Tandon Trials

[laird387]

Hi,

Other than in ORR I cannot recall ever seeing a published photograph of the ‘Kangaroo’ trials model, with its rubber-sprung rear suspension and Villiers 10D 125cc three-speed motor.

The swinging arm had a short tube brazed below the pivot, with strong rubber bands round the tube and fastened to the front frame. The whole wheel and mudguard assembly pivoted upwards under the rubber band control. Introduced for the 1950 season it survived until about 1953.

The Metal Profiles front forks had internal rubber dampers.

Enjoy this early monoshock............

[stickinthemud]

Thanks Deryk. I thought that Tandons were a forgotten and disregarded mark.

Don Morley did compliment the models in his British Two Stroke Trials book.
I came across a Tandon Kangaroo trials bike basket case about 10 years ago in Huddersfield.
As a pre65 trials rider I was intrigued by the model. I searched the internet but couldn't find a great deal about it.
The mk1 Tandon Kangaroo was available for 1951/2 as you say with the 10d 125cc engine.
The rear suspension was by rubber tubular block in compression by cantilever from the swinging arm under the engine as used on a couple of Tandon road models.
The lack of damping no doubt led to it being named the Kangaroo!

For 1953, the Mk2 Kangaroo replaced the mk1 and was given 'conventional' rear suspension with Girling type units.
The Mk2 was also available as the Tandon Kangaroo Supreme with a 6E 197cc Villiers 3 speed engine.
I bought the Kangaroo that turned out to be a Mk2 registered in Jan 1953 with a 125cc engine with a view to riding it in the Vintage 2 stroke class with the Yorkshire Classic MCC.
Over the period I gradually sorted it out. First job was to widen the rear end to take a 400 back tyre to replace the 325 originally fitted. Pogo forks would be no good so a set of heavyweight AMC units were engineered to fit.
A 6E 197cc engine was fitted using electronic ignition followed later by a 4 speed Albion gearbox (Tandon never fitted one). The frame is reminiscent of modern trials bikes with the low centre frame allowing a low seat height.
Why it didn't sell at the price would be down to a combination of fashion, lack of competition success and suspicion of a budget brand.
I think you'll agree that yours and the attached photo shows what a bonnie little bike the Kangaroo was.
So far it has completed three Scottish pre65 2 day trials and is brought out regularly in Yorkshire Classic events and does okay.
Of the only other Mk2s I know of, one is in California! It was taken there in the 50s with a shipment of British lightweights to see what the Americans made of them. Not much I suspect but the Kangaroo survived and is in the process of being restored. The other is in Essex awaiting the owners attentions.
I also know of a Mk1 near Pontefract and would be keen to hear of the whereabouts of any others.
Tandon did market a 'Scrambler' until the company went bust. It sold reasonably well and had some success in Ireland I'm told.

Edited February 28, 2014 by stickinthemud

[laird387]

Hi stickinthemud,

Many thanks for your reply - precisely the sort of historical detail that I really want 'showing' my archive to everyone to bring out into public knowledge.

In time I hope to be able to collect together enough information to publish full details of the competition machine totally designed and built in the Colne valley by my early mentor, my great uncle, Dick Wylde of Slaithewaite - and I'll bet no-one has heard of that before.............

Cheers

Deryk

[jc2]

Stickinthemud, that is a great looking bike, especially for a '53 model. Well done.

[laird387]

Hi,

When I first showed the 'publicity' image in ORR I mentioned that I had never seen any evidence of a Tandon in use in a trial.

By return I had a letter from ever helpful Phil Perryman of Taunton, he said; "In issue 70 you mentioned never having seen a Tandon in use in a trial, so I hunted through my own archives and found this shot of a Tandon Kangaroo trials model!

"I can only guess that it was taken around 1952/3 in a trial in the Bagshot/Talmag sort of area because I bought the unnamed negative at an autojumble!

"Ralph Venables says he thinks the rider was a Tilly Shilling but we’ll probably find some reader who knows exactly who and when!"

In the interest of historical accuracy, I am including the image here for all to share.

Enjoy

[laird387]

Thanks Deryk. I thought that Tandons were a forgotten and disregarded mark.

Don Morley did compliment the models in his British Two Stroke Trials book.

I came across a Tandon Kangaroo trials bike basket case about 10 years ago in Huddersfield.

As a pre65 trials rider I was intrigued by the model. I searched the internet but couldn't find a great deal about it.

The mk1 Tandon Kangaroo was available for 1951/2 as you say with the 10d 125cc engine.

The rear suspension was by rubber tubular block in compression by cantilever from the swinging arm under the engine as used on a couple of Tandon road models.

The lack of damping no doubt led to it being named the Kangaroo!

For 1953, the Mk2 Kangaroo replaced the mk1 and was given 'conventional' rear suspension with Girling type units.

The Mk2 was also available as the Tandon Kangaroo Supreme with a 6E 197cc Villiers 3 speed engine.

I bought the Kangaroo that turned out to be a Mk2 registered in Jan 1953 with a 125cc engine with a view to riding it in the Vintage 2 stroke class with the Yorkshire Classic MCC.

Over the period I gradually sorted it out. First job was to widen the rear end to take a 400 back tyre to replace the 325 originally fitted. Pogo forks would be no good so a set of heavyweight AMC units were engineered to fit.

A 6E 197cc engine was fitted using electronic ignition followed later by a 4 speed Albion gearbox (Tandon never fitted one). The frame is reminiscent of modern trials bikes with the low centre frame allowing a low seat height.

Why it didn't sell at the price would be down to a combination of fashion, lack of competition success and suspicion of a budget brand.

I think you'll agree that yours and the attached photo shows what a bonnie little bike the Kangaroo was.

So far it has completed three Scottish pre65 2 day trials and is brought out regularly in Yorkshire Classic events and does okay.

Of the only other Mk2s I know of, one is in California! It was taken there in the 50s with a shipment of British lightweights to see what the Americans made of them. Not much I suspect but the Kangaroo survived and is in the process of being restored. The other is in Essex awaiting the owners attentions.

I also know of a Mk1 near Pontefract and would be keen to hear of the whereabouts of any others.

Tandon did market a 'Scrambler' until the company went bust. It sold reasonably well and had some success in Ireland I'm told.

Hi,

To add a little more detail, in Issue 3 of ORRe we have colour images of Steve and his Tandon in action in Scotland.

Enjoy.