Bicycle Fork

mercurycrest

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Does anyone have an idea what these British Bicycle forks are? I'm thinking of using them on a Firefly project.. 007.jpg011.jpg009.jpg

Thanks, John
 

highbury731

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That's a very unusual fork, I suspect it may be from a power cycle. Are there any maker's marks on it? I'm thinking of passing the photos on to the Veteran Cycle Club, but they didn't download when I tried to copy the pictures. Can you send me them as jpg in an email?
Paul
 
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Len Matthews

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It is possible these forks came from a BSA Winged Wheel. Like the Firefly, you could buy just the engine unit and fit it to your own bicycle or a ready to ride machine could be bought. I recall the BSA version did come with sprung forks-no such luxury with the R-T-R Firefly!
 

Big Sid

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While visiting the Works I had the opportunity to ride a new Firefly . It was upon hard earth behind the buildings , barely any grass . It proved a real dissapointment to me having owned a Whizzer for two years in the States . It was barely able to move my weight off from a standstill and I felt it to be gutless . Perhaps a child or a teen of light stature might like it but not an adult .
These devices were a Miller design and I watched women assemble them behind a wire screen enclosure . Sid .
 

Big Sid

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More memory of the Firefly kicks in . The screened in assembly line , of sorts , all women as stated . A circular work bench open in the middle , one exit way cut through to the way out , baskets of new components under the bench . The ladies passed the motors around to the next in line each adding on their component til completed .
Around the outer space nearer the actual walls of the large room were machines for producing components of all types related to the Firefly and our motorcycles as well .
The power delivery was via a cushioned corse ribbed gear bearing upon the rear tire , this not offering much in the way of tire life . The Whizzer had it hands down using a sheave on the rear spokes and a vee belt from a spring loaded jockey pulley . Smooth delivery , no additional wear on the tire , acceleration and good speed . The one weakness of the Whizzer was having very small oil capacity in the crankcase , a bit under three ounces , soon gone on a long ride , req. you to carry extra oil . Or risk motor damage .
First motor I ever hopped up . Made a thin aluminum head gasket and opened out the throat of the carburetor . Marked increase in power resulted allowing me to beat the other , lighter , kids . A new world opened up for me . Hot Damn ! Sid .
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Len Matthews

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I was once asked to restore a Firefly-one that had been sold as complete machine and exactly as shown in Factory leaflet that was issued to promote the Series D range.
The work revealed several surprises; all the threads used were BA, the generator rotated at half crankshaft speed and gear driving it had to timed in order to maximise the magnet's effect on the coils. As the electrical output was low tension, a seperate ignition coil was needed. This was tucked up in base of the fuel tank
As to riding the beast, that was more scary that one of the Factory's larger products!
 

vibrac

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As to riding the beast, that was more scary that one of the Factory's larger products!

I certainly find that my '25 350 Douglas 2 gears no clutch rim brake and stirrup front with narrow tyres plus two throttle levers whose required repositioning in varying positions to get power is never ending (oh and dont forget to pump the oil) uses a lot more grey matter in processing than flinging a Comet round Cadwell.
Accomplished I think were those men from the trenches
 
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