Old bike pics anyone?

[ovenpaa]

My dad had a 1925 Matchless 1000 v twin also in bits it was a started but never finished project it ended with him selling the bike to a friend who just wanted the engine for a 3 wheeled Morgan a crying shame but it was needs must at the time I think as the friend was pestering him for years to sell it

Crikey! Mine was an M4 with a Motosacoche engine (Swiss made) with overhead inlet side exhaust valves. They are rather unusual, the chap that had mine had just sold a Brough and was looking for a new project.

[Jenks]

My dad had a 1925 Matchless 1000 v twin also in bits it was a started but never finished project it ended with him selling the bike to a friend who just wanted the engine for a 3 wheeled Morgan a crying shame but it was needs must at the time I think as the friend was pestering him for years to sell it

Crikey! Mine was an M4 with a Motosacoche engine (Swiss made) with overhead inlet side exhaust valves. They are rather unusual, the chap that had mine had just sold a Brough and was looking for a new project.

Now that's a coincidence my Dad sold his Ariel and bought a Morgan. It was a heap of rubbish even though I was a little boy I can still remember us pushing that thing.
:(

Jenks

[ovenpaa]

I have pushed everything from 50cc machines upwards, at one point it seemed like my (un)chosen pastime. I became a master at gapping magnetos with a cigarette paper by the side of the road, true gutter side mechanics

Luckily the last two bikes I have pushed were due to lack of petrol and nothing more sinister, both up hill and one was a 1200. Both had silly tank ranges, and both were BMW's :( These days I have a thing that tells me how many miles I have left before I run out, I still ride it to the last couple of miles though. Biggest problem recently has been the ignition and petrol tank locks freezing solid, natures way of telling me to take the car I guess.

[bobbob]

My brother, the one in the picture, went on to pass his test on an MZ in a rather fetching green. He later invested in a BSA 650 Lightning. It was stripped down and the tank, frame and forks sent for painting/chroming for his 21st birthday. The frame and tank then lived in his wardrobe for years, he never did finish anything he started :roll: It was sold at some point.

[ovenpaa]

Reminds me of the 16H I restored.

It's history was it had been taken off the road and broken down into big bits, a keen son then dismantled it into every last little bit he could and popped it in cardboard boxes in the shed. Then another brother started moving the shed which really meant he took the roof and two sides off it and them left it for a year.

Then they picked the boxes which and they fell apart so they added some more parts and left them for a bit, which is where I got involved and no it was not my family :)

By the time I got to it they even had the crank out :(

[Jenks]

I took my motor cycle test in the Army (about 1964) I was stationed at Goojerat Barracks (8 Inf Wksps)Colchester the bike was a dispatch riders matchless 500cc single cylinder, I think. The test was very thorough. The instructor gave me a route to follow. I set off and he followed me. After half an hour or so he pulled up alongside of me and gave me a thumbs up and indicated that I should have follow him. I was chuffed to bits. I had passed the test. So I followed him. he went off with me in tow. we ended up going down some very muddy roads ending up on a track leading to a rifle range. To cut the story short I was so chuffed I hung back so that I could have a bit of fun catching up. Well I lost it, and fell off. I had that bike back up and started so fast the instructor never noticed . I took my main driving test in a 3 ton Bedford RL also whilst I was stationed at Goojerat barracks. Once again the instruction was first class and the test was pretty strict. ( in those days the instructors were serving soldiers And couldn't give a monkey's whether you passed or not)Passed that first time too. So why am I such a crap driver? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Anybody Here serve at Goojerat Barracks?
Or owned a Matchless Thumper?

Jenks

[ovenpaa]

Anybody Here serve at Goojerat Barracks?
Or owned a Matchless Thumper?

No and no, but I have owned Royal Enfield, Norton and Calthorpe thumpers in the old stakes plus CCM/Armstrong, KTM, Husaberg and BMW in the newer thumper forms. The 'Berg Supermoto weighed 105kgs, produced nigh on 70BHP and ran (On the road) on 17" cut slicks with a 6 pot caliper up front. I could lift the rear wheel under braking at 80mph.

Erm... 70mph

Plus some 2 stroke singles of course.

[The Deer Hunter]

These are my two, the Old English white one is a 1958 series 1 Lambretta LI125 but with a TS1 225cc tuned engine in it, the 2nd one is a 1970 series 3 Lambretta GP again with a TS1 225cc tuned lump.

[ovenpaa]

That series 1 is very nice. My only experience of scooters is of the foot boards digging in and me flying off along with two mates on the back. There in old chap walks past during the summer and if he sees me and my 'bike he always stops to tell me about the Series 1 he has owned form new with approaching 80k on the clock. He and his wife toured most of the UK on it when they were younger.

Nice paint on both of them!

[zzr1100]

some great pictures there !