Mick Broom was R&D man and test rider for Hesketh. Broom Devolopment Engineering owned the Hesketh name, made and repaired bikes and operated out of the old stables at Easton Neston for years. I recall Mick telling me that he rode a V1000 around MIRA at about 140mph. The reason the production bikes didn't do this speed was due to a new European noise limit imposed before it was in production. The Hesketh was too noisy, so they had to set about strangling it. IIRC Meriden Triumphs were also too noisy, but they were already in production so they were exempt. The Hesketh had to comply and was 'detuned' to meet the new noise regulations. There is also the rumour that Hesketh were 'inspired' by Japanese shaft drives, some say the bike was going to be a shaftie until BMW sued Yamaha for infringement of patent, so it quickly became a chain drive. Regardless of what the bumf the commentator is reading says, Hesketh V1000's were fitted with Dell Orto carbs, not AMAL. I was told that Hesketh wanted the bike to be All English, but the suppliers would only supply in large quantities, so Brembo brakes, Honda clocks, Marzocchi forks and rear shocks were fitted because they could buy these in smaller quantities. People have queued up to tell me what a pile of poo my Hesketh is. "How long did you have yours? is my usual question. The usual answer is: "I've never owned one, nor have I ever ridden one, but everyone knows....." It's always interesting that people can be so against a bike that they have never ridden simply by reading something about it in a magazine, or 'My mate Dave told me and he should know....' What the V1000 is good at is touring. 70mph @3,500rpm and she'll do that all day without any problems whatsoever. I did it with fully loaded Krauser panniers, a top rack with tent, camping gear and my wife on the pillion. Rider and pillion were both very comfortable. Mine has been over the continent a few times quite happily and very comfortably. Someone will soon be along to tell me that I am wrong (that usually happens) but it does seem that buying a Hesketh meant you might get a good one or a not so good one. Mine is a good one since the gearbox is just fine, it has never leaked oil nor had any of the problems that other bikes have had. Magazines in those days praised bikes made by companies that spent a lot on advertising with Lord EMAP, double praise so if it was faster than last years model (and don't mention the rubber frame and ornamental brakes), and decried everything else. This is all in my cynical opinion of course, but I have at least I own one, have ridden miles on it and my opinion is based on empirical knowledge, which trumps everything else.
It’s fantastic to hear from someone who owns a Hesketh, thank you for commenting. The magazine article probably got a few things wrong, so it’s great that you’ve chimed in and corrected them. The interview with Lord H was done in 1980, before the bike was produced in any significant numbers, so no doubt a few things changed. I’ve always thought they looked amazing and might even have been tempted to buy one if I’d had the money! You must draw a few crowds on your tours!
I only remember there being claims that the engine cases had a porosity problem. Not sure if it was actually true. It's also a hard leap to attract motorcycle riders to spend big when the history of the company is both short and based on lucky success in formula one cars.
Thanks for yr comments. I've often wondered what they were like. I've seen several but never heard one,much less ridden one,and didn't think them ugly or heavy for the times.cheers...hesketh only made 140 according to the above commentary...hmm
Hello Robin I agree with all your comments. Sadly I had to sell my very special V1000. One of the last ones built by Mick (in his racing colours of green and red stripe). Modern Hinckley forks, maxrton shock, 6 pot calipers. What a great fun bike and a hoot to ride quickly down back roads.
If only I was born a Lord instead of devastatingly handsome I would have started an unsuccessful British Motorcycle company too Thanks for the history lesson Phil.
I was born both a Lord and devastatingly handsome and it's not what it's cracked up to be let me tell you, oh the burden, money, woman, jets, cars, helicopters, I'm so board. Anyway, must dash, matron's here with my meds. wibble wibble.
As a Motorcycle Mechanic I had the dubious pleasure of riding one, as the The Kawasaki dealer I worked for thought he could make some money out of them. I can still hear that "Clunky" box and feel the engine vibration today !!
Great to hear from someone who has ridden one! It sort of confirms what I heard (third or fourth hand) about them. To be fair, I think they made mods subsequently to address some of the issues. If the money had been there, they could have had a bike to rival Ducati! Er, maybe. Meanwhile, I’ve had plenty of Kawasakis, but never a Hesketh. 🤣 Thanks for the comment. 😊
I had a european bike dealer not far from me, they had one as part of the owner's extensive collection, never heard that one. I saw another at a british bike show, the owner fired it up to ride off, I thought old MV Agusta's were mechanically noisy, this bike sounded like it wasn't going to get too far though. Mv's noise is just amazing as the cams are all gear driven and the engine runs mostly on needle and ball bearings rather then plain ones. If the deal was right I'd be proud to have a Hesketh though.
Thanks Wobbly Phil - another fantastic video! Friend of mine actually scraped together enough pennies to buy one when they came out. We were all in deep awe. Lost touch decades ago - hope he still has it! There was a press photo done of a Triumph-badged Hesketh in front of the Meriden plant ... oh what might have been. Of course now there's another bike on my 'want' list along with the CBX and Jota. And as for Ogri - we all know that's why we bought Bike magazine, as the publishers found out when they nearly went out of business because they - briefly - decided they couldn't afford the services of Mr. Sample!
Many years ago I was at Gus Kuhn Motorcycles and there was a silver Hesketh V1000 in the showroom, I was highly tempted to purchase it as the price was good and the bike looked fantastic but eventually reason overcame emotion and I bought a 750 Commando instead which I never regretted for an instant as that Commando was an utterly brilliant machine!. However, I still find myself thinking about that Hesketh to this day and wondering if it would have worked out..
Having also owned a 750 Commando, I agree they’re brilliant bikes. Even so, it took a while before my Commando was set up right and I imagine fettling a decades-old Hesketh would be even more problematic. I mean, to start with, where would you even get the parts from? So imho you made the right choice! Thanks for the comment. 😊
I think we must've been in Gus Kuhn's about the same time. I remember a red one which was too expensive for me. I bought a BMW R650 with the toaster fuel tank. Just thought as I type Lord Hesketh was from Towcester in nothants which is pronounced Toaster.🤗
I remember around 1983, Steve Rhodes Motorcycles in Bradford broke up a brand new Hesketh V1000 for parts, Rhodes himself said that he could make more money selling it as parts than he could selling it as a complete motorcycle. After it was stripped I remember seeing the Hesketh's beautiful nickel plated frame on the floor of Rhodes parts department.
Thanks for this. First time I'd thought of the Hesketh in many years. Always wanted one but then reports started coming out about reliability, top heavy, gearboxes with "character" and clattery motors. So in my first dive into "superbikes" I bought an Italian bike with all the same characteristics; a 180 Jota. But loved that big old triple and the 180 was the first of several of Breganze's finest I owned. Still wish the Hesketh had succeeded though and I'd had one.
I'm still wanting a Spagthorp and now a family crest thing with a chicken head as an emblem. Definitely a must have. I'll bet that horder Leno has 3 of each in a fallout shelter somewhere.
In 1980 I went to Australia for 25yrs, & within a yr & a half I had bought a 1982 Laverda Jota, lovely machine, came back here ( Wales) in 2005, & a couple of years ago I bought a Harley-Davidson Fatboy lo Special, the ' flying brick ' as I call it, always used to buy Bike magazine, they had great road tests , all the best 👍
Gosh, you had a Jota? I’m jealous! Always wanted to get my hands on one of those! I’m busy re-reading these rediscovered Bike mags, there’s some good stuff in them. Thanks for the comment. 😊
The Astralite wheels were quite innovative. I used to make motorcycle luggage racks ("Custom Carriers") in a kind of similar fashion & yes, I did make one for a Hesketh - anodised black to match the wheels.
I remember those wheels, saw them on a couple bikes. They look fantastic, one of the best looking bike wheel's ever made. I also liked the nice Honda Comstars on the VFR 1000, they really prettied up a wheel that looked a little low budget on other models, but honestly Comstars were great compared to Yamaha's insanely heave "mag" wheels that seemed to have been cast from iron.
Another enjoyable episode. In 1980 I was but a spotty teenager riding an FS1E. Dread to think what print publications I had stashed then The lord certainly knew how to spend money! Don't think I've seen one of those bikes on the road
Yes, I dread to think what mags are in the other old cardboard boxes in my shed. I can see I’m going to have to make a pilgrimage to the National Motorcycle Museum to see one of them Heskeths in real life!
Used to see a Red one by us most Days of the working week, going back years now, always remember the Growl out of her.....SUPERB, Style Wise honestly, they looked Good.🇬🇧
The 90°, V - Twin, is a good place to start. As one piston is moving at its maximum speed, midway of the stroke, which helps carry the other piston over each top or bottom end of its stroke. The reason for it being rather noisy, is due to all the strate cut gears running the 4 cams from the crankshaft ! No chains or belts !!! Also, having so many gears in a row, is bound to cause backlash and vibration. It would be far better, to run just two cams by a V - chain. Which is Slimer & stronger than roller chains. I would like to change & lower the centre of gravity? Being a V - Twin, it is narrower than in line engines, so it can be lowered quite a lot. The footrests can stay up & out of the way for cornering. Dinamic balancing would also help. I have many ideas, regarding how to make Motorcycles, but I never had the chance to do this !?! I did not have a golden shovel in my mouth, so the world lost out! 🇬🇧🔧 PS, interestingly, the word, Baron is not helpful?
Interesting. I have an Indian FTR in my shed, a 1200 V twin, which suffers none of the idiosyncrasies of the Hesketh. Smooth, low centre of gravity, great handling, not especially mechanically noisy. I guess in the 40 years between the Hesketh and the FTR all those great ideas you mention have been implemented. 👍🏍️
Yes, it’s a shame it never really got off the ground. It could have been a BMW or Ducati contender if the investment had been there in the early 80s. It’s a shame Hinckley Triumph didn’t pick up on it, but there you go, they had their own ideas.
Your still doing something right....I had all bike mags....the adverts were like yesterday....Malcom on the bus were the fella couldnt find his change..one of tge funniest things ever.Motorcycle Mechanics my dad used to buy...cyclemag HD adverts wow. Hesketh I sussed were shite pretty much from the start.So excited when they appeared. They couldnt get the oil pressure right. Paul Sample Genius
Cool bike! If you'd like to see more classics, watch the great Hammer horror film, Pychomania. Biker witches and their cool pact and creepy stone circle. Enjoyed the video! TKS.
Brilliant motorcycle I sadly sold mine in the spring after many years…smooth and nice riding machines and reliable !! Sold as just too large for me now …don’t elect the rubbish about gearbox it’s similar to a BMW of the era…just take it gently
That’s more than once, now, that I’ve heard from folk who’ve owned them saying the stuff about the gearbox is rubbish. I’m beginning to think it’s a myth that been perpetuated from one dodgy test ride all those years ago! Anyway, it’s great to hear from owners and thanks for the comment. 😊
Hesketh, most British motorcycles were easily affordable, the Hesketh was priced like a Vincent Black Shadow,the british failed to keep pace with technical developments like electric start and disk brakes,and maybe liquid cooling,plus it was difficult to find a dealership that dealt with British Motorcycles.
Indeed, there was very little left of the British motorcycle industry at the time. Underinvestment, labour disputes and a lack of technological innovation sealed its fate, imo. The Hesketh was too little, too much (in terms of its costs) and too late. Thanks for the comment. 😊
It’s true there was a rumour it was two 500cc Weslake singles lashed together, but I think Lord H refuted that rumour, saying it was a Hesketh design built by Weslake. What I do know for sure is that the Cosworth Norton was two pots chopped off the end of a Cosworth V8! Thanks for the comment. 😊
On the irreverence of Bike Magazine which was also my favourite at the time… Anyone remember the infamous “Honda Goldwank” road test that lost them Honda’s advertising for..I dunno…a while!
@@3Phils Good luck, the copy of Motor Cycling featured in the video is definitely in my stash, though I have no memory of the gigantic Barry Sheene poster. Must have fallen out or somebody nicked it.
Managed to find this…(Hagerty UK) “Two Wheeled Motor Car?” sneered Bike, Britain’s best-selling monthly, before describing the Wing as ugly, overweight, too complicated and boring. That was enough to lose the magazine Honda’s advertising for a year.
Actually I think it’s ‘My Lord’ or ‘Your Lordship’, but in the short clip at the end, from an interview with Nigel Farage, Mr Farage calls him ‘Alex’. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Not sure if my memory is playing up but wasn't Cosworth involved in the engine design? I seem to recall that Hesketh Engineering was refurbishing DFV engines.
It was Weslake, in fact. I think Cosworth got involved in Norton. Lord H says they got Weslake to help manufacture the engine to his team’s designs. Thanks for the comment. 😊
If my memory..... The engine was based on the concept of sawing off a couple of cylinders from the Cosworth V8. In the upper 6th we were praying for the British comeback. - Norton`s rotary - Silks`s two stroke - never quite happened in the way that we were hoping. We went Italian. Hesketh always seemed to be the product of an unsuitable heritage.
@@tagomago2178 You may be thinking of the Norton Cosworth there. Norman White, who appears in some of my other videos and who was Chief Engineer at the Norton Works Team in the 1970s, mentions just that - basically two cylinders sawn off the Cosworth V8! But some unkind souls thought at the time that the Hesketh engine was two 500cc Weslake speedway engines bolted together. I never went Italian myself, apart from Lambrettas, but you've reminded me of the Norton Rotary and, more especially, the Silk. Hmm, I feel another video coming on! Thanks for the comment. 😊
Went to see an M20 for sale over in Chichester around 1982. There was a bike bike with a sheet over it in the garage with the beeza. What’s that we asked? A black hesketh. The only one o ever saw. Probably had a fckd gearbox though. The m20 was too much money so my mate didn’t get it, but ended up with a running one ,more local , for £150.
If my memory can be trusted were Weslake involved in the engine design? Never seen one on the road, only in museums. But enough of that, let's get back to Ogri!
Indeed, Weslake built the engines to Hesketh’s design. I was going to mention that but the video was long enough already! Ogri was a legend, I think Paul Sample’s still knocking about somewhere.
A very good friend of mine, based in Johannesburg, but now, sadly, deceased, owned the only Hesketh on the African continent. What happened to it after he died, I have no idea.
There is a Hesketh Owners Club, maybe they help trace where it went if you’re interested. Amazing to think it was the only one on the entire African continent! Thanks for the comment. 😊 heskethownersclub.org.uk/contacts/
@@3Phils He actually acquired his Hesketh, from Britain, through the club, which he had joined. He was a brilliant engineer and had a large collection of very desirable bikes, many of which he had restored. I think it's possible that the whole collection was sold to a Joburg-based billionaire. Unfortunately, I have lost contact with my friend's family, added to which I live at the other end of the country, in Cape Town. Thanks very much for your response and for the link to the club.
I was a bike test rider back in the early 80s. Worked for MC Enthusiast magazine among others. I came accross one of these awful bikes when they were road testing a couple of pre production bikes. Oil leakage and blown fuses were the least of the problems with them. Sounded like a bag of nails on tick over. The riders weren't that impressed with the handling either. People bought shares, Lord H
Well I have owned one of these bikes, the last run of upgraded bikes had the EN-10 Package, EN-10 was the worst 10 faults fixed. These are identifiable by the oil feed banjo at the top R/H rear of the cam covers. Mine was red with black wheels. The exhaust note sounds terrible, mufflers need to be opened up. Certainly look good. What next time will tell.
Amazing to hear from someone who has not only heard and seen a Hesketh, but actually owned one! When I saw the photos all those years ago, I really wanted one but, of course, the price was about ten times what I could afford to pay for a bike at the time. I thought they looked the biz - still do, actually. Thanks for the comment. 😊
It's weird. For all of its sophistication, cams, valves, and displacement it simply didn't perform. Motorcycle testers at that day remarked on its total lack of low-end torque and disappointing acceleration for its displacement. Beautiful bike, though.
That’s weird, my Indian FTR, also a V twin, can climb Mt Everest in fifth! Interesting to hear from someone who’s ridden one. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Yes, Lord H mentions in a TV interview at the time, which I couldn’t use because of copyright, that they found a lot of of brilliant engineering companies ‘within 20-30 miles of Spaghetti Junction’ that they’d contracted out to. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Sorry if it brought back painful memories. It was certainly worth making the effort! A shame that Hinckley Triumph or some other investor didn’t pick it up. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Damn the moment I saw Lucas electricals , i knew the bike must be damp squib with lots of problems. All i could hear in my mind was 'Lucas , The prince of darkness'🤣 And it surely was . I am not British but i have seen some documentaries on the rise and fall of British motorcycling industry hence i am familiar with Lucas electricals 😂. Anyway if Lord Hesketh had emoloyed some Motorcycle engineers with need to succeed then he would have made this into a success. And Back in those days japanese Mikuni carbs were popular in sports bikes . He could have used them. But he was a proud stubborn Brit with misunderstood notion about what works and what doesn't work . That's why it didn't work despite his best of intentions.
I couldn’t agree more! The number of times something badged ‘Lucas’ let me down in the wet in the 1970s, I began thinking all their casings must have been made of cardboard! 🤣 Yet we used to say Italian bikes had the worst electrics. I suppose, being British, we had to have someone to look down on. I swapped the Amal carbs on my Commando for a single Mikuni and it improved things immensely. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Yes, that 1900cc V-twin in the video looks suspiciously like its got a Harley engine in it, but I couldn’t find any closer shots. Thanks for the comment. 😊
It was actually an S&S engine from the States. Contrary went into production in small numbers around 2014 before the company went bust again. Marketed as the Hesketh 24 it was a reference to James Hunts car in the 70s. Remains the #1 bike for me - which I could never afford 😢
I nearly bought one!.. Instead I bought a Ducati 900ss.. They were about the same price at the time.. The Ducati was a pile of crap.. mostly build quality issues. So I wish I had bought the Hesketh instead..
Well, I think they were going after Ducati. Lord Hesketh says that in another interview which I couldn’t use because of copyright issues. He also mentions the Laverda Jota. I’ve never had the means to own a Hesketh or a Ducati, and it’s interesting to hear what you say about the 900SS, one of the few classic machines that doesn’t seem to be suffering from downward price pressure at the moment. Thanks for the comment. 😊
The idea of reviving a vintage British motorcycle brand which was notorious for an expensive and faulty machine seems even more brilliant than the Brexit.
Now, now. Let’s not resort to ad hominem attacks. I’ve tweaked my Stephen Hawking text-to-speech synthesiser, so this week I’ll be darn wiv der kids! 🤣
There was absolutely nothing Classic about the Hesketh,...if you stand it next to a Ducati 900SS or a Moto Guzzi 850 leMan that were manufactured in the same period...
Interesting. Perhaps, like the Royal Enfield I owned a few years ago, they look good in the photos but don’t bear closer inspection? Thanks for the comment. 😊
I’ve thought about it. Trouble is, music does help smooth over some of the audio edits, but I’ve also found it can sound more prominent depending on which device - desktop, laptop, TV, phone, earbuds, headphones - you’re watching with. I also think TH-cam does a bit of audio compressing when it processes the videos after loading up, which means the mix never sounds the same as when it leaves me. I get your point, though, as nothing irritates me more than when TV bike and car shows play music over the sound of an engine and you can’t hear the ruddy engine! Thanks for the comment. 😊
@@3Phils Thanks for replying, you've clearly thought a lot about this. It's not the background music as such, but just the level, where it's impossible to concentrate on what you're saying because the music is intruding. BTW the content is really interesting. I read a review of the Hesketh at the time and can still remember "500 pounds of rolling thunder cleft the air at 100mph". Ever since then I've had a desire to ride one, although I suspect the reality would be underwhelming.
No worries, I’m open to comments about the technical, video side of things as well as comments about the subject matter. I do a number of tests on different devices before I publish each video and mixed the music very low on this video, to the point where I could barely hear it on my iPhone. I do this on the TH-cam platform in case there’s some kind of processing at TH-cam that perhaps compresses the audio once the video has been loaded up. It would be interesting to know what kind of device you’re watching on - phone, laptop, tablet, or TV? I’m relatively new to this TH-cam mullarkey, and despite having been a broadcast TV producer, director and editor for more years than I care to mention I’m still finding my way around the YT technosphere, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Many of my earlier videos had less music and they weren’t as popular, so without valuable viewer input like this I’m operating in a bit of a vacuum with only stats to go on. This week I’ll be trialling a new audio set-up which I’m hoping will be an improvement. All the best. PS: Just had a comment from a test rider who found the Hesketh slightly less impressive than the hype. Interesting!
@@3Phils I'm viewing on a PC with a pair of small bookshelf speakers on the desk. For me the music is intrusively loud on this one, it seems almost as loud as your voice. Of course opinions vary on background music, but overall it's probably more about the content than anything else. There are very successful channels where the graphics and sound are pretty basic but they do tell a well-researched and interesting story.
Thanks for getting back to me on that. I’ll test the video through bookshelf speakers, which I don’t ordinarily do, and see what happens. I really appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback on this, thanks again. 🙏
![THE UNKNOWN [motorcycle documentary]](/img/n.gif)
Mick Broom was R&D man and test rider for Hesketh. Broom Devolopment Engineering owned the Hesketh name, made and repaired bikes and operated out of the old stables at Easton Neston for years.
I recall Mick telling me that he rode a V1000 around MIRA at about 140mph. The reason the production bikes didn't do this speed was due to a new European noise limit imposed before it was in production. The Hesketh was too noisy, so they had to set about strangling it. IIRC Meriden Triumphs were also too noisy, but they were already in production so they were exempt. The Hesketh had to comply and was 'detuned' to meet the new noise regulations.
There is also the rumour that Hesketh were 'inspired' by Japanese shaft drives, some say the bike was going to be a shaftie until BMW sued Yamaha for infringement of patent, so it quickly became a chain drive.
Regardless of what the bumf the commentator is reading says, Hesketh V1000's were fitted with Dell Orto carbs, not AMAL. I was told that Hesketh wanted the bike to be All English, but the suppliers would only supply in large quantities, so Brembo brakes, Honda clocks, Marzocchi forks and rear shocks were fitted because they could buy these in smaller quantities.
People have queued up to tell me what a pile of poo my Hesketh is.
"How long did you have yours? is my usual question.
The usual answer is: "I've never owned one, nor have I ever ridden one, but everyone knows....."
It's always interesting that people can be so against a bike that they have never ridden simply by reading something about it in a magazine, or 'My mate Dave told me and he should know....'
What the V1000 is good at is touring. 70mph @3,500rpm and she'll do that all day without any problems whatsoever. I did it with fully loaded Krauser panniers, a top rack with tent, camping gear and my wife on the pillion. Rider and pillion were both very comfortable. Mine has been over the continent a few times quite happily and very comfortably.
Someone will soon be along to tell me that I am wrong (that usually happens) but it does seem that buying a Hesketh meant you might get a good one or a not so good one. Mine is a good one since the gearbox is just fine, it has never leaked oil nor had any of the problems that other bikes have had. Magazines in those days praised bikes made by companies that spent a lot on advertising with Lord EMAP, double praise so if it was faster than last years model (and don't mention the rubber frame and ornamental brakes), and decried everything else. This is all in my cynical opinion of course, but I have at least I own one, have ridden miles on it and my opinion is based on empirical knowledge, which trumps everything else.
It’s fantastic to hear from someone who owns a Hesketh, thank you for commenting. The magazine article probably got a few things wrong, so it’s great that you’ve chimed in and corrected them. The interview with Lord H was done in 1980, before the bike was produced in any significant numbers, so no doubt a few things changed. I’ve always thought they looked amazing and might even have been tempted to buy one if I’d had the money! You must draw a few crowds on your tours!
I only remember there being claims that the engine cases had a porosity problem. Not sure if it was actually true.
It's also a hard leap to attract motorcycle riders to spend big when the history of the company is both short and based on lucky success in formula one cars.
Thanks for yr comments. I've often wondered what they were like. I've seen several but never heard one,much less ridden one,and didn't think them ugly or heavy for the times.cheers...hesketh only made 140 according to the above commentary...hmm
Sad it never made it, it was a beatiful looking bike, Sadly it cost so much.
Hello Robin
I agree with all your comments. Sadly I had to sell my very special V1000. One of the last ones built by Mick (in his racing colours of green and red stripe).
Modern Hinckley forks, maxrton shock, 6 pot calipers.
What a great fun bike and a hoot to ride quickly down back roads.
If only I was born a Lord instead of devastatingly handsome I would have started an unsuccessful British Motorcycle company too Thanks for the history lesson Phil.
🤣
I was born both a Lord and devastatingly handsome and it's not what it's cracked up to be let me tell you, oh the burden, money, woman, jets, cars, helicopters, I'm so board. Anyway, must dash, matron's here with my meds. wibble wibble.
As a Motorcycle Mechanic I had the dubious pleasure of riding one, as the The Kawasaki dealer I worked for thought he could make some money out of them. I can still hear that "Clunky" box and feel the engine vibration today !!
Great to hear from someone who has ridden one! It sort of confirms what I heard (third or fourth hand) about them. To be fair, I think they made mods subsequently to address some of the issues. If the money had been there, they could have had a bike to rival Ducati! Er, maybe. Meanwhile, I’ve had plenty of Kawasakis, but never a Hesketh. 🤣 Thanks for the comment. 😊
I had a european bike dealer not far from me, they had one as part of the owner's extensive collection, never heard that one. I saw another at a british bike show, the owner fired it up to ride off, I thought old MV Agusta's were mechanically noisy, this bike sounded like it wasn't going to get too far though. Mv's noise is just amazing as the cams are all gear driven and the engine runs mostly on needle and ball bearings rather then plain ones. If the deal was right I'd be proud to have a Hesketh though.
Thanks Wobbly Phil - another fantastic video! Friend of mine actually scraped together enough pennies to buy one when they came out. We were all in deep awe. Lost touch decades ago - hope he still has it! There was a press photo done of a Triumph-badged Hesketh in front of the Meriden plant ... oh what might have been. Of course now there's another bike on my 'want' list along with the CBX and Jota.
And as for Ogri - we all know that's why we bought Bike magazine, as the publishers found out when they nearly went out of business because they - briefly - decided they couldn't afford the services of Mr. Sample!
Aha! You’ve just reminded me that they gave Mr Sample the heave-ho, then had to bring him back! Well remembered!
Many years ago I was at Gus Kuhn Motorcycles and there was a silver Hesketh V1000 in the showroom, I was highly tempted to purchase it as the price was good and the bike looked fantastic but eventually reason overcame emotion and I bought a 750 Commando instead which I never regretted for an instant as that Commando was an utterly brilliant machine!. However, I still find myself thinking about that Hesketh to this day and wondering if it would have worked out..
Having also owned a 750 Commando, I agree they’re brilliant bikes. Even so, it took a while before my Commando was set up right and I imagine fettling a decades-old Hesketh would be even more problematic. I mean, to start with, where would you even get the parts from? So imho you made the right choice! Thanks for the comment. 😊
I think we must've been in Gus Kuhn's about the same time. I remember a red one which was too expensive for me. I bought a BMW R650 with the toaster fuel tank. Just thought as I type Lord Hesketh was from Towcester in nothants which is pronounced Toaster.🤗
I remember around 1983, Steve Rhodes Motorcycles in Bradford broke up a brand new Hesketh V1000 for parts, Rhodes himself said that he could make more money selling it as parts than he could selling it as a complete motorcycle. After it was stripped I remember seeing the Hesketh's beautiful nickel plated frame on the floor of Rhodes parts department.
That’s made me quite sad! Thanks for the comment. 😊
Thanks for this. First time I'd thought of the Hesketh in many years. Always wanted one but then reports started coming out about reliability, top heavy, gearboxes with "character" and clattery motors. So in my first dive into "superbikes" I bought an Italian bike with all the same characteristics; a 180 Jota. But loved that big old triple and the 180 was the first of several of Breganze's finest I owned.
Still wish the Hesketh had succeeded though and I'd had one.
Good video. I remember drooling over those in the magazines.
Thank you! I would have been drooling around about the same time!
I'm still wanting a Spagthorp and now a family crest thing with a chicken head as an emblem. Definitely a must have. I'll bet that horder Leno has 3 of each in a fallout shelter somewhere.
Hmm, I wonder if Leno does have one? I think I’ll have to go and find out!
In 1980 I went to Australia for 25yrs, & within a yr & a half I had bought a 1982 Laverda Jota, lovely machine, came back here ( Wales) in 2005, & a couple of years ago I bought a Harley-Davidson Fatboy lo Special, the ' flying brick ' as I call it, always used to buy Bike magazine, they had great road tests , all the best 👍
Gosh, you had a Jota? I’m jealous! Always wanted to get my hands on one of those! I’m busy re-reading these rediscovered Bike mags, there’s some good stuff in them. Thanks for the comment. 😊
@@3Phils it was a good bike 🏍 👍
Thanks for reminding us.
Good on the Baron - he gave us a story as well as a handsome motorcycle.
The Astralite wheels were quite innovative. I used to make motorcycle luggage racks ("Custom Carriers") in a kind of similar fashion & yes, I did make one for a Hesketh - anodised black to match the wheels.
I remember those wheels, saw them on a couple bikes. They look fantastic, one of the best looking bike wheel's ever made. I also liked the nice Honda Comstars on the VFR 1000, they really prettied up a wheel that looked a little low budget on other models, but honestly Comstars were great compared to Yamaha's insanely heave "mag" wheels that seemed to have been cast from iron.
A friend of mine with a Hesketh had his front wheel rivets fail, he was left with the inner tube poking out in the centre of the wheel rim.
Another enjoyable episode. In 1980 I was but a spotty teenager riding an FS1E. Dread to think what print publications I had stashed then
The lord certainly knew how to spend money! Don't think I've seen one of those bikes on the road
Yes, I dread to think what mags are in the other old cardboard boxes in my shed. I can see I’m going to have to make a pilgrimage to the National Motorcycle Museum to see one of them Heskeths in real life!
Used to see a Red one by us most Days of the working week, going back years now, always remember the Growl out of her.....SUPERB, Style Wise honestly, they looked Good.🇬🇧
Great to hear that from someone who’s actually seen and heard one!
@@3Phils Hi, sure have, guy worked in DISTA , South Liverpool, on Days. ( High Paying Pharma Factory ) it was Handsome alright.🇬🇧
Lovely. If only! 🏍️🇬🇧
Dont change anything Phils (just read another comment)This is fuggin perfect
The AI bot is processing your nice comment and will respond shortly! 🤣 No, seriously, that’s very kind. Thank you.
There’s one comes to our local bike night, takes place on the road where I live!
Are you anywhere in the south of England? I’d really love to see that!
As a 'Murcan who remebers them I'm odd, but I never rode it, just admired the beauty, in a dank warehouse in SF, CA a long time ago....
You’re lucky, I’ve never even seen one irl!
Serviced one as a young man working at St Luke's motorcycles in Southport .
Interesting. I wonder where folk could get them serviced, or even find the parts, nowadays? Thanks for the comment. 😊
The 90°, V - Twin, is a good place to start. As one piston is moving at its maximum speed, midway of the stroke, which helps carry the other piston over each top or bottom end of its stroke.
The reason for it being rather noisy, is due to all the strate cut gears running the 4 cams from the crankshaft ! No chains or belts !!!
Also, having so many gears in a row, is bound to cause backlash and vibration.
It would be far better, to run just two cams by a V - chain. Which is Slimer & stronger than roller chains.
I would like to change & lower the centre of gravity? Being a V - Twin, it is narrower than in line engines, so it can be lowered quite a lot. The footrests can stay up & out of the way for cornering.
Dinamic balancing would also help.
I have many ideas, regarding how to make Motorcycles, but I never had the chance to do this !?!
I did not have a golden shovel in my mouth, so the world lost out! 🇬🇧🔧
PS, interestingly, the word, Baron is not helpful?
Interesting. I have an Indian FTR in my shed, a 1200 V twin, which suffers none of the idiosyncrasies of the Hesketh. Smooth, low centre of gravity, great handling, not especially mechanically noisy. I guess in the 40 years between the Hesketh and the FTR all those great ideas you mention have been implemented. 👍🏍️
I'm a simple man, I see a Hesketh I click
Just what the British Motorcycle industry needed...RIP. Not as if it wasn't obvious what was.....
Yes, it’s a shame it never really got off the ground. It could have been a BMW or Ducati contender if the investment had been there in the early 80s. It’s a shame Hinckley Triumph didn’t pick up on it, but there you go, they had their own ideas.
Great video man
Thanks
That’s very kind. Thank you. 😊
Saw 2 parked next to each other at a pub meet years ago never seen one since.
Your still doing something right....I had all bike mags....the adverts were like yesterday....Malcom on the bus were the fella couldnt find his change..one of tge funniest things ever.Motorcycle Mechanics my dad used to buy...cyclemag HD adverts wow.
Hesketh I sussed were shite pretty much from the start.So excited when they appeared.
They couldnt get the oil pressure right.
Paul Sample Genius
Paul Sample's still alive I believe.
He is, according to Wikipedia.
so cool, carry on.
Thanks for the comment. 😊
Cool bike! If you'd like to see more classics, watch the great Hammer horror film, Pychomania. Biker witches and their cool pact and creepy stone circle. Enjoyed the video! TKS.
Thanks for the kind comment. 😊 Yes, Psychomania, it’s been years since I watched that - it’s about time I gave it another viewing!
Brilliant motorcycle I sadly sold mine in the spring after many years…smooth and nice riding machines and reliable !!
Sold as just too large for me now …don’t elect the rubbish about gearbox it’s similar to a BMW of the era…just take it gently
That’s more than once, now, that I’ve heard from folk who’ve owned them saying the stuff about the gearbox is rubbish. I’m beginning to think it’s a myth that been perpetuated from one dodgy test ride all those years ago! Anyway, it’s great to hear from owners and thanks for the comment. 😊
Hesketh, most British motorcycles were easily affordable, the Hesketh was priced like a Vincent Black Shadow,the british failed to keep pace with technical developments like electric start and disk brakes,and maybe liquid cooling,plus it was difficult to find a dealership that dealt with British Motorcycles.
Indeed, there was very little left of the British motorcycle industry at the time. Underinvestment, labour disputes and a lack of technological innovation sealed its fate, imo. The Hesketh was too little, too much (in terms of its costs) and too late. Thanks for the comment. 😊
IIRC the engine was based on a CCM 500 x'er. It was a high end parts bin special. More of a lash up than a contemporary Brough or Vincent.
It’s true there was a rumour it was two 500cc Weslake singles lashed together, but I think Lord H refuted that rumour, saying it was a Hesketh design built by Weslake. What I do know for sure is that the Cosworth Norton was two pots chopped off the end of a Cosworth V8! Thanks for the comment. 😊
On the irreverence of Bike Magazine which was also my favourite at the time…
Anyone remember the infamous “Honda Goldwank” road test that lost them Honda’s advertising for..I dunno…a while!
I’ll see if I can find that in my stash. 😉
@@3Phils
Good luck, the copy of Motor Cycling featured in the video is definitely in my stash, though I have no memory of the gigantic Barry Sheene poster.
Must have fallen out or somebody nicked it.
I’ve still got my giant Barry Sheene. It’s pristine. Pristine Sheene!
I bought bike too...vaguely recall something about the road test...? From memory it was probably about Honda not fixing known faults on a new model(?)
Managed to find this…(Hagerty UK)
“Two Wheeled Motor Car?” sneered Bike, Britain’s best-selling monthly, before describing the Wing as ugly, overweight, too complicated and boring. That was enough to lose the magazine Honda’s advertising for a year.
the proper form of address of a baron is 'Your Grace', I believe.
Actually I think it’s ‘My Lord’ or ‘Your Lordship’, but in the short clip at the end, from an interview with Nigel Farage, Mr Farage calls him ‘Alex’. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Not sure if my memory is playing up but wasn't Cosworth involved in the engine design? I seem to recall that Hesketh Engineering was refurbishing DFV engines.
It was Weslake, in fact. I think Cosworth got involved in Norton. Lord H says they got Weslake to help manufacture the engine to his team’s designs. Thanks for the comment. 😊
If my memory..... The engine was based on the concept of sawing off a couple of cylinders from the Cosworth V8. In the upper 6th we were praying for the British comeback. - Norton`s rotary - Silks`s two stroke - never quite happened in the way that we were hoping. We went Italian. Hesketh always seemed to be the product of an unsuitable heritage.
@@tagomago2178 You may be thinking of the Norton Cosworth there. Norman White, who appears in some of my other videos and who was Chief Engineer at the Norton Works Team in the 1970s, mentions just that - basically two cylinders sawn off the Cosworth V8! But some unkind souls thought at the time that the Hesketh engine was two 500cc Weslake speedway engines bolted together. I never went Italian myself, apart from Lambrettas, but you've reminded me of the Norton Rotary and, more especially, the Silk. Hmm, I feel another video coming on! Thanks for the comment. 😊
There was also the Healey 1000/4 which weighs the same as a Honda 250 - very few built but I really wanted one at the time - ended up with a T150.
Went to see an M20 for sale over in Chichester around 1982. There was a bike bike with a sheet over it in the garage with the beeza. What’s that we asked?
A black hesketh. The only one o ever saw. Probably had a fckd gearbox though. The m20 was too much money so my mate didn’t get it, but ended up with a running one ,more local , for £150.
Its an odd crest, is it not? A cockerel as a brand logo?
Appropriate, though, as it all appears to have turned into a bit of a cock up.
If my memory can be trusted were Weslake involved in the engine design? Never seen one on the road, only in museums. But enough of that, let's get back to Ogri!
Indeed, Weslake built the engines to Hesketh’s design. I was going to mention that but the video was long enough already! Ogri was a legend, I think Paul Sample’s still knocking about somewhere.
Very Ducati inspired. Tank looks like a BMW . Brilliant design but not the right delivery.
It needed investors with deeper pockets, methinks. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Why you'd have the Hesketh coat of arms on the tank facing backwards is beyond me.
At least you said Coat of Arms and not Crest , well done ! .
A very good friend of mine, based in Johannesburg, but now, sadly, deceased, owned the only Hesketh on the African continent. What happened to it after he died, I have no idea.
There is a Hesketh Owners Club, maybe they help trace where it went if you’re interested. Amazing to think it was the only one on the entire African continent! Thanks for the comment. 😊
heskethownersclub.org.uk/contacts/
@@3Phils He actually acquired his Hesketh, from Britain, through the club, which he had joined. He was a brilliant engineer and had a large collection of very desirable bikes, many of which he had restored. I think it's possible that the whole collection was sold to a Joburg-based billionaire. Unfortunately, I have lost contact with my friend's family, added to which I live at the other end of the country, in Cape Town.
Thanks very much for your response and for the link to the club.
They were beautiful but the press slaughtered it over the gearbox.
I seem to recall that happening too. Thanks for the comment. 😊
I was a bike test rider back in the early 80s. Worked for MC Enthusiast magazine among others. I came accross one of these awful bikes when they were road testing a couple of pre production bikes. Oil leakage and blown fuses were the least of the problems with them. Sounded like a bag of nails on tick over. The riders weren't that impressed with the handling either.
People bought shares, Lord H
Well I have owned one of these bikes, the last run of upgraded bikes had the EN-10 Package, EN-10 was the worst 10 faults fixed. These are identifiable by the oil feed banjo at the top R/H rear of the cam covers. Mine was red with black wheels. The exhaust note sounds terrible, mufflers need to be opened up. Certainly look good. What next time will tell.
Amazing to hear from someone who has not only heard and seen a Hesketh, but actually owned one! When I saw the photos all those years ago, I really wanted one but, of course, the price was about ten times what I could afford to pay for a bike at the time. I thought they looked the biz - still do, actually. Thanks for the comment. 😊
It's weird. For all of its sophistication, cams, valves, and displacement it simply didn't perform. Motorcycle testers at that day remarked on its total lack of low-end torque and disappointing acceleration for its displacement. Beautiful bike, though.
I could never understand why it had a very long single chain to drive both cylinder banks of this Weslake influenced engine
I managed to test ride one and found it okay but it ran out of puff on inclines. Not what I expected of a V twin.
That’s weird, my Indian FTR, also a V twin, can climb Mt Everest in fifth! Interesting to hear from someone who’s ridden one. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Don't mind me, I'm just here to feed the algorithm...
RoboPhil here. Thanks for the comment. 😊
ACE CASTINGS RUGBY. When I worked there we did the original castings, and as a foot note Puma drag racing parts for Pete Davis.
Yes, Lord H mentions in a TV interview at the time, which I couldn’t use because of copyright, that they found a lot of of brilliant engineering companies ‘within 20-30 miles of Spaghetti Junction’ that they’d contracted out to. Thanks for the comment. 😊
OMG, thanks for reminding me, I was a shareholder (in a small way), oh well we all tried??
Sorry if it brought back painful memories. It was certainly worth making the effort! A shame that Hinckley Triumph or some other investor didn’t pick it up. Thanks for the comment. 😊
I wondered where my (14yo) got a tattoo machine from... :D
'brother'
Ha! Now you know! Thanks for the comment. 😊
Damn the moment I saw Lucas electricals , i knew the bike must be damp squib with lots of problems. All i could hear in my mind was 'Lucas , The prince of darkness'🤣
And it surely was . I am not British but i have seen some documentaries on the rise and fall of British motorcycling industry hence i am familiar with Lucas electricals 😂.
Anyway if Lord Hesketh had emoloyed some Motorcycle engineers with need to succeed then he would have made this into a success. And Back in those days japanese Mikuni carbs were popular in sports bikes . He could have used them. But he was a proud stubborn Brit with misunderstood notion about what works and what doesn't work . That's why it didn't work despite his best of intentions.
I couldn’t agree more! The number of times something badged ‘Lucas’ let me down in the wet in the 1970s, I began thinking all their casings must have been made of cardboard! 🤣 Yet we used to say Italian bikes had the worst electrics. I suppose, being British, we had to have someone to look down on. I swapped the Amal carbs on my Commando for a single Mikuni and it improved things immensely. Thanks for the comment. 😊
I seem to remember the motorcycle critics moaning about a gearbox full of neutral's
Ha! The gearbox has been mentioned a few times in the comments. It seems to have been somewhat ‘agricultural’. Thanks for the comment. 😊
But it does look stunning.............at least
It certainly does. 😊
Its not forgotten like his formula one team and driver to be world champion James Hunt
Last I heard they were powered by a Harley motor.
Yes, that 1900cc V-twin in the video looks suspiciously like its got a Harley engine in it, but I couldn’t find any closer shots. Thanks for the comment. 😊
It was actually an S&S engine from the States. Contrary went into production in small numbers around 2014 before the company went bust again. Marketed as the Hesketh 24 it was a reference to James Hunts car in the 70s. Remains the #1 bike for me - which I could never afford 😢
Should have read "contrary to what the video said..". Oops. Got carried away on a wave of nostalgia
I nearly bought one!.. Instead I bought a Ducati 900ss.. They were about the same price at the time..
The Ducati was a pile of crap.. mostly build quality issues. So I wish I had bought the Hesketh instead..
Well, I think they were going after Ducati. Lord Hesketh says that in another interview which I couldn’t use because of copyright issues. He also mentions the Laverda Jota. I’ve never had the means to own a Hesketh or a Ducati, and it’s interesting to hear what you say about the 900SS, one of the few classic machines that doesn’t seem to be suffering from downward price pressure at the moment. Thanks for the comment. 😊
The idea of reviving a vintage British motorcycle brand which was notorious for an expensive and faulty machine seems even more brilliant than the Brexit.
Heskeths were a great concept but seriously flawed in execution.
Well. like so many before, he tried.
Did he source his engines from Ducati, or just steal their plans...
CRAP
ENGINE DESIGNER NEVER TOLD PISTON SUPPLIER
THAT ENGINE ROTATOES IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
HUGE ISSUE OF PISTON SLAP FROM BRAND NEW.
I wish you'd do a natural commentary instead of this text to speech style.
Whaddya mean?! That IS my natural speech style! Thanks for the comment.
You’re the man, Phil. Clearly the comment came from someone “what went to a comprehensive school”.
Now, now. Let’s not resort to ad hominem attacks. I’ve tweaked my Stephen Hawking text-to-speech synthesiser, so this week I’ll be darn wiv der kids! 🤣
Text to speech? Scary how much progress they've made with that. You almost can't tell! 😂
🤣
Your just never gonna catch up to Hesketh are you. He'll always be 5 years older than you, won't he.
Ha! Well, back then he was 25% older than me, and now he’s only 8% older than me, so I’m giving it a red hot go! Thanks for the comment. 😊
There was absolutely nothing Classic about the Hesketh,...if you stand it next to a Ducati 900SS or a Moto Guzzi 850 leMan that were manufactured in the same period...
Interesting. Perhaps, like the Royal Enfield I owned a few years ago, they look good in the photos but don’t bear closer inspection? Thanks for the comment. 😊
Name may reappear on a Chinese Bike.
Horrible bikes, I had the misfortune of riding one back in the day I'm sure the gearbox came from a tractor.
Aha! There’s confirmation of what I said in the video! Thanks for the comment. 😊
I always viewed Vtwins as old school mediocre bikes and still do. Most of them are overweight, clunky poor handling machines.
So did I until I bought an Indian FTR. Thanks for the comment. 😊
The Hesketh had a rotten gearbox and the engine rotated backwards. Daft as.
Lose the background music.
I’ve thought about it. Trouble is, music does help smooth over some of the audio edits, but I’ve also found it can sound more prominent depending on which device - desktop, laptop, TV, phone, earbuds, headphones - you’re watching with. I also think TH-cam does a bit of audio compressing when it processes the videos after loading up, which means the mix never sounds the same as when it leaves me. I get your point, though, as nothing irritates me more than when TV bike and car shows play music over the sound of an engine and you can’t hear the ruddy engine! Thanks for the comment. 😊
@@3Phils Thanks for replying, you've clearly thought a lot about this. It's not the background music as such, but just the level, where it's impossible to concentrate on what you're saying because the music is intruding.
BTW the content is really interesting. I read a review of the Hesketh at the time and can still remember "500 pounds of rolling thunder cleft the air at 100mph". Ever since then I've had a desire to ride one, although I suspect the reality would be underwhelming.
No worries, I’m open to comments about the technical, video side of things as well as comments about the subject matter. I do a number of tests on different devices before I publish each video and mixed the music very low on this video, to the point where I could barely hear it on my iPhone. I do this on the TH-cam platform in case there’s some kind of processing at TH-cam that perhaps compresses the audio once the video has been loaded up. It would be interesting to know what kind of device you’re watching on - phone, laptop, tablet, or TV? I’m relatively new to this TH-cam mullarkey, and despite having been a broadcast TV producer, director and editor for more years than I care to mention I’m still finding my way around the YT technosphere, so I hope you’ll bear with me. Many of my earlier videos had less music and they weren’t as popular, so without valuable viewer input like this I’m operating in a bit of a vacuum with only stats to go on. This week I’ll be trialling a new audio set-up which I’m hoping will be an improvement. All the best. PS: Just had a comment from a test rider who found the Hesketh slightly less impressive than the hype. Interesting!
@@3Phils I'm viewing on a PC with a pair of small bookshelf speakers on the desk. For me the music is intrusively loud on this one, it seems almost as loud as your voice. Of course opinions vary on background music, but overall it's probably more about the content than anything else. There are very successful channels where the graphics and sound are pretty basic but they do tell a well-researched and interesting story.
Thanks for getting back to me on that. I’ll test the video through bookshelf speakers, which I don’t ordinarily do, and see what happens. I really appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback on this, thanks again. 🙏