1999

It's another Voyager/ Quasar meeting, this time at the Bristol Bike show. You can see we took a pretty detached attitude! This is Mark Crowsons Quasar, he's a BFF club member who is trying to track down all the Quasars built. This is slightly complicated by the fact that no-one is really sure how many Quasars Malcome, who died in 1994, acually built. There was a certain amount of leakage of parts towards the end of the project. Certainly the last chassis was fitted with the first Moto-Guzzi gearbox (Using one of my adapter plates) because there weren't any more Quasar final drive units. There were certainly 21. There may be 25. Honda may have one. There are a variety of rumours... If you know anything Marks site is www.soft.net.uk/savage/quasar/. (40 KB jpg)

Meanwhile other stalwarts of the FF persuasion have also been busy. This is Graham Fryer with his VF500Honda powered FF. This vehicle is the result of prolonged development of the Velocette powered FF pictured in the 1986 Information pack and "what ever happened". This years visit to Silverstone was one of first major outings and it's being worked up to replace Grahams commuter Honda Helix which is wilting a bit under the strain. Graham's email address is graham.ttz@talk21.com (32 KB jpg)

And the yellow Voyager has had its busiest year yet, wearing out tyres, brakes and another clutch. Engine development, with Colin Russells 01 production Voyager, has seen performance seriously exceed original specifications, with improved cooling systems all round. Volvo 340 expansion tanks have suddenly become very popular. There's also been development of the aerodynamics on the yellow one, the "fences" shown (white tape over a strip of rubber mat), change the entire aiflow, reducing drag, improving the cockpit environment and reducing sensitivity to turbulence. Of course if the shape had been right first time they wouldn't be needed! This FF has now covered just under 16,000 miles since it was reborn in 1997. Must be getting near time for a new one...(26 KB jpg)

And it's Silverstone time again, all the usual suspects, plus Grahams VF500FF. It's a lovely run from Bristol, keep going a bit longer and you get to the BMF rally at Peterborough.(84 KB jpg) All these Voyagers are now ten years old. Heaters, two comfy seats, built-in secure luggage space, amazing brakes, outstandingly low running costs, astonishingly high average speeds. Still in a class of their own.

The usual suspects examine the all-machined/welded steel barrel as used on the Yellow Voyager and manufactured by friends in a large aircraft factory on a night shift (or two). It's remarkable, but a bit heavy! (78 KB jpg)

But this is the new Mk11 barrel, cast in heat treated LM25. It's not a bit heavy but the cost was remarkable! It's taken fifteen years of hobby development to get to this component. You can't buy it (we broke it in the lathe, it's a rough business prototyping!) but you can buy an even better one, fitted in a Mk11 hub [for sale]

Now, also, you know how the Yellow Voyager boot lid opens.......(96 KB jpg)

History The Banana Early Prototypes Voyagers 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Last update 20th. February 2000, comments etc to ingrid oesten

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