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There were however, only 137 Rickman's originally made. There were six or seven prototypes also made (R651, 797, 810, 811, 979) Production went from April 1970 until January 1972.

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

Customer's Bikes

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
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)
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.
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
		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-2549X	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.