Museum

My friend Melissa the Honeybadger managed to secure an invite to a private motorcycle museum in Dublin. It's an amazing and varied collection of machines and memorabilia, with a very gracious host.

It was a lovely day out.

Two Sunbeams...

Honda CBX 1000 - In-line 6 cylinder motor making 105 BHP in the mid-seventies!

Honda CBX 1000B - As above, but with mono-shock rear suspension and a fairing and (very small) cases.

Neither of these CBX 1000s have ever been run on the road. They're as new.

Gilera CX 125 with single sided suspension front and rear. I read an article a while back claiming that this was one of the 50 most iconic bikes in history. Oh, really?

Early 60's Suzuki/Colledas

1960's BSA Gold Star

Kawasaki Scrambler

Bridgestone, the tyre manufacturing powerhouse, used to make motorcycles.

Honda CB 250.

The Bridgestone again.

The blue bike in the background is also a Bridgestone.

Kawasaki Z1 - Now that is iconic!

Kawasaki Z1 R.

Kawasaki Z1300 cutaway engine and drive-train. I remember this when it was in KDI in Golden Lane

Kawasaki Z1300, liquid cooled, 6 cylinders and quite heavy!

Yamaha RD350 YPVS. Iconic? Maybe. But probably not as iconic as the LC.

Yamaha RD400.

Sunbeam S7, air-cooled inline twin with shaft-drive. There's something very appealing about this machine. It just looks... right.

Bimota SB8.

EXUP engined Bimota YB11

Bimota 500 V-Due. A 500cc 2-stroke twin with Direct Fuel Injection and electronic ignition.

It was a fantastic idea, but it didn't work.

The bike was so unreliable that it bankrupted Bimota - Read the story Here

Ducati 160cc Single.

Kawasaki 2-stroke triple.

Melissa and the Soviet.

Melissa.

HRD Vincent. Also iconic...

Kawasaki GPz 1100.

Kawasaki Z1000 Mk II

Kawasaki Z650.

Honda CB900F and Suzuki GT750 Kettle.

Yamaha TZ350 Race-bike.

Honda VFR750 RC45

Suzuki RG500.

Melissa imagines herself pootling down a country lane in Berkshire or Kent or somewhere like that...

BSA M20.

Triumph Trident triple.