!! NEWS FLASH!!…(insert news room sound effect here)…Ikea has entered the Vintage Motorcycle business. Yes, it’s true, the Swedish home furnishing giant has found a new niche market that no one has yet to tap…Vintage Motorcycles that come with this label, ‘some assembly required’. Oh sure, it’s not like putting together a cheap dining room table or a kitchen island, but, if you buy their new motorcycle products, you’re going to need that table and island…trust me.
Those of us that have grown up, and I use that term very loosely in my case, with old motorcycles, are very familiar with the term ‘basket case’. A ‘basket case’ is a collection of motorcycle parts in boxes that, if you’re lucky and have the patience of Job, might just become a motorcycle one day
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Note here…friends, parents, significant others (wives especially) and the rest of us based somewhere in the real world, know that, making that pile of parts a motorcycle that someone would actually recognize…will never happen. Every now and then one of us actually does turn that pile of parts into a rideable motorcycle and then promptly sells it on ebay. Or to an unsuspecting friend of a friend of a friend.
I found today what I would call a ‘box’ case. You really can construct a rideable bike out of these parts…it might take a bit more than an Ikea tool box, you know…a pair of pliers, a screwdriver, a drawing of what it is supposed to look like and a lot swearing. This particular ‘box bike’ looks like all it will take is a few Whitworth tools for the motor, your standard Craftsman tool cabinet full of motorcycle appropriate spanners, a couple of friends (not one you sold a rather questionable basket case to…), some Guiness and a spare weekend. When the Guinness is all gone and the box of parts is a motorcycle, decisions have to be made. “Now what am I going to do with it?” You certainly could go vintage motocrossing with it
or maybe with a little bit more work, you could take it roadracing?
Ok, a lot more work, but it might be worth it? Not really, but I like the look….
So, here is what I found for sale on ebay today, a 1971 Rickman BSA B50 SS. This particular Rickman is an off road model powered by the ‘Street Scambler’ motor..hence the SS designation. This Rickman ‘box’ bike is great. Everything is there, it’s got new parts, good work done to the motor to get it ready for building and the body work is very nice. I’m not 100% sure if it’s genuine Rickman based on the seller saying it’s NOS…so is it replica or is it new genuine Rickman? Either way, it looks good. You could turn this into a great vintage desert or scrambles racer, with the addition of a speedo and lights it would make a fine enduro bike, you can take it out to vintage motocross events or just trail ride the thing. No matter what you do with it, it will be a great bike to have.
There are lots of resources for BSA B50′s and Rickman so finding parts, upgrades and great ideas are no farther away than your keyboard. There is one upgrade that I found quite unusual and I wouldn’t attempt at home if I were you. Yes, that is a B100…two B50 motors put together by Dr. Frankenbike. Halloween is coming.
Click on the pictures below for more info about the Ikea model Rickman BSA and get yourself ready for a good weekend project.
