ajh
Thrash Merchant
Posts: 415
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Post by ajh on Apr 9, 2021 18:47:08 GMT 1
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Post by arrdy350 on Apr 9, 2021 19:39:16 GMT 1
Very cool 👍
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Post by veg on Apr 9, 2021 20:03:00 GMT 1
Len Manchester tz think Johnny knows all about this bike.
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Post by peddrotzr on Apr 9, 2021 21:01:26 GMT 1
Len Manchester tz think Johnny knows all about this bike. Hi Veg, I think this bike was Ant Harts bike and was up for sale a few months ago? but not sure what happened to it. The TT/F2 350 Spondon/Len Manchester bikes are a work of art!
based on LC350 engine (very loosly) it was basically a TZ350 but improved !,
and they gave most TZ350's and good run for their money and beat most of the them in UK national races and in the TT/F2 World Championships were almost unbeatable. Arnie Fletcher & Robin Church (Len Manchester Motorcycles ) were fabulous race engineers and bike builders, for many top racers. They won a few TT/F2 350cc world Championships with both Graeme McGregor & Brian Reid thats a Beautiful bike !
Best regards Johnny C. |
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Post by dusty350 on Apr 9, 2021 21:55:30 GMT 1
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Post by 3tj6 on Apr 9, 2021 22:04:59 GMT 1
Is this a new mag or the one from 1983?
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Post by reedpete on Apr 9, 2021 22:48:27 GMT 1
Is this a new mag or the one from 1983? Looks like the one from 83, I’ve a copy somewhere. pure LC porn in my book ! totally fit for purpose.... |
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ajh
Thrash Merchant
Posts: 415
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Post by ajh on Apr 10, 2021 10:46:27 GMT 1
yeah from the 80s. Working my way through 82,83,84  |
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Post by peddrotzr on Apr 10, 2021 11:07:38 GMT 1
Thanks for that Dusty. The bike looks to have had a few parts changed since the magazine photos. But as with all race bikes things get changed over the years either to improve them or crash damage ect Its a shame the original exhausts weren't retained as they are very distinctive as the stingers were internal. As you can see here on Brian Reid's Spondon/Len Manchester TT/F2 350 bike which he is restoring. this also has got a different swingarm and shocker set up comapred to Graeme McGregors bike  However the natural working environment of these bikes on the track is a bit harsh to say the least, and not very conducive to them staying in one piece, so its nice to see its survived all these years! Its a beautiful bike and I wish it was in my Garage! Best Regards Johnny C.
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Post by veg on Apr 10, 2021 11:46:49 GMT 1
The original pipes are gorgeous ala rgb500 the ones now fitted are exactly the same as mine on my rd/tz , I will be changing them and now I’ve seen them wow me likey 😁
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Post by steve63 on Apr 10, 2021 20:47:34 GMT 1
F2 rules meant it needed to retain the road bike crankcases and cylinders. I would say therefore it's an LC with a few TZ bits on it. Rather than a TZ with LC bits. After all the bits that make the power are LC.
The TZ bits are used to make it reliable. Like parts of the crank, gearbox and clutch.
A local lad (to me) Mark Westmoreland won the 1984 (maybe 1985) ACU 350 Star Championship (open class) on a Len Manchester engined F2 bike. He finished second to Tony Rutter in the F2 class that year as well.
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ajh
Thrash Merchant
Posts: 415
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Post by ajh on Apr 10, 2021 21:23:25 GMT 1
Now that everyone’s ‘aroused’, here’s the final page 🙂  |
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Post by peddrotzr on Apr 10, 2021 21:33:02 GMT 1
Many thanks for that, great photos, and lots of detail which is very good
Thanks again.
Johnny C
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Post by peddrotzr on Apr 10, 2021 21:41:28 GMT 1
F2 rules meant it needed to retain the road bike crankcases and cylinders. I would say therefore it's an LC with a few TZ bits on it. Rather than a TZ with LC bits. After all the bits that make the power are LC. The TZ bits are used to make it reliable. Like parts of the crank, gearbox and clutch. A local lad (to me) Mark Westmoreland won the 1984 (maybe 1985) ACU 350 Star Championship (open class) on a Len Manchester engined F2 bike. He finished second to Tony Rutter in the F2 class that year as well. Mark was a great rider & I remember him well, he was a top guy! As for the rules:- TT/F2 class 350cc 2 stroke/600 4 stroke
TT/F1 500cc 2 stroke/750cc 4 stroke rules (1985 ONLY, GOOD OLD HONDA!) yep :- they needed to use the road bike crankcases and cylinders However, what the rules didnt say is what you couldnt do to the inside of them! its very interesting looking at what they did to the inside of the cylinders and to the rest of these engines. Arnie & Robin were very clever blokes.
Unfortunatley Honda managed to get the TT/F1 rules changed for 1986 as the 2 stoke 500's were a bit to competitive. So overnight the 4 strokes were increased to 1,000cc so the 500cc 2 strokes became uncompetitive I would still love to have a Spondon/Len Manchester TT/F2 350cc bike in my garage |
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Post by 3tj6 on Apr 10, 2021 21:42:35 GMT 1
I had a spondon steel f2 frame with a bob Farnham f2 motor bought the frame off barry stanley in 88 , he lived in moira Leicestershire
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Post by steve63 on Apr 10, 2021 21:57:50 GMT 1
F2 rules meant it needed to retain the road bike crankcases and cylinders. I would say therefore it's an LC with a few TZ bits on it. Rather than a TZ with LC bits. After all the bits that make the power are LC. The TZ bits are used to make it reliable. Like parts of the crank, gearbox and clutch. A local lad (to me) Mark Westmoreland won the 1984 (maybe 1985) ACU 350 Star Championship (open class) on a Len Manchester engined F2 bike. He finished second to Tony Rutter in the F2 class that year as well. Mark was a great rider & I remember him well, he was a top guy! As for the rules:- TT/F2 class 350cc 2 stroke/600 4 stroke
TT/F1 500cc 2 stroke/750cc 4 stroke rules (1985 ONLY, GOOD OLD HONDA!) yep :- they needed to use the road bike crankcases and cylinders However, what the rules didnt say is what you couldnt do to the inside of them! its very interesting looking at what they did to the inside of the cylinders and to the rest of these engines. Arnie & Robin were very clever blokes.
Unfortunatley Honda managed to get the TT/F1 rules changed for 1986 as the 2 stoke 500's were a bit to competitive. So overnight the 4 strokes were increased to 1,000cc so the 500cc 2 strokes became uncompetitive I would still love to have a Spondon/Len Manchester TT/F2 350cc bike in my garage Didn't the RG500 race bike cylinders fit the road bike cases? So that's what they did for F1. Basically was an RG500. I've never met Mark. He was already on his way to bigger things when I started. I remember him on the 250 & 350LCs sponsored by Paul's Animal Feeds and painted a blue/green colour. I saw him blitz everyone at Cadwell on the F2 bike. That bike was off into the distance while the TZs were still coughing and spluttering. It must run in the family. James Westmoreland is his Nephew. He had the 125 lap record at Cadwell for a few years. He's had top 5 finish in BSB and been runner up British Supersport championship. |
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