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

[firko]

That OSSA Alron from FNQ is a sweet looking unit. Pity he's also been sucked into the '25 built' vortex.

[Tossa]

I'm glad I changed the thread topic name to Sprite/Alron,its seems to get a few more people posting and finding these Alron's...Thanks NSR3 
Cheese and wine -Go Rat Bench Racing 
Looking forward to the search of more RL bikes. 
Thanks VMX60 for sharing, hope to catch you at Wandering Mill Farm also. 
cheers

Go Team Tossa!!!!

That OSSA Alron from FNQ is a sweet looking unit. Pity he's also been sucked into the '25 built' vortex.

I really amazed at the number of bikes that are around, wow 25 built that's amazing.  Oops sorry got to go the pigs are coming back to roost!!lol

[JC]

Tossa, you facetious wag!!

The info on that Alron/Phantom is taken from one of the magazine reports of the day. Mitch could tell him a thing or two about the so-called "Cr-mo" frame too.

Fancy having to ride passenger on a trials outfit & not getting the glory for it!
(I wondered about RL riding passenger after you said you don't ever recall him riding in the dirt.)

JC

Looks like a phantom top end with a up pipe
What a nice piece of Aussie motorcycle history
Sure we all need detail photos of that OSSA/ALRON

Yeh, first things I noticed too VMX60. (The one in the TW 1975 yearbook has downpipe & was available w 3 diff wheelbases (if you read the spec). It also has a cable operated rear brake whereas this one has rod).

This one above apparently has a bing carb so its likely to be Phantom engine, not stiletto that was said to be used earlier. We tracked down the owner w help of Evohusky & I'll ring him at work today. Hopefully I'll be able to arrange some more/better pics.

Just to back-track a moment - VMX60, no doubt yr LHS Al sidecover is cut-away to allow the attach of the sidecover to the bracket under the seat.

I'm glad I changed the thread topic name to Sprite/Alron,its seems to get a few more people posting and finding these Alron's...Thanks NSR3 
cheers

Yes, good move Alison. Terrific thread!

Had a good and informative Alron day today at modern MX,   very interesting.
OK JC I believe you now    
cheers Alison

Tell us more Alison. What did you find out?

[firko]

I'm glad I changed the thread topic name to Sprite/Alron,its seems to get a few more people posting and finding these Alron's...

Hey Alison, why not add American Eagle to the topic title? They're and equally important part of the yarn.

[JC]

Might just broaden it a bit too much tho, Mark. Nice to have the focus on Alron for the moment - see what else we can discover.

Am Eagle is perhaps worth a thread in its own right?? (I agree, its very interesting too)

[firko]

Disagree wholeheartedly John....they're an equal part of the whole shemozel and it'd confuse the issue with a seperate American Eagle thread. They're the biggest selling member of the family afterall.

[JC]

Yeh, but... the focus is on finding out the Aussie "real Alron" story for the moment, & A/Eagle info is available elswhere on the net.

Anyway, its up to Alison

[VMX247]

Give it a couple of months then I'll change the topic name . 

Stuff I found out yesterday and then told not to dig too deep as I could get myself into trouble with skulldugaree,shemozel and right offs/law  etc....I'm not putting it on here, because you would all be crying if you knew what went on in the MC industry and what was done with some beautiful bikes in the 70's-do that now and you'd make the 7pm news, not Alron's though. 
Anyway that will be the second bottle of red with the Tossa Technical Team.
cheers Alison

[firko]

No it's not John. That's your focus. The focus should be on the overall story and not to get tied up in one corner of it. The Alron story, as fascinating as it is a miniscule ripple in the big picture, of which I was ready to expand on. Let's not get bogged down in Jandakot when there is other equally interesting stories involving the Sprite marque.
 If you Alison and everyone else want to keep it all Alron, so be it, I'll keep my contribution for another day, or another project...no problem.

Stuff I found out yesterday and then told not to dig too deep as I could get myself into trouble

I doubt there'd be any threats of legal action because for that to happen the whole true story would have to emerge and I doubt that old Rons ego would allow that. To be honest, most of us already know the sordid behind the scenes story so why not pass on the yarns . Sprinkling little bits of "I know something juicy that you don't" is a bit annoying to the others following this great thread with interest. Post the juicy bits, I reckon!

[VMX247]

Quote:
 I have some boxes full of old programs etc at home from every meeting I ever rode, I will try to dig them out and we can have a look at how many Alrons were racing and who owned them etc.

Yep another good spot to look for Sprites,Alron AE and all the odd bikes are in old race programmes.   
cheers

[Tossa]

keep fighting Firko, though no need to say that to you.  Yep has got bogged down a bit on he Alron saga and agree with you lets keep going about the sprite, eagle alron whatever.

input by everyone has been great and i suppose can't help but graduate towards the Alron as aussie built!!!

I personally have thoruoghly enjoyed the thread, as in fact my father who has keep an eye on it.  It's a great part of history.  Wish i could find a Sprite, but our country cousins seem to have all the links, Damn them.

JC, Ron rode passenger for dad in aussie titles, if being a passenger counts as riding in dirt then ok, but thought passengers in sidecars were mental anyway (That's for steve and Alison).  Other than that might clarify it as being minimal!!

Firko, love your work as i've said to you before and the info I've already passed to you.  Give us some stuff on the eagle would love it.

Alison, you should join the Daily planet, as lois lane!!!

[JC]

Mark. No offense intended. One could counter that your focus is on the bigger saga, but where the focus should be is surely up to Alison who started the thread. Lets not detract from a good thread by arguing over where it should be.

My point was simply that "the focus is on Alron for the moment". I think thats self-evident. Its generated considerable interest & invaluable info. Lets see what comes out about Alrons for a while while the focus is on them, especially since they haven't had any airplay anywhere else on the web (as far as I know). Dilute the focus & it'll soon fade. It'd be nice to let it run its course before its diluted.


Wasn't meaning to sideline Am/Eagle either (I love them too), or remotely suggest that you keep such stuff to yourself. I'd love to hear/read it all - every bit of it, in due course. Just while there's a bit of focus on the Alron, more of the Alron story may come out - & thats invaluable.


For what its worth, if the old addage "what looks right generally is right" is true, I reckon the Sprite/BVM/A-Eagle/Alron (either pre73 frames or later fastback frame) look more "right" than any of the other Brit bikes of the era.  ie they're in proportion, not ergonomically challenged w footpegs too far forward, seats too far back, gaps between tank & seat, raked out front ends, offset motors/footpegs etc. Thats not to say they were the best tho, or even the best looking.  Just that to my eye they look the most "right". Now I've probably opened another can of worms!

[mx250]

  Now I've probably opened another can of worms!

Oi , careful, this worm has teeth...............



(Next to the Japs I rate all of them, Greeve, AJ, Cotton, Sprite, as looking like an afterthought, cobbled together, bitza's, something from a 'cottage industry' .)

[Canam370]

I'm enjoying this thread but what I'd really like to know is where can you buy a bike stand like the one holding up the Stormer? Its obviously pretty strong too........

[Hoony]

CanAm370 have a look see here.

its a Yankee Doodle Dandy site, but someone must bring Mototek in the Land of OZ
http://moto-tek.com/threeinone.html