You wonder what happened to the British motorcycle industry.

[tonyidle]

I always thought Villiers stuff could use decent bearings and a working ignition system . My hovercraft building friend built a Super-Six killing Greeves Silverstone replica out of a 24MDS with Hawkstone conversion & a Mayfield exhaust. It was genuinely quick - quicker by far than another friends Super Six.

 

[tonyidle]

Was that the Starmaker engine?

No that was a total re-design. Most if not all later Greaves leading-link fork competition bikes used engines with the 36A bottom end.

 

[Spriddler]

Was that the Starmaker engine?

No. I had the earlier 34a 250cc in my Greeves Hawkstone. I couldn't afford the Starmaker!
(Affording Berni Inn Chicken in a Basket and Mateus Rose for gurrls took priority when I was 18 ).

 

[franknjan]

Talking about motorcycles very very sad news as the Austrian motorcycle museum has burnt out total destruction

That's sad news.
Here's a couple of my bikes.

 

[jongood]

That's sad news.
Here's a couple of my bikes. View attachment 457942View attachment 457943

Theres a brilliant museum at Bernkastell Kues, lots of machines like these.

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[jongood]

That's sad news.
Here's a couple of my bikes. View attachment 457942View attachment 457943

Is that a split single btw?

 

[franknjan]

Yes. 250 sgs 1969. 4000mls. One of the last 100 produced.

 

[Sandyt]

As we’re posting pics of our bikes, here’s one of mine. Could have been so different has it been launched earlier, and listened to modern thinkers (the comment about drum vs disc brakes from the first post, along with all the others apply!).

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

Very nice bike. I must admit that I prefer looking at a decent drum brake set up to a disc. Not as keen to use one though. My BeeEm twin leading shoe is like squeezing a brick compared to the Wing.

 

[Spriddler]

My bikes are from the 40's and 50's when traffic was much less frantic. Magazine road tests of the day quoted the stopping distance from 30mph of 30 to 35 feet as satisfactory.

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[John Barrett]

My bikes are from the 40's and 50's when traffic was much less frantic. Magazine road reports of the day quoted the stopping distance from 30mph of 30 to 35 feet as satisfactory.

In addition, a lot of the car drivers had graduated from motorbikes, so were perhaps more aware of same? Except the one that pulled out in front of me that is...

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

My bikes are from the 40's and 50's when traffic was much less frantic. Magazine road tests of the day quoted the stopping distance from 30mph of 30 to 35 feet as satisfactory.

Apart from the Vincents, I think they were somewhere in the mid-20ft mark. Double sided balanced front and rear brakes.

 

[David and Sally]

Talking about motorcycles very very sad news as the Austrian motorcycle museum has burnt out total destruction

Yes. A disaster.

 

[David and Sally]

As we’re posting pics of our bikes, here’s one of mine. Could have been so different has it been launched earlier, and listened to modern thinkers (the comment about drum vs disc brakes from the first post, along with all the others apply!).View attachment 458150View attachment 458151

Now, that is tidy. Well done

 

[Spriddler]

In addition, a lot of the car drivers had graduated from motorbikes, so were perhaps more aware of same? Except the one that pulled out in front of me that is...

Yes, it did also occur to me that almost all the other road users were aware of their own poor brakes and drove accordingly.

(Excluding Vincent and Rolls-Royce owners )

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[David and Sally]

My 1976 GT380. (not my garage)

Was made for the Italian market so engine size is 384cc to beat the (then) Italian bar on importing motorcycles under 380cc. Brought to UK about 15 years ago.

One of the jap models that killed off the UK motorcycle makers.

 

[franknjan]

Front brake on one of my other bikes 1965 Honda cb160. More than adequate for the size of bike.

 

[Nasher]

Reading this thread prompted me to do a bit of research (it's tipping down outside)

I always assumed that Honda's decimation of the British motorcycle industry happened in the late 1960's and early 1970's (the launch in 1969 of the CB750 four being a milestone)

During 1965:

BSA Produced just over 38,000 motorcycles

Triumph produced just over 26,000 motorcycles

Honda produced 1,250,000 (one & a quarter million) motorcycles

I couldn't find a figure for Norton, but have seen a reference that at their peak they produced 50,000 motorcycles in a year

Obviously the introduction of small, cheap cars such as the Mini at the end of the fifties had already eaten into motorcycle sales, as did the Fiat 500 in Italy - but Honda's advertising back then was nearly always about selling motorcycling rather than just selling Honda motorcycles

​

 

[Nasher]

Front brake on one of my other bikes 1965 Honda cb160. More than adequate for the size of bike.
View attachment 458199

There's no doubt that twin leading shoes were a big advancement on the single leading shoe

 

[jongood]

In addition, a lot of the car drivers had graduated from motorbikes, so were perhaps more aware of same? Except the one that pulled out in front of me that is...

I do think the transition from Motorcycle to car made for better car drivers, especially pre ABS.

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[jongood]

Reading this thread prompted me to do a bit of research (it's tipping down outside)

Surely you mean 'Liquid sunshine'

Interesting stats though. I think the Motorcycle lost its popularity due to the good old british weather - if you wanted a girlfriend in the winter you needed a car........

 

[RobL]

My 1976 GT380. (not my garage)

Was made for the Italian market so engine size is 384cc to beat the (then) Italian bar on importing motorcycles under 380cc. Brought to UK about 15 years ago.

One of the jap models that killed off the UK motorcycle makers.

View attachment 458174

I had a GT550 aged 18 and in recent years a 1974 GT750 kettle. The British market just couldn't compete.

 

[DiggerJon]

As we’re posting pics of our bikes, here’s one of mine. Could have been so different has it been launched earlier, and listened to modern thinkers (the comment about drum vs disc brakes from the first post, along with all the others apply!).View attachment 458150View attachment 458151

Scary memories for me! Whilst staying with my friend Cliff out in California, he tossed me the keys to his Rocket 3 and invited me to take it for a spin. I'd last ridden a motorbike, my 350cc Velocette Viper, many years before and never one as powerful as this. It all went well for the first few miles until I came to a long straight so temptation got to me and I wound back the throttle and hurtled towards a series of sweeping bends. I wound off the throttle and got no reduction in speed at all. It had jammed open. I braked hard and pulled in the clutch enough to stop the engine screaming off the scale and managed to get back with everything red hot, including me, and stopped by stalling it on the driveway. Cliff just looked up and said "I meant to warn you of the sticking throttle......" I suspect the brown streak I left on the road has washed away by now!