Jubilee resurrection

Thanks to Alan and Dan for Jubilee memories.

I owned one in the early 70's and even passed my test on it. This was the version of the test where the emergency stop test involved the examiner stepping out in front of you with hand raised (clip-board in the other). Well with the standard front brake the examiner was definitely at risk. Luckily I spotted him lurking behind a tree before stepping out in front of me and came to a nice controlled stop from all of 20 mph!

The exhaust was certainly noisy as well. The bike probably had the original exhausts but sawn-off and painted in silver. I replaced these with some pattern cigar-shaped ones which were an improvement. However these did nothing to prevent the bike's habit of spitting-out the exhaust pipes from the cylinder head. These are just a push fit and the noise is ear-shattering when the pipes drop out.

Paid £65 for it in 1971. Sold a year later for £50. Not bad for a year's biking and never let me down.

As for silencers - I'd go with the Dunstalls. Definitely right for the time.

Andy

Well, if you think a Jubilee front brake is lacking you should try bringing an Ariel Arrow or Leader to a halt; the application of the comprehensively feeble front "brake" seems, if anything, to make the bike go faster! I have both a Leader and a Jubilee and the brake on the latter is infinitely superior.

As regards silencers and exhaust noise levels, I agree that the racket that it emits does border on the anti-social, which is one of life's mysteries as the Jubilee I owned from 1961 to 1964 was always too quiet for my taste, even after replacing the factory silencers with replacement 'pattern' parts (with daily use, it took silencers about a year to eighteen months to rot out in those days).

I never had a Jubilee in it's heyday around the early sixties so I don't know what noise the original silencers made but I do like the sporting sound made by my replacement silencers which came from Armours. It sounds like a real British twin (even if it is only a 250)- they are supposed to sound loud and purposeful, not like my VFR400 where the only sound is the whine of the cam gears.. So definitely keep your 'noisy' original pattern silencers (or buy a Honda). The brakes are not brilliant but old British bikes as a rule had poor brakes- you simply had to anticipate things a bit more.

I only bought my first Jubilee in 1990 -purely for it's registration number which I intended to put on my MGB but the seller (an ex-racer Norton Manx racer) persuaded me that I should restore it and keep it instead.. Strangely enough I have come to like the little Jubilee even though it has it's obvious design faults. Curing the oil leaks is the biggest problem as they always seem to return despite the excellence of modern sealants. but with electronic ignition it starts first kick.

At the moment it is parked up for the Winter and not a drip underneath it but they will return for certain after a few miles use. But it is good fun and makes you think you are still 17 -that's a good reason to keep it.

Patrick.

Hi Dan. I would still like to come up and see your Nortons (on the ES2, naturally). Leg seems OK now, just need some weather that's a bit more favourable. Will contact you before coming over. Cheers..........Chris

Hi Dan,

My silencers are the original shaped ones which are listed by Armours as fitting early (1959/63) Jubilee, Navigator and Dominator. I think the concours people would condemn them as not being correct - the outlet is the wrong shape and the bottom exposed seam of the original is 'missing' or so I am told. They make a good healthy crack (loudish) - they sound like an old British twin- and certainly fitted no problem. The chrome is still good after say 10 years (but they are kept clean and garaged),

Armours also do the later 'cigar' silencer which is probably more correct for your bike and I think from memory that the later 'cigar' shaped silencer actually comes cheaper. And that has to be a good thing.

Patrick