KET 102 {that is a Rotherham registration} ...my father taught me to ride on JET228 {that reg. was on BMW car the last time I looked} back in the mid 1960's. Sadly, JET 228 died when I overturned it somewhere in Nottinghamshire {with the sidecar attached} ....and I was "downsized" {???} to a BSA Bantam after that. Happy days.....now, at the age of 74, I ride a Yam 650 Dragstar .....but I would love one last ride on an S8.
A really nice bike sir! My friend who lives now in Scotland had one of these bikes when I was about oh 13 I think and I'm 69 now. His son has it now. I can remember him remarking how easy it was to kick over, and I as able at that age to start it by pushing down on the kickstart with my hand! I am glad you actually mentioned the low compression at the end of your video. This was the first bike I saw with shaft drive, before I'd seen a BMW. Later on he had a Moto Guzzi and if I remember that to was a shaft driven bike.i think he only recently sold that machine.
Very Nice Geoffrey, I have wanted an 57(My Birth year) model S7or S8 since I first saw one, I live in Oregon and was raised on English Bikes. I now have a shop full of bikes and ride my Yamaha Roadstars most often. Cheers Brother.
Yes they were a bit more expensive than the standard 500s like a Speed Twin or an A7. They didn't sell that brilliantly. Partly I think because they lacked power a bit and secondly the plunger suspension was persevered with when everyone else had gone swinging arm. However it is easy to appreciate now as a beautiful thing.
Thanks I came across a sunbeam fitted with a Buell engine. And Harley wheels and brakes I’ve owned four Buell‘ s and they have great Engine’s and drive train. The sunbeam I saw was a lovely bit of engineering. Until someone pointed out the engine and upgraded parts I hadn’t picked up on them. A s8 owner would notice in a second. And probably drop dead . It’s not something I’d do. Unless it’s the only way to get a bike back up and running/riding. But never the less it was fantastic bike. And had kept it’s good looks. Please don’t hate me for saying I liked it . I will be looking out for one . Thanks Paul
I think all depends on what floats your boat. Personally I like to experience historic machinery more or less as it was designed, with all its flaws and limitations. Others like to use their engineering skills to create something unique and different. Finally, many just like to go out and buy a reliable and efficient new bike. Whatever it is the fun is riding it.
Very nice! I would sure love to experience a roll around the block on that! I love my Kawasaki rocket, but If it was parked beside your Sunbeam, people would walk right past it for a look at yours.
great video mate! my father in law gave me a 7 and an 8 last fall. hes originally from Portsmouth I am aiming to have the 8 running this summer... cheers!
Good luck with getting your 8 going. I guess you probably already know this but Stewarts Engineering in the UK carry a full range of spares. Also the Sunbeam Owners Fellowship has a really good online forum where everyone is very helpful if you get stuck or have problems.
I enjoyed the video I’m thinking of buying one. A s7 with balloon tyre. Don’t care about performance in fact 65 /70 mph sound great. And not to bothered about the handling It’s the looks I think it’s one of the best looking bikes I’ve ever seen. My problem now is do I renovate a bike I know nothing about or buy one already done. I’ve built a lot of bikes but I’ve stuck to what I know. But I will buy one .
Hi Paul. The S7 is more expensive and does not handle as well as the S8 on conventional wheels, but many prefer the look of the S7. My advice would be to buy one that has been owned by a rider who understands these bikes. There are a lot out there that haven't been properly used for decades and need a lot of work to get reliable and oiltight. The main issue with these bikes is oil tightness at the head joint. There is an oilway to the cambox in the head that has a tendency to leak out through the gasket. Removal and re fitting the cylinder head can also be quite a challenge for the amateur mechanic. Once properly sorted they are good reliable machines.
6:23 Geoffrey Stovold I can vouch for your comment. Back in 1963 I purchased my first 'real' motorcycle; having previously puttered around on a BSA Bantam. It was a circa early 1950's S8 which I rode for the very first time on a Friday afternoon, having picked it up on Sydney's Parramatta Road (NSW Australia). I rode a wobbly route home through the suburbs to where I stayed in Sydney during my one-week block training monthly courses. Saturday moorning around 8:20am I departed for Deniliquin in the NSW Riverina regional area; due north of Melbourne. A mere 530 miles. Took me I think around 15 hours. My very first Real Ride! 🤠 And yes, for the next short three or so years I thoroughly enjoyed my S8, travelling as far as Brisbane in Queensland via Sydney, and west towards Adelaide, as well down to Melbourne on the odd foray with friends seeking 'bike bits'. 🏍 I still try and attend the "Sunbeams in Oz" rally here in Australia :- facebook.com/groups/857179697772293
Lovey motorcycle. Iam seriously thinking about purchasing a s8. What's the spares situation like ? And do the engines and gearbox rear drive train need rebuilding or are they pretty robust? I have seen some tidy examples for £5000 and average condition £3000 to £4000 .
I had one circa 1968, not in as good a condition as that. It was a lovely bike, just as you describe it. Sadly it was written off due to an accident that twisted the frame, it was uneconomic to repair.
I hope you were not too injured on your 'Beam. They are lovely bikes. I still very much enjoy mine. They are very good 'all day' bikes. Comfortable and smooth.
No injuries except my pride ! I'd had a sidecar,which was removed, but I'd left the bracket still attached to the snubber and it was sticking out and I caught it on a car I was overtaking (too close !) and it twisted the front left down tube. One of those "Oh bugger ! " moments (LOL) At 10ish years old it wasn't economical to repair so Stewarts bought it off me for breaking.
I think they were relatively expensive and performance wise only average. Probably the biggest factor was that the risk averse buying public preferred to stick with the conventional singles and twins from ASJ. Matchless, Norton, BSA and Triumph. By the time the 1950s got going the plunger rear end started to look very dated. Now we can appreciate them for what they are; a ground breaking design that makes a very pleasant to ride and easy to maintain motorcycle.
The ring gear in the rear end was made from bronze, you have to use a non sulphur GL1 type of lubricant ,or the sulphur will eat away at the bronze....Hal
Yes, I suspect the rear drives got an undeserved reputation for rapid wear because people put the wrong oil in them. I am not sure but I think it was the old Hypoy gear oils that had the sulphur in them.
Hi. Yes I bought another which I still have. I found it really difficult to get the black one oil tight and basically swapped it out for one with a better engine. Pity it has lost its number. A better mechanic than me could probably have made it oil tight. It has been doing the rounds of the auctions. I guess that is where he made his money on the number plate.
Geoffrey Stovold it’s not as exorbitantly priced as some of their other bikes but when you consider that they will sell off the number as well they are incredibly expensive. I am currently looking for ideally an S7 but possibly a S8 but I won’t be buying your old bike off them unfortunately.
@@Chris-7367 It is OK value at the price. It's main problem is that I had trouble stopping an oil leak from the head joint. Otherwise quite sound. A bit cosmetically challenged with all that chrome. I personally think the S8s are much better to ride than the S7s and a lot cheaper. Both are very nice long distance bikes as long as you don't want to go too fast.
Thanks for this, a great little review of a bike I'm hoping to invest in soon. That said, any thoughts on the S8 as a 1st classic? I'm a basic home mechanic but keen to learn more! Hope you're well in the Lockdown...
Hi, I too am a moderately competent home mechanic and certainly not an engineer. There are pros and cons in an S8 (or S7) as a 1st classic. The pros are: there is a first rate spares supply from Stewart Engineering who operate an efficient mail order service. There is also another supplier called Martin Bratby who does a smaller range of parts. The Sunbeam Fellowship forum is excellent and you will get plenty of quick helpful advice and support. Much of the bikes are quite straight forward to work on and they don't need a lot of servicing. However, they do have their foibles and pay dividends to knowledgeable owners. The OHC head is tricky to get on and off if you need to do it. It can also be tricky to get the head joint oil tight. The clutch actuating unit needs a grease once a year and is tricky to get at. The rear drive must have an oil without sulphur additives, same as gearbox because they have bronze components. You need to keep an eye on the adjustment of the rubber engine mounts. Because they are coil ignition they are reliant on a good dynamo and a decent wiring system. The clutch can be heavy but there is an easily fitted Stewart mod to make it lighter. A good one will do 80 but most people don't do more that 60-65 for any length of time. My very strong advice is to buy a machine from someone who knows and loves the marque and has ridden it often. Be very wary of machines that have stood around for years as ornaments or have been passed from pillar to post in recent years.
I don't actually have this one any more. I had quite a lot of problems getting the head gasket to seal and eventually swapped it out for a 1952 silver/grey one which doesn't leak any oil and is faster than the black one. Maybe it has the high compression pistons in it. They are really nice bikes to ride and look sort of dignified I think.
Nice video but its not a parallel twin like your Triumphs, BSAs and Nortons , it is an inline twin. At only 500 cc it is too bad they never made them with larger engines and reliable rear hub, or they might have lasted many more years and given BMW R series serious competition. Interesting how it revs so easily for an old English engine, due to the OHC and oversquare bore and stroke.
For anyone fancying one of these the rear drive does in fact last well on the standard bike. They frequently do 100k miles. However, Randal is right that really the rear drive needed beefing up to handle a lot more than the standard 25bhp if the bike was to be developed. A missed opportunity by BSA who owned Sunbeam.
What you are seeing are oil streaks. These bikes have a tendency to collect these streaks on the off side rear tyre. It is often caused by slight (in the case of this bike) or heavier leakage through the oil seals in the rear drive. Unless it gets excessive it is nothing to worry about.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
KET 102 {that is a Rotherham registration} ...my father taught me to ride on JET228 {that reg. was on BMW car the last time I looked} back in the mid 1960's.
Sadly, JET 228 died when I overturned it somewhere in Nottinghamshire {with the sidecar attached} ....and I was "downsized" {???} to a BSA Bantam after that.
Happy days.....now, at the age of 74, I ride a Yam 650 Dragstar .....but I would love one last ride on an S8.
A really nice bike sir! My friend who lives now in Scotland had one of these bikes when I was about oh 13 I think and I'm 69 now. His son has it now. I can remember him remarking how easy it was to kick over, and I as able at that age to start it by pushing down on the kickstart with my hand! I am glad you actually mentioned the low compression at the end of your video. This was the first bike I saw with shaft drive, before I'd seen a BMW. Later on he had a Moto Guzzi and if I remember that to was a shaft driven bike.i think he only recently sold that machine.
Very Nice Geoffrey, I have wanted an 57(My Birth year) model S7or S8 since I first saw one, I live in Oregon and was raised on English Bikes. I now have a shop full of bikes and ride my Yamaha Roadstars most often. Cheers Brother.
Thanks David. I am glad that you enjoyed my rather amateurish video. Safe riding! Geoff
Lovely machines, both the S7 and S8.
Fantastic tutorial on the S8, I enjoyed the detailed review.
Thanks Tony. I appreciate your comment
I would absolutely love one of them
Thanks for showing I had the S7 and the S8 in the 60s lovely old machines
What a beauty. Ahead of it’s time as well.
That would have been an expensive quality bike when brand new , all the alloy castings are superb .
Yes they were a bit more expensive than the standard 500s like a Speed Twin or an A7. They didn't sell that brilliantly. Partly I think because they lacked power a bit and secondly the plunger suspension was persevered with when everyone else had gone swinging arm. However it is easy to appreciate now as a beautiful thing.
@@velocettektt Glad you used the term "swinging" arm - rather than the latter-day, silly term "swing-arm"! Cheers, Les.
Thanks I came across a sunbeam fitted with a Buell engine. And Harley wheels and brakes I’ve owned four Buell‘ s and they have great Engine’s and drive train. The sunbeam I saw was a lovely bit of engineering. Until someone pointed out the engine and upgraded parts I hadn’t picked up on them. A s8 owner would notice in a second. And probably drop dead . It’s not something I’d do. Unless it’s the only way to get a bike back up and running/riding. But never the less it was fantastic bike. And had kept it’s good looks. Please don’t hate me for saying I liked it . I will be looking out for one . Thanks Paul
I think all depends on what floats your boat. Personally I like to experience historic machinery more or less as it was designed, with all its flaws and limitations. Others like to use their engineering skills to create something unique and different. Finally, many just like to go out and buy a reliable and efficient new bike. Whatever it is the fun is riding it.
I had two sunbeam S8S SET and JET registrations,which are a Rotherhan registration.
Very nice! I would sure love to experience a roll around the block on that! I love my Kawasaki rocket, but If it was parked beside your Sunbeam, people would walk right past it for a look at yours.
I think it would seem a bit slow and agricultural, but you are right people like to look at the old stuff
great video mate! my father in law gave me a 7 and an 8 last fall. hes originally from Portsmouth
I am aiming to have the 8 running this summer... cheers!
Good luck with getting your 8 going. I guess you probably already know this but Stewarts Engineering in the UK carry a full range of spares. Also the Sunbeam Owners Fellowship has a really good online forum where everyone is very helpful if you get stuck or have problems.
@@velocettektt thanks very much, I appreciate the info!
Beautiful
I enjoyed the video I’m thinking of buying one. A s7 with balloon tyre. Don’t care about performance in fact 65 /70 mph sound great. And not to bothered about the handling It’s the looks I think it’s one of the best looking bikes I’ve ever seen. My problem now is do I renovate a bike I know nothing about or buy one already done. I’ve built a lot of bikes but I’ve stuck to what I know. But I will buy one .
Hi Paul. The S7 is more expensive and does not handle as well as the S8 on conventional wheels, but many prefer the look of the S7. My advice would be to buy one that has been owned by a rider who understands these bikes. There are a lot out there that haven't been properly used for decades and need a lot of work to get reliable and oiltight. The main issue with these bikes is oil tightness at the head joint. There is an oilway to the cambox in the head that has a tendency to leak out through the gasket. Removal and re fitting the cylinder head can also be quite a challenge for the amateur mechanic. Once properly sorted they are good reliable machines.
Very nice bike. Thanks for sharing.
6:23 Geoffrey Stovold I can vouch for your comment.
Back in 1963 I purchased my first 'real' motorcycle; having previously puttered around on a BSA Bantam.
It was a circa early 1950's S8 which I rode for the very first time on a Friday afternoon, having picked it up on Sydney's Parramatta Road (NSW Australia). I rode a wobbly route home through the suburbs to where I stayed in Sydney during my one-week block training monthly courses.
Saturday moorning around 8:20am I departed for Deniliquin in the NSW Riverina regional area; due north of Melbourne. A mere 530 miles. Took me I think around 15 hours. My very first Real Ride! 🤠
And yes, for the next short three or so years I thoroughly enjoyed my S8, travelling as far as Brisbane in Queensland via Sydney, and west towards Adelaide, as well down to Melbourne on the odd foray with friends seeking 'bike bits'. 🏍
I still try and attend the "Sunbeams in Oz" rally here in Australia :- facebook.com/groups/857179697772293
Thanks a ton.. very detailed 👌
Glad you enjoyed it Abhi. Good luck
beautiful old motorbike thanks for sharing..
Thanks.Not quite Jay Leno! but I enjoyed doing it.
i'd take your old motorbike over any of jlo's museum stuff anyday
Lovey motorcycle. Iam seriously thinking about purchasing a s8. What's the spares situation like ? And do the engines and gearbox rear drive train need rebuilding or are they pretty robust? I have seen some tidy examples for £5000 and average condition £3000 to £4000 .
Nice job
All looks very logical art
Great Bike, almost a bobber
I had one circa 1968, not in as good a condition as that. It was a lovely bike, just as you describe it. Sadly it was written off due to an accident that twisted the frame, it was uneconomic to repair.
I hope you were not too injured on your 'Beam. They are lovely bikes. I still very much enjoy mine. They are very good 'all day' bikes. Comfortable and smooth.
No injuries except my pride ! I'd had a sidecar,which was removed, but I'd left the bracket still attached to the snubber and it was sticking out and I caught it on a car I was overtaking (too close !) and it twisted the front left down tube. One of those "Oh bugger ! " moments (LOL) At 10ish years old it wasn't economical to repair so Stewarts bought it off me for breaking.
A beauty
Beautiful have to watch your toes when change gear looks beautifully engineered never really caught on wonder why
I think they were relatively expensive and performance wise only average. Probably the biggest factor was that the risk averse buying public preferred to stick with the conventional singles and twins from ASJ. Matchless, Norton, BSA and Triumph. By the time the 1950s got going the plunger rear end started to look very dated. Now we can appreciate them for what they are; a ground breaking design that makes a very pleasant to ride and easy to maintain motorcycle.
The ring gear in the rear end was made from bronze, you have to use a non sulphur GL1 type of lubricant ,or the sulphur will eat away at the bronze....Hal
Yes, I suspect the rear drives got an undeserved reputation for rapid wear because people put the wrong oil in them. I am not sure but I think it was the old Hypoy gear oils that had the sulphur in them.
Looks like you sold it in the end Geoffrey? Currently for sale minus it’s registration number by those sharks in Northwich.
Hi. Yes I bought another which I still have. I found it really difficult to get the black one oil tight and basically swapped it out for one with a better engine. Pity it has lost its number. A better mechanic than me could probably have made it oil tight. It has been doing the rounds of the auctions. I guess that is where he made his money on the number plate.
Geoffrey Stovold it’s not as exorbitantly priced as some of their other bikes but when you consider that they will sell off the number as well they are incredibly expensive. I am currently looking for ideally an S7 but possibly a S8 but I won’t be buying your old bike off them unfortunately.
@@Chris-7367 It is OK value at the price. It's main problem is that I had trouble stopping an oil leak from the head joint. Otherwise quite sound. A bit cosmetically challenged with all that chrome. I personally think the S8s are much better to ride than the S7s and a lot cheaper. Both are very nice long distance bikes as long as you don't want to go too fast.
Thanks for this, a great little review of a bike I'm hoping to invest in soon. That said, any thoughts on the S8 as a 1st classic? I'm a basic home mechanic but keen to learn more! Hope you're well in the Lockdown...
Hi, I too am a moderately competent home mechanic and certainly not an engineer. There are pros and cons in an S8 (or S7) as a 1st classic. The pros are: there is a first rate spares supply from Stewart Engineering who operate an efficient mail order service. There is also another supplier called Martin Bratby who does a smaller range of parts. The Sunbeam Fellowship forum is excellent and you will get plenty of quick helpful advice and support. Much of the bikes are quite straight forward to work on and they don't need a lot of servicing. However, they do have their foibles and pay dividends to knowledgeable owners. The OHC head is tricky to get on and off if you need to do it. It can also be tricky to get the head joint oil tight. The clutch actuating unit needs a grease once a year and is tricky to get at. The rear drive must have an oil without sulphur additives, same as gearbox because they have bronze components. You need to keep an eye on the adjustment of the rubber engine mounts. Because they are coil ignition they are reliant on a good dynamo and a decent wiring system. The clutch can be heavy but there is an easily fitted Stewart mod to make it lighter. A good one will do 80 but most people don't do more that 60-65 for any length of time.
My very strong advice is to buy a machine from someone who knows and loves the marque and has ridden it often. Be very wary of machines that have stood around for years as ornaments or have been passed from pillar to post in recent years.
Brian from youtube sight Metalshaper says the new lubs have sulphur, I think that GL1 is free of that...Hal
The previous owner obviously intended to pay homage to the Hurley-Pugh Wildebeeste Colonial when he polished the front forks.
I am trying not to get too like oner of the characters on that web site ;)
Nice bike
I don't actually have this one any more. I had quite a lot of problems getting the head gasket to seal and eventually swapped it out for a 1952 silver/grey one which doesn't leak any oil and is faster than the black one. Maybe it has the high compression pistons in it. They are really nice bikes to ride and look sort of dignified I think.
wish i can meet it, my grandpa ever have it.
Nice video but its not a parallel twin like your Triumphs, BSAs and Nortons , it is an inline twin. At only 500 cc it is too bad they never made them with larger engines and reliable rear hub, or they might have lasted many more years and given BMW R series serious competition. Interesting how it revs so easily for an old English engine, due to the OHC and oversquare bore and stroke.
For anyone fancying one of these the rear drive does in fact last well on the standard bike. They frequently do 100k miles. However, Randal is right that really the rear drive needed beefing up to handle a lot more than the standard 25bhp if the bike was to be developed. A missed opportunity by BSA who owned Sunbeam.
hello randal to me that engine is like a half Henderson or an old indian just has 2 cylinders ...
very rare model
the guy who designed it did buses and trucks
For sale to
Looks like two cracks in the rear tire wall!
What you are seeing are oil streaks. These bikes have a tendency to collect these streaks on the off side rear tyre. It is often caused by slight (in the case of this bike) or heavier leakage through the oil seals in the rear drive. Unless it gets excessive it is nothing to worry about.
Sunbeammodel8
the front wheel is not original
Hub is original but should not be chromed, as for the rim it is standard type but who knows whether the original one.