Classic Motorcycles in India

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Karl, photos please...

Here she is. Was a daily rider for 2 years. I wonder when Ill get around to sorting her out.

1956 Triumph Tiger 100 - karlosdeville’s Photo Gallery - Team-BHP

[dominator]

Pictures of Indian bikes in Delhi. Julian, I am sure you know who the owner is/was ? These were all " Commercial Restoration ", just painted and spruced up for selling.
Julian, need more pictures from your end. What was about Indians & Delhi ? Almost all the Indians have surfaced or taken over to Delhi. I know Kohli & Sharma used to trade in it, but was there any other connection. Need more pictures from your end of various bikes spotted by you during your stay in India. No Gold Stars,Manx ?

The first picture is from Mumbai.

Julian, is that you in the background in the last picture ?? Just guessing ?

[dominator]

Originally Posted by roopgill

Indians
Love this Thread!!! The first pictures is of a Army Officer in Punjab near Ludhiana on a Scout. The picture is from ~1990-1994. The second one is of my friend Surinder on a Chief in Pune. The bikes belonged to Huey a garage owner in Pune.
Attachment 5492

Attachment 5493


Vincent in Delhi
This is a picture of a Vincent in Delhi, the person is "Sharma" from Sharma Motor Cycle Depot in Pahar Ganj, New Delhi. I am not sure of the year but it might be in the 80s. I scanned this photo at his garage. Once again this Vincent left India in those days.

Attachment 5496

Welcome onboard Roop. Do you remember me from Bangalore ? Are you back for good ? Surender still looks the same. One among the 2 Indians was sold recently to a guy in Hyderabad. At the last Pune event, the guy rode the bike from Hyderabad to Pune.

Originally Posted by roopgill

I want to share a picture of my 1936 BSA. If any one knows any history of this very bike please let me know. I bought it from Vinod Sharma in Pahar Ganj. The bike is very similar to the bike in previous page, except the front fender. Makes me think if it is the same one. Well Enjoy it, anyways.

Yes it is the same bike. What a beauty it is. One of the very original,well maintained bike from their stable.I have seen the bike parked in his garage in 1997/98.

Originally Posted by roopgill

It is possible, All Sharma told me about the vincent was that this bike went to Holland. When I lived in Bombay 1997 there was a talk about a Vincent near "The Fountain" in town owned by a are gallery owner, never say the bike.

1947 Speed Twin bought in Pune.
This Delhi Registered bike was bought by me (in the picture) in 1996 in Pune. I owned the bike for few years the sold it in 2004 in Delhi. If you are in classic bike scene near Pune then you will recognize Ruben in the background. He has a Vellocette, BSA Gold Star, and few others. His brother has Sam's Garage in Punjabi Bagh, Pune.

Ruebin is still very active. His Goldie has undergone further restoration.

[dominator]

Roop ! Picture of your BSA, parked at Sharma's.

[dominator]

1. Reubins DBD GoldStar - 1998. Recent changes - racing clip ons, new paint, Amal GP

2. Sams Velocette - 1959,complete in clubman trims
3. B31 1952 in Hyderabad
4. B31 1955 in Delhi
5. My unrestored 1961 BSA A50 Royal Star. Notice the trafficators ? It had just come on TR from Malaysia. Bought it from him.

[S.B.Jatti]

I have with me some photographs of bikes of members of Heritage Motoring Club, which were on the HMCI -2008 Calender. I am uploading a few of them.

[Julian UK]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Here she is. Was a daily rider for 2 years. I wonder when Ill get around to sorting her out.

1956 Triumph Tiger 100 - karlosdeville’s Photo Gallery - Team-BHP

No time like the present

Originally Posted by dominator

Pictures of Indian bikes in Delhi. Julian, I am sure you know who the owner is/was ? These were all " Commercial Restoration ", just painted and spruced up for selling.
Julian, need more pictures from your end. What was about Indians & Delhi ? Almost all the Indians have surfaced or taken over to Delhi. I know Kohli & Sharma used to trade in it, but was there any other connection. Need more pictures from your end of various bikes spotted by you during your stay in India. No Gold Stars,Manx ?

The first picture is from Mumbai.

Julian, is that you in the background in the last picture ?? Just guessing ?

I don't know who the owners were, I think all these Chiefs were being brought to Delhi and tarted up and sold to foreigners for fancy prices when the rush was on. I found mine in 1979-82 when they were cheap and plentiful, once the rush started they became very expensive.
I have already uploaded my photos in posts #11 and #25.
The chap in the background in the last photo is Juergen Mattern a friend of mine in Germany who runs "Indian Teile-Dienst" who sell Indian motorcycle spares.
Click here:
Juergen Mattern's Indian Teile-Dienst
Many of the parts are made in India.

One last photo taken at the house of Rajan Sharma (in the red jacket) in Karol Bagh New Delhi in 1979, this was his BSA A10 plunger with swing arm conversion from a Honda and a different tank. Next to it is the Ariel 350 that was in the Gandhi film and its owner Andrew Blake an Australian friend who now restores Indians in France.

About that time there were about 4 parts shops in Kashmere Gate motor market who had lots of new old stock spare parts for Indians, (I bought 2 new engines) also crank shafts/bearings sets, distributors, speedometers cams all new original parts. One shop was Motor Cycle House and Motor Cycle Home (1st floor) both by Minerva cinema, also 2 dealers, a Mr Mehta and Bashir Ahmed both on Hamilton Road who would sell spares and find bikes, as well as the Sharmas.

I still have this letter from the Office of the Controller of Exports and Imports from 1980

[dominator]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

No time like the present




I don't know who the owners were, I think all these Chiefs were being brought to Delhi and tarted up and sold to foreigners for fancy prices when the rush was on. I found mine in 1979-82 when they were cheap and plentiful, once the rush started they became very expensive.
I have already uploaded my photos in posts #11 and #25.
The chap in the background in the last photo is Juergen Mattern a friend of mine in Germany who runs "Indian Teile-Dienst" who sell Indian motorcycle spares.
Click here:
Juergen Mattern's Indian Teile-Dienst
Many of the parts are made in India.

One last photo taken at the house of Rajan Sharma (in the red jacket) in Karol Bagh New Delhi in 1979, this was his BSA A10 plunger with swing arm conversion from a Honda and a different tank. Next to it is the Ariel 350 that was in the Gandhi film and its owner Andrew Blake an Australian friend who now restores Indians in France.
Attachment 46175
About that time there were about 4 parts shops in Kashmere Gate motor market who had lots of new old stock spare parts for Indians, (I bought 2 new engines) also crank shafts/bearings sets, distributors, speedometers cams all new original parts. One shop was Motor Cycle House and Motor Cycle Home (1st floor) both by Minerva cinema, also 2 dealers, a Mr Mehta and Bashir Ahmed both on Hamilton Road who would sell spares and find bikes, as well as the Sharmas.

I still have this letter from the Office of the Controller of Exports and Imports from 1980
Attachment 46176

What happened to Rajan Sharma's collection ? I believe he migrated to Germany ? He had a basket case Square 4 , with cam shafts missing , wanted 65k in 1995. The same bike was bought by R.M. He also had a MG TC and some other bikes for sale.

[dominator]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

I always heard rumours of a Brough Superior in India for years, never had concrete proof. Thank you! Where is this bike today?

I also keep hearing of a Vincent Black Shadow thats still around. Anybody know of it?

There is a Black Shadow in Mysore,not NOT FOR SALE. Haven't seen it on road for the last 12 years. It is complete,just needs restoration.

[speedy]

@ Dominator the tyres on the Goldstar seem to be wrong. i had seen one in the Thakkars collection in Pune that got sold to a Parsi Gentleman from Bombay ( forgot his name now).

@ Jatti saab for the illitrate people her like myself could you please post the Make, Models and year of the bikes. the bike numbers 4 and 5 look very interesting.

[S.B.Jatti]

When it comes to two wheelers I am also illiterate. However, the details are available on the calender, and I shall provide the details of the motorcycles as soon as possible. Thanks.

[Julian UK]

Originally Posted by dominator

What happened to Rajan Sharma's collection ? I believe he migrated to Germany ?

Nice collection of photos Dominator, I hope you have more as well
Rajan Sharma and family are in Kansas USA, he was working in a supermarket 5 years ago I haven't heard from him since, he sold all the bikes, including the 20s Indian Scout he had.

Regarding S B Jatti’s photos

1st photo.
Some sort of 80s BMW R75 or 80 I have no interest

2nd photo
1949 Norton Dominator Model 7 500cc
Norton Classic Motorcycles

3rd photo
1950ish A10 Golden Flash Plunger 650cc
BSA

4th photo
1934/5 Triumph OHV single (it was available in 250cc, 350cc and 500cc)
Historique des motos Triumph

5th photo
1930s Levis Model A2 350cc OHV
It looks like the foot rests have been raised. The gear change also looks slightly interesting. See here:
Yesterdays

6th photo
I don’t do scooters, dangerous contraptions…

7th photo
1946 on IFA - MZ BK 350 2 stroke flat twin made by the ex DKW factory
http://digilander.libero.it/cuoccimix/ENGLISH-automotorusse9-r(MZ).htm

[dominator]

Originally Posted by speedy

@ Dominator the tyres on the Goldstar seem to be wrong. i had seen one in the Thakkars collection in Pune that got sold to a Parsi Gentleman from Bombay ( forgot his name now).

@ Jatti saab for the illitrate people her like myself could you please post the Make, Models and year of the bikes. the bike numbers 4 and 5 look very interesting.

Wrong tyres ? What do you mean Speedy ? It is standard 19 tyres.
Are you referring to Gary Lawyers bike ? That is a beauty too, DBD with a 190mm front hub and a racing bubble tank.At present with Viraf Vatcha in Mumbai.

[dominator]

1. A very well restored Ariel KH 500 twin. Major parts have been sourced by me for this bike.Only off late,with the access to internet,people have started sourcing parts on the net. All my part sourcing has been done in India. There is still a lot of treasure lying around.
2.1954 G3L Matchless, wrongly painted though.
3.Some bikes on my farm years ago.
4. Moto Guzzi Nova Falcon 1971,owned for a short time.
5. BMW R90 in Pune - Sherry Bathenas old garage next to the fuel station.
6.Early Guzzi in Hyderabad.
7. My Sunbeam S7 under restoration - 1999

[OceanBreeze]

Hello All

Nice Thread - lovely pictures.

I love old Airheads - would any one of you know of a good Airhead R series for sale ?

Used to have BSA's "in the day" but now, sadly, riding a 2nd hand pulsar 150 and hating every moment of it !!! I thought I would use it as a run about - mostly it sits in the garage unused. Its in great shape but just the overall experience is like riding a TVS 50 . B O R I N G ....

cheers