Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[buzzy bee]

I quite like the idea of passing my bike test maybe look into this year or next, be nice in the summer to have a bike of a suitable age to ride. I used to ride a moped when I was to young to drive and it was so much fun, managed to tune the 50cc up to go about 55mph, When I was legally allowed to of course!

I know very little about older bikes so if anyone has any tips or ideas on nice economical, cheap to run rides let me know. If I start thinking about this now I may get round to it sometime in the next couple of years, when finances allow!

I have often thought about getting an old scooter, but not sure what to get yet, just in the thinking stage!

Any ideas?

Cheers

Dave

[Old-Nail]

Hi Buzzy, define 'older' for me as I need to know how old you wanna go.

[buzzy bee]

I have no idea really, I would like to hear any sugestions of what to look into, I do need certain things: Not to expensive, both for the bike and parts, simple to work on and something that is not to quick. I like slow moving vehicles, I like the slow pace it suits me!

Old-nail what bikes are you interested in?

Cheers

Dave

[Uncle Joe]

Given your parameters, I would suggest one of the old british Villiers single cylinder engined two strokes, such as a Francis Barnett, James or similar. Another obvious choice would be the BSA Bantam. My favourite though, but it can be pricy in comparison to the others, a Velocette LE. Better known in some circles as a Noddy Bike!

Although there was one manufacturer called Norman. Now could you think of a better name for a motorbike?

[admin]

BB, not for sale but Ted has an old James, I'm sure if you asked nicely he'd let you look at it and weigh it up for size etc! that way you'd know if it was the kind of bike you fancied, or not..

Rick

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Ah right could be handy to look at, I have no idea when it comes to bikes, and I will have to go off and read up into each of the above! I need a complete tuturial as far as bikes go!

Cheers

Dave

[Old-Nail]

Buzzy I'm into all kinds of Motorcycles, in my 30+ years of riding I must have had around 50 or so bikes.

Choice depends on how you are intending to use the bike, spares availability and day to day reliability don't matter so much if the bike is a 'show' bike but a good usable machine is different.

All the above mentioned are bikes familiar to the 50's and 60's riders, and are British bikes, although with the possible exception of the BSA Bantam your ownership may be plagued by lack of available parts to keep it on the road.

One final thing to remember is that old 2-strokes ran on petroil, which means that for every gallon of petrol you had to squirt a measure of 2-stroke oil in the tank, todays garages don't cater for that which can be an inconvenience!

Much better to find yourself an old Triumph Tiger cub, 200cc four stroke engine with the feel and sound of a 'proper' bike.

[Uncle Joe]

Buzzy, if you dont have much knowledge of bikes, then probably your best bet from the above is to look for a BSA D14/4 Bantam as a first choice, and then one of the 'E' series Villiers engined jobbies.

On any of the above, I can tell you whatever you need to know!

UJ

[Uncle Joe]

One thing, going to Old-Nails suggestion of a Tiger Cub, and I'm talking from first hand experience here. For heavens sake, avoid them. If you want a four stroke, look for a C-series BSA instead.


Old-Nail, I dont wish to offend you with this comment, or the one above for that matter, but have you forgotten the T20's bottom end?

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Is there a bike called the BSA bantam d1, from the 50s, that looks quite apealing to me!

Cheers

Dave

[Uncle Joe]

The D1 is the early BSA Bantam 125cc.

UJ

[Old-Nail]

UJ I guess it all comes down to whatever personal experience of the machines in question a person has. With clean oil an accurate timing they all perform as they were intended.

In my own case I had a Tiger cub that ran effortlessly and reliably for the two years that I owned it, yet the ex-Police BSA C15 that I replaced it with lasted just a few moments longer than a hand grenade does after you pull the pin, in fact they were both apt to explode in inexperienced hands!

I guess a Bantam is the simplest to run and fix, I just don't like to advocate an old 2-stroke to anyone!

As an afterthought to all this, if the machine was intended to be used on the main roads in todays UK I would say forget it.... they are not safe in todays traffic.
You may get away with an old Bonnie, daytona, speed twin, or BSA twin on todays roads but a Bantam or a 225 Villiers?

.....Brrrr....makes me shudder just to think of it!

[Uncle Joe]

The C-series I meant was actually the C11G (good grief, I feel old) not the later variants. The big trouble with the Cub, and the C15 for that matter, was the fact that they didn't like being revved.

If we are just looking at british bikes, then my old favourite the Ariel Arrow is well capable of keeping up with todays traffic, but again a two stroke. of course, there are the early Hondas, eg CD175, or maybe a CB250/305.

UJ