Friday, 6 April 2012

Friday bike

This week's bike is another 70s rarity that I've never actually seen.



NVT Rambler

Norton Villiers Triumph had an arrangement with Yamaha at the time, which led to XJ900 instruments and cycle parts being used on the Norton Rotary, NVT developing the Yamaha HL500 off roader, and the supply of Yamaha DT 125/175 engines for the Tracker. It was a fairly straightforward trail bike of the time with monoshock frame, typical styling, but unusually for a the period a disc brake. A small number were built, then for some reason the name was changed to the BSA Tracker.

This one turned up on the DoneDeal site in Ireland.

Again a small number were built, and if I remember correctly, some went to Africa as part of a Riders for Health type initiative, where health workers travel round rural areas on motorbikes.
It probably wasn't a bad bike, but it was in a very competitive area of the market against similar bikes from all the Japanese manufacturers (including Yamaha).
Found a couple of articles on the Web by owners of Rambers: here and here.
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7 comments:

  1. Norman6 April 2012 at 20:53

    Lot more about them here: http://motorcyclerestorations.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/NVT%20Rambler

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  2. mr.combo6 April 2012 at 22:21

    I saw an article on the Riders For Health group a while back and remember the BSA Tracker from that. It looked like quite a serious attempt to produce a bike for a specific purpose - ie. mostly off-road use and good fuel economy. Perfect for use in third world conditions.

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  3. Hairy Larry8 April 2012 at 18:10

    That's one I've never seen either, only read about. They picked a good engine, reliable and easy to work on.

    Getting back to your earlier post on the E-bike. Over at Shinya Kimura's blog there is a piece on the 'Mission R' by Mission Motors.

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  4. Oggsy20 April 2012 at 17:20

    Hi, just rebuilding a Tracker 175/6 1981 model starting as a barnfind and 60 percent refurbed. If you would like to see more of this bike look on Brotbike forums under BSA Tracker Britbike?

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  5. Oggsy20 April 2012 at 17:21

    sorry typo Britbike

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  6. Norman20 April 2012 at 18:35

    That's a daunting rebuild, but you've done a really impressive amount of work! Puts me to shame by how slowly my Honda is progressing. Link to Oggsy's rebuild: http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=427300

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  7. Oggsy20 April 2012 at 19:36

    Started work 10th Feb 2012 so motoring on, will be posting more very soon as this week i have installed rebuilt engine,set up forks and fitted handlebars,clocks,ignition,autolube,front and rear mudguard, swinging arm and rear wheel, carb and filter,all footpegs and gear change. Gonna have a go at weekend maybe!

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