Founded in 1919 by Gordon Francis and Arthur Barnett, Francis-Barnett was an English motorcycle manufacturer that was eventually acquired by AMC in ’47. After WWII, the company focused on small two-strokes with Villiers-sourced engines. After ’57 they started using AMC’s powerplant. Francis-Barnett liked to name their bikes after birds, including Plover, Kestrel, Merlin, and more. One of those birds was …
Atom Bomb Special – 1972 Triumph Bonneville
View PostVideo Game Tie In – 2015 Triumph Venom
View Post1983 BMW R100 Scrambler Custom
I spent some time debating if I should feature this bike or not – this R100 has been customized into a bit of a scrambler, but do you think it’s been done well?
1970 Norton Commando Production Racer
The coolest of Commandos, the Norton Commando Production Racer (affectionately known as the Yellow Peril) was a street-legal factory racer made available to privateers for a princely sum. How princely? It would set you back $1,900 at a time when $1,500 would buy you an Austin Mini.
In England – 1961 Matchless G80S
Here’s an unrestored example of the venerable Matchless G80, with some modifications to aid in use as you fight off modern traffic.
1935 Rudge Tourist 250
Founded in 1894 through the merger of two bicycle makers, Rudge-Whitworth moved into motorcycle production in 1911. They made a name for themselves with some technological innovations (such as the Multi gear system which allowed for 21 speeds) and some racing success.
Needs Some Work – 1969 BSA Rocket 3
Sharing its roots with the Triumph Trident, the BSA Rocket 3 was a 750cc triple that was designed to extend the model line beyond 650 twins. It was specifically built for the US market, which wanted larger displacements and less vibrations. BSA’s financials suffered with the production of this bike, but nearly 27,500 of the Trident/Rocket 3’s were produced between …
85 Horsepower – 2007 Triumph Bonneville Custom
In the seller’s words, this is “the Bonneville Triumph should have built.” His/her opinion is that Triumph did a great job with the design (though I’d argue their effort paled in comparison to Kawasaki’s W series) but they were too conservative with performance (now that I agree with). So, this custom was designed to upgrade performance – now it’s putting …
1963 Triumph Bonneville T120
View PostRay Gun – 1969 Triumph 750 Trident
View Post1970 Triumph Tiger TR6
The baby brother to the Bonneville, the TR6 was known again as the Tiger in 1970 (though it would get a controversial redesign the next year to Oil In Frame).
Ending Soon – 1974 Norton Commando Hi-Rider
What’s that, you say? You thought the Commando needed mini-apes and a giant seat? Apparently, Norton agreed with you for some reason – the exact reason for why this bike came out isn’t documented, but most people agree that it was an odd attempt to try and capitalize on the “Easy Rider” movement that was taking over the States.
1969 BSA Thunderbolt A65
If you’re OK with a bike that’s not 100% correct (but has had some good upgrades for someone who would rather ride than display), here’s your chance at a decent deal on a BSA Thunderbolt.