Rickman Interceptor, Metisse

Further Interceptor Developments

After the death of Floyd Clymer in 1970 the Rickman Brothers acquired the rest of the Enfield Engines. The engines were in possession of Mitchell’s in Birmingham waiting to be sent to Italy to be assembled. Mitchell’s were an import/export company and wanted to dispose of the engines as soon as possible. They approached the Rickman Brothers for a frame and the Rickman Metisse was born.

There were seven prototypes made (R650, 651, 652, 797, 810, 811, 979) There were however, only 130 production Rickman’s originally made. Production went from April 1970 until January 1972. Frame numbers commenced at R1001 and ran through to R1130.

Elite Motors Advert, From
“The Book of Superbike Road Tests” 1972

Customer’s Bikes   Phil Sampfords Rickman, Fitted with MK1A Engine with Amal GP Carbs   Robert Taylor’s Rickman, purchased new from Elite Motors     Certificate of Authenticity for Robert Taylor’s Rickman (left)   Invoice For Robert Taylor’s Rickman     Dan Rickwood’s Rickman   Bill Rosen’s Rickman, Chicago     Mark Cain with his Rickman before selling it on.     Derek Edward’s Rickman (IB2249X) in the West Midlands

Technical Specification Engine: 736cc RE Air-Cooled Twin. 71 x 93mm bore and stroke Transmission: Duplex Primary Chain to 5 Plate Wet Clutch, Albion 4-Speed Gearbox Frame: Nickel plated and eccentric fork pivot Suspension: Rickman Telescopic Front Forks with Hydraulic Damping, Swinging rear fork Wheels: Borrani Light Alloy Rims, Dunlop TT100 Tyres, Magnesium Hubs Brakes: Lockheed disc Brakes 10″ Front, 9″ Rear Electrics: Lucas 120 Watt 12 Volt Capacitator System, Lucas Continental 700 7″ Headlamp Equipment: 3-Gal Fibreglass Tank, 150mph Smiths Speedo, 10’000 RPM Smiths Tachometer, Light Alloy Centre Stand, Banana Fold Up Seat Sole UK Dealer: Elite Motors (Tooting) Canadian Dealer: Chariot Cycle (Vancouver) The Rickman was unable to be imported direct to the USA due to the US Department of Transportation’s regulations. It seems that some were stripped down and smuggled over.

Rickman’s In the Register, Add your bike here! Frame# Engine# Year GBox# Location Comments   1B-1478 1970     Ireland MRD Metisse Frame, built by John Mossey Classic R797 1B-1928 1970 Lisieux, Normandy France The second Rickman prototype which ran the 1970 Bol d’Or R810 1B-1934 1970 Chelles France One of the two prototypes which ran the 1970 Bol d’Or R1044 1B-2203X 1970 London England Basket case in the process of being restored (2010) R1021 1B-2204X 1971 BGA63   USA It was ordered from Elite and shipped to Boston in January 1972. Currently in North Carolina, USA. All paperwork is still with the bike including correspondence between original buyer and Elite leading up to the purchase as well as bill of sale and shipping documents. Sales brochures and related Elite Motors catalogs still in a large binder for preservation. The bike sat in a collection for 30 years in California until my purchase and currently has 1726 miles on it as of May 2012 at which time the seller was 82 years old. It only required an intense polishing and brake rebuild. Totally original and unmodified. My purchase included a complete new set of bodywork and seat as spares. RR204 1B-2206X 1970 BGA60 Poitiers France Frame from my Weslake racer for my old friend Royal R1004 1B-2207X Salzgitter Germany Elite Motor’s Press Demonstrator. Still running in original conditions R1014 1B-2214X Ashby de la Zouch England Blue, Engine Rebuilt. But Not in Frame 1B-2221X 1970 Maldon, Essex England This was from Ian Abrahams Rickman, bought 17 years ago. Still under the bench R1063 1B-2228X 1970 Bullsbrook Australia Frame was cut about, engine was cut out of another frame, after 18miles from new R1007 1B-2237X 1970/71 BGA216 Auckland New Zealand Orange. Complete and running R1023 1B-2238X 1971 BGA169 Perth Australia Currently being restored to original R/E spec after removing Yamaha engine. R1089 1B-2249X 1974   Solihull England 1st saw the bike on Royal Enfield Owners stand at 1990 Stafford Show then owned by Allan Hitchcock. He Sold it in 1991 to John Constable who rebuilt the bike and it was road tested in June 1992 Classic Bike described on the front cover as the Tangerine Dream Raunchy Rickman Interceptor.I next saw the bike advertised for sale in the Classic Bike Magazine when I was working in Saudi in June 1993 and I bought it over the phone from John Constable. I have owned the bike for the last 19 years and only ridden it for 400 miles but I am now 73 so I have reluctantly decided to sell it on to someone who will ride and enjoy. R1063 1B-2445X Ayrshire Scotland First UK registered in Oct 1972, now under restoration by new (third) owner 1B-2482X 1970 BG708 Maldon, Essex England Need R/H Crankcase R1037 1B-2455X 1970 BG724 Oxfordshire England Orange, New from Elite Motors, Tooting(Pictured Above with Paperwork) R1045 1B-2485X Cricklade, Wilts England Acquired from Pitsburg, USA R1042 1B-2487X 1971 BG670 Cambridgeshire England Orange, Original Dealer-Elite Motors, Tooting R1049 1B-2492X Salzgitter Germany with half-fairing, clip on bars R1026 1B-2495X Ashby de la Zouch England Orange R1045 1B-2516X 1972 Wiltshire England Orange, number 45 out of 138 (Pictured Above) 11084 1B-2517X 1971 Somerset England Rebuilt 1978. All new parts. Black. Now fitted with an NRE 8 Valve 920cc, moving to a 850cc 90 degree crank NRE engine. R1083 1B-2524X Maldon, Essex England Genuine complete bike from Canada, missing silencers and brake pedal only done 6,000 miles, not registered yet in this country 1107RE 1B-2534X 1971 BGA211 Cumbria England Same colour scheme as your illustration  ie Red & white toolbox 1971 Ashby de la Zouch England Spare Engine From USA R1116 1971 Fort Atkinson, Wi. USA Bought new in Canada, still ride it. R1121 1B-2543X 1971/1970 BGA293 Chicago area USA 2K miles R1124 1B-2546X Minnesota USA R1122 1B-2547X 1971   Essex England All original except tyres and some engine internals. I’m told it was discovered that the engine had been very poorly put together, which probably explains why the original owner (in California) only put 900 miles on it before ‘retiring’ it as a museum piece. It has recently been overhauled by a UK expert, and now runs really well, and is surprisingly smooth for a big parallel twin. R1111 1B-2546X 1971 BGA310 Hamilton New Zealand Still in tidy original condition, 35000km R1128 1B-2553X Raglan Wales Returned from USA, 2000 miles on clock R1121 1B-2555X 1971 Chicago USA Rickman Rear sets, Interceptor Pipes w/open megaphones R1119 1B-2566X Newark, Delaware USA I purchased new. 3056 orig miles. For sale to hi bid. 1B-2567X Copenhagen Denmark Engine purchased from Rickman late 70, Converted to MK2 1B-2574X Rossland Canada Spare Engine 1971 Jan AAG 7 Ontario Canada Engine only R1034 Cambridgeshire England 1967 MK1A Engine, Built from new parts, Alloy Cylinders R1130 Layton, Utah USA Last one made, I think.