Hesketh 24

[gjm]

Hesketh rises from the ashes. Again.

Actually, I quite liked the older bikes and I'm pleased to see this even if it looks like there might only be 24 bikes built.

The Hesketh '24', so numbered after James Hunt's Hesketh 308 race-winning F1 car. The bike will have a 1950cc 56-degree V-twin making around 120bhp. Lots of good kit from Ohlins, Brock and Beringer.

Looks interesting, if likely unobtainably expensive and very rare - it makes Honda's NR750 look positively common!

http://www.heskethmotorcycles.co.uk/

[AllanB]

To quote the horse in Ren & Stimpy


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDGlN6mluGA

[jellywrestler]

the original ones are not to common either, they can't tell you how many were actually made but it's well less than 200. I own the second to last one of them made, not a bad bike once all the problems were ironed out too.

[MIXONE]

35K sterling is what they are quoting with a production model to follow next year.

[avgas]

It's like a CX made love to a Moto Guzzi

[skippa1]

Looks ugly, difficult to get parts for, expensive to buy, 1950cc for 120hp and plain in design. I don't get it

[gjm]

the original ones are not to common either, they can't tell you how many were actually made but it's well less than 200. I own the second to last one of them made, not a bad bike once all the problems were ironed out too.

I think that sums up the older bikes very nicely. Nothing actually wrong with them, and they are a bit unusual. There's a (small) market for that.

The looks aren't to everyone's taste, and as for big engine/ low power - Harley have been doing that for years!

I've no doubt they'll sell. Reviewers will compare them to Italian exotica and be underwhelmed, but owners will love them.

[jellywrestler]

I think that sums up the older bikes very nicely. Nothing actually wrong with them, and they are a bit unusual. There's a (small) market for that.

The looks aren't to everyone's taste, and as for big engine/ low power - Harley have been doing that for years!

I've no doubt they'll sell. Reviewers will compare them to Italian exotica and be underwhelmed, but owners will love them.

better than last time when reviewers looked at them as the saviour of the british motorcycle industry with one model expected to replace everything on the market, which it simply wouldn't, and they slammed them. overall it's a well thought out bike, teething troubles cuaght them out, once sorted they do their jopb well for the time. lord hesketh fitted italian brakes forks, jap instruments and switchgear showing he knew the limitations of the local stuff.
as for this model, it's not me really

[vifferman]

Looks interesting, if likely unobtainably expensive and very rare - it makes Honda's NR750 look positively common!
Maybe in terms of numbers, but technology-wise, not remotely close. The NR had a very large number of expensive and exclusive inovations, including some (like oval pistons, 8 valves per cylinder, iridium-coated screen with HUD, etc etc.) that haven't been reporduced since. But luckily, some ideas (SSA, f'rinstance) made it to 'real world' models like the VFR. Pity more of them didn't...

[tamarillo]

Looks ugly, difficult to get parts for, expensive to buy, 1950cc for 120hp and plain in design. I don't get it
Doesn't matter, they only need 24 who do and can afford it.

[skippa1]

Doesn't matter, they only need 24 who do and can afford it.
Lucky no fucker offered me one, I wouldn't appreciate it. I get it if someone else does though:msn-wink:

[98tls]

Looks ok to me,cant remember the blokes name but he was the sales manager at Casbolts when i bought my TL 14 years or so ago well he had one tucked away in his shed.Rare as rocking horse poo.

[Urano]

didn't know about them.
fortunately.

ugly, bulky, with a very english appearance of quality.
bah...

[gjm]

It's not for everyone.

But neither is a Harley. Or a trail bike, a supermoto, a GSXR1000, or (in some cases) anything more than 5 years old. Fortunately there are different styles and types of bikes, so we can all be happy. :)

First review of the (pre-production) 24 here (http://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/bike-reviews/hesketh/hesketh-24-first-uk-road-test).

[Erelyes]

Very niche. It looks nice, they have blended modern (chunky gold USD forks) with 70s styling quite well. Still, nothing that's going to set the world ablaze and I dare say they'll have to charge a fortune to even break even.

[James Deuce]

A poorly proportioned, Harley-clone-engined (yes, yes, S&S 54 degree included cylinder angle, blah, blah) pile of over-priced nostalgia rooted firmly in the era of lung cancer and STDs. Where it should have remained.