Saracen

I had had an ex works 125cc ISDT Saracen GJH60K. It was built for Mick Bowers to ride in the 1972 ISDT in Czechoslovakia. I bought it in 1973 from David Brand and rode it to some success in the Welsh 2 Day trial in 1973 when I won a silver and 1974 a bronze. I sold the bike to Coburn & Hughes of Luton in 1974 in part exchange for a Yamaha DT175. The front down tube had fractured on GJH60K and although repaired I felt its days were numbered for enduro work. The attached pics show me riding it in the 73 & 74 Welsh together with a pic from Don Morleys book Classic 2 Stroke Trials Bikes. It shows David Brand looking on as Mick Bowers works on the bike. The capt…

Hi. My name is Ron Goodfellow and I designed and built the Saracen motorcyles in the late sixties. We built about three hundred in all of various types most of them being exported to the USA. We also exported to France and Sweden. Frank Underwood and I started the company which grew from a hobby and a lot of enthusiasm. The original prototype was a BSA bantam engined version but we could not acquire British engines and opted for the Sachs motor, initially the Iron engine but later the aluminium engine. We also built a few Triumph tiger cubs, I know one is still going. We also designed a spine framed 100cc Hodaka engined trail bike. I can attach a few photographs. My daug…

Hello, I have what I believe is a Saracen Trials Bike. This is a project bike I will be working on slowly. It is set up for a Sachs motor. It has the orange tank, and fortunately, it is in excellent condition. The frame has a lot of tarnished green build up. But underneath, and wherever there was tape, the nickle plating seems to be in good shape. Can anyone tell me what the frame numbers mean? Mine is 696055 Thank you, Gordon

I recently spotted this "hand-made" Saracen on ebay and at £4500 it didn't attract a bid..there's a surprise! The frame may originally have been Saracen but little else is period 1970 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Historic-Saracen-Highlander-off-road-motorbike-Honda-engine-trials-scrambler-/323929875143?nma=true&si=z1xH0WvUkucAixtoPain0iCw94g%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Just brought of ebay. I think its a Saracen. Any information gratefully received. Les

Hi guys,I think i might have aquired a Sarecen frame, at the moment it has a D14 bantam motor installed,but looking at pics on the sight it looks right. It's stamped on the l/hand side of the headstock......6960137. does that sound right with you? Thanks for your input.

hello i'm looking for a saracen frameanyone knows one for sale? frame but also bike to restore would be welcome kind regards bob

Just the wanderings of a poor memory , but did I see somewhere a picture of a Saracen with a Bantam motor in it ?

Does anyone know how many were built ? Were they all 175 cc ?

As we have Ron Goodfellow here on TC who was the original designer and manufacturer of the Saracen range of motorcycles I've created this Forum both for questions on the bikes and also as an outlet for Ron to provide historical information and photographs of the Saracen range.

My apologies to the original creators of the Saracen for this sacrelige, which I can't help myself for doing. I've been busy putting together this great bike, so I figured it's time I shared a few pics of it. It's been lovely to ride. I adjusted the steering head angle somewhat steeper from about 28 degrees, to exactly 24.5 degrees. I redesigned the lower frame cradle, to convert it to a flat bottom, so it will sit on a box without tipping over, and obviously got rid of the Sachs engine, so it required some changes to get the Hodaka engine to fit. This is a very special piston port Hodaka trials engine, which began life as a 125 cc Wombat, but this one has heavy flywhee…

I just bought a 1968 Saracen with the Sachs 5 speed iron barrel motor. What size is the rear wheel on these bikes is it 19 in or 18 in? I have the REH hubs. Does any one have any photos of these bikes they can share. I have the Morley 2 Stroke Trials Bike book and another book with an article on these bikes but no specs.

A friend of mine bought a nice, Sachs engined Saracen and I'm going to help him to restore it for use in a Vintage series we are trying to start here in the Midwest. It is in need of an ignition system as the MotoPlat system it has is munched (as is the points system in the box). Do any of you in Trials Central Land have a good resource here in the U.S. or the U.K. for the Sachs ignition systems I can point him to? Thanks in advance. Jon