Greeves Challenger and Scottish 2-stroke motorcycles

Greeves Challenger and Scottish 2-stroke motorcycles
I apologize for the sound quality. I have been kicking myself since Loren's visit to the cul-de-sac. It was a silly mistake on my part. I forgot to plug in the dual Rhode wireless microphones!! I couldn't believe that I did it and am still trying to get over it!
Invacar Model 70 pictures, courtesy of geni at the following website:
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[@robertodebeers2551]

In the late 1960s, Greeves were very popular with those of us who rode recreationally in Montana. I rode a 1967 250cc Challenger in the hills for years and still have the Challenger and a Greeves TFS trials bike. They were temperamental, because of the monobloc carbs, but the ran like scalded rats when they did run.

[@gareth5000]

I had both of those bikes when I was a lad in Wales:) I pushed the Scottish for miles, bloody Villiers engine. It broke down all the time. The Challenger was a rocket! Mine had tele forks and a fibre glass tank.

[@michaelgardner4953]

My dad had a greeves trials bike in the 70s…he loved that bike

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thanks a lot, Michael. I really enjoyed Loren's visit to the cul-de-sac and seeing these great bikes. Best wishes, Mike

[@bkbeebe]

Hi Mike, I think I was there when Loren bought his first pile of Greeves and I therefore accept a little bit of responsibility for his obsession. I haven't seen him for awhile, but am glad to see his bikes being used and his loyalty to this bike that most people have never heard of. -Bill B

[@TheMightyGarage]

Aha! It's all your fault Bill. That was a great visit by Loren. Best wishes, Mike

[@carlatamanczyk3891]

I live in a subdivision where the neighbors aren't bothered by the kids riding dirt bikes through the neighborhood. .. I like that!

[@jonnno243]

I used to ride a Greeves 250 in the late 60s. Great fun.

[@donlausch892]

This is a great video. I had a Challenger and my Dad had a Griffon. We lived in SoCal during the 60s and 70s and made trips to Nick Nicholson’s shop/store in the San Fernando Valley. My Dad kept the leading link forks end and I replaced mine with Cerianis. Good memories.

[@jamespink4202]

Derry Preston Cobb used to drive a modified blue Invacar with a Greves Star maker motor! He often drove fast and often tipped it on its side and was so disabled he just had to wait till someone discovered him... Mad!

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thank you James for the story. Cheers, Mike

[@patmays7344]

I saw a Greeves Scottish six day Trials bike today! In Twickenham , Greater London. And the dealer said he has three of them. Amazing. 13/ may/ 2024.

[@tadpoles10]

'And for something completely different' .. what a great surprise not one but two beautiful Greeves bikes. Thanks to Loren for making that long round trip it sure is appreciated. Nice examples to share with us 👍 atvb .. t

[@elmerfudd1086]

Very cool! I also think it would be really nice if the old owner could ride it one more time. Im sure he would be happy to see he sold his bike to the right guy. Isnt this a great hobby?

[@453421abcdefg12345]

This is a fantastic achievement ! To restore a competition bike is no small challenge, by their very nature these have been hacked about and modified throughout their history, then usually cast aside, I used to attend Greeves open day events where Greeves would bring along trials and scrambles machines for us to try out, and this is just as they appeared back then, a really excellent restoration! Chris B.

[@robertodebeers2551]

I still have my '67 Challenger and my TFS trials bike. I love 'em.

[@carlatamanczyk3891]

I used to ride a 1961 Greeves 250 Hawkstone. Mine was the first Greeves brought in to a dealer in Eastern Idaho at the time.

[@artmchugh5644]

When I lived in Flint Michigan, at Flint Indian Sales on Saginaw st were a line of greeves right across from the line of Pentons and AJS 250 and 370 !!!😀😀😀🏍🏍🏍🏍🏍😁😁😁🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@TheMightyGarage]

Wow, thanks Art. I bet that was a great sight. Thanks for sharing. Cheers! Mike

[@thakery5720]

Nice to hear you and your friend giving the neighbours a bit of competition with that noisey gardening equipment ! Please be careful on your rides out in the countryside at the moment as the roads are very slippery when damp and covered with leaves - I was not so careful and have a broken leg to prove it.

[@TheMightyGarage]

Oh no!! I’m really sorry to hear about your leg. Hope you are doing okay considering and have a good recovery. Best wishes

[@CCitis]

The audio is fine, don't beat yourself up. I can hear what he is saying clearly. And I can sure hear the bikes!

[@donaldcook710]

You have wonderful neighbors Mike. If I did that, and I did, the cops would do a ride by later. Fried rice, napalm, and Castro racing, forever in olfactory memory Bank. Thanks Mike, for another good video.

[@tonyschiffiler4816]

My cousin Martin had a 360 Greeves like that one about 1970 , I rode desert in Calif. with him , my bike was an American eagle , junk .

[@jontg429]

Wow so cool! Man only owned one two stroke bike in my time, that sound reminds me of those days. Thanks for having this bikes on the channel!

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thanks a lot. Glad you enjoyed the vid. Cheers, Mike

[@neilurquhart8622]

Thanks Mike, really interesting to hear some of the Greeves story. I recall seeing Brian Stonebridge, Dave Bickers, Andy Lee and others racing at scrambles around the UK during the 50’s & 60’s at Hawkstone Park, Elsworth etc. Also several scramblers put Triumph engines in Greeves frames with some success.. Brian Stonebridge’s son is now a plumber and lives in my village in Cambridgeshire. Back in the 60’s two strokes were very popular with teenagers, most were powered by Greeves 2T (250cc) twin engines; the Greeves Roadster was also available with a 325cc engine. I had an Ambassador 250 and an Ariel 250 Arrow (very fast) at the time, a German guy named Herman Mier tuned an Arrow which was pretty successful at a couple of TT’s. A friends Arrow was actually faster than my Norton 350cc Navigator!!……or maybe he was less fearless than me!! I also had a 650 SS Norton which I bought new for £343 in ‘63. I’d be interested to see if any of your biker contacts in the US have other two strokes and in particular Greeves Roadsters and Ariel Arrows. I still hanker after getting a Greeves Roadster as a companion to my 2002 Honda Vtech VFR which is a fantastic ‘all rounder’ (incredible sound when Vtech comes in at 7000rpm). Cheers from UK🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@georgemartin5481]

Loren's quote "I'm not a Greeve's historian" being modest as I learned from the interview! Nicely done restoration on the bikes. Thanks as always for posting Mike! The 2 cycle smell does smell like victory!

[@Beeza56]

Wonderful stuff! Brings me right back and I can almost smell the Castrol R. Thanks Mike.

[@speedtriplerider7853]

I was wondering about your neighbours haha. And, yes Mike there's nothing like 2 stroke smell. Great video, really enjoyed it, thanks.

[@impiantan2617]

Thumbs up to that enthusiastic man, Mike. Thanks for the video, never expect to see these quirky bikes of that era, view and blessings from a Malaysia.

[@tubadude905]

That was fantastic - you can't beat that smell!

[@derJoe2009]

Back in rhe cul-de-sac with a Sunday morning wake up bang. :-))

[@raypusey8037]

Thanks Mike, I was thinking much the same you must have very tolerant neighbours !! Ray🇬🇧

[@donparker1823]

One of my friends older brothers had one of these bikes. I got my Suzuki 120 trail bike stuck in the mud one time and he came and pulled me out with his Greeves. So many cool bikes on this channel!

[@TheMightyGarage]

Hi Don, thanks a lot for sharing. That was great. Best wishes, Mike

[@nigeh5326]

Thanks Mike for yet another cracking Sunday morning video and thanks to Loren for bringing the bikes over 👍 Brought back memories of watching the motocross on Saturday afternoon tv with big 4 stroke singles from BSA etc and Greaves 2 strokes blasting around Hawkstone Park and other venues.

[@markgoddard4784]

I learned to ride on one of the trials versions in Bromley (UK) in the early '70s (in a manner that may not have been entirely legal) when I was 12 or 13. I remember it had a Sammy Miller exhaust, which was similar to the featured bike but maybe not quite as loud... Great to see these again.

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thanks very much Mark. This is a really enjoyable visit. I appreciate your note. Cheers, Mike

[@bsa_brummie7775]

Brian Stonebridge 1950's was at the time contracted to the BSA. He moved to Greeves in 1957. Unfortunately he was killed in a car accident on the 29th of October 1959 near Retford in Nottingham England. Enjoyed that video well done and no issues with the sound here 👍

[@spotsterjon74cu]

There is nothing like the smell of Castrol R in the morning👍

[@sensescaper]

Thanks for this video. I've wanted a little vintage trails/trials bike for a while - and wondered about an Enfield. I am a first-time biker - love classics - and although I am VERY VERY late to the biking party - I have fallen in love. What sold me was actually the aluminium front brace for the chassis. I am a vintage Land Rover nut and after three years in storage - I'm about to re-commission my Grumman aluminium canoe. A little off-road trialling and trail riding would complete the holy trinity! Both those bikes are really nice - but the first one was the best - with that fantastic banana fork set up - so simple but so clever and strong. I'd really like to get a good usable one - but right now my Land Rover is this year's priority to get finished as I've had so much work done - I'm on the last stretch - but this is next year now. Loren was very much a guy I admire - generous with his knowledge and a real eye for the details that matter. I have a bike trailer and a jacket. Basics course will be booked soon and then it's on the hunt. Subscribed. Nice to see a channel where the host turns things over to others - and don't worry about the mic - the key thing was the content - and that was nailed (at least for me anyway).

[@tandem8]

These bikes remind me of the old 2 cycle Saab cars. People would cone in and get 1 qt or oil put it in the fuel tank and the fill it up with regular and then be on their way "Zing ding ding ding ding! Neat old cars. Nice video Mike.

[@henryhawk978]

Believe that was the loudest bike you've had over. Nice of him to take the time. Very nice Brit machines. Thanks Mike!

[@TheDavey333]

Great to see the Greeves, in the Cul de Sac, your neighbours are so lucky to have such entertainment 👍 Hub nut on KZbin has an invacar, that he actually uses 😎 Have a good and fruitful week 🍔☕️

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thanks a lot David, I will check the channel out. Cheers, Mike

[@FunAllDayLong4353]

Awesome duo - Love the custom made alloy tank - not sure I've seen one before on a Greeves, but it looks much better than the original IMO!

[@nautn]

How cool to see running Greeves. MMMMM if I could find a Triumph 500 engine for the Greeves frame and wheels.... Thanks Mike

[@johnb5519]

Interesting bikes. I'd say that after hearing those two going up and down the road for five minutes, the neighbors would welcome the sound of commando's, 24/ 7.

[@Doug19651983]

Oh my, and I thought I had loud bikes. I've always loved Greeves, especially the front I beam.

[@Kevin-cy9cv]

Dave Bickers, motocross, Saturday afternoon TV on "World of Sport" brings back memories.

[@moosey62]

Wow. 10/10 for Dave Bickers! Surely "Scrambling" though?

[@alanstockley391]

Just gets better. Thanks Mike 👍🇬🇧

[@haroldpearson6025]

I had a Greeves 325 twin in the late 60s.

[@TheMightyGarage]

Cheers Harold. They are really cool bikes! Best wishes, Mike

[@haroldpearson6025]

@@TheMightyGarageMany thanks. I also had a 197 (Villers) 1958 James Captain, I rode the James to work and toured most of the UK, often with a passenger on the back. The James was comfortable and handled well. I found that on UK roads in those days I could keep up with most other bikes.

[@edwinthompson159]

Two great bikes! Very unique. I too have always loved the looks of a Greeves -- almost bought a Greeves Griffon - the cycle World bike - a few years ago... but no storage facility... Interesting video.

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thanks very much Edwin. I appreciate it and really enjoyed Loren’s visit. That was one of the highlights of 2021! Best wishes, Mike

[@russcattell955i]

Greeves Scottish was just about as good as a trials bike was in the 60's. By the 70's became uncompetitive by the by the Spanish & later Japanese bikes. I know, as a poor youth I learned on a Scottish in the 70's but quickly realised in club events I had to save up for a Bultaco Sherpa (Montesa & Ossa were a option) It transformed my ability.

[@bruceferguson6637]

I’ve only seen one Greeves motorcycle and that was in back in 1971, the larger dual-port model.

[@bruceengstrom9568]

On a side note I love your channel!!!

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thank you very much Bruce. I really appreciate it. Glad you like the videos. Lots more still to come hopefully :-)

[@Kathy-xy2sr]

That was awesome! There is Good Trouble, and Good Racket! Those bikes make Good Racket! Thanks

[@paulaagaard7641]

Great info. I'm in Oregon also and I'm currently looking at one.

[@paulocarreiro5855]

Loved the historic info. It's interesting how far back you sit on these bikes. Sound was good, Mike.

[@mickducati1947]

Hi Mike if i remember right i had a Greeves with a DOT frame back in the very late 60s 😜👍

[@carlatamanczyk3891]

We had to go to the Alpha crank. Stock crank and stock clutch were weak. My transmission seemed to hold up pretty well though.

[@practicalplinking6133]

Very entertaining !! No "Hot House Flower" here- "It's gotta be useable" Good thing Loren was not the "Historian" or you'd still be recording !!

[@wdhewson]

The Challenger's exhaust looks more like an orchestral wind instrument.

[@gregm4441]

Great Video, so nice to see such beautiful riding examples. You don't see many Greeves around, I think they always were scarce, if not rare.

[@gregm4441]

I had to watch it again, and just say, it's special to see these great offroad examples on your channel, and hope to see more. Thanks

[@macgraham100]

Thanks Mike! Check out your brother across the pond “Henry Cole TV” 🤗

[@TheMightyGarage]

Thanks very much Matt. Yes, I follow Henry and enjoy his videos very much. It’s great to see the Brit bike scene is still thriving. Cheers, Mike

[@iannicolle3154]

I Thought the Invacars were made by AC (Of AC Cobra fame) in Thames Ditton? just down the road from Hampton Court.

[@anthonycarty9433]

I used to get spares for my Bultaco Pursang 370 from Comerfords in Thames Ditton. Wonder if they are still going.

[@martino4414]

Invacar and Greeves were co-owned. My brother in law's father was their Finance Director (CFO in US speak).

[@johndeere1951a]

..... so the question remains, do your neighbors prefer the Rata tat tat 2- stroke chain saw racket?? or the rocker 4-stroke ACE cafe' commotion?? Great examples 🇬🇧👍👍🇺🇲

[@TheMightyGarage]

Haha, yes I think there's a mixture of 2-stroke and 4-stroke fans. I need to get more triples into the cul-de-sac! Best wishes

[@johndeere1951a]

Triples indeed ✌️ 🇮🇹Laverda 1000-3 or 1200 🇬🇧Triumph/BSA 🇯🇵 Kawasaki triples 🇩🇪BMW K75 🇮🇹MV 500-3 🤣 all open, no stock exhaust✌️

[@bruceengstrom9568]

What premix oil is he using. A couple of people in comments mentioned Castrol R. Is that correct?

[@lorenpetersen4044]

Hi Bruce, I use Maxima Castor927 in my two stroke bikes. I also put a few drops in my lawn mower so I can enjoy the smell when I am mowing the lawn, haha.

[@bruceengstrom9568]

Thanks for the info

[@billycaspersghost7528]

Is it true that the Greeves frames were bonded with Araldite ? Or have I got that wrong. Anyway thanks for a great and especially interesting cul de sac this morning . I was supposed to be riding over the moors ,but moors being moors they are uninviting in November and you led me astray. I should add my appreciation of that young mans work and passion for the products of a small firm in Essex ,that punched above it`s weight for a time before they were overwhelmed by the big firms. Many thanks and respect .

[@TheMightyGarage]

Hehe. Sorry to keep you from your ride 😉Many thanks for your wonderful note

[@lorenpetersen4044]

I am not aware of Araldite being used. The frame is a steel top tube welded to a steering head tube, and then the aluminum H-beam is cast around it using shell casting. The steel/brazed sub frame is then bolted on to that.

[@billycaspersghost7528]

@@lorenpetersen4044 Can`t think where I got that notion! Anyway thanks for putting me straight and as I said ,wonderful bikes and great work.

[@dietznutz1]

That second bike is very grumpy

[@TheMightyGarage]

😉😉😉 It really was!

[@tonyvidtube]

I hope non of your neighbours work nights.😁

[@TheMightyGarage]

😉 hehe, this visit did make me wonder what they might be thinking was going on 😉

[@vorhese]

This Loren guy seems like a swell chap but he seems like he needs to brush up on his knowledge. ;)

[@TheMightyGarage]

😄😄

[@LemayNelson]

Did you now Carell crank

[@zepelin-on-road]

That day, the neighbors discovered the sweet scent of two stroke engine ! What is this weird grilled sardine recipe ? 😂 These Greeves with their balance forks, quite a time ! 👍