Sprite-UK/American Eagle-USA /Alron-AUST

[number8]

Hey Firko,

More interesting"American Eagle/Alron" stuff

This was on MX action web site"Dream Jobs" it's about Alan Olsan

STARTING POINT: “My brother Marv and I owned an electrical contracting business, and we did some work for American Eagle in 1975. They couldn’t pay the bill and gave us three American Eagle Talons (in the crates). So, we started riding them.”

THE JOB : “My job is to develop the best exhaust for every model. I fall back on my experience with that bike to build prototype pipes (often as many as ten test units). I dyno them and race with them. We sponsor a pro rider to help us with testing. The best thing about this job is that I’m always around motocross. I was Doug Dubach’s, Craig Anderson’s, Steve Lamson’s, Paul Carpenter’s and Chad Reed’s mechanic before, so I’m glad that Vance & Hines has a race team that I can work at.”

#8

[firko]

http://www.wischt.com/alron-story1.htm

[VMX247]

1968-9 American Eagle 405 In need of restoration. Turns over, good compression, no spark, I never heard it run. Shouldered rear aluminum rim, nice pipe, incorrect seat and rear fender. Solid frame, nickel plated, clean straight fiberlglass tank. I can help with shipping. $2500.00

       Joe Abbate
Brentwood, CA
Phone: (201) 264-1295 | Email | Website

Saw the Alron at 15th Anniversary  ...looks real sweet in the flesh  actually I nearly feel over it the second time ,as I was running late after lunch breaks end 
cheers

[mx250]

Looks like a quality ride.

http://www.wischt.com/MHJ-alron.htm

[paul]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/American-Eagle-Sprite-250-GMXR-/120613906589?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item1c1526289d

[firko]

The above American Eagle 250 is the same one that was recently for sale on the Swapmeet for $600 or so. It's got the hard to find alloy side panels but it's a pretty basic shitter that'll need a hell of a lot of work. The forks and front wheel aren't original and the frame is rooted. You'll need pipe, mudguards, and a lot of little things that are pretty hard to find. If you go by every other American Eagle tank I've seen it'll leak and need sealing.

Joe Abbate's A/E for sale on the swapmeet is a more desirable 405 and is a far better project starter, despite being $1000 over priced.

[bazza]

Hey mx250 nice umbrella !!!

[firko]

http://ozvmx.com/community/index.php?topic=8968.msg148851#msg148851

[VMX247]

a bit of old advertising 

http://cgi.ebay.com/1950s-Villiers-Starmaker-Engines-Leaflets-2-Items-/250697960970?pt=UK_CarParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET&hash=item3a5ec34e0a

[firko]

I got this email from Frank Hipkin, the founder of Sprite and father of the whole American Eagle/Alron/BVM/Sprite family of bikes. Frank and I have been in semi regular contact for quite a while and he's supplied me with some interesting information and clippings. Frank regularly lurks this forum and has taken me to task over my criticisms of the Sprite frame and my assertions that they were made from mild steel and not the Reynold 351 that many of the magazine articles and ads. especially for AE say they're made from Reynold 351. Over to Frank in his own words....................................
Hello Mark.
Today I am putting pictures of early type sprite frames, as you can see from the engine brackets, it was to fit the star maker/9E/34A/32A. Your comments and readers comments regarding the weight of the frames and type of tubing used, plus the size of their holes and the size of the bolts that went in them. The first point is that we, as off road riders called scrambling, we were national and international riders, we had at that time had only been used to greeves/cotton/BSA/others in those early years. There were many frame builders building one-offs and charging lots of pounds, but we were manufacturing to make a motorcycle which was capable of winning club regional National and International events at the right price.


1  Frame tubing, 1 inch.  ERW mild steel thick gauge.  2 Swinging arm tubing much thicker gauge, brackets for the back wheel to fit and damper mount was made out of 3/8 of an inch profile cut plate.

3  normally the brackets are most of the engines that were fitted were 1/8 of an inch thick.  4  The head stock tube, was a thick gauge to allow machining for the taper roller bearing.  5. Swinging arm spindle, 1 inch solid mild steel with two indents in to locate it with two small quarter grub screw.  6  Swinging arm bushes high grade nylon cap Headed.

Mark, as you may know we has English men, you would call us Poms, or maybe worse I don't know. That is my sick humour. We were taught to drill or mill a hole to the size of the Bolt, not to drill a hole say 5/8 of an inch, four a 3/8 of an inch/5/16 of an inch, with a large repair washer to hide the clearance.

When I was 11 years of age I went to high school, we then had rows of metal working drilling milling turning machines, which I am still able to use today which I do. We were taught by our teachers and forefathers the right way but it's much easier and quicker to do it the wrong way, but that's the way it is today.
I am asking you again did you go to America to see Walt had American Eagle. Please answer this last line.
Regards Frank.

             

[SAABCOMBI]

this thread is turning into a best selling novel

[VMX247]

here you go Husky67 a challenge-two more to fit       

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971-American-Eagle-Sprite-Husqvarna-copy-400-engine-/350395814244?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item519537d164

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971-American-Eagle-Sprite-Husqvarna-copy-400-engine-G-/370434775680?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item563fa21a80

[HuskyPete]

Ally,

Once was enough 

[bazza]

MX250 does indeed look like a nice ride,and not a bad bike either!!

[VMX247]

Just thought you might want to have another LOOK @ how pretty she is !!   

Sprite/American Eagle405 Talon-Brand Name Roulette - 1971
American Eagle arrived on the USA motocross scene in 1967 with a big ad budget and small racing team (that included a young Brad Lackey). But, in truth, there was no American Eagle motorcycle factory. The American Eagle was a private-label bike that was built by Sprite Developments in Oldbury, England by Frank Hipkin. Brits could buy the bike as the Sprite 405 Talon, Americans were offered the bike as the American Eagle 405 Talon, Australians knew it as the Alron 405 and Belgiums thought it was the BVM 405. All the bikes were identical, with the exception of the American bikes having “American Eagle” cast into the engine case. Amazingly all the different national distributors tried to pretend that the Sprites were designed in the home countries. It wasn’t until many years later that each country learned the truth about the “other” Sprites.

Most distressing of the “clone engineering” behind the $1195 American Eagle 405 Talon was that the engine itself was a clone. It was an Italian-built copy of a late ‘60s, four-speed, 399cc, Husqvarna engine. Many Husqvarna parts would fit in the Italian engine, but not all. Most American Eagles racers remember the gearbox with particular distaste. Additionally the Talon had a Sprite-built fork that was a direct copy of a Ceriani fork.

Sprite Developments in England showed rapid growth from 1964 to 1974. Owner Frank Hipkin started building lightweight, Reynolds tubing frame kits for Villiers, Triumph Cub, Husqvarna and Maico engines. Amazingly enough, if Hipkin had kept the Sprite motorcycle company small he might have lasted longer. Success killed the Sprite, Talon, Alron and BVM. When Hipkin started exporting Sprites in large numbers the British government closed the tax loopholes that Sprite was using and, following the collapse of the U.S. American Eagle distributor (Galaxy Wholesale in Garden Grove, California), the financial losses were too great to absorb.

Today, Sprite Development still exists, but it builds RVs, caravans and motor homes.

WHAT THEY COST
Although it was quite rare to find the Sprite or it’s stepchilds on EBay, collectors don’t seem to be drawn to them. This un-restored example was purchased in 2006 for $2600. A good core (original but in need of restoration) Husqvarna of the same year would easily go for twice this amount.

MODELS
Eagle 125 – CMXR (125cc Sachs engine), Eagle 250 – GMXR (250cc Husqvarna clone), and the Eagle 405 – TMXR (405cc Husqvarna clone).

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The Eagles came with several different fuel tanks (2.0gal or 2.5gal) made of either fiberglass or aluminum and either Dunlop Sports knobbies or trials tires. The side panels are aluminum as are the fenders and the front and rear hubs are polished aluminum. If these items are in good shape, the bike will make a beautiful addition to any collection.

PARTS SUPPLY
It is very difficult to find parts for the Sprites. Vintage Husky in San Marcos, CA at 760-744-8052 may be able to help. In Europe, try Frans Munsters at [email protected].