Series 'A's - You show me yours, and I'll show you mine…

[Simon Dinsdale]

Mark,
I have it on good authority that there were Comet numbers before C35. As we know, numbers are a matter for Simon; perhaps he will chime in here and say, just for the record, "I'm right" or "I'm wrong"? No more.
Peter

Peter
As per usual there is no simple answer.
Date wise in the works records C35 is the earliest production Comet with a "C" number but there was an ealier experimental engine but it did not have "C" prefix.
There were several series A's with an engine number lower than 35, mostly TT & TTR bikes and a few Comet Specials but date wise they are not earlier than C35. Basically the factory put one works record book with a range of numbers to one side for early TTR & TTC and those numbers drip fed out in no particular order.

Simon

 

[Bill Thomas]

Anybody in USA Still running CUW 746, Comet Special ?,
We had some fun with it in the 60 s.

 

[A_HRD]

Bill,
Not one I'm familiar with...
Peter B

 

[A_HRD]

Simon,
Thanks for your helpful input.
I guess the weird crankcases I saw at Bob Dunn's many many moons ago, bearing a much lower C number in the teens, were a fake of some kind then.
Peter B

 

[Bill Thomas]

Bill,
Not one I'm familiar with...
Peter B

Ron had it before His Twin,
He rode it solo and with a chair, Often with me hanging on the back,
It was FAST for a 500, But I was young.
Ron won the Stan Powel road trial , With me on the back !, 1963 ???.
Really it was , First back to the Pub ' !!.
As an outfit I remember the front frame snapping as we were going into a roundabout !,
And we came to a stop in the middle of the roundabout, On the grass.

In one of the monthly Mag's , I used to buy Motorcycle Sport, So maybe that,
Years later, There was a strange photo of it when it was newish, Before Ron,
Flying over a car !!, Like one photo over another, Strange, I bet Ron still has it.
Just my thoughts.

 

[John Oakes]

I've decided that I would like the red one!

 

[John Oakes]

Good choice the red one! that one previously belonged to Alex Moulton ( hrydrolastic suspension in the Mini and bicycle fame). He used the bike as his first vehicle test of rubber suspension.
See article from 1947 and images. I have a box of original components from his suspension so one day intend to re build the Moulton rear end.

 

[bmetcalf]

Interesting story!

 

[vincenttwin]

Here is mine, been to the TT twice and three times done the Irish vintage rally. I've ridden it to west Texas and had a few mishaps but a lot of fun.

 

[bmetcalf]

You sure made the ride back to Kerrville from Lukenbach at the last Texas Rally a spirited event on that bike!