I’m bored

Dogsbody said:
Build a replica Seeley Condor, plenty of frames available. A complete Seeley G50 replica, tidy and running could be bought for sensible money, all the specifications are in Colin Seeley's books for the Condor. Big advantage over a Manx is the G50 engine is more oil tight !
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Which book would that be? Where can I buy a copy?

-Knut
 
trident sam said:
Does it have to be a single or twin ? If not have you thought about a Hyde Harrier with 930cc Triple motor , they are really great road bikes .
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Indeed they are Sam. Although some idiots have been known to take things too far in terms of ‘nice road bike’ (see below)!

Trouble is, I don’t think Harris make the kits any more so Hyde doesn’t sell them, unless that’s changed recently?
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There's a bloke I know just down the road who built a road going Manx last year. Patrick Walker engine, T45 frame.
Everything brand new. About £25,000 all in. Loud though! I always know when he's off out.
 

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That’s awesome Cab. Can’t you persuade him to do a build thread on here...? Would love to know the juicy details...
 
Fast Eddie said:
Indeed they are Sam. Although some idiots have been known to take things too far in terms of ‘nice road bike’ (see below)!

Trouble is, I don’t think Harris make the kits any more so Hyde doesn’t sell them, unless that’s changed recently?
View attachment 19334View attachment 19335
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great bike and so much better road bike than a Rob North rep, I know the current owner of the bike, it still looks the same and gets a good thrashing regularly.
 
Fast Eddie said:
That’s awesome Cab. Can’t you persuade him to do a build thread on here...? Would love to know the juicy details...
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He doesn't do internet stuff unfortunately. I know he sold a Norvin to fund it (should have plenty left from that too). He also has a mint Egli (Slater version) You might recognise where I took the picture.
 

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“Doesn’t do internet“ ... what on earth does he do for a good argument ?!

Sweet looking Egli... despite it being red !

Does he take to Manx to Cassie ? Obviously that’s only down the road from me...
 
trident sam said:
great bike and so much better road bike than a Rob North rep, I know the current owner of the bike, it still looks the same and gets a good thrashing regularly.
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I heard that he’d defiled it with such detritus as lights and (I can hardly bring myself to write this) an electric start ...:eek:
 
Wonder if you are into steam , traction or railway engines.? you could build a couple of models , get to use all your plant in the process, sell them and you have a hefty sum to put towards a bike.
 
Fast Eddie said:
“Doesn’t do internet“ ... what on earth does he do for a good argument ?!

Sweet looking Egli... despite it being red !

Does he take to Manx to Cassie ? Obviously that’s only down the road from me...
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It was only on the road late last year so not yet I expect.
 
MAK said:
Why don’t you make a modern day equivalent of a Norton Commando with all of the inherent problems ironed out!
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Which commando are we talking an original or a 961 with all the problems ironed out?
 
trident sam said:
Does it have to be a single or twin ? If not have you thought about a Hyde Harrier with 930cc Triple motor , they are really great road bikes .
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I’m open to single, twin, triple.
I just want something either as close to original or something from scratch that period correct.
If the bike is a classic, and near original running order with most of its original period parts, I’d like to preserve it and keep it running and able to ride it from time to time.

If I were to do one from scratch per say, I’d like to follow the period correct style of the 60s bikes but possibly use modern internal parts.
I’d like to keep it drum brakes, no disc. I’d like to use vintage style suspension but with possibly modern internals. If that makes sense?

I’m ok with kick starting it. If I went electric start, I’d like for it to be discrete.
 
Let’s say I found a original featherbed frame with no bends or cracks. How strong are these? I realize the new custom featherbed frames are better and more accurately made.

If I had a new frame it appears I can get it to fit a wider range of engines where the original I’ll have to fabricate mounting etc.

I’ve noticed I can also buy a new roller chassis set up which seems to make more sense.

 
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For a long time I had a hankerin for a road going Manx. A few years ago someone on this forum discussed the reality of riding a Manx on the road. He had done so for two or three years and considered the Manx to be a fairly awful road bike. Great to look at, even better to race but horrendously bad in any built up situation, motorway or even open road with 70 mph or less speed limit.
His experience all made sense when he went through the reasons why it was so bad.
I switched to pining for a really nice Goldstar. Last month I mentioned this to a friend who just sold his Goldstar, which he owned for thirty years. It was his main bike for about ten years or so. He and his wife toured and camped with it and he raced it at Westwood.
He also did lots of solo touring with it. After he got the Vincent twin the Goldstar sat unused for twenty years.
When I mentioned my desire to own a Goldstar his response was " The only reason to own a Goldstar is to find out you don't want a Goldstar"
I think he saved me $30,000!
There really aren't that many of the old bikes that make good road bikes for today's riding.
Norton Commando is one
850 over 750, just for passing power.
Vincent Twin will do anything you want, lots of grunt.
Triumph Trident- I haven't ridden one of these but others who own them say they are quite comparable to the Commando as a roadbike, smooth with good power, not so torquey as an 850 Commando.
What other Vintage bikes are there that truly make excellent Roadsters?
Not the 650s in my experience.
Too much vibration and not enough torque.

Glen
 
worntorn said:
For a long time I had a hankerin for a road going Manx. A few years ago someone on this forum discussed the reality of riding a Manx on the road. He had done so for two or three years and considered the Manx to be a fairly awful road bike. Great to look at, even better to race but horrendously bad in any built up situation, motorway or even open road with 70 mph or less speed limit.
His experience all made sense when he went through the reasons why it was so bad.
I switched to pining for a really nice Goldstar. Last month I mentioned this to a friend who just sold his Goldstar, which he owned for thirty years. It was his main bike for about ten years or so. He and his wife toured and camped with it and he raced it at Westwood.
He also did lots of solo touring with it. After he got the Vincent twin the Goldstar sat unused for twenty years.
When I mentioned my desire to own a Goldstar his response was " The only reason to own a Goldstar is to find out you don't want a Goldstar"
I think he saved me $30,000!
There really aren't that many of the old bikes that make good road bikes for today's riding.
Norton Commando is one
850 over 750, just for passing power.
Vincent Twin will do anything you want, lots of grunt.
Triumph Trident- I haven't ridden one of these but others who own them say they are quite comparable to the Commando as a roadbike, smooth with good power, not so torquey as an 850 Commando.
What other Vintage bikes are there that truly make excellent Roadsters?
Not the 650s in my experience.
Too much vibration and not enough torque.

Glen
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There is a bloke near me in Derbyshire with a roadgoing Manx - he usually manages tostart it first kick off the centre stand.. But suppose it cuts out or stalls in todays heavy traffic ? No thanks .

What I am trying to get my head round is that there is too much traffic in the fast lane on motorways etc but older slow classics might stillcome into their own on secondry backwaters, assuming you do not have too much urban cut and thrust to get tothem.

The bikes i would have loved when young do not appeal somuch now I am not.. For instance there was a seeley 500 on ebay , affordable and probably 130mph potential , certificated for the road , years ago would have seemed a dream but now not so sure.
 
You have the B roads, a 500 or 650 would be lots of fun on those.
We don't have roads like that here, unfortunately.
I won't complain as we do have some terrific motorcycling roads. However, to make it fun, and strangely enough, safe, a good torque to weight ratio is required.

Glen
 
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