‘Aint my fault, ’twas the factory recommendation, don’t blame me!
I might add that the poor little brute was only a 125cc twin, (one of its Scott likeness), so with a 6ft. x 15 stone “Oik” perched on top it was flat out everywhere, but from time to time it’d start to slow with that certain tinkling noise made by rings tripping over the ports whereupon it was a quick grab of the clutch and a period of coasting and then we’d be off again. Curiously it never did score the pistons or break a ring, just as well as I suspect spares were made in the same factory as hen’s teeth.
The interesting point is that one day I discovered Bardhal 2stroke oil. 40:1 it said on the tin, (back then it came in nice little 4oz cans with a screw-top lid), just right for the breast pocket of the Barbour and a gallon which is all the petrol tank held, and wadda you know? It never went tight ever again!
Can’t remember what I did with the Formachino but I’ve a Tipo Sport now, a slightly more powerful version of the same design, it came in two potato sacks! Don’t ask! The trouble is I’m getting near the end of my 5 gallon drum of Bardhal, (£7/10/0 against £17/10/0 in small tins, them were the days!), and I don’t think you can get it anymore.
The modern world has caught up with the Rumi in an unexpected way other than “yoofs” on faster souped-up 50cc mopeds that is, you see it’s made almost entirely from aluminium castings the result of which is that the modern crop of magnetic sensors that control traffic lights can’t “see” it, so if its late and you’re on a side road and the lights are on “demand” then you can sit there ‘till morning or until someone else comes along. Or you can, (carefully), pull out onto the Embankment when you get bored and then do some very fast talking to the cops in the traffic car who want to nick you for going through a red light . . .
