The Royal Ruby Cycle Co.

were originally bicycle makers based in Cannel Street, Ancoats surrounded by the Manchester cotton mills and like many bicycle makers of the time turned to producing by motorcycles from 1909.

 This tank had been previously lined with a polyester resin liner which was not able to stand up to the aggressive action of the ethanol in the petrol. The liner had broken down and allowed the petrol to seep into the rust areas that it had previously protected and cause more rust and perforation.

The Royal Ruby motorcycles were expensive as all the cycle parts were manufactured by the company in Manchester, but engines were brought in from JAP and Villiers

The range included 250cc 2 strokes and 4 strokes as well an unusual 'Ladies Model' with a specially lowered frame. Top of the range was a 976cc side valve V-twin. During the first Great War of 1914 - 1918 production at the factory turned to munitions and components to support the war effort, but in 1916 a large export order for the V-twin was commissioned by the Imperial Russian Army. The motorcycles were produced but delivery of the order was disrupted by the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1919. Although a few motorcycles were delivered to Russia, it was very difficult to obtain payment. After the war ended the British motorcycle market was saturated with ex military machines, so they found it difficult to sell the surplus machines on the home market and the company went bankrupt.

AJS 1927 H6/7 Bigport 350 cc

For the 1923 season the ohv concept was first used for customer models; its official name was the “2¾ hp three speed Overhead valve T.T. model” , but unofficially it immediately became the “Big Port”Ajay. From 1925 on prefixes were used to the numbering system.

1927 was the last year of the “goalpost” setup to secure the cylinder & head to the crankcase.  New features for the year were among others a redesigned timing case to conceal the exhaust valve lifter mechanism, a roller bearing supported crankshaft and a new Pilgrim mechanical oil pump with sight feed.

This tank arrived with a polyester resin lining already installed to cover rust. Ethanol petrol had been used and the liner had started to break down. The paintwork was in very good condition and the owner had asked for it to be saved.

The first two photographs show the condition of the paintwork and the other two, the red liner that was applied into both compartments. 

HONDA CBX 6 Cyl inder

The Honda CBX was a sports motorcycle manufactured by Honda from 1978 to 1982. With a 1047cc inline six-cylinder engine producing 105bhp (78kW), it was the flagship of the Honda range. The CBX was well received by the press. As a promotional exercise, CBX bikes were ridden by travelling marshals at the 1979 & 1980 Isle of Man TT

The CBX's advanced DOHC 24-valve inline six-cylinder engine was its outstanding feature; but in other respects the bike was conventional, having telescopic forks, a tubular frame, twin rear shocks and straight handlebars.

Although bulky, it was only two inches wider than a CB75CB the engine was wide only at the top. The width across the crankshaft was relatively narrow as the CBX had a stacked engine accessory arrangement, whereby the alternator and ignition items were positioned behind the cylinder block. This arrangement produced an acceptable engine width low down and moved critical items out of harm's way in the event of grounding.

 The above photographs are of the tank when received from the owner. They capture the condition before any work is carried out. The last photo shows the paint liner sprayed during manufacture, which was OK for the Leaded Petrol of the time but not able to withstand the use of the Ethanol petrol of today. This paint caused a rubber-like deposit to float in the fuel blocking the petrol pipes and sticking up the engine during use.

Kawasaki GPZ 900 R 1984

The Kawasaki GPZ900R (also known as the ZX900A or Ninja 900)is a motorcycle that was manufactured by Kawasaki from 1984 to 2003. It is the earliest member of the Ninja family of sport bikes. 

The 1984 GPZ900R (orZX900A-1) was a revolutionary design that became the immediate predecessor of the modern-day sport bike. Developed in secret over six years, it was Kawasaki's and the world's first 16-valve liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder motorcycle engine, years ahead of rival manufacturers' efforts. The 908 cc four-cylinder engine delivered 115 bhp (86 kW), allowing the bike to reach speeds of 151 mph (243 km/h), making it the first stock road bike to exceed 150 mph (240 km/h).

During the manufacture of this tank Kawasaki had sprayed the inside surface with a white paint like finish. This had been attacked by the ethanol in the petrol and had caused rust and some running problems to the bike.  The last picture shows where the ethanol laden fuel had seeped through the gasket of the petrol tap unit.