Quasar / Phasar / Malcolm Newell in general...

[470four]

In my youth, as a kidlet living in Westbury ::) we were often visited by Malcolm on "tea-trips" roadtesting the latest incarnation of his feet-forward motorcycles... :)

Full roof with rollcage, windscreen wiper, a heater, leading link forks, full luggage in the back, sitting on the fuel tank with the engine in front of you!

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/santav10/Bikes/New%20Santa%20V10/Motorcycles/800px-7quasars.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/santav10/Bikes/New%20Santa%20V10/Motorcycles/BlezSBshootWebpreview.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/santav10/Bikes/New%20Santa%20V10/Motorcycles/images.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/santav10/Bikes/New%20Santa%20V10/Motorcycles/7ffsongrassweb_8540-1219preview.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV4qVbNPX_w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8v3df45QJw&playnext=1&list=PLB18DEF3A016E 27AD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasar_(motorcycle)

Production was from 1975 - 1982 with many outwardly strange & wacky variants! Sadly Malcolm passed away many years back, but you have to admire his vision & drive to see the motorcycle as a different form & get it in production!

Pillion on the bike was cosy as you can imagine - it turned heads like no other & undoubtedly still does today... :)

Can anybody remember these? Difazio had dealings in Frome from what I can remember??

[Jon_W]

There are still a few about. Difazio did the front suspension for the bigger ones.

Didn't some use Kawasaki engines and other Reliant Robin???

[Moo]

I remember them!! When I was sixteen and got a Yamaha FS1E my parents insisted that I did some training as a condition on having the bike. The instructor always turned up in a Quasar.

Just had a look on the Wikipedia link and my instructor was John Malfoy who made a few in Calne. I didn't realise that they only made 21!!!

[470four]

I think there seemed to be quite a few about as they were made just down the road?

Yep, Reliant engines, along with GS Suzuki & even a Z1300 Kawasaki one... :)

[Last Train]

This was taken in the grounds of Bowood House after the Calne bike day last year...

http://i440.photobucket.com/albums/qq129/headallfire/Calne%20Bike%20show%2009/10/quasar-1.jpg

[Si]

The guy next door to us when I was in my late teens had a Quasar. I remember thinking how futuristic it looked! ;D BMW have made something similar havent they?

[470four]

http://www.realclassic.co.uk/quasar06062000.html

[Vee4 Gaz]

Yes I remember them also, one used to be parked outside a house around Heddington Nr Calne. Haven't seen any in years now though.

[470four]

Yes I remember them also, one used to be parked outside a house around Heddington Nr Calne. Haven't seen any in years now though.

Malcolm lived in Heddington, probably his! Should be one or two at the upcoming Calne Bike show... :)

[BB]

Was it really that many years since Malcolm died? Suppose it must be. :-/ Only met him once or twice.

BB

[alanTDM]

They first started making these in Lawrence Hill,Easton,Bristol near the train station.They had a police version at the 1979 Bristol bike show at the docks,When i lived in Easton Bristol there was always one or two out side Royce Creassy's who was then a journalist for Classic Bike Mag.He had a feet forward bike aswell (Guzzi Engine)but not as stream lined as the Quasar..Those had Reliant engines in,there was a reliant dealer in Fishponds Road, Bristol,near Charlies Motorcycles,British bike dealer and spares.

[470four]

Was it really that many years since Malcolm died? Suppose it must be. :-/ Only met him once or twice.

BB

Passed on in 1994, aged 53? I remember going to the funeral at his house and seeing all the bike bits everywhere...

http://www.bikeweb.com/node/458

[Kevinb]

I remember the police version and also remember seeing a paramedic one

[470four]

http://pc800.co.uk/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?tid=465