Hi all, here is a brief history of the Simpson Racer series. I hope this might be interesting to you-all, and perhaps clear up any confusion.
Early on I wanted to do Antique Motorcycle Style, and built 2 motor-bicycles from simple bicycle frames.
Old Number 6, and then the red flattrack bike, followed by the Jhn Deere bike for a customer.
In very early 06 a friend measured antique motorcycle pictures with me in my livingroom, He translated measurements and I drew.
I shopped the project out, and eventually had a BMX bicycle factory build my Simpson Model 08 Prototype: (see bare steel bike)
Followed by:
10 Production Simpson Model 08 Racers: (see blue bike)
Next my Simpson Model 09 Prototype, which did not include some aspects I wanted: (see red bike)
Now we chop the 08 Portotype to become the Prototype of the Simpson Model 10 series. experimenting here, we have added more rake than she needed: (again bare steel, notice radical rake, this bike will live again, I have plans for her)
This time a new fabrication shop, in AZ, a professional Motorcycle frame builder.
2 production prototypes were built, and approved with minor changes needed: (see bare steel bike in factory)
Now 18 Simpson Model 10 Racers were built, containing some un-approved minor changes, including but not limited to the tank construction, and some downsizing of flat-stock.
Next step was Tim ordered 5 Model 10 v.2 frames, these have different dropouts, and do not have an S blown into them.
I appreciated Bill's input of what the fork and seat-tube angles were on bikes he measured, this was implemented at the time of the Model 10 Production prototypes, we were going to go 23-24 degrees, and went with the 22 that Bill had mentioned.
This was, however the extent of his input into my design. The 2 Simpson framesets I shipped to Bill and Jim were of the 18 production Simpson Model 10's from AZ. Which are my design, with input from Tim, and my Fab guys.
I have a guy in the Bay Area who came into the business at the time of the end of the run of the Simpson Model 08's, Tim has been much help, and has sold many more bikes of my frames than I have at this time, without his participation I do not think the Model 10 would have seen production.
The design, business, production, distribution, and ultimate fate are mine which I choose to share with Tim, as he and I have an agreement.
If you look at the four different bikes (5 pics) you will see that my drop-loop, and backbone have never really changed, even though I lowerd the bike, and made very different dropouts along the way (along with other changes).
I have new designs in mind, but am not sure what avenue to take as to whether to produce them, or just build for myself on a prototype basis.
Ride Straight;
Mike
Early on I wanted to do Antique Motorcycle Style, and built 2 motor-bicycles from simple bicycle frames.
Old Number 6, and then the red flattrack bike, followed by the Jhn Deere bike for a customer.
In very early 06 a friend measured antique motorcycle pictures with me in my livingroom, He translated measurements and I drew.
I shopped the project out, and eventually had a BMX bicycle factory build my Simpson Model 08 Prototype: (see bare steel bike)
Followed by:
10 Production Simpson Model 08 Racers: (see blue bike)
Next my Simpson Model 09 Prototype, which did not include some aspects I wanted: (see red bike)
Now we chop the 08 Portotype to become the Prototype of the Simpson Model 10 series. experimenting here, we have added more rake than she needed: (again bare steel, notice radical rake, this bike will live again, I have plans for her)
This time a new fabrication shop, in AZ, a professional Motorcycle frame builder.
2 production prototypes were built, and approved with minor changes needed: (see bare steel bike in factory)
Now 18 Simpson Model 10 Racers were built, containing some un-approved minor changes, including but not limited to the tank construction, and some downsizing of flat-stock.
Next step was Tim ordered 5 Model 10 v.2 frames, these have different dropouts, and do not have an S blown into them.
I appreciated Bill's input of what the fork and seat-tube angles were on bikes he measured, this was implemented at the time of the Model 10 Production prototypes, we were going to go 23-24 degrees, and went with the 22 that Bill had mentioned.
This was, however the extent of his input into my design. The 2 Simpson framesets I shipped to Bill and Jim were of the 18 production Simpson Model 10's from AZ. Which are my design, with input from Tim, and my Fab guys.
I have a guy in the Bay Area who came into the business at the time of the end of the run of the Simpson Model 08's, Tim has been much help, and has sold many more bikes of my frames than I have at this time, without his participation I do not think the Model 10 would have seen production.
The design, business, production, distribution, and ultimate fate are mine which I choose to share with Tim, as he and I have an agreement.
If you look at the four different bikes (5 pics) you will see that my drop-loop, and backbone have never really changed, even though I lowerd the bike, and made very different dropouts along the way (along with other changes).
I have new designs in mind, but am not sure what avenue to take as to whether to produce them, or just build for myself on a prototype basis.
Ride Straight;
Mike
