Tagged: 1964

Norton / Triumph

Vintage Rider: 1964 Triton for Sale

1964 Triton L Side Rear

It’s interesting that a bastardized hybrid like the Triton could become such an iconic classic motorcycle. It’s an anecdotal observation, but it seems that engine swaps are more acceptable among the motorcycling fraternity than they are in the automotive world. Certainly, there are subcultures of swappers and hot-rodders putting all sorts of engine into cars, regardless of make or model. But they’re looked at a bit askance by more “cultured” enthusiasts… Not so much in the motorcycling world, it seems like. Maybe it’s that motorcycles are easier to work on, more modular. Or maybe it’s that the engines and parts are generally less durable, meaning owners are more likely to have replaced some or all of the original components through attrition…

1964 Triton R Side

The Triton used Triumph’s famous parallel-twin engine and Norton’s justifiably famous “featherbed” frame, combining what was considered to be each bike’s strongest feature and turning them into a high-performance motorcycle: virtually the only custom parts needed to build one were custom engine and transmission mounting plates. Although some established shops built, and continue to build these, many were built in sheds by your average Joe Enthusiast.

1964 Triton L Side Front

Power wasn’t an issue for Norton’s parallel-twin engine, in fact it actually had a bit of an advantage over the Triumph in stock form. But the long-stroke Norton engine was pushing what was considered at the time to be the limits of acceptable piston speed, and the more “square” Triumph engine was more durable by far, and could be easily tuned. The pre-unit construction of both bikes even made it easy to keep the Norton four-speed box that was considered the better choice of the two, although some used the Triumph transmission.

1964 Triton R Side Engine

From the original eBay listing: 1964 Triton for Sale

Good running motorcycle. Its been very reliable and has never given me issues or failed to get me to my destinations. It’s not perfect cosmetically, it’s not a show bike so if that’s what you want then this bike is not for you. Fiberglass tank is solid but paint has some scratches. Fiberglass oil tank is nice, and fiberglass seat is solid but leather cover has some scuffs here and there. The frame is a 1964 Norton Atlas, and powder coated, both front and back fenders are too for that Manx look. Both 19″ Rims and spokes are brand new, laced to a front TLS and rear brake. Avon tires are new too. Forks are rebuilt, new bushings and seals. Swing arm has copper bushings. The ’65 T100R Daytona unit engine has about 3000 miles since rebuilt, converted to single carb. The right side header has a weld due to hairline crack few years ago, it’s been solid since. I consider this bike my daily rider, it’s been garaged these last couple of years. Reason for selling..??.. Now a dad!

This Triton runs very well. The TLS brake does have the backing plate bracket that helps stop this bike well! 

1964 Triton Front Brake

If this were mine, I’d want to source a couple of appropriate Smiths gauges, and I understand that the “twin carburetor” configuration is the hot set-up, but I expect the single carb improves rideability. I’m also not clear on when the bike was originally built: was the recent work a refresh of a vintage Triton build, or was it a more recent conversion? Either way, the seller freely admits this is no show bike, and personally that’s how I like them. These will always need more attention than a modern machine, but it speaks volumes that the seller considers this a “daily rider.”

-tad

1964 Triton R Side Front

Triumph

Steve McQueen Tribute: 1964 Triumph TR6C Trophy for Sale

1964 Triumph Trophy R Side

I don’t often write up Triumphs like this TR6C Trophy because, although they’re the very embodiment of vintage motorcycles, they’re also pretty easy to find: Triumph made a boatload of them, and fans have been collecting and restoring them for years. So when I go looking for cool bikes, there’s almost always something weirder or rarer to write about.

But this particular bike caught my eye, painted up in vivid Gulf Racing colors as a nod to famous Triumph owner and racer Steve McQueen. And who doesn’t love that striking color combo?

1964 Triumph Trophy L Side Rear

Built between 1956 and 1973, the TR6 was designed for the North American market and their hunger for larger displacement motorcycles. It was powered by a 649cc version of Triumph’s long-lived parallel twin with iron barrels and, for the first time, a lightweight aluminum cylinder head. Earlier bikes used pre-unit construction, with the engine and four-speed transmission as separate castings, but 1964 saw Triumph’s use of unit construction that stiffened the package and simplified manufacturing.

1964 Triumph Trophy R Side Tank Detail

The “C” model designation in “TR6C” stood for “competition” and referred to the desert racing at which it excelled. In fact, that tiny headlamp was designed to be easily removed at the track, and then replaced for the ride home. Of course, most people who bought these didn’t race them, but that’s always the case with race-inspired style.

1964 Triumph Trophy L Side Tank

From the original eBay listing: 1964 Triumph TR6C Trophy for Sale

Amazing condition throughout. Professionally restored. Nothing on the market this nice!

New custom “Gulf” paint job, complete professional rebuild with powder coated black rims and many extras. (The blue & orange in the pics look darker than what they actually are).  Google Gulf Racing to see actual colors

 These are the team Gulf colors that Steve McQueen used during his sponsored races in 1964 and other years.

All work was done at a reputable Triumph shop with no expense spared.  Chrome swing arms, black powder coated rims, Mikuni carburetors, new chrome parts, new tires, new clutch plates & cables, etc. etc.

This bike performs and runs strong!  

638 Miles on the speedometer, but this was from when it was restored.

This is a masterpiece! Over $12,000 and a lot of time invested.

1964 Triumph Trophy R Side Rear

Although Triumphs usually require more wrenching than your average Japanese or German or even Italian machine, they’re easy to get parts for, simple to work on, and there’s a ton of information available to help keep them running. In addition, Triumphs are the types of machines that are instantly recognizable by bikers and non-bikers alike and inspire smiles wherever you go.

With a $7,200 Buy It Now price, this one isn’t the cheapest you’ll find and is obviously not all-original, but looks to be well done and very striking in blue and orange. I’m curious to see how Triumph fans react to this bike: is the non-original paint combo going to impact offers on this bike? Is it a bit too loud for your average Triumph fan?

-tad

1964 Triumph Trophy L Side

Velocette

Old World Craftsmanship: 1964 Velocette Venom Clubman Veeline

1964 Velocette Venom R Front Full

1964 Velocette Venom Clubman Veeline. Now that’s a real mouthful of a name, but it just sounds so British. And it is, designed around a classic single-cylinder engine and built by hand by a family-owned company based in Birmingham, UK.

1964 Velocette Venom L Rear

These days, singles are most often associated with offroad and enduro-styled machines, or with practical, budget-minded learner bikes and commuters. But for many years, single-cylinder machines were a mainstay of the motorcycle industry. They played to the basic strengths of the configuration: fewer moving parts meant simplicity, which in turn led to reliability, light weight, and a practical spread of power. And Velocettes were anything but cheap and cheerful: they were famous for their quality construction and innovative designs characterized by gradual, thoughtful evolution and craftsmanship, as opposed to mass-produced revolution as favored by the Japanese manufacturers.

1964 Velocette Venom R Front Detail

Displacing 499cc’s, the Venom’s aluminum overhead-valve engine featured a cam set high in the block to keep pushrods short. It put about 35hp through a four-speed box that included one of Velocette’s innovative features: the first use of the “positive-stop” shift.

1964 Velocette Venom R Rear Detail

From the original eBay listing: 1964 Velocette Venom Clubman Veeline

For sale is my 1964 Velocette Venom Clubman Veeline frame# RS17215 engine #VM5634. It has the Lucas manual racing magneto, Thruxton seat, Thruxton twin leading shoe front brake, 10TT9 carb. 

I bought the bike earlier this year out of the Mike Doyle collection at auction. I don’t have much previous info on the bike, overall it is in great shape. The fairing has some nicks and scratches, and a crack underneath but presents well. To get it going, I changed the fluids, adjusted the clutch, brakes and installed a new 6V battery. After learning “the drill” the bike runs magnificently. I’ve put about 100 miles on it. The clutch works properly and it shifts fine. The TT carb is a challenge to tune and be civil around town so I’m in process of bolting on a new monobloc. The TT comes in a box. It does weep some oil out of the clutch while running so it comes with a new o-ring seal and felt gasket along with a few other bits and bobs like new rubber grommets for the cables and shock bushings.  

This is a very complete and highly original bike showing 6229 miles. I have a California title and it’s currently registered in my name. No reserve, happy bidding.

Update 10/7 – Finished installing the Amal monobloc and the bike runs and idles great, was able to take it for a putt. It doesn’t need a choke so I left it off, but comes with the choke parts and a new cable. I’ll post a video of the bike running on Saturday. One other item to note is that the decompression lever and cable are missing. 

1964 Velocette Venom L Side

The “Clubman” designation indicated higher-performance specifications, including higher compression and a bigger carburetor, along with a sportier riding position and a closer-ratio gearbox. The “Veeline” featured the optional fairing, making this particular example relatively rare.

Velocettes make ideal collectable British singles, owing to their high-quality construction and relative reliability. With several days, bidding is up to $7,800 with the reserve not yet met. I’m relatively unfamiliar with the current value of these, but this appears to be in very nice condition, and that fairing, will not especially sleek, is very distinctive!

-tad

1964 Velocette Venom R Front

Ducati

Jewel-Like Racer: 1964 Ducati 250 F3 Race Bike for Sale

1964 Ducati 250 Race Bike R Side Low

Small bikes are big business these days, especially when the words “Ducati” and “race bike” are involved, and this little Ducati 250 F3 might be at the top of the heap. While Ducati’s improbable victory at Imola cemented their big v-twin in everyone’s mind as the bike to have and gave them credibility in the eyes of the American market with their insatiable hunger for moar powah, much of their racing and street history is built around bikes like this single cylinder machine.

1964 Ducati 250 Race Bike Dash

In fact, the first bike to feature their signature spring-less Desmo system was a single cylinder bike. Which makes sense, since the primary advantage of the system would have been most pronounced in the 1950’s, during the era when “hairpin” valve springs were still prevalent in motorcycle engines and metallurgy of the time reduced spring performance at the screaming revs that gave race winning power on track.

1964 Ducati 250 Race Bike R Side Engine

These days, single-cylinder racing is generally a budget endeavor, a stepping-stone for newer racers to show their stuff on a relatively level playing field that allows their skill and ruthlessness to shine. But racing singles from this era are anything but budget, regardless of the spec sheet: the racing 250 shared virtually no parts with the street version. Bikes like the F3 had their own frames, engines, suspensions, and brakes with basically no parts interchangeability with roadgoing models.

1964 Ducati 250 Race Bike R Side Tank Detail

From the original eBay listing: 1964 Ducati 250cc F3 Corsa for Sale

I AM INTERESTED IN TRADING OFF THIS DUCATI FOR A 1972 OR LATER HARLEY DAVIDSON  XR750TT OR OTHER INTERESTING RACE OR CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE OR VINTAGE FORMULA CAR!

Very rare one of only a few true F3 250cc that Ducati produced. Professionally restored and documented by Altinier Motorsports Treviso Italy. This is a beautiful motorcycle that would make an excellent addition to any garage or collection.

Well known sportbike manufacturer Ducati has always been deeply immersed in motorcycle roadracing, and its premier engineer, Fabio Taglioni, was a talented designer of fast motorcycles. In the 1950’s, Ing. Taglioni developed an overhead cam lightweight with desmodromic valves that became the bike to beat in international lightweight racing. Later versions of this bike came with double overhead cams. Many of the world’s top rider rode a Ducati lightweight at some point in their careers.
Walter Villa was one of the most famous GP racers of the Sixties and Seventies. Winning four GP titles in the 250 and 350 classes in 1974, 1975 and 1976. It is believed that this 250 is his personal mount, based on an inspection by his brother. Both the engine and frame have significant differences from other motorcycles built by Ducati.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A BUILT UP 175cc!!

Located in Southern California.

NOTE! This motorcycle is selling on a BILL OF SALE ONLY! There are no titles on factory race motorcycles!

These are extremely rare, with very few 250’s being built. According to a previous auction of this bike through Bonhams, there may have been as few as five or six ever built. There are so many cool details on Ducatis of this period: that little cut out in the bottom of the tank for the carburetor bellmouth and the little clips that hold on what I suspect is an inspection cover on the left-hand side of the engine case. Any owners want to chime in and tell me what’s hiding behind that?

1964 Ducati 250 Race Bike Carb

While it’s still possible to find sporty Ducati singles on a reasonable budget if you’re looking to participate in events like the Moto Giro, this probably isn’t one you’d consider: a previous auction of this very bike in 2012 netted $81,000… With plenty of time left on the auction and bidding only up to around $12,000 I’d expect we have a long way to go yet!

-tad

1964 Ducati 250 Race Bike L Side

Honda

Trapped in Amber: 1964 Honda CB160 Roadracer CR93 Replica

1964 Honda CB175 Roadracer R Side

This week’s race-replica theme continues with a very pretty little Honda CB Roadracer.

The CR93 “Benly” that inspired this machine is from an era when Honda wasn’t a household name associated with clockwork precision motorcycles of unprecedented complexity and unheard of reliability. These were very rare production 125 racers were produced in small numbers for only two years, putting out 21hp from the gear-driven, four-valve per cylinder parallel twin.

It was simple, but sophisticated, with reliable engineering and adequate power, and it was very competitive on race tracks until the 1970’s.

This very slick replica is based on the CB160 and is probably pretty close to the real thing in terms of performance: it’s lower in specification, with only two valves per cylinder and single overhead cam, but the larger displacement means very similar outright power, and more torque.

From the original listing: 1964 Honda CB Roadracer for Sale

This CB160 Based HondaCR93 Replica is in Great condition, Difficult to distinguish from the Original Factory machines of which only 140 approx. where Produced. Located in my rec. room for the past years. Only top Quality items where purchased to complete this 175cc CR93 Replica. it has never been raced or Track day’d.

Rebuilt Crank
Megacycle Race Cam # 122X4
5 speed transmission installed, 1 down 4 up.
New Pistons, Rods,Bearings & Seals Installed.
New Carbs, Keihin PE24mm Race Cams
Custom Handmade Alum CR93 Tank & Seat  Painted in Original Honda CR Colors.
Electronic Ignition, Dayna Coils
Alum Valanced (Dropped ) Rims with Avon Race Tires.
Stainless Steel Spokes
Torozzi Alum Rearsets
Honda CR93 type Steering Dampner
Ikon (Koni ) rear Shocks
Some spare items, Pistons, Gaskets, Cables etc.

1964 Honda CB175 Roadracer L Side Naked

I’d prefer a few more photos of this bike, since it looks to be a high-quality replica. And he mentions both the CB160 and CB175 in his description although, given the year, I’d assume it’s based around the 160. He lists frame and engine numbers, so some quick research should clear things up if you’re considering throwing your hat into the ring on this one.

I’m not sure what the point of this build was originally: it’s an authentic-looking replica that appears to have been intended for display only, but that uses many high-performance parts and appears to be set up for serious track work. Which is a shame, since people actively race CB160 and CB175 Hondas, and I’ve been thinking about getting into this myself: it’s still cheap and unintimidating, with parts and tuning advice widely available.

The seller even mentions AHRMA, WERA, VRRA, and Group W in the listing, suggesting it’s eligible for those race-sanctioning bodies.

The reserve hasn’t been met yet at $3,200 which is no real surprise, considering how much work it looks like went into this build. I hope someone picks this up and gets it out on the road.

-tad

 

1964 Honda CB175 Roadracer R Side Naked

Norton

1964 Norton Atlas Race Bike for Sale

1964 Norton Atlas L Rear

Powered by Norton’s proven parallel twin and suspended in their simple and rigid “Featherbed Frame”, the bike, the Atlas features classic British styling and an evocative name. The British biking industry is rightly famed for its singles and parallel twins, and Norton used both to great effect, first with their long-lived Manx, a bike so elemental and right it was competitive literally for decades, then in a line of twins starting with the Dominator.

1964 Norton Atlas R Rear

The 500cc Dominator gave way to the 750cc Atlas. With lower compression and a single carburetor, it wasn’t much more powerful than the “Dommie” on paper, but supplied the torque and displacement required for strong US sales, the major goal of the model. As displacement grew, so did vibration, to the point where a solution was required before the introduction of the later Commando.

1964 Norton Atlas Dash

Reving to 7,500rpm and making over 70hp, this particular bike might possibly vibrate enough to shake your teeth loose, but it’s intended as a race bike so that really shouldn’t matter too much! And it has all that wonderful naked metal to stare at while the feeling comes back into your hands and feet.

1964 Norton Atlas R Suspension

From the original eBay listing: 1964 Norton Atlas Race Bike for Sale

Here’s a professionally built, fully sorted Norton Atlas 750 race bike. The bike was built, developed and raced by Les Cook of Cook’s Norton Service as a rolling business card in AHRMA’s BEARS (British European American Racing Series) class. The frame is a modified slimline Norton featherbed, WITH TITLE!

This final version of the bike spares no expense in terms of mechanical components. Nearly everything is top shelf (and very pricey) aftermarket, from the Steve Maney Racing engine, ignition, exhaust, and belt drive, to the TT Industries, drum selector, magnesium-cased racing gearbox. Just the Maney parts and TT Industries gearbox sell new for approximately $15k. Add to that alloy fuel, oil and catch tanks, shouldered alloy wheels, Lockheed Racing caliper front disk, Grimeca cush-drive rear hub, Works Performance shocks, electronic racing tach, two race seats (Manx-style and alloy cone type), Amal Mk2 carbs, magnesium steering clamps, and Cosentino Engineering cartridge fork internals, and the major parts total grows to well over $22k, before considering all the miscellaneous items: cables, manifolds, clip-ons, timing set, race tires, chain, petcocks, plumbing, hand and foot levers, and wiring. Figure another $1k for those items. Then there’s professional assembly of the race engine, $3-5k. So, just the parts and engine build and we’re around $27k. But then, this bike is complete, available now, fully sorted, fully safety-wired and with a fabricated alloy belly pan, newly made fairing mounts (no fairing though). If you tried to build a Norton slimline featherbed-based race bike of similar specification, you’d be in to it for at least $25-30k, plus a few hundred hours more in assembly, tuning, sorting, safety wiring, etc. What’s your time worth?

According to Les’s dyno sheets, this bike generates 72.1 rear wheel horsepower at 7400 rpm and 59.1 ft-lbs torque at 5300 rpm. Importantly, hp was 70 or higher from 6500 to 7500 rpm and torque is 50 ft-lbs or more from 4200-7500rpm. This is a well-tuned, well-sorted stonker of an engine!

1964 Norton Atlas Carbs

The listing also includes a comprehensive account of the parts that went into the build and a bit of history. This bike isn’t quite complete, but wouldn’t take very much to make it so: just add fairing. Or you could just ride it as-is. Take this beast to the track, or maybe convert it to street duty? I wonder just what that would require… Either way, you’ve got some pretty serious performance on tap for a fifty year old motorcycle!

Bidding is almost at $13,000 with five days left on the auction. Jump in now for this chance to own a fire-breathing British classic!

-tad

1964 Norton Atlas L Side

 

Norton / Triumph

1964 Triton for Sale

1964 Triton L Side

I don’t often write up Triumphs here because they’re comparatively not all that rare. TriTONS, however, fit the bill and this 1964 example is exactly the kind of bike you’d want to buy: reluctant but knowledgeable seller, great pictures, extensive details on the bike, and several videos, one of which is a clearly narrated walk-around with cold start.

1964 Triton L Front

Tritons by nature are all custom-built and they vary in terms of quality depending on who put them together. An attempt to combine the reliable power of a Triumph engine with the sharp handling of a Norton “Featherbed” frame, these homebrews became a bit of a cottage industry for a while in the 60’s and 70’s, with many reputable shops assembling them. Parts between the two original machines can be mixed and matched, depending on the builder’s preferences, since the pre-unit gearboxes that featured on both give a bit of choice: some bikes used the Norton gearbox, others the Triumph.

1964 Triton Dash

While the resulting machine wasn’t necessarily much faster than the original Norton, it was definitely more reliable.

From the original eBay listing: 1964 Triton for Sale

This bike embodies the soul of vintage British racing motorcycles. From the days of early Isle of Man TT and hybrid experimental motorcycles.
This is an actual cafe racer! Not your neighbors CB360 with a seat pan kit.
First time ever listed on ebay. Here is your ONE time chance to own it. I will not relist it after this auction concludes.

1964 Triton Oil Tank

There’s a ton of information in the original listing, so make sure you take a look if this piques your interest. The walk-around video in particular is confidence-inspiring, and the shorter video of the bike revving gets the blood pumping. I’m not a big fan of the look of high-pipes in general, but you can’t argue with the sounds this one makes: to me, hotted-up Triumphs always sound like a pair of dirtbikes revving together, an appealingly playful sound that encourages you to annoy the traffic around you by blipping the throttle at stoplights…

1964 Triton R Tank

The seller claims this one won’t be offered again if it doesn’t sell, and there’s only a couple days left on this auction, so if you’re in the market for a nice British twin, move quickly!

-tad

1964 Triton R Side

Ducati

1963 Ducati Diana 250 for Sale

1963 Ducati Diana 250 L Front

Well, this is always a pleasure to find: a classic bike in beautiful shape with clear photography and a detailed description. While other manufacturers found sales success in the US with the bigger-displacement machines that are so popular here, Ducati continued to plug away with its more European offerings that emphasized handling over outright power. The Diana featured very sophisticated specifications for such a small machine, including a “unit” design for the engine and gearbox, all-aluminum construction, and a overhead cam driven by a distinctive tower shaft that can be seen on the right side of the engine.

1963 Ducati Diana 250 R Rear

A combination of light weight and a broad spread of useable power meant that the tiny machine could compete with much larger bikes and still handle curves like an outright racer.

The natural light, detail shots do show some very minor imperfections, but that’s no shame as the seller freely admits to actually riding this little jewel. It’s also not completely original, as this particular example has basically been brought up to Diana Mark III spec with valve, carb, and cam upgrades that allowed power to be boosted at the expense of a narrower powerband, which was in turn mitigated by the extra gear in the transmission.

1963 Ducati Diana 250 R Engine

From the original eBay listing: 1963 Ducati Diana 250 for Sale

This is a rare, early Diana before the more common red/black MK III model.   But the engine has been upgraded to the MK III specs with MK III Cam, SSI 27 carb, high compression piston, and 40mm intake valve, 36mm exhaust (I think, don’t remember for sure).  Some features of this model and this particular bike:

7 rib early brake drums
Borrani WM1/WM2 rims
Painted spokes per original
Original tread pattern Chin Shen tires
Front brake Ferrodo linings, turned to fit drum per vintagebrake.com
Nimh 5 cell battery (no acid) and disconnect inside tool box
Clear title (states 1964, most Ducatis I have bought are titled the year following build)
Good kick start gears and upgraded spring
Seat carcass and cover newly made
Aluminum castings carefully cleaned to retain original finish, no bead blasting!
Has correct “stilleto” clutch and brake levers.  Very cool and not PC.

Engine has been rebuilt with all new bearings, piston, guides, valves, etc.  It hasn’t been run in 5 years but I squirted gas in the carb this morning and it fired right up!  Tank is clean and dry.  Does not leak oil, feel free to display indoors but it would be more fun to ride!

Things not correct with the bike:

No choke cable to carb.  Doesn’t need it.
NOS muffler has same diameter as header pipe.  SS tubing sleeve connects the two.  (Reproduction muffler readily available)
High handle bars discarded for the lower ones on the bike.  This model sometimes came with clip-ons which are readily available.
5 speed engine per explanation above.  There is no visually apparent difference.  4 speed engine cases (included) match title.

1963 Ducati Diana 250 R Tank Detail

Bidding is up to $6k with the reserve not yet met, but that’s no surprise, given the condition. This is one of those “if you’re looking for one of these, this is the one to buy” situations, and I’d expect any additional expense will be well worth it. Maybe not completely original, but it’s hard to argue with the results. Even the updated 5 speed box makes good sense, and the original 4 speed is included if you feel the need for that sort of authenticity.

The seller states that you should “feel free to display it indoors but it would be more fun to ride” and I heartily agree!

-tad

1963 Ducati Diana 250 R Side

Moto Morini

1964 Moto Morini Corsarino for Sale

1964 Moto Morini Corsarino L Front

“Tiddler Week” continues with one I’ve never seen before: a 1964 Moto Morini Corsarino. Corsarino translates to “little pirate” so it’s clear this bike was intended to introduce youths and learners to the world of motorcycles, giving Morini an entry-level product to hopefully keep buyers “in the family” as they moved up to a bigger bike. Interestingly, this bike is powered by a 48cc four-stroke, making it very unusual for the class and making for a more refined experience when compared to the rattly little two-strokes that usually powered such inexpensive machines.

1964 Moto Morini Corsarino R Rear

Early Corsarinos featured a three-speed, twist-grip shift similar to a scooter, but later examples like this one switched to a four-speed foot-shift that was more in keeping with the “real” motorcycle style. I’m not sure if Morini ever actually produced an actual “SS” model. I expect this is just the builder’s name for this particular customized, racier example.

1964 Moto Morini Corsarino R Tank

Unfortunately, the original eBay listing doesn’t have much useful information: 1964 Moto Morini Corsarino for Sale

Really fabulous Moto Morini Corsarino “Little Pirate” Has won its class in numerous shows. Including the prestigious Harvest Classic.
It is rare to find A Corsarino of this quality it appears to be all original.
This Morini runs great and needs nothing. Please look at the detailed pictures carefully as they really tell the story.

1964 Moto Morini Corsarino Dash

Luckily, the listing does in fact include a bunch of pictures, and they are pretty great. You’ve got to love that little cartoon pirate!

1964 Moto Morini Corsarino Tools

Bidding seems pretty slow so far, and I really have no idea what a bike like this is worth. But it seems like it’d be a pretty great addition to anyone looking for a small-displacement bike. This thing is cool as hell, and I seriously wish I had the cash to drop on it. If it breaks and you can’t find parts for it, you could at least park it up in your livingroom and look at it!

-tad

1964 Moto Morini Corsarino R Side

 

 

Norton

1964 Norton Café for Sale

One of my riding buddies has recently been bitten by the Britbike bug and brought this machine to my attention.  It’s a really neat example of why I like these sorts of café bikes: like old American muscle cars, you can mix and match and really make them your own, if you’re not particularly concerned with originality and don’t subscribe the insidious Numbers Matching club.

This particular example appears to have a 1964 Norton Atlas frame stuffed full of 750 Commando goodness and is festooned with all of the best period Rocker bling.

The change to the Commando engine is not explained by the seller, but the bike would likely receive the same benefits as the Commando when compared to the Atlas: improved center of gravity, increased space for carburetors, and rakish good looks.

Of course, without the Commando’s Isolastic frame to control the big twin’s vibration, numb hands might be an issue…

It’s hard to say what sort of performance this bike has for sure and the seller makes no claims, but a healthy Norton twin should make 50-odd hp, enough to comfortably keep up with modern traffic and provide plenty of back-road entertainment.

The original add includes a list of recent maintenance that has been done and a link to a page of excellent, high-quality images:

1964 Norton Café for Sale on eBay

The ad also includes an video of the bike being offered:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10hFwnDokIE

At the time of this writing, the bidding is up to $4050.00 with the reserve not yet met.  No surprise, given the apparent quality of the bike on offer.

-tad