Where Are You Now? KLY987

[john998]

Looking for information on 1947 Rapide KLY 987. We have a previous owner staying with us.

 

[Graham Smith]

Have you tried Vince Farrell?

 

[AndyN]

Looking for information on 1947 Rapide KLY 987. We have a previous owner staying with us.

 

[AndyN]

I owned this bike till about 1980. Have we met? Andrew

 

[Vince Farrell]

Have you tried Vince Farrell?

Like most things Vincent, it's complicated.
I'm sure Simon Dinsdale will respond if he thinks it's appropriate.

Vince Farrell

 

[vibrac]

I long ago gave up the ghost on ever finding "where is it now" fortunately motorcycles are initially reproduced identically so when in my dotage I had a silly notion to again own the first new bike I ever had, I simply advertised for one, bought a rough one and restored it. I must admit that for a16 year old back in 1960 I did not make too bad a choice
Ok its a stink wheel but its smooth and handles well and I wish I had a stepped sprung seat like that on the Vincent.
Here we are two bikes 60 years apart ( But I admit those ace bars were a step too far nowadays!)

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

Like most things Vincent, it's complicated.
I'm sure Simon Dinsdale will respond if he thinks it's appropriate.

Vince Farrell

I see this is an old thread from over 10 years ago that has been awoken.

Basically the bike appears to have been broken up with the UFM last reported to be in Norway over 15 years ago. The original engine from KLY 987 is a complicated mystery in its own right.

Simon

 

[Peter Holmes]

I long ago gave up the ghost on ever finding "where is it now" fortunately motorcycles are initially reproduced identically so when in my dotage I had a silly notion to again own the first new bike I ever had, I simply advertised for one, bought a rough one and restored it. I must admit that for a16 year old back in 1960 I did not make too bad a choice
Ok its a stink wheel but its smooth and handles well and I wish I had a stepped sprung seat like that on the Vincent.
Here we are two bikes 60 years apart ( But I admit those ace bars were a step too far nowadays!)View attachment 24590

I am intrigued, leading link forks points me towards Greeves, but nothing else looks like a Greeves, tried expanding the tank badge and toolbox badge, James Superswift perhaps?

 

[vibrac]

Its a Norman B3 it had Armstrong forks and was made in Ashford in Kent publicised by Derek Minter a man of Kent followed by the B4 which was a lot better looking. But I loved that B3 till I sent it through a hedge and fence across a field corner over another hedge and down onto a road fortunately I left it in the air half way along.
Nice little firm better known for the Norman nippy moped all strangled by Raleigh industries I think

 

[timetraveller]

Ah! The Norman Motorcycle Company in Ashford. I remember it well. It was in the Kent and Sussex Section patch and we had visits to there via some of our members and I seem to remember a little chroming was helped with.

 

[Gene Nehring]

I see this is an old thread from over 10 years ago that has been awoken.

Basically the bike appears to have been broken up with the UFM last reported to be in Norway over 15 years ago. The original engine from KLY 987 is a complicated mystery in its own right.

Simon

Are you able to expand? Seems like the story of the engine would make a great tale.

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

Are you able to expand? Seems like the story of the engine would make a great tale.

Sorry but this forum would not be the best place to comment.

 

[AndyN]

Sorry but this forum would not be the best place to comment.

I bought the bike (C Rapide) in 1969 or maybe 1970 and rode it back to Edinburgh from Hull. I put a lot of money and love into it with Alan Peake in Stockport and Mellor Motors and rode it a good few miles. It was a very honest bike as far as I know and I thought, then, that engine and frame 'belonged' together. I sold it in 1980 when it started to vibrate badly and I had not the time or the heart to pull it down again and do the crank.

I was told it went to a chap in Berkshire who was near, and I think knew, Atlantic Motorcycles. Andrew