charlie prescott

Hi Guy's OK Mick, B40, That is just what I thought .Stick gaiters on with jubilee clips, and you will have to remove them for the check? Or do the forks get checked on the top part of the stanchion? If so, it would be NO problem to turn 1mm from this part of the fork if you were using forks from a Yam etc. GOV had this part of the fork turned down, to save weight! Minefield Ahy Are, Wal Philips fuel injectors OK for the event????? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's. I note some posts have been pulled since yesterday???? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's OK, Amal have still got some MK1 1/2's, about 40 if I remember correctly. And I know of so called P65 bikes using them. An Ariel, and a James, and NO, I am not saying who! But they both have said that the bikes perform better with these carbs fitted. Now is that all in there heads? or is it a fact? Then we get onto other modified carbs! Take a look at the Villiers carb that Mick Grant uses, with the funny float bowel, do we know what internals are inside that? How long is a piece of string? Forks! There is a Big Boy that rides an Ariel, that is well documented in a magazine. and to be honest, Them there forks look longer than the stated length. Is anyone going to measure them??? Sorry OTF I am getting as bad as you. Just another thought.Do you measure the lenghth of the forks with the bike suspended in the air or with the forks settled with the weight of the machine? and can you visualy,know the differance bettween 35mm and 36mm forks without a measuring divice? Edit, to ramble a bit more. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's. From Amal! Mark 1 1/2 Concentric Series Carburetter Types - were virtually identical to the Mark 1 series, except in that the tickler and air slide cold start enrichment's were replaced by a cold start system having its own fuel and air supplies, separate from those of the main carburetter. Body and bore sizes are as for the Mark 1 range. The main market for the product range was on Spanish motorcycles, although a few were used on very late model Triumph engines. Yes But, can these not be disguised????? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi OTF. I Promised I would put this Photo on for you well the scan never arrived so I have photographed it for you and,this is as good has it gets, Pretty little bike though don't you think??? Is there anyone riding a Sachs powered Sprite in the twinshock classes??? . Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's So does one of the committee know the difference between the Amal Mk 1, and the 1 1/2, carb??? And do the competitors??????????????????? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's. If you now think you would like to own a "Sprite" trials bike? here is an example built by Dave and Pete Dawson the first time around. you can follow the build up of this bike on Dave's web site. http://www.classicrider444.com And I have found the second bike on e-Bay. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Pat, YES!! Frank has sent me a picture of the Sprite that Chris Leighfield restored for his best mate Tim. i then found it in my pictures along with the frame before he started to restore the bike, Enjoy!!!! Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's, There is at least one picture of a Sprite Villiers, in the TC garage! And heres another for you. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Sparks. A frame kit was a bike in bits that you had to assemble for tax purposes. I also think Frank would sell you just a frame as well. Yes I had a good mate that had a Sprite Triumph scrambler, (the most fun I have had riding a bike)and the bronze welding was very good. I have a picture of a guy welding a frame in the factory, that looks very much like a young Arthur Browning??? If you read the photo-ed page you would see that Frank is still a businessman and now 73+ years old and I think still enjoying riding his enduro bike. Good on yer. Regards Charlie

Hi Guy's just found this so I thought I would put it on as back up. Regards Charlie PS, other photos etc to follow.

Hi Guy's This is the document that Swisha has sent me, and thanks again, and for the other information, I will follow it up. regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Yes thanks Andie, mailed you. Just if you are interested? Frank as stated on the OZ site that the tube used in the manufacture of Sprite frames was ERW!! I will explain! This tube starts as mild steel strip of the right thickness, which is then formed into tube shape by running over several different rollers and mandrills. Then when the steel is in a tube shape it is forced through an electric resistance welder this completes the tube. A plane like blade removes the rough edge of the weld on the outside while it is still hot. This tube is structurally very sound as the cold rolling of the sheet initially compresses the steel molecules into a much more stable material. Now a days this tube can be further enhanced by drawing a mandrill through the finished tube (DOM) this removes the inside weld by flattening it and the further compression makes the tube more stable still, and of a truer shape. This tube is now favourite with the many Chopper frame builders in the USA. Now when I first started to manufacture horse boxes in a new method of manufacture than any thing before in 1968 I used square section ERW tube. This was at the time very hard to source and I only decided to use it because of my motorcycle background ( used for trials sidecars). Now there are still some of the first boxes I built using this tube in use today. Which goes to prove how good Bright ERW tube is. So Sprite made the best choice of material at the time. And there was no need to use the much more expensive Reynolds tube. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guys. Hi Swisha. I have just sent you a PM. and thanks for the offer. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi OTF, The Hipkins have been in touch with me, and what they have said confirms the fact!! I then find a Picture of Arthur Dovey, on a Sprite fitted with Norton forks and a James front,wheel. Then find out that he bought the frame from Frank, the Villiers Scrambles engine from the Rickmans, (this was fitted with trials gears), along with a G/F clamp on front mudguard. Then I Quote> Arthur was very successful locally and won several premier awards on that bike. By 1965 Arthur was a top rider in the Southern center, and he started that year still on the Sprite.< end of Quote. There was also a hint that Arthur was a supported rider on this bike but there is no confirmation of this fact. Going back to Jonah, Frank said that he had full run of the sweet factory and that he would somtimes be there for 24 hours at a time, and use as many parts that he wanted, engine bits tyres etc, He then would go off for a days practice at Tipton, armed with a small axe, as a hammer, an old flat headed screwdriver, a pair of Molegrips, and a piston.Frank also said that Dennis had rolled up at the shop and asked him to build a bike around him, he was riding a Greeves at the time. So Frank had the Cotton and they started with that. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Read this then, page one is on the site above. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Look OTF, If you had known "Jonah" at this time you would have known why he did not ride in the previous years Scottish. (he could not afford to go) The guy only wanted to be a top flight trials rider, and all he had to ride was a beat out old CoTTon with a clapped out engine,. "Jonah" could only ride a trials bike in one way (spectacularly) with the throttle full open, not good for any engine, He could not hold down a job, as all he wanted to do was practice his trials riding. If he had new tyres,he would wear them out practicing all week for the following weekends trial, and then ride with these worn out tyres, and give the performance of the day. If you think you could ride on a shoestring budget and compete in national trials to this level, Jonah went one step further. The guy turned up at the Scottish wearing his Barbour suit, and when asked for his luggage he said he had none!! Only a pair of trainers in his pockets, He did the European championship and stayed over for the week with only

Hi Guy

Hi Guy's Hi OTF. On the case! you will have to be patient, several leads has they say! evening all..

Hi Guy's, I have just Trolled through all of my old Motor Cycle mags, and have found a page 14 Oct 1965 titled [sprites with Starmakers] Quote >At the request of riders, a slim,single-point-fixing fuel tank holding no more than 1,3/4 gallons is employed in place of the larger tank of last years models< I will copy this page and put it on later. What a pretty litle bike the Monza trials bike looks, in the picture!! ( leading link forks) I have also just found a picture of Collin Dommett in an ORR, riding the works development Starmaker CoTTon, with a frame that is very-very simular to the Sprite,even down to the leading link forks. Edit!! To add information!! Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Look "Jack", sorry, Bill. The bikes name is "SPRITE" not Sprit. The man who built these bikes, Frank Hipkin, was asked this Question, Did you build Sprite Trials kits before 1965. Frank replied with the answer above. so what more do you want "blood". And to be quite honest does it matter?? all this for one trial that you may never get a ride in!! What I find interesting is the history of Sprite trials bikes, having grown up with them and seeing them on the Midlands trial scene on a weekly basis,and knowing both of the works riders at the time was a bonus.I was interested how they started with what was a Cotton, and as the weeks went by this bike was developed into a "Sprite". Frank supplied, what was the cheapest way to own a New trials bike,even Cotton followed this route in 1966,(I built 2 up). So without the insight that Frank had, to supply something that someone wanted,we would not have had the amount of trials riders we had at the time, who had a cheaper route to the sport than buying from the continent. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's. Hi Young Hipkin.(Steve)????? Glad you found the site Say Hi to your dad, and again thank him for the information he gave me, and thanks for your information. We can now start to peice together more on the History of "Sprite Trials Bikes". I have just found another Gem of information. Of how your Dad got Chris Leighfield, interested again, to ride the little 125 engined bike, after riding the Suzukis. "Sprites" could now become the NEW James???? Watch this space!! Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Dave, I said that the price of Sprites would now rise rapidly. But the Piers Dowell paint job on the tank of your "Old" Sprite, is problay worth more than most of the 2011 batch of James?? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's. Photo, A Fitting Tribute, to Chris Leighfield,dont you think??? I will thank Frank for giving us the facts! Anyone got a Sprite, as the price will now rocket!! Pre^% Ahaa Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's, Sorry about this OTF - 2000? This is the reply from Frank. Hi Charlie. Yes you are ok with the fact the we did make and sell motorcycles before 1965.We made the first ones in Handsworth Birmingham, then we moved to cross street Smethwick, Around 1963/4, then moved EEL street Oldbury , then we moved in the factory at 33 Stourbridge Halesowen in 1969, Regards Frank Frank has also sent me the histoy of Sprite Motorcycles, in the form of a full Broshure. Very interesting. Regards Charlie.