H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres C. Borrani rims

SteveW

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VOC Member
I have a 51 Rapide Tourer, exported to the states, w/ Borrani rims, 19/18". Does anyone know if these were stock or aftermarket? Other than size there is nothing about the rim make on the Work's check off sheets. Borranis were used on the Lightnings at the Works , but I do not see any other models listed w/ Borranis.
I suspect they may have been used to get around the Korean War ban on chrome. The hubs have metric bearings, which were used in that era.
 

vibrac

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I may be wrong but I dont recall any resonably sized British bikes (I have an original 52 Trophy with a painted tank because of the chrome shortages but chrome rims) that had to either paint their rims or add alloy because of rim chrome issues and Borrani rims were expensive (Gold dust now!) my guess on a tourer they were after market.
 

Simon Dinsdale

VOC Machine Registrar
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
The Vincent factory solution to lack of Chrome during the Korean war was to just fully paint the rims black.
As Vibrac says Borrani rims were always expensive and so only fitted to a few (but not all) Lightnings & Flashes.

I suspect any Borrani rims fitted today were done by a previous owner as these bikes are now 70 years old and anything could have happened to them in those years since leaving the factory.
 

timetraveller

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For many years I had what was supposed to be an original Grey Flash rear wheel. It had a Dunlop ali rim, 3.25 x 20 racing tyre on it.
 

craig

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please post pictures of the stamped info on the Borrani rims, 19/18" rims.
 
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timetraveller

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If this is aimed at me then I sold the wheel to a gentleman in the USA a few years ago and I have looked through the pictures I took at the time. This is the best that I can do. The pictures are of the whole wheel so not a good scale for stampings.
1609340307128.png
 

Keith Martin

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These are 20 and 21 inch Borrani rims on a set of Lightning wheels. They have different logos. There are many different Borrani stamping.
 

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Normski

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Borrani rims used on a factory model would have been stamped with size and a code to indicate what spoke drillings it has. Number, size and angle.
 

SteveW

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VOC Member
Only the rear is stamped the front rim (exactly like the rear, only 19")
Looks like they are after market, but a good upgrade.
Thanks.
 

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