Motorcycle General Discussion

Quite possible on the development budget. I believe Doug Hele/Bert Hopwood made the first prototype triple in a back room at the factory pretty much off their own bat and had one up and running in 1962. But the management types decided the market would not take to multi-cylinder bikes so put it on ice until the Honda 4 was well in view in 68.

Probably stuck with the vertical case joints so existing antique machine tools could be used in manufacture. I don't think it makes much difference to oil leakage. It seems to be more the quality of the joints and sealant than the orientation. Most oil leaks originated in the top end where the heat did its work.

Edited By Hopper on 01/11/2015 06:31:59

Memories. Passed my test on one of those in 77. CD 175 classed as an "old man's" bike, (which it was, 'cos it was my dad's), not to be confused with the CB 175, which with it's racier more up to date styling, had some pvc/velour tank strip. Jeez, the 70's and Jap styling errors...

Ok, i'll bite. Here's my T140, owned from new, 1979. Very, very non std. billet 89mm Weslake crank, Carrillo rods, nickel plated highly modified frame, Fournales shocks, etc etc.

Edited By thaiguzzi on 01/11/2015 07:35:36

And here's my Guzzi. 89 Cali III, internally stock, very non std externally, owned about18-19 years.

Just finishing off an air cooled monoshock trials bike project. A Yamilia - Yamaha 135cc 2T bored to 147cc in an 89 Aprilia Climber rolling chassis. Pics to follow, just got the paintwork back yesterday.

Mike.

Good to see a thread on motorcycles as far as what connection to model engineering look at the number of miniature motorcycle engines made.

Even though I haven't ridden a motorcycle for 30 years I'm still involved with them mainly for pure speed attempts I know that it's not every bodies cup of tea but the camaraderie and help from these potential record breakers is phenomenal.

Here is a link to a motorcycle, car and the very way out speed machines site.

**LINK**

There are lads and lasses that are interested in model engineering who compete at these speed meetings.

You never know the flash steam hydro might get two wheels .

Windy

Edited By Windy on 01/11/2015 11:49:23

It's the original 8 inch brake.

A very not standard 1954 MAC Velo. Ended it's life on a very un-level level crossing at a very antisocial speed. The comments centred around, "…you walked away from that!…" albeit with a shredded Belstaff and less skin.

Just think how well Velocettes would sell now if the company could have done a Morgan.

Ian

A wooden framed motorcycle?

Wouldn't have thought that a good idea!

Funny you should say that. Given the right circumstances, wood can be stronger and lighter than metal. And I remember seeing just recently wooden framed bicycles and somewhere a wooden motorcycle. I can't remember where, but I think it was maybe a college or university. Laminated wood and probably epoxy resin and some glassfibre.

And slightly to one side, is the fella' who's been building Brough Superior SS100s to original spec. and now has a newly designed SS00, built "…as George would have wanted…" or words to that effect. I have the web page somewhere, I'll see if I can find it. Apparently at about £50,000, which 'aint too bad, considering what a modern superbike is worth.

Can't help a bit of name dropping here, but I was born just around the corner from the site of George Brough's works in Basford, and then we moved to just up the road from Pendine, George's pile at Redhill. As teenagers we'd hang out on the bus stop bench and watch him drifting his E Type in a controlled slide out of the drive onto the A60. Just down the road was Billy Wing's Velocette dealership, a wonderfully grimy and crowded ex corner shop, where purchases weren't necessary to ensure conversation.

Ian

I think someone put a Triumph Twin engine in to a home made plywood frame around 1960. I also recollect that plywood was better quality then. Ex-aircraft industry?

JA

Made of Wood

'Given the right circumstances, wood can be stronger and lighter than metal. I remember seeing just recently wooden framed bicycles and somewhere a wooden motorcycle'.

Just being facetious! Plenty of wooden bikes about and a few motorcycles too.

> License disc says it all:

Ah well, he can bin it now.

Neil

There was an article in bike magazine in the 70's about a wooden framed motorcycle, is was done as an engineering project by a student, it had the name red shift which always makes me smile.

Mike

There is a bloke near here who takes his wooden vehicles fairly seriously. Having read 'flying on 4 wheels' by Frank Costin he scratch built the trike below , wooden chassis, wooden body, wooden fuel tank, in only a few thousand hours. 602cc, 100+mph 55 mpg. Has been described as' the worlds most aerodynamic car in day to day use' I went on a trip to Zurich with the buider back in the day , someone said i would go out in a wooden car and come back in a wooden box. I didn't.  He has got bored with engins now and builds HPV's Human powerd vehicles

Edited By stevetee on 01/11/2015 20:31:24

My experience on my T150V was the the narrow gasket faces between the rocker boxes and the head squeezed the gasket out which led to a decent oil leak. Some people tried copper gaskets which also was the solution for the head gasket. I often thought machining an O ring groove in the rocker box gasket face may be a solution but I think it would be rather difficult unless using a cnc mill.

Mike

For gaskets like the narrow rocker covers, we used to glue the paper gasket to the cover and let it dry clamped to a flat surface, then give it a light smear of grease before assembly. Never had one leak. 'Course, if you ever wanted to get them off an aluminium cover, you were in for a happy half an hour. Those jobs went to the apprentice. Trying to hold the damn thing down and not take metal off with the glue was an exercise in patience and futility.

Ian

I think they eventually got round to making the rocker box part of the head on the very last Triumph twins, which must have helped a lot, no longer had the push rod forcs opening the joint. It only took them 40 years!

On my Velo you were supposed to set the tappets with the engine hot, but you had to take the tank off to get at them, so you had to take it for a thrash, then whip the tank off quick!