Can you indentify this motorcycle???

[Airwolfie]

This is a picture of my Granddad on his motorcycle!
A little bit of what I know, He bought this when he was about 26 years old, I THINK that would be around 1946ish, not too sure as he passed away when I was very young(and I'm 40 now!)
This is in South Africa so I don't know if it's a specific bike that was only sold there or somewhere else in the world.

He was a farmer, and this was his pride and joy!! I love the look of it, and would like to see if any of you know anything at all of this bike!

Anyway, here is the pic!

 

[XSLeo]

I don't know but I think this could, no should go in the cool pics thread.
Very cool pic even if he wasn't your Granddad. He is your Granddad so that makes it even cooler.
Leo

 

[neanderthal]

sweet bike, maybe somewhere in the late 30's bsa? not sure if the girder frontend was a factory choice in the late 40's so id think it to be pre mid 40's. sweet bike and badass granddad.

 

[xjwmx]

I would email the picture to these guys and ask them. They will probably want to use the picture.

http://www.caimag.com/wordpress/2009/08/29/10-best-vintage-motorcycle-museums/

 

[weaselbeak]

It appears to be some variation of a BSA model B33. Those were 500cc singles, starting around 1947.

 

[pcoumbe]

That's a really cool picture and I'm guessing that bike may be an Ariel but don't know for sure. Here's another cool old pic of my dad on his ES2 Norton taken in the Western Australian Wheat belt during the late 40's.
I love these old pictures and would really like to see a thread dedicated to them.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

I think I found the cylinder boring machine that goes with granddad's bike...

 

[Airwolfie]

I don't know but I think this could, no should go in the cool pics thread.
Very cool pic even if he wasn't your Granddad. He is your Granddad so that makes it even cooler.
Leo

Thanks Leo! I will post it there later on your request!

sweet bike, maybe somewhere in the late 30's bsa? not sure if the girder frontend was a factory choice in the late 40's so id think it to be pre mid 40's. sweet bike and badass granddad.

Thanks Jake! He was a badass granddad!!

I would email the picture to these guys and ask them. They will probably want to use the picture.

http://www.caimag.com/wordpress/2009/08/29/10-best-vintage-motorcycle-museums/

Thanks xj! I will look into that!

That's a really cool picture and I'm guessing that bike may be an Ariel but don't know for sure. Here's another cool old pic of my dad on his ES2 Norton taken in the Western Australian Wheat belt during the late 40's.
I love these old pictures and would really like to see a thread dedicated to them.

I saw your thread earlier, and straight away thought of my granddad on his bike....

 

[XSLeo]

I think most pics like these should go in the cool pics thread. The cool pics thread may get a lot of other stuff and yours may get lost. Starting a thread on just cool old bikes.
Especially if they are family pics.
Leo

 

[Airwolfie]

I think most pics like these should go in the cool pics thread. The cool pics thread may get a lot of other stuff and yours may get lost. Starting a thread on just cool old bikes.
Especially if they are family pics.
Leo

That's a brilliant idea!

 

[Davefirestorm]

Would say it's a pre 1930's could be an Ariel it's not a BSA(look at tank badge) but there were many many marques around then

 

[FLEA]

the nx500 num plate might be a clue,but couldnt find anything for nx for that era.honda put out a nx500 dominator in late 80s and early 90s and we all know how the japs like to copy from earlier designs (nx seems to ring a bell somewhere in the deep dark part of the brain,european maybe/german??)

 

[I am Carbon]

I think it's very cool pic of your GrandPa.
He had a good lookin bike
I'm thinking he was a chick magnet too.
I would like to have a that headlight

 

[neanderthal]

there are a lot of motorcycles that died and got lost in history, so i understand it may not be a bsa, but you have to remember that bsa had a lot of different tank badges i wouldnt rule it out yet. can anyone blow up the tank badge and re post it? maybe an ariel?

 

[Davefirestorm]

NX is a Warwickshire registration number,BSA as far as I recall always used the winged B on there badges.Looks like acetylene front light so pre 1930's.It's a great picture what ever it is and it would have been a great era to be around in with all those different bikes and designs around,if anyone has the chance visit the British motorcycle museum Birmingham it's worth a day of your time.

 

[neanderthal]

do a google search on bsa badges. rifles, stars and others were used. and remember people were building bikes back then too. it may not be 100 percent original.

 

[Airwolfie]

This is the best I can do!!

Keep the suggestions coming guys, this is great!!

 

[resto]

I sent off the picture to one of the local antique motorcycle club members. He originally came from South Africa.

He couldn't nail down the make or model, but noted the license NX500 narrows it down to a small town called Ixopo in the Provence of Natal. Apparently, no motorcycles were manufactured in South Africa, they all were imported. Also mentioned that the acetylene headlight looks to appear as being added on. They were usually associated with 1920's bikes that still had "flat" fuel tanks. The picture shows a more modern (30's ?) tank.

I noticed that the primary chain guard has a distinctive horizontal line through it, probably because it's made from two pieces. Triumphs did that on their 20's bikes.

Also noted that there is no chain guard or drive chain on the left side. Quite unusual, but prewar Sunbeams did that, and so did the late 20's Triumph tt500.

The tank badge sure looks like an old Norton or Ariel.

This is as close as I could find, from scouring the vintage bike sites. But clearly the wrong motor and fuel tank.

 

[xjwmx]

I was able to apply special image enhancing techniques learned from watching ncis.

 

[jd750ace]

I only found 2 badges I think would be period correct possibilities, but the suspension, engine, and tank are what will really tell the story eventually, since we can't clearly see a logo.