[Ranma][FanFic] Biker 1/2 chapter 9
Calum Wallace
Ranma 1/2 isn't my fault! Rumiko Takahashi did it! Not me!
Beware, this fic contains MAJOR quantities of swearing.
Words in "<this>" kind of brackets are spoken in Cantonese.
Chapter 9: One wedding and a fuckup.
"She's got eyes of the bluest sky, and if they thought of rain. I'd hate to
look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain" - Guns N' Roses, 郡weet
Child O' Mine'
************************************
Akane stared out the window with an unreadable expression on her face.
She was dressed in the clothes they had been working on - a Western-style
wedding dress. The fact she had her cartridge belt over the top spoilt the
effect somewhat.
She wished she could have a smoke to calm her nerves. But Dr. Tofu had put
his foot down. No cigarettes for Akane until she had had her baby.
She sighed, loaded her .44 and slipped it inside her dress. Nodoko shot her
a puzzled look.
"What are you bringing that thing along for?"
"Look, you don't seriously expect nobody to cause any problems, do you? I'm
taking it just in case."
Shampoo chuckled wryly. "I is taking handgun too. Is easy for to hide" She
tugged at the baggy battledress trousers she was wearing. "I going talk with
Ranma. I see later, no?"
Akane nodded. "Yeah, see you later."
She kept her fears to herself. The heavy shape of her .44 pressing against
her hip comforted her, helping to melt those fears away.
But she still felt uneasy.
************************************
Ranma lit up yet another smoke and continued glaring at nothing very much.
Shampoo came in the door behind him. "Ranma..."
He turned round and smiled at her. "Hi."
Shampoo considered him. He had cleaned up his leathers and got a new pair of
motocross boots. But his T-shirt was a decrepit, oil-stained item with an
obscure caption on the front that seemed somehow familiar.
"This is T-shirt you wear at Joketsuzo, no?"
Ranma nodded. "Yeah." Nothing and nobody was going to get him in a tuxedo.
He fished around in his pocket. "Uh, Shampoo - we ain't gotten anyone ta be
恵est man'. Any chance o' doin it? I mean, fuck traditional."
Shampoo giggled. "Is not worry."
He nodded again and handed her a small red jewellery case. "Here."
Shampoo nodded and pocketed it. Ranma sighed morosely and got a hairbrush.
Shampoo watched as he straightened out his hair.
"I got a real nasty feel - ya know th' 茎ummat's gonna happen' feelin'?"
Shampoo nodded. "I get this feeling too."
Ranma sighed and pulled his handgun out of his pocket. He swiftly
disassembled it, cleaned it and put it back together. "Just in case."
Shampoo nodded and patted her leg where her Makarov was hidden. "Just in
case."
"Yeah. Come on - let's head fer th' church. We can check an' see if anyone's
waitin' ta ambush anyone, huh?"
Shampoo nodded and they walked out to Ranma's bike. She avoided asking what
the two partially assembled motorbikes sat beside it were for.
They were probably for mates of his. It was too much to expect him to build
her a bike.
************************************
Akane was still fidgeting as Nodoko pulled up outside the church. Being
driven to her wedding by the groom's mother in a blue and chrome Kenworth
tractor unit that kept doing burnouts was certainly original.
She looked around. The street was lined with motorbikes, cars and trucks. A
large crowd was gathered near the church - obviously wedding guests. At
least half the crowd looked like either truckers or bikers.
Akane figured them to be Nodoko and Genma's friends. Nodoko was surrounded
by big muscle-bound men as soon as she stepped out of the truck. She chatted
happily with them.
"Hey, Nodoko! Long time no see! How's tricks?"
"Not bad at all, Kawasaki. How are you yourself?"
"Doing pretty well all things considering - I lost a load yesterday. Those
boys at the loading depot oughtta be sacked."
"Yes? What happened?"
"They used a batch of shite pallets and stacked too much on 憩m. Everything
looked OK when I left, but the next thing I knew the road behind me was foot
deep in damn breezeblocks. They hadn't even strapped the bloody things to
those crappy pallets - just slung a tarp over the top and tied that down."
Nodoko rolled her eyes. "You never have any luck."
Kawasaki nodded gloomily. "It's always me."
"Nodoko! How you doin'!" A heavily overweight and burly looking woman popped
out of the crowd. Her voice didn't fit - she sounded like an idol singer.
"Why, Kiyoko! So you made it after all!"
"Yeah, my run got cancelled. Seems the original delivery truck got a flat
battery. The recovery boys swapped it over once the driver managed to
contact them. I heard he was waiting for them to answer for around eight
hours - that company is incredibly busy these days."
Nodoko chuckled. "I had to delay a run for this. The guy who hired me
understood when I explained my son's getting married. But I'm going to take
their load after the reception. Sheet steel again."
"What, you're still doing the steelworks runs?"
"Hey, their emergency shipments pay well."
"Who's your jamboy these days?"
"Godo Amachi."
"You managed to hire him?!?! Holy shit- he's the best in the business!"
Nodoko nodded. "That's why I hired him."
************************************
Ranma sniggered. "Supercharged GSXR1100. I tuned it a fair bit -she does the
double ton no worries."
Genma's pal goggled. "You're as crazy as your grandfather wuz!"
"Yeah? My grandfather musta been one helluva guy if he wuz as mad as me."
"Hey, whereabouts is yer dad? I don't see him anywhere - that's his V8
innit?"
"Yeah. Dunno where he is, but what the hell."
Genma ploughed through the crowd towards them.
"Talk o' the devil. Hey! Genma! Over here!"
Ranma grinned cheerfully. "I gotta go."
His father was the last person he wanted 径dvice' from.
************************************
Ryoga looked round as someone coughed politely behind him.
"Hey, ya poof. Over here."
He pulled his big spanner out of it's sheath. "What'd you call me?"
"What you are you faggot!"
"That does it!" Ryoga smashed the large seaman in the face with his big
spanner sending the man reeling backwards into another crewman.
"Fucking nobody calls me that-" Ryoga ducked an oar and smashed the wielder
in the groin - "And lives!"
It took his six seconds to cream the eight seamen. He considered the mess.
Then a sharp 渓er-chunk' behind him caused him to spin round.
The captain was glaring down the sights of an ornate revolver at him.
"Nobody beats up my crew except me!"
Ryoga ducked and whipped out his GP35.
"Says who? A guy with a pop-gun?"
"That does it. Get ready to slap leather!"
The captain holstered his gun. Ryoga snorted and blew him to Kingdom Come.
"Draw... oh well. I think someone's watched too many cowboy movies."
************************************
Kodachi watched silently as Ranma chatted with a couple of bikers and
smoked.
She was sickened by her luck. It was so typical - along came Mr. Right and
he already had a girl. Two girls.
Genma noticed the pretty teenager Ranma had been rigging a single hand
control set for. Looking closer he saw that she looked downright miserable.
He ambled over.
"Hello, lady."
She looked up. "You're Ranma's father, right?"
Genma nodded. "Yeah, I'm Genma Saotome... Ranma's been helping ya learn ta
ride, hasn't he?"
She nodded. Genma grinned.
"Ya got yer bike here?"
Kodachi was slightly taken aback by the fat bald man's boyish
enthusiasm."Yes."
"Well, let's have a look."
They walked over to her Bandit. Genma admired it for a few moments.
"Nice machines, those Suzooks."
Kodachi smiled slightly.
"Say, how well does she spin up?"
"Huh?"
"Don't tell me you don't know how to do a burnout!"
"I am very new to this."
"Well then, let me show you how it's done..."
They spent a couple of minutes working out how Kodachi could do a one -
handed burnout. Genma smiled. It was working - she was cheering up
noticeably.
In his opinion it just wasn't right for such a pretty girl to be miserable.
************************************
Ranma scratched his head and glanced around the training hall which was
quite thoroughly decked out, with large quantities of food spread on tables
around the perimeter.
"Talk about anticlimax, huh?"
Akane shot him a bewildered look. "Waddya mean anticlimax?"
"I dunno - it don't feel like anything's changed."
"That's because we've been married in all but name for a couple of weeks
now!"
Ranma smirked. "Suppose so."
Shampoo rolled her eyes at him. "You is daft, Ranma."
"Where'd that come from?"
"Who have idea for play heavy rock record at wedding?"
"Er - actually, that wuz me an' Akane. I suggested rock an' roll an' she
suggested Napalm Death."
Shampoo again found herself wondering just what the hell she'd got herself
involved in this time. "Is name of band, no?"
"Yeah. They're fuckin' insane, huh?"
"Hey! Napalm Death's one of my favourite bands, Ranma."
"An' they're insane. That's a good thing, Akane. I call my bike insane,
remember?"
Akane paused then nodded. At which point she spotted a girl - her cousin -
making eyes at Ranma.
"Uh, Ranma - don't look now but you've got a crush inbound."
"Is that anythin' new? I'm a big bad biker! Girls get crushes on me all th'
time! Take Kodachi - there's one."
Akane sighed. "Ranma, this time it's Suki - my cousin. She's the local
slut."
"Big deal. I got as much as I can handle between you an' Shampoo."
Shampoo sniggered. Akane glared at him.
"You... you... you PERVERT!"
"Hey, it wuz your idea, not mine. Not that I mind."
Shampoo started giggling. Akane glared at her.
"What's the big joke?"
"Is you. You come up with crazy wedding scheme then us both get pregnant
then you call Ranma 継ervert'? What planet you on?"
"Yeah well, have you got any idea what I thought when I saw you the other
side of him when I came round after that big pissup when we met you? It was
something like 詣hat the fuck' then I remembered what happened."
"I nearly had a fuckin' heart attack!"
************************************
Herb nodded. "Okay - let me see - Tendo dojo, Nerima. That the one?"
Ryoga nodded. "Yeah, my little brother's getting married today and I didn't
want to miss it."
Herb chuckled quietly. "Well, we'll stop by there since it's on our route."
Ryoga grinned. "Thanks."
"No bother. We'll need to stop for fuel in Nerima at any rate so we might as
well check in on your little brother."
"Groovy! Um, I'd better warn you about my family - they're weird. Dad's this
big bald fatass biker with a beard. He's called Genma Saotome and he's
gotten a Jusenkyu curse too - Spring of Drowned Panda. My bro - well, my
half-brother actually - he's called Ranma Saotome. He's about the same
height as me but lighter build. He's got a ponytail and a Jusenkyu curse -
he went face first into Spring of Drowned Girl. He's marrying Akane Tendo -
she's Dad's best mate's youngest daughter. Dad's pal's called Soun Tendo.
He's a twit. Akane's got a couple of sisters - Nabiki and Kasumi. Nabiki's
alright even if she's obsessed with money. Kasumi's really cool - she comes
across as this bland stoned housewife type but then you find out she listens
to industrial metal and drives around in a Corvette hotrod dragster type
thing. Ranma's mum's probably gonna be there - she's about six inches
shorter than me and drives a really big truck with more engine than it's
gotten any right to have. Finally there's Xian Pu. She's from Joketsuzo -
you know the place? At any rate Ranma beat her in a fight-"
Herb nodded. "So guess what, instant wife. I'm familiar with Joketsuzo and
their whacked out laws."
Ryoga snorted. "Yeah? I'm just glad I ain't gotten in a brawl with any of
those Amazons. I'd have to kill her outright which would be kinda sticky."
Herb paused. "Er - why? Those Amazons are very beautiful-"
"Yeah, and I'm a transsexual, remember? A wife is the last thing I want -
wouldn't mind a husband, though. Could be kinda fun..."
Herb made a face. "Each to his own. Let's get moving."
"Alrightie! Let's hit the fuckin' road!"
************************************
Akane noticed her cousin making eyes at Ranma again.
"Oh for fuck's sake! Tell that little tart where to get off wontcha Ranma?"
Ranma rolled his eyes and nodded. He spun round and swaggered over to the
girl.
"Scuse me, chick, but Akane reckons yer developin' a crush on me. Well, give
up. I'm married an' happy about it."
He turned back round and returned to where Akane and Shampoo were standing.
"There. Reckon that did it?"
Shampoo groaned. "Was kind of brutal!"
"Hey, chick's gotta figure she ain't gotten a candle's chance in a
blizzard."
"Uh, Ranma - Uncle Takesada's coming over..."
"Yer point is...?"
"He's Suki's father."
Ranma looked round. A man with a clear resemblance to Soun - slightly
taller, thinner and clean shaven but still recognisable as family - was
marching over with a pissed off expression on his face. A short, dumpy woman
with a bad -tempered expression on her face was following him.
Akane groaned. "Oh man. And Aunt Akemi. This is not good."
Takesada pulled up suddenly.
"Young man, you may think you're some kind of sex god-"
"Cut the shit, bubba. Akane reckoned yer daughter wuz developin' a crush on
me and I don't need any more o' that crap."
Akane glared at Takesada. "Fuck you, Taki! We both know Suki's a slut - she
fucked twenty guys at the Christmas party last winter. Didn't you know? She
was off for an abortion after all."
Taki gritted his teeth. "Who gave you the right to judge my daughter?"
Shampoo howled with laughter. "You talk much big! Why not get head out butt
- you be whimp."
"Now hold on just one goddamn second-"
"No I fuckin' won't! I'm not gonna stand here an' let a big jessie spew shit
at me an' th' girls for anythin'! So fuck off!"
Akemi stepped between them. "Calm down, calm down. Taki, it is true that
Suki's a bit loose..."
"A bit loose? Accordin' ta what I've heard she fucks anythin' that moves!
Get yer head outta yer butt, wifey. Yer daughter's a slut. Maybe yer too
much o' a fuckhead ta see it, but it's fuckin' true. I mean, look at her.
What made ya let a fifteen year old wear clothes that tight an' skimpy?"
Takesada went red in the face. "Mind your language, boy!"
"Fuckin' no. I'm not gonna."
Takesada tried to punch Ranma. It was immediately apparent that he was no
martial artist, not even a half decent brawler. Ranma saw the blow coming a
mile off and grabbed the older man's wrist sending him flat on his face.
"Common sense, lesson one. Don't try ta thump martial artists 慶ause you'll
end up flat on yer beak."
Takesada scrambled to his feet blotting at a nosebleed.
"You little creep! I'm a cop! I'm gonna do you for that!"
Akane blew her lid.
"WHEN YOU FUCKING TRIED TO PUNCH HIM?"
She grabbed his wrist. There was an audible snap.
"Fucking take that!"
Takesada yowled. "AARRRGH! OW YEAAGH!"
"Yeah, I broke your wrist. So what?"
Akemi blew her lid.
"What the hell makes you think you can go around maiming people so casually?
Have you no sense of proportion?"
Shampoo casually lifted the older woman off the ground by the front of her
dress.
"You punk on people who very special to I... You lucky I not kill you."
Akemi kicked her in the crotch. Shampoo doubled up on the floor.
Akane let out an angry scream,. "YOU BITCH! She's pregnant!"
"And? I'm gonna hammer both of you!"
Ranma casually reached out and banged their heads together.
"Now fuckin' can it. Game over. Quit. Got it?"
Takesada glared at him. "You're a fucking bike thug, right? Well, I'll see
you on the road, scag!"
There was a trio of angry exclamations from behind Ranma. Nodoko, Soun and
Genma closed in on the hapless Takesada.
Ranma helped Shampoo to her feet then supported the two girls away to
somewhere quieter. He was vaguely aware of Takesada, Akemi and Suki leaving
behind him.
He got up to their bedroom and sat the two girls down on the bed.
"Shampoo? Are ya alright?"
Shampoo nodded. "I is think so..."
Akane groaned. "Why did you hit my head off that stupid cow?"
"Ya wuz embarrassin' yerself, Akane. I didn't want ya gettin' in a catfight
an' harmin' the baby."
They sat quietly for a few minutes, the girls both getting their heads
straightened out, then they headed back out to the training hall to rejoin
the party. On the way out they found Nodoko, Soun and Genma talking to some
people who appeared to be relations of Nodoko. They were partway through
explaining exactly what was going on.
"...She agreed, so therefore Ranma is going to be kept very busy, if you see
what I mean." Nodoko finished.
Akane snorted. "Who's 茎he'? The cat's grandmother?"
The three adults jumped violently. "Oh! Are you alright?"
Akane nodded. "I've taken worse knocks - I think my head's harder than
her's. After all I do several headbutt moves."
Shampoo made a face. "Is dirty move for to kick pregnant woman in groin."
Ranma glanced up. "Hey! You guys hear that noise... It sounds a lot like..."
"A jet?" Nodoko asked.
"Yeah. Unless someone's playin' with a plane it's gotta be Ryoga!"
Four bikes, one of them Ryoga's jetbike, flashed round the corner.
"What'd I tell ya? Hey, wonder who she's hooked up with?"
Akane frowned at the three strange bikes.
"Weird looking bikes."
"Wicked - they look like some sorta car engine in home-made frames. Holy
shit, they're Rover straight sixes!"
Shampoo goggled. "Holy fuck - them Musk bikes!"
Ranma and Akane shot her a blank look. "Huh?"
"The Musk Empire. Is sometimes allies of Joketsuzo, sometimes enemies.
Mostly we not get in way of each other since we might hurt each other."
"Weird - Ryoga's in her male form. Wonder why?"
"Methinks is because of Musk."
"Huh?"
The four bikes skidded to a halt. Ryoga killed his engine and yanked of his
lid.
"Hey! Ranma! Am I too late for the ceremony?"
"Ya missed it by half an hour, sis. Why the fuck are you male the now?"
Ryoga sniggered. "My female form was freaking these guys out. Hey, meet my
boss Herb. He hired me to tell him what not to do in Japan."
Ranma grinned at the cloaked figure in question. "So you're Herb, right? I'm
Ranma Saotome." He extended a hand.
Herb paused then shook hands with him. "And as you've been told I'm Herb.
This is Mint," he indicated the thinner of the other two "And this is Lime."
Ranma grinned. "Pleased ta meetcha. Hey, I like the bikes - what the fuck
are they - Rover motors innit?"
Herb nodded. "Yes, Land Rover turbo diesel engines. Reliable and plenty of
grunt."
"Let me guess... Home made frames, looks like you've got a jig or a mini
factory set up 慶ause they're so similar. Bar controls, seats, footpegs and
handlebars offa CG125's. Few bits look like CB parts. Kawasaki crosser
runnin' gear innit? The gearboxes look home made - nice work."
Herb stared. "You're completely correct! How did you figure that?"
"Easy - I've been buildin' an ridin' bikes since I wuz five." He jerked his
thumb at his GSXR. "I built that beast outta scrapyard bits when I wuz knee
high ta a lizard. Super nitrous GSXR1100. Unsilenced, 200 section tyres - I
use Avons - rear wheels both ends. Rebored - it's more like 1300cc now -
gasflowed, performance cams an' valvetrain, hand made pistons, conrods,
bearings and crank, modified gearbox - it's an eight speed box, I added
another gear ta it. Oh, an' a direct top. I've built around sixteen bikes in
my time includin' Ryoga's jetbike. So ya could say I know bike bits like I
know the back o' me hand."
Lime got his tongue unglued. "Er - let's have a look at that machine - er,
Ranma."
Ranma grinned wickedly and fished out his keys. "Listen ta this. Don't stand
too close." He popped in earplugs then fired up his bike.
Mint and Lime grew massive grins. Mint started yelling "Wicked! Wicked!
Wicked! Dig the zorst note!" over the snarl from Ranma's bike.
Ranma grinned back and blipped the throttle. The engine let out a massive
grunt and the bike began to shudder sideways on it's centrestand.
Herb suddenly grinned, obviously no longer able to keep his face straight.
"Fucking awesome!"
Ranma nodded and killed the engine. "Yeah - it's one fuckin' insane machine.
And it's all mine - I sometimes look at her and go 粂oly fuck. I built
that'. Somethin' ta be be proud o', huh?"
The trio of Musk nodded solemnly. "Very much so."
Then Herb noticed Shampoo. He did a double take.
"Hey! Aren't you Kou Loun's great-granddaughter?"
Shampoo nodded. "Is so."
"I thought I recognised your name. Ryoga told me who and what to expect but
I never figured the connection."
Shampoo nodded. "And you Prince Herb of Musk dynasty, no?"
Herb smirked. "The very same."
"So - what bring you to Japan?"
"I'm looking for something that was stolen from us a few years ago by a
bunch of Japanese monks. It is a sacred artifact. Why do you ask?"
"I just nosy. You is last person I expect to see in Japan."
Herb snorted. "I could say the same, Champion of Joketsuzo. It's quite a
surprise seeing you here... so someone finally beat you, huh?"
Shampoo nodded. "At last, is chance to get hell away from Joketsuzo."
"What? You don't like it there?"
"Is shit place. Them treat Mao Xing - he my big brother - like shit! He be
technical genius and they not give shit since he male."
Ranma frowned. "Hey - Shampoo - why dontcha see if ya can get this brother
of yours over here? I reckon he could use tech college."
Shampoo paused. "There problem. He not married. Our mother be dead.
Therefore he not have anybody for to get permission of to leave."
"What the fuck does that matter? Can you get a message to him?"
She nodded.
"Then send 蛍n and tell him ta get th' hell outta Dodge. Has he got wheels?"
"Home - made trailbike."
"Sorted. Let's get the dude outta there."
Shampoo sighed. "It not be so simple. There girls what crush on Mao Xing.
Them follow him around all time."
Ranma sniggered. "Night was black, twas no use holding back*."
"Huh?"
"Get him ta take off outta there at night! Ya know how easy me an' Dad
blasted off outta there on our bikes! He simply needs ta grab his bike and
depart hence in th' middle o' th' night!"
Shampoo paused then nodded. "Is possible. Maybe I use our secret slang?"
"Huh?"
"I and brother have secret slang what we invented for to chat while boring
adults around so them not know what we going on about."
"Cool!"
They looked up at the sound of another motorbike engine. An incredibly
decrepit old Harley rattled round the corner. It was a mess. All bodywork
was missing, the seat was made from duct tape, the air filter was a memory,
the headlamp had no lens and the indicators were missing. And it had
absolutely no paint. The fuel tank and frame were covered by a thick layer
of rust.
Ranma stared. "Fucking hell - what a mess!"
Ryoga snorted. "That's the first time I've seen a bike rattier that yours,
Ranma."
Nodoko stared for a second then waved at the biker. The biker did a double
take then casually flipped her off.
She pulled up beside Nodoko's truck and parked her bike then climbed off.
Ranma narrowed his eyes. "That chick has one leg."
Nodoko shot him a startled look. "Er - how can you tell?"
"Way she's walking. She's favouring her left leg and her ankle's spring
loaded."
The girl walked over, pulling off her crash helmet. Everyone but Nodoko
gasped.
She was the spitting image of Ranma's curse form.
Ranma stared. "Er - if ya don't mind me askin', who th' fuck are you?"
Nodoko coughed politely. "Ranma, this is Ranko Saotome - your sister."
Ranma's eyes widened. "WHAT THE FUCK?"
On to the next one.
* Lyrics from Iron Maiden's song 君umber of the Beast'
NOTES
Next - Surprises, both nasty and nice - for several people. Ranko's story.
Herb's story. And Nabiki overhears more stuff that scares her...
C and C very welcome, please either send it to dog...@ratbike.org or post
it on rec.arts.anime.fandom (which seems to be the accepted route anyway.)
Please don't send it to the virgin.net account as I am about to change ISP.
Holf fried thing, lunch break's halfway through and I ain't eaten anything
yet! Aarhgh! Must have munch!
"I'll be back." - The Bikeinator, Calum 慧oghead' Wallace.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Ratbike - A motorbike made to look as fucked up and unroadworthy as possible
while still being street legal. Normally painted flat black.
Honda CG125 - Small single - cylinder 4-stroke road bike. Not very much of
anything but supremely reliable and dirt cheap. It's reliability stems from
having very little to go wrong and a low - revving 4-stroke engine.
Honda Fireblade - Insane Honda sportsbike. Mad but beginning to show it's
age.
Supercharger - A pump driven off the crank that forces more air into the
engine thus forcing it to run faster.
Nitrous oxide - Laughing gas. A petrol - nitrous mix burns faster than a
petrol - air mix therefore produces more horsepower and more wear in the
engine.
Top yoke - The yokes are two pieces of metal that hold the front forks
together and to the bike. The top yoke is the upper one. Known as triple
clamps in the US.
Gixer - Slang for a Suzuki GSXR (one of the craziest bikes built).
Chain lube - Motorbike chain lubrication oil.
Header tank - Tank that contains the spare water for the radiator on a
sealed cooling system as found in most cars.
Gasflowing - trimming off excess metal from inside the cylinder heads to aid
the burn rate of fuel within the engine. Gives a small horsepower boost.
Final drive - the drive chain that goes from the gearbox to the back wheel
and the cogs (final drive sprockets) that it runs on.
Conrod - The bit of metal that connects the piston to the crankshaft.
Alternator - Higher tech version of a generator.
Kill switch - The engine's 経ff' switch. Turns off power to the ignition.
Lid / skidlid - Slang for a crash helmet.
250 Superdream - CB250. The next up the Honda model range from the CG125 and
just a bigger version of the same.
500 Superdream - CB500. A CB250 with a bigger bore and heavier frame.
Engine clicking - An internal combustion engine heats up when run. Run it
hard and it heats up more, then when you switch off the engine will start
emitting a series of sharp clicks as the metal cools and contracts.
Stocker - unmodified factory - built vehicle.
Steering damper - a long, thin shock absorber that fits between the forks
and the frame. Helps steady the steering.