classic motorcycle forum

I'd have thought that early box would have a value in excess of a WD16H one?

 


I've been on bikes for 55 years now, would not change one minute of my motorcycling. Apart from the sheer fun of riding,it got me a ace wife, 40yrs and still arguing, a business, some really good mates.

I have always encouraged lads into motorcycling, as I tell them its the most fun you can have with your clothes on, and cheaper and often less grief as you can easily junk the dud ones.

My problem is, I have seen so many promising lads put off bikes  for life because they were sold a pup which cost a fortune in repairs, no one restored anything after 1930 back then; or they bought something totally unsuitable, or got bad advice from some cackhanded "expert". All those poor saps that bought Pride and Clarkes specials for instance, Pannonias, TWN, Guzzi Lodolas, CZ and found they could not get spares or service and the seller did not give a toss.

Put off for life they were. I see danger of it being repeated with Kempton Park specials. It's the hard blunt truth that these are not suitable for beginners to start with, plenty of old tat British two strokes about instead. Unsellable, sometimes un-insurable, totally unsuited for the roads except for Buzzing club runs and the like, so you get stuck with them.

The French don't want to help,they hate us anyway; I was member of the Motobecane club, the biggest in France, getting anything out of them was like drawing teeth. I used to go back and forth a lot so bought my stuff at jumbles there, where they are happy to take our money. Advice? forget it. Spares? not from private people, as I said, ebay.fr is ok but postage rates especially for parts outside of France varies considerably, often depending on the post master/mistress.

Motorcycles are great, restoring them is mostly a lot of fun and learning, riding them is great, but don't start on a Kempton special.

Looking for fellow owners is naive its probably the only one in the UK.

If Tony wants any help with French terms or sites I can help, don't expect song and dance and pretty things. I bought my experience hard.

Yes I am a crusty sod, the crust comes of years in the bike trade followed by the despair at the things some folk waste time and money on.

each to his own or  à chacun son goût as the frogs say.

I am 90% that your engine is an Ydral; these engines were quit ewidely used in all sorts of vehicles from invalid trikes, to mini cars or velo moteurs in which France abounded after the war. That's the 1939-45 one not the Falklands which is about as far back as some's memory goes.
They seem to have been reliable enough units so engine stuff is possibly easier to get which is half the battle.

If you spoke/read french you could search ebay.fr, don't bother with ebay uk, for issues of Moto Revue or RTM revue Moto Technique which over the years covered such engines in depth, as near a manual as you'll get.

There are three dealers over there who supply spares for all sorts, their names are on here; They are OK to deal with, accept cards and paypal. Postage is a killer if its a  parcel.

I have bought lots from ebay.fr when the exchange rate was in our favour; never had a problem with seller or post, just check they'll send to here and take paypal first, 'cos lots don't.

Start all enquires with  "SVP Monsieur" as it helps a lot.

As was said they aren't keen on exporting their heritage, I have seen so much old shit sold to us rosbifs.

Over the years I ahve owned

1930s Terrot LST
1947 FN 450 with  the rubber suspension.
 A 250 Peugeot

a Motobecane Z22c  175cc which was a far better made bike than a tiger cub
a Motobecane Z2 125cc
a Manhurin scooter,
and numerous mopeds.

The mopeds sell readily enough to mugs here, all the others got sold/traded back to France, the best place for them.
At least yours goes. I hope you got it for nothing.
Just about all your likely problems and their answers will have arisen in the Terrot saga. You could share his patience.

That's my lot, if it offends, I don't care that's life.

I think there should be a separate section for french bikes because of my blood pressure.

1920s French flat tankers are a whole different thing.

I have a massive knee op soon, so  I think I'll dig out some of my pics of interesting french bikes and scan and post them, maybe some of the crap too.

I still got a pile of french bike mags that are destined for the binman soon.

I blame Brexit and Macroneroon.

this  magazine carries the only kind of workshop manual the french had at that time.

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Revue-Technique-Motocycliste-N-60-Annee-1953-Salon-de-bruxelles-essai-TWN/252673723698?hash=item3ad4870d32:g:lzgAAOSwzJ5XX7Xk

page 29 et seq covers MT1, they are quite good articles.

even more here


ttps://www.pieceallumage.fr/equipement-france-morel-b1540.html

final offer, £125.

Non starter no problem, I'll get it running.

Regardless of the make of bike in this thread  the adverts that claim "rarest of the rare!!!"  "only a few made !!!!!" "one of only three known survivors" before going on to price it at some astronomical price do give me a lot of enjoyment.

Its like that chum because it was a pile of poo when new and were lousy sellers.
One reason I enjoy reading ebay ads is for the amusement.

Terrot were renowned for some quite good in their day 4 strokes, up to 500cc; there were lots of two strokers around in France back then to chose from,possibly they went to makers with more of a reputation for their smokers? Or cheap, the french are famous tightwads.

From my own experiences with buying french bikes in france I can tell you that if it had any kind of desirability they would not have sold it to us Rosbifs; I have personal experience of being asked an inflated price for a bike because of that,they don't want to export their best stuff and  they are well aware of the  absurd prices being paid for bikes here.

My offer of £100 still stands