I was reminded a couple of days ago of the NSU 250 Special Max I had about 10/11 years ago. It was one I bought as a basket case one practice week in IOM. It had been in pieces for years by the look of it. It was sold originally in Liverpool (I think) and had then found its way to IOM and after running for a few owners seemed to have passed between a goodly number rather readily.
It was an unusual one in that it was not in the colour scheme supplied as standard to the UK . It was an Orangey Red and Creamy Beige.
It's major fault was that it had in it a big end bearing made out of a solid billet of phosphor bronze. I rebuilt the entire thing without first splitting the flywheels because the big end felt perfect and smooth. Sadly it nipped up after only warming up outside my garage. It soon freed off and it soon repeated the nip up. So it had to be torn apart and a proper NSU big end assembly was put in.
After about a year we decided to sell the house and so I had to sell off a number of treasured bikes to downsize to facilitate removal. A man rang me, answering my advert, and said he used to have an NSU Max and would desperately like to own mine. Did I have a manual and any special tools etc. When I confirmed that I did he made me an offer that to me was far short of what I wanted but it did seem that it would be going to a good home where the result of my work would be appreciated and the bike would be enjoyed. So I let it go for just less than £1000. About three weeks later there it was on the back page of Classic Motor Cycle in the centre of the Atlantic Motorcycles advert with a price of over £3000.
I often wonder what happened to it and to the deceitful louse that bought it from me.
