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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Clundy on Tuesday 04 October 11 14:48 BST (UK)

Title: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Clundy on Tuesday 04 October 11 14:48 BST (UK)
It belonged to my first cousin 2x removed, Frank.  He was born in 1927 in Durham, and he then moved to Australia, where he was, I believe, killed in a motorbike accident.  It could well be that this was the bike and therefore the picture may have been taken in Australia.  I think it's a Triumph.
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: rosie99 on Tuesday 04 October 11 14:50 BST (UK)
OH thinks its a Triumph too  ;D

 A twin and probably 500cc 
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Clundy on Tuesday 04 October 11 15:01 BST (UK)
Thanks Rosie  :)
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Suffolk Mawther on Wednesday 05 October 11 18:31 BST (UK)
I would think it is a Triumph Twin possibly 500cc
The twin exhausts and the central push-rod tube are clearly visible.
Date ?  possibly late 1940s.

Hope this helps.

John ...
husband of the owd Mawther  ;)
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Clundy on Wednesday 05 October 11 19:30 BST (UK)
Thank you John, I'm off to Google for images  ;D
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: bandick on Thursday 06 October 11 14:11 BST (UK)
try this... could be a good start.

http://www.tomcc.org/ProfilePage.aspx?id=4
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Redroger on Thursday 06 October 11 15:40 BST (UK)
Triumph twin agreed, I missed out on one of these in the early 60s it went for £14 secondhand. Those were the days.
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Clundy on Thursday 06 October 11 18:42 BST (UK)
Thanks Redroger and bandick, that pic does look promising, I think beyond the light that you guys have shed it's going to be nigh on impossible to pin it down to a specific model, isn't it?

Clundy x
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Guy Etchells on Thursday 06 October 11 19:50 BST (UK)
I wouldn't swear to it but it looks like an early Triumph Speed Twin (500cc) to me.
Cheers
Guy
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Fue on Thursday 06 October 11 23:36 BST (UK)
I showed this picture my OH who loves old bikes and sorry to disagree with everyone but he thinks it's a BSA 500!  Apparently Triumph motorbikes have the speedo integral in/on the headlight and this one is separate. It could be a BSA 7 Star Twin..
 
On second thoughts, says my OH .....and perusing many photographs (with a lot of "oooh look at that" and "aaah, isn't that lovely!") He does now think it is in fact  a Triumph 5T spin as per bandic's link! Men!! ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Redroger on Friday 07 October 11 18:44 BST (UK)
It would have solved all problems had the photo been shot from the RH side as I believe the badge for both Triumph and BSA was on the RH side of the tank.
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Clundy on Friday 07 October 11 18:49 BST (UK)
The original image is a bit clearer, and I think it is a Triumph, as it has a swoop underneath it (technical term I believe!)

Thanks for all your help guys!

Clundy
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Guy Etchells on Saturday 08 October 11 07:24 BST (UK)
It would have solved all problems had the photo been shot from the RH side as I believe the badge for both Triumph and BSA was on the RH side of the tank.

Both BSA and Triumph had badges on both sides of the tank.
However in the case of Triumph the badge after circa 1950 had chrome embellishments.

Triumphs also had separate speedos or separate matched speedo & rev counters.

The first thing I noticed from the picture was the bike had been dropped at least once hence the bent clutch lever.
Cheers
Guy


Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: bristolloggerheads on Saturday 08 October 11 08:14 BST (UK)
I believe the 5T had a nacelle from 1949 onwards so this would seem to pre-date then.
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: caribou on Saturday 08 October 11 09:02 BST (UK)
Not sure that your cousin Frank owned the bike, the background looks painted, as if it were taken in a photographer's studio.

Bob.
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Geoff-E on Saturday 08 October 11 09:09 BST (UK)
...  the background looks painted, as if it were taken in a photographer's studio.

I thought that too. :)
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Clundy on Saturday 08 October 11 12:27 BST (UK)
I did note that it was taken in a studio, I thought maybe he had taken his own bike there  :-[

He did own a bike though....

Thank you for all your insights  ;D
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Redroger on Saturday 08 October 11 19:49 BST (UK)
Don't remember badges on the LH side of the tank. Strange if they were so, where is it on this photo?
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Clundy on Sunday 09 October 11 16:08 BST (UK)
Hi Redroger, the original pic shows the badge on the LH side, you can just about make it out on the scan.

I know nothing about bikes and had never noticed than one lever was bent and the other wasn't  :-[
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Geoff-E on Sunday 09 October 11 16:09 BST (UK)
I'd be very surprised if the badges were only on one side.  :-\
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Suffolk Mawther on Sunday 09 October 11 16:26 BST (UK)
Like you Clundy when it comes to bikes 'I know nothing'!
However, I have shared my forty years of married life with various bikes, from the beginning there was always a Triumph in the house (literally with our first cottage).  Now we are down to just one Triumph (at the moment  ::)
a fully restored one from the 1960s.

Pat ...
Title: Re: Can you ID this motorbike?
Post by: Redroger on Sunday 09 October 11 16:37 BST (UK)
I'd be very surprised if the badges were only on one side.  :-\

True Geoff, But i just don't remember them on the LHS.

Pat, At present with have our daughter and son in law's camper van parked on our drive. They want to sell it. It dates from around 1971-2 and is an enthusiast's van that needs some work. Any takers?