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Which classic Brit Bike? Which classic Brit Bike?
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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #16  
Old 15 Jul 2011
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The Rickman is a competition chassis. For an overland trip any weight benefits would soon be lost when even basic luggage would weigh ten times more that the weight saving - plus it's made of chrome moly tube which you can't just weld up in your average African back street garage
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  #17  
Old 15 Jul 2011
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Originally Posted by mark manley View Post
I am not sure if you are talking about hunting out off road because you enjoy it or the gravel you will encounter in the course of your travels but if it is the latter I would save your money and make do with a standard oil in frame Triumph.

It would be the former! For the money it looks like it will work out about the same getting a complete classic (Norton or Triumph) or building my own around a frame. I'd be using a larger tank than the 'standard' Rickman.

Magnon - afraid I'd have to disagree with the weight saving (plus the other benefits of the Rickman frame in terms of handling and ground clearance). The Bonny weighs 190 kg, the Norton about 200 kg. With the modified frame and larger tank a Rickman-frame based machine would come in at around 150kg. My luggage weighs about 15kg, so it's still well worth the saving IMO
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  #18  
Old 16 Jul 2011
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Plus it's a bike you've built yourself! Smaller is better for me on trips like this. If I had bigger, I'd go faster. I might be building a BSA 650 twin next year, but my POS Ducati is going rtw even if I have to drag it behind the Beezer!

I meant to add, when I was looking around for a bike I was interested in a Panther or a BSA 350. I still don't know what I'll ride to South America after I do the horizontal lap. Maybe the BSA.
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  #19  
Old 16 Jul 2011
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I'm not trying to knock anyones aspirations. I think the idea of doing a rtw on and old Brit bike is excellent. The bike will almost certainly have to be hand built as anything in standard trim would'nt hold up - you would certainly need Excell rims with heavy duty spokes, rebuildable rear shocks, O ring chain and upgraded electrics with solid sate components. I still think using anything other than a mild steel frame would be asking for trouble.

15 kg of luggage for several years on the road is a bit optimistic - especially when you have to carry 50 kg of spares for the bike!
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  #20  
Old 16 Jul 2011
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40/50 kilo weight lost only by frame and tank change ...now that is realy impresive.

Good luck ,and i love the idea of traveling on a british bike!
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  #21  
Old 16 Jul 2011
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I had a 1961 T100 500cc bike back when it was new and did 90,000 miles with it. Totally reliable. but later had a 1970 Tr6 Trophy ( single carb bonneville pre oil in frame and the last ones had heavier flywheel) I ran that on road trim ( setting on camshaft) and think it was the nicest touring bike I have ever ridden.

would love to have either of these bikes now but it is extremely difficult to get a good one, most got butchered by owners when they reached 5 years old.
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  #22  
Old 17 Jul 2011
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If you're considering unit construction (engine and gearbox together), why not stick a british engine in a relatively modern japanese frame? You're going to have to run modernish jap suspension if you want to enjoy proper offroad anyway. It's then your call whether to stick with modern style plastic parts (mudguards, tank, headlamp etc), or go with heavier metal parts for a classic look which will really confuse anyone trying to work out exactly what your bike is. Maybe it's possible to track down early plastic parts but surely they would be expensive.
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  #23  
Old 18 Jul 2011
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Originally Posted by Dave_Smith View Post
Plus it's a bike you've built yourself! Smaller is better for me on trips like this. If I had bigger, I'd go faster. I might be building a BSA 650 twin next year, but my POS Ducati is going rtw even if I have to drag it behind the Beezer!

I meant to add, when I was looking around for a bike I was interested in a Panther or a BSA 350. I still don't know what I'll ride to South America after I do the horizontal lap. Maybe the BSA.
Long time no hear Dave, what happened to the Ducati? If you're still in Saudi Arabia when I'm in that part of the world I might have to look you up!
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  #24  
Old 18 Jul 2011
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Originally Posted by Magnon View Post
The bike will almost certainly have to be hand built as anything in standard trim would'nt hold up - you would certainly need Excell rims with heavy duty spokes, rebuildable rear shocks, O ring chain and upgraded electrics with solid sate components.

15 kg of luggage for several years on the road is a bit optimistic - especially when you have to carry 50 kg of spares for the bike!
As I'm not bothered about the bike being 'original' etc I will certainly be using modern suspension and cycle parts, Marzocchi 42mm at the front, and Ohlins at the back. I've got some of that lying around somewhere....

15 kg is optimistic but totally doable! As I'm in no rush getting spares posted out isn't such an issue
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  #25  
Old 18 Jul 2011
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Originally Posted by Nath View Post
If you're considering unit construction (engine and gearbox together), why not stick a british engine in a relatively modern japanese frame? You're going to have to run modernish jap suspension if you want to enjoy proper offroad anyway. It's then your call whether to stick with modern style plastic parts (mudguards, tank, headlamp etc), or go with heavier metal parts for a classic look which will really confuse anyone trying to work out exactly what your bike is. Maybe it's possible to track down early plastic parts but surely they would be expensive.
But then it wouldn't be a Brit bike would it? I'll be using an alloy tank as they dent rather than split and don't degrade, the other parts will be fibre glass to keep the weight down. They will probably end up as 'composite' panels (i.e. fibre glass and duct tape)
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  #26  
Old 18 Jul 2011
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Long time no hear Dave, what happened to the Ducati? If you're still in Saudi Arabia when I'm in that part of the world I might have to look you up!
Still have the Duc. It's in California while I'm working in Saudi to save up enough to finish the lap. I should be here another year if I can take it. The good thing is there's nothing to spend money on except food. I'm almost in Yemen and last week we could see the Apache helicopters being used to keep the Houthi (Yemeni rebels) out of Saudi. Everyone's hoping the fighting doesn't restart between the Saudis and the Houthi. It mostly ended last year.

I'll be in California and Cuba in August for Ramadan. I'll miss the HU meets though.
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  #27  
Old 5 Sep 2011
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Sounds hardcore Dave, one day our paths will cross, lets hope it's not in a dry country! Dry as in no that is!

It looks like it's a goer now - I have found a 9 stud single carb engine and I'm off to see Metisse about a frame in a few weeks - they reckon the frame will handle it and if I do manage to snap it I will slap myself on the back for riding it hard enough and then cross the brazing-in-the-wilds bridge when I come to it!

It turns out that finding a donor bike with the right suspension will be impossible so it's going to have to be made to order... means that the wheels and suspension will be half the cost of the whole bike!

On a closer note the BBC are filming me on Wednesday about the Africa Pizza Bike project so HUbbers in the North of England keep watching the local news!
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  #28  
Old 5 Jun 2013
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Mark, is your T140 an E model with parallel inlet ports? if so how did you convert it to single carb?
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