Looking for the owner of this bike seen at the North American International Rally

[Spqreddie]

Hello All!
I saw this photo from the International Rally on the VOC Facebook page.
I would like to connect with the owner to ask about the lenght of the swingingarm.
I am dreaming about a George Brown "Nero" replica, and i am collecting info about similar bike measurements to decide wich is the best way to go.
I see the bike has a modified Velocette Swinging Arm, and i would like to get in touch with the owner to ask more info.
Thanks!!
Eddie

 

[timetraveller]

Chris Launder on these pages recently did this mod but has not been happy with the results. It seems that he got the rear end of the engine/gearbox unit too low and that affected the handing. There is clearly more to it than is obvious as Chris is a very competent chap.

 

[Comet Rider]

I have something similar on my Comet, but it is a Norton Dominator swing arm brazed into a Vincent RFM casting.
The pivot of the Norton swing arm is located at the point of the rear brake balance pivot on the Vincent RFM.

The early Dominator swing arms are a lot better than than the later pressed up style.

 

[Chris Launders]

Hello All!
I saw this photo from the International Rally on the VOC Facebook page.
I would like to connect with the owner to ask about the lenght of the swingingarm.
I am dreaming about a George Brown "Nero" replica, and i am collecting info about similar bike measurements to decide wich is the best way to go.
I see the bike has a modified Velocette Swinging Arm, and i would like to get in touch with the owner to ask more info.
Thanks!!
EddieView attachment 60803

Hi Eddie.
The one I fitted was made somewhere around 60 years ago and laid on various peoples shelves unused until last year, it is a shaved back RFM casting with the brake crossover shaft holes opened out, a thick wall tube through and Velocette arms clamped and brazed on, it is exactly the same length as the standard RFM.

I removed the original brake anchor and welded on two in the same place as Vincent ones, cut off the existing shocker mount threads and drilled and tapped the mounts.

I have used my standard Vincent wheel but changed to twin cables as there is no room for the crossover rod set up.

The reason I'm not happy with the result is entirely my fault, in an effort to get a low seat height I made the subframe sit the pivot point too low instead of just making lower top frame rails.

The only problem I encountered is the RH arm fouls the RH pillion footrest plate.

Here is a picture of the arm when I got it and the bike with it fitted. I

t is currently removed and the RFM back on until I have time to re-engineer the subframe.

 

[Chris Launders]

I have something similar on my Comet, but it is a Norton Dominator swing arm brazed into a Vincent RFM casting.
The pivot of the Noerton swing arm is located at the point of the rear brake balance pivot on the Vincent RFM.

The early Dominator swing arms are a lot better than than the later pressed up style.

The pressed up Dominator swinging arms ARE the early ones, it's the later ones with the cast ends.

 

[Spqreddie]

Thank you all,
and thank you Chris,
And thank you for having shared the info on the lenght of the modified swingarm.
This is what i have, i dont know who made it initally. But before to weld in place i wanted to know wich would be the reccomended lenght. I am planning on using telescopic forks on front most probably Norton Rohadolder.
I am collecting measurements from different bikes with similar modification and i got from 40 to 45 cm.
Thanks!
Eddie

 

[Chris Launders]

Eddie
Surely the most critical thing is can you get a wheel and tyre in with the axle full forward AND have running clearance.

Are you using a Vincent wheel, I have and made up a new axle nut with a sleeve to fit the Velo arm and a top hat spacer for the T bar side.

Now Norton Roadholders, You have come to the right person as I've had a Norvin for over 30 years and an Atlas for 40 years and rebuilt many sets of forks when I worked in a British bikes only shop.

They basically come in three lengths, short (featherbed), long (pre featherbed and commando) and a third longer length for the AMC hybrids.

Also there are two widths, 7" centres for the pre Atlas and 7-3/8" for the Atlas period onwards, beware the sliders are different widths at the bottom to accommodate this.

My Atlas and Norvin sit at about 25" from the top of the steering head on the frame to the axle, Commando forks will be about 1.5" longer and the Hybrid another 2", by the way my Vincent sits at 28" from the top of he steering head to axle.

Be aware that many many 2nd hand Norton fork slides though looking perfect can be very worn internally where the bush on the stanchion bottom runs up and down, I have several scrap sliders because of this, the ones I tried on my latest project at half way travel you could move the bottom about 1/4" back and forwards, I think my Atlas ones have gone this way, rocking the bike back and forwards with the brake on they definitely clonk and you can see the deflection, and they had new stanchions and bushes etc 3.000 miles ago.

I use Commando progressive springs and 20w50w oil (they were designed way before fork oil came along). DO NOT use Manx springs, though progressive they are for a much lighter bike and the forks were even shorter than Short roadholders ( a friend has found this out, he has wondered for years why his Norvin bottoms out so easily, turns out he had Manx stanchions and external springs AND extensions on his damper rods (for some reason) and was left with about 1.5" of travel.

Hope some of the above is useful

Chris

 

[Spqreddie]

Dear Chris!
This is very useful! thank you, may be we can catch up over the phone sometime for more details!
I am planning on using a Norton rear hub, but thanks for the tip, i will check before to weld if there is enough space at the fron of the fork when the wheel is in.
i am planning on using the short road holder stanchion, or even the Manx ones that are even shorter.
Thanks for the measurements from the top of the yoke to the hub!

 

[Chris Launders]

If you're planning on using Manx fork stanchions with a standard UFM, you're engine will end up something like 4" lower than standard, can you afford to have it this low.
As I pointed out in my last post Short Roadholders are 3" shorter than Girdraulics, steering head to axle.

I've just been and measured and the Atlas sits 3" lower to the top of the steering head compared to the Vincent, both on their wheels (both 19" with Avon Roadriders) and Manx stanchions are 1.25" shorter than that. Also I think the Vincent is raked out more, which will lower it as well.

I think you will need Long Roadholder/Commando length, and even then it will still be lower than standard.

Chris.

 

[Spqreddie]

Thank you!!
Very good point.
May be this is why George Brown used Teledraulic forks? may be they are longer.
I will need to go for Commandos then..
Thanks!!