The electrics on my Tiger Cub were very hit or miss.My lights went on numerous occasions.Senghenydd is where I left it for the last time.I had to take a train and a bus to get home.
Ah always wanted a tiger cub but never got one - 4 stroke heh - I love the gutsy roar of the engine and the low slung chassis you really did look like a brands hatch rider on one of those - you should have got it tuned a bit laddie!
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I nearly went under a Petrol Tanker (mechanical failure, not rider error) Mr Brā¦Wood had a plate in his leg, Mr Robbins lost his leg, Mr Webber lost his lifeā¦
Being council tenants, on benefits, Hire Purchase was never an option, not that the Old Man would have put his signature to a āDeath Trapā, so, had to go the more dangerous route, the DIY fourth hand down route.
No, I donāt believe so as thereās no end of them. This one was prompted by the mention of the Tiger Cub, one of my first motorcycles.
In Hampshire (Christchurch if anyone knows it) slowly approaching a slight hump back bridge over a river. Being interested in fishing I quickly glanced at the river when at the brow of this bridge. Next thing I know is the van that had already gone over the brow braked very hard, the back of the van went up, I just about saw this so braked very hard myself. The front forks went down, just under the back of the van and there I was, totally unharmed, sitting on the bike with the front wheel jammed under the back of the van! It was just a traffic jam that caused the van to brake, lots of visitors that time of year. A couple of people lifted the back of the van enough to allow me to pull the bike free. Fortunately no damage to either myself, the van or my bike and off everyone went. All was well that ended well, that time, it could have been far, far worse. 
yes used to live in hants - b/stoke not so flashy as christchurch but have passed through
Had a few days in Mudeford once, no Motorcycles involved though.
The same for me with Basingstoke, I passed there on the way to visit my parents in Christchurch. They lived there and other places along that coast over the years, I spent many weekends / holidays there. A very nice place to live but very expensive too!
Mudeford was one of my favourite places, you will probably also know Avon Beach, just along from Mudeford? I recall Mudeford as where the fishing boats came in to Mudeford Quay. I often watched the fishermen net fishing for salmon near that sandbar into the harbour, it was a nice way to spend a few hours on a sunny day.
@Baz46 Yes, I recall sitting alone on a bench at Highcliffe, watching the Ferries go about their business.
I never had a Tiger Cub, never fancied one for some reason but canāt remember why. 
I had a BSA C15 when I was learning and took my test on it. The test course at that time was around the one way system in Mansfield, and the examiner would just appear here and there as you rode around for half an hour. One bit of the system had just been re-gritted and as I turned the corner lost the back end of the bike and I fell off. Luckily I had just got back on and set off as the examiner appeared at the next corner so he hadnāt seen me, and so I went on to pass, thankfully he never did mention why my trousers were ripped at the end of the test and not the startā¦ 
A nice coastline, plenty of places to just sit and watch lots of interesting things. Very different now I understand though. When I used to go there all the cliff top parking was free, the NCP took them over and charging started. I believe Mudeford is now the same. Avon Beach always did charge for parking. Generally probably still a nice place but very commercialised compared to how it was. 
The Tiger Cub for me was the next āstepping stoneā from a BSA Bantam, the next one was a larger Triumph. Being an apprentice at the time I had to keep within my income and apprentice wages were not good!
Yes, I remember the way the test was, the examiner suddenly pops up or appears round a corner like he did with you. I wonder itās still conducted the same way? I have no idea about that, my test was taken in 1962 I recall.
You were definitely unlucky with losing the back end like that. Falling off without being hurt and passing the test, despite what happened, your luck must have returned!
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I remember apprentice wages very well Baz, as an apprentice bricklayer I was on about 1/6p an hour, then had a ācost of livingā increase of 1/2p an hour!
My C15 was as a straight swap for a Sunbeam S8 that I had rebuilt, but couldnāt ride it on the road as it was 500cc and didnāt fancy having a sidecar at 16ā¦
Despite the wages it was the best way to get a trade. It was a lot of yearsā ago since starting my six-year apprenticeship in 1961, wages were either Ā£1 7/6 or Ā£1 17/6 for a 42-hour week, I cannot recall exactly. That paid off over my 55-year working life though.
Your comment about 500cc and the age of 16 is probably why I had a 125cc. I was sure of when I started riding motorcycles, it was at 16 but that didnāt add up as I previously thought you had to be 17. All good fun though and experience of riding motorcycles, at whatever age, continues to when cars are driven and nobody can ever teach experience. 
Did your dot have the Earleās fork gumbug, or Tele forks??
I was always interested in the earls fork, but it never seemed to catch on??
Wonder why??
Donkeyman!
Yes, my starting rate as a n engineering apprentice was 11 pence per hour,
Worked out to about 30 Bob a week including Saturday mornings!
Of which l have me mum a quid , leaving me with 10 Bob !!
Every year we got an increase but it was never very much ??
Some how l scraped together enough to buy a nice Holdsworth peddle bike with 16 speeds on HP!!
Donkeyman! 
. @Baz46
My you were well paid, almost twice as much as I received!
In those early days though I could fill the tank on my Triumph motorcycle with fuel, buy a pack of 20 Senior Service and still have change from Ā£1! Just a little different today though isnāt it ā diesel here, just yesterday Ā£138 a litre (Ā£6.31 a gallon)!
Yes, we all āgot thereā somehow or other. Usually that was through hard work and much determination, but we managed.
Wasnāt apprentice pay determined by government Baz !
I think it was a labour gov led by Clement Attlee then in my case, and the wages were set for
the entire preriod of your apprenticeship and listed in your apprenticeship papers duly signed and
sealed by both your employer and your parents ??
The rates applicable were determined by the particular trade you went into??
I was totally unaware of how fortunate l was! LOL!! 
Donkeyman!
Maybe in some industries but for me it was the trades union that made that decision. It was shown in my apprenticeship papers what the percentage of a full tradesmanās rate for each year of apprenticeship was. That tradesmanās rate was governed by the union so an apprenticeās rate of pay increased not only year by year but also as the tradesmanās pay increased, also year by year.
I had a BSA Bantam 150 What a sweat every time I needed to start it. I ended up putting a 6 volt coil on and wiring it through a switch to the battery. Started first time after that slight modification. The Triumph speed twin I progressed too was like all Triumphs felt as if there was a hinge in the frame. Sadly that bike sort of went along the road on its side riderless. Something to do with showing off I recall .
@Baz46 Oh l see, lthink unions werenāt so prominent in my day Baz??
Begs the question about our different rates though?
I thought unions were supposed to make us better off ??
Donkeyman!