Excelsior Pathfinder 250cc

[southcity]

I trust someone can help. Anybody familar with Excelsior Pathfinders (1935 or 36)?. I am interested if this model was in anyway collectable. It is a 4 stroke OHV Excelsior engined machine (Excelsior name moulded into the crank case ). The engine tilts forward like a 'sloper'. Are they a reasonable bike and do they run ok. It has a hand shift Burman box. Looks a very nice bike. Any comments appreciated. Andrew

[Welsh Wizard]

http://www.dropbears.com/m/motorcycles/excelsior.htm
a small amount about the Excelsior above

[Rex]

Could be a nice little bike, but I bet spares would be a killer.
Where in the world are you?

[southcity]

Hi Rex, I'm in Australia. Spares...... that would be another story I guess. The bike is complete and almost concourse however you will be right spares would be a challenge. I guess anything can be made at a price!

[33d6]

Spares would be no different from any other pre war bike. Like most  British bikes it uses bought in components like the carburettor, electrics,  gearbox, wheels etc so it shares parts with many other makes. The usual stuff like tank transfers and head stock transfers are available across the counter plus of course you have the big advantage of living in Australia. We've had 100 years of making our own spares because overseas factories couldn't supply them because of World Wars, the depressed thirties and so on got in the way. There are plenty of sources. I live in Melbourne and have no bother.
Cheers,

[rogerwilko]

Any 4 stroke pre-war would be collectable, personally i wouldn't bother with any 2 stroke being gutless and not really practical on the road anymore. I know this might upset some people, but if i was going to restore something i would expect to get my money back and be able to take it on a decent ride!

[Matt]

Any 4 stroke pre-war would be collectable, personally i wouldn't bother with any 2 stroke being gutless and not really practical on the road anymore. I know this might upset some people, but if i was going to restore something i would expect to get my money back and be able to take it on a decent ride!

Ive managed both getting all of my money back and managed to rebuld a bike that gave a decent ride but never in that order Roger I would love to hear your tips for success?

[Rex]

My tips would be-
1) learn to do as much as you can for yourself, such as welding, lathe-work, spraying, wheel-building and mag rewinding. Saves time and a ship-load of money, plus you can smugly say to people "yep, did it all myself..."
Paying a pro really hits the budget.
2) Don't pay over the odds for the next project. The last Vinnie out of Stevenage may well sell for a £quarter of a million, but that doesn't make a bent rusty frame + half an engine worth £15000 of anyone's money.
3) The pile of bits in the corner may be a "complete bike" according to the seller, but reality (and hard-learned experience) says it's just a pile of spare parts, some u/s, some duplicates, some unrelated, so unless you really love an expensive challenge, this isn't the best way to buy.
4) Try and get the most complete bike you can. Tanks etc are obvious when missing, but all the little brackets, levers and bits can be pains in the proverbial to either make or buy.
5) The sight of crispy tenners softens most hard-hearted sellers.....