January 17, 2013
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Thank you to everyone who commented on the “Name That Motorcycle” photo on the HVA website and the HVA's Facebook page.
This bike is a 1959 Zimmerman, which was designed by the model builder Emil Zimmerman. It is believed to be one-of-a-kind and is housed in the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. The most unusual characteristic of the Zimmerman is that its valve operation is controlled by a ported rotary sleeve and there are no conventional valves, springs or lifters. The bike was ridden in the Jack Pine Enduro and has been beautifully restored by Chuck Huneycutt, Barber's chief restoration mechanic.
And the winner of the contest is...Ben Thompson, from Lumberton, Texas!
For guessing correctly, Ben will receive a free HVA ballcap. The same cap is available here, in the online store.
Don Atkinson S. Lanmcaster, Ma.
The bike looks like a1966 441 BSA.
raymond bell prince george va
i think it is an indian bike
Doug Carlo Lincoln, NE
1947 Henderson
Ed Daniels trinity, Fl
I belive the bikeis a Boniville 650 made by BSA
David Fisher Lehigh Iowa
1965 Honda
Bob Geier Silver Spring, Maryland
The motor cycle is a BSA
Kimberly Bossenbery Las Vegas
Triumph
tommmy burniston Erie, PA
1945 BSA B31
Neal Alderman FL
I think it is a Norton
Richard LawrenceLooks to be United States
Looks to be a BSA circa1958
Holly Kerr Tampa
1954 BSA
vince browne bridgewater nj
vincent
Rob Twinsburg Ohio
1959 harley
Frank W Jones Osceola, Ia
I believe the bike in question is a "Matchless" .
robert hill Boulder, Co
It is a 1959 Zimmermann-and what a fantastic job Emil did! I can only hope that some day my machining skills will be that good. Cheers,Rob
Grant Brinker Arnold Missouri
I believe the bike is a 1968 Norton, it is very cool no matter what it is.
Eric Howard Paso RObles CA
It looks like a AJS to me.....AJS
Charlie Puha New Jersey
1968 CZ
Seafoodlover Ohio
65 Triumph 650
Michael DeSantis Phoenix NY
I will guess that this motorcycle is a 1957 Triumph.
mark norko Ct
ariel square four 1960's
Kai Baumann Baden, PA
1953 NSU
Hal Heather Federal Way Washington
1966 BSA
Marty Thomas WI
I think it might be a Matchless, around a 1965. I had a modified '62 that looked similar, but with a 650 twin engine and an older style seat.
John McKenzie Endicott, N.Y.
It looks to me like it's a Brit bike. My guess is Sunbeam form the early 1950's.
mike ceres, california
1965 Norton
Steve Kahle Texas
1957. Triumph
Alfred Gerisch United States
1950 honda
Lincoln Olson Lake City, Florida
It certainly looks like a triumph and I'd guess it's a 1963 model
Gary Collier Gaylord Mi 49735
1954 Vincent Black Shadow
BOB PAQUETTE TROY
1951 MATCHLESS OR ROYAL ENFIELD
PATRICK HENRY RIVER PINES, CA.
This looks like about 1963 Triumph, maybe a 250cc sprint.
duane 811HermanroadHorsham,Pa19044
1947 Vincent
Larry baker batesville indiana
Venson black lightning
george allison 16148
BSA 1941
Larry Baker Oldenburg IN
Vencent black lighting 1952 love the song
Ben Thompson United States
The motorcycle shown is a 1959 Zimmerman. Very nice restoration!
Salvatore Oakfield, New York 14125
BSA 1951
Ron Grinold Cleveland TN
BSA
john everett Arkansas
matchless
Bill McNair Midwest
Husquvarna
Carter Willey Esperance, New York USA
The motorcycle is a 1959 Zimmerman.
Robert Wood 46660 rt 25,Southold ,New York,11971
Is that a 1958 Velosett?
john tatu pa.
this is a bsa
pete nv.
1957 Matchless
Stephen D Brading 512 highway 160 Charlestown In. 47111
1966 Honda 160
Mike Adams Jacksonville Fl.
1968 BSA "MX Thumper"
Rick Rickerman Knoxville, TN 37938
1963 -1964 Honda
Wayne Rodgers 7513 Crested Quail St, North Las Vegas, NV 89084
I would gues it is a - 1965 Triumph motorcycle
george singh nj
triumph
Jon Fuja Durand, MI
Looks like a Bridgestone 175cc scrambler
Mike Weir Spokane, WA.
1954 Triumph
Bob Wash. D.C
1956 norton. Wild guess
Keith Berg Elkhart, IN
1957 BMW
Chris Nelson Palm Bay,Florida USA
This looks similar to the 1949 AJS that I owned back in the 1960's. My guess is 1953 AJS.
art garibell pa
1957 bsa
Alice Mercer utah
i think it is a indian
Lee Ewald Central Lake, MI
I think that it is a 1950s era BSA.....Gold Star (around 1954)
Eric Nicholson United States
It is a 1959 Zimmerman.....but I confess...I cheated. Google has the ability to not just search for text but it will search for images also....so I copy and pasted the image into Google's IMAGE search and out popped the below website. I did enjoy reading about it though...so thanks for that. Also you may want to consider renaming the image something different if you are trying to make a guessing game out of this because if you right click on the image and try to save it the name defaults to "Zimmerman" ;) I was originally going to guess BSA because it kinda reminds me of my dad's old BSA bike that he drove in the early 50s. http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bboard/showthread.php?19167-Latest-Restoration-From-Barber-Vintage-Motorsports-Museum
joseph hollingsworth baton rouge la.
Duane Salisbury NC
Vincent
Estill Smith Lexington, KY
It looks like a 1958 Norton
Karl Dickert Lansing, Mi.
Don Fooshee Terrell Texas
BSA?
Henry Ashton Queensbury, New York
My guess is a 1959 or 1960 Honda
ken lee columbus ohio
Zimmerman, since that is the name of the JPG file that you are showing on this site. LOL.
Jim Lancaster, PA
Sunbeam
Dennis Boese Homosassa, Fl
Mid '50s Matchless motorcycle
Joseph Mota Rhode zisland
1955 Matchless
Rick Johnson Mokena IL
1959 Zimmerman.
Kirwin Darney Cary, NC
1948 BSA
Charles Gabel Wyandotte MI.
I believe a Royal Enfield 53
Joseph Stickovitch Mesa, AZ
My guess on this motorcycle is - 1961 BSA
Tony Cenicola New York
1956 BSA
jim Frankel houston
Husqvarna
xavier valdes Miami FL
Indian !!
jim schaffer deer park, illinois
bmw 1964
Tom McHugh United States
I know it's a Zundapp and it is at the Barber Museum in Alabama. I remeber seeing it and have pictures of it there.I'm guessing it's a one off 'concept' model as it's a two stroke twin, at least as I remember it.
gene waterman home
It'a a BSA
Bernd Berberich Bellport, N.Y.
I believe it is a BSA.
Jim Wydareny St. Thomas On.
1960 Norton
mark crites venice florida
1968 buell
shawn cole lawrence,ks
it is a 1971 triumph st150
Robin Bell Maryland
1965 BSA Lightning Clubman
John Wilson League City, Tx
It is a BSA
Frank Power Mississippi
Zimmerman
Nic v d Paardt Brentwood, CA
1956 NSU
Pete Valdosta, Georgia
It's a Zimmerman.
J Breneman CT
60'vintage Zundap
Phil Turner Eastsound, WA
Had to search it out as I was stumped. Plunger rear suspension said 50's or earlier, forks/ front brake looked like 50's vintage BSA but the engine was the tough call ; v-twin that looked like a flathead or a 2-stroke, twin side-mount amals ? The frame looked setup for the dirt w/ high pegs. Tank with the triangular pads could have been from any number of brit or german bikes - BSA, Triumph, Norton, Velo, Zundapp, Ariel, AJS. Turns out it's a one-off '59 Zimmerman. Who knew? Beautiful engine machining by the builder.
Al canada
I think its a Vincent prince little brother to the black shadow my dad had one its the same seat he also had a AJS porcupine very rare bike ..my guess?????
Richard Dandreas New Jersey
The bike looks like a 1963 BSA