Alternator Conversion For Ariel Square Four

Owners of the alloy-engine variants of the Ariel Square Four will be excited by the possibility of fitting a 300-Watt alternator. This conversion unit can be fitted to the standard bike without modification to the engine castings. Re-use of the original Lucas dynamo drive housing and chrome end cap mean that the bike will, at a glance, appear standard.

Square Fours are often converted to 12-Volt by simply changing the regulator and bulbs but this does little to help. More power is available from the dynamo but higher speeds are required before the initial cut in and this can actually make the situation worse. In addition to this, commutators and windings in the elderly Lucas units can disintegrate.

We have seen a number of dynamos where the segments in the commutator have started to move. This give unreliable performance as the uneven running surface gives poor contact with the brushes. This movement may also be the cause of fractured windings where they join the commutator.

Unfortunately little additional space is available over that occupied by the Lucas 3½ inch diameter dynamo. A permanent magnet alternator conversion that was available a few years ago gave reasonable results but unfortunately required some of the fins to be ground away on the back of the cylinder block.

After purchasing a number of modern Japanese bike alternators I came across a Nippon Denso unit which, although too big to fit as a complete unit, turned out to contain a petite 93mm stator. The Eureka moment came when it was discovered that there was room for the naked stator between the standard dynamo drive housing and the original dynamo mounting on the crankcase. Fill in the blank spaces and you have a working alternator!

Tight space and the requirement to attach an extension shaft to the Kawasaki rotor presented considerable difficulties. The coupling must not only be robust but allow the sealing arrangements, distributor drive and drive sprocket mounting of the original dynamo to be replicated. There is also a machined saddle cast on the rear of crankcase that provides a seating for the original dynamo. This represented a problem since the alternator body would need to be of a larger diameter than the 3½-inch Lucas dynamo.

Six months work solved these problems and a first prototype was finished and fitted to my Mk2 Ariel for testing. I was delighted with the results. Enough output was available to balance the headlight on full beam from a shade less than 30mph even extra tall solo gearing fitted. The surplus of power available also maintained a fully charged battery and kept the system voltage at a healthy 13.5-14.0 Volts. At this correct voltage the halogen headlamp bulb was able to provide excellent illumination, night time riding was now a joy and it was immensely pleasurable to burble around town in top gear rather than having to ride in third or even second in an attempt to keep the engine speed up.

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Triumph Speed Twin

The Speed Twin 5T is a motorcycle that was made by Triumph at their Coventry factory. Edward Turner, Triumph’s Chief Designer and Managing Director, launched the Triumph Speed Twin at the 1937 National Motorcycle Show. It was a 500 cc OHV vertical twin in a lightweight frame and the first truly successful British twin, setting the standard for many twins to follow. After World War II the Speed Twin was responsible for the survival of Triumph - and every major British marque offered a 500 cc twin designed on similar lines to the Speed Twin.

Manufacturer:Triumph Production:1938-1940 1947-1959 Engine:498 cc 360 degree parallel twin OHV four-stroke Power:27 bhp @ 6,300 rpm Transmission:4 speed / chain Wheelbase:55 inches (140 cm)

Edward Turner’s Triumph twin was a major turning point for the British motorcycle industry, as although a 500 cc parallel twin of medium capacity was not revolutionary, the 5T Speed Twin model was lighter than many contemporary singles with significantly more power and torque. Early models were only available in 'Amaranth red' with hand painted gold pinstripes to set off the chrome. Initially the one piece iron cylinder was secured with six studs which led to weakness, so these were replaced by eight studs.The two cylinders were fed by a single Amal Type 6 carburettor and many features such as the transmission and clutch were straight from the Triumph single. Originally with girder forks, the sprung saddle was the only rear suspension as the Speed Twin had a rigid frame - also from the single cylinder production line. On the night of 14 November 1940 the majority of the city-centre of Coventry was destroyed by German bombs and the Triumph factory (which was working on an order of thousands of military specification 5T's) was completely wiped out, and all of Triumph's technical records, drawings and designs were destroyed.

Further development led to the 1959 model 5TA with a unit engine and gearbox construction and styling changes including the unpopular 'Bathtub' fairing which became more and more abbreviated as the model developed before disappearing altogether for the last year of production in 1966. The unit 500 engine continued development in the parallel Tiger 100 range ending with the Tiger Daytona models which ceased production in 1973.


Development
After the war the recovery of Triumph at Meriden was largely due to the Speed Twin, which was developed in 1946 with telescopic forks and optional sprung hub rear suspension. The headlamp and instrument area was tidied up in 1949 with the Turner-designed nacelle, a feature retained until the end of the model line. In 1953, the Speed Twin caused controversy among traditional British riders as the generator and magneto were replaced with a Lucas alternator and battery/coil ignition system.

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Matchless G9

The Matchless G9 is a British motorcycle made by Associated Motorcycles at the former Matchless works in Plumstead, London. The G9 was finally discontinued when the 646 cc Matchless G12 (and AJS Model 31 replaced it in the autumn of 1958.

Manufacturer:Associated Motorcycles Plumstead, London Production:1948–1958 Successor:G12 Engine:498 cc air cooled twin Top speed:85 mph Transmission:Four speed gearbox to chain final drive Suspension:teledraulic forks, swinging arm rear Brakes:drum brakes Weight:395 pounds (179 kg) (dry)

Development
The Matchless G9 and corresponding AJS Model 20 were launched at the post war Earls Court motorcycle show in late 1948. Initially for export to the US, it was not until the late summer of 1949 that the first examples reached the home market. The styling was modern and the dual seat, megaphone silencers and bright chrome finish justified the name of Super Clubman for the matchless and Spring Twin for the AJS. The rest of the cycle parts were standard AMC, with the engine being housed in a pivoted fork frame with telescopic front forks. The basic design changed little over the course of the next few years, the most significant change being made in 1952 when a new Burman gearbox was adopted. In 1951, the rear suspension was upgraded to the Jampot unit, derided for its shape in the 28 September issue of the Motor Cycle magazine. In the same year minor changes included a new Lucas horn-push on the handlebar and a medallion badge in place of the previously used transfer. Front fork shuttle damping was also replaced with rod and damper-type. Progressively developed, the G9's twin-cylinder engine underwent a number of capacity increases, finally being discontinued when the 646cc Matchless G12 (and AJS Model 31 replaced it in the autumn of 1958.

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Triumph 3TA

The 3TA was reasonably peppy and practical when it was introduced in 1957 (the Twenty-one name celebrates the Triumph Engineering Company's 21st birthday). Motor Cycling magazine reported that it was one of the fastest standard British 350 roadsters with an 'untiring zest' for high speed cruising, safe handling and remarkably economical fuel consumption. Not everyone liked it that much, however; 'the Twenty-one was a bland-looking motorcycle that came over as a diminished version of the traditional Triumph,' said Cyril Ayton, 'while falling short of presenting the integrated look of even the humblest scooter.'

The 18bhp 350 was capable of reaching 80mph - just - but in truth the fast rider was more likely to buy a 500. Dave Minton recalls that 'given a ruthless pilot, a hard-pressed Twenty-one would manage 75mph but any attempt to change direction hard and fast, or even hold the line along an undulating road, would cause the kind of nasty loss of stability that can only ever be a consequence of a weak frame.' So the 3TA tended to sell steadily thanks to its fuel economy (75mpg was perfectly possible), good weather protection and ease of maintenance. Triumph even sold it on those grounds as an 'easy to clean and clean-to-ride machine'. Perfect for the daily grind, then.

And that's just what happened to Geoff's 3TA. It got ground down over years of use and then neglect. Geoff and his brother took turns in owning it, and Geoff used it for commuting 50 miles each day in the mid-1970s. 'By 1977 it was worn out' says Geoff, 'and my brother had it back with the intention of restoring. Other things got in the way, so I had it back again in late 1982 but it continued rusting away for nearly six more years until restoration began in late 1988.

The Triumph gets used every year so has developed a few minor scuffs and dents. The only way to address these would be another cosmetic restoration, but I like it the way it is.

Since its restoration the 3TA has covered nearly 5000 miles. There were some teething troubles at the start; 'all the lights blew and the battery blew up when the lights were switched on. It was traced to faulty, original light switch.' Since then the 3TA has been '100% reliable. It really impresses me every year when it starts first kick after the winter lay-up - which can be eight months long!

Geoff's happiest moment with the 3TA came when it first took to the road after its initial restoration back in 1989. 'I could not get the smile off my face! It had been off the road since 1977 and it was wonderful to have it running again and looking like new.

The 3TA still attracts attention and won its class in the Shugborough Hall Transport Show last summer. Geoff reckons that this model is an ideal classic for anyone looking to try an old Triumph for the first time; 'don't hesitate, but don't expect it to go like a Bonneville!

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1957 Matchless G11

The G11 was a development of AMC's 500cc twin; in late 1955 the Matchless G9 was stretched to produced the G11, while its counterpart AJS Model 20 became a Model 30. The new 600s shared a 593cc engine (72 x 72.8mm) running 7.5:1 compression, which output around 33bhp at 6800rpm.The 600s were something of a stop-gap model, replaced three years later in the AMC line-up by the 650 Model 31 and G12. As a result, the G11 is normally over-shadowed by its larger counterpart and many folk dismiss it. 'They were interim machine that do not fall into recognised capacity limits and do not fit our accepted thinking' is how one buyer's guide dealt with the 600s.

However, these days the affordable and reliable 600s shouldn't be discounted - FW reckons they're 'very pleasant to ride, with a generous spread of power and a distinctive style. They sound good, too. The 600 engine is fairly unstressed, proving little quicker but more flexible than its smaller stablemate.' When new, a G11 would reach just under the ton, and the tweaked sports version was the first sports-roadster bike to travel 100 miles around MIRA's test track within one hour. So, even 50 years later, a G11 should prove to be an entertaining ride for travellers in Provence.

The CBP G11 had indeed been rebuilt but it was suffering from a major crankcase oil leak. Much cross-Channel correspondence ensued, with Steve the Toaster shuttling parts down to Provence and helping to wield spanners, while FW provided advice and the chaps at AMC Classic Spares came up with the correct spare parts. It transpired that when the engine was last re-assembled someone had left out a critical gasket - that never helps if you're aiming for an oil-tight engine!

With the work complete, Neil could take the G11 for a shake-down ride - this was a moment of truth indeed because he'd not ridden a Matchless before, and he wanted to be sure that the bike was suitable for his holidaymaking customers.

'I had the first ride out -- some 25 miles cruising along at 40 to 55mph,' reported Neil immediately after the ride. 'This is the first time in two years the bike has been ridden and she ran beautifully. Lots of 'firsts' here as it was the first time I had ridden a Matchless… and my first impressions were very favourable. This is a machine which epitomises what classic motorcycling with CBP is all about. A relaxed riding speed, comfortable seating position, nice burble to the exhaust without being obtrusive, easy starter... and a great looking machine to boot!

'I thought the gearbox was smooth and felt positive with no unexpected neutrals. The clutch was light and progressive with no slip or drag. The handling was a little heavier than some of my other machines -- particularly the BSAs -- but it instilled immediate confidence. I've yet to scrape the footpegs but give me a few more miles…!

'It's a smooth engine with no vibration to speak of either through the footrests, seat or handlebars (but then I was taking it easy for running in). The engine appears to be oil tight so far: thank goodness, because that was the reason for the strip down!'

Neil finished the day by tightening down the cylinder head, then set off the next morning on the second leg of the shake down - a further 120 gentle miles. He discovered that, as with many AMC bikes of this period, the primary chaincase is prone to leaking (you can try to fix it until the cows come home, or chalk it up to be ing 'one of those things'!), and noticed that a couple of the tank mounting bolts and rubbers had worked loose with the vibration. Nothing unusual there - which is why it pays to clean down the bike after a decent ride and just check that nothing has worked itself free.

However, there was something strange going on with the rear wheel spindle. It caused a speedo hiccup and when Neil took the spindle out he 'found that the oil seal cup and washer were incorrectly assembled. Apparently this is a common mistake as in most rebuilds people logically fit the oil seal into the cup. This looks right but in fact is totally wrong! You learn something every day.

So what does Neil think of the Matchless 600, now that he's clocked up some more miles? 'The good news is that she always starts first or second kick... most important. And I've decided the handling is NOT 'heavy' as I first described. The bike feels sturdy and robust, and so the handling is predictable and reassuring. Choose what words one will, but it's unfair to say that it's heavy!

So the G11 passed its entrance exam, and is now a full time member of the Classic Bike Provence team. If you'd like to ride it - or any of the other classics, British or Japanese - in the CBP stable, you can contact their UK office on 0207 871 0471 or call 00 33 (0)442 287610 in France. There are plenty of tour dates remaining for this year - or you can try a classic taster, and get used to riding an old bike in sun-drenched splendour, without any traffic to distract you.

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Matchless Silver Hawk

The Silver Hawk was created in tough economic times during the era of the Great Depression. A new generation of the Collier family had not long taken the helm of the Matchless concern and, although finances were tight, Harry, Bert and Charlie Collier were keen to incorporate cutting edge innovation in the designs of their new luxury models. The British motorcycling scene had been dominated by single-cylinder bikes for many years, but 'multis' were becoming all the rage. Two cylinders might not seem very exciting now, but back then any motorcycle with more than one lung was considered to be a bit daring. The Colliers kept pace with Edward Turner who introduced the Square Four over at Ariel. Ariel's first four was a 500; Matchless countered with a 400cc narrow-angle V-twin, the Silver Arrow, and then the 600cc four-cylinder Hawk.

The V-twin Silver Arrow wasn't a great success although it pioneered several of the features which Bert Collier adopted for the Hawk. The Arrow was sophisticated but not particularly fast; comfortable and quiet, but not quick. It was adored by the press (it gave them plenty to write about!) but sold slowly, so something with a greater turn of speed was called for. The V4 Silver Hawk delivered the goods with a four-cylinder, 592cc, 26bhp engine capable of propelling the motorcycle to 85mph. Importantly, the Hawk also had a chassis and suspension to match its engine's potential.

In their own words, the Colliers described the Silver Hawk as; 'the most fascinating machine to ride that has ever been built. It combines the silence, smoothness and comfort of the most expensive motor car with a Super-Sports performance. On top gear alone, the machine will run from as low as 6mph to over 80mph, while the acceleration given by the four-cylinder overhead camshaft engine in conjunction with the four-speed gearbox must be experienced to be believed. This is the only four-cylinder machine in the world equipped with a Spring Frame.'

The new Matchless motor was essentially two narrow-angle V-twins mounted side by side on a one-piece cast block, with a single-piece cylinder head housing a bevel-driven overhead camshaft. Both V-twins had crankshafts which were set across the frame and thus avoided a 90-degree turn in the transmission (although an alternative layout might have turned the engines through a right angle and used a shaft drive to the rear wheel. That suggestion might be 80 years too late to be of any help…)

The four valves in the top end were completely enclosed and well lubricated, and could be easily accessed by hand to be adjusted. Fuel was delivered to the combustion chamber by a single, centrally mounted Amal carb. The compact engine used roller bearing big ends and a chunky, built-up, two-throw crankshaft that featured substantial cheeks which doubled as flywheels. Positively lubricated phosphor bronze bushes were at either end of the crankshaft with a central roller bearing. The oil tank lived at the front of the engine, by the frame downtube, and bolted directly to the crankcase, thus removing the need for unsightly external oil lines. It is indeed a very tidy design, as you can see from the photos.

Four gear ratios were normally selected by hand; the primary drive chain lived in an oil bath and final drive was also by chain. Drive for the Lucas dynamo/coil ignition system was provided by skew gears from the vertical camshaft tower on the right of the engine, which itself is decorated with the most glorious model badge to ever grace a motorcycle. (I'm not biased. No. Not in the slightest).

With dimensions of 51mm by 73mm, the Hawk retained the relaxed, long-stroke feel of many vintage engines, helped by its mild compression ratio of 6.1:1. Although the Hawk's engine suffered somewhat from overheating (less than did the Square Four of the period), it was extremely easy to start and could be turned over by hand. Once on the move it would pull smoothly from below 10mph in top gear, although the model's much-vaunted smooth sophistication lessened as it neared its top velocity. Matchless claimed that the Hawk engine was 'vibrationless and silent in operation and capable of very high output', Cyril Ayton reckoned that 'the Hawk seemed to become more frenzied with increasing speed'. By contrast Ariel's Square Four gained a reputation for more effortless acceleration - but we should remember that it wasn't until a whole half century later that Honda finally cracked the basics of a competent V4 motorcycle engine.

However, the V4 engine wasn't the only remarkable thing about the Silver Hawk. It used a similar chassis to the Arrow, with an extremely advanced form of rear suspension. The cantilever triangulated system featured two springs set horizontally underneath the separately spring saddle, with two mechanical friction dampers on either side of the springs. This really did live up to its potential and worked well with the girder forks (which could be adjusted by the rider while on the move) at the front, providing a supremely comfortable ride for the time.

The Colliers also included an adjustable linked braking system on the Hawk. 'The brakes are well engineered' said Titch Allen, who found that the eight-inch drums worked extremely well with the rear suspension, although he wasn't a great fan of the linked system. 'I cannot get used to the forks chattering under braking when I have only used the footbrake.

Another innovation was the sprung centrestand - rarely seen at the time, when front or rear wheel stands were the norm. Matchless also offered the option of a positive stop, foot controlled gearchange, for purchasers willing to spend an additional 30 bob. The 370lb Silver Hawk was the top of the range machine and in De Luxe trim came with full electric lighting and horn, a proper ignition switch and indicator light, speedo and oil indicator. If you wanted the detachable luggage carrier it would cost you an extra fifteen shillings, however!

Apart from some issues with overheating when run at high speeds for sustained periods, the first version of the Hawk also had a habit of guzzling oil (a modification for 1932 helped with that problem). Setting up the bevel gears correctly was tricky for home mechanics, so it was common for them to whine or rattle in a manner which would feel very familiar to owners of much later bevel-drive Ducati twins.

The Silver Hawk cost £72 new in 1933; £5 more than Ariel's Square, and the price of the Matchless rose to nearly £79 in the four years of its production run. Just 550 Silver Hawks were sold between 1931 and 1935. These days the Silver Hawk sells for between £30,000 and £45,000 depending on its condition. A complete and unrestored example, in 'barn find' condition, sold for £28,000 in 2009. A recently restored Hawk fetched £35,000 at auction in October 2010; that bike looked very handsome indeed but was effectively a museum piece.

In 1931 Torrens of The Motor Cycle reported that 'at 50mph the engine of the machine was unnoticeable and barely a sound from engine or exhaust could be heard. The spring frame was excellent and the only guide to its presence was the exceptional comfort of the machine.' The handling was 'just about perfect; there was no tail wag, chopping or pitching, even when roughish bends were taken nearly flat out.' He believed that 'no finer machine had ever left the Matchless works, and that on all-round performance it had very, very few rivals.'

Mick Walker reckons that the Silver Hawk was 'in many ways a brilliant design which was unfortunate enough to be conceived at just the wrong moment in history… The majority of customers for whom the Silver Hawk had been designed were simply unable to make a purchase of such a luxury item in those times of economic gloom… It was a notable design worthy of a better fate.

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1941 Matchless G3L WD

The G3L was an extremely popular DR's mount during WW2 because, unlike most other machines, it was fitted with Teledraulic front suspension. This made for a much more comfortable ride than did the standard girder forks fitted to most other military machines. By the end of the war, Matchless had built over 80,000 G3 and G3L motorcycles for the armed forces. The 'L' stands for 'Light', reflecting the fact that the prewar G3 was a substantial machine and it needed to lose some 60lb to be put into service during the conflict. After the war, the first civilian G3Ls were much the same as the military machines - but they were painted black instead of green.

If you are considering buying a similar G3L today, then you can expect to pay between £1700 and £3000. It's cheaper to buy one in civilian trim because the military motorcycles have developed something of a cult following, and finding exactly the correct WD equipment can get very tricky. However, you can find later G3s in military trim because the MOD continued to use the bikes into the 1960s.

Basil's Matchless was restored to standard spec for a WW2 machine and was given 'a first class total rebuild' without any obvious modifications 'so it's accurate for the period', and Basil reckons it is 'perfect… just as you would expect a military machine to be.'

He recommends Russell Motors for their 'good service' and Hawker Electrical for their electronic dynamo regulator.

Since the rebuild Basil has clocked up around 3000 miles, taking the 350cc single to shows and galas and on club runs. It always attracts attention. 'When we do shows it's amazing how many chaps of that era come and tell you tales from the days when we all served our country' says Basil. 'Then they ask if they can sit on it and have their photo taken!'

So Basil is really happy with how the G3L turned out, even though he didn't set out to own one.

'It's a belter and has won lots of trophies. You just couldn't make it any better than it is. It's ready for anything!'

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Ducati Sebring 350

The 340cc overhead cam Sebring appeared first in 1966 and was Ducati's first venture into the 350 class following the success of its smaller OHC singles. Oddly, considering that this model was the touring version, it gained its name from the racetrack in the USA where Franco Farne successfully campaigned the prototype racer in 1965, winning his class and coming a respectable eleventh overall (he was racing in an open class against 650 twins). Rumour has it that Farne's bike still circulates the American classic scene, and was clocked at 113mph at Daytona.

The production Sebring engine was of near-square dimensions, 76mm by 75mm, running 8.5:1 compression, fed by a single Dell'Orto 24mm carb. It output 20bhp at 6250rpm which equated to around 80mph. It made the most of that modest output with a five-speed gearbox and 'the kind of handling that inspires confidence' according to Ducati's literature.

Dave Minton collected his test bike in the pouring rain in November and proceeded to ride 2089 miles on it, covering the classic Le Jog route and only stopping when the rain turned to heavy snow.
Rain began not half an hour after I left London for Cornwall and steadily worsened throughout the trip, but the Sebring motored along quite happily. We must have looked an odd pair - the gleaming silver and black Italian lightweight and what must have appeared to be a wet, loosely stuffed bell tent… Luckily the Ducati was not one of the sports models for which the factory is so famous: had it been the ride might have had a very different conclusion. As it was, its low bottom gear and touring riding position were just right.
Once in Cornwall, the Ducati required no servicing other than a pint of oil in the sump and oiling of the rear chain. It was covered in mud and spray but not a trace of oil stained the engine / gearbox unit. Now that, coupled with it vibration-free performance, is what endeared it to me. I would be willing to wager that this machine would travel further, with less trouble, than the vast majority of motorcycles.
On we went, in a manner most undignified for a touring motorcycle but eminently suitable for covering many miles in a short time. I was approaching corners at higher speeds than I was accustomed to and leaving braking until quite late, and in perfect safety, even to the point of braking while cornering. No doubt the modest power output contributed much to this feeling.
I found the rear brake exceptionally good; my usual reaction is to leave the rear well alone for most serious braking and to use it as no more than a steadying device, but the one on this machine was very good, requiring pretty hard pedal pressure to lock it but being powerful and responsive. The front brake however was in a class of its own. Like the Triumph 8-inch front brake it is a single leading-shoe device, with none of the fierceness of so many twin leading-shoe units. It is as good to look at as it is to use, moreover, so typical of Italian alloy castings.
The brake holds the speedometer drive; sensible idea, this, as it should contribute to accurate readings, for the cable is short, free from engine oil and rev surges. But, as seems usual on Ducatis, the speedo itself is a poor instrument. It is completely undamped. Road shocks and engine vibration had as much effect on the position of the needle as did cable revolutions; indeed, while trying for quarter-mile times it was possible, according to the speedo, to obtain 70mph and no more in every gear save bottom.
On the A1 I had time to think of the bike, its saddle and handlebars, exhaust note, lighting, controls, fuel and oil reservoirs, consumption, etc. As with all Italian seats this one felt too hard initially but over a distance of 2000 miles I never once felt uncomfortable. The exhaust note was too loud and too penetrating. All the controls were light - the clutch especially. It's a normal multi-plate type but has the great advantage of running in oil. Consequently it was impossible to make malfunction despite my slipping it for minutes on end. The oil it runs in lubricates the engine and gearbox also and that is a marvellous idea. No messy external oil pipes, no oil tank, no separate filters for the gearbox or primary drive.
A brief loss of lighting was traced to a loose connection in the wiring loom. Then on the road to Wick the Sebring came into its own. Top speed was immaterial; roadholding and braking were of paramount importance. I seriously doubt that any machine could have covered the distance much faster, for though the road was damp we flew along. The gears, with the exception of first which was too low, were well placed and close enough to cover all conditions. Top made an excellent cruising gear although it was not so high as to be an 'overdrive.' The low-speed power of the Sebring allowed it to be brought into use quite early, from 40mph, but - not unnaturally - there was not much acceleration available in this gear at low speeds.
I began to wish for more performance but the snag here is the Sebring's tiny carburettor which, although contributing to good fuel economy and low-speed tractability, strangles any tendency to high revving. For all that, this 350 is a machine capable of breaking the speed limit by 15mph and, what's more, cruising at that speed indefinitely and economically.
Over the entire journey, frequently running at the Sebring's maximum cruising capacity, the bike averaged 63mpg.

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Ducati Elite 200

In 1960, Ducati built a single-cylinder four-stroke 200 which was capable of 85mph, and which still turns heads today. Richard Jones says he's a sucker for anything that is red and Italian and when he visited the CBG Winter Classic at the start of the year, he found plenty to fascinate him on the Italian Motorcycle Owners' Club stand. Among the scarlet darlings, Richard discovered this 1960 Ducati Super Sports Elite, looking every bit the show-stopper with its scalloped petrol tank and copper-coloured chassis (although we're not entirely sure that the front suspension units would have been quite so colour matched originally!)

The Elite is one of half a dozen narrow-case, overhead cam singles which Ducati built at the start of the 1960s. All stemmed from the Gran Sport 100, designed by Fabio Taglioni and which first appeared in 1954. The Gran Sport was stunningly successful in the two years that followed in the Moto Giro d'Italia and Milano-Taranto races, and a 175cc roadster soon followed. The sporting 'Silverstone', as it was known in the UK, could exceed 80mph which caused something of a stir and certainly helped to establish Ducati's reputation for building mighty mites which punched way beyond their weight. It was a very timely lifeline for the firm who were suffering along with the rest of the Italian industry as motorcycle sales slumped at home and exports became rather more important.
The Elite was then introduced for 1959 by boring the 175cc single out to 67mm to give 204c. Fuel was delivered by a Dell'Orto UB24 while the piston ran 7.8:1 compression which equated to 18bhp at 7500rpm. The Elite weighed a nifty little 111kg, less than 250lb. This meant that the tiny 200 was genuinely capable of reaching 85mph - or, if you took it steady, could return over 80mpg.
The all-alloy, unit construction, air-cooled engine was one of the first production Ducatis to feature the firm's iconic bevel drive to the overhead cams. The customer bikes differed from the racers by having their hairpin valve springs fully enclosed, and utilised a flywheel alternator, distributor and rectifier for their electrics. The Elite employed a four-speed constant mesh gearbox with preselector gear engagement and multiplate wet clutch, all of which provided 'first class' cog swapping 'with positive, foolproof changes.'
The open cradle, single downtube frame was made of 'highly resistant steel tubing' and 'built on smart lines' (hard to argue!) but while the rear shocks were adjustable, the front forks were not. Braking came courtesy of two drums; 180mm at the front and 160mm at the back.

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Douglas Dragonfly

Once upon a time there was Douglas, a family firm based in Bristol. That time was 1900 or so. The three brothers, William, Arthur and Edward, started out as blacksmiths but soon turned their business into a foundry, and that concern then took up with the new-fangled forms of motorised transport. Douglas were building some components for a company which failed, Light Motors Ltd, and Douglas took on Light's projects and its designer, Joseph J Barter, when it finally folded. For 50 long years after 1906 Douglas built opposed-twin engined bikes - flat twins that is, boxers, like those modern beefy Bavarians - around the designs of JJ Barter.

Douglas built a range of sidevalve twins and (mostly) ohv twins, dedicating themselves to the pursuit of quality. The flat-twin engine configuration provided a low centre of gravity, was evenly balanced and well cooled. Douglas machines proved themselves in competition, and so the company won big chunks of the WW1 supply contracts, making thousands of motorcycles for the military which also found their way onto the civilian market once de-mobbed.Douglas experimented with the first type of disc brakes on a two-wheeler in the 1920s. They were even the first British marque to try their hand a purpose-building a speedway machine.

The bikes were generally good performers, although quality control was patchy and reliability was something to be striven for and not necessarily achieved. Didn't stop King George V owning a Douglas in the 1920s, which rather boosted the bike's standing as a status symbol. The Douglas concern broadened during these years to take on aeroplane engines, tractors, trucks, cars. Then came the Great Depression (which was an historical period, you understand, and not merely an understanding that Nothing Good comes out of a judicial enquiry) and the Douglas family exited stage left, c1932.
The Douglas company was taken over by BAC and reorganisation and a touch of streamlining followed, which allowed prices to be reduced somewhat. The range stabilised to incorporate standard models at 250, 350, 500 and 600cc. There was also a remarkable beastie of 498cc, the Endeavour, which was a transverse mounted flat-twin, with a unit construction engine and shaft drive. It bristled with unusual touches - a hand gearchange when everyone else was swapping to foot; a clutch which was so light you could operate it with one little finger. There was a huge kerfuff about this model when it was first seen in 1934. But the Endeavour was nearly twice as expensive as the normal 500cc Douglas, so you can imagine what came of it in the long run. Maybe 50 were built and sold - wonder how many are left today? (The 148cc 2-stroke of the same period didn't go down a storm, either).

After WW2, financial restraint forced Douglas to concentrate on their 348cc flat-twin design, with its ohv motor mounted transversely across the frame, pots cheekily poking out into the cooling breeze. Douglas bikes weren't unusual in this respect alone; they employed ingenious approaches to motorcycle suspension in their quest for 'higher touring speed and less rider fatigue.' Their torsion-bar spring frame and Radiadraulic forks were supposed to even out all the lumps and bumps of 1950's road surfaces, and give the rider an armchair to relax into. For a stunt, factory riders bounced the current model up and down kerbs at 30mph - although we can't recommend that you try this at home, children!
(Although the torsion-bar suspension seemed impressive it came with its own drawbacks, not least the need for frequent greasing. It was also undamped so, while things were fine with a pillion on the back, reports from the time suggest that it was rather like taking a trip on top of Skippy the Bush Kangaroo when riding solo).
Douglas also became the British importer / constructor for Vespa scooters as the 1950s took off - a sideline which eventually developed into the company's only connection with the two wheeled world. But for the 1951 Motor Cycle Show, Douglas presented a new 498cc twin. Its cycle parts were developed from those of the existing Mark V 348cc model - torsion bar rear suspension and Radiadraulic forks. The huge difference was the monster motor which seemed to have been barely squeezed into the duplex frame. Although under the skin it shared many characteristics with the 350, it looked wildly different as it had a be-finned casting under the tank, encompassing the magdyno and air cleaner. The shape of the cylinder heads and rocker covers changed too, becoming sleeker and streamlined. It was a bold attempt at a handsome, touring motorcycle for the heyday of the British bike industry, but Douglas weren't in a financial position to actually build it.
Like other manufacturers of the time - Velocette with their LE and BSA with the Sunbeams - Douglas believed the public when they said they wanted something practical, sturdy and solid to get them to work and back. At the start of the 1950s the feeling was that a motorcycle for Everyman would be a bestseller. The quest for ultimate speed wasn't so important - the common man needed instead low maintenance workaday wheels. Hence the craze for bathtubs and other enclosures, all foretelling the future success of the scooter and the Honda Cub and - oh dear - the Mini. Before the bike-buying public deserted in droves, however, the British bike industry recorded its best ever sales, reaching a peak in 1959. But by then Douglas had been and gone. Their little Dragonfly didn't stand comparison with the sleek speed machines which Edward Turner was turning out. When it came down to it, riders wanted high-speed glamour and performance after all.

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1902 Norton Energette

The first powered two-wheeler to carry the legendary Norton name is now on display at the National Motorcycle Museum near Birmingham, England. The Norton Energette, a pedal cycle with a small engine attached, was launched late in 1902 by James Lansdowne Norton's Birmingham-based manufacturing company.

James Norton was born in Birmingham in 1869, and at the age of ten he first ventured into an automotive endeavour when he built a model steam engine. Norton was initially apprenticed into the jewellery trade but in 1898 he saw an opportunity in the growing popularity of the bicycle. He set up the Norton Manufacturing Company and operated as a supplier of parts and fittings to the cycle trade. This logically led to building motorcycles when engines were first bolted to cycle frames, and soon the Energette was born.
The Energette's power unit is a 55mm x 60mm, 145cc four-stroke single with an automatic inlet valve and mechanical exhaust valve, manufactured by Clément in France. A belt takes drive directly from the crankshaft to the rear wheel while pedals, chain drive and a free-wheel hub are provided for starting and assistance on hills. An accumulator carried in a wooden box on the seat tube provides ignition power, while the small petrol tank was suspended beneath the top frame rail The whole machine weighed about 70lb. The 20mph machine was advertised as being 'for business, touring or racing'.
Norton also offered a version with a two-speed pulley mechanism driven from the crankshaft by chain and mounted ahead of the bottom bracket. There was a Ladies' Model, and one which was touted as being 'the ideal doctor's bike.'
In 1904 the Journal of Commerce praised Norton's machines; 'since the first day of bicycle manufacture the Norton Company has given special attention to all improvements.'
Norton's workshops built frames for the Clément-Garrard powered bicycle marketed in Britain and the Energette is very similar to that product, but has a longer wheelbase. It was built to order and only three examples are known to survive.
We have owned the oldest Norton in existence for a long time', said NMM owner Roy Richards, 'but it was in a very poor state. I am delighted that we have recently had it fully restored by Dr George Cohen, an early Norton specialist, to join our large and ever-growing display.'
Norton concentrated on building its own motorcycles from 1904 and first came to prominence when Rem Fowler won the multi-cylinder class of the 1907 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy race on a Peugeot-Norton V-twin. The marque went on to win another 42 TT races, the most recent in 1992 with a rotary engine.
Source

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Norton Big 4

The Model 1, or more commonly known as Big 4 was a Norton motorcycle made between 1907 and 1954 in various forms. With 633 cc (38.6 cu in), it was the largest and most powerful side valve engine, with plenty of low end torque in the model range, and was mostly used to haul sidecars. Approximately 4700 of the nearly 100,000 military bikes made by Norton during WW2 were Big 4 sidecar outfits.
Designed to carry two or three men plus their fighting equipment over very rough terrain, the Big 4 was used for reconnaissance and carrying loads of ammunition to the front line troops. It was called Big 4 due to its power rating of 4 hp, calculated as tax horsepower. Calculated using current methods the horsepower rating would be 14 brake horsepower.
Manufacturer:Norton Motorcycle Company
Also called:Model 1

Production:1907 - 1954 Engine:633cc, side valve air cooled single Top speed:68mph Power:14.5 bhp @ 4,000 rpm Transmission:Four speed gearbox to chain final drive Suspension:Girder front forks, solid rear. Telescopic front fork from 47 to the end and rear suspension as option Brakes:drum brakes Weight:305 lb (170 kg) (dry)

Civilian Norton Big 4
The first Big 4 machines were civilian versions starting in 1907 with a bore and stroke of 82 x 120 mm. The model was produced for nine years after the end of World War II when Norton ended the manufacture of side valve singles to concentrate on twins. As from 1948 the bore and stroke changed to 82 x 113 mm to give 596cc capacity.

Military Norton WD Big 4
The WD Big 4 was a development of prewar trials outfit with a sidecar wheel coupled to the motorcycle rear wheel through a dog clutch and drive shaft. Initial trials were carried out at Studland in Dorset and it coped well with challenging terrain. The simple design also meant it was easy to maintain in the field. All three 18" X 4.00 wheels were interchangeable with various makes of tyres for off road use. The sidecar was unarmoured, with thin sheetmetal on the front of the sidecar and there was no suspension in the rear of the heavy duty frame.

The sidecar was mounted on four leaf springs, and had two friction disc shock absorbers at the back. The Big Four was eventually replaced by the Ford GP or the Willys Jeep in 1941. The Big 4 could be equipped with a Bren gun or a 3 inch mortar, bombs could be fitted to a platform in place of a sidecar, but this seems to have been a one off model, same with the Thompson equipped Big 4.

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Single Cylinder Ducati Motorcycles

The Ducati singles were single cylinder motorcycles, made by Ducati from 1950 to 1974. Chief Engineer Fabio Taglioni developed a desmodromic valve system in these years, a system that opens and closes the valves using the camshaft, without the need for valve springs. This valve system has become a trademark feature of Ducati motorcycles.

In 1926, the brothers Adriano and Marcello Ducati founded Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati, a company in Bologna producing tubes, condensers and other radio components. On June 1, 1935, the cornerstone of a factory in Borgo Panigale was laid. By 1940, the company was engaged in the manufacture of electronic equipment for the military, making the factory a target for Allied bombing. The Ducati factory at Borgo Panigale was hit badly more than once, but maintained production.
Categories Of Single Cylinder Ducati Motorcycles
Cucciolo
During World War II, Ducati developed a small engine mounted on a bicycle, called the Cucciolo ("little puppy") and in 1950 began producing its own complete 98-pound motorcycle with the same name.
OHV pushrod singles
From the mid-1950s through mid-1960s Ducati produced non-Taglioni-designed OHV singles with conventional pushrod valve operation, such as the 125 Bronco.
Ducati 65 TS and Cruiser
The market was moving though, towards bigger motorcycles and Ducati's IRI management felt diversification was the only answer. Ducati made an impression at the early 1952 Milan Show, introducing the Ducati 65 TS cycle and the Cruiser, the world's first four-stroke scooter. Despite being described as the most interesting new machine at the 1952 show, the Cruiser was not a great success. A couple of thousand were made over a two-year period before being withdrawn from production.
OHC 98 cc Gran Sport
Ducati's single overhead-cam 98 cc Gran Sport, designed by Taglioni, became the blueprint for all future Ducati singles. It had an air-cooled cylinder inclined forward 10 degrees from vertical, gear primary drive, wet-sump lubrication, battery ignition and camshaft drive by vertical shaft and bevel gears. This bike came to dominate its class in Italian racing. In 1956 there was a DOHC 125 cc version of the Gran Sport.
125 Desmo Ducati
The 125 Desmo Ducati won its first race at the 1956 Swedish G.P. at Hedemora, lapping all the other cycles, but then its rider, Gianni Degli Antoni, died during the practice for the next race, the Italian G.P. of Monza. That death dealt a severe blow to the Ducati racing program and it was not until 1958 that their team was able to mount a serious challenge to Italy’s MV Agusta, and their top rider, former 125 cc world champion, Carlo Ubbiali.
Diana
The first production Ducati 250 debuted at the Milan Fair in April 1961. It was called the Diana but for some unknown reason was renamed as Daytona in the UK. The 250 was so popular that in 1963 Ducati introduced the Diana Mark 3 Super Sport.
Scrambler
The Scrambler series of singles were made for the US market from 1962 until 1974, at the behest of Ducati's American importer, the Berliner Motor Corporation.
Apollo
The Berliner Brothers, held the US Ducati franchise in the late 1950s, and because of the brothers' forceful personalities, this began to affect what was produced. Though this ultimately ended up having disastrous consequences for all concerned, in the short run it secured for Ducati a much larger slice of the U.S. market than they would otherwise have had. In 1963 the Berliner brothers suggested that Ducati build a Harley beater, leading to the Apollo V4, which made it to a tyre shredding prototype stage, but was never manufactured. Two machines were built, one of which can now be seen in the Ducati museum in Bologna.
Diana Mark 3 Super Sport
This machine first appeared in 1962 in Europe where it was named the 'Mach 1'. It was derived from the production 250s but was considerably tuned and had 5 gears instead of the 4 of its predecessors. Several European magazines tested it and were able to exceed 100 mph, making it by far the fastest production 250 on the market. It was later introduced to the American market where, under the name of Diana Mark 3 Super Sport, it proved again to be the fastest 250 street bike in the world that year. In a carefully monitored Cycle World track test, the Mark 3 did a standing 1/4 mile in 16.5 seconds with a final speed of 79.5 mph. Its top speed was 104 mph. Even a TD-1 Yamaha racer, tested by Cycle World that same year, was unable to match the Ducati's top speed and no other comparably sized registrable production bike that year could compete with its performance.
Two-strokes
Ducati was manufacturing a 50 cc two stroke, with power outputs from 0.92 hp at 4,600 rpm to 4.2 at 8,600 rpm. Some attempts were made to race these 50 cc Ducati two-strokes in Europe, but the 3 speed gearbox and lack of power compared to makes such as Itom meant that there was no success. They also failed to sell in America, their target market, as the US demand just did not exist. Fairly large quantities were sold in Europe and for some years it was the sales of two-strokes that kept the company afloat.
1965 Ducati 350 Sebring
In 1965, the first new concept bike arrived. The 350 Sebring was the largest Ducati of the day. Typically, Ducati built a racing 350 first. The 350 class was not common in the United States, so when Ducati team rider Franco Farne went to America to race at Sebring race, he had to race in an event catering to 251-700 cc machines. Despite the larger capacity opposition, he finished 11th overall and, more importantly, won his own class outright. In honour of Farne's victory the new model became the 350 Sebring.
Production desmo
In 1967, after eight years of development, Ducati introduced its first production Desmodromic engine, a machine that drew as much from the race track as it did from the drawing board, epitomising the engineering concept that “form follows function”. In January, 1968, Ducati announced plans to build and market the 450 cc Mark 3D. The D was for Desmodromic.
Early in 1969 the long-awaited Desmo production machine began appearing. The Desmo design in the new engine, had all four closing and opening lobes mounted on the same shaft, similar to the arrangement used in the late fifties W196 Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 cars. The bike was available in Europe in 250 and 350 versions as well as the 450. In 1971, Ducati released a variant for off-road use called the R/T and another street version called the Silver Shotgun.

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Ducati Motorcycles History

In 1926 Antonio Cavalieri Ducati and his three sons, Adriano, Marcello, and Bruno Cavalieri Ducati; founded Societa Scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati in Bologna to produce vacuum tubes, condensers and other radio components, becoming successful enough by 1935 to construct a new factory in the Borgo Panigale area of the city. Production was maintained during World War II, despite the Ducati factory being

a repeated target for Allied bombing. Meanwhile, at the small Turinese firm SIATA (Societa Italiana per Applicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie), Aldo Farinelli began developing a small pushrod engine for mounting on bicycles. Barely a month after the official liberation of Italy in 1944, SIATA announced its intention to sell this engine, called the "Cucciolo" (Italian for "puppy," in reference to the distinctive exhaust sound) to the public. The first Cucciolos were available alone, to be mounted on standard bicycles, by the buyer; however, businessmen soon bought the little engines in quantity, and offered complete motorized-bicycle units for sale.
In 1950, after more than 200,000 Cucciolos had been sold, in collaboration with SIATA, the Ducati firm finally offered its own Cucciolo-based motorcycle. This first Ducati motorcycle was a 48 cc bike weighing 98 lb (44 kg) with a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h) had a 15 mm carburetor giving just under 200 mpg-US (1.2 L/100 km; 240 mpg-imp). Ducati soon dropped the Cucciolo name in favor of "55M" and "65TL".
When the market moved toward larger motorcycles, Ducati management decided to respond, making an impression at an early-1952 Milan show, introducing their 65TS cycle and Cruiser (a four-stroke motor scooter). Despite being described as the most interesting new machine at the 1952 show, the Cruiser was not a great success, and only a few thousand were made over a two-year period before the model ceased production.
In 1953, management split the company into two separate entities, Ducati Meccanica SpA and Ducati Elettronica, in acknowledgment of its diverging motorcycle and electronics product lines. Ducati Elettronica became Ducati Energia SpA in the eighties. Dr. Giuseppe Montano took over as head of Ducati Meccanica SpA and the Borgo Panigale factory was modernized with government assistance. By 1954, Ducati Meccanica SpA had increased production to 120 bikes a day.
In the 1960s, Ducati earned its place in motorcycling history by producing the fastest 250 cc road bike then available, the Mach 1.In the 1970s Ducati began producing large-displacement V-twin motorcycles and in 1973, released a V-twin with the trademarked desmodromic valve design. In 1985, Cagiva bought Ducati and planned to rebadge Ducati motorcycles with the lesser-known Cagiva name (at least outside of Italy). By the time the purchase was completed, Cagiva kept the "Ducati" name on its motorcycles. In 1996, Texas Pacific Group bought a 51% stake in the company for US$325 million; then, in 1998, bought most of the remaining 49% to become the sole owner of Ducati. In 1999, TPG issued an IPO of Ducati stock and renamed the company Ducati Motor Holding SpA. TPG sold over 65% of its shares in Ducati, leaving TPG the majority shareholder. In December 2005, Ducati returned to Italian ownership with the sale of Texas Pacific's stake (minus one share) to Investindustrial Holdings, the investment fund of Carlo and Andrea Bonomi.
In April 2012, Volkswagen Group's Audi subsidiary announced its intention to buy Ducati for €860 million (US$1.2 billion). Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch, a motorcycle enthusiast, had long coveted Ducati, and had regretted that he passed up an opportunity to buy the company from the Italian government in 1984. Analysts doubted a tiny motorcycle maker would have a meaningful effect on a company the size of Volkswagen, commenting that the acquisition has "a trophy feel to it," and, "is driven by VW's passion for nameplates rather than industrial or financial logic". Italian luxury car brand Lamborghini was strengthened under VW ownership. AUDI AG's Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. subsidiary acquired 100 percent of the shares of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. on July 19, 2012 for €747 million (US$909 million).

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Triumph Tiger 110 Motorcycles

The Triumph Tiger 110 was a British sports motorcycle first made by Triumph at their Coventry factory between 1953 and 1961. Developed from the Triumph Thunderbird, the T110 first appeared in 1954. Although it was supposed to be the sports model of the Triumph range, the Tiger 110 was later fitted with the rear panelling introduced with Triumph's 350cc 3TA twin in 1959. This rear cowling earned it the nickname 'bathtub' from its shape and made the T110 look somewhat staid. In any event, from 1959, the T120 Bonneville was now Triumph's leading sports model and before the introduction of Edward Turner's unit construction 650cc twin in 1962, the T110 was dropped from Triumph's range.

Manufacturer:Triumph Production:1953–1961 Engine:649 cc parallel twin OHV four-stroke Transmission:4 speed / chain Wheelbase:57 inches (140 cm) Seat height:31 inches (79 cm) Weight:420 lb (190 kg) (dry) Fuel capacity:4 imp gal (18 l; 4.8 US gal) Fuel consumption:70 mpg-imp (4.0 L/100 km; 58 mpg-US) at 60 mph (97 km/h)

Development
The Triumph Tiger 110 650 cc OHV Twin was Triumph's fastest production motorcycle to date, developed for the American market which wanted a higher power output. The T110 was first built in 1953 and introduced as a 1954 model. Originally produced with a cast iron cylinder block and head, this was quickly replaced with a light alloy cylinder head with special airways to improve cooling and austenitic iron valve seat inserts. The external oil feed pipes were also replaced with internal oilways via the pushrod tubes.
The Triumph Tiger 100 was named because it was capable of 100 mph (160 km/h), so it was an obvious marketing idea to call the new bike the Tiger 110 - although technically the best one way speed obtained by The Motor Cycle magazine in tests was 109 mph (175 km/h) - but the speedometer was reading 114 mph (183 km/h), so there was a margin of error.
By 1959, the Tiger 110 was no longer Triumph's fastest model, the dual carburettor Bonneville T120 having taken its mantle. Triumph added the enclosed panels from the Twenty One which, resembling an upside-down Victorian slipper bathtub, earned the bike the nickname 'bathtub'.

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List Of Douglas Motorcycles

This is List Of Douglas Motorcycles:

Model	Engine	Years	Notes
Douglas 350cc	350 cc	1910
Douglas 349cc	349 cc	1914–1918
TS 250cc	250 cc	1915
CW		1924
EW	350cc	1926
FW 500	500/600 cc	1929
S5	500 cc	1930
S6	600 cc	1930
T6	600 cc	1930
A.32	350 cc side-valve	1932
B.32	350 cc side-valve	1932	Touring
C.32	500 cc side-valve	1932
D.32	600 cc side-valve	1932	Greyhound Touring
E.32	600 cc side-valve	1932
F.32	500 cc ohv	1932	Sports
G.32	600 cc ohv	1932	Sports
H.32	750 cc side-valve	1932
K.32	350 cc ohv	1932	Touring
M.32	350 cc ohv	1932	Touring
S.W.5	500 cc ohv	1932	Speed
S.W.6	600 cc ohv	1932	Speed
D.T.5	500 cc ohv	1932	Dirt Track
D.T.6	600 cc ohv	1932	Dirt Track
SV	600 cc	1937	DeLuxe Twin
T35	350 cc	1945
Mark III	350 cc	1949
Mark III De Luxe	350 cc	1949
Mark III Competition	350 cc	1949
Mark III Sports	350 cc	1950
Douglas "Vespa"		1950
Mark V	350 cc	1951
Douglas Dragonfly	348 cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder four-stroke	1955–1957	Dragonfly motorcycles were produced before the company was taken over and production ended in 1957

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