ENFIELD HEAVEN
Great content in RC237, especially if you are an Enfield fan as I am. I was especially interested as I have direct experience of both the RES in the last issue.
While a dohc 250 might never have been one of Enfield’s future models they were interested in the concept, building prototype 175 and 200cc versions. The 200 has disappeared (unless anyone definitely knows its whereabouts?) but the 175 survived factory closure and was built up into a complete bike via L & D Motors in Bristol, who were very close to the factory in its later incarnation as Enfield Precision Engineers. The bike was sold at auction a few years ago to a fellow REOC club member who kindly allowed me to ride it. What a beauty it was too. Not perfect as development machines often aren’t, but an amazing insight into what might have been under the small but talented design team led by Reg Thomas. I won’t go into it all here but my experience mirrored that of Alan Cathcart on the dohc GT. The biggest difference? The 175 ohc had a superb 5-speed gearbox fitted. Whoever built it really knew their stuff, so it is possible to get it right!
The Rickman story is linked by both the designer of the engine, Reg Thomas, and because I’ve ridden that machine too! Oily Boot Bob and I are members of the Interceptor Group of the REOC, set up originally to share information and parts on these rare machines, most of which were exported to the USA. At the rally in which the three Rickmans are pictured, Bob and I swapped bikes, he on my 1966 Mk1 Export Interceptor and I on the Rickman.
While I loved the engine I just couldn’t get on with the cycle. I’m not tall and the reach to the bars was painful, as well as the footrest placement causing that doubled up torture Bob mentions. My conclusion was that although I’d like to have the complete set of Interceptors this might be one too far! Incidentally, it’s often said that Rickman built their bikes using left over engines from the Floyd Clymer Indian Inter project but it’s little known that Rickman had already built some bikes with the S2 engine for Dorset Police as a possible replacement for the Nortons they were then using. There were at least two, but apart from some old newspaper cuttings the trail has gone cold. Unless someone knows better?
Regards, Mark, member 1513