1931 James Road Racer
This eBay auction for a1931 James Roadracing bike was sent to us by a CSBF reader in theUK. Over the last 6 months I have seen it posted previously, but have not been able to find a lot of information about James motorcycles. A little deeper digging did find a few bits of information.
First from the seller
This is James own engine NOT a J.A.P Very rare….Good working condition, regulary used and raced….A unique bike that is always the centre of attraction….Will take car or bike in part exchange…No time-wasters please…If you want to stand out from the crowd this is the bike for you.
What I was able to find out was the Henry James made his first bicycle in 1880 and his first motorcycle in 1902, the appropriately named Model A. These first motorcycles were powered by Minerva and then FN four stroke engines. After WWI James moved onto smaller 2 stroke engines until the 1930’s. During the between war period, James appears to have offered a single cylinder, a flat head (side valve for the English readers) and OHV engines like this road racer.
This website has information on motorcycles offered by James and indicated that their Speedway racing bikes were well liked by racers because of the James designed all metal clutch. No indication about the engines used, or if they were James originals. This Road Racer does look a lot like a 1931 Model C1 Delux Super Sport Twin.
After 1934 James moved back into the small, lightweight 2 stokes and continued on this path through WWII. AMC, owners of the AJS and Matchless brands, purchased James in the 1950’s and this likely kept them in the lightweight market. AMC would need a small bike, read Brand Name, to expand its market coverage, and keep the number of competitors down for their heavyweight brands.
The seller tells you that you will be able to stand out from a crown with this James road racer. This is a fact. The question will always be the price. Is it worth the starting bid? That all depends on the bike itself. I would think if this was an all original Speedway bike, since they were only made for a few years, it would be rare. But if there are bids and parts from other years or models, the value will be less. I am a big fan of pre-war race bikes, so if I had the Pound Sterling, I would be bidding here. BB
1965 Velocette Viper
It may seem that I post a Velocette every time one comes up for auction. This may be the case, but it wont be that often as they don’t come up for sale that often. I think it might be a combination of the limited numbers that appeared on our shores, but more likely the owners are very devout and don’t let them go. This 1967 Velocette Viper is offered up on eBay now, so you might take the chance to grab it, because it will be a while until you see one again.
From the seller
I have owned this really nice Velocette Viper 350 for a couple of years during which time I have ridden it only about 500 miles. It is a pleasure to ride but it is a duplicate in my fairly large collection and I have decided to let someone else enjoy it. This fairly rare Viper is well known in the Velocette club with it’s history going back many years.
What makes this bike that little bit more rare is that it is still a Viper. The 349cc Junior bike from Velocette often found itself a donor for a cubic centimeter enhancement. As we can see from this CSBFS post from last April many owners wanted a little more, so they added the bigger jug and plug, to get themselves a Venom.
More from the seller
Although only 350cc this bike really “thumps” along very nicely. You have to rev it a bit more than a Venom but with 27 bhp (compared to the Triumph 3TA Tweny One with 18.5 bhp) this lovely bike still performs very well. Excellent road holding and a smooth gearbox.
The Viper offered its rider 28bhp from its engine with a top speed of 91mph, and to compare my 500cc BMW from the same time only had 26hp. In a world were bigger is better I can see why owners want to up the ante. But the Viper was such a good package, and the British had spent years developing and racing 350cc bikes that they did a good job at it. This Viper on eBay now will get a lot of attention, and it will mostly get the attention for what has not been done to it. BB
1967 Bultaco Metralla
As many people know there was a time in motorcycle history when the 2-stroke was King. Any company that had any desire to compete and win, offered a bike that would scream load and send up clouds of blue smoke. Bultaco was a company who competed, and this Metralla offered up on eBay now is a road bike from a company known for its off road bikes.
From the seller
The Metralla’s were produced in very small numbers and were the street legal version of the Bultaco’s road racer. They outperformed much larger bikes and will top out at over 110mph. They are Simply on of the most beautiful motorcycles ever produced. This motorcycle starts, and runs as nice as when new, it is exceptional and too nice to be used except on special occasions, yearly cruses and for shows and display purposes. You may never see another of these again in this shape. I restored this bike with all the best parts and NOS when ever possible. Super fun and super fast. Front and rear tires are the correct Avon SpeedMaster 18”, the pipe is road race spec. Seat is a café style lather, Custom Rear-Sets, Tommaselli Bars and Throttle assembly, Matador levers, Red Wing rear shocks, Regina drive chain.
The Spanish firm Bultaco had made their name in light, 2 stroke off road bikes. Started by Francisco Bulto in 1958 after Montesa Motorcycles, in which he was a director, closed its racing department. Bulto invited what was left of Montesa racing department to his new company and set to making winning motorcycles. With victories in International Six Day Trials in 1968 and 1970, Bultaco had a very large presence in America with their off road offering. What Bultaco did not offer to the US market were its bikes based on its road racing entrants.
The Metralla was offered as a road going version of its racing TSS model. Numbers I have been able to find show a 250lb bike being pushed along by a 32hp 2-stroke. This was good to push this 250cc bike over 100mph. A unique feature of Bultaco 2-strokes are the way which they metered oil/gas mixture. Instead of having to pre-mix, or having a complicated oil jet system, the Spanish company had and oil tank with a plunger. Every time you filled the tank, you would give a couple plunges, and oil would be pumped into the tank.
The seller believes that this Metralla offered up on eBay is too nice to ride. I don’t think that there are any bikes to good to ride. In fact this bike is such a nice Bultaco it needs to be ridden. Put on a full fairing, clip-ons, rear sets and go out to your local track and enter it in to win. BB
1932 Norton International
When I first saw the auction for this 1932 Norton International, there was hope for me because it was a “Make an Offer” bid. I can make an offer, but will it be accepted? Not likely.
From the seller
According to the VMCC this Norton was supplied to Imperial Motors, Bedford on 8th October 1932 but was only sold nearly two years on, to a Mr King of Bedford in 1934, as for the engine it was supplied to Colmore of Birmingham on 4th Jan 1938, maybe a replacement for the bike?
The International was an Arthur Carroll redesign of CS1 which was designed for Norton by Walter Moore before Moore moved to NSU. (the joke right after Moors departure was that NSU stood for Norton Spares Used) The model 30 in 500cc was first offered in 1931 and continued on until 1957. The model 40 was the same engine design but in the Junior 350cc design. I wish that it was required to keep a log of all changes made to a motorcycle. I have often cursed the PO, and would love to read the reason why they had done what they did. The reason why this bike when from 500cc to 350cc would be a good read.
More from the seller
This bike has not been made out of bits and peices, it has always been a complete machine. The previous owner restored the bike over ten years ago and had the bike 30 plus years before he restored it and was in many boxes, so it has been in the same family for over 40 years. This Norton has only ever been on static display in a house and has never been run since it was completed, no fuel or oil has been in either of the tanks. This is a stunning example with many nice features, it has a smith’s 120mph speedo, smith’s rev counter, left hand side oil filler neck, Amal T.T. carb, Andre stearing damper, rear sets and Brooklands can.
The two components that stick out to me as being must haves on a racing bike are the Brookland can and the left fill oil tank. If you wanted to circle the 2 ¾ high banked racetrack at Brooklands from the early 19’teens until it closed in 1939 the fishtail style exhaust was a requirement. It was developed to quiet down both motorcycles and cars to appease the neighbors of the famous track. The oil tank with a fill to the left means that it is perfectly set up to race around the other primer course of the time, the Isle of Man Mountain Course, as the pit lane was on the left side. So these two items were a must if you wanted to compete at the highest levels.
I will always be excited by pre-war race bikes. They may not have no real suspension. They may be down on power even comparing to classic Honda’s. The bare minimum to make you go the maximum speed has its appeal, and this 1932 Norton has (or lacks) that. Even if I would be limited to lapping the neighborhood a few times before the police were called by the annoyed neighbors. BB
1954 Harley Davidson KR750
Harley Davidson is not the first name you think of when we say Classic Sports Bike. But during the 50’s and 60’s the majority of motorcycle racing done in America was flat track racing, and HD dominated. The weapon of choice was the KR750, and this 1954 Harley Davidson Flathead offered on eBay now can deliver the buyer back to those bar banging days.
From the seller
I finally had it restored in 1996 by former pro dirt-track tuner Jimmy Nichols at Star Cycle here inTucson. The KR is set up as an authentic dirt-track racer, circa 1967-69, complete with fiberglass tank, Tillotson carburetor, big-valve cylinders and full-length straight pipes.Like any other KR it can also be converted to a KRTT for anyone interested in AHRMA road-racing.
First offered in 1952, the K model was a unit construction 45 cubic (737cc) inch motor that was developed to attract buyers who had been exposed to European bikes during WWII. Faster and lighter then the conventional Harley, it was only natural that people start racing them. To support this Harley offered the KR as an over the counter racer.
It is not a surprise that the racing body of the AMA allowed 750cc flat head motors to compete against 500cc OHV engines. The rules had a direct effect on motorcycles offered for sale in America. The rules allowed Harley to continue builing flathead motors until 1969 (when the rules changed). But it also forced British manufactures to build 500cc bikes when they could have increased displacement to satisfy buyers.
From the seller
“-R” model crankcases and cylinders, front-mounted magneto, and ball-bearing crank and camshafts. … I also have a smattering of spare parts, including a Linkert MR-3 carburetor, Smith’s chronometric tach and cable, original friction steering damper, alternative camshafts, an additional cylinder and a few other odds and ends.These I’ll include if the bidding goes high enough.
Flat Trackers are becoming more and more popular, what was once old is new again. This KR750 is the inspiration for flat trackers of today. Simple, light, fast, and not hunched over and riding on your hands. If you are someone who is looking more for a road racing bike, this same KR flat tracker on eBay now can easily be converted to a KRTT with a nice replica full fairing. That is what I would do. BB
1965 BSA Lightning
I will admit that I have been concentrating on Triumphs over the last few months because the boxes of Triumph parts I own are calling to me. But by doing this I have forgotten about the competition that BSA put to Triumph during the boom of British motorcycles. This BSA Lightning offered no on eBay is a very nice example of the A65 powered line of bikes offered from 1962 until 1972.
Developed as a unit engine, the A65 was BSA 650cc twin cylinder to pursue the same market as Triumph and their twins. The unique feature of the BSA design were the four pushrods for the over head valves were all located to the rear of the engine. This opened up the front end to more fresh air to help cool the exhaust valves. Offered in a touring Thunderbolt, mid tuned Lightning and super sport Spitfire gave buyers options.
From the seller
This is a beautiful lightning that has 29 miles on the total engine rebuild and runs very strong, the near perfect gas tank is a N.O.S. that had gas put in it for the first time, gauges are rebuilt, the silencers are original Burgess pipes that have the BSA stampings on them rare to find a set of these, the bike is ready to ride.
The Lightning was the middle sibling of the three levels of tune. It offered 54bhp at 7000rpm, and with its twin carbs and 9.0:1 CR gave a top speed of 110mph. This was only a 10mph slower then the super sporting, and temperamentally tuned Spitfire. Like many things found in the middle, the Lightning was more then just a plodder, but less then a prima dona. The Lightning has the distinction of beeing chosen to wear the full fairing, rocket launching, bad girl riding motorcycle in the James Bond Thunderball.
The seller tells us that this is a recent restoration with very few miles. It does look the part. The chrome is shiny, the paint is bright, the seat is warn, but in good condition. It is easy to forget that this is not a late 70’s early 80’s motorcycle, but a hold over from the 1960’s. So if you are looking for a nice representation of the British invasion of the 1960′s that is not a Triumph, this BSA Lightning would suit you very well. BB
1972 Laverda SFC Replica for Sale
Look, I have a confession to make: I am a big fan of replicas. Not the kind of awful, Fiero-based Lamborghini abominations you see in the “Other Cars” section of eBay. I mean ultra-rare specials built up from more pedestrian examples, like a regular 69 Camaro painted to look like a Yenko, or a 454 SS Chevelle look-a-like with an LS1 stuffed under the hood. Some originals are so rare and wonderful, it seems a shame to drive them the way they were intended: like you stole ‘em.
So that’s what we’ve got here: a more common Laverda SF dressed up to look like the ultra-rare SFC. SFC’s are serious collector’s bikes, racebikes with only the barest nods to street legality. The last one I posted had its road gear in a box… http://www.classicsportbikesforsale.com/laverda-sfc-for-sale/
Based out of Breganze, Italy, the Laverda family started out making agricultural machinery, and this tradition of overbuilt engineering found its way into their motorcycle design. By the late 60’s, the company was developing a big-bore parallel twin. The Laverda reputation for heavy-duty engineering was upheld here: the bikes were solid, reliable machines, with five main bearings in the two-cylinder engine. Parts not manufactured by Laverda were all chosen for their quality and reliability: Ceriani suspension, Bosch ignition components and a Japanese Nippon-Denso starter.
Built to last, the machines were expensive, heavy, and stable, lending themselves to endurance racing. The ultimate evolution of this concept was the 750 SFC [Super Freni Competizione], first produced in 1971.
Highly tuned and filled with quality racing parts, the SFC produced more power than the less exotic road bikes: approximately 71 to 80hp, depending on the year. As you’d expect, they are very rare, with only 549 produced between 1971 and 1976.
Real SFC’s are as rare as hen’s teeth, but this replica has been rebuilt to approximate the genuine article as faithfully as possible, likely at a fraction of the cost.
The original eBay listing can be found here:
1972 Laverda SFC Replica for Sale
This bike has the classic drum brake and a large Veglia tach that looks very similar to the one found on 1980’s Moto Guzzis. That’s not a dig: I love the look.
From the description, the bike appears to be running a total-loss charging system: that is there’s no alternator/generator on the bike currently, so it’s not really set up as a road bike. It would be fairly straightforward to convert it for street duty, but this bike is just begging to be used as a vintage racer.
-tad
1958 BSA Gold Star
If you are not going to be able to make the trip to Las Vegas when three large auction houses are going to role hundreds of bikes across the block, you still have the auction house called eBay to turn to. This 1958 BSA Gold Star is being offered right now, and will give you the same thrill of bidding, just without the travel, hotel, and bad buffet tables.
First offered in 1938, the BSA Gold Star was British Small Arms sporting single for close to thirty years. While BSA and others moved to twin cylinders, and later unit construction, this 500cc single was still offered, and was still at the top of the heap. With the final incarnation, the DBD34 offered 42bhp at 7000rpm, and a top speed of 110mph. The over square 85×88 bore and stroke had the latest and fastest bits to make it a contender in all types of racing even when production ended in 1963.
From the seller
stripe on tank painted not tape,…New tries…motor totally rebuilt by speed and sport in California …rod crank seals valves piston rings coil…everything redone….tach and speedo rebuilt in England….fresh chrome, polish etc everywhere…clear Kentucky title in my name..auction sales on these as much as $26,000.00 at midAmericain Vegas …a rare chance to own an appreciating classic…
As the seller states the Gold Star has seen its value go up substantially in the last few years. Some claim that this is because of “Car Guy” coming into motorcycles, better bang for the buck for people use to spending millions. This is likely a factor and I will be interested to see if this trend continues and those “Car Guys” show up in Vegas in force. If you are someone who has lusted after a Gold Star for years, the time to pick one up might not be right, but I don’t think that it will be getting better. So you may have to click over and out bid your resources just so you can get in on the new ground floor. BB
1974 Moto Morini 3 ½ Sport
I don’t want to stereotype the Italians, but they do have a long history of making nice, sporty, small displacement motorcycles in Red. This Moto Morini offered on eBay now is no acceptation, and even though it is one of the early ones with drum brakes, you will not go wrong bidding on it.
Moto Morini started making motorcycles in 1937 but got lost in the Italian motorcycle industry shuffle in the late 1980’s, early 1990’s. First Cagiva, then Texas Pacific, and then Ducati all owned the name until final production. The Sport was one of its most well known models, and this bike is very well presented.
From the seller
This is the nicest Moto Morini 3 1/2 Brake Sport you will ever see. It is an authentic Drum Brake Sport, as you can see by the large front drum brake and “S” engraved at the base of the front cylinder.
- Bike had a down-to-frame restoration 15 years ago: frame powder coated; forks rebuilt and bike rewired.
- Engine received the “375″ over bore kit on rebuild approximately 4,000 miles ago.
- Timing belts changed and new valves and springs installed.
- New head and wheel bearings.
- Wheels (Borranis) were polished and re-spoked with stainless spokes.
- All new cables and all alloy polished.
- NLM kick-start lever installed
- Ignition re-wired and NLM ignition pick-up installed to replace the unreliable Ducati Electronica item
- Carbs (Dellotto VHB) were rebuilt and tuned
- Forks re-built and have NLM progressive rate springs
- Electronic instrument lights and taillight converted to LEDs
The engine is 344cc 72 degree v-twin that produced 39hp at 8500rpm and had a top speed of 108mph. The “exotic” design was not the small v-twin, but the flat Heron cylinder heads, where the combustion chamber was carved into the piston. By 1975 Moto Morini offered a bored and stroked 500cc v-twin based on the popular 3 ½.
More from the seller
The bike starts on the first or second kick reliably, has great compression and runs perfectly. Everything works as it is supposed to and you will find this is truly a “turn-key” bike. It is in outstanding cosmetic condition and looks brand new. Included is a box of spare parts and a cafe headlight fairing (see pictures) painted to match tank and side covers. There are absolutely NO mechanical issues with this bike and it is in fantastic condition throughout.
A lot of people think that a motorcycle under 650cc is for a child. People think that bigger is better, more is good, go big or go home. (This is true in more then just motorcycles) But I think that anyone who really enjoys motorcycling would get the same kick out of a 344cc Moto Morini as a 900cc Super Sport. It would just cost them a lot less, and would likely keep the number of citations in line. BB
1928 Zenith Racer
Having looked through the auction catalogues in the last couple of days I have been leaning towards bikes made previous to WWII. There is just something in the design of the early motorcycles with just the basics; Engine, Wheels, Frame, Tank. This was not a conscience effort to be minimalist, it was a technological reality that limited builders. This design was best seen in the racing bikes of the 1920’s when all the rider needed were two wheels an engine and gas to make it go. This Zenith from 1928 offered on eBay has these simple components.
Zenith was a company that started making motorcycles in 1904, but like many manufactures of the time, they would purchased engines from engine manufactures. What put them on the scene and ahead of the game was their chief engineer Freddy Barnes. He developed the Gradua gear, an adjustable diameter engine pulley, which when expanded, increased the overall gear ratio. This gave a great advantage over fixed ratio competaters, and got them banned from competition, a fact that they advertised as a badge of honor.
Some information on the Zenith for sale
This GENUINE 20s frame was located and united with this fabulous VINTAGE racing running gear. Frame number is 10424 and simply turned up some time ago at a swap meet …We have no idea of the history of the frame but it is genuine & I would think further research will uncover the numbers on both the engine and frame to be of the finest pedigree. APPEARS FRAME CRADLE EXTENDED AT SOME TIME TO ACCEPT THIS FABULOUS ENGINE, CRAMBED IN ~ IN TYPICLE 20′s RACER STYLE.. The machine will require further fettling to bring to optimun standard
JA Prestwich was a London based engine manufacture who first built their own motorcycles in 1904. Soon afterward they began to offer their engines to any and all Manufactures. With names like Brough Superior, Triumph, AJS, HRD all using JAP engines at one time in their history, you can see that JAP was doing a good job. This was most apparent when Bert Le Vack became the first motorcyclist to round the famous Brooklands racetrack in a JAP powered Zenith at over 100mph, and later set a speed record in 1928 at 124.62 mph on a Zenith/JAP.
Some info on the engine for sale
This machine is fitted with the rare VINTAGE 1928 680 JAPLONDON RACING ENGINE GTO Y/C /1955.. with top oil spray to valves. AS FITTED TO BROUGH SUPERIOR & ZENITH..THE ENGINE HAS BEEN THROUGH BOLTED FOR RACING AND APPEARS EXCELLENT IN EVERY WAY. NEW PISTONS VALVES ETC.. FITTED WITH A RARE TWIN BOWL AMAL CARBURETOR, NICKLE TANK & BROUGHSUPERIORCASTLE FORKS WITH DAMPENING. FRAME IS THE EQUALLY DESIRABLE ZENITH CRADLE TYPE, VERY RIGID VERY STRONG & USED FOR RACING FOR MANY YEARS..6 BOLT STURMEY ARCHER GEARBOX, HAND MADE ALLOY PRIMARIES COMPLETE THIS REMARKABLE RESTORATION.
Collecting and riding racing bikes from the 1920′s would be a wonderful pass time, but it might also be difficult. Where could you ride this bike other then a racetrack. And I would guess that the number of people who have the skill to keep the bike running would be small. The seller looks to have a thing for racing motorcycles as you can see a 19′teens board track racer, and a pre-war DKW two-stroke in some of the pictures. If you are in on the bidding for this Zenith, be prepared to wait on delivery, as it currently sits in Australia.BB
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