Just a French Hesketh?

[Guest Nogbad]

 

I wanted to run this as a poll, but you can't seem to start polls anymore!

[Paul Minnaert]

the fairing upper part looks like a le mans copy. I don't see them sold here, yes you can buy them, but I don't think it's a market share. The fact that the factory went bankrupt after some time, got started again, and all dealers that had warranty problems from the first owner of the factory were left in the cold. Most had unsold bikes that they had to sell without warranty. This sort of news spreads. And now there is one dealer in the netherlands, a Harley shop. It's not a quality problem, it's an image problem.

[Ballacraine]

Always liked the look.....

 

...but given their history, & their painful prices.....

 

I think your title sums it up nicely.

 

Shame though, because as motorcycles...I do like them!

 

Nige.

[Tom M]

I wanted to run this as a poll, but you can't seem to start polls anymore!

 

Other than the fairings I kind of like it. Hard to say how much I would mind the upper fairing based on that one picture, but that lower thing would have to go as I think all chin fairings look like crap. Just my personal preference of course

 

Got any hp/tq numbers?

[Paul Minnaert]

http://www.voxan.com/voxan/gamme_charade.asp

 

TYPE Bicylindre en V à 72° - Refroidissement liquide 4 temps

CYLINDREE 996 cm3 - Alésage*Course : 98*66

PUISSANCE MAXIMUM Version France : 100 Cv à 8000Tr/mn

COUPLE MAXIMUM 9.7 MKg à 6500 TR/mn

 

18990 euro is a lot of money. The ammount Guzzi also dares to ask :-)

 

The bmw R1200s is 15.500

[Frenchbob]

There are Voxans much cheaper than the price quoted, here in France anyway. All have the same motor and all but the "Scrambler" have the same power. I have a good friend who tried a few models at a factory bash at Clermont Ferrand and has his name down for a new cafe racer. They're not selling in big numbers here, and I'm not really sure why, but then neither did Guzzi V11s, apparently. I like them, and I'm tempted by the Street Scrambler, a Scrambler with the more powerful motor and sports wheels/tyres [1000cc, 100bhp supermotard, anyone?] - the V11 would have to go, though!

 

There's also the business of getting to know a new type of bike: I'm old and lazy.

 

A French Hesketh? I could be mistaken, but weren't Heskeths badly-designed, under-developed bikes made by an eccentric, moneyed and enthusiastic but otherwise untalented, fat aristocrat who couldn't even ride a bike himself? No, I don't think they're French Heskeths!

[Tom M]

the fairing upper part looks like a le mans copy.

 

 

I see what you mean from this angle:

 

 

I think it needs a pair of big air cooled cylinders angled upward from beneath that fairing! That and scrap the chin fairing and the chain drive and I'm OK with it...

 

[badmotogoozer]

I really like the styling of the bike, and it has some really nice equipment on it... but it is still just a French Hesketh. I'm having enough problems with my Italian stuff!

 

If this was something produced by a known stable manufacturer, I'd be considering it as a replacement for my V11.

 

Rj

[dlaing]

I really like the styling of the bike, and it has some really nice equipment on it... but it is still just a French Hesketh. I'm having enough problems with my Italian stuff!

 

If this was something produced by a known stable manufacturer, I'd be considering it as a replacement for my V11.

 

Rj

and I think it is much better looking than a Buell or Aprillia

[Paul Minnaert]

It does have style, what can't be said of the most bikes you can buy. It does make vibes. It looks well finished for such a small company.

 

[Admin Jaap]

I wanted to run this as a poll, but you can't seem to start polls anymore!

I've noticed it now too; even with my godlike administrative rights I can't start a poll! I'll look into it, but with the 87,942 settings in the admin section it's quite hard to find...

[Guest Nogbad]

A French Hesketh? I could be mistaken, but weren't Heskeths badly-designed, under-developed bikes made by an eccentric, moneyed and enthusiastic but otherwise untalented, fat aristocrat who couldn't even ride a bike himself? No, I don't think they're French Heskeths!

 

You are mistaken. The Hesketh is a fine motorcycle, and one can still be had to order. Yes the Voxan IS a French Hesketh. The parallels are uncanny. Anyway Frenchbob, you should get Serge a Hesketh. You know it makes sense, and he would love the chicken's head crest.

[Frenchbob]

You are mistaken. The Hesketh is a fine motorcycle, and one can still be had to order. Yes the Voxan IS a French Hesketh. The parallels are uncanny. Anyway Frenchbob, you should get Serge a Hesketh. You know it makes sense, and he would love the chicken's head crest.

 

I would agree that my comments probably don't apply to the re-engineered Mick Broom Vampire which I know is still available hand-made to order....at a price. I had in mind the original 1981 or whenever debut, which was a disaster by any standards. And yes, you can read even that debacle as a brave effort to stem the tide of defeat sweeping the Brit motorcycle industry then..........but I'll stick with my original opinion.

 

I'm still interested in Voxans, but I'll wait until my friend has run his for a while before getting too interested.

 

Hey, you're right: the Hesketh does have a chicken's-head crest on its tank! I'll tell Serge tomorrow and cheer him up: he's moulting at the moment.

[Skeeve]

I liked the original Bidual concept bike; it had some real panache! Flat (boxer?) twin, arranged front-back (like a Douglas), but with the cylinders tilted at an angle to keep the wheelbase within reason... This one? Eh, not very interesting...

 

Ride on!

[beauchemin]

What about a Wakan? http://www.engmore.com/home.html