Vintage Motorbikes | Hesketh Motorbike | Wheels | 1980's

'Wheels' reporter Dave Minton visits the home of British motorcycle manufacturer Hesketh where he reviews their latest offering and speaks to the man behind the brand, Lord Hesketh.
Televised in the 1980's
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Quote: VT22632
Programme 4

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Lots of optimism to start with, anyway. Bloor with the reborn Triumph Co. showed how it should be done, 10 years later.

[@andynixon2820]

Dave certainly wasn't shy with his opinions . I know it ended up not being a success story but the Hesketh was a beautiful bike .

[@pachma405]

I think Dave Minton favoured twins (his favourite bike, Laverda 750 twin) so he may have been a bit biased. He was on TV occasionally in the early 80's, but I haven't heard of him in years.

[@georgejacob3162]

1:09. According to the DVLA the bike with the registration NRP281V was last MOT'd in September 2009 and tax ran out in September 2011! Mind you, it may not be that actual bike on screen as the colour is stated as black! Let's just hope it's enjoying its retirement in a museum somewhere and hasn't been scrapped.

[@TheMickvee]

What a pity it all went tits up so quickly. I was at the launch, and everybody was so optimistic...……………………….. that is until they actually rode one. The main fault was horrendous transmission snatch, some journo's claiming that the bike was almost unrideable. The resulting bad press got the bike off to a dismal start, and things went downhill rapidly. A great shame, it was a stunning looking machine.

[@Smithy67]

There were numerous problems. The bikes were heavy, made worse by a high riding style; and unreliable,with numerous manufacturing problems adding to an overheating rear cylinder due to lack of air flow. The resultant bad press, combined with an underdeveloped bike, lack of cash and a collapsing market meant that after the production of 139 bikes, the company went into receivership in 1982.

[@longhaul1973]

doryanthes67 copy and paste Wikipedia? At least give them credit. Muppet

[@tigdurrant8939]

A sorted Hesketh is an amazing experience, loved all of mine … really would love to buy a Vampire (only 19 or so built) … super comfortable, long throttle pull do you have to give it a handful but certainly as fast as you could ever need ❤❤❤

[@paullacey2999]

Youd still take one,it was bespoke before it was trendy.

[@BokorRider]

interesting even though I am not a bike person. thanks for upload. wonder what ever happened to them.

[@jimmys6566]

www.heskethmotorcycles.co.uk/sonnet

[@Allan9966]

Looks like he couldn't find neutral at 1:38 !

[@martinobrien4164]

"No kickstart is fitted". That's a shame, 1000cc V-twin would be no problem to kick over.

[@Victorsadventures2774]

Harley Davidson 1200cc v twins were kickstart into the 1970s, and even some 1340cc bikes still had kickers fitted into the early 80s, electric start first appeared in 1965. No problem kicking over these motors unless massively overbore and much high compression than standard

[@pachma405]

I was never a fan of the Hesketh, but I thought the Vampire looked great.

[@zacknicley8150]

I say, a COLOUR production!

[@joseluissedanoescobar4629]

Una moto para aficionados a las clásicas que tienen bastante dinero

[@warrensykes193]

Turkey.

[@richardumfreville6914]

Laverda Yachter ?

[@jiveturkey9993]

I think he meant jota?

[@pachma405]

Perhaps it's supposed to be pronounced 'yotta'

[@richardumfreville6914]

@@pachma405. Yes , the tubby public school-educated one is correct to pronounce it as sort-of-Spanish , rather than the coarse Slater Brothers version

[@bergfish7328]

The Japanese were lucky he let them have their measly market but BMW and Ducati must have been trembling with fear. 🍋 😄

[@joseluissedanoescobar4629]

Pour les riches

[@Horizon344]

Badly designed bikes, & incompetent management caused the company's collapse