Never heard of a big Laverda referred to as lightweight before.

[rocketonarail]

Clem you could well be right about the Ariel Arrow,I think there was a film called "The Leather Boys" (going by memory here) about the Rocker scene in the sixties and at one point in the film a race was organised from London to Brighton and back (or something like that) and guess who made it back first,leaving all the Bonnevilles,Mercurys,Atlas and Lightning 650 twins choking in a cloud of blue smoke?Thats right,the guy on the 250 Arrow!
A neighbour had a Leader (enclosed version) festering away in his back yard,toured Europe on it ,a mate and me tried to buy it but he wouldn`t lert it go.I think they were based on the Adler 250 twin,like early Yamahas,and raced during the `sixties.
Just thinking,Yamaha copied the DKW RT125 for their first"Red Dragonfly" motorcycle,and BSA copied it for their Bantam,then Yamaha copied Adlers MB250 for their two stroke twins and BSA(Ariel) copied it for their Arrow.The difference between success and failure.

 

[paulincayman]

Cafe racer is just a name for a style. Low bars minimalist machinery. I think it's ageless. Exactly who it attracts and how they dress who knows or cares. I had a Triton and I joined with the 69 club back in the day. Got all sorts now..but the fun factor remains the same regardless.

 

[Locogeoff]

Clem you could well be right about the Ariel Arrow,I think there was a film called "The Leather Boys" (going by memory here) about the Rocker scene in the sixties and at one point in the film a race was organised from London to Brighton and back (or something like that) and guess who made it back first,leaving all the Bonnevilles,Mercurys,Atlas and Lightning 650 twins choking in a cloud of blue smoke?Thats right,the guy on the 250 Arrow!

It was London to Edinburgh and back, and Mike Baldwin from Coronation street won it on an Arrow, with Rita Tushingham on the back as well, great film!, very of the period