Author Topic: Help identifying this bike please  (Read 8775 times)

Offline dizzydingo

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Help identifying this bike please
« on: February 11, 2015, 08:16:13 PM »
Hi guys,

My dad picked up this old bike from a guy cleaning out his barn on a farm in South Africa.

I was wondering if any of you had an idea of the make, model and its worth.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Offline R

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2015, 10:54:27 PM »
All I could find with a quick search is that the KO is
produced near Leningrad  in KO = Krasnġi Oktjabr factory.
So the engine at least is Russian, and the rest is likely to be too. ?
It seems there was a Latvian Moped Factory "Sarkana Zvaigzne"
which may make it a SZ-50 moped with KO 49cc engine.

There were apparently a series of those engines, from the 1950s,, with rotary valve inlet,
and lately the Chinese have been doing newer more bicycle type versions - but without the rotary inlet.

Not knowing values in Sth Africa, its likely to be worth what someone will pay.
Which is stating the obvious, but unless it is running well, its value is not going to be huge,
mopeds have a following though and its certainly unusual.
Cheers.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2015, 11:03:15 PM by R »

Offline R

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2015, 07:58:49 AM »
Apparently these were known as the Riga -13 Moped.
Riga being in Latvia.

Someone in Argentina has a brand new one.
http://www.arcar.org/moto-krasny-oktyabr-riga-en61469
You'd wonder why someone would want to pay $10k for one,
but good luck anyway !

Offline rogerwilko

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2015, 09:30:39 PM »
Sad that this site has deteriorated to this kind of grey porridge.

Offline R

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2015, 01:44:29 AM »
Motorcycles are motorcycles Doug, and all are welcome here.

KO reportedly made approx 15,000,000 of these engines,
so thats 15 million 15 year olds mobile on their mopeds.
Oh joy, o freedom. ?
With possibly 3 or 4 change of owners each, thats a lot of 1st time motorcyclists. ?
Now why didn't the Brit factories think of that....
This one looks quite substantially built, so they were made to last ?


Offline rogerwilko

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2015, 09:36:46 PM »
Sorry, not convinced. Porridge is porridge. Cheapskates go for porridge.

Offline R

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2015, 10:11:56 PM »
Thats the line of thinking that killed the brit motorcycle industry.... ?

And why Honda and Motobecane and now Zong Shen etc were/are rolling in $$$ for research,
from vast lines of tiddlers for new riders.
There are now more motorcycle manufacturers in Ch*na, and bikes made in China,
than in the rest of the world combined.
Guess where all the future big manufacturers will be ?

Offline wink

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2015, 10:27:44 PM »
Small heath ? Bracebridge St ? Plumstead ? Meriden ?
We made this 500 single in 1929 and we´ve been improving it ever since until 1965 and we won a lot of TTs so we are a typical progressive British Company.
If anybody wants one I´ve got a BSA Beagle surplus to requirements.And a brand new engine for an Ariel 3.

Offline R

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2015, 03:14:58 AM »
If anybody wants one I´ve got a BSA Beagle surplus to requirements.And a brand new engine for an Ariel 3.

Perhaps it goes, without saying, that designs need to be sensible, reliable and non-maintenance intensive.
Without being too quircky.
Thinking cheapskate produces cheapskate ??

Although commercial success may just be a lottery.
http://assets.amuniversal.com/9d4ab0b076540132bac7005056a9545d

Offline murdo

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2015, 07:48:43 AM »
Sorry, not convinced. Porridge is porridge.

Does it really matter what colour the porridge is? At my age I am happy to be still riding.

Offline john.k

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Re: Help identifying this bike please
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2015, 11:10:49 AM »
Grey porridge used to be 16Hs ,M20s ,Enfield J2s etc. Even s/v Sunbeams. Now they are all fabulous classics,with high pricetags.Regards John.