That is one of the best looking reliant trikes I have seen in years,,really well proportioned Engine won't take much to overhaul and the staffie pup is lovely
Nice one. My bro built a Reliant based trike back in the mid 1980s. It was his wheels for a few years and it got used for all kinds of adventures. It was even on the front page of MCN when they did a feature about the motorcycle repair co-op we were part of in Camden Town. He sold it to someone here in Colchester and I used to see it around town, but not for a long time now. It is still registered on the DVLA database.
Some years ago I build a Norrel, which is a Reliant engine in a Norton Wideline frame( it was featured in Classic Bike some years ago. The gearbox was a Triumph slick shift4 speed (so not shaft drive) but did have a hydraulic clutch. I've watched most of your Reliant 850cc downloads but my engine was 600cc with a downdraft Carburettor. The Norrel primary drive was made of alloy plate which was connected to the Triumph gearbox and clutch via a chain & sprockets. No part of the Wideline frame was cut or had any extra welded brackets. Your engine rebuild was excellent but I had issues with overheating due to a brass radiator which was insufficient in cooling. Fantastic to ride as it retained all or most of the Norton 88 bodywork, it also kept the electrical system from the Reliant, a dynamo rather than an alternator. Sadly I sold the Norrel a few years ago but have kept all the specifications of the project with detailed photographic evidence of it's existence. Thanks for loading up the project...
I think the 600 was a very underrated engine, must have had some merits as it looks like they based the 850 off it. It's pretty safe to say most Reliant engines have overheating issues at some point, especially at the back of the block where the rear feed comes in, just a very poor design. I do like the Norton Wideline frames, that classic featherbed style looks so nice, shame we cover them with such frivolous things like fuel tanks... Always nice to hear about other builds new or old, thanks for sharing. I'll be back on the trike again soon, a few more jobs to sort out ready to get her up for sale in spring, ready for another season.
I keep imagining what a quad would look like, or even a straight motorcycle version, sorry but three wheelers in any format is a bad idea inherently unstable and you'll hit every hole and every object in the road
It already is a trike just with a fibreglass car body. Used to be very common due to the weight being below 750kg it could be driven on a motorcycle licence but some people wanted the open freedom with some practicality. Spares were cheap and in great abundance, very cheap to insure and run.
That is one of the best looking reliant trikes I have seen in years,,really well proportioned
Engine won't take much to overhaul and the staffie pup is lovely
Thank you very much!
Nice one. My bro built a Reliant based trike back in the mid 1980s. It was his wheels for a few years and it got used for all kinds of adventures. It was even on the front page of MCN when they did a feature about the motorcycle repair co-op we were part of in Camden Town. He sold it to someone here in Colchester and I used to see it around town, but not for a long time now. It is still registered on the DVLA database.
Probably under a tarp in a garden somewhere.
Thanks.
Some years ago I build a Norrel, which is a Reliant engine in a Norton Wideline frame( it was featured in Classic Bike some years ago. The gearbox was a Triumph slick shift4 speed (so not shaft drive) but did have a hydraulic clutch. I've watched most of your Reliant 850cc downloads but my engine was 600cc with a downdraft Carburettor.
The Norrel primary drive was made of alloy plate which was connected to the Triumph gearbox and clutch via a chain & sprockets. No part of the Wideline frame was cut or had any extra welded brackets.
Your engine rebuild was excellent but I had issues with overheating due to a brass radiator which was insufficient in cooling.
Fantastic to ride as it retained all or most of the Norton 88 bodywork, it also kept the electrical system from the Reliant, a dynamo rather than an alternator.
Sadly I sold the Norrel a few years ago but have kept all the specifications of the project with detailed photographic evidence of it's existence.
Thanks for loading up the project...
I think the 600 was a very underrated engine, must have had some merits as it looks like they based the 850 off it.
It's pretty safe to say most Reliant engines have overheating issues at some point, especially at the back of the block where the rear feed comes in, just a very poor design.
I do like the Norton Wideline frames, that classic featherbed style looks so nice, shame we cover them with such frivolous things like fuel tanks...
Always nice to hear about other builds new or old, thanks for sharing.
I'll be back on the trike again soon, a few more jobs to sort out ready to get her up for sale in spring, ready for another season.
I keep imagining what a quad would look like, or even a straight motorcycle version, sorry but three wheelers in any format is a bad idea inherently unstable and you'll hit every hole and every object in the road
Why do people exactly turn these into trikes? it's not exactly a motorcycle drivetrain although it is very light.
It already is a trike just with a fibreglass car body. Used to be very common due to the weight being below 750kg it could be driven on a motorcycle licence but some people wanted the open freedom with some practicality.
Spares were cheap and in great abundance, very cheap to insure and run.