Tweaky Beast History

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tweaky beast
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 1:55 am

Tweaky Beast History

Postby tweaky beast » Tue Nov 22, 2016 5:41 pm

MZ,Sunbeam,Tweaky Beast or just a Conundrum?

The known history of my bike starts on the 27th August 1965 when it is road registered as a Sunbeam ERY215C to a Bert Milnes. He runs a BSA dealership in Stuart St, Leicester called A.E. Milnes and Son.
The next owner, Rex Caunt, who worked for Bert, seems to think Bert purchased the frame off John Griffith, the well know VMCC member and journalist who in turn had purchased it off Norman Webb. John was known for his love of racing motorcycles and Norman was a member of the “Continental Circus” Both were both friends of Bert. Was it purchased on the continent to make a bit of extra cash?
In the October 1965 edition of Motorcycle Sport (page 373) it quotes “Seen at the Manx- A Triumph Tigress engine in a old MZ racing frame. Used by Bob Milnes of Leicester who bought the frame for £60 and the engine for £10 “
The bike was taken to the Manx GP as a run-about along with a trail bike which Bert’s son was riding in the 2 days trail. In the picture my bike is seen leaning against a wooden post, at one of the off-road sections?
The photograph of my bike would have been taken just days after it was made road legal therefore a lot of the specifications and details can be used in its rebuild. In the same issue of MCS it says you can buy a 4/5 y/o Norton Dominator for the same amount as the frame had cost Bert. He must have thought it was a “Works” MZ to have paid such a high price.
The frame is a “mini” Norton Featherbed design which is made of 24mm o/d tubing for the main cradle and 18 mm o/d tube for the bolt-on rear sub frame. It has a frame number stamped on the head stock, L101. The swinging arm pivot plates were originally quite small although they were modified by 1965. The swing arm has bracing added to it, (Rex told me this was his first attempt at welding). In some ways it is rather crude (or lightweight!) in the way footrests etc have been designed and fitted. The petrol tank (looks like a loaf of bread) and seat are both made out of aluminium, the tank having “arm rests” on the sides, it is held by a single strap front to back. Just after the Manx GP a stay is brazed on to the headstock to allow a fairing to be fitted. This was made of aluminium. This was held by a single bolt at the front and by bolting to the tank “arm rests” The front of it is oval shaped. The headrace bearing are taper rollers, 60mm o/d 25mm i/d. The fork yokes are alloy. The bottom one is a standard split clamp design, the top an internal top hat design with the stanchion held by a dome nut. The stanchions Are 25nn o/d. They have internal fork springs with a crude form of damper rod. The bushes are made of a Teflon type material. Flat profile springs fit between the stanchions and fork legs, between the top and bottom bushes. The handle bars fit between the yokes and are of a “swan neck” design. There is a substantial fork brace which fits in front of the forks.
Both the wheels are QD and interchangeable. 6 inch SLS alloy full width hubs have 19” WM1 Endrick type alloy rims. The hubs have 5 ribs inside the spoke flanges. Inside the hubs are cast with 3.33 01 01 VLW and a H inside a circle. When I first spoke to Rex in 2005 he remembered fitting the Dunlop racing tyres. The first timed it rained he thought they would grip, they did not! He correctly described the damage to the r/h handle bar and front wheel spindle.
The Engine is out of a Triumph Tigress/ BSA Sunbeam 250cc twin cylinder scooter. This had been converted to conventional chain drive system. Originally fitted with a standard points and coil ignition system Rex Caunt later fitted a chain driven BTH magneto. The carburettor was changed to a 1 or 1 1/16 inch Amal Monobloc. The exhaust was an r/h high level 2 into 1 with a Burgess Style silencer.
By 1966 Rex Caunt, who was a trainee mechanic for Bert’s shop, purchased the little bike which soon earned the nick-name “ Tweaky Beast” Rex started to improve it by bracing the swinging arm and fitting a BTH magneto. He also painted the frame a bluey/green colour but kept the rest of it black. He used the bike on the road and remembered it as a quick but rattled a bit.
Rex tried to start his racing career with the bike at a sprint meeting, but due to a lack of ball-end levers. The following year he started on a BSA outfit.
Around 1969 Rex sold the bike, minus the engine through MCN, for £40 as he had found a Moto Rumi. This bike has also survived and Rex is in contact with the owner.
The bike is next found in the mid 1970’s in the hands of Bill Clarke who lived in Goosnargh, near Preston. In 2005 when I contacted him he could not remember how or when he had got it but it was missing its engine, fairing, log book and registration number. I’d found his details through Alex Scambler from nearby Inglewhite. Alex also remembered the bike straight away but could only say that he sold it to a local scrap man, Bernard Seed, Who gave me Alex’s details, for £10, around 1978.
Around 1980 Bernard moved to the Isle of Mann taking the bike with him. At some time in the early 1980’s he met John Flood, a well know racer, trail rider and bike builder who lived near Ramsey. John was asked to find and fit a Tiger Cub engine into it but this was never completed.
John wrote to Jim Reynolds British bike page in MCN (7th July 1982), under the title “MANX MYSTERY”
The reply (“28th July 1982) under the heading “Manx theories get into gear” included a reply from Rex Caunt who remembered a lot of details inc reg number, engine type, Endrick rims and other details. He was by now working for Chris Vincent (the sidecar racer) in Earl Shilton. However that is as far as it went.
There are sighting of the bike over the next few years at the Ramsey sprint (At the 1989/1990 TT) where it seen for sale, along with Rudge M/C parts, on the back of John Flood’s pick-up. Three people, Martin and Louise Clark and Mick Baybutt (Ducati Spares Specialist) remembered it down to the colour.
When the bike is unsold it seems to have ended up back in the shed until John’s early death in mid-1998. John,s widow had a large amount of “junk” including the bike, still owned( unknown to her) by Bernard Seed, sent to Birchall’s scrap yard at Andreas due to conflict amongst certain people.
Around July 1998 Tony Hadley, resident of Ramsey, was hunting around the scrap yard looking for car parts, he spotted a motorcycle trail bike tyre. After digging about a bit more he found a rigid framed Ambassador. As he pulled it out he spotted my bike and soon found the tank and seat.
He invited his mate James Melvin (TT marshal and sidecar racer) joint ownership with a view to finding out what it was and to rebuild it. But due to extensive damage and finding no information they decided to sell it.

Around May/June 2000 through a mutual friend, Chris Lake, it was offered to my dad, Grahame Williams, for £50. It was described as a Triumph Tiger Cub special. Dad bought the bike unseen but we did not see it until that years Manx Grand Prix. We were shown the bike in a lockup in Ramsey and even though it was badly damaged I could see that it was a one off and special. I remember that the name Conundrum came into my mind. I pushed it back to where we were staying (Julie’s house) where it was kept until my dad collected it in early 2001. He then gave it to me as a project to play with.
Later that year it was featured in Old Bike Mart but I had no replies. Over the next 5ish years I tried to find anything I could but failed. Then in 2006 I joined the VMCC. I found the details of the Isle of Mann section chairman and after talking to him I sent some pictures to show around. A few days later I had a call from the “owner” Bernard Seed. He told me about the bike and the history he knew of. He also sent me the MCN articles from 1982. He said he didn’t want anything for the bike, he was only glad it was going to be rebuilt. Noting the reply from Rex Caunt I got in touch with the Leicestershire (Taveners) branch to see if they knew anything about Rex Caunt. They found me his telephone number and told me he built ignition systems for m/c’s. I tried to phone him but he was out within a few hours I had a phone call from Rex who’s first words to me were “You’ve got my Tweaky Beast”. He told me all the information he knew including who had built it in 1965. He had wondered what had become of Tweaky and was pleased it had survived. Within a few weeks I took it up to his workshop so he could see it again.
Using all the available information I had I contacted the Leicestershire Archives department to see if they had any information on the bike. I received a copy of its first registration.
Then at the Red Martley Hill Climb as I was looking at a auto jumble stand I picked up a October 1965 copy of Motor Cycle Sport, mainly due to a picture of Chris Vincent on a racing sidecar, and there on page 373 was a picture of my bike! I now knew most of its history but also what it had looked like in 1965.
I decided in 2007 to start the rebuild and contacted a local racing/engineering workshop near to where I was living. When it had been “finished” I was so disheartened by how bad it was (let alone the cost) I put it in the back of the workshop and put it out of my mind.
Then March 2015 I was MOT’ing a bike (Ducati 900 Monster) at work and talking to the owner, Caleb Whitcombe , when I found out he was a frame builder. I asked him to give me a report of the frame and also the forks etc. The forks were a “ simple job” but the main frame loop was scrap, the first “repairer” saw to that. Caleb spent a long time finding a tube bender who could form the frame rails correctly , not only to my standard but also to his. To say I am happy with Caleb’s workmanship is a very big understatement. He is probably one of the best engineers I have used and also a Gent.
I got myself a Tigress engine but it looked stupid, it was too “small”, what looked good then didn’t look good now! When I first saw the bike within a few minutes I thought it would good with a Ducati engine so that is what is now fitted. It is a special so I am not worried about putting my mark on it. I am working to finish it so I can sprint and hill climb it.

Jeb
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 1:30 pm
Location: Battle UK

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby Jeb » Sat Apr 14, 2018 7:40 am

I hadn't seen this post before but thought you may be interested to see one of my bikes here. No connection with Ducati's but the Sunbeam / Tigress engine does better suit a Bantam frame than yours, but definately will not have the handling of yours.

DSC00096 Bantam Tigress resized.jpg


DSC00095 Bantam Tigress resized.jpg
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Rick
Posts: 340
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 1:12 am
Location: Northern Plains, USA

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby Rick » Sun Apr 15, 2018 4:52 pm

You're the right owner for that motorcycle- lots of people would have ignored it as a mongrel 'bitsa'- have fun with it.
Rick

tweaky beast
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 1:55 am

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby tweaky beast » Sat Dec 26, 2020 3:21 pm

IMG_20201022_135607805.jpg
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Bevel bob
Posts: 1043
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:01 am
Location: Bromley Kent UK.

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby Bevel bob » Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:23 pm

When I look at it now I am reminded of the 125 desmo Ducatis that were made 1957/8 and downgraded to valve spring GP's and sold after the TT. They had a twin downtube frame .

themoudie
Posts: 649
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:44 am
Location: Scotland

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby themoudie » Sat Dec 26, 2020 10:40 pm

That Tweaky Beast is very nice. Evolution, instead of polished decrepitude!

There will be some furrowed brows around that, saying that it should have a ********* fitted in it's *********! Aye, right! :twisted:

Good health and a thank you to you and Rex.

Bill

tweaky beast
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 1:55 am

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby tweaky beast » Sat Dec 26, 2020 10:58 pm

Thank you for your nice words. At the moment I'm about to lighten and balance the clutch. I'm also trying to source the higher lift cam I think out of a 125 sport. It's wonderful to ride. The engine is great(built by Pip Higham) but just want a bit more go. As we all do lol

Jordan
Posts: 1380
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:29 am

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby Jordan » Sat Dec 26, 2020 11:47 pm

tweaky beast wrote:IMG_20201022_135607805.jpg
(mini Featherbed special)

Cor blimey - that looks a pearl!

tweaky beast
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2016 1:55 am

Re: Tweaky Beast History

Postby tweaky beast » Sun Dec 27, 2020 8:23 am

IMG_20201022_155817829.jpg
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