b40rt Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 Not familiar with this one, any ideas. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1959-RARE-BANTAM-TRI...%3A1|240%3A1318 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_weedon Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 No Idea, but looks fairly "developed"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalshell Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 smoke and mirrors comes to mind. what is the seller actually saying this bike is. he links it to famous riders but offers no direct link or provenance. much is intimated yet nothing is promised. could say '' lashed together in a shed in 1970'' or ''actual bike ridden by X in 1967'' but says niether in which case i refer you to my little knowledge of Latin 'caveat emptor'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalshell Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 having had a mo to do a little research, i found some photos of olga riding a bantam in 1959 whilst it does have the c11 type forks the rest of the bike bears little/ no resemblance to that on sale at the moment. exhaust/ tank/seat/ guards all noticably very different to olgas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_nc Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 Interesting, I competed on a '59 Bantam for a couple of years. I finally gave up as they really don't make a very good Trials bike - even after much altering. Someone has taken quite a bit of time working on this one. It seems to suggest that the Factory had something to do with it .... I really doubt it. I would say that it's a "one-off" that someone built to try riding Trials. Would be fun to try it out.... but sure not worth very much. Here is mine: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b40rt Posted February 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Interesting, I competed on a '59 Bantam for a couple of years. I finally gave up as they really don't make a very good Trials bike - even after much altering.Someone has taken quite a bit of time working on this one. It seems to suggest that the Factory had something to do with it .... I really doubt it. I would say that it's a "one-off" that someone built to try riding Trials. Would be fun to try it out.... but sure not worth very much. Here is mine: Now thats what I call a sprocket ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Hi Guy's . I think the write up for this bike is total fiction. I will try and contact Pat Slinn has he is the only man that will Know about the last of the factory bikes. We have a Bantam that was used around the BSA Factory, so is that a works bike, we also have a Bantam that was built by one of the Road Testers at BSA , so is that a factory bike, NO. Regard's Charlie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_weedon Posted February 17, 2009 Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 (edited) I wonder if anyone has seen the magazine quoted "British Bike Mechanics" Not sure but I think that was a very short lived mag. That might shed some light on it. update: Result of a quick Google session BRITISH BIKE MECHANICS MAY 1988 No8 BSA ROCKET 3 TEST – PROJECT NORTON COMMANDO – HOW TO BUILD A TRAILS BANTAM Wayne... Edited February 17, 2009 by wayne_weedon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helm Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Hi I've got a classic bike mag with an article on the renovation of one of the works bantams from about 1966/67 it states that the works engines had the number red 1 ,2,3 ...three engines the red is apparently short for reditch and these where the developement bike for the replacement for the C15 if i can find the article I'll try and post it here cheers helm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie prescott Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Hi Guy's Yes I have those articles about Red T,1,2,and3. And the R did stand for Redditch. Just looking at the bike on e-Bay and then the one in the articles proves this bike was never one of the R T bikes. And I expect that it only left the factory on its way to the Post Office. Regard's Charlie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_weedon Posted February 18, 2009 Report Share Posted February 18, 2009 Will be interesting to see what it makes anyway. I'd actually find it interesting even if not productive to build a Bantam based trials bike oneday, I probably have enough parts to almost complete one. Also like to see the above mentioned articles. Wayne... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shocker Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 i sent him a email and asked if he was selling it as a works bike , or was he tying to mislead with hi wording. he told me not to waste his time and dont bid. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_nc Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Group, Along with several "errors" I noted that he lists it as having a 4 speed transmission. He states that the serial number of the engine makes it a 1960 - I know of no 1960 Bantams that had 4 speed transmissions, and it's my understanding that a 4 speed will not fit in the 1960 cases. Unless the transmission gearing has be altered drastically that rear sprocket is not going to work for Trials (note the one on my bike). He states that it is 'street legal'. Well my experience is that if you make a Bantam ,Trials ready ,you are not going to be riding it on the street. Mine has a top speed of between 25 and 30 mph. I just hope that whoever buys it understands what he is getting. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter9000uk Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 What carb is that on there? Looks like a newish type Amal. Doesn't look like a 1959 motor either as I believe that points cover setup is off a later bike if I remember back 30 odd years! The frame also looks a lot later poss mid to late 60s D7 ish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_weedon Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 It seems to have found it's own value, but who knows what will happen towards the end! 510 after 5 bids can't really be worth much more surely? Wayne... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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