Prairiehammer

1971 Kawasaki KH7504, Code name Steak Tartar

You like tricky, eh mate? Here's 'tricky'.

I assumed it was an English bike all along. Searched frantically for it as a Triumph, BSA or Norton and others, but could never find it. One of the grainy photos you posted looked like it might be a four cylinder or a three cylinder, ala Trident with split center exhaust. Anyway it is a 1983 Triumph Phoenix with a TWIN cylinder. Apparently with four exhaust ports. Variously a 900cc or 750cc capacity. A prototype water-cooled, 900cc bike called the Phoenix (the engine was also known as the 'Diana') is designed in early 1983 (a water-cooled, twin OHC vertical twin). I have a little info from book Triumph Bonneville Year by Year book author Paul Hazeldine. There is a pic very similar of the donk from the other side and a darker pic of the mock up at the show taken from a front view angle, hard to see really. The text reads something like ... The proposed Phoenix first mentioned late 1982 is a water cooled DOHC twin with 4 valves per cylinder chamber. It featured at the Birmingham Show 1983 as a complete bike mock up. It was placed in a remote area making close inspection difficult. It had four exhaust pipes, only two silencers, the engine a stressed part of the frame with a monoshock rear suspension, cast alloy wheels and disc brakes. They were up with the play really, what could have been. The show display was in March despite the fact they had ceased production in January, and in August the company as history tells, went bung, the phantom bike was never made. There is also a better black and white pic in "T140 and Derivatives" by Roy Bacon of the Phoenix 900 which says the engine was coded "Diana", now Roy is a Trumpy, Beeza, and Norty guru writing many books on these, he should know. There's also some footage of the above engine actually running, so it got that far in development, but the man in the picture at the top of the post, the owner of the only bike built, mentioned that it's a wood and clay mock-up, probably the reason it was displayed on the roof of Triumph's stand at the bike show in the film. http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/gallery/triumph/1983-triumph-phoenix-614x570.jpghttp://www.fedrotriple.it/agg_2008_03/1983-liquid-cooled-triumph-diana.jpghttp://www.fedrotriple.it/agg_2010_04/1983-phoenix-2.jpghttp://www.fedrotriple.it/agg_2010_04/1983-phoenix-1.jpghttp://www.fedrotriple.it/agg_2010_08/1983-triumph-phoneix-show.jpg

Alluvial Gold is the primary color; Yamaha code 00EM, Color Rite code 5305UL Silky Gold is the Secondary color; Yamaha code 00EN, Color Rite code 5310U, 1200U Go to this thread for more information: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=82113

All I know is that the "National Motorcycle Museum" display has a placard that reads "1975". Zoom in on my latest large picture and in the lower right corner, you can read part of the placard, where it says 1975.

1975 Triumph 4/Quadrant http://gallery.nen.gov.uk/assets/1002/0000/0095/motorcycles_101.jpg

I've got a lead on a nearly new Piggy Backer trailer in Connecticut. Price is right, but distance (1000 miles) is a problem. We are heading for the Grand Canyon first of June and it 'sure would be nice' (Deb's term) to have a trailer. Anyone planning an excursion to Illinois or beyond from New England in the next couple months?

Easy, right?

Can't find the exact pic. I believe it is a 1973. http://assets.shannons.com.au/QLICC2A2ON0XD1YW/D4417ADCAD6GACQA/neuizerelo8l1bj6/jpg/372x253x1/vehicle/1973-yamaha-tx750.jpg

Yamaha TX750

Well, shoot! I knew it was easy, but that was still a quick guess. Good show, mate. I'll bet you would have been much slower if you had found the original pic. teehee

Zoom zoom.

2003 BSA Tempest, 1000cc http://www.bsa-regal.co.uk/linkedimages/bsaco/tempest.jpg

Some pics I took of the Rickman CR750 at a car show in 1974 in Topeka, Kansas. Like I said, I've lusted for one of those Rickman kits for forty years.

Rickman CR, it was offered as kit: http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8e3lpgNWN1qlbtloo1_500.jpg I loved all the colors. http://www.airtech-streamlining.com/images/RickmanCR900.jpghttp://databikes.com/imgs/a/d/g/j/u/honda__rickman_cr_1975_1_lgw.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-43pkXfxMiOM/UGL8ZK_R7TI/AAAAAAAAcHk/uyPhXP5zQoY/s640/Rickman+Honda+CR+750+06.jpg

OK, that's builder. What did they (the Rickman brothers) call it?

I know you know what the engine is (I didn't even bother to remove the logo from the sidecover) but who made the bike? And what was it called?

Circa 1924 Scott Super Squirrel, Scott Flying Squirrel, or just plain Scott Squirrel.

Typo again, Tooch? It's a 500cc. And the model is "Atlantic". http://cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/sarolea/images/Sarolea_1950_Atlantic_Twin_Motor_Cycle.jpg

From same country as the Gillet.

Need a hint? It is not a Gillet.

There is the distinct possibility that the oil and water that you are noting in the exhaust is residual fluids from the original head gasket defect. The lowest point in the exhaust system is the collector. It can retain a significant volume of liquid and a lengthy high speed run would be required to burn off and evacuate all the fluid that may have accumulated in the collector.

Thanks, Paul. About the Moqui Dugway: It doesn't sound like a very good road for a loaded two up Venture. That steep and twisty gravel section, I mean.

Hey, thanks a lot, Brian.

Thanks, Mike. I hope we have better luck than what YOU brought us while on the New England trip.