And look at the angle of the lower fork link. Even without a rider seated it is almost horizontal. Why did Vincents persist for so long in jacking up the front end to the detriment of safety?
The Most Original Black Lightning on the Planet?
- Thread starter Cyborg
- Start date
I corresponded with Ted for many years. Started off with a set of crankcases locally, (F10AB/1B/23**). Got just about all the rest of the bike (matching unmolested "C" U.F.M./R.F.M.) RC101**B/C. via Royal Mail to Australia. Ah, them wuz the GOOD OLD DAYS!! I had to sell the bike due to marriage/ poverty and children. I believe it ended up in a museum in Queensland. Such a pity! If this sounds like your bike-Bramptons, 8" headlight, alloy front brake plates, I'd love to hear from you.
Mr. Stärkle was a vainy man who wanted to attract attention with his new machine, which he had already ordered at the Earl Court Show before everyone else. I still knew him and visited him with this machine.
Last edited by a moderator:
TouringGodet
Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
VOC Forum Administrator
VOC Forum Moderator
Interesting, the rims have painted centers.
Note the rigid RFM.
Note in the race foto: Both hands on one side of the handle bar. Staerkle was 3 times European Champion
for NSU in the sidecar class. World Championships came up later in ´49.
Amazing that someone with racing experience would think that the sprung rear end was a disadvantage for sure he can never have raced in the rain against ridged bikes. In my experience, that is when the RFM really comes into its own.
Still think of how long it took Trials riders to get the sprung rear end message there is a lot of inertia in clubroom attitudes and I think even more back then and earlier for instance after all my wifes 1925 EW Douglas has an automatic oil pump but it would not sell without a swichable separate circuit and a manual pump because that was the perceived method .
Still think of how long it took Trials riders to get the sprung rear end message there is a lot of inertia in clubroom attitudes and I think even more back then and earlier for instance after all my wifes 1925 EW Douglas has an automatic oil pump but it would not sell without a swichable separate circuit and a manual pump because that was the perceived method .
Last edited:
Ernst told me, that Staerkle had raced only rigid framed NSUs before WW2 and did not want anything else
and therefor had this change done. He won many races in the unlimited sidecar class with the BL and all
trophies are still there but are kept by his son, who did not want to sell them to Ernst.
Great pictures, thank you.
Note: To me it looks like the pipes are side by side at this time of racing...