The 'E' Type Forum

So I've restored 4 E Types of my own, and a dozen or more for customers.

Restorable series 1 cars are now unobtainable at sensible prices. So I'm thinking of turning my attention to other things.

A friend restores Briggs and Stratton lawnmowers. Kinda leaves me cold.

But I thought... motorbikes. Smaller, easier to store. More available. Cheaper... maybe.

As a teenager one of my formative moments was as a pillion passenger on a Ducati Dharma doing a wheelie at about 70 mph up a long hill. I can still smell the terror. I don't have a bike licence, and have no interest in riding one. I'm a doctor, after all. Bikers are just a convenient supply of transplant spares.

So I thought. maybe I could restore a motorbike.

Ducati maybe?

What do the lot of you recommend?

If you like older, what about a Velocette Venom? 500cc single which for decades held the world record for averaging over 100mph for 24 hours. It was a production Venom Clubman, but prepared by the factory. This was in 1961! Until a 750 cc Norton finally ended the reign. I had the 350cc version, the Viper Clubman. Would still do 90mph, and outhandled most bikes on the road.

Keep them coming.

I know virtually nothing about bikes. But I love cool vintage stuff.

I can still smell the terror.

Andrew - you surely can't still have the same pair of trousers (strides)??

I wish. I had a 28" waist then.

Depends what era you like Andrew. Take a look at the early K series Honda 750 ,iconic bike ,beautiful to look at with good spares availability.
Or a 400 4 if you want a smaller bike .

Coincidently ive just been trying to research the bike my dad had when doing his National Service in Malaya 58-60, it took me a while , anybody else know the model?

Hi Andrew...how about building yourself a nice C type replica like in your Avatar......worth investigating. ..there is also a good profit to be made depending on your build......Steve

If you are interested in Ducati then your very first call should be to Rory Simpson of Simpson Mécanique fame = rfs1957 on the Forum.


More here:
https://www.liberiders.tv/2018/11/21/du ... mecanique/

Great guy and valued Forum member.

steve3.8 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 29, 2019 9:52 am

Coincidently ive just been trying to research the bike my dad had when doing his National Service in Malaya 58-60, it took me a while , anybody else know the model?

I'm no expert but that looks like a Moto Guzzi. Could be very wrong though.

Andrew, how about an MV Augusta? Really well engineered bikes. Or build a Triton out of a Norton Featherbed and a Triumph Bonneville engine? Would stand nicely next to an E Type.

One of these?:



"Says James, in my opinion, there's nothing in this world
Beats a '52 Vincent and a red headed girl.
Now Nortons and Indians and Greeveses won't do
They don't have a soul like a Vincent '52"

BMW from the 30s and 40s of course.

Zen or the art of maintaining a motorcycle, by Pirsig... read that first.

Carsten

steve3.8 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 29, 2019 9:52 am

Coincidently ive just been trying to research the bike my dad had when doing his National Service in Malaya 58-60, it took me a while , anybody else know the model?

Marusho Lilac LS18?

Great song, David. I like Richard and Teddy Thompson's version of Tim Finn's Persuasion. Brilliant!

Regard

Hi Andrew,
It’s a great idea and one of my favourite part time hobbies! They don’t take up much room, a nice size to work on and generally shouldn’t cost a fortune, depending on what it is. There are so many interesting brands, British, European, Japanese, American. The big question is where do you start? If you’re able to get to a classic show or two that might help you zone in on what brand, era and price suits. Here are some of my random projects...

1979 Moto Guzzi Le Mans based, big, torquey vee twin that sounds fab and handles really well!



Very rare 1967 Norton P11 ex US market desert racer. 750 twin in a lightweight Reynolds 531 frame. Started it for the first time on Friday and it sounds like thunder and made me feel like a teenager!



1967 Triumph TR6 scrambler with a previous long service in the Kenyan police force! Rides really nice and sounds lovely!



Have fun looking and let us know what you find!

Spot on Simon ,yes Marusho Lilac .

Like the Triumph Paul , looks great.

I had no idea that there were so many tasty bikes out there!

Rory? Your 2p worth?

abowie wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:27 am

I had no idea that there were so many tasty bikes out there!

Rory? Your 2p worth?

I know what Rory will say, “ never mind your Triumphs, Nortons and Ducatis get a nice old Soviet M72”

steve3.8 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 29, 2019 9:30 pm

Spot on Simon ,yes Marusho Lilac .

Like the Triumph Paul , looks great.

Thanks Steve.
I was very embarrassed to say I didnt recognise your Dad's bike so researched the hell out of it to finally find Marusho Lilac LS18, before I noticed that Simon was all over it! Every days' a school day...

So Andrew, all sorts of random suggestions coming out of the woodwork, who knows where this might go!

All going for pics to back the cause huh?

Here's the Venom Thruxton: