Nice Connie Pete, Have you built it yourself. My mates got one that he had back in the 60's but as I understand it he's put it back it back to standard now but back in the day it had open mega exhaust alloy tank and clip ons with rear sets. Now back then you would see Tribsa's, Triton's but not Connies done up as café racers.
He also tried to fit a Wal Phillips fuel injector but could never get it to run right.
Just in case you dont know he belongs to the Enfield owners club and each year they have a meeting over in Holland.
Nice Connie Pete, Have you built it yourself. My mates got one that he had back in the 60's but as I understand it he's put it back it back to standard now but back in the day it had open mega exhaust alloy tank and clip ons with rear sets. Now back then you would see Tribsa's, Triton's but not Connies done up as café racers.
He also tried to fit a Wal Phillips fuel injector but could never get it to run right.
Just in case you dont know he belongs to the Enfield owners club and each year they have a meeting over in Holland.
No - bought it already done. For an under appreciated bike like that it's the most economical way. Chap I bought it off spent a lot more on new parts than I paid for the bike. Costs no more to restore a 1959 Bonneville than a 58 Connie but the Bonnie would probably sell for three times as much. I restored a BSA A10 and just about broke even when I sold it. I don't know anyone who had much joy with those Wal Phillips injectors. They were good if you wanted to run close to max revs all the time but for normal road use somewhat iffy. I think they may have been originally developed for speedway bikes which don't slow down much once they get going plus they run on methanol.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Your spot on there Pete about the need to rev them high. To try and tune it we would ride off the estate into the lanes that lead to the Saltbox Cafe and rev it to the max. Not sure whether he's still got the WP injector as it's probably collectible now. Shaw's Harley had an open day today which I went to so I now know I must be getting old. Not that my pension would stretch to buying one though
Last edited by hondated on 28 Oct 2018, 9:04pm, edited 1 time in total.
hondated wrote:Your spot on there Pete about the need to review them high. To try and tune it we would ride off the estate into the lanes that lead to the Saltbox Cafe and rev it to the max. Not sure whether he's still got the WP injector as it's probably collectible now. Shaw's Harley had an open day today which I went to so I now know I must be getting old. Not that my pension would stretch to buying one though
Harleys very expensive for what they are. They're still less advanced than a 1953 Vincent Shadow in many ways. I seem to recall the Wal Philips injectors being better suited to two strokes for road use. Twice as many power strokes must have seemed like higher revs to the injector. Connie has a single Amal TT carb.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
I sold my Norton + a VFR + a Triumph 675 race bike in order to buy a Harley 8 years ago. Obviously this makes me very old, but they are fun in a weird way. Little old ladies always want to come and talk to you when you pull up in the town centre. I changed to open faced helmets because of this.
Whippet wrote:I sold my Norton + a VFR + a Triumph 675 race bike in order to buy a Harley 8 years ago. Obviously this makes me very old, but they are fun in a weird way. Little old ladies always want to come and talk to you when you pull up in the town centre. I changed to open faced helmets because of this.
I understand where your coming from whippet and that is why I currently ride a BMW GS as I think although neither is particularly fast like an old British bike they have character.
Although I was just tyre kicking today I sat on a few and I am blowed if any of them felt comfortable for me. Knees felt too high legs stretched out, I guess you have to get use to them !
What I do know is owning an HD opens up a new world when it comes to the number of events that they hold either here or in Europe.
hondated wrote:Your spot on there Pete about the need to review them high. To try and tune it we would ride off the estate into the lanes that lead to the Saltbox Cafe and rev it to the max. Not sure whether he's still got the WP injector as it's probably collectible now. Shaw's Harley had an open day today which I went to so I now know I must be getting old. Not that my pension would stretch to buying one though
Harleys very expensive for what they are. They're still less advanced than a 1953 Vincent Shadow in many ways. I seem to recall the Wal Philips injectors being better suited to two strokes for road use. Twice as many power strokes must have seemed like higher revs to the injector. Connie has a single Amal TT carb.
Yep thats it and I can remember riding over there to buy it.
Ive found another photo of my grandad so I've revived this thread to see if anyone recognises the bike. I was intrigued by what looks like a priming mechanism on the fuel tank. Anyone know what it is. Note the AA logo on the tank, so its his work bike and sidecar. He lived in Pembroke Dock and i think this is in the 1930's. A dvla check indicates the reg isn't recognised so does this mean the bikes been scrapped?
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway X2, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840
rjb wrote: ↑23 Jun 2022, 4:49pm
Ive found another photo of my grandad so I've revived this thread to see if anyone recognises the bike. I was intrigued by what looks like a priming mechanism on the fuel tank. Anyone know what it is. Note the AA logo on the tank, so its his work bike and sidecar. He lived in Pembroke Dock and i think this is in the 1930's. A dvla check indicates the reg isn't recognised so does this mean the bikes been scrapped?
Thanks Jonathan, it has some similarities with a Chater Lea, and i thought they only made cycle components. I suspect the bikes would have been off the shelf not modified. The AA would have purchased 10's of these at a time, and they would still of had cycle patrolmen at this time too. My grandad started on a pushbike before graduating to a motorbike.
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway X2, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840
rjb wrote: ↑23 Jun 2022, 4:49pm
Ive found another photo of my grandad so I've revived this thread to see if anyone recognises the bike. I was intrigued by what looks like a priming mechanism on the fuel tank. Anyone know what it is. Note the AA logo on the tank, so its his work bike and sidecar. He lived in Pembroke Dock and i think this is in the 1930's. A dvla check indicates the reg isn't recognised so does this mean the bikes been scrapped?
Grandad AA2.jpg
The 'priming mechanism' is actually the oil pump. Those old machines had all ball and roller bearings so didn't need pressure like a plain bearing motor. Instead they had what was called a total loss system with the rider giving an occasional pump on the plunger. No idea on the make of the bike.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Yes but about 10 years older. Mid or early twenties rather than thirties like the picture. CL made cars, motorcycles as well as bicycle components. According to Wikipedia they won a contract to supply 800 AA sidecar outfits in the early twenties.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
