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Motorcycle Discussions => British Bikes => Topic started by: Nimrod on March 19, 2006, 08:11:24 AM

Title: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: Nimrod on March 19, 2006, 08:11:24 AM

A project was started circa early 70's to produce a competitive 500 GP racer. I seem to remember a bike being produced- a 500 2 stroke twin, but then the memory gives up on me. Does anyone else remember this project ? Am I thinking of the QUB/ Seeley or is senility catching up on me ??

Title: Re: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: L.A.B. on March 19, 2006, 08:19:49 AM

There's mention of a 500 two stroke single here, could that be it?http://www.race.iofm.net/d.htm

Title: Re: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: Nimrod on March 21, 2006, 05:44:24 PM

Quote

There's mention of a 500 two stroke single here, could that be it?http://www.race.iofm.net/d.htm

The bike was definately a twin and may have been based on two Villiers Starmaker engines. The last time I heard the bike mentioned was in the mid 80's when I was told it was or had been kept at Dawson Harmsworth in Sheffield[the Astralite wheels people]

Title: Re: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: TBS on March 22, 2006, 01:07:26 AM

I remember the Sparton 500cc racer made by Sparton Engineering.

Title: Re: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: L.A.B. on March 22, 2006, 04:53:50 AM

More Sparton (Barton Motors I believe?) info:http://www.tz350.net/aftermarket_frames2.net.htm#sparton

Also Barry Hart developed 350/458/500?cc  water-cooled triples based on the Suzuki GT380 engine lower end with his own water cooled cylinder block during this period.

Title: Re: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: TBS on March 22, 2006, 04:19:56 PM

Then there was Peter Inchley with the Hi-Tac Suzuki, but the best known was the "Silver Dream machine" racer film with David Essex !!

Title: Re: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: Nimrod on March 25, 2006, 07:42:02 AM

EUREKA!!!! I've found it. It was the DMW Typhoon started in 1964 using 2 Starmaker engines. [The Sparton threw the old braincells into confusion]
If anybody's interested just do a search for DMW Typhoon.    ;D

Title: Re: British 500 2 stroke GP racer
Post by: Nimrod on March 26, 2006, 06:53:17 PM

The scrapping of this project shows the attitude of the major British manufacturers in the 60s. Full marks to a small outfit like DMW, but obviously they could only afford to go so far on their own. 70bhp and a decent rider[we had loads of these in the 60s] should have provided a good enough start.
If Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki had shown the same interest in racing as the Brits then we would never have got past vertical twins.