Author Topic: Trying to Identify the bike my Gran used to have back in the 40's (Read 7633 times)

Sandscorcher · « **on:** 16 April 2014, 09:36:08 pm »

I'd like to work out what bike my gran had back aroing the 1940's

kitcrazy · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 April 2014, 10:05:04 pm »

could be a HRD or a matchless silver arrow both had gear selectors like that.

caretaker · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 April 2014, 10:14:58 pm »

i'm guessing raleigh because of the use of inverted levers and the top mount for the front mudguard.

mickvp · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 April 2014, 10:19:39 pm »

id say a raleigh as well. looks like a raleigh 500?

kitcrazy · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 April 2014, 10:19:53 pm »

so did the OK-supreme road knight think that had a jap engine

chaz · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 April 2014, 11:00:03 pm »

Looks like it may be a twin or twinport twostroke as the exhaust looks to be in the barrel? as the others have said might be a Raleigh, I was looking at a 250 twinport twostroke at the classic bike show? at Goole last Sunday.

You could spend a few hours on Google images looking? you might find a match...... hand gear change.. lever.... etc. but there were dozens of bike makers back then, good look................

adeejaysdelight · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 April 2014, 11:24:31 pm »

You gran is a legend mate

darrsi · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 April 2014, 06:47:01 am »

As above, looks pretty damn close to me!

Dave48 · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 April 2014, 07:28:55 am »

Saddle tank, hand gearchange, inverted levers, girder forks- deffo a pre-war bike,- but that hardly narrows the field as we had a booming bike industry back then. No civilian bikes built after about 1941-apart from low powered autocycles for essential users. Nice pic-shame there aren't any more showing side view of machine but I guess the photographer was trying to capture your gran rather than the bike! At a guess Id say 1930s as flat tanks were mostly gone by then & electric lighting had replaced acetylene lamps. Do you know whether your Gran rode much?

fazersharp · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 April 2014, 12:06:58 pm »

Had a go at enhancing if for you

kitcrazy · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 April 2014, 04:53:02 pm »

could be?

caretaker · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 April 2014, 08:16:58 pm »

i used to be into the vintage thing years ago and had a 39 panther 250. i used to buy 'classic motorcycle' magazine and you would get photos sent in with very little detail, and the editor at the time, the late great bob currie would almost always identify the bike. happy times.

snapper · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 April 2014, 09:44:28 pm »

caretaker ! pics please pretty please !

caretaker · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 April 2014, 10:19:01 pm »

not much in the way of pics i'm afraid. the panther had to go as an unfinished project due to my son's education costs.

then we had to finance his uni costs which meant getting rid of these two

i hope he'll pay me back some day.

Sandscorcher · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 April 2014, 10:52:37 pm »

Thanks for the replies,
As far as I can see from a google image search it seems more likely to be a Raleigh.
Dad tels me that gran quite liked her bikes so guess she did a good bit of riding around Northumberland.

kitcrazy · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 April 2014, 10:54:20 pm »

thats one cool lady

snapper · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 April 2014, 10:58:59 pm »

sorry people not trying to hijack the thread but , Caretaker are you on face book ? if so
https://www.facebook.com/tony.hasler.50?fref=pb&hc_location=friends_tab#!/groups/11553580477/

Deefer666 · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 April 2014, 06:41:21 am »

That is a 1935 Triumph 5/4 500 OHV 2 Port

Dave48 · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 April 2014, 07:03:24 am »

If the registration letters are "CN" her bike was registered in Gateshead.

caretaker · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 April 2014, 06:22:15 pm »

snapper, i'm not on facebook but i still follow the antics of the panther boys.

snapper · « **Reply #20 on:** 21 April 2014, 09:48:10 pm »

Robbie8666 · « **Reply #21 on:** 25 April 2014, 11:51:11 am »

Quote from: Dave48 on 18 April 2014, 07:03:24 am

If the registration letters are "CN" her bike was registered in Gateshead.

was going to say could it not be traced by the registration number but guess there will not be records around from that date!

MadDogMcQ · « **Reply #22 on:** 25 April 2014, 01:15:52 pm »

Anyone help with this one? It's my Dad around 1960. He was penniless so I'm guessing it's a 30's bike.

Twin port again. gear-change on tank, kneepads on tank. Some people say Rudge Ulster but there's flaws to that theory too.

snapper · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 April 2014, 04:56:14 pm »

one of the issues is many bikes back then use the same parts and they were very interchangable so alot of the bikes were more of a bitza than now
well thats what my da always told me

caretaker · « **Reply #24 on:** 25 April 2014, 06:06:00 pm »

i would guess its a panther as the exhausts are quite low suggesting a sloper 600.