Cheers Raymond. Scotland man. I love Scotland. We go up there for our hols. Not this year though, sadly.
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Newbie from over the pond.
- Thread starter Mannyroad
- Start date
At one time, had FXDX Super Glide Sport with stainless pipes and a pair of Supertrapps.
The Supertrapps sound fantastic on an EVO, so mellow. Could listen to them all day 
Hi Manny and welcome,
ex-Bristolian here, right now enduring the onset of Sasketoon's first blizzard.
disagree about the Jap Bonnie though.
An XS650 looks more like a Matchless than a Triumph but it's technically closer to a Horex Imperator.
Hi Fred, how long since you lived in the UK?
As for the Jap Bonnie, I guess its known as that in the UK cos it was a 650 360 degree twin, like the Triumph, sort of a poor man's Triumph back.in the day. Not saying it's a poor man's anything, as i love the bikes personally, but just saying.
As for the Jap Bonnie, I guess its known as that in the UK cos it was a 650 360 degree twin, like the Triumph, sort of a poor man's Triumph back.in the day. Not saying it's a poor man's anything, as i love the bikes personally, but just saying.
Hi Manny,
I "voted with my feet" in May 1969. Age 32, with wife & 2 young daughters.
Oddly, when I quit the boss shook his head and said "I doubt you'll do better than here, where are you going?
When I told him "Canada" he shook my hand and said "We gotta have a big piss-up."
Back then I rode a plunger-frame BSA Gold Flash/Garrard Grand Prix sidecar outfit.
Great choice, Canada. We've ski'd and holiday'd there several times and love the place. Would love to emigrate there, as all my relatives moved there after the war, but it's a bit late for that nowadays. I built a BSA A7 chopper back in 79 and had a few Brit bikes after that but prefer less troublesome steads these days.
When I was boy in industry, I worked for Schlumberger International Wireline Services (an oilfield exploration outfit) in Warri Nigeria (VERY rough place) in 1981-82. There were a lot of Frenchmen, a Swede, a few Belgians, one American and I there - but mainly, it was Brits - lots of Brits.
After I got to know a few of them I asked one young OxBridge graduate engineer: “why are there so many of you folks here working in this....hmmmm....how to say this nicely....very challenging place?
He said - “Easy question Pete: I graduated from Oxford in Mechanical Engineering in 1981 and if I had stayed in the UK, I could choose from the following options:
1) live at home with my parents and have a nice car;
2) live in a grotty flat and have a decent motorcycle;
3) live in an OK flat and have a bicycle.
.....or I can come here and have a nice bike AND a nice car AND give my folks a bit of cash to help out the odd time. Having graduated with exactly the same qualification at precisely the same time in Canada, I noted that me and all of my classmates had a nice home and a decent car - and money to spare....
Now, I am not saying that everyone was in the same boat - but there sure were a lot of 20- and 30-something British engineers there in the early 1980s....
I may be wrong, but I’d guess that you didn’t become a zillionaiire, Fred - but nonetheless, I’d say...good choice mate and the UK’s loss was definitely Canada’s gain. .
Pete
After I got to know a few of them I asked one young OxBridge graduate engineer: “why are there so many of you folks here working in this....hmmmm....how to say this nicely....very challenging place?
He said - “Easy question Pete: I graduated from Oxford in Mechanical Engineering in 1981 and if I had stayed in the UK, I could choose from the following options:
1) live at home with my parents and have a nice car;
2) live in a grotty flat and have a decent motorcycle;
3) live in an OK flat and have a bicycle.
.....or I can come here and have a nice bike AND a nice car AND give my folks a bit of cash to help out the odd time. Having graduated with exactly the same qualification at precisely the same time in Canada, I noted that me and all of my classmates had a nice home and a decent car - and money to spare....
Now, I am not saying that everyone was in the same boat - but there sure were a lot of 20- and 30-something British engineers there in the early 1980s....
I may be wrong, but I’d guess that you didn’t become a zillionaiire, Fred - but nonetheless, I’d say...good choice mate and the UK’s loss was definitely Canada’s gain. .
Pete
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Interesting story MaxPete
Manny, I apologise for getting off thread. Pete, you have very neatly encapsulated the economic choices facing most young grads in post-war Britain.
I worry about the kids setting out now into the post-Covid economy. The choices look like:
1) live at home with parents and have a bicycle
2) live in a grotty flat and eat cheap takeaways
3) live in an OK flat and starve.
I worry about the kids setting out now into the post-Covid economy. The choices look like:
1) live at home with parents and have a bicycle
2) live in a grotty flat and eat cheap takeaways
3) live in an OK flat and starve.
My apologies too Manny and don’t get me wrong - this is no longer the land of milk and honey....unless you live away from major population centres and choose a high-paying career. Housing prices near cities like Toronto and Vancouver have reached stupid levels and jobs for average folks are not plentiful.
Ahh well....back to motorbikes.
Was kayaking for 5 days, around Desolation Sound, between Vancouver and Vancouver Island a few years ago, so spent some time on Vancouver Island. Boy, could I settle there. Fantastic place.
Hi Pete,
thanks for that thought.
assuming that I'd made the same lifestyle and career choices if I'd stayed back 'ome instead of emigrating to Canada;
let's say that in Canada I owe for a better class of stuff.
