National Classic Bike Rally

[Paul in NZ]

Hmmm. and that Vincent. Obviously not an American one - they never could handle that H.R.D (too easily mistaken with H.D.). I did also notice the two Le Mans as well - none of which are in the same condition as yours.

Good to have you back Paul.

Erm - I'm not sure there was an official american model vincent... They did get some chinese red ones and often they were fitted with taller bars (tossers) but pretty sure the badging was constant.

Phil Vincent purchased HRD as a going concern (cough) and the HRD logo got smaller over the years...

Still - Rollies Rapide is a nice bike and lopes along in grand style...

[et al]

I saw the Quasar on the Motorway near Porirua today - as it passed me I thought "WTF". I wondered if owner was local as I hadn't seen it around before - just realised what it was doing around here via this thread, would love a closer look at that sometime,they are very rare I believe.

[pete376403]

The Triumph and the BSA in the first pic appear to have chequer pattern barrel and head finning. Is that how they were, something your camera did or the resolution of the pic posted?

[Paul in NZ]

The Triumph and the BSA in the first pic appear to have chequer pattern barrel and head finning. Is that how they were, something your camera did or the resolution of the pic posted?

Nope - I just reduced the resolution to suit KB so it's all horrid..

The Triumph is a very nice 58 T100 with the all alloy (close pitched fin) engine. A top of the range sporting 500 twin of the era and very very nice condition. A credit to the owner. The BSA is a cool cafe racer A65

[Paul in NZ]

This is a less horrid shrink job...

[Paul in NZ]

More of the mighty Quasar...

[et al]

Thanks for the Quasar pics Paul. Do you know what engine that has in it? I saw it take off from the lights fairly quickly so assume it has something big enough to compensate for the extra weight/wind resistance.

[xwhatsit]

compensate for the extra weight/wind resistance.

It might be heavier but it's got SFA wind resistance, that's a big point of feet-forward motorcycles. Motorcycles, in general, have very poor wind resistance compared to a car or similar with the bodywork covering wheels and all the trimmings motorcycles have dangling in the breeze.

[Paul in NZ]

Thanks for the Quasar pics Paul. Do you know what engine that has in it? I saw it take off from the lights fairly quickly so assume it has something big enough to compensate for the extra weight/wind resistance.

Erm sorry - I forgot to ask. The originals had an 850cc Reliant engine in them and a few later 'non production' ones had stuff like GS1000 engines etc. To put this into perspective - I think less than 20 wree built - rare...

[QuasarNZ]

Ah - I always wondered what was wrong with you? Disturbed at an early age...

Mind you - having one growing large in your mirror is truely disturbing - they seem to go quite - well... Bastard didn't get past but it was all hands to repel boarders I can tell you...

Im pleased to have given you a hurry up Paul, most people dont expect a Quasar to go well, but that one will manage a shade over 200 kph, under *ahem* controlled condition and not on a *cough* public road

[QuasarNZ]

Thanks for the Quasar pics Paul. Do you know what engine that has in it? I saw it take off from the lights fairly quickly so assume it has something big enough to compensate for the extra weight/wind resistance.

That one weights under 200 kilos (approx) and has about 20-25 more horses than the reliant versions.

It has very little wind resistance, and as speed increases it seems to get better, having a "sweet spot" between 120 and 150 kph which is a bit unfortunate....

To give an indication, at 8500 Rpm its sitting on a steady 190 kph, and has an extra 2000 Rpm up its sleeve... sheer madness

So it was you on the Red Monster I passed? you should have dropped into the petrol station and said hello

[xwhatsit]

Didn't the British cops have a couple of Quasars for running about? I saw some photos of one done up like that, it was pretty cool. Make a wicked pursuit vehicle

[QuasarNZ]

Didn't the British cops have a couple of Quasars for running about? I saw some photos of one done up like that, it was pretty cool. Make a wicked pursuit vehicle

No, they didnt, there was a "Police spec"Quasar made, but it was only a demonstrator.

The reality is that while a quasar is a superb open road motorcycle, it is a handful around town, and some aspects of the design mean that it probably wouldnt have been a viable police bike, the poor rearward vision comes to mind.

[et al]

So it was you on the Red Monster I passed? you should have dropped into the petrol station and said hello

Yes that was me on the Monster that you passed on Porirua Motorway. Sorry I didn't stop to say hello when I passed you at the petrol station. I was still in a state of shock at that stage trying to figure out what the hell that was I had just encountered back there, realised afterwards I had missed an ideal opportunity to get a closer look. Would yours be the only one in NZ then?

[QuasarNZ]

Yes that was me on the Monster that you passed on Porirua Motorway. Sorry I didn't stop to say hello when I passed you at the petrol station. I was still in a state of shock at that stage trying to figure out what the hell that was I had just encountered back there, realised afterwards I had missed an ideal opportunity to get a closer look. Would yours be the only one in NZ then?

Yes, to my knowledge it is the only one, there was arumour of a Blue GS1000 hub centre steered one in the north island in the early 80s, but that appears to be an urban legend unfortunately.

I thought youd be in a state of shock, I saw you in the distance, and took great pleasure in sneaking up :-)