[Dave1]

Hi everyone

I'm selling my 1971 BSA A65 Rocket. I should have got an RE twin to begin with, what possessed me to get an BSA I don't know.

Interceptors are out of my price range.

I found a very none original well sorted, and what looks to be good condition Royal Enfield Super Meteor for sale, with an Constellation engine fitted, and loads of other modifications.

Here is what the sales blurb says. " THIS IS A ROYAL ENFIELD METEOR FITTED WITH THE LATER 700 CONSTILATION ENGINE. BUILT FOR TOURING.  AS YOU CAN SEE, A BEAUTIFUL BIKE.
THE BIKE WAS BUILT UP SOME YEARS AGO AND USED BY ORIGINAL OWNER. I BOUGHT THE BIKE IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR IN P.X. AND HAVE RIDDEN THE BIKE A FEW TIMES BUT I DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO USE IT.  STARTS EASILY AND RUNS VERY SMOOTH WITH NO OIL LEAKS.  AS YOU WILL SEE, THE BIKE HAS HAD LOTS OF MONEY SPENT ON IT AND HAS BEEN USED FOR LONG RUNS.  DO BELIEVE THE LAST TRIP THE BIKE DID WAS A WEEKS HOLIDAY IN FRANCE CAMPING.  IT HAS HEAT GRIPS, INDICATORS, LUGGAGE AND ALSO HAS MODERN FORKS WITH RARE BMW TWIN LEADING SHOE HUB, ALSO SPARE ROYAL ENFIELD TWIN DRUM FRONT WHEEL AND FORKS INCLUDED IN THE SALE BUT WILL NEED RESTORING BEFORE FITTING.
FREE ROAD TAX - NO MOT REQUIRED - V5C PRESENT "

Here's some photo's. I'd appreciate it if you could pass your eyes over the photos, and tell me what you think? Maybe rough value?

[Narada]

I don't know a thing about what is correct on the vintage bikes but that bike looks beautiful to me. If it runs good, the price is right, and you like it... Why not?

[scorpy]

I've just bought this bike. Anyone know the history?

[Bilgemaster]

I've just bought this bike. Anyone know the history?

Possibly noone knows more about it now than you and the fellow you bought it from. However, reaching out to the good folks at the UK Royal Enfield Owners Club as David Blasco describes in his blog at
https://royal-enfields.blogspot.com/ (view as "Desktop Version" for best results) may be fruitful if you provide some obvious data like engine and frame numbers and maybe the photos already shown here. Here's an image of David's tip:

You might also try reaching out to Hitchcocks about its provenance, since it's highly likely whoever cobbled it together may have been a big customer.

If it runs well, I'm with 'Narada': Who cares if it's not "original"? That's one pretty bike. There are lots of bits that obviously didn't roll off the line at the Redditch factory, like the fuel tank, which is pretty clearly off a pre-'96 Indian Bullet or an aftermarket replacement of same. And that rear carrier is a bit anachronistic--though my hunch is you may well learn to appreciate it while touring. Yet I also see the telltale signs of very great care to detail in those gobs of pricey stainless steel and other top shelf bits having been used, and I can pretty much guarantee you'll be happier and she'll run sweeter with that 1-into-2 intake manifold and single fresh-looking Amal or Wassel Concentric carb than a pair of worn out or leaky Monoblocs, or whatever she originally came with.

If you paid less for it than for a new 650, then I'd say you probably did well indeed.

Personally, I'd love to see a quick YouTube of her starting and maybe running down the road a bit, if you could manage that.

[Adrian II]

Looks like an entire BMW front-end on there as well as an Indian Bullet fuel tank, assuming it's still the same as in the 2017 photo. No idea what the chrome breadbox is, where the original tool/battery/air filter box would have been. Hitchcocks' have some more original tin ware for it. The original post said Super Meteor with a constellation engine.

+1 to asking the REOC, they'll want engine, frame, gearbox and reg numbers to give the full story, at least as far as its origins are concerned.

A.

[AzCal Retred]

Snap it up. A good runner, the anomalies are all functional, the Beemer front end is probably an improvement over the original. The early twins were single carb, so no issue there, more consistent operation, no synch issues. Looks like a good runner/daily driver to me. Like Bilgemaster says, everything there just makes it more functional, so you will likely get more use out of it than a "museum grade aretefact". Ride & enjoy it, and don't forget to post some trip pics!

[Willie]

I'm with the rest of the gang, and I don't know a thing about the technical aspects of the bike.  It appears to be well cared-for and sounds like it has been a labor of love.  Give it the pulse test - does it raise your heartbeat a few thumps?  The smile test - do you smile when you look at it?  And the look-back test - do you pause to look back at it after walking away a short distance?  Finally, the butt test - does it fit you and your riding style?  IF the answers are "Yes", and the price is affordable, then you have 3 courses of action:
1)  Buy it!  2) Ride the heck out of it!  3) Enjoy every minute of it!
On a related matter - what are you asking for your BSA?  Being in UK, the export issues are no doubt prohibitive, but I am curious because I would like to add a BSA and a Norton to be pals with my RE and Triumph, and I don't have a handle on BSA values.  Thanks!

[scorpy]

Hi, I collected the bike, The only paperwork I have is the V5, which did give me the previous owners name. I bought from a dealer who had taken the bike in P/X. The previous owner could not furnish any info as he had also bought from a dealer. The trail has gone cold. It needs a little TLC, headlight has been converted to HID, but not very well, tyres are shot, front brake very spongy and rear one binding. Nothing major and a little time and money will have it ready for the road. This will probably be a fair weather bike, not what it was built for but it deserves to be looked after in it's old age.

[oilypuddlefield]

Congrats on your new acquisition.
Even though there's been a good bit of customization, it presents well IMHO.
Whoever did the work, did a nice job.
As has been stated previously, get in touch with the REOC ..
If you provide motor and frame numbers,the machine dating officer, Graham Scarth can help you. He can give a you fair idea of what you have.
Enjoy !

[Adrian II]

That one should be UK road tax and MoT exempt, so get your replacement V5, and if you're in an area where the fuel panic buying has calmed down, get some 97 Octane in the tank, see if the oil is circulating OK, give the running gear a safety check, then get out on it and give it a blast.

This is a matter of personal taste, but in view of the previous owner's odd ideas, maybe get some more period luggage mounts (Hitchcock's still have 60's pannier frames) if you want luggage at all, and maybe you could do a better job tidying the front end up. BMW certainly managed it with what looks like the same forks as the previous owner fitted.



Photo: Leboncoin (obviously!)

A.

[Bilgemaster]

Congratz on getting her home. That really is a fine looking ride. I would be so "chuffed", as you say yonder, that I'd likely need medication.