Steven L. Ashe
moped
I know! I know! I have gained weight since owning my first Bonneville in 1964. I left the Army and my cousin had a 1961 Bonneville for sale and I had to have it, after riding Harley rats, which was all that I could afford in those days. So, my 650cc twin felt fast and for it's day, was fast.
Leap forward to 2010, after owning and riding countless Harleys, Nortons, BSAs, Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and other Triumph models. I had gone into buying and selling motorcycles out of my back yard, when I was living in Baltimore with only 3 motorcycle dealers in town. I found that I could pick up bikes cheap, clean them up and sell at a profit. I needed the extra cash!
I even went through a period of owning land barge type "touring bikes" demanded by the ladies that I was with at the time. So, at age 67, in 2010 I got a 2010 Bonne. I was puzzled, as the bike felt sluggish, so I asked the mechanic why my 1961 Bonne was faster, and felt more powerful. He asked what I weighed in 1960s. Okay, back then I weighed 145 and today, I am 230. Thanks a lot for pointing that out to me.
My choice was, lose weight or get performance parts for the bike. Paul Runion, owner of Speyside Enterprises in Titusville, FL, came highly recommended as Paul had been building bikes for the Triumph racing team.
Paul sent my upper engine up to Thompson, up north for a full upper engine upgrade. Custom racing pistons. Then competition exhaust. Upgraded shocks, front and rear, steering damper, Power Kit and work that took the compression from 8 to 1 up to 11 to 1. Paul did not recommend boring as he said engine life would be shortened. The result was a total new feel, in terms of pick up and top speed.
I am very happy to again feel that my Bonne can go like crazy, even though I am heavier.
Steven L. Ashe
DeLand, FL
Leap forward to 2010, after owning and riding countless Harleys, Nortons, BSAs, Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and other Triumph models. I had gone into buying and selling motorcycles out of my back yard, when I was living in Baltimore with only 3 motorcycle dealers in town. I found that I could pick up bikes cheap, clean them up and sell at a profit. I needed the extra cash!
I even went through a period of owning land barge type "touring bikes" demanded by the ladies that I was with at the time. So, at age 67, in 2010 I got a 2010 Bonne. I was puzzled, as the bike felt sluggish, so I asked the mechanic why my 1961 Bonne was faster, and felt more powerful. He asked what I weighed in 1960s. Okay, back then I weighed 145 and today, I am 230. Thanks a lot for pointing that out to me.
My choice was, lose weight or get performance parts for the bike. Paul Runion, owner of Speyside Enterprises in Titusville, FL, came highly recommended as Paul had been building bikes for the Triumph racing team.
Paul sent my upper engine up to Thompson, up north for a full upper engine upgrade. Custom racing pistons. Then competition exhaust. Upgraded shocks, front and rear, steering damper, Power Kit and work that took the compression from 8 to 1 up to 11 to 1. Paul did not recommend boring as he said engine life would be shortened. The result was a total new feel, in terms of pick up and top speed.
I am very happy to again feel that my Bonne can go like crazy, even though I am heavier.
Steven L. Ashe
DeLand, FL
