stupid mt question!

BlackEagleS

BlackEagleS

Registered User
hd took over armstrong/ccm in 1989 to im guessing the mt's before that date are not considered as 'hd' by the club??

yes, im thinking of getting an mt500 - if only i could find a canadian one with the self starter! cos im too old for all that kick start stuff on a 500cc! :frown:
 
Re: stupid mt question!

The Armstrongs have a reputation for being difficult to start. I would stick with electric start models
 
Re: stupid mt question!

Absolutely nothing stopping you using the forum for advice whatever the make. Joining the club may be less practical.
go for a H-D and join a brilliant club.
 
Re: stupid mt question!

BlackEagleS said:
hd took over armstrong/ccm in 1989 to im guessing the mt's before that date are not considered as 'hd' by the club??

yes, im thinking of getting an mt500 - if only i could find a canadian one with the self starter! cos im too old for all that kick start stuff on a 500cc! :frown:
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Welcome to the forum Brian,
Yes you are correct in thinking that the only bike in that range (ie Armstrongs,CCM and Bombadier etc) that is recognised by this club (NOW) is the MT350/500 the reason being, they are manufactured by Harley Davidson. :wink:

One of the stipulations about joining the Harley Davidson RIDERS Club of Great Britian (HDRCGB) is that you must own or ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle, some members of this club own Harley Davidson motorcycles that have never been seen as they are still in pieces in boxes but are welcomed with open arms to the club.
When I announced that I had bought an MT350 there were comments made from certain people like "When are you going to get a proper Harley" which quite frankly irratates the fuck out me when others dont even ride there hidden unassebled bikes.

On the V5 log document where it says "MAKE" it says "Harley Davidson" thats good enough for me that it's a Harley Davidson but there are still people in this club who refuse to recognise it as a Harley Davidson, Propably because it is a bike that can be ridden all year round without breaking down and without the need to spent ?1,000.00s of pounds on extras just to keep it parked in a centrally heated garage for 10 months of the year and ride a few hundred miles a year and constantly bleat on about it.:wink:
I put a brand new 500e (electric start) engine in mine back in June and I've done over 6,000 trouble free miles on it since then(even been out on it today for 100k ride) I absolutely love the thing.
If you are thinking of getting one, go for it Brian. The MT350s are a little underpowered so I would recoment the MT500e if you can get one.
 
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Re: stupid mt question!

Brian's been around the club for years in the s/e. He owns or owned a sportster not sure whether Brian was. Paid up member though
 
Re: stupid mt question!

thanks folks.

from what i read the 350 is considered a bit underpowered but loads of fun nontheless especially off road. i may have got the dating wrong but as i understand it the 500 was still being provided to the british army after hd took over the company (1989) allbeit only for a very short time so in theory it should be possible to get one that is 'harley'.

being a bit of an old git i prefer a starter so im interested that you (ultima_tony) have recently fitted an engine with a starter. as far as i know there were 500 rotax engined mts with starters but these were only provided to the canadian army so this 'preference' may not be achievable....still, how did you do it?????????

and yes i still have the sportster which is still going strong and i was a club member but i got a bit fed up with all the crap going on in the region so didnt renew.
 
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Re: stupid mt question!

BlackEagleS said:
thanks folks.

from what i read the 350 is considered a bit underpowered but loads of fun nontheless especially off road. i may have got the dating wrong but as i understand it the 500 was still being provided to the british army after hd took over the company (1989) allbeit only for a very short time so in theory it should be possible to get one that is 'harley'.

being a bit of an old git i prefer a starter so im interested that you (ultima_tony) have recently fitted an engine with a starter. as far as i know there were 500 rotax engined mts with starters but these were only provided to the canadian army so this 'preference' may not be achievable....still, how did you do it?????????

and yes i still have the sportster which is still going strong and i was a club member but i got a bit fed up with all the crap going on in this region so didnt renew.
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Hi Again Brian,
I originally purchased an MT350 from a friend of mine who lives local to me for ?500.00 and ran it for a few years and had brilliant fun with it.
The only thing I found to be a bit of a drag with the MT350 was when I was using it for long distance motorway riding even though I had geared it up with a bigger front sprocket, It was asking a bit too much from a 350cc single four-stroke to keep up with motorway traffic especially when I had to go up hill.
In June (2013) I fitted a brand new, still in the original crate 504e enduro spec engine and the difference that made to the bike was unbelievable.
The 500cc engine drops straight into the MT350 frame and uses all the same bolt holes etc, I replaced the engine myself and it took about 2 hours to do, so a very simple job to change.
The MT500 knocks along at speeds in excess of 85 MPH easily and pulls up hills effortlessly 2 up and loaded with camping gear as well.
It's never going to be a touring bike but it's an absolutely perfect bike to use where I live down here in Devon and I have nothing but good things to say about it.
If you are considering going down the same route as me to get an MT500 you can have a word with "Force Motorcycles" who are the main Rotax dealer in the UK and see if he has any more "new" 500cc engines left, they are like rocking horse shit to get hold of but you might just be lucky if you give him a call.
I have a link to their website, click on it and see if it takes you to the engine section.


Force Motorcycles. Rotax 504E Enduro-Spec Engine



Good luck if you do decide to get one, they are great character little bikes that will leave a big clumsey Harley Davidson road bike for dust in lanes and back roads. :wink:

If you do get one you can also join another good club too, the MT Riders club as well as the HDRCGB. :smile:
 
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Re: stupid mt question!

thanks tony. if i get one at least i now know how to get a 500 with a starter!!.

ironically, my wife and i were looking at combe martin and its surrounding areas to move to about 5 years ago when i got early retirement, lovely area with plenty of bendy roads - ahhh bliss.
 
Re: stupid mt question!

Hi Brian good to hear from you

As Tony says a cracker of a bike, used it for commuting into London for 6 months or so before i got the Buell and ran out of garage space so had to sell it. Easy to work on and built like a brick poop house.As with so many of my old bikes if money and space wasnt at a premium it would still be in the garage!

Neil or Dan up at ultra cycles had one i think but it may have gone now.
 
Re: stupid mt question!

thanks neil, im still just about alive and kicking. i realy must get down to the pied bull sometime although i have to admit i have once again forgotten the club day!! and i cannot read the event calendar which i guess lists it.

they have long ago sold their mt so i will be continuing to 'half' look for a cheep one even though i dont realy have the room for it until i get rid of the b25 (cos ive lost interest in it) unless it sits in the garden for a while.

regards
 
Re: stupid mt question!

BlackEagleS

I have two MT350s; one with a 604 engine and the other had a new Force Motorcycles 500e engine fitted about 3,000 kms ago.

With an increased front sprocket both do motorway speeds (plus a bit if needed) no problem at all. I may be selling the 500e as it is not getting much use at present but until I do you are welcome to give it a try to see for yourself if you are near Reading anytime.

I can recommend talking with Nick of Force as he is very knowledgeable and helpful.

Best regards

PS - There are no stupid questions - only stupid replies!!
 
Re: stupid mt question!

TJRL said:
BlackEagleS

I have two MT350s; one with a 604 engine and the other had a new Force Motorcycles 500e engine fitted about 3,000 kms ago.

With an increased front sprocket both do motorway speeds (plus a bit if needed) no problem at all. I may be selling the 500e as it is not getting much use at present but until I do you are welcome to give it a try to see for yourself if you are near Reading anytime.

I can recommend talking with Nick of Force as he is very knowledgeable and helpful.

Best regards

PS - There are no stupid questions - only stupid replies!!
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thanks for the offer, although i dont get over reading i may well make a 'special' over when the weather is more (my) riding weather :redface:
 
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