Comments on: Cotton Telstar or Conquest

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 19:53:00 +0000

Hi please can any one help me ,I won’t to know the original color fo a 1965 cotton conquest

By: Mick Turner

Mick Turner — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 10:14:33 +0000

Hi Lawrence,
Thanks for coming forward with this news of another Conquest. You have what would appear to be the last Conquest made, our club lists an E reg from ’67 as the previous newest. You have probably noted from above I am the idiot that keeps the list of all the Conquests the club knows of & would be more than happy to visit you to acquire some photo’s & frame no etc. if at all possible. We have found another Conquest since my replies above, so we now know of 3 roadsters, 5 production racers & 2 converted to Telstars & much to my surprise they still seem to pop up. If you or anyone else with any info or pictures of Conquests could get in touch with me on conquest1307@gmail.com it would be much appreciated.
Many Thanks.
Mick.

By: Lawrence palmer

Lawrence palmer — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 18:13:51 +0000

Hi Paul, i have just come across your thread about the cotton conquest.
I own one, LOW 4F whch i bought in 1972 when i was 15, ready to put on the road when i was 16.
I bought it from a local chap up here in Leicestershire but i believe it originally came from Sid Lawtons shop in Southampton.
Mine also came with a wide finned barrel with monobloc carb and it would also run backwards ocasionally.
I then bought a brand new close finned complete engine from a chap in Stroud in the mid seventies so a bit of a Stroud connection there.
This engine went like stink but was difficult to ride due to the narrow powerband.
Mike Nicks recently wrote an article in Classic Bike about his exploits on a Conquest so i sent him some photos of it and he wrote a small piece about it in the November 2016 issue.
I still have the bike, last ridden in 1991.
Regards, Lawrence Palmer.

By: jon howard

jon howard — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 17:00:35 +0000

HI,
Peter i remember your bike well!,your brother Barrie and i were best friends at the time
sadly lost touch over the years,
Now live in poole dorset you should visit the quay on tuesday night,sometimes
over one thousand bikes veterans to present day.
what a blast from the past both you and bike.

By: John Biggers

John Biggers — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 15:32:18 +0000

Hi Mick,
I`m sure I`ve a picture of the bike, taken when I was road testing it. If I come across it it I`ll send you a copy.
Best wishes John.

By: Paul Bates

Paul Bates — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 16:22:41 +0000

Hi Mick
Sorry,I don`t have photo or numbers for GHT 425D. However, more trivia from memory. Delivery from the factory was delayed due to lack of headlamp shells because these had been upgraded to include a main beam warning light.
Yes it would run ( and drive ) backwards, nearly stalled, bounced off of compression and fired up the wrong way, in traffic, on my bike test, with examiner alongside. Still passed!
Rear wheel spindle broke at change of section at speed! Chain adjusters kept what was left in near location aided by chain and brake torque arm but wheel could now float sideways. Needed full steering lock several times before stopping
Cotton factory was run by Pat Onions and “Fluff” Brown appeared to do everything else. I put bike in to have ignition timed and they took 1/8 inch off the piston skirt to improve induction timing. so Works Tuned then!
As you can appreciate, all this was a VERY long time ago, if none of the above is usefull for your research, I hope it will encourage your enthusiasm
Regards
Paul

By: Mick Turner

Mick Turner — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 19:49:36 +0000

Hi Paul,
As a member of the Cotton Owners & Enthusiasts Club I am trying to put together a bit of a history on the Conquest, without much luck. Do you by any chance recall frame no or have any photo’s you could share. So far I have found 3 roadsters, 4 production racers & 2 that are now Telstars. If you can help please reply here or at the club site.
Regards,
Mick.

By: Mick Turner

Mick Turner — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 19:39:39 +0000

Hi John,
As a member of the Cotton Owners & enthusiasts Club I am trying to put together a bit of history on the Conquest, without much luck. If you any other info or photo’s you could share they would be much appreciated. So far I know of 3 roadsters, 4 production racers & 2 that are now Telstars. If you can help at all please reply here or via the club site.
Regards,
Mick.

By: John Biggers

John Biggers — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 19:43:52 +0000

I had a Conquest, bought it new from Robinsons in Rochdale. It had the number JDK 437E. I rebuilt the bike with MP front forks, a close finned barrel, a 13-1 head, 1-1/2 amal GP carb, matchbox float & a factory expansion box. I raced it at Cadwell. Eventually I traded it in for a new Norton Interstate at Shutts of Haslingden. Does anyone know what happened to it later?

By: Paul Bates

Paul Bates — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:33:29 +0000

Hi,I was the original owner of GHT 425D Purchased new from Westbury Motorcycles as standard ie scrambles motor 1&3/16 carb but with 12V electrics. I soon found s/h full race engine at Westburys which I took home in a rucksac on the cotton ( my only transport ) and built a strange motor – close finned cylinder 1& 1/2 3GP2 carb off a Gold star, close ratio needle roller gearbox but retained kickstart and 12V lights running 16:1 Castrol R mix. In this form it would do 75 in second, 95 in third and 105 in top. At these stress levels it was unreliable and siezed its big end on the eve of the trip to the 1968 TT ( I went by car! ) On my return I re built with an Alpha big end and sold it to H&L Motorcycles at Stroud ( well, I swapped it for an ex police A65 ) The guy from H&L eventually got the hang of the power band, cleared it`s throat,and shot off down the road towards Stonehouse. On his return he said “Bloody hell, how do you ride this thing on the road? we`ll take it, but don`t know wether to sell it or race it ” Last I heard, they entered it in the Manx GP
I hope this is of some assistance, I also miss GHT 425 D