Elswick Lincoln Imp project finished

The Lincoln Imp is finally ready for action. The build threw up a few challenges and resulted in some last minute swapping around of components but the end result looks a whole and right so you can't ask for much more.

Since the last post on the build the Imp has lost all the components that we proving tricky to fit and gained a set of Sturmey Archer Steelite hub wheels. These wheels were robbed from the Jack Hearne cycle I have but in turn the 27" wheels and Mafac brakes that were planned for the Imp fitted the Hearne a treat so it seemed like the right thing to do.

The Imp had been proving very difficult to fit a more recent gearset to. The Campag Nuovo Record rear mech had to be subjected to some judicious filing to get it to fit, the Mafac brakes were lacking in reach at the rear and the final straw was that the Campag gear lever proved to be impossible to fit on to the Benelux braze-on without some serious modification. Luckily I found that the new era Sturmey Archer three speed thumb shifter can be dismantled and fitted on to a derailleur lever mount.

The only component left to source was a saddle. I picked up a Selle Italia retro job.  It finishes off the cycle nicely. Overall very happy with the end result. The huge frame / wheel clearances caused by the drop to 700c wheels give me some aesthetic concerns but I think moving up to a more generous tyre size should sort that out. The Imp is currently on 23 width tyres and should be able to go up to 28 no problem.

Time to start scouring parts for the next build. A Sun Manxman, more on that one to come.

Mafac drilled levers, GB stem and moustache bars.

New school Sturmey lever fits nicely onto the braze-on mount.

Sturmey Steelite hub and nice pinstriping on the Imp.

All its glory. The forks look bent but it's just the angle.

A fine looking cycle

Just need to get out and use it.

Velocette brochure 1952

The Velocette brochure from 1952 when there were just two models in the range: the steadfast MAC which had just had its Dowty air forks replaced by Velo's own design in 1951 and a re-design of cylinder head for 1952 and the Mk II Little Engine model introduced the year before. Velocette had all their hopes pinned on the LE but by 1952 reality had already dawned that it wasn't going to be the mass market seller that they had hoped for. Wonderful design though the LE may well have been the public were not particularly interested in a pricey, highly sophisticated two wheeler of very modest power. Particularly not when a BSA Bantam could perform the same duties for a lot less money..

1952 Velocette brochure front cover.

1952 Velocette brochure fold up flap.

1952 Velocette brochure fold out centre.

1952 Velocette brochure rear cover.

BMW Surefoot side stand

Work on tarting the R100RS continues at a relaxed pace. One of the first jobs was to get a Surefoot side stand from Motobins. Airhead Beemers are great bikes but one thing that BMW never got right is the side stand. The o/e sprung self returning stand is a liability for moving the bike around the workshop. The stand springs up at the slightest righting movement of the bike and is in a pig of a position to reach to put back down. I was beginning to feel that it was only a matter of time before I dropped the bike and damaged the fairing.

I had a Surefoot stand on my first BMW, an R65 fitted with RS fairing, so I know from experience what fine devices they are. The support for the bike is rock solid and ergonomically they are in exactly the right place.

The stand bracket is integrated with the left hand riders footrest. They are offered as an exchange for your existing footrest so on ordering you need to pay a deposit for a new footrest which is returned once you send your old one in. Fitting the Surefoot is very straightforward. Removing the o/e stand less so as you need to push through one of the lower engine mount bolts to release it; I found that I had to remove the lower right hand section of the fairing to knock the bolt back home. Overall though, well worth the effort and expense, certainly a lot cheaper and easier than ending up fixing the fairing after dropping the bike.

1976 BMW R100RS fitted with Surefoot sidestand.

Close up of the BMW Surefoot side stand.

'Trusty' Triumph Model H military combo

A fine detailed photo of a Model H Triumph with wicker sidecar. It came to me with the description 'Nairobi, 1st World War'. I've got no verification of this. Certainly the period looks right, one of the riders is in uniform and the background could be vaguely tropical. Whatever the case a great image.

Triumph Model H with wicker chair doing service in Kenya.

VMCC Stonehenge Whitsun Run

 Some photos from a jaunt on the Norton Dommi over to the VMCC Stonehenge Whitsun Run. A cracking ride over to Drusilla's Inn with the pleasure of following behind a Series D Vincent Rapide for most of the way. Sadly not enough spare time to ride the run so just took some snaps, had a natter and waved folks off.

The start of the run is in spitting distance of Horton Tower,
built in 1750 as a folly by the Lord of Horton Manor. A folly
is of course a building with no purpose though it is speculated
that Horton Tower was perhaps built either as an observatory or
a viewing post for hunts. Now it is sadly slightly neglected
and used as a mobile phone mast. 

Velocette KSS.

Great to see a D1 Bantam still giving service to a learner rider.

Ariel KH 500cc twin in extremely tidy condition. It sports an
alloy barrel, I haven't heard of any later model 500 twins
being fitted with one so I am assuming it comes from an
earlier KHA model.

Close up of the alloy top half on the Ariel twin as above.

1948 Velocette MSS that has been in single
family ownership most of its life. Heavily modified
back in the day and all the better for it. It was
supplied by Bob Fosters in Parkstone and was
originally girder fork / rigid frame. 

The same 1948 MSS Velo. Early on it gained a McCandless
swinging arm. The girder forks were dropped in favour of Dowty
air forks. It now has regular Velo teles fitted. The front brake
is a BSA 8 inch and there are several goodies from a KSS
model fitted, notably the oil and petrol tanks.

A modern take on the Triton theme. Norton
wideline chassis with Hinckley Triumph engine
and front end.

The Hinckley Triton again. It all fits together quite nicely
and the quality of the execution is excellent.

A close up of the Hinckley Triton.

Pre-war HRD Meteor out and about. Nice to
see that they're not all hidden away in
collections.

Brand New Francis Barnett Motorcycles

Last weekend saw the official re-launch of Francis Barnett. at Coventry's Motofest. There is currently one model, the Merlin. Details aren't given but from spec and appearance the Merlin seems to use the Chinese HMC 125cc platform, the same as used by Boneshaker Choppers for their Mutt.

The Mutt has a more contemporary brat / flat track style whilst the Merlin goes for late fifties off road styling which to my eyes they've got bang on. Looks-wise the bike does have the feel of the original FBs, quite an achievement given that they are using a generic platform. It's easy to be a hater and dismiss the bike as just another re-badged Chinese job but this is the modern world and it's simply impossible to launch a new model small bike without huge investment. 

The performance of the running gear is already long-proven and the style is right, let's hope we see a few of them out and about in the near future.  

New model Francis Barnett Merlin.

BSA C12

Period snap of proud owner with shiny and new looking BSA C12.

BSA C12 period photo.