Something for the weekend

[bigduke6]

Henry,

I would say it was most likely anyone of these, BSA M20/ Norton 16H/ Ariel W.N.G./ Matchless G3L....... or even a Harley Davidson.

[Paul S.]

A high school mate of mine and his dad rebuilt an Arial Square Four from a box of bits. I think he may still have it.

[CINDERS]

Another favorite bike I would love to own that and the HRD Rapide a story from long ago a W.A state road racing champion Wayne Patterson was at Bathurst going down conrod straight (before it had the kink in it) on his TZ-350 Yamaha and was behind a Vincent Rapide in he wound it on thinking he had the legs to pull the HRD in and pass ho hum not so in Waynes words the Rapide just walked away from him.
I heard a story about Vincent's that not only could could the rake and trail be altered on them by the rider but also the front and rear wheels could be removed at the same time from the bike that's just what I heard.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

According to my brother, the motor-cycle buff, "HRD" actually meant; "Hard to Run Down".

In his shed, one may find, among other goodies:

1926 Harley "Peashooter" (with the multi-valve head "circuit racer" kit).

Indian "Papoose" (Welbike), as in folding, parachutist "scooter".

"Norvin" (Vincent power-pack in a Norton "Featherbed" frame).

BSA "Gold Star".

I think he is finally out of sundry AJS / Matcheless machines.

Ex-Works BMW racing "outfit", parked beside his "daily ride" a lovely, late -'60's? BMW R75.

Not sure about what seemed to be the BSA "clone" of the DKW? job with the pressed-steel (as opposed to tubular) frame.

Etc., etc.

[bigduke6]

Indian "Papoose" (Welbike), as in folding, parachutist "scooter".

Can you shed any more light on this Bruce, the Welbike over here has reached the dizzy height of and over £10,000 , (the name as I only found out the other week comes from the "Inter Services Research Bureau" — based at Welwyn, UK, everything had Wel in front of the name of there design, such as Welrod pistol etc)

The Welbike was made by Excelsior Motor Co, who were a Bike and Motorcyle manufacture (little history lesson for the bank holiday)

[mrclark303]

The last time I saw one run was an example at RAFM Costford about 20 years ago, the staff had it running and taking turns riding it up and down the runway..

[bigduke6]

John, it wasn't that long back there was one for sale for around £600 on Milweb, all in bits of course but everything or almost everything was there, it was at a time when the plastic couldn't bend any further, wish I had of bent it to its max now.....

There is another bike (not Corgi) that was a 125cc can't remember the make but a normal looking one that was fitted in a cage for Airborne use and had its own parachute etc, am sure there was an add somewhere recently by someone wanting the "the crate" it was dropped in, not a crate as such but resembled something like a roll cage.

[CINDERS]

Well if I had the monies no particular order of preference, Z900 Jaffa, Green 1976 Z900, HRD Vincent Black Shadow and Rapide, Manx Norton, MV Augusta America, KH 750 kwaka widow maker and smaller brother the 500 Blue Max, Munch Mammoth, RC 30 Honda, Joey Dunlops Isle of Mann winning bike, Square 4 Aeriel, HD WWII dispatch riders bike, Welman, an RE 5, ZIR Mk I & II that should keep me happy if I won 10 lotto's dreaming is far cheaper.....

[Sentryduty]

KH 750 kwaka

Tell me, is Kwaka common Aussie speak for Kawasaki? Reason I ask is Goose's KZ-1000 from the Mad Max film has the tank logo altered to kwaka.

HD WWII dispatch riders bike

I just took a motorcycling course over the weekend and one of the other students had a restored 1941 he was showing photos of, he was there to learn to ride so he could master the HD.

[henry r]

i'm not involved with bikes, but from what i have seen, it is an older term but still gets used. not so much talking about newer bikes more related (in my mind at least) to the 70's and 80's bikes.