Last time I featured a Rickman Triumph, I referred to it as a “Britmota” and even though this example isn’t a road machine, I feel the moniker still applies. This completely rebuilt example is sporting a NEW Rickman chassis wrapped around a 1978 Triumph 750 engine. The restoration process on this iconic British machine took an accumulative three years to complete and the results are stunning. With only an hour of riding time put in since the rebuild, the thing genuinely looks brand spankin’ new. While the paint obviously looks like it rolled out of the factory yesterday, the fork, rims, exhaust and engine also appear to be 100% pristine. The amount of polished metal on this build demonstrates the attention to detail that resulted in such a beautiful fit and finish on this nearly four-decade-old machine.
In addition to the builder getting their hands on and utilizing a brand new Rickman frame, they also picked up a complete new set of original Rickman fiberglass bodywork and a new seat. Connected to the frame neck are rebuilt Betor forks and Ceriani triple clamps. A new electronic ignition was added and the bike’s rebuilt engine now reportedly fires right up and runs strong. The polished spoked rims which the seller refers to as: “Lightweight strong MX wheels” appear to be new and are wrapped in brand new knobby rubber to go along with the bike’s “everything’s new” look.
The zigzagging chrome twin open exhausts on this example look thoroughly awesome and the machine’s fresh coat of paint and new seat further cement its status as a show-quality motorcycle. The incredibly feisty mutt of a motorcycle that was the first Rickman was given the name Metisse – which translates to “mongrel” – consisted of a BSA frame and gearbox, Triumph engine, and Norton forks. The ad doesn’t specify if this is an MK2, MK3 or MK4, but perhaps someone more knowledgeable than myself can shed some light on this in the comments, though my guess is MK3.
Don and Derek Rickman started building frames and bikes in 1960 around existing power plants when the brothers were unable to get new engines from the manufacturers. Experienced off-road riders and champions themselves, the brothers further established their name in the dirt world, first building Scrambler frame kits before moving on to road-going offerings. Similar to what Bimota was doing 1,000 miles away in Italy (albeit a decade before Bimota existed), Rickman Motorcycles was also taking proven engines from the kit manufacturer’s native country, and dropping them into superior frames that Rickman sold as kits. Seeing Rickman Metisse models on the block at Bonhams and Mecum auctions is pretty common.
A 1970 Rickman Metisse Triumph 650 MK3 sold earlier this year for $17,825 at a Las Vegas Bonhams auction, which points to this example’s price tag being relatively reasonable. You can find this stellar rebuilt 1978 Triumph engine wrapped in a new Rickman Frame for sale here on Craigslist near Grand Rapids, Michigan with a price of $15,000. The seller also states they will deliver within 1,000 miles of their location. [Editor’s Note: This is gorgeous, but it desperately needs the Rickman Metisse logo and British flag on the tank!]