, not insured till midnight tonight and chains not coming till tomorrow. Sods Law we get targeted tonight while we are out at dinner eh with friends.

Had a little ride, will report back on first views soon, maybe over coming days after give it a bit more of a ride.

You got your bike, but we didn’t get any pictures... most ungentlemany conduct I must say...

Just picking up on the security theme, but if this needs to be in a separate thread let me know and I'll move it.

The difficulty with trying to secure these things is that it’s pretty much impossible to prevent theft. If determined thieves are after your bike they will come prepared with the right tools (angle grinder etc) and it’s probably worth their while to cut through a wheel to take the bike if they can’t quickly cut the chain (depending on how you routed it). A lot of stolen bikes get stripped anyway.

Where I live most people ignore alarms, unless it’s their own. Probably different in a small village. I don’t bother with trackers as these are the first thing the scrotes will look for once they have your machine.

I use a couple of the metal security sheds (www.secure-a-bike.com). These are over £2k each new but I got mine second-hand on eBay for around £400 each. They are Thatcham approved and count as a garage for insurance purposes, but are certainly a lot more secure than my garage. The main advantage for me is they also free up limited garage space.

The best all-round deterrent i.m.o. is a decent CCTV system. I use Mobotix cameras which are superb (German) quality and functionality. Again they are expensive new, at well over £1k each but I got mine on eBay for £200/£300 each. I have been using a couple of second-hand ones for over 10 years with no problems. No theft attempts so far, although like Welshrugby I hope I’m not tempting fate. As I live in a small cul-de-sac any unusual activity does tend to stand out, and if anyone was cruising the area the cameras would record their vehicle & registration. The only “crime” I’ve recorded was a hoodie stealing a large pot plant from the garden opposite, the night before Mother’s Day!

Wow,
Fort Knox would be proud to have that kind of security.

Fast Eddie said:

You got your bike, but we didn’t get any pictures... most ungentlemany conduct I must say...

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Indeed, so let me rectify that by posting one rushed picture. In the scene, british class, italian chic and a good comfy chair where I will spend more time drinking my beers and lusting

BritTwit said:

Wow,
Fort Knox would be proud to have that kind of security.

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They are serious looking mini garages. You should also post on security thread to show others these are available. LOL at the double extension ladders though, easily accessible and only have to turn up with a bucket and squeedgy and confessions of a window cleaner her we come

Welshrugby said:

They are serious looking mini garages. You should also post on security thread to show others these are available. LOL at the double extension ladders though, easily accessible and only have to turn up with a bucket and squeedgy and confessions of a window cleaner her we come

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Welshrugby said:

Indeed, so let me rectify that by posting one rushed picture. In the scene, british class, italian chic and a good comfy chair where I will spend more time drinking my beers and lusting

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Looks great.
Those fork reflectors certainly live up to their name!
My first job will be investigating their removal!

Welshrugby said:

LOL at the double extension ladders though, easily accessible and only have to turn up with a bucket and squeedgy and confessions of a window cleaner her we come

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Robin Askwith, that brings back memories, the 70s have a lot to answer for. Agreed, I normally have the ladders chained up but I must be getting complacent/forgetful in my old age.

Fast Eddie said:

Those fork reflectors certainly live up to their name!
My first job will be investigating their removal!

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I can't remember if my 961 had the fork reflectors. My Thruxton R certainly did and they peeled off easily - looked odd anyway as they weren't straight, I think they are just an afterthought. It's the rear reflector that is an MOT requirement, as I found out when I took in a V-Rod that didn't have one. The tester just stuck a couple on the rear number plate for the test and I peeled them off afterwards.

BLIGHTYBRIT/SF said:

Hi ya Clive ,which make is the tracker please & did they manage to fit it near the ecu in tail section ? Almax chain & anchor also worth a look with squire s65 lock, cheers Richard

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It is a Bike Trak - used to be part of Road Angel - and it was fitted under the tail. Yes the Almax was the first to catch my eye. Of course an angle grinder will get through either chain in around 30 seconds so all you can do is try to slow them down while a building alarm is going. Reinforced door or RSJ blocking exit? Park auto car in front of garage?

Clive said:

... all you can do is try to slow them down while a building alarm is going. Park auto car in front of garage?

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I have two mediocre lines of defence, the first is to box the bikes in with quad, hyd. bench, ride on mowers etc and link chain them all together. That pretty much stops the opportunist thief... the typical tea-leaf that travels fairly light and doesn't want to hang around. The second line of defence is to not let anyone know what I have or where it is stored. This includes keeping an eye out for anyone in a car or on a bike tailing me home. Unfortunately those determined criminals that are prepared to watch and wait and have a van load of cutting and freezing gear are harder to stop.

A worrying trend in bike theft, especially in urban areas, is to steal the bike when it is being used and is most vulnerable, at the next set of stop lights! Another reported trend is thieves attaching trackers to your bike so they can see where it is routinely parked up.

Heard a good story of some guy in Connecticut that had a lovely show bike quality custom Harley blocked in by his lovely Rolls Royce. The thieves just lifted that lovely bike and sort dragged it over the lovely Rolls to get it out the door. Is nothing sacred? They could have had the car too.

MxMartin said:

I have two mediocre lines of defence, the first is to box the bikes in with quad, hyd. bench, ride on mowers etc and link chain them all together. That pretty much stops the opportunist thief... the typical tea-leaf that travels fairly light and doesn't want to hang around. The second line of defence is to not let anyone know what I have or where it is stored. This includes keeping an eye out for anyone in a car or on a bike tailing me home. Unfortunately those determined criminals that are prepared to watch and wait and have a van load of cutting and freezing gear are harder to stop.

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You surely sleep in the same room as the bike , mowers, rideons etc don't you?

Anyway will comment on my first impressions of delivered bike soon. Quick question though, the rear sprocket, was yours chrome or black, mine came black but thought it came chrome on the cafe

Welshrugby said:

You surely sleep in the same room as the bike , mowers, rideons etc don't you?

Anyway will comment on my first impressions of delivered bike soon. Quick question though, the rear sprocket, was yours chrome or black, mine came black but thought it came chrome on the cafe

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Yes, my rear sprocket is bright/shiny. Interestingly the 50th brochure lists it as 'Chassis Pack: Hand polished inc rear sprocket....'