Motorcycle Discussions > Identify these bikes!

Nostalgia is strong on this one

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Alex61:
Dear forum members, I found you as I'm trying to identify a bike my father and uncle shared in Sydney Australia in the late 40s.
Both of them have recently passed away so I cant get any direct history. I have soft memories of them saying it had a 125 Villers engine, and was an ACME, an Australian Company that assembled British bikes from import parts. There is a 1935 Excelsior available in Adelaide that looks very close to me, but is a 250. I was hoping someone could identify the bike from the 2 old photos I have. Also any idea what a 1935 Excelsior is worth? I don't want to insult the owner with an inappropriate offer.

My aunt on the bike in the first photo is now 74.

Link to the Excelsior
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/north-adelaide/cars-vans-utes/1935-excelsior/1182392827

Thank you for your great Forum, I'd love to have a similar bike my dad had almost 70 years ago.
Regards Alex

R:
Those jutting forward exhausts, primary cover and valanced front mudguard are quite distinctive.
Could be a 1930s model of Excelsior, although that front guard is unusual.

Acme's have been here, a few times before.
Doesn't look like one of those, although a few features are similar.
http://classicmotorcycleforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3729.0;attach=1957;image
Your engine looks bigger ? And many differences.....

That Excelsior in Adelaide has an external flywheel, whereas your mystery one doesn't.
Price. If you really want it, best ask and see what he is thinking.
That is a bigger bike, looks in excellent condition, so the price may surprise you.

Alex61:
Thanks R,
Yes that picture of an ACME looks nothing like my dad's bike.
The 125 engine looks much smaller too, so looks like dad's was in fact a 250.
I sort of remember my uncle saying it was an Excelsior or was like an Excelsior.

The Adelaide guy has no idea of the value, and wants offers.
The flywheel thing has me worried.
I wonder if Villers engines available with both internal & external flywheels in the 40s.
More Googling!

Thanks you again for your response R

33d6:
Personally I think it is a James of about 1930. About then was when James started to move away from fitting their own make engines and gearboxes to concentrate on Villiers engines and Albion boxes. It took a few years but that was the beginning. The valanced mudguard and style of front fork are very distinctive. A shot from the other side allowing us to identify the gearbox would seal the deal but we have to make do with what is given us.

The chances of finding an identical James are tiny. Villiers powered bikes mostly occupied the utility/economy end of the market and were quickly discarded if something bigger and flashier came along. The 1935 Excelsior was built to the same pattern and for the same market. Out here Excelsior's seemed to have survived better than other makes. I think they just sold more because Excelsior had a good sporting history in the Lightweight classes. At least you had a sporting name on the tank even if it had a Villiers engine underneath it. As ever, being fashionable counted.

I think that particular Gumtree Excelsior is a recent import. It has an English VMCC badge fitted and few Australians would ever bother with that. Nor does it have any indication it's ever had a local number plate fitted. It has all the makings of a pleasant rally bike.
Cheers,


 

33d6:
Alex, you posted whilst I was writing mine.

The Adelaide guy has had been trying to sell that bike for some time. Villiers powered bikes of any sort do not bring high prices. Certainly not out here in Oz. Nor does anything 250cc and under. The seller knows that and hopes you don't.

The external flywheel is a standard Villiers item. Some manufacturers fitted them and some didn't. It is absolutely nothing to worry about. If anything it's good for amazing the natives as it goes round and round when the engine starts. You'll get asked lots of silly questions.

Cheers,

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