The best bargain in the market for British bikes isn't some old classic but the contemporary 750 Triumph Trident. Thoroughly modern to the extent of being watercooled, having DOHC's and 16 valves, it nevertheless shows its British ancestry with an excess of torque and a clever frame design. Anyone who's used to old British bikes or has been away from the scene for a long time will find that the 750 triple has an excess of power and speed, backed up by rock solid reliability.
Received wisdom suggests that the 900 version is the definitive triple, brilliant in its mixture of power and torque, which is quite true (I own a Speed Triple) but the major advantage of the 750 is relative cheapness. Aided by early models not having a brilliant finish (that can't be said about 1994 models onwards that take second place to no-one with regards to quality of finish) can mean a 750 with loads of life left can be had for as little as three grand.
The engine is generally very tough but the gearboxes could be finicky from new, with age and mileage doing nothing for the slickness. Easy enough to check out during the test ride, but as long as there are no false neutrals don't be put off as the change, just like BMW's, is a bit of an acquired art. I have heard two examples, which had done more than 30,000 miles, with very noisy top ends, which is certainly something to avoid. Another high mileage example dripped oil just like an old Triumph twin, due to a blown gasket.
Don't let that put you off, though, there are lots of low mileage examples available for no more money than a classic twin. They tend to attract careful mature owners who never do more than the ton. The major problem with the 750, as with all the triples, is too much mass but it's not that difficult to go over the whole machine, dumping non-essential bits and lightening others. I've got my Speed Triple down to 425lbs!
The presence of the new Triumphs has had an effect on the old British stuff, with many a relieved owner trading in for modern wheels, and the fact that there's a lot of bikes up for sale, combined with the reasonable, even low, price of the new triples (the fours I'd ignore as they are too Japanese in character) means that there are some relative bargains available amidst those old British machines that are not in the Vincent or Rudge bracket.
Probably because so many of the things were made, Triumph twins are still around at reasonable prices. These days that means £750 to £1500 for something that works well at the lower end of the price range to something that looks immaculate at the higher end. Most enthusiasts think the twins reached their peak in the sixties, oil in the frame models being especially viewed with suspicion - the way the frame cracks up and lets the oil leak away doesn't help.
By the late sixties Triumph had sorted out most of the handling problems, old heaps like the Speed Twin of the fifties being renown for stepping out in corners (don't tell me they don't because I've come off one that did). Anything from the sixties should've had a chassis refurbishment by now, if it hasn't expect weaves and wobbles above 70mph.
There used to be a great war between proponents of pre-unit and unit twins but when the factory went bust that died down under the influx of huge numbers of Jap invaders. Pre-unit stuff tends to be more expensive and less reliable when in an equal state of tune (which is rare).
The unit twins suffered from tuning efforts, both by the factory and DIY merchants; it's often better to go for the milder single carb version or even the 500. When heavily tuned the whole motor disintegrates, everything from crank to top end to the transmission. Stock bikes have chronic problems from the primary drive, top end and the insidious nature of the vibration, which can take out just about anything.
Bikes on the market vary from those that've been neatly rebuilt, using improved modern parts, to those that are just waiting to blow up but have a nice enough appearance. The state of the engine is usually pretty obvious from the level of vibration (especially above 5000 revs) and oil leaks (modern gasket goo can make them oil tight when used properly). Engines rattle all the time but knocks indicate some bearings on the way out. Parts are still available for the engine whilst chassis bits can be mixed and matched to the owner's taste. In fact, some of the best bargains are found amongst the mild customs.
Ignore the fanatics who demand originality, the Triumph twin, with its gutsy engine and agile chassis, is all about riding and excess fun. Decently rebuilt, set up to maximise the sub 5000 rev torque, they are even reliable. For those not obsessed by speed, Triumph twins represent the best deal on old British twins. There's no point in zeroing in on any particular model as being the definitive buy because in the used market the effect of time and age, plus countless rebuilds, will obscure any virtues or defects that the original model defined.
I'd always been a Norton twin man, myself. Mainly because in Commando form the engine could be tuned to near death whilst the Isolastic mounts absorbed the resulting vibes from 850cc's of power and glory. Reliability was terrible, with rebuilds every few thousand miles, but at the time there was nothing else that gave the tremendous kick in the guts. These days, there are any number of Jap bikes that can better it with perfect reliability, not to mention devices like the Speed Triple.
The Commando started out with what was basically an Atlas 750 motor installed, unreliability climaxing in the aptly named Combat model. I'd avoid all of the 750 models as the crank, valves and even contact breakers were inadequate. Norton responded to the self-destruct nature of the motor by making it bigger but less powerful and uprating the crank with Superblend bearings. My advice would be to buy the most recent model available and hope that it had both electronic ignition and an SU carb conversion.
A good Commando, in a mild state of tune, will cruise relentlessly at 80 to 90mph without the intrusive vibes of other old British twins, a unique trait that defines its useful place in the motorcycle world. Handling is less agile and stable than other twins, mainly down to the swinging arm being mounted within the Isolastic system, needing to be shimmed to achieve a compromise between chassis rigidity and smoothness. The last model had a much superior vernier system. Commando's are expensive compared to Triumphs, two thousand notes up.
Featherbed framed Norton models are even more expensive, even though the engines vibrate more than Triumphs and are even less reliable. Few of the older Nortons are available in a soft state of tune, which makes them a bit precarious and finicky.
The virtues of the Featherbed frame are well known, a unique combination of stability and easy turning, a distillation of experience and clever design that works well with the low mass and narrowness of the Norton twin (or Triumph twin for that matter but cafe racer Tritons are generally rolling abortions, as will be readily testified by no less a cynic than the editor). For those who can't resist the Featherbed go for the early sixties 88SS, a 500 twin of surprising power and reliability. The 650 version was altogether harsher, more vibratory, but had an echo of the gut churning torque that was later to turn up in the Commando.
Tritons were in the main home-made specials. Many upset the handling by wrong placement of the motor in the frame; most went the clip-ons and rear-sets route. The use of alloy tanks that split under the vibes meant many examples died an early and thankful death, burnt out wrecks left as a testament to someone's desperate dreams. Those still on the road aren't in such a bad state, most of the wrecks having destroyed themselves over the years, but the combination of tuned engines, vibratory natures and ill-conceived engineering means that few can be recommended, especially as many are priced at well over two grand.
The only other Norton of note's the ES2, a 490cc OHV thumper that was a bit more sporting than most British singles. Even back in the late forties it'd touch 80mph, although the primitive suspension would try to kill you on modern road. Late fifties, early sixties models had the luxury of proper suspension and a strong frame but weren't that much faster. The engine was inherited from the ancient Model 18, tackle so basic it's only of interest to vintage fanatics. As long as its treated well it's quite a tough old mill, though god knows, these days, what time and rebuilds have done to its integrity.
I actually owned a 1960 ES2 for a couple of months and couldn't fault it as reliable transport. It needed a certain attitude with regards use of the throttle and gearbox; you had to wait for it to wind itself up but once the torque had built up it'd thunder up hill and down dale without too much effort. As with so many Brits, part of its charm was the way you could feel the motor fight for every ounce of power. Bland it could never be called. It's still possible to buy a working ES2 for around a grand, which seems like a bargain to me. Check the clutch, gearbox and electrics carefully.
Triumph's attempt at a single was much more basic, more of a budget commuter than anything else, though no owner of a Tiger Cub will thank you for such a description. With its slanted forward engine and big Triumph tank, the Cub looked right, a pose that confused any number of otherwise sane motorcyclists into thinking its 199cc OHV engine was anything more than a pile of junk waiting for its chance to blow up. The earlier version, with puny bushes for crank bearings, practically defined all that was wrong with the British motorcycle. It was probably viable as a slow commuter when its Amal carb helped endow it with good economy.
If you find a Cub with a quiet, oil tight and smooth engine, look closely because it's probably had a Japanese motor shoe-horned in! It doesn't seem worth the effort to renovate one properly, most on the market for under five hundred notes are on the verge of self immolation.
Some models have fitted the much superior forks and front wheel off the 500 twin. The stock stuff is so vague when just a little worn it turns the machine suicidal, letting it veer off every which way. The final model borrowed the chassis off the Bantam, an amusing 175cc BSA stroker that could be tuned quite heavily at the expense of 3000 mile rebuilds.
Bantam's are about as common as Ariel Three's (for those with dim memories, a three wheel moped that was hinged so that the rider remained upright in corners....in theory), most of them destroyed by learners (before they were restricted to 125s) in the seventies.
Stock, they are slow; tuned they are very unreliable. The chassis was taut and light, the ride intimate with the reaction of the tyres to the tarmac. As with most BSA's their looks were mediocre but improved with the passing of time and the coming ubiquity of the race replica.
The late sixties D14 was almost modern and the odd one still in running order, available for less than five hundred notes, is an amusing way to hop around town - acceleration's good enough to see off both cars and restricted 125's; an act that when combined with its vintage appearance generally serves to enrage. Engine knocks and rattles are pretty obvious in their intensity; the crankshaft just as likely to go as the piston is to seize. For cheap, sleazy fun it's hard to beat.
BSA was once upon a happy time the biggest of the British factories, a trick achieved by knocking out a range of basic commuters and vertical twins that captured some of the glamour of Norton and Triumph but were a little more practical if slower. Unlike most of the other factories, there's a large body of opinion, with which I tend to agree, that reckons BSA peaked by the end of fifties with the pre-unit twins.
That means the A7 and A10, 500 and 650 versions of the venerable OHV twins, are the ones to go for if classic rather than practical values rule. However, the youngest's over thirty years old, these days, and those not extremely expensive tend towards being on the verge of rolling wrecks. The A7 vibrates less but can't show a Superdream a dirty pair of exhausts, which leaves the A10. A great old vertical twin that when the tolerances went the right way could do 50 to 60,000 miles. Nowadays, look for an uprated crankshaft and lack of vibes up to 6000 revs.
The unit construction range are a lot less popular, their fatter looks (and, indeed, increased mass) don't inspire much love, although they have aged well and in another ten years will doubtless be revered for their appearance. They're not particularly fast nor economical but with a SRM crank conversion and half reasonable rebuild they stay together well, especially the A50 and milder versions of the A65. The engine doesn't take well to being heavily tuned, devices like the Spitfire should be ignored - if you want excessive speed buy a new Triumph triple. A nice unit construction Beeza can be had for well under a thousand notes; undoubtedly the cheapest way to get decent wheels if you're into vertical twin Brits.
Both the BSA Rocket Three and Triumph T150 Trident have been killed off by the new Tridents. There seems to be no point suffering an aircooled motor that revelled in burning out its valves, splashing oil everywhere and seizing up when thrashed, although there are a couple of specialists who'll rebuild the engines to a good enough spec to last for 20 to 30,000 miles - at a high price. Only the Triumph Hurricane, with its unique styling's worth chasing down, even then the motor needs a tiresome amount of maintenance and some of the prices, of over three grand, are way over the top. Make sure you're buying a genuine Hurricane if paying top money, as there were styling kits available for stock Tridents.
BSA did a line in working singles since they started out in business. A whole line of delinquency was started with the C10 OHV single which eventually mutated into the C15 in the sixties, which when thrashed fell apart under the rider but worked as a commuter at C90 velocities. The C15 did become tougher as it progressed and £300 for a reasonable late model might prove a tolerable entry into the game of British biking. Look for a quiet engine with a smooth gearbox rather than shiny chassis, there's so many things that could break in the engine it's not worth starting a list. If it drives you crazy, the reasonable chassis will house a Jap single.
The C15 became the C25 which did the usual British trick of turning a mild motor into a rip-snorter with excess vibes and things like gearboxes that'll fall apart whilst riding along. The B25 had a better chassis but the motor was just as dubious despite sharing some of the trial bike's engine components. Buy one with a nice chassis, throw the motor away and fit a Jap engine - it's just not worth the terrifying effort to keep an aged motor running.
For those with a taste for real vibration, theres the B44 Victor, although to be fair the engine was a bit tougher than the C25 and there are lots of CCM bits which will either tune or strengthen it. As it's actually usable prices are higher than the 250, about £750 for a good one - for that kind of money you can buy a twin. The gearbox and top end are the most likely weak spots.
An hilarious alternative to these serious would-be classics is the old BSA sidevalve single, a refugee from the second world war which can be picked up for 500 notes. Don't pay any more, they are tediously slow, handle weirdly and go molten when ridden flat out. The later M21's slightly more tolerable than the M20.
That just about sums up the affordable options from the Big Three. Most of the other twins are limited by either being rare, not having a cheap supply of parts or being crap. The only company that showed any cleverness in its engineering was Royal Enfield who went so far as to dynamically balance their crankshafts, use proper main bearings and keep the oil in the sump (though strictly speaking it wasn't a true wet sump system).
The 500 Meteor Minor's a sweet little thing but the one to go for is a late 750 Interceptor at £1000 to £1500. Not stunningly fast but surprisingly frugal and well put together, though the oil leaks are chronic and the front end could do with something stronger and more modern. These days, top end, primary drive and gearbox are the most likely areas of concern.
The 350 and 500 Bullets have largely been overshadowed, if not diminished, by imports from India but as a mild hack they have their uses if you can find a decent one for a lot less than a thousand notes (you probably can't). The really eccentric single, for those wired into such devices, has to be the Panther, a Model 120 has 650cc's of full blown thumper torque. There are a lot worse ways to throw a grand away! An early sixties Model 16, 350 thumper Ajay is almost too expensive, at £1250 up, to consider buts its looks and dynamics mark it worthy of note.
If I wanted something cute, odd-ball and really cheap I'd blow 500 notes on an Ariel Arrow. A 250cc two stroke twin which would do 80mph in 1960, with all the attendant rattles and smoke. Like most old Brits they're oily, unreliable and dodgy but a weird kind of fun.
Johnny Malone