Memoirs of a motorbike mechanic Adriaan Kragten 2 Translation into English of the Dutch report: “Memoires van een motorsleutelaar” written in March 2011 ing. Adriaan Kragten Populierenlaan 51 5492 SG Sint-Oedenrode Telephone: + 31 (0)413 475770 Website: www.kdwindturbines.nl E-mail:
[email protected] 1e digital English version January 2017 On the front page: Work on the BSA B33 during holydays It is allowed to make a private copy of this report. 3 Contents page 1 Introduction 4 2 The moped period 8 2.1 Experiences with a Rex (and with the police) 8 2.2 Experiences with a Cyrus (and with the police) 9 2.3 Experiences with a self-built go-kart (and with the police) 10 2.4 Experiences with a motorised scooter 12 2.5 Experiences with a 2-speed Zündapp 12 2.6 Experiences with a 3-speed Puch 13 3 De motorbike period 14 3.1 Experiences with a 150 cc CZ 15 3.2 Experiences with a Matchless G3LS 16 3.3 Experiences with a 750 cc Harley from 1936 17 3.4 Experiences with a Triumph Tiger 100A 20 3.5 Experiences with a BSA B33 20 3.6 Experiences with a BMW R60 21 3.7 Experiences with a Hoffmann Gouverneur 23 3.8 Experiences with a BMW R27 24 3.9 Experiences with a BMW R50/5 25 3.10 Experiences with a 250 cc Honda twin 28 3.11 Experiences with a 400 cc Yamaha twin 29 3.12 Experiences with a Moto Guzzi V65SP 29 3.13 Experiences with a BMW R80RT 31 4 1 Introduction My grandfather from my father’s side, Frans Kragten, was foreman at the Dutch railways in Haarlem.