Temptation On The Bay

This is sitting on the Bay at the moment.

1950 Speed Twin, matching numbers with buff log book (original registration document) it's attracting a lot of interest, unsurprisingly enough. What a cracking start, all the right bits, the front hub, has had a dual brake conversion, that's a nice idea

At this moment it's at two and a half grand with 4 days to go.

I reckon on £3650, have a look HERE and place your bets in the comment box.

A Little More Shed In The Front

Scored this off of that well known auction site, only bid...........result.

A six inch conical hub from the 73/74 TR5T Adventurer, and B50 MX, it's a natural really matches the yokes and it's still Meriden. Odd that it's forty years old, only 20 years newer than the rigid frame yet it will still be damned as modern shit.

The pictures don't really show how compact it is.

3.711 kilos, which I reckon is around 8lb 2oz, is pretty light for a complete assembly I'd a thought. Haven't got a standard single sided hub set up to compare it against but a saving of 5lb can't be too optimistic.

They're Still Out There

Andy phoned up yesterday morning, speaking all quiet and secretive, asking about Nortons, and Dommies in paticular. Said he was working in London and there was a pair sat in a garage where he was working..

Back at Andy's within half a day!

Been in there at least 25 years the bloke reckoned. 

They are both 600cc 99s, the standard one is a '56 and showing under 12,000 miles. That's quite believable judging by the overall completeness, and un-messed about with look of it. The nearside footrest is bent right up, looks like somebody came off it, way back when, and then laid it up. Probably got a nice little motor car instead. 

You want patina?

The Cafe Racer is a 1959 Model 99 600cc Dominator with an intriguing C stamped after the 99 on the motor. Added bonus of quite a few original John Tickle parts including a Twin Leading Shoe front brake!

Period correct Cafe Racer ?????

They both turn over fine and the '59 has got what can be described as good compression.

I'm not gonna tell you what they cost, 'cos it won't make me feel any better!

Tiger Hundred Cases

For the upcoming T100 build I am after a good set of big bearing T100 cases. 

Recently scored a complete motor off of the bay, all the right Tiger 100 bits, but they were built up into a set of 5T alternator cases with the engine number massaged.  Plan A is to rebuild all the parts into a pair of proper cases. So if anyone has a pair they want rid of, or know where there'e a set available, an e-mail would be greatly appreciated.

The Waiting Is Over, Now The Weighting Begins.

Time to get moving along again with putting stuff together, now that Winter looks like it's releasing it's grip.

Reading up on the rigid 500 Trophys of  the early fifties showed a factory declared weight of 290 lbs. That's with all the road legal niceties fitted, and a lot of steel parts employed. I reckon that 

260 lbs is achievable with a little care, so Son of Skankweasel is going lightweight. Those that know me will detect a certain irony in this quest, but as CC Rob suggested, I can always train a monkey to ride it.

The yokes above are steel Trophy yokes and as you can see, weigh in at a lardy 2.334 kg or 

5.146 lbs in old money.

This is an alloy pair from a 1974 TR5T/Adventurer coming into the ring at a sprightly 1.389 kg or 3.06 lbs. A saving of nigh on a kilo, 2.1 lbs, needless to say that they are going on with the later forks with alloy sliders. 

There is no need to try and stay within the realms of standard kit on this build as the frame (which weighs in at 31.5 lbs by the way) has had too much work done on it to make it a contender for any sort of restoration.

GKM...............Gentleman's Kwarterly????

The new Greasy Kulture issue has hit the streets, Guy has pumped up the volume with a bigger format and more content. As you can see it's gone all Coffee Table Chic for this issue, with the dark and moody Mr Thomas looking all serious on the cover with his latest 45 build. The features are still the best around, with the normal fill of bitchin' bikes to look at, and well crafted write ups.

You just won't have to hide it when the in-laws turn up unexpectedly.

Grab yaself a copy HERE