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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Rod on July 18, 2003, 10:45:40 AM

Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: Rod on July 18, 2003, 10:45:40 AM
My mother gave me this picture of my great grandmother on, from what I've been able to find out, is a Douglas Greyhound or possibly a Mastif from about 1928-32. It was my mother's uncle's bike. Douglas's were made in Bristol, England up to the mid 1950's. Just posting it 'cause I thought it was kind of interesting - the shifter on the side of the gas tank and all. I had never heard of Douglas before.
The picture was taken in Kingston, Ontario in the early to mid 30's.
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/249626/Granonbike.JPG)
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: snapper on July 18, 2003, 11:09:37 AM
Where is it?
:?
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: pantablo on July 18, 2003, 11:25:43 AM
give it time to load...its there.

pretty cool-was she a rider or jsut posing on her man's bike? [posing in the photographic sense, not the squidly sense]
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: vegbiker on July 18, 2003, 11:38:36 AM
Sweet! Nice bike...never heard of them, but I love vintage stff.
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: john on July 18, 2003, 11:49:23 AM
Ahhh the good old days of motorcycles  :thumb:
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: Rod on July 18, 2003, 11:54:11 AM
I've got the picture on villagephotos and there is a limit on the number of hits per day that I didn't consider. Once it hits 5 mb it won't display. Sucks but I don't have another site.

As far as I know she didn't ride herself (church organists didn't ride then!) though my mother remembers her riding as a passenger. [/quote]
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: Rich500 on July 18, 2003, 12:01:34 PM
What an amazing bike. I wish I had the money to own, and restore, and insure one of those rigs. Theres something about classic bike, no new bike can touch.
Great picture!
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: Toecutter on July 18, 2003, 12:45:26 PM
Quote from: Rich500What an amazing bike. I wish I had the money to own, and restore, and insure one of those rigs. Theres something about classic bike, no new bike can touch.
Great picture!

I know it's not quite the same, but for roughly the price of a GS, you can get a brand-spankin'-new Royal Enfield Bullet 500.  After RE went out of business in UK way back when, a company in India bought the tooling and kept producing them.  The bikes are literally 1950's technology, and have only been updated when legally required.  They're slow, tricky to maintain, and tricky to start, but they're undoubtedly beautiful.  
I had planned to get a new Bonnie for my next bike, but I think I'm getting a Bullet instead as a cool bike, and getting something else as a fast bike.

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: snapper on July 18, 2003, 02:20:16 PM
Must have been my work machine.  I can see it now!  ;)
That is awesome!
My dad has an old Simplex in his basement.  He is thinking of making it a project sometime soon.  He did have it running at one point.  I can remember him riding around the yard.  Hehe

I love old bikes!
I would like a bike that was used in WWII with a side car.  I would love to restore one of those babies.  :mrgreen:
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: jake42 on July 18, 2003, 08:16:04 PM
i know it's not nearly as old, but when i get back home from my trip i'll post a pic of my 67 yamaha that i built from boxes.

jake
Title: old bikes
Post by: yamahonkawazuki on July 18, 2003, 11:46:11 PM
:) those old bikes are awesome.  :oops: sorry gs :cry: , i was recently told, if i was willing to come out to gilroy ca, i was welcome to an hd from the 20's that belonged to my great grandfather. it is complete. just not running. wasnt when parked. half tempted to now. have to save up travelling money though. LONG trip for me. (east tenn. to cali) :mrgreen:  :roll: if i have to, i may just have it shipped out. more than likely would be cheaper than me driving.
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: Cal Price on July 18, 2003, 11:52:38 PM
Great bike, presumably named after Douglas, capital of the Isle on Man, thought by many to be the spiritual home of bike racing, Manx TT and all that! The indian Royal Enfield (It's suddenly become Royal again) has just made the gian leap into the 1960s by changing the foot configuration to brake with the right, gears with the left, it used to be vice-versa. It's a lot easier for today's bikers!
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: HughRussell on July 19, 2003, 04:44:12 AM
My dad once told me he had a Douglas in the '50s, don't know what model though, I'll see if I can find some old photos maybe,
quite a well known make in UK..............probably some company history / pics on the net somewhere.

Incidentally, what's your great grandmother doing later on?

"Cal Price", if you're interested, the nearest Enfield dealer is C & C Motorcycles at Yalding (when it's above water), I've seen them there, he also sells Russian bikes
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: Cal Price on July 19, 2003, 05:14:36 AM
Cheers Hugh, know it well, fished there as a kid. Love those Ruski bikes especially the ad with sidecar complete with machine gun. Incidently my dear old departed mum was a biker in the 50s but nothing as exotic as a Douglas, James and BSA as I recall, dad rode a 350 AJS. (usually with me as a sprog on the back)
Title: Old bike pic - non GS
Post by: Traveler on July 19, 2003, 05:58:17 PM
My grandad had a Douglas with sidecar (he said the bike had a disk brake in a Tommy gun can on the front wheel, but I think that was an earlier model from the 20's (!). He probably had the Endeavour before his arthritis got too bad.
Wish he had kept it.