During the sixties in England a number
of scooter dealers found great opportunities to offer bikes personalized
both in the shape and in technical features. This meant commercial and
sporting success, reason for which many dealers involved themselves in
creating bikes more developed, using sometimes motorcycle components or
fabricating special tuning parts and offering more glaming paints and accessories.
Among them we have to mention Arthur
Francis, with his famous "S" Type, Wildcat and their 5 ports barrell, P.J.
Oakley, Eddie Grimstead, Royspeed and of course Supertune.
Supertunes machines were a perfect
mix of style and speed for my own taste; the tried various mechanical solutions
not forgetting the look, obviously with a sporting edge.
In this page there are 2 replicas I
pictured in England in 1997:
the GP feature a 225 cc. engine with
high compression centre plug head (one of the sixties special parts), Mk.1
Amal carb and his special manifold, big bore exhaust; another goodie
is the "Snetterton" seat, original of the period.
the SX is the famous "Low Line Special"
built as an exact copy of the one you'll find a feature in the "How they
did it" section and feature a 235cc. engine obtained using a 72 mm. piston
and 60mm. stroke; also here Mk. 1 Amal even if a Wal Phillips injector
was tried without success, 48mm. big bore exhaust; on the body as you can
see the front end has been lowered by 3,5 inch.; the seat is handmade and
can be lifted up to allow access to the fuel tank.
I've had a go on both bikes and can
assure they are very nice and really fast! |
