Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Hello, My name is Shawn and this is story of my 1947 Red Hunter. It started life as a twin port 350 NH (steel flywheels) dispatched July 14, 1947 and sent to Nicholson Bros. in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. No history 1947-1968. Bought in 1968 by a guy in Calgary unused and in storage. Bought in 1989 by a guy in Osoyoos, BC who cleaned it up, collected some parts and swapped the teleforks for girders. He sold it to me in April 2002. It is only my 3rd motorcycle. It was preceded by a '67 Victor as teenager and a 2001 Bullet (and a lot of bicycles).
Over the next 10 months I built wheels, rebuilt forks, replaced mainshaft bearings and valves and made Draganfly very happy with me. Almost ready for the road. Freshly Licensed! I was going to throw in some first rally pics, but seemed to have exhausted the patience of the attachment thingy. Next post!
A month later a girder rigid VH bitsa popped up on ebay so I bid on it. I couldn't afford much, but got lucky. There are vivid memories of a midnight rush using skids and jacks to lower the crate out of the rental truck without dropping it but no pictures... 1950 frame, 1948 VH engine in mismatched cases, CP gearbox, girder fork, 8" headlight, missing front wheel. What was there was completely worn out and abused by a chrome shop, but it allowed me to build the 500cc Red Hunter I wanted.Over the next 10 months I built wheels, rebuilt forks, replaced mainshaft bearings and valves and made Draganfly very happy with me. Almost ready for the road. Freshly Licensed! I was going to throw in some first rally pics, but seemed to have exhausted the patience of the attachment thingy. Next post!
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1939 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1981 Guzzi Monza, 1983 Guzzi Lemans
- Steven.Carter
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Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Lovely looking bike, those twin exhausts look great on these bikes. Welcome
Steve
Steve
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Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Welcome, and good 1st post.
You look to have made a fine job of the Red Hunter.
Hope you are able to get some enjoyment from riding it.
What are the roads and traffic like in your area for 'vintage motorcycling'?
You look to have made a fine job of the Red Hunter.
Hope you are able to get some enjoyment from riding it.
What are the roads and traffic like in your area for 'vintage motorcycling'?
Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Thank you. Roads are pretty good, lots of secondary roads unless you are going over one of the passes, then it is good to maintain 55-60mph, which fortunately it mostly can.
Back to the bike. The 500 engine had seemed in pretty good condition so I'd just reassembled it with new mainshaft bearings, valves, guides and oil pump. Within a month I'd put 1,000 easy break in miles, then promptly seized it going for a top speed! It restarted, but then knocked pretty good so pulled it down and compared pictures of pistons; it was running a 9:1 HS piston in an iron barrel! And I had to scramble to find a piston, get it rebored and put back together because my brother (who has a Norton) and I planned to go to the Norton rally the next month. Got it done!
Man they made a lot of Commandos! It was my first overnight international trip on the Ariel and the 3 of us managed a nearly 400 mile day (and it hit 100F in Tonasket) on the return. Passes are much cooler. The Ariel quickly became my go to bike so sold the Bullet in 2006. "you can't tour with that"
Back to the bike. The 500 engine had seemed in pretty good condition so I'd just reassembled it with new mainshaft bearings, valves, guides and oil pump. Within a month I'd put 1,000 easy break in miles, then promptly seized it going for a top speed! It restarted, but then knocked pretty good so pulled it down and compared pictures of pistons; it was running a 9:1 HS piston in an iron barrel! And I had to scramble to find a piston, get it rebored and put back together because my brother (who has a Norton) and I planned to go to the Norton rally the next month. Got it done!
Man they made a lot of Commandos! It was my first overnight international trip on the Ariel and the 3 of us managed a nearly 400 mile day (and it hit 100F in Tonasket) on the return. Passes are much cooler. The Ariel quickly became my go to bike so sold the Bullet in 2006. "you can't tour with that"
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1939 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1981 Guzzi Monza, 1983 Guzzi Lemans
Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
A few more pictures of some of the adventures.
First Ariel rally with the North American club. Joined the AOMCC the same year.
Rebuilt it with a single port exhaust and alloy rims in 2010. (Twin pipes and wheels went on the other VH that had been waiting for attention)
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1939 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1981 Guzzi Monza, 1983 Guzzi Lemans
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Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Nice bike, good pictures.
Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Thank you Tony. It looks like you have a similar rigid VH. Great bikes.
Here are some more pictures.
I just like this picture... Another Ariel rally Finally, after 10 years, building a 2nd VH with all the left over parts. Another tour with my brother. On a long ride to Wyoming and back for another Norton Rally. 1950 Dominator, 1946 Model 18 and Commando.
Here are some more pictures.
I just like this picture... Another Ariel rally Finally, after 10 years, building a 2nd VH with all the left over parts. Another tour with my brother. On a long ride to Wyoming and back for another Norton Rally. 1950 Dominator, 1946 Model 18 and Commando.
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1939 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1981 Guzzi Monza, 1983 Guzzi Lemans
Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
Wyoming was a 2300 mile round trip for the Ariel and Dominator. The other 2 riders and their Nortons hopped a ride back in a truck (that was their plan).
Lolo Pass
Lolo Pass
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1939 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1981 Guzzi Monza, 1983 Guzzi Lemans
Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
A few more...
Last edited by SEDoan on Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
1937 Guzzi GTV, 1939 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1981 Guzzi Monza, 1983 Guzzi Lemans
Re: Intro and '47 Red Hunter
The SoCal shoreline!
https://youtu.be/hH8XDexCB_c
Finally had to replace the big end this year.
OOps!
A bend swinging video from a few years ago: 1937 Guzzi GTV, 1939 VH bitsa, 1947 VH, 1981 Guzzi Monza, 1983 Guzzi Lemans
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