WANTED two classic motorcycles

[Jane Wolf]

WANTED two classic motorcycles. Preferably Indian Royal Enfields. 500cc Bullets, between years 1960-1990. Although similar bikes considered. Budget small as restoration job is desired. Bikes are needed for a charity run from Bristol to West Africa by two lady riders supporting STREET CHILD. If any owners have, or know of a bike that could fit the bill please have a look at our web site jjbristol.uk and get in touch. Thank you! Jenny and Jane

[mark2]

sorry but I think the idea is a bit daft and old hat , and why West Africa unless you’re looking for cheap diamonds. The bikes may only be needed for a one way trip when your air lifted back sick. Why not ride somewhere else and just send the raised proceeds? Try crossing the channel on a bike, not been does since the late 20s early 30s I think on an Ariel. You only need one bike, you will raise more, it will cost less, royal Enfield may well give you a bike for the publicity, and the Africa bike trip has been done very many times

[Jane Wolf]

Hi Mark2,

Thanks for your opinion. Fortunately we have never claimed to have an original idea, so we know from other peoples experiences this trip is possible and we will return on the bikes and not air lifted out.

We have chosen to go to Sierra Leone because that's where the charity works, that's where I have visited and that's where our friends are from. We are using our own money to pay for the bikes and fuel so all proceeds will go to Street Child.

It needs to be a bit of a challenge to help drum up support, I don't think may people would donate if we took a holiday bike ride around Europe. Also part of the experience to is show the culture and experience because for some reason people think that West Africa is just about disease and diamonds.

[mark2]

"It needs to be a bit of a challenge to help drum up support". I fully agree best of luck , and I hope you do make it there and back safe , this part maybe beyond your control , can you get insurance to travel to Sierra Leone west Africa at the moment ? "So, if you contracted the disease in Sierra Leone, Guinea or Liberia you would not be insured, but should you get it in the US or Europe, you would have cover. " as of today

[mini-me]

Totally the wrong machine anyway.
Modern Japanse trail bikes or I'd suggest a chinese 125, at least with genric engines you'll have some chance of getting them fixed out there.

Also a suicide stunt if you do not have extensive motorcycling experience. The run down the west coast from Morocco across the desert is very dodgy indeed; ask those who have done it.

No sympathy from me I'm afraid, charity begins at home, and I view these 'charity' stunts as pointless jollies.

If you want to do something useful out there, fly out. Sounds like some kind of ego trip,

like the man said, these charity bike rides are old hat.

[mark2]

so im not on my own on this one , I agree with all you have said

[mini-me]

Thanks, I have had far too many requests to subsidise someones bike trip over the years, grown weary of someone doing some stunt in order to raise cash for some cause however worthy.
Its made me quite cynical about such things.

If the cause is that near to your heart, donate a weeks wages, but do not ask me to.

The choice of bike, I have had a couple, leads me to believe a lack of practical knowledge.  Does she expect bikes to be donated?  Half decent  "real" Royal Enfield Bullets are few and far between  and  the costs of bring up some ratty  Indian Enfield to a standard capable of such a trip are enormous and there is no guarantee they'd be up to it after.
I'd be more impressed if they'd managed to get a couple of new bikes  at Indian prices delivered to say, Morocco and left them in Sierra Leone for the benefit of the locals.
What they need out there is birth control not motorbikes.
Yes I am a nasty person if thats what suits.  If one one or other of these ladies contracts Ebola or some other nastiness out there in what is a high risk country for such things they'll expect the NHS to fly them back and treat them?

Africa has many problems and I am sorry for the poor people there, nature has a way of balancing things out, cruel as it may seem, well meaning white people have not made things better.

Remember  saint Bob Geldof and his feed the world stunts?
Has it occured to anyone that those now flooding into Italy and camped at Calais are of an age to have been fed by that scheme? the population of the Horn of Africa has trebled since but they are still hungry, ill, and  deprived, and living in misery.
Frankly they would have been better off left to die. Natures way, if you can't feed it don't breed it.

Being pragmatic doesnt make me a bad person. Sorry if I have offended these well meaning ladies or anyone else,  not intended but theres lots of kids in the Uk that need help, and the way things are shaping up, they'll need it soon.

What it boils down to is....
how will this stunt raise more money for kids there than if you gave the money needed to buy, renovate and fund riding them there and back, [surely several £1000s] straight to someone out there?

I have read your website and the bit re the bikes at Castle Coombe, I am sorry to say, leads me to believe , while enthusiastic your  knowledge of 'classic' machines is sadly lacking, that is not a G45, and a genuine G45, of which I once had one, is certainly not a 'cafe racer',


Need to say I am not trying to offend anyone, apologies if my frankness does.

[mark2]

sounds about right to me

[mini-me]

I have read the ladies website.
Enthusiasm and good intent is not enough.

40-odd years ago I used to prepare bikes for ISDT, Scottish , Welsh 3 days trials all of which were set up to try to break both riders and machine. Some of my teams won gold, more often bronze which was no mean feat.
Silly tricks like hiding spark plugs and bits of wire in handle bars are not good enough.
You have to prepare for the very worst,which may not necessarily be mechanical., A hard fall will drive a footrest through the primary case for instance. Spare plugs are no substitute for doubled up electrics or 100%waterproofing; spokes need to be reinforced,  tyres need careful thought, the ones that carry you to the Med crossing will not be good enough for the rest, and vice versa. Can either of these ladies change a tyre, which should have been fitted with security bolts, how will they inflate the things? No good   carrying spare cables and chains if they havent been run in before hand. Sprockets will suffer badly with worn chains and grit, Enfield rear sprockets are integral with the drum, how they get round that?
Can you get 19 inch tyres easily in Africa? I doubt it, how about 18 inch rims instead?
How much fuel can you carry? the tank will not be enough for some stretches, supposing you fall off? a certainty for sure, how much fuel will you lose will  while you pick it and yourself up?
Filters, you'll need really good air and fuel filters, I'd certainly want two fuel filters fitted.
Crash bars are a must, not only as luggage racks but to save damage when the thing falls over, as it will.
How good is your fault tracing on electrics, usually the prime trouble spot, you using Magneto, coil or electronic?

I could go on and on.
Interesting we have not heard back from these lasses.

I fear its one of these good ideas you get in a pub on saturday nights, I used to get lots like it. Never go in pubs anymore.

[mark2]

the answer is . Honda 90 , but like you say no reply

[mini-me]

Yes its been done on Honda cubs.
I reckon by 2017 when the trip is planned it'll be a no-go region, particularly for white women, with the inroads ISIS are making into that region

Personally I think rather than faff about with fantasy about riding  'free' classic bikes to Sierra Leona these women who presumably consider themselves enlightened women should be doing something positive against FGM which is 90% of women there.
A disgusting filthy barbaric practice.

[murdo]

Agree with all you've written, particulary the birth control. Money would be better used on Vasectomys.

[mini-me]

In a way its all our fault.
You have a country [any] inhabited by ignorant and often none too bright people who accept as normal  disease, starvation and high infant mortality, and short life-span living from hand to mouth in an often violent society.

Lets say, as example Ethiopia or Somalia, Nature is taking its cruel course, then out of the sky comes the white man throwing food clothes medicine and tents away freely, seemingly endlessly.
No wonder the poor sods think that such things come without the need for work or money in the lands of the white man. They risk their lives to get here only to find not only are the expected to WORK for things but there is little work anyway. So they end up well cheesed off.

Add to that the effect of some religions which teach them its all our fault  and the fuse of the time bomb is lit.

Places like Sierra Leone do not need well meaning stunts as this. I for one cannot see how they will raise more money from 'sponsorship' than if they used the funds they say they are using to fund the return journey and its associated expenses to send directly to some responsible person out there already.

Birth control and some aggressive feminism and education in the field of hygiene is what they need.
Two  women on an egotistical jolly on a couple of old bikes while holding out a begging bowl is not going to make a blind bit of difference.Worse, if anything goes badly wrong these women will be a burden and drain on local resources which the locals won't need or want

Ride a bike to Africa if you want, do it on a sensible bike, and maybe write a book or articles about it and donate the proceeds. But its all been done before, dozens of times and its as said, old hat.

I  see they flooded this site with requests, but havent replied to anything.

[mark2]

I don't think this is the reaction they where hoping for , the truth maybe to hard to swallow

[wink]

I cant comment further, you´ve said it whilst remaining polite.
It´s nice to see there are still realistic thinkers in this country who dont need to look as though they are compassionate and caring to impress. Charity begins at home, and while I´m on can I interest you in donating to an endangered species of appealing mammals in Morecambe Bay.