aermacchi-metisse

removing the minimal bodywork exposes the frame and you can see the amazing workmanship of the brother's rickman frame building emporium in glorious close up, the frame is massively braced in any area that may flex, check out the tubes on the headstock, there's no way that that is going to do anything but tell you exactly what's happening at the front wheel, i can't decide what the fork's are, they look italian for sure, they are a massive 41mm, [the boxer's are 35mm and it must weigh a third more than the aermacchi]ceriani perhaps, or maybe metal profile?, i'll get some photo's of the bottom of the leg, it's an unusual 'round to square casting' where the front wheel spindle fit's, back to the frame, there's an air of real quality about it, the welding, [or brazing? must look up how they are constructed] is class, the bracket's made with care and attention to detail, the simple rod's to mount the tank, the swing arm and shock mountings and the bracket for the remote float chamber,hand made by an artisan who must have loved his craft, no wonder the frames were nickel plated, why would you want to hide that work under a layer of powder coating? speaking of the nickel coating, it's gone very dull and tarnished from it's quarter of a century sitting under that blanket, i gently rubbed the frame under the seat rail with a rag and some solvol and the finish is still very good, not as 'hard' on the eye as chrome, the nickel has a softer look to it, almost a yellow tinge from the plating process i guess, lovely.....

Comments

  1. The Squire read my mind re the bed mate, if I remember correctly Cerriani did do a pretty hefty set of forks, could be them . . . I know you'll not be polishing off all that lovely patina, just the Loving touch to give it the warm, gentle glow of something that glows warmly and gently . . . the frame is so fucking bombproof, no bloody wonder Don and Derek were so highly sought after . . . it's all about karma brotherman, good shit to good peeps, love ya mate, excellent stuff.

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  2. The forks are Rickmans own, the fronthub is also the same I guess, can´t really see it but if it looks something like a big drumbrake it is most probably Rickman. I had a similar frontend on my Rickman Triumph see link. I sold the fork and wheel to USA and in the same link you can see where it ended up http://nonshine.blogspot.se/2012_05_01_archive.html
    Diameter on fork is 41.3 or 41.7 mm if it is Rickman

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  3. hi thomas, thank's for that information, the forks are 41.7mm so look like rickman after all.

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  4. Hi,
    The frame is bronze welded, The forks are metal profile (marketed by Rickman) The front conical hub and disc brake is also by Rickman but with assistance of Lockheed. The engine in your photo's is a wet clutch engine. This is not the original engine supplied with the bike. I saw the first prototype at the Earls Court Bike show in 1966. Aermacchi first produced the dry clutch Ala d' oro engine for "general" release the same year. The bike should have a dry cluth engine fitted. By the way I have 3 Aermacchis Metisse race bikes! I have been racing them since 1972!
    Have fun
    Ray King

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ray, Thank's for your info, where are you based? Are you in the uk? Could do with some contact's re. Tuning/spares, my email is tim.dog@virgin.net if you have any numbers? Three Aermacchi Mettise! Now that's just plain greedy! If I had three I'd throw the tv out and just have one in the front room to look at!

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  5. You might want to make contact with Mark Jannink at some point...

    I was put on to hime by an Aermacchi Metisse racer. He made him a swinging arm. Aparently they have a habit of cracking around the right rear wheelspindle mounting. Mark made me a swinging arm for my Norton Metisse...great work...

    http://www.mojomotorbikes.co.uk/aermacchi.html

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  6. That Brake set up is completely original Rickman, as are teh thin tube 41mm forks, but that seat you took of is a cobbled up TZ seat...

    Rickman Motorcyles can do you a new one, and a seat pad, bit pricey...they cant do much else except a set of chain adjusting plates (worthwhile at £38)....but do remember that Adrian Moss is a busy man...or so he keeps telling you, which is why I don't bother with him much....but he has teh legal right to Rickman as a name which he got direct from Don and Derek....the guy who owns the Metisse name should be avoided at all costs....unless you want a Steve MQueen desert sled replica ata sill price...

    Mark is you man for fram work anyway...

    http://www.rickman-motorcycles.com/parts-and-prices.php

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  7. http://www.aermacchi-racing.com/

    These dutch guys are Aermacchi and Aermacchi Metisse mad...

    Me, I work for Aermacchi in Varese, but its an aircraft company only these days...

    Hope the links are useful...

    Steve

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    Replies
    1. Steve, thanks for the info and links, please feel free to contact me if anything else comes to mind, any help with the aermacchi is greatly appreciated, I had heard that the bloke who is building the Steve McQueen replicas is rather 'challenging' to deal with! I think you are right about the seat, looks like an old yam yds 2 item, I have an old Mettise seat and pad off my BMW cafe racer project from a few years ago, a little glass repair and cutting to suit and it should be ok, thanks again, keep in touch, tim.

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