1951 Manx 350, it says...

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Would you advertise this as a 1951 Manx Norton?

1951 Manx 350, it says...
 
I looked at this picture for a long time, as I couldn't see what was wrong for a '51. Then the penny dropped. It's the yellow plastic screws holding the front number plate on which aren't original.
I think someone should let the owner know.
 
I looked at this picture for a long time, as I couldn't see what was wrong for a '51. Then the penny dropped. It's the yellow plastic screws holding the front number plate on which aren't original.
I think someone should let the owner know.
The rivet counters are not going to like the yellow plastic screws!
 
I think the biggest issue is it ain’t a Manx frame is it ?
The biggest, but certainly not the only. Not much (if any) Manx there, outside the motor. Not even the fork tubes!

I'd be first in line to ride the bejezus outta the bike, orange hubs and all, but let's call it what it is, a bitsa. It makes the bike no less fun to ride.

I live very near the auction site, so I'll be sure to go and express our collective displeasure at those yellow plastic screws. Knickers officially twisted.

The article does a lot of smoke blowing, perhaps in the interest of generating interest for the auction. Saying a 350 Manx is an easy way into vintage racing is far from the truth. Go to your first meet-up and you'll be embarrassed to have circles run around you by dozens of Honda K4s. I've never ridden one personally, but the Manx 350 is reportedly a difficult bike to keep on the boil.
 
The engine and the gearbox might be from -51. There might be other parts that could be from -51, but I can't see any on the photo.
Definitely wrong age or type of frame, wheels, rear shocks, at least parts of forks, handlebars, levers, megaphone, footpegs, carb, oil tank, seat and number plate.
I'd definitely would not ride that bike without rear mudguard. An old Manx is an oily beast. Oily rear tyre makes riding a bit too interesting for my taste.
 
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Why is the engine tilted back a few degrees, wrong engine plates or its a frame for a twin.
 
. Go to your first meet-up and you'll be embarrassed to have circles run around you by dozens of Honda K4s. I've never ridden one personally, but the Manx 350 is reportedly a difficult bike to keep on the boil.
I've been racing a Honda CB250 K4 (now raced by my son). I have not yet managed to get better laptimes on the 350 Manx. The Honda is 20 kilogrammes lighter than the Manx. Handling is ok on both. Keeping the Manx on cam isn't difficult, just completely empty under 4000. Starts to pull at 5000 and change gear when the engine starts to rattle at a bit over 8000. Compared to the Honda which starts to pull at 5000 and redline at 12500. The big difference is the front brake which on the Manx is best described as horrendous. The Honda's disc brake is quite good.
Navigating the Manx from the pits out to the track is the tricky part. Keeping revs up and use a slipping clutch for slow going. Same procedure on tight hairpins. Otherwise it's quite easy to ride when out on the track. Remember that the Manx is designed for the TT. I think that Ramsey hairpin is the only hairpin on the Mountain Course. So not much warming of the clutch.
 
I wonder what the intention was here, builder certainly could have built a better "copy"... so why advertise as such.
 
At a quick look, I only found 21 wrong looking things on that bike. Guess a rivet counter could find many more. And that is on the right side of the bike.
 
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