Author Topic: Factory RGS pictures and Info  (Read 5681 times)

Offline duTch

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #15 on: 16.03. 2016 21:10 »

 
Quote
whats the legend; they only made a couple of hundred but over a thousand have survived?
or something like that  *whistle*
         *smile* *smile*

  Any idea of just how many were genuine factory produced *????*

 
Started building in about 1977/8 a on average '52 A10 -built from bits 'n pieces never resto intended -maybe 'personalised'
Have a '74 850T Moto Guzzi since '92-best thing I ever bought doesn't need a kickstart 'cos it bump starts sooooooooo(mostly) easy
Australia

Online chaterlea25

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #16 on: 16.03. 2016 21:20 »
Hi Dutch,
Around 1700 were built by BSA

John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Offline Rocket Racer

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #17 on: 16.03. 2016 21:28 »
Roy Bacon and Mick Walker both quote the RGS was 46hp with 4 more when fitted with special race silencer
identical base performance as the '62 SR
neither mention how many they made... just that "replica's" out number originals

but 1700! common as muck  *whistle*
A good rider periodically checks all nuts and bolts with a spanner to see that they are tight - Instruction Manual for BSA B series, p46, para 2.
New Zealand

Online chaterlea25

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #18 on: 17.03. 2016 00:00 »
Ye'r only jealous *razz*
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Online Topdad

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #19 on: 17.03. 2016 13:15 »
I'll have that kind of muck anyday ! *lol*
" rules are made for the guidance of wise men and the blind obediance of fools"
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Offline roadrocket

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #20 on: 18.03. 2016 14:42 »
Hello Viking

Are you sure that the photo is factory issue? It does not fall in line with the other material from BSA in that period. I have seen it a couple of places on the internet, but always assumed it to be of recent date.

Cheers, Otto in DK
Otto in Denmark

Offline Viking

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #21 on: 19.03. 2016 09:38 »
To Otto.

It looks like factory pictures.
But with RGS bikes, you can never be shure.

This look factory/dealer correct:

http://www.vintagemotorcyclesonline.com/zenphoto/albums/VMOL%20wallpapers/british/RGS4.jpg
With price label over old price label....


Offline BSA_54A10

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #22 on: 19.03. 2016 13:32 »
Well actually it looks nothing like factory photo.
It looks like a modern center spread for a classic motorcycle magazine
Back in 62 it would have been near impossible to shoot the bikes against a red cyclorama.
Red is a very hard colour to photograph properly now .
There is sufficient red bleed in the chrome & alloy to confirm that were shot on red.
BSA Never did a publicity shoot with cables on a bike.
If a number plate was depicted on a bike it was either blank or was BSA with the capacity as the numbers as in the poster recreated on the top of this page.
All the 60's catalogues & publicity material were paintings which back then were cheaper to make & print than photos

It is not a single shot but two individual bikes photoshoped together.
You can see this by the location of the shadows or the lack of shadow as the case may be and inconsistencies in the reflections.
There is a crease line which has been poorly healed which runs down the ecenter of the seat passes through the piping dissappears into the amorphous black blob for the oil tank then runs through the muffler and  causes the front of the rear wheel to be misshaped
The photographer was using neon tubes is a soft box or window box if you like to illuminate the bike and the illumination is coming in from different angles on each bike.
This type of photographic illumination was invented in the 80's
The rear bike was shot from a high angle and the front bike was shot from tank badge level.
Both bikes were shot from a long distance using a long lense to avoid reflections of the photographer.
There has been no atempt at uplighting the engines which was always done in factory photos so the fins were illuminated full depth and do not appear as undefined blobs.
The whole image is soft, emotion stirring a style of photography that did not fall into common use till the 90's.
It says "the Legendry" not the "brand new & exciting "so again stinks of a rose coloured galsses magazine photo.
Quite possibly a recreation of some original factory material but definately not an original factory production.
Bike Beesa
Trevor

Offline Viking

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #23 on: 19.03. 2016 15:09 »
The picture with the two bikes looks constructed.

I noticed the hump in the rear tyre...

The drawing with the bike inkl. Sales prices lookes gut, but is it a factory
Issued drawing ?   

Good Q.   

Offline RichardL

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #24 on: 19.03. 2016 15:51 »
Trevor,

 That's an interesting evaluation of the photo. I completely agree that it would not be a photo bY BSA but, just for my amusement, I am going to jump into the discussion and give it my two pence.

I can't really see this as a composite putting together images of two bikes. To match the background so closely, if shot separately, they would most likely need to have been in the studio at the same time and put against the same background. Why bother with separate shots if you have both bikes there at the same time? Then, it's hard to imagine the editor that did such a poor job patching the crease doing such a nice job overlapping the two bikes. Looking at my avitar picture, I don't think you will see where I took out telephone poles and cleaned up around the wheels, and I am a complete amateur. I think some of the shadows have been touched up, added and/or removed. Then, and maybe it's because I am such an amateur, I don't see the difference in shot elevation you've described.

As a side point, why would BSA show cables in the painted advert but not include them in a photo?

Thanks for sprouting the discussion.

Richard L.

Offline bsa-bill

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #25 on: 19.03. 2016 17:20 »
couple of points
I can't see a crease, which photo am I suposed to be looking at.
Secondly computers were in their infancy it this time, I don't know if Photoshop or any other capable programme was around, possibly but would have cost an arm and a leg
All the best - Bill
1961 Flash - stock, reliable, steady, fantastic for shopping
1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco

Online Greybeard

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #26 on: 19.03. 2016 19:19 »
I believe this is the image that BSA_54A10 is describing. Looks suspect to me.
http://www.vintagemotorcyclesonline.com/zenphoto/albums/VMOL%20wallpapers/british/RGS7.jpg
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Offline bsa-bill

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #27 on: 19.03. 2016 19:56 »
cheers GB
 yes I see a mark on the far bike tool box, not sure I'd make it into a crease, the eye is one of the easiest of our senses to be fooled or to be correct what our brain makes of the image our eyes see is often false (more than we think).
Reflections can't be counted, who knows what lighting was used and how many lamps, similar with shading for the same reason

I'll reserve judgment  *eek*
All the best - Bill
1961 Flash - stock, reliable, steady, fantastic for shopping
1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco

Online chaterlea25

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #28 on: 19.03. 2016 20:22 »
Hi All,
I seem to remember that the first pic was a centre spread or poster in Blassic Bike or similar magazine

????
John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Offline RichardL

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Re: Factory RGS pictures and Info
« Reply #29 on: 19.03. 2016 23:56 »
couple of points
I can't see a crease, which photo am I suposed to be looking at.
Secondly computers were in their infancy it this time, I don't know if Photoshop or any other capable programme was around, possibly but would have cost an arm and a leg

Bill,

Good point about computers in their infancy but when was this produced? (Can't check while thumb typing.) There is no crease (or whatever the flaw was) anymore, just distortion on a vertical line through the seat and, ultimately, tire of the bike on the right.

Richard L.