trialsrfun Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 When reading about the BSA Sunbeam (good luck in the P65 Stu) and following the story on these engines elsewhere I noticed a link to Villiers engined trials bikes. Two are of particular interest to me. Firstly the Firefly I have seen one of these ridden in local trials and thought it to be a good bike, the other is the Kyffin Saphire trials which I have heard of but never seen though I have seen a number of th Triumph engined scrambles bikes as wll as a BSA A65 powered version. The frame on the Red Rose trials appears to be a virtual copy? of the Bultaco of the same period but were any sold, has anyone seen one/got one or remember them being ridden. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) Hi, Roger Kyffin was a motorcycle dealer, with a small shop, if my memory serves me right, near Brinington in Cheshire. He did a lot of mainly local scrambling and the occasional trials in the winter. His bikes were always personalised into 'Sapphire' models - but I don't remember seeing anybody else riding them. Trialsrfun remembers correctly there were Triumph and BSA A65 engined versions, slotted into DOT scrambles frames and I suspect his trials model would be a DOT-based special, although I personally never saw it. The Firefly was built by another sole trader dealer, John Lee - I think with a shop in Higham Ferrers, Northants. Edited March 11, 2016 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bult360 Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Hi, Roger Kyffin was a motorcycle dealer, with a small shop, if my memory serves me right, near Brinington in Cheshire. He did a lot of mainly local scrambling and the occasional trials in the winter. His bikes were always personalised into 'Sapphire' models - but I don't remember seeing anybody else riding them. Trialsrfun remembers correctly there were Triumph and BSA A65 engined versions, slotted into DOT scrambles frames and I suspect his trials model would be a DOT-based special, although I personally never saw it. The Firefly was built by another sole trader dealer, John Lee - I think with a shop in Higham Ferrers, Northants. Dave curtis rode the Triumph twin engined sapphire as did John burton and Terry challinor for a brief spell although what engine they rode with i dont know 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) Hi Guy's Read the story on both on my site OK. "Villiers 1966 a Villi good year?" Page go down to V Regards Charlie. Edited March 11, 2016 by charlie prescott 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Hi Charlie, I have but even though I have ridden in many trials, classic trials and visited a good many shows I have never seen a Kyffin trials bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) Dave curtis rode the Triumph twin engined sapphire as did John burton and Terry challinor for a brief spell although what engine they rode with i dont know Here is a photo of my very good friend Terry Challinor, riding his Kyffin Sapphire in 1964, taken by Ray Daniel, and featured in his book "Motocross Rich Mixture", which I published and is due to be serialised in our digital magazine, ORRe. The motor was a 500 Triumph Edited March 11, 2016 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Hi Guy's Hi TRF. There must have been that one! but like you say how many were built or sold? And did they have only one machine on the stand at the "Big" motorcycle show? Deryk the Trials bike frame as TRF says looked very much like a Bultaco copy , And even the forks look like they are leading axle of some nondescript type Enfield perhaps? It was another of the case of the Villiers 37A motors running out I think, because the bike looked very ridable apart from the tank. But all prototype "British" Two strokes that came out of the woodwork at the time seemed to have bulbous GF fuel tanks without any style. But most were quickly changed to one with more style. Good Fun this delving lark. You should see how Roger got the Triumph engines until Triumph twigged what was happening. Regards Charlie. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 I believe MP or REH made forks with leading spindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Just thought, might the Kyffin trials bike be the rarest of them all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greevesman Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) I think this is the bike you are talking about ,according to Don Morley`s two stroke trials book the forks legs are Betor as used by Bultaco. Edited March 11, 2016 by greevesman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted March 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 With more modern higher bars, a low mounted mudguard and neater fuel tank the Kyffin would look as good as anything out there today. Silencer is àVilliers road bike, seat from a Greeves Anglian. I would be very interested if offered one for sale. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Hi Guy's. Hi TRF, Do you recon the "Kyffin Sapphire" "Red Rose" Trials. could be the New Drayton Bantam? I bet it would ride better than a "James". Regards Charlie. PS and the forks would be cheaper. ~Oo> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialsrfun Posted March 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 No idea about any of that Charlie I just think the Elstar, Firefly and Kyffin look more purposeful than many of the others from that time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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