Author Topic: Weslake  (Read 379 times)

Offline RDfella

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 2210
  • Karma: 15
Weslake
« on: 02.03. 2022 10:51 »
Greybeard asked for a pic of a bike I referred to earlier. Taken before I altered the downtubes around four years ago (no, I no longer race it but am tempted at times - until I remember my age). Have to say it is quick.
'49 B31, '49 M21, '53 DOT, '58 Flash, '62 Flash special, '00 Firestorm, Weslake sprint bike.

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9982
  • Karma: 50
Re: Weslake
« Reply #1 on: 02.03. 2022 19:28 »
Oo err, that is a strange-looking beastie. Is the gear box BSA?
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline RDfella

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 2210
  • Karma: 15
Re: Weslake
« Reply #2 on: 02.03. 2022 20:25 »
Hi Neil,

Gearbox is close ratio Norton. Frame Yamaha. Engine at 560cc. Bought roughly as per pic a while back when looking for more power in a non-modern package. Carried out a few mods since then - eg lengthened swingarm to keep front end down and made different front downtubes. Changed gearbox to normal ratio as found it a handful for hill-climbs and so switched to sprints, where a CR gearbox is a disadvantage.
'49 B31, '49 M21, '53 DOT, '58 Flash, '62 Flash special, '00 Firestorm, Weslake sprint bike.

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9982
  • Karma: 50
Re: Weslake
« Reply #3 on: 02.03. 2022 23:03 »
Do you have any moving footage of you riding the Weslake?
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline BagONails

  • Valued Contributor
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2021
  • Posts: 310
  • Karma: 4
Re: Weslake
« Reply #4 on: 03.03. 2022 00:18 »
On the subject of Weslake himself, this is a worthwhile read:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weslake

Quite a guy!
Ian
59 GF A10
67 Spitfire under resto
2013 kwaka W800 Desert Sled (ex write off)

Nil Desperandum

Online Roger (Doomtrainbarx)

  • A's Good Friend
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jun 2020
  • Posts: 242
  • Karma: 1
    • Soundclick
Re: Weslake
« Reply #5 on: 03.03. 2022 10:19 »
I used a Weslake 8 valve conversion on my Triumph when I was sidecar racing in the mid 70's.
I must admit, the performance difference was a bit disappointing considering the cost of the kit.
I then moved onto a Devimead 750 A65 - much quicker !
1962 Super Rocket
2003 Kawasaki Z1000
1987 Kawasaki ZL1000 Eliminator
1989 Harley FXRS (Turbo)

Offline RDfella

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 2210
  • Karma: 15
Re: Weslake
« Reply #6 on: 03.03. 2022 10:59 »
Neil - afraid not. Must be 20yrs since I last rode it. In recent years I lent that bike and my hill-climb B31 to my son to race, but nowadays he's too busy skippering boats for the mega-rich to enter events. One of his clients (name similar to yours, GB) bought a house for £12m only to demolish it and build anew. Some of these guys literally have no idea what they're worth. How the other half live. 
'49 B31, '49 M21, '53 DOT, '58 Flash, '62 Flash special, '00 Firestorm, Weslake sprint bike.