whats this JAP v-twin engined motorcycle on ebay ???

[philbert100]

Anyone an idea what motorcycle this is ?

Ebay item number 270499860210

Phil

[Justin_Faithfull]

I think this bike is a bitsa. It has a 4 speed BSA gearbox for a start, & the rest of the machine does not seem correct. The footrests & rubbers are pillion although there does seem to be one riders footrest. The pile of bits seem to be a collection from various different machines (of different periods). The saddle looks to modern & the fork angle is odd (maybe the forks have been wrongly assembled). Perhaps the present owner realised he did not have an original machine, only the makings of a period special.

[philbert100]

I was starting to think the same myself, however, could be the makings of a fun pseudo brooklands special !!

[m3bobby]

I emailed the seller last week about this project. The forks are BSA WM20 from 39-45, gearbox is 1930's, front hub is 1930's Enfield, back brake plate is Enfield 1950's, Engine is a Morgan 3 wheeler type Jap engine (The cylinder head cooling fins run across the head which is against the air flow for a bike engine), the foot rest is a 1930-50's Enfield and the frame is a very profesionally made custom frame. I also suspect the tank to be a 1920 Enfield item but not sure. I'm not sure how this bike would be registerd because no club can date or or prove its provenance. I suspect that the high price is due to the Engine, these engines can sell for upto £2500 so I would assume the buyer will want the engine and get rid of the rest.

Oh, and the seller didnt reply, I dont think he liked the truth too much, I suggested he would be better of selling items individually as anyone intrested in smaller bits will lose out because of high bids for the engine.

[philbert100]

The description on the listing is a bit light of information, so perhaps the seller knows its just a collection of bits.
I have no knowledge of bikes (or parts) of this era, so could have easily been suckered into thinking it was a bargain !!

[cardan]

"...Engine is a Morgan 3 wheeler type Jap engine (The cylinder head cooling fins run across the head which is against the air flow for a bike engine)"

The "usual" JAP engine for motorcycle use had a cast iron timing cover which extends forwards to form the magneto platform, unlike this one that has a plain timing cover. This type of motor did appear in some bikes - usually those with the magneto behind the engine. All JAP engines built before about 1921 have the fins on the top of the cylinders running "sideways", even the motorbike engines. The engine number given in the listing (44970) dates the engine to about the middle of 1914, so keep in mind plain bearings throughout if you plan to go Brooklands racing on this one!

Leon