classic motorcycle forum

In 1936, Turner Brothers in Melbourne advertised the Simplex Villiers in a range of sizes and models - see adverts attached. Burman gearbox, they say.

There seems to be no secret that the bikes were "just landed" from the UK, albeit "fitted with the latest improvements to suit Australian conditions". The usual story!

However I think I'm correct in saying "the famous English Simplex Villiers" was not marketed in the UK as a Simplex.

Any ideas who made it for Turner Bros?

Cheers

Leon

Hi All,

I'm trying to identify the "hidden" bike in this photo.

For a number of reasons I think it might be a 1936 Triumph Tiger 70, but I can't find a photo of a very early Tiger 70 to compare with. The story goes that the Tigers were introduced in April 1936, and I suppose these first models were "1936 Models". The 1937 Models were announced later in the year, but I think they had the fork damper on the lower fork spindle.

But what would I know? The features that might help identify the bike are the smaller headlamp, absence of lower headlamp brackets, damper on the top of the fork, and a shapely chrome-plated tank with a transfer which is not the usual 1936 pattern. Does anyone have an illustration of a Tiger 70 when announced in April 1936?

Thanks in advance,

Leon

Hi,

I'm trying to rebuild a 1932 Lycett Aero saddle in an authentic way, but I can't find the elastics or the clips that hold them on to the saddle frame. I recall these were available some years ago, but I can't find them now. I see many sets of springs, but I want to use elastics. Any ideas?

Thanks

Leon

I've been researching Rudge racers in Australia in the 1930s. Over the past year or so I've been digging a 1932 racing Rudge from a pile of Rudge parts. So far it has been identified from its engine and frame numbers as a Works bike, one of four 500cc machine built for the 1932 I.O.M. Senior T.T.  It was shipped to Melbourne in October 1932, and raced in events such at the Australian G.P. and Australian T.T. (at Phillip Island and Bathurst, but not on the circuits used now).

As well as this bike, there were 6 or 7 other "Works" or "Special" Rudges here. I'm now desperate to find photos of Rudges racing in Australia in the 1930s, particularly photos where the bike can be clearly seen. Riders were people like George Hannaford, Don Bain, "Reg East" (Norm Osborne), Les Sherrin, ...

The photos are needed to help sort out who rode what when!

Here's a photo of "Reg East" on his 1931 Works Rudge on which he won the 1932 Australian GP and the 1933 Australian TT, both held at Phillip Island. In 1933 it was muddy! ALso a photo of the 1932 Works Rudge.

Thanks in advance,

Leon

OK, I'm puzzled.

I'm helping a friend to sort out his shed, and one of the items is this Norton "Inter" project. The engine number is 64131 (which seems to give 1936 from my list - sounds OK), but the frame number 43739 has me baffled. I thought that Norton numbers in the 1930s were in the same range for engine and frame, but a plunger frame would have to be either late 1930s (1938/39) Inter, or perhaps postwar Inter/ES2.

Now in my list the years/first numbers go:
1937    69800
1938    81500
1939    87920

1945      1001
1946   A 2131
1947   B 7756
1948   C 13792
1949   D 20701

Can someone tell me what the frame is?

Thanks

Leon

Yes I know I'm part of a very small group of people who think of 1920s bikes as "a bit modern". For loonies like us there is not much on offer in the current crop of glossy "classic" magazines.

Not much point in sulking; better to produce your own! Because Serpolette's Tricycle is free, and only a click or two away, it can't hurt to have a look at the first issue: just go to http://earlymotor.com and follow the links from there. If you like what you see, add your name to the mailing list for future monthly issues. Beware, you might catch the early motor bug.

Cheers

Leon

I am currently "recomissioning" an Excelsior fitted with a racing Villliers motor. Unfortunately it is not mine!

The provenance of the Brooklands Villiers motor in the bike is pretty good: it was brought out to Australia in 1929, and was used to set records at races on Sellicks Beach (south of Adelaide) on January 1, 1930. The flying mile was knocked off in 57 seconds - about 63 mph, which is not bad for a 172cc motor. The cylinder had Brooklands cast across the lower rear flange. The engine number is S 43002.

But what of the cycle parts? It is said that the motor, after racing in various events in various frames in the early 1930s, was reunited with its original frame parts and Albion close ratio box, and restored some 20-30 years ago. Does this seem plausible? The front fork is Druid with side springs. The frame has a couple of numbers: on the right side of the seat lug it has 372 in rather small numerals, and on the left side of the head lug down towards the front down tube it has 3  L300 stamped in larger letters. The Albion box is stamped ER 278 on the bottom right corner of the timing side end cover.

I doubt that the bike has been ridden any distance since restoration - there are some issues!

Comments welcome.

Leon