"Flying" Rapide Photo

[Spqreddie]

Just saw this photo on a French Bike magazine i bought last week,
"Moto Legende" n. 255 April 2014.
A Rapide being loaded with a crane on a ferry at the end of a TT i think in the 60ies,
Edmondo

 

[Jim Richardson]

Pity we can't get close enough to see the registration number. I have been promised a photo of my Rap going on to the ferry.

JimR

 

[deejay499]

Our outfit was loaded in a similar way, except we had a small platform with a support rope in each corner to put the outfit on. Needless to say it did not stay level when moving and did not do our hearts and nerves any good.

 

[vibrac]

This of course was after they had 'stolen' all our petrol, it was always a game to get to the ferry on reserve but then knowing the steam racket company they probably had shares in the first filling station after the harbor gate on the IOM

 

[Howard]

I remember my ratty old Ariel Huntmaster being loaded like that - the middle one of 3 and the others were brand new BMWs. As it left the ground the centre stand flipped up and I had to run (yes I could run then) onto the ferry to catch it before it played dominos with the BMs. Mind you I think that was preferable to walking (sorry riding) the plank to get on the ferry at Liverpool.

H

 

[nkt267]

Mind you I think that was preferable to walking (sorry riding) the plank to get on the ferry at Liverpool.

I had to do that one year, me and my mate Tommy were very late and they were just about to pull the plank up..VERY scary..John

 

[vibrac]

riding a Manx Norton up a plank on open mega into a Thames van now that is scary- Ive seen that done

 

[Howard]

riding a Manx Norton up a plank on open mega into a Thames van now that is scary- Ive seen that done

Yes, but that's from a solid road into a van parked on a solid road.

Getting on to the ferry which was bobbing up and down, from a floating jetty that was bobbing up and down at a diferent rate, via a plank (I think I'm exaggerating actually - there were 2 planks) with ends bobbing up and down at different rates - didn't matter what you were riding, that was scary. You set off full chat on a 45 degree plank that became horizontal when you were half way up - the opposite was worse as you could stall on the plank - seeing someone do that was scary if you were next in the queue!.

H

 

[cinquecento]

All quite sophisticated, post war bikes were loaded several to a cargo net.

 

[cinquecento]

....thought i ought to best qualify that last comment, which was based on photo's from my father's m/c travels.