NACC members have been concocting their own versions of motorised bicycles so we thought it would be a nice idea to show you some of them. If you have built a one-off machine and would like it featured on this page, please contact the webmaster via the email address under Contacts.
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Over many years NACC member Colin King has been putting together a number of superbly-engineered machines, a series named Rex Hake (most engines are Rex 2-stroke units and Colin’s name – Colin – in French means hake, as in the fish!)
The first is the Rex Hake Special; 49cc Rex 2-stroke engine, 48 tooth rear sprocket, Phillips motorised bicycle frame, VeloSolex inverted levers, Norman Cyclemate tank, Brookes Military saddle, modified moped exhaust, various tool boxes and home-made side panels.
The second is the Rex Hake De Luxe, 49cc 2-stroke Rex engine, 54 tooth rear sprocket, 1946 Hercules frame (my Dad’s from new, bought at Charlie Everetts in Basingstoke), Atco mower tank fitted with brass Monza type cap from a fire-engine, military ammo box to house 6v battery & coil, Brookes B33 saddle, various bits of homemade metal work, motorcycle footrests.
The next Colin King special is the Rex Hake Rocket; 50cc Ducati Cucciolo 4- stroke engine, 1930s BSA ladies frame with added crossbar and struts to rear frame, Webb forks, home-made exhaust, rod brakes converted to take cables, standard Cucciolo sprocket, Victorian candle box as front tool box, JAP petrol tank, leather military box to house 6v battery & coil (the 6volt 5ah battery gives 55 mile running time).
Another of Colin’s specials is the Rex Hake Aero Special Mk1; 49cc Trojan Mini Motor with belt drive to Mobylette pulley and chain to 54 tooth rear sprocket, the engine being hinged to allow tightening of drive belt to transfer the drive. Tilting of the engine is by a series of leavers and operated by a pedal. 1930s Rudge Whitworth Aero Special /All Weather Roadster bicycle, Leper leather saddle, Hand-Grenade pouches to house 6v battery & coil, various metal panels and number-plate made from the side of a dishwasher, vintage bundle carrier with leather spur straps as front rack, cream Schwalbe Cruiser tyres.
Then there is the Rex Hake Aero Special Mk2 (aka Billy Can Special), specification as Mk1 except for; 49cc Rex 2-stroke engine, 3 tool boxes; one ex-Boy Scout Billy can, one ex Warsaw-Pact to house 6v battery & coil, one ex-British Army as flywheel cover, B & Q plumbing dept. exhaust.
The last of Colin’s Rex Hake specials is the Swallow; 49cc Rex 2-stroke engine, 52 tooth rear sprocket, 1950 Policeman’s bicycle frame, Webb forks, Garden rotovator handlebars, New Hudson autocycle tank, modified motor mower exhaust and motorcycle footrests.
Colin’s machines can often be seen on the cyclemotors-only run organised by the Thames Valley Group, Hampshire, As It Was Buzz, on June 28th 2020, 10am at Colt Hill Bridge, Odiham Road, Basingstoke Canal Car-park, Odiham RG29 1FR. Contact Robin Cork on 01252 624006 for details .
Another one-off cyclemotor is this Dawes/Bernardi Buzz combination, originally built by NACC member John Hook and now owned by Dave Beare. The frame is an aluminium Dawes mountain-bike with suspension front & rear, Shimano 21-speed gears, centre-pull rim brakes, an ex-NSU Quickly peanut fuel-tank, powered by a 50cc Bernardi Buzz engine which is engaged by a lever on the handlebars. It is regularly used on NACC runs and can hold its own against many mopeds!
Now here’s a weird and wonderful one! It seems to be a 1936 Evinrude outboard-motor adapted to power a bicycle, probably friction-roller drive and has been rigged up with a radiator and fan for the water cooling. It apparently goes better than it looks! Photo sent in by Nick Devonport.
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The next one-off cyclemotor in our list is Chris Sawyer’s Cyclemaster Special, based on a Raleigh 20 Stowaway folding bike belonging to his daughter, only she never rode it. Chris had a 32cc Cyclemaster engine & 26″ wheel lying around, but the wheel wouldn’t fit the Stowaway’s frame, so the engine was removed and adapted, fitting into a fabricated sub-frame and driving the rear wheel by chain, retaining the Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub gear for pedalling purposes. A fabricated exhaust & silencer completed the installation. Chris reckons it is good for 20-25mph, though he has seen 30mph, fast enough for lightweight folding-bicycle brakes! It is also in possession of a V5C, so it is possible to convince the DVLA to register such a machine.