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Driving report Metisse 8V Mark 5
Twin shock
Shocking! A Rickman Metisse all in green, with a tubular steel frame and two spring struts – but with a new engine. An enthusiast brings the British classic back to life.
D.he Englishman is proud of his illustrious history. This also and especially applies to vehicle construction on the island. The latest example: the first and so far only ready-to-drive prototype of the Metisse 8V Mark 5, which MOTORRAD made available for a first test drive. Like so much in England, the Metisse can look back on a long tradition (see box "The story of Rickman").
Gerry Lisi, a 59-year-old, wealthy businessman, used to drive off-road competitions himself and has been friends of the Rickman brothers and the original Metisse builders for a long time. In 2001, he secured the trademark rights and soon afterwards began, with the consent of the Rickmanner and the heirs of film actor Steve McQueen, to build a series of 300 replicas of his declared favorite racer. But a modern street motorcycle was also needed. Following tradition, Lisi wanted to build the chassis and equip them with motors from other manufacturers. For the traditionalist, of course, only an English engine was an option, but after Triumph boss John Bloor withdrew his delivery promise from Bonneville Twins, Lisi decided to build the engine herself.
In 2003 things got down to business with a blank sheet of paper in a clubhouse back room of the golf club that Lisi owns and runs. The key data were clear: a British twin carries its cylinders in parallel, the pistons move up and down at the same time. For the sake of the classic look, there is no water cooling. The displacement is one liter.
Two balance shafts take care of the vibrations, the two camshafts are set in rotation via a chain and gear cascades. In the development and manufacture of the parts, Lisi was able to fall back on the know-how of a number of motorsport supplier companies, which, like his golf club, are located near the "Home of Racing" Silverstone are located. A five-speed gearbox from Triumph is currently still providing the power transmission, in the later series there will be six gears from our own production. The engine ran on the test bench for the first time in November 2008. It is now in a nickel-plated double-loop tubular frame made of chrome-molybdenum steel, corresponding to the historical models. The steering head angle is 72 degrees. The Paioli telescopic fork and the stereo struts at the rear, like the wire-spoke wheels, underline the classic claim.
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A Rickman Metisse all in green.
In stark contrast to this is the fully electronic cockpit. On this point, the last word has not yet been spoken for series production. The twin currently has 97 hp on the clutch, whereby the speed limit for material protection is still 7500 revolutions. Ready to drive, but without petrol, the prototype weighs around 180 kilograms. A production version should add a few kilos, because the currently installed exhaust sounds more than it dampens. The two bends disappear behind the side covers in the dark and reappear as a small opening above the rear light.
Since the airbox also has to be accommodated somewhere, we are eagerly awaiting the solution that Lisi will come up with before the start of series production. The current background noise is indeed music to the ears of the fans, but far from being admissible. Even on this side of the thunder, the twin is good for several surprises: Anyone who knows the grueling vibrations of old English co-racers can no longer cease to be amazed. This motorcycle has no vibrations. Neither in the footrests nor in the seat or on the handlebars, just nowhere. And that over the entire speed range. From 1500 revolutions there is usable power, and from 3000 the engine pulls like the proverbial ox on the chain. There is no discernible performance gap, the torque curve seems to run without dents. Shift speeds of 5000 tours are enough even for rapid progress, although the relatively short overall ratio is helpful.
At 70 miles (112 km / h) there are already 4,700 tours on the clock, at 100 miles (160 km / h) an impressive 6800, the end at 175 km / h! The throttle response is very gentle, there are hardly any load change reactions. Only the cold engine shows with jerking and sputtering that one or the other program line is still missing from the mapping. The bottom line is that it is very remarkable what this small company, which has never designed an engine, has achieved for a debut. The test program and homologation process are currently underway, and series production is to begin in August 2010. Five bikes are planned per week at prices starting at 16,000 British pounds (currently 18,300 euros). The man has big plans, but on this basis it doesn’t seem utopian.
Data
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The Steve Mc-Queen replica provided the design for the new one.
engine
Two-cylinder four-stroke in-line engine, two overhead, chain-driven camshafts, four valves per cylinder, compression 10.2: 1, injection Ø 42 mm, regulated catalytic converter, two gear-driven balance shafts, mechanically operated multi-plate oil bath clutch, five-speed gearbox, chain.
Displacement: 997 cm³
Rated output: 71 kW (97 hp) at 8000 rpm
landing gear
Double loop tubular frame made of chrome-molybdenum steel, steering head angle 62 degrees, non-adjustable telescopic fork, Ø 41 mm, two-arm swing arm made of steel, double spring struts, adjustable spring base, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston fixed calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 220 mm, double-piston floating caliper.
Spoked wheels with aluminum rims, 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17
Tires 110 / 80-19; 150 / 70-17
Dimensions + weights
Weight ready to drive without petrol 180 kg, tank capacity 14 liters.
Warranty: two years
Estimated price: 16,000 pounds sterling
Contact
Metisse Motorcycles, Carswell, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 8 PU, info@metisse-motorcycles.com
The story of Rickman
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Don (left) and Derek Rickman are enjoying the prototype.
The story of the Rickman brothers sounds like a Hollywood movie. The two brothers, who are now 71 and 73 years old, took part in the off-road competitions that were widespread at the time in the 1950s and were regularly annoyed about the poor equipment, especially about the frequently collapsing and difficult-to-drive chassis of the racing machines at the time. Since there was nowhere to buy good material, the brothers, who were full-time running a spare parts and accessories shop for motorcycles, decided to help themselves: they built their own frame without further ado, which was so good that the brothers lost a few championship titles and soon major ones Parts of the starting field were on Rickman chassis. Since the engines came from the big manufacturers such as BSA, Norton or Triumph, the bikes ran under the name Metisse (French: mixed breed). Frames for road racing motorcycles were added from 1966, and when the Japanese hung their powerful engines in windy pipe works in the 1970s, pure road motorcycles came into the model range. During the weddings, Rickman built up to 70 frames per week. At the end of 1975 the production of complete motorcycles was discontinued and it was again limited to chassis kits and accessories. In 1985 the company was sold. Today Gerry Lisi owns the naming rights to Metisse, and with the consent and support of the Rickman brothers, he successfully builds replicas of the Metisse triumph and is working feverishly to revive the brand with the Metisse 8V Mark 5.
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