Panther Model 120 - Development

Development

The Panther sloper engine designed by Granville Bradshaw remained unchanged for 25 years and the 650 cc 'heavyweight' had many of the Model 100 components. The increased capacity was achieved by boring out the Model 100 cylinder by 1 mm and increasing the stroke by 6 mm. As well as increased low speed torque this improved acceleration and top end cruising speed.

This put additional strain on the main bearings and crankcases, leading to reliability problems. The 120 also suffered with lubrication problems from the large sump cast into the front of the engine. Oil was pumped to the top of the sloper engine but return was erratic and oil consumption very heavy. The main shaft was redesigned with larger ball journal main bearings, A smaller exhaust valve combined with a larger Amal monobloc carburettor gave the Model 120 28 bhp at 4500 rpm, an increase of 4 bhp over the Model 100.

Motorcycle sidecars were popular at the end of the 1950s, so the Model 120 was provided with a purpose built sidecar chassis, connected by a three point mounting which provided minimal alignment problems. The sidecar wheel was interchangeable with the motorcycle wheels and had swinging arm suspension with an Armstrong shock absorber. A trailer with a towbar was also provided as an option.

Read more about this topic:  Panther Model 120

Famous quotes containing the word development:

    A defective voice will always preclude an artist from achieving the complete development of his art, however intelligent he may be.... The voice is an instrument which the artist must learn to use with suppleness and sureness, as if it were a limb.
    Sarah Bernhardt (1845–1923)

    This was the Eastham famous of late years for its camp- meetings, held in a grove near by, to which thousands flock from all parts of the Bay. We conjectured that the reason for the perhaps unusual, if not unhealthful development of the religious sentiment here, was the fact that a large portion of the population are women whose husbands and sons are either abroad on the sea, or else drowned, and there is nobody but they and the ministers left behind.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    Creativity seems to emerge from multiple experiences, coupled with a well-supported development of personal resources, including a sense of freedom to venture beyond the known.
    Loris Malaguzzi (20th century)