Triumph Rocket 111

The original model was released in 2004 as the "biggest productioon bike in the world"and has remained in production with only minor modifications other than a change of engine colour from silver to black in 2006. In England this model was awarded Motorcycle Cruiser magazine's 2004 Bike of the Year, Motorcyclist's 2004 Cruiser of the Year, and Cruising Rider magazine 2005 Bike of the Year.In 2006 a black finish to the engine was introduced and new colour choices of Graphite and 'Scorched Yellow' were added to the original colours of Jet Black and Cardinal Red. In 2007 the colour schemes were changed to Phantom Black and Mulberry Red and in 2008 to Phantom Black and Claret.

Dave Burton

www.bargain-motors.com

The James 197cc

The James Cycle Co Ltd,started life in around the 1880's in Birmingham, England and was one of many motorcycle companies around the midlands, particularly Birmingham. James post war models were the 99cc Comet,the 122cc Cadet and the 197cc Captain.
The Captain was produced from 1954 thro' 1959 with 197cc Villiers engine.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

Velocette LE "The Everymans Bike"

The Velocette LE was made from 1948 through 1970 in Great Britain.The LE emblem stood for "little engine" of initially 150cc.One of the largest customers was the British Police force,which at one point accounted for half of the production for over 50 forces across the country,the last force to use them was the Kent Constabulary which purchased the remaining spare parts and were able to keep LE's running until 1974.
The police also gave rise to the name "Noddy" bike which came from riders acknoledging their superiors by nodding to them rather than taking their hand of the handle bars to salute.
The Velocette LE was a 150cc four-stroke, water cooled, horizontally-opposed twin cylinder engine, the LE also had a radiator and was fitted with coil ignition to help starting.The final drive was by a shaft mounted in a swing frame with adjustable suspension. Aluminium leg shields were designed to keep the rain off and footboards gave it a scooter feel.
Instruments included a speedometer and trip recorder. To reduce noise and vibration the engine was rubber mounted and the pressed steel frame was lined with soundproofing felt.Carrying capacity was boosted by quickly detachable panniers and a "glove compartment" in front of the petrol tank. All this made the MkI LE expensive, however, at £126 compared with the BSA Bantam at £76.
In 1970 the company went into voluntary liquidation.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

The BSA Goldstar DBD34

1956 BSA DBD34
The most prized model of the Gold Star range was the 500 cc DBD34 introduced in 1956,which was very popular in the 50's for their high performance,with clip-on handlebars, finned alloy engine, polished tank, 36 mm bell-mouth Amal carburettor and swept-back exhaust. The DBD34 had a 110 mph top speed. The Gold Star blitzed the Isle of Man Clubmans TT that year. Later models had a very high first Gear, enabling 60 mph plus before changing up to second.
In 1963 saw the end of production for the Gold Star and was only offered in scrambles, or Clubmans trim. In 1963 Lucas ceased to produce the magneto used in the B series, and that line of singles was ended.A sporting single was not produced again till the BSA B50 models that were produced from 1971 through 1973. Some remaindered stock were marketed in 1974 as Triumphs.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

The Panther 100 "Sloper"

The Panther Model 100 was a British motorcycle manufactured by Phelon & Moore between 1932 and 1963 it was a 598cc air cooled, single cylinder, overhead valve, pushrod four stroke engine
with a top speed of 70mph with a four speed gearbox.
The brakes were a 8in. front drum and a 7in. rear drum
and weighed 425 pounds.
The engine replaced part of the front downtube of the frame.Panthers were manufactured in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, UK from 1900 to 1967,the engine and overall layout stayed essentially the same, the specifications steadily evolved over these thirty or so years.
Miss Florence Blenkiron and Miss Teresa Wallach undertook the epic journey from London to Cape Town, crossing the Sahara: the first such journey on a Panther motorcycle combination in the early thirties.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

The MK1 Norton Commando

The Norton Commando was the last twin piston-engined motorcycle produced by the Norton Motorcycle company.
During the 10 years it was in production it was popular all over the world. In the UK it won the MCN "Machine of the Year" competition for five successive years from 1968-1972
Some regard it as the British Motorcycle Industry's swansong, selling well from its introduction in 1967 through the end of the British bike industry as a commercial concern in the mid 1970s
The origins of the Norton Commando can be traced back from the late 1940s 497cc Norton Model 7 Twin,which was designed by Bert Hopwood.The twin cylinder design evolved into the 650 cc Norton Dominator and 750 cc Norton Atlas before being launched as the 750 cc Commando in 1967.
Mk1 750cc
The Norton Commando was introduced in 1967 at the Earls Court Show. The first production machines completed in April 1968 had bending frame problems, removed with the introduction of a new frame in January 1969. The original model, called the 'Fastback' was joined by the production racer 'S Type' which had a high level left-side exhaust and a 2.5 gallon petrol tank.
The machine was produced with parts from all over England,with the engines from Wolverhampton, frames from Manchester, while the components and final assembly was at Burrage Grove, Plumstead. In late 1968 Plumstead works was subject to a Greater London Council compulsory purchase order, and closed in July 1969. With assistance of a Government subsidy, the assembly line was moved to North Way, Andover; with the Test Department in an aircraft hangar on Thruxton Airfield. Frame manufacturing was transferred to Wolverhampton, where a second production line produced about 80 complete machines each week.
The production racer, featuring an OHV tuned engine, front disk brake and was finished in bright yellow - known as the 'Yellow Peril'. In March to June 1970 the updated S called the 'Roadster' had the 750cc OHV engine, low-level exhaust, upward angled silencers with reverse cones. September 1970 saw the introduction of the classic 'Fastback Mk2', which had alloy levers with modified stands and chain guards. The ‘Street Scrambler’ and the ‘Hi Rider’ were launched in May 1971, with the ‘Fastback Long Range’ with increased petrol tank capacity from July 1971.
The ‘Combat’ engine was introduced in January 1972 saw the appearance of the ‘Mk4 Fastback’, updated ‘Roadster’ and the ‘750 Interstate’. The ‘Combat’ delivered 65b.h.p. at 6500r.p.m. with a 10 to 1 compression ratio, but the stressed 750cc twin proved extremely unreliable, with main bearing failures and broken pistons common.
The 'Combat' engine combined with quality control problems gave the company a bad reputation, which was highly covered in the press. By the middle of 1972 BSA Triumph group were in serious financial trouble. The UK Government decided to bail the company out with a financial rescue package, providing it would agree to merge with Norton Villiers. Norton Villiers Triumph was duly formed and the new company got off to a shaky start.
Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

The Scott Flying Squirrel

The Scott Flying Squirrel was a British motorcycle made by The Scott Motorcycle Company between 1926 and the outbreak of WW2.
The Squirrel name was used for Scott motorcycles since 1921 but with the death of the founder Alfred Angas Scott in 1923 the unorthodox Scott two-stroke motorcycles began to become more conventional. Development of the three speed Scott Flying Squirrel began in 1922 as the company was in severe debt and faced receivership. Launched at the 1926 Earls Court motorcycle show, the Flying Squirrel was expensive - nearly twice the cost of a sporting four-stroke motorcycle of the time.The unique water cooled circulation used a convection method known as the thermosyphon system. The bottom end block was painted either green or red for racing or road respectively and featured a centrally positioned flywheel, twin inboard main bearings, overhung crankpins and doors to enable ease of access to the engine. The redesigned three speed gearbox, multi-plate clutch and the repositioned magneto were all significant improvements.
In 1929 Scott achieved third place in the Isle of Man TT and launched a road going TT Replica Flying Squirrel. Following cost cutting the factory also launched a basic touring model in 1929 for under £70. Financial problems continued, however, and in 1931 Scott were unable to ennter the TT or the earls Court show. A three cylinder prototype was developed but Scotts lacked the resources to develop it and on the outbreak of WW2 production ended.
Between 1935 and 1938 the factory at Shipley in Yorkshire produced the B2592 air-cooled Aero engine, based on the Scott Flying Squirrel motorcycle unit.[3] A 25 hp (19 kW) version was also specifically developed to power the notoriously dangerous Flying Flea aircraft.
In 1950 the rights were bought by the Birmingham based Aerco Company and in 1956 they produced what are known as the Birimingham Scotts.