Around '65 a Japanese motorcylce called the Pointer was sold in NZ. Only a limited number were imported, from memory 6 of them. They were a larger 250 cc version of the one shown on this poster. http://vintageiron.com/ These 2 smokes really did have great performance for their period. They were also fitted with a 4 speed rotary gearbox, which was considered an asset, but was sometimes a potential disaster. Unlike a conventional gearbox, they ran N,1,2,3,4,N, which was very convenient when wanting to stop at an intersection, without having to tap back through the gears. But, they had no gear indicator on their instrument cluster, so many riders went through N into 1st which resulted in a rear wheel lockup or severe engine overrev. The latter was quite common with the rider desperately trying to avoid disappearing over the handle bars. A friend of mine owned one of these machines and I experienced this 1st gear sellection as a pillion on one occasion. I have never seen one for sale, nor any parts being advertised for one on TM. I haven't been able to find any pics of the 250, which I believe was the last model to be produced before they folded. I often wonder how many owners survived their Pointer experience. My mate did, but he struggled with that gearbox. If used on a modern bike, the manufacterer would fit it with an electronic override should 1st gear be inadvertently selected.
That Pointer Lassie looks a bit of a dog Who made it? Not Bridgestone by any chance?
I bet any money they were a Department store jobbie. In the US a lot of European bikes were rebranded and sold by the likes of Sears, Montgomery Ward etc.
Dads Vintage Ads on fleabay may have the answer... but they look a lot like Bridgestones
An early Bridgestone scooter has similarities with the Lassie.
The mystery is solved... if you can read japanese POINTER MOTORCYCLEPOINTER MOTORCYCLE (Hyogo) -(2002) POINTER MOTORCYCLES BY SHINMAYWA INDUSTRY CO.,LTD. (EX-kawanishi Air-Craft CO.,LTD.) JAPAN KOBE The link below is to their current site (updated may 03) which features an old 1960 model on the page along with a reference to the Lassie name. http://www.boreas.dti.ne.jp/~fujita-y/ If you speak Japanese you might even be able to get some parts..... if you're real lucky
Woah. Some other strange things on that site. Bugger. No pictures. I'll have to upload them I think
And another
Four strokes too
And more .
Earles forks? what are these things ?
Well done guys. Croc, it definitely wasn't the Lassie dog. Maybe a slightly larger version of the Comet! Ixion, I think it may have been the model that you posted with the "Nipponese Sweetie". The colour was blue, but the design does look familiar. So no one has seen one recently eh? Bummer, they would definitely be a conversation piece at future BFTP Rallies!
Stumbled in on a classic bike show today (didnt relise it was on) there were several strokers I hadent seen before, one was rather large and had the mufler up/under the front like a big bash plate, the pipes exited from there. What I do have is a pic of a nelson built V4 stroker that was ther and I have raced against it, its engine is two twin chainsaw engines... ill try and load a pic.
We definitely want pics... Two chainsaw engines eh? I like the sound of that.
We definitely want pics... Two chainsaw engines eh? I like the sound of that. tahts two TWIN engines, check out the 4 pipes, ya like the sound of that... its LOUD. i do have a vid of it running but fuk knows how to load them on the net.
