Featured America Bike Gone To Bed For The Winter. Replaced With This.

TY 80 My son had one when he was 9. Great bike. Maybe not just read the twin part of your comment. DOH.

 

COOL that would sell today, kids would go made for it and some ADULTS.

 

I think Henry Cole unearthed a few of these in his "Shed and buried" program!
(I think they might still be buried!)

 

My 'Frantic' was in standard bike form but I do remember the chopper version.
1973 when I got mine, cost £199 from memory.

 

I must admit, I always wished I had got the 'Fizzy' for reliability, other mates had Garellis, by hell we had some fun.
If you watch one of the series of 'This is England' there is a gang of moped riders, shows it just like it was, happy days.

 

Was a crazy time for me, we had a group of us with anything from a Fantic chopper, Yam 250's/350's to (I kid you not) Graham Hill with his Z900 and me on my new Suzi 250, all meeting at the Monico, in many ways it mapped out a lot of the rest of my life!
Coming back from the Agricultural Halls where the bike show was then held we took over Westminster Bridge, so many of us plod was powerless, G.H doing huge wheelies on the Z900 over the bridge until the coils fell off!
ahhh, those were the days!

 

Great memories

 

Hooligan!!

 

These were the times!
My best mate had an Aspes Navajo


And me, I rode a Malaguti Fifty

What a great feeling of freedom it was...

 

Gary, that is and was KTM from Austria...

Cheers

 

Well 2 hrs of trials training today, bike and rider done good. Both still in one piece.
Very pleased how it all came back, the balance of power, braking, distribution of weight etc, looks like I will enjoy my return.
First trial Sunday. Will keep you posted.
Ken.

 

How did it go Supergrandad?

 

Well it went ok, not perfect but I learned so much. The trial in truth was not for beginners, I was informed before the start it was a testing route. In truth it was really hard. But not to be phased I got stuck in and attempted most sections. I was never going to be competitive and decided before rider and bike got hurt to retire. I very quickly learned not to use front brake on wet tree roots, you hit the deck quite hard. The bike was good and it will be nice to ride.
I have now entered 2 more trials both with easy courses and local to my home. So they will be a better test.
Been out on the practice ground today and it went well.
So very pleased really and looking forward to the next outing.
Ken.

 

Man, that bike really is a beauty! So perfectly balanced and what I love most: form follows function!
I am sure, you'll have tons of fun on it.

Cheers, Daniel

 

Dan, the bike is so well balanced and easy to ride. You can with a little practice turn circles holding full lock. One of the training things I do is full lock figure of 8 turns. The gearing is really nice and it is amazing how slow you can go. The weight of the bike is only 85 kilo so that helps with the balance.

 

Absolutely brilliant. Well done on your first outing and enjoy the rest of the season.
Keep us posted with how you get on.

 

Cheers, I will keep the posts coming. I am Lucky to have a very local farmer who has a wood and land suitable for training so I intend to get out often. Certainly a good few times before the 22nd
Ken

 

Good to see another over 60 still competing in bike sport at some level. It's what keeps me young - and the cameraderie is superb too.

 

Drag racing is your sport I see. That is something I have never done. I always go to the Ramsey Sprint on the Isle of Man TT week that has a good attendance and some weird and wonderful machines. Keep up the riding and good luck with
your results.

 

Nice reply, the twin shocks have a good following in Suffolk and it was easy to decide the way forward. I have to admit having owned myself the Bigger bikes of the Bultaco, Montesa and Armstrong just how this little Fantic is so well suited to trials. Staying safe and enjoying is for me the name of the game. NO medals or town hall clocks to be won.
Ken.