Classic Bike of the Year 2010

[Darryl Chadwick]

Hi all You SOHC owners.

My names Darryl and I'm a new member to your site although I have used it many times before. I wanted to ask if you'd be so kind as to vote for My Phil Read Replica in this months Classic Bike, I spent 2 years restoring her and can't believe she made the final 10. I hope I can help others restore and maintain there bikes, I'm only 29 now but this is my 2nd 750, to be honest I think there fantastic.

I hope You enjoy the article. please vote via Email as the Phone numbers wrong, they are sorting it now.

Many thanks

Darryl Chadwick.

[SteveD CB500K0]

Do you have a link?

Their site is hopelessly out of date - still showing Eamon's K0 (which was the July edition)

[Darryl Chadwick]

For such a popular mag yes its rubbish. I don't have a link but the email address is:

VOTEBIKE10@BAUERMEDIA.CO.UK

Phone vote: 0844 848 4200

the phone vote has been sorted.

[andy120t]

What are the other 'bikes involved?

[Darryl Chadwick]

Some very nice Bikes, I think I was fortuanate to make the 10. There's a couple of BSA's a Bonnie, Z650/1000, T500 another yellow YPVS a Beta, a Norton Domie and an amazing twin engined Triton.

Can't wait to see them at The London Motorcycle Show in Feb.

[dave400]

Good luck with the vote, hope you win with your Honda.

Cheers

[robotman]

HI Daryl, I also have a Phil Replica CB750 that I am currently restoring! - I read your article with great interest. I bought mine 18 months ago - I havent done much to it yet. When I bought it - it ran and I went up and down the raod a couple of times on it!
Mine has had quite a few owners and does really need a complete strip down and rebuild. The guy I bought it of hadnt done aything to it but the guy he bought it off had had the engine stripped and rebuilt so I dont intend to touch it!. So far I have taken off all the plastic panels which I am repairing and will then re paint. Over Christmas I have started to strip everything off the bike with the aim of blasting the frame and getting it powder coated.
Its quite a daunting job and I have never looked at another of these rare machines so I would greatly appreciate any help I can get from someone that has already rebuilt one.
Part of my reason to buy this bike was that I have met Phill Read several times and built some special carbon fibre fairings for some of his current racing bikes. I havent seen him for several years, he is an interesting fellow!
Kind regards - Steve Cole

[SteveD CB500K0]

Hi Steve and welcome.

I love the PRRs (we had one on our site for sale a while back) www.nirvana-motorcycles.com

I'm interested in any memories and anecdotes that you may have of Phil. I run his website (www.philread.org) and see him fairly often. He lives down Canterbury way now though.

Where are you?  If you are local, I'm sure we could arrange a "Christening" for your bike when it is finished - give you something to work towards!

What plastics did you make for him? Any of the bikes in the gallery on the site?

He's off to South Africa for 3 weeks next week (lucky fellow) - a round of classic race and parade events.

Steve

[Darryl Chadwick]

Hello Steve.

Its great to hear from You. Your the first PRR owner I've ever spoken to. Apparently there's a register for us that another owner set up to track down all remaining Phil Read Reps. He had a centre page MCN article a while back but I've mis-placed it.
It'll be a pleasure to offer any advice You need while restoring Your Bike. One thing I will say, even though Your engine has been apparently stripped, I'd take the opportunity to give it a coat of looking at while its out of the frame, You don't want to have to take it back out of your newly powder coated frame to replace a seal or rocker cover gasket. Take the rocker cover off at least, this is where Honda's have problems. Ware on the cam or rockers or even the cam towers can easily be sorted sooner rather than later. Its easier and cost affective to do it now...... before the dreaded rattle starts!

I look forward to hearing from You.

Glad You liked My article.

Many thanks Darryl

[robotman]

Hi Daryl - I spoke on the phone to a guy called Mick Edwards - I think he is the authority on these bikes and he has a list of other owners. He seemed to know a great deal about them. He met with other owners but it was up in the north and I am down near London. I have yet to actualy see another bike in the flesh!
I havent got any magazine articles on it - the previous owner of my bike promised me copies of these but they never appeared. I must admit - I bought my bike as a bit of an investment - thinking of how rare they are I suspected that restoring one would be a good idea - however the odd one that has been at an auction has not sold for much. I did see one go for around 7k but that was a while ago! One recently sold for a little as

[robotman]

Hi Steve - I think the 1st fairing was for the Duke BSA replica - I only made one in Carbon fibre - I think I still have the mould in the studio somewhere. My business - www.articolestudios.co.uk make all sorts of things using fibreglass & foam. This was an odd job for me - I dont use carbon fibre normaly. I had several meetings with Phil - he was living localy at the time and he would drop in occasionaly for a cup of tea!
Phil moved away and I havent seen him for several years.
I have some pics of Phil with his bike outside the studio somewhere - I will have a look for them if you want.
Gl;ad you like the PPR's - I saw the one for sale on your website - its a shame it was so cheap - I think they are worth a lot more as they are so rare
Regards
Steve

[SteveD CB500K0]

Pics: yes please!

Put your location in your user profile and it will show on every post - save lots of "where are you?" posts

Steve

[Darryl Chadwick]

I was contacted only the other day by Jim at Classic Bike with Mick's phone number and spoke to him at length about PRR's, he does no his stuff and has a good contact base for the actual Bike parts specific to the PRR. He also gave Me VIN numbers so I could authenticate My Bike, which it is a genuine PR Bike.
How though has He like You said, survived all these years without a Computer!
I'm based in Clitheroe in Lancashire, I'm coming down to the Excel Centre in London for the MCN Bike Show in Feb with My Bike to display on The Classic Bike of the Year stand. Why not come down and we'll have a brew and a natter about PRR's. 
I agree they should be worth alot more than some seem to go for, but having never seen another in the flesh its hard to say why. Condition, originality and authenticity seem to be key. Who knows if the cheap Bikes are real PRR's? Kits were available from Seeley to convert standard F2's but they aren't included in the 150 or so originals so maybe thats the reason. I no I won't be parting with mine for 3 grand! wouldn't even cover My Paint and Powder coating Bill.

Darryl

[bignasty]

Robotman your website is cool..you make some amazing things, good work! ever do cafe racer tail units?!

[robotman]

Thanks Bignasty - no I dont normaly get involved in making motorbike panels. I could but I have enough work to keep my studio busy.
Steve