Royce Creasey's FFs

The Flying Banana
The White Elephant
HiTechati
Graham Fryer
Voyager Prototype
The Voyager
Voyager Update and latest News
Voyager Prototype #3

Royce has been at the forefront of FF design since the late 70s. I first met him when he gave a speech to the Cambridge University Motorcycle Club and have some abiding memories of talking into the night about the Quasar and his Velocette. Having ridden with him a few times, he seems to have no fear, he followed me back from the cafe about 6" off my back wheel at 90mph to get the slipstream, which was quite unnerving.

He is a great believer in scrounging technology from whatever source is best and his machines have always had a wealth of interesting ideas, many of them drawn from the car industry.

If you're in the market for some custom FF work, or need a complete HCS front hub assembly, give him a call.

He has written many articles for obscure motorcycle magazines and has collected his thoughts in two pamphlets that are for sale at 10ukp each (Send a large SAE and payment to the address below). He can be contacted at:-

Royce Creasey
High Tech
31 Gratitude Road
Greenbank
Bristol BS5 6EH
UK

Tel: +44 (0)117-9511531
Email: royce@hightech.clara.co.uk
URL: http://www.hightech.clara.net/

The Flying Banana

"The Flying Banana" was originally built by Jack Difazio and Royce Creasey as an early attempt to build an FF with some of the advantages of the Quasar but in a smaller package. It uses a Honda CX500 engine with a Difazio front end. It is still running on the road despite a long and traumatic life that includes being stuffed into walls, slung up the road, used as a dispatch bike and taken to the Bol several times. It was in the "care" of Paul Blezard for most of its life and during this time was converted into a twin seater by Malcolm Newell. It's one of the longest running FFs and with a new owner. It's recently had a completely new set of bodywork and probably on it's 4th engine.

The White Elephant

Shortly after the Banana, Jack Difazio built another similar machine known as "The White Elephant" This was fairly heavy and was distinctly short of ground clearance. It also had narrow bars and a pronounced tendency to sit up under braking. I rode this on the Isle of Man and nearly came to grief at the Gooseneck as a result. I went in a bit hot and started to scrape the fairing. Stupidly, I then touched the brakes at which point the machine lunged for the other side of the road! It took all my strength to muscle it down again. It's been through a few owners since then and I've lost track of it but I did hear that somebody had done some work to raise it and provide some more ground clearance

High Techati

Royce Creasey built the High Techati as a rolling development testbed for his ideas and covered a lot of miles on it before the Ducati engine expired. Some key features included, Ducati 450 single, Difazio front end, UJ steering column, trigger throttle, metalastic suspension bearings, bodywork built from polyurethane foam covered with a grp skin, counter sprocket giving constant chain tension, Volvo car seat back and so on. This machine was extremely effective and Royce could keep up impressive average speeds despite the relatively low power. I have a great memory of him riding round the outside of me on a roundabout while looking across and giving the thumbs up. In his words "...it would drop into corners like a shot dog".

Graham Fryer

At about the same time as the HiTechati, Graham Fryer built this machine from the same drawings. It originally used a Velocette Venom engine and was raced at vintage meetings in this configuration. It was later converted to a VF400 and had a sheet aluminium front fairing added. He's currently rebuilding it again with a VF500 engine. I've just heard that the machine is now fully roadworthy and has just had it's maiden run in this new configuration.

Voyager Prototype

After the High Techati, Royce used the parts to build a prototype of a commercial vehicle, using many of the same ideas but with a Reliant engine and Moto Guzzi gearbox. This had an elegant body design finished in British Racing Green. This machine met its end when it destroyed a small car while Royce suffered only a stubbed toe; proof of the crash worthiness of the design!

Behind the Voyager prototype, can be seen the Avro Monocar. Two surprisingly similar designs separated by 60 years.

Voyager

Royce found some backers and manufacturers that would take the prototype design and go into series production. The "Voyager" was launched at the '89 NEC show and attracted much interest. Two demonstrators were built and another 3 machines were in various stages of completion before the consortium fell apart. They were finally sold at auction and finished by the new owners from the supply of spare parts.

The Voyager suffered from lack of development and excessive weight. The design showed promise but was probably over-engineered between drawing board and reality. When I rode the demonstrator, the cable gear change, trigger throttle, weight and steering stiction made it quite a challenge although it was very comfortable and with quite light steering. These are all faults that could have been developed out, given enough time and inclination.

Voyager Update

I recently received the following from Royce:-

Here's a bit of an update about the six Voyagers that actually resulted from my Feet First production project between 1985-90.

Five production prototype Voyagers were produced by SCL (In Crickhowell, Wales) before they abandoned the project in 1990. All were sold to private owners and all five are on the road at this time. I have been working with these owners to continue development this year and the very impressive performance, hidden by the lack of any development of the 'demonstrator', is beginning to emerge.

At the final conclusion of the Voyager project, the remaining tooling, design materials and an assortment of spares came back to me and I provide full technical support to the Voyagers. The Hub patterns were lost by SCL but there are in any case no plans to create further Voyager replicas. Better is better!

The Voyager Pre-Production Prototype, shown intact and damaged in "What Ever Happened", is now re-created and final assembly will begin shortly. The traditional midwinter month of February should see shake-down trials begin.

Although our company High Tech (Design) Ltd. is dormant, I continue to offer FF design and prototyping services, charging according to who is paying and why. I continue to believe that there is a major European role for developed single track vehicles (STVs) before the petrol runs out, but only if 'industrial-strength' finance is made available.

My review of FF developments, "What Ever Happened", published in 1994, is available for 10 Pounds, all in, from our address (above). The developments covered are mainly non-technical, somewhat historic and not at all what a motorcycle magazine would call a laugh. The technical matter should silence anyone who still believes motorcycles mean anything. There are some pictures. I naturally believe anyone interested should buy at least one copy.

It is possible to reduce the cost of this important publication by joining the Best Feet Forwards Motorcycle Club and buying it from them. It's (sob) half price then.

Best regards, Royce Creasey

Voyager Prototype #3

These shots were taken at the Bristol Show. The old prototype #1 has been resurrected with a Voyager front end and all new bodywork. Royce has succeeded in reducing the wheelbase again, while still leaving room for a passenger. The overall layout is similar but the radiator has now moved to two below the seat with ducts to the rear of the bike. The rear bodywork is now more aerodynamic and the headrest area is now bigger, possibly to help reduce draughts round the neck.

Since this photograph, Royce has been using it as a general run about and has put 15,000 mile on it. It maybe idiosyncratic, but it clearly works for him.