Topic: Can Any of you ID this old monstrosity?

[bryanj]

I know its not an SOHC and its not even a Honda, but it did start my motorcycling in 1971, are any of you lot old enough to I.D. it?

[Jim F]

It could be an old sears Allstate

arn`t all of the old English bikes right side shift?

mabey something from the eastern part of Europe

just some wild guess,s

[xtalon]

2008 Harley?   

--xTalon

[MRieck]

My mother-in-law in mechanical form.

[SteveD CB500F]

Is it an old BSA Starfire?  When I was at school (in the early 70's) one of the guys had one (we all had CB125s)

It was a 250 single pseudo-trials bike.  Whatever it is it has godawfull front forks!

[bill440cars]

            I don't know, looks more like a Royal Enfield 250 Crusader to me.

                                                          Later on, Bill

[puppytrax]

I know its not an SOHC and its not even a Honda, but it did start my motorcycling in 1971, are any of you lot old enough to I.D. it?

Yes, bill440cars has it. Royal Enfield Crusader; 250cc single; the forks have been lenghtened ("slugs" they were called; 6" pieces of steel that you screwed in the fork tops); the headlight bucket & ears look wrong; the pieplate on the front wheel doesn't look right either...but that Enfield frame is unmistakeable...   

I don't recall a Scrambler version...maybe aftermarket or homemade exhaust??

[bill440cars]

     Hey puppytrax,

                Don't remember a scrambler version with the Royal Enfield name on it. There was a scrambler version from about 57'-59'. Here is an add featuring the Indian (Royal Enfield) Hounds Arrow 250 on the lower left of the add. Kinda small and I apologize for that. Later on, Bill

       

[puppytrax]

Bill- Here's what I found, in a 1966 Motorcycle Sport book...check the weight & price...   

Not a bad looking machine...

[Ricky_Racer]

Yes, but please remember that currently a British Pound is about twice the size of an American Pound!     RR

[puppytrax]

Yes, but please remember that currently a British Pound is about twice the size of an American Pound!     RR

...So it actually weighs 590 pounds??...   

[bill440cars]

               Nice find there! All in all, I thought they (Royal Enfields) were a nice looking bike. I know that the Enfields, with the Indian name on them, weren't considered by some as being real Indians but, I always like those too! I especially liked the Apache and the Trail Blazer. Both of them were 700cc vertical  twins. Then, of the actual Royal Enfields, I always wanted a 750cc TT Interceptor. I happen to have a set of parts books for all the Indian Enfields.

                                                        Later on, Bill    

[bill440cars]

         Here's one like a buddy had, back then and I always wished it was mine. This one's a 64' Interceptor. Later on, Bill

             

[puppytrax]

         Here's one like a buddy had, back then and I always wished it was mine. This one's a 64' Interceptor. Later on, Bill

...Ooooowww...It has the "instant neutral"...   

[bill440cars]

         Here's one like a buddy had, back then and I always wished it was mine. This one's a 64' Interceptor. Later on, Bill

...Ooooowww...It has the "instant neutral"...   

     Oh Yeah!!! And The gearshift is on the Right! Where it belongs on a British Bike!! My Opinion!!

                                                             Later on, Bill

[puppytrax]

     Oh Yeah!!! And The gearshift is on the Right! Where it belongs on a British Bike!!

That's how I  learned!  1964 Norton Atlas! With a Lucas K2FC magneto!!!   

I bet half the guys on this forum don't know what "free the clutch" means...   

Or how to...   

[xtalon]

         Here's one like a buddy had, back then and I always wished it was mine. This one's a 64' Interceptor. Later on, Bill

             

That's a good looking bike!

--xTalon

[crazypj]

            I don't know, looks more like a Royal Enfield 250 Crusader to me.

                                                          Later on, Bill

Most of it looks Royal Enfield ( frame, wheels, etc) but the Crusader motor had a RE inside a bulge at top front (I've had 5 or 6 of them, got service manual 'safe' somewhere ) ( I see a picture was posted)
It may be a motor for export market?
 The clutch side would have given it away as the timing gears meant that side couldn't be modified the same as right side or its a really early motor in later frame?
Doh, didn't read all the posts.
The 'cooling' disks on front wheel were stock on Super 5's and Continental, Continental GT.
 Was probably the only genuine 100mph British 250 made ( Ariel Leader/Arrow could be made faster but needed a bunch of work, one was timed at 126mph in 1966)
It was a very successful trails bike (I think either one of the Lampkins or Mick Andrews won British championship around 1970 on one)
PJ

[bill440cars]

          PJ, I know the side cover you are talking about and I didn't think about that when I answered. However, even though I can't remember exactly what that side cover looked like on the Indian version of the Crusader (the Fire Arrow and the Hounds Arrow) the Fire Arrow might actually be the answer. I didn't say that one because I saw the disc on the front wheel and knew that some Royal Enfields came with those (couldn't remember which ones) and I didn't figure most would know what the Fire Arrow was either. I do know though that the Fire Arrow and Hounds Arrow had a different design side cover.

                                                   Later on, Bill   
 

[crazypj]

Hi Bill, first time I've even heared of the 250 'Indians'
Interesting but sad piece of history.
PJ

[bryanj]

OK I will now come clean! Bill you are showing your age Yep its a 1966 Royal Enfield Crusader Sports with a high level exhaust hiding the RE symbol on the circular points cover.

RE forks were unusual in that they had a thread on the outside at the top which screwed into the top yoke (tree) so that those "homemade" (i was an engieering apprentice at the time) slugs were safe as they original tubes couldnt unscrew, they were locked by the bottom yoke.
Headlight brackets were comonly available aftermarket ones, as were the bars and headlamp shell.

The reason for the "chop" look was that back then i earned £35 per MONTH and to "cafe" it would have cost over £200 whilst the chop cost £3/10/6 for the bars.

The tank at the time was a BSA one replaced eventually with a small Bantam tank, de badged and painted gloss black (It did do 50+mpg) and the frame ended up Light green metalic as that was the Duplicolour aerosol that the local dealer hadnt sold any of!

This served me exceptionally well for many years, and though i never saw 100mph ( I have always been a F*T B*st*rd) it would cruise at 70 most of the day eventually replaced with a Triumph T110 of 1960 vintage with a bad crank.

Appologies to Bob for posting in the wrong section--I keep forgeting about the "other" section.

Hope the picture provided some light amusement for you all

[bill440cars]

          Hey Bryan,

                   I just have a hard time not saying things that tell my age. It that Bantam tank was about a 56' or so, I'd like to have had it. My Dad built up a little Jawa 50 to look like a motorcycle (looked like a moped without pedals, when it was original) and put a Bantam gas tank along with 20" chrome bicycle fenders. I still have the little bike but, the tank and fenders are gone. I'll be looking around to see if I can come up with some more, without spending an arm and a leg, hopefully. Thanks for posting your Royal Enfield, enjoyed that. Take care.

                                                        Later on, Bill