1960 Other Makes Lilac LS-18/1

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Normal.dotm 0 0 1 480 2740 Allen Siekman Consulting 22 5 3364 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false I am in a purge mode clearing the shop and storage unit and selling off a bunch of bikes that I just don't need and are so far down on my project list that I will be 100 before I get to them. One of them is a 1960 Marusho Lilac 250. It is a model LS-18/1. It has a vertical twin 250cc engine, much like the Moto Guzzi style (later done by Honda and others). I do have some information on the bike. First of all, Marusho was one of Japans largest motorcycle manufacturers producing approximately 50,000 motorcycles from 1950-1967. They were very popular in Japan and came in a variety of sizes and configurations. I did get the following information from an expert on Marusho. "This year, 1960, was the best year the company had, with about 10,000 units, but most were used up as transportation. It is possible that as many as 800 of all models of V-twin were imported by M-C Supply in L.A., though the later model of 250 was brought in in much greater numbers than your 'tool-box-tank' model, which is more common in Australia. I would not make any claim in the ebay listing about how many were built, as we simply do not know, but I can say the surviving examples are very few, likely fewer than 100 worldwide of this particular model."There is a Marusho/Lilac group and a great website http://www.marusholilac.com. This Lilac LS18/1 t was purchased by a couple that lived in Torrance, California near Los Angeles. They bought it from the original owner with very low miles. The husband had an Ariel Square Four and the wife road the Lilac. They rode to Arizona and around southern California. For some reason they stopped riding around 1966 and the bikes were parked in their garage. The husband died 4-5 years ago and the wife and her son cleaned out the house and garage in preparation for selling the house. The fellow that I bought the bike from saw their add, wanted the Ariel (who wouldn't?) and ended up buying both. He got the Ariel running, rode it and eventually sold it. He did not really do anything with the Lilac. The Lilac looks to be completely original. It had the original tires (disintegrating) and looked to have the original batteries still in place. It does have all the lenses. It does have the original tool kit, (under a door on top of the gas tank) but I am not sure if all the tools are there. I think that they are, but I do not know for sure. I am pretty sure that the 12-penny nail that is in the kit was not a Marusho tool! I pulled the wheels and replaced the tires with some used rubber just so I could roll it in the shop and use the side stand. Tires are old and probably "unsafe at any speed" Both front and rear rims are 17" diameter. It came with a block pattern tire on the rear and a rib front. It has two Yuasa MBM 5-6 batteries wired in series. WHAT???? This seems to be an odd configuration, I checked with a Maursho Guro and he assures me that this is correct. His comment was "The dynastarter draws too many amps for a single 12V battery of the original size, so if you go this route you'll probably use the kick starter. Yes, you would normally switch to 2 12V batteries in parallel and there are several sizes that match the dimensions of the original, though I myself chose to use the 6V model in the attached photo. If you like, look for a single large 12V that will fill the space of the 2 original 6V batteries. I did have the original hold-down strap and made a new strap using a rim strip, rubber cement and the original hooks, even though that is not in the photo. I'd give the bike as many amps as you feel you can afford." He sent a photo of the two 6V batteries that I can forward along. The previous owner said he had it running less than a year before I bought it. The tank looks clean inside and it did smell of fresh gas so the fuel system might be ok. The oil on the dipstick looks really new and clean, but I would change it anyway before trying to make it run. Oil is cheap.It is missing the Left side cover just above the kick starter and the air cleaner that was hiding under it. I have contacts in Japan and can assist in locating those parts. It is not real likely that there are in the US, but who knows? Maybe in some wrecking yards in Southern California where most of the US models we sold. Other that those parts and the mirrors, the bike seems quite complete. The engine turns over smoothly with what feels like good compression. Please send me a note if you have questions. I will not ship or crate the bike, but I will assist in any way I can to help. If you need a crate built, I can get a local fellow to do it for you. I can meet a transport truck with the bike nearby. A large transport truck will not be able to come to my location as I live on a narrow mountain road. I can pop it in the back of my truck and take it to meet them if we coordinate a meeting location and time. A $500 Paypal deposit is required within 48 hours of auction end. I will accept a certified bank check or cash.