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

[VMX247]

there's no way it's pre 65 legal.

Due to tank,sideplates and plastic mudguards ?
cheers A

[firko]

Due to tank,sideplates and plastic mudguards ?

I had another look and it's legal Alison. Frank's a bit sketchy about when they first Starmaker motor in the Sprite which gave me doubts. All good now.

[GD66]

Still looks a bit too well-endowed in the rear shock travel dept, all the same...

[Iain Cameron]

Dave well the motor is DT1 but the frame is not Yamaha from any that Ive seen . the triple clamps look Bultaco ish . front hub looks Dt1 . more photos please Dave

[Iain Cameron]

Belay that about hubs, brake stay rules out DT1 .

[VMX247]

Made in Birmingham UK Dave and yes its a Sprite kit frame ~Well done 


Last count from JC ~ Jan 2010
2 400 restored
2 400 rollers
1 400 missing lots of bits
TOTAL 5
3 250 OSSA complete
The blue bike is a 250 ossa that hasn't been found 
May have to up date this list VMX60 

[firko]

Dave, you've got an early 'pre fastback' Sprite/American Eagle frame with a DT1 Yamaha motor. I hate to spoil your excitement but the forks aren't Ceriani's, they're either REH or more likely Sprite forks which were a cheap knock off of REH. The best way of knowing is by pulling the triple clamps off the bike and seeing if they have a proper head stem (REH) or a bit of threaded rod (Sprite).The front hub is REH or possibly some Italian thing or other.
The Yamaha motor is a vast improvement on the Sprite engine that probably lived in there and probably better than the Villiers Starmaker too . The problem with this engine swap is that the Sprite frame is a real heavyweight, much heavier than the DT1 frame, much like when I fitted an XL Honda motor into a Montesa King Scorpion lardmaster, way heavier than the original XL unit.

 I hope you didn'y pay too much mate

[VMX60]

Terrific pickup Dave

The roller looks like it is all early Sprite even the DT motor is pre reed model

The pipe looks to me a cut up Montesa model   


Im jealous as hell finding that Treasure 

[VMX60]

Dave

This would have to be close to the frame kit   

[pancho]

 I'm confused,  Didn't DT1s have the 'enduro' twin plug head like the RT1?
pancho.

[VMX60]

Dave

The photo of the Sprite is label 1967

The DT1 had a blank plug next to the s/plug hole side by side   

Cheers

[Iain Cameron]

Dave I think you will find the DT1 head is a later than 70 head as all the stock heads had twin plugs .
Iain

[firko]

The engine/head all seems to be original piston port DT1 stuff. The more I look at the bike the more I like it Dave. I've got the exact same roller under the house which will eventually recieve a 360 Maico square barrel engine to build a replica of the '68 Sprite Maico raced by Terry Chalinor in the day. Frank Hipkin's given me the specs and encouragement to build it but it's about 5 down the current production line. The front hub has me bamboozled though. I thought they used a conical hub originally but Franks kit photo submitted by VMX60 shows it with a full width so what would I know???

[VMX60]

Firko

Maybe its a very early GYT  Yamaha kit top end single plug and that long inlet block to give a bit of pulling power

Wow might even have a chrome bore with the one ring piston Rare as

Still love to have that in my shed

Cheers

[JC]

Excellent find Dave. I've often tho't - why doesn't somebody put a Yam engine in one of these Sprite frames?