Hi NOCcers, I’m getting the hump. Or possibly not. One of what I laughingly call my projects but in reality is just a pile of bits is a 64/65-ish Atlas. Now, I had it in mind that all Atlases had the seat hump a la later SS twins, certainly my previous Atlas did way back in the mists of time, as my old photos show.
Bacon’s Twins book only has the throwaway line, “For 1968 the seat grew a rear hump.”
Looking just now at the Club’s online brochure book V7, all the bikes in the one dated 1966 have the regular flat dualseat, including 650/750 on p488.
For 1967 (ie next brochure) p491 shows them with the same seat, and confusingly on the next page (492) the 650/750 are pictured with the hump seat.
Having no V5 I will need eventually to seek an age-related registration number, so if I hold out for a 64/65 number, am I going to get caught out if I opt for the hump style (assuming I can find a suitable seat pan for restoring)?
On balance, I would go…
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Photographic Evidence
The attachments might help with the answer.....Although it might be enough to give you the hump.
Apart from tank colours, the Atlas and 650 were similarly equipped. Export and special orders could be wearing a few more Chromed chunks.
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Photographic evidence #2
Whether this helps, I don’t know but here is a picture from front cover of July ‘67 edition of US Cycle magazine. It shows an Atlas with the humped seat, so certainly gives credence to the story that the humped seat was introduced for MY68 bikes
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Taking the hump (Dross Alert)
I hope I can give you an honest reply on this one without any nasty comment:
Apart from my cafe racers (Goes with the territory) I have removed any humps from my seats, though I have a slight hump on one bike.
The reason for this is that over the past year or two I have found it increasingly difficult to get my leg over the hump, especially getting off. Reducing wheel size to 18" was only a slight help.
The hump must have been a 'fashion victim' from the racers as I don't think passengers appreciated being given the hump?
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Other vehicles (notably cars…
Other vehicles (notably cars) of the period slowly grew odd lumps and bumps to upset the clean lines intended by their original designers. Rover 2000 comes to my mind, but bulbous wheel arches, spoilers, wings...
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Thanks all for your comments…
Thanks all for your comments and photos. For now at least, its hunt the seat and be thankful for whatever I can get my hands on.
As for now, I have a genuine Lightweight seat, and a pattern Slimline seat from my 88. Comparing them, frame fittings aside, the actual metal pan looks to be the same size and shape, which makes sense from a manufacturer's POV.
I have followed the various other threads on here relating to slimline seats of late with interest, seems I am not alone in struggling to get hold of a seat. Would there be enough mileage for the spares scheme trying to find somebody who could produce a batch of blank pans at a reasonable price, with LW or SL fittings to be added as required? Easier said than done I know.
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On balance, I would go without, what use is it anyway?, and it will be a nit pickers delight if you display the beast. as a 64/65 model. Plenty of time to get the hump when you have to kick the beast over.