To this day, new and never ridden Stormers, still in the crate, show up in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the dated Villiers engine kept the Stormer from being a strong seller. The chassis featured several innovations that were way ahead of their time such as leading axle forks and the rear shock mounts mounted forward on the swingarm. Top British riders, Andy Roberton and Malcolm Davis were the development riders and a prototype was being raced as early as 1967, with first production in 1968. The Stormer was based around a re-engineered version of the agricultural Villiers 2-stroke engine which had long been the mainstay of British 250 class competition. So what was more logical for the born again Norton Villiers company of the mid 1960’s than to create and launch a purpose built motocrosser hot on the heels of its successful Norton Commando. In Europe, try Frans Munsters at 250cc STORMER / 1972 Vintage Husky in San Marcos, CA at 76 may be able to help.

It is very difficult to find parts for the Sprites. If these items are in good shape, the bike will make a beautiful addition to any collection.

The side panels are aluminum as are the fenders and the front and rear hubs are polished aluminum. The Eagles came with several different fuel tanks (2.0gal or 2.5gal) made of either fiberglass or aluminum and either Dunlop Sports knobbies or trials tires. A good core (original but in need of restoration) Husqvarna of the same year would easily go for twice this amount.Įagle 125 – CMXR (125cc Sachs engine), Eagle 250 – GMXR (250cc Husqvarna clone), and the Eagle 405 – TMXR (405cc Husqvarna clone). This un-restored example was purchased in 2006 for $2600. Today, Sprite Development still exists, but it builds RVs, caravans and motor homes.Īlthough it was quite rare to find the Sprite or it’s stepchilds on EBay, collectors don’t seem to be drawn to them. American Eagle distributor (Galaxy Wholesale in Garden Grove, California), the financial losses were too great to absorb. When Hipkin started exporting Sprites in large numbers the British government closed the tax loopholes that Sprite was using and, following the collapse of the U.S. Success killed the Sprite, Talon, Alron and BVM. Amazingly enough, if Hipkin had kept the Sprite motorcycle company small he might have lasted longer. Owner Frank Hipkin started building lightweight, Reynolds tubing frame kits for Villiers, Triumph Cub, Husqvarna and Maico engines. Sprite Developments in England showed rapid growth from 1964 to 1974. Additionally the Talon had a Sprite-built fork that was a direct copy of a Ceriani fork. Most American Eagles racers remember the gearbox with particular distaste.

Many Husqvarna parts would fit in the Italian engine, but not all.

It was an Italian-built copy of a late ‘60s, four-speed, 399cc, Husqvarna engine. Most distressing of the “clone engineering” behind the $1195 American Eagle 405 Talon was that the engine itself was a clone. It wasn’t until many years later that each country learned the truth about the “other” Sprites. Amazingly all the different national distributors tried to pretend that the Sprites were designed in the home countries. All the bikes were identical, with the exception of the American bikes having “American Eagle” cast into the engine case. Brits could buy the bike as the Sprite 405 Talon, Americans were offered the bike as the American Eagle 405 Talon, Australians knew it as the Alron 405 and Belgiums thought it was the BVM 405. The American Eagle was a private-label bike that was built by Sprite Developments in Oldbury, England by Frank Hipkin. But, in truth, there was no American Eagle motorcycle factory. American Eagle arrived on the USA motocross scene in 1967 with a big ad budget and small racing team (that included a young Brad Lackey).

Ossa motorcycle serial numbers