Description
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
30th Oct, 2024 13:00
1965 Greeves Challenger
Beautifully presented 250 Scrambler
Estimate
£2, 200 - £2, 800
Registration No: Unregistered
Frame No: 24MX3C 1295
MOT: Exempt
Greeves own 250 engine with an Albion gearbox
Trademark leading link forks and alloy beam frame
A very successful model in 1960s Scrambles events
Greeves Motorcycles was founded by Bert Greeves in 1951 and produced a range of road machines and later competition mounts for trials, scrambles and road racing. The original company produced motorcycles from 1952, funded by a contract with the Ministry of Pensions for their Invacar, a three-wheeler for disabled drivers originally conceived for Berts disabled cousin and sales manager Preston Derry-Cobb. Using some of the knowledge and production techniques gained from the Invacar and utilising Villiers supplied engines they went onto great success in off road competition including Dave Bickers wins in the 1960 and 1961 European Scrambles World Championship and success in the BBC Grandstand Winter Motocross series. The first all Greeves produced model was the Challenger introduced in 1964, initially as a 246cc and later in a 362cc version, the engine incorporating an Alpha crankshaft assembly with Greeves’ own crankcases and an all alloy top end featuring generous finning. Mated to an Albion gearbox, this new power unit was carried in typical Greeves cycle parts consisting of a cast alloy beam frame and leading-link forks.
This distinctive looking 1965 Challenger 250 is being offered from a deceased estate. It was restored by the late vendor, a retired Mechanical and Electrical engineer who had raced Yamahas in the Manx Grand Prix in the early 1970s. A popular mount in the 1960s, not many will have survived the rigors of competition use but the late vendor used his engineering skills to carry out an authentic rebuild managing to keep as much originality as possible. The bike has not been run for a while so it will need recommissioning before use.
More images to follow.
