View source for Sprite (motorcycle)

{{short description|Historical British make of motorcycle}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2014}}
[[File:Sprite Sachs Trials 1970.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|1970 Sprite Trials with Sachs engine and [[Vehicle registration plates of the United Kingdom|road number-plate]] on rear mudguard]]
'''Sprite''' was an historical British brand of [[off-road motorcycle]], built by Frank Hipkin, of Hipkin & Evans, trading as Sprite Motor Cycles, initially at Cross Street, [[Smethwick]], Birmingham<ref name="Motorcycle Sport Sep 64">Motorcycle Sport, September 1964, p.360 Sprite Motor Cycles advert, 103-104 Cross Street, Smethwick, Birmingham. Accessed and added 2014-06-06</ref><ref name="Motor Cycle July 64">[[The Motor Cycle (magazine)|Motor Cycle]], 16 July 1964, pp.258-259 ''More Sprites.''. Accessed and added 2014-06-08</ref> and later by Sprite Developments Ltd., [[Halesowen]], [[Worcester, England|Worcester]] (1965–1971). The Sprite slogan was "Built by riders—for riders". Frank Hipkin died in August, 2012.<ref>[http://www.trialscentral.com/news-archive/uk-trials-news/14179-frank-hipkin Trials Central] Retrieved 2014-06-06</ref>

==Products==
Sprite [[manufacturer|manufactured]] [[motorcycle trial|trials]] and [[motocross|scrambles]] frames which were usually available as a kit-form motorcycle to avoid UK [[Purchase Tax]].<ref name="Motor Cycle July 64"/><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/money/2010/dec/31/vat-brief-history-tax Guardian. ''UK Purchase Tax replaced by Continental VAT in 1974''] Retrieved 2014-06-06</ref> The first machine was developed as a scrambler with ''Alpha'' 246&nbsp;cc two-stroke engine and a modified [[Cotton (motorcycle)|Cotton]] frame, followed by their own Sprite-framed version and a slightly larger frame-only (without engine) option to use a [[Triumph Speed Twin#Development|490&nbsp;cc Triumph unit construction]] engine/gearbox for the larger class of scrambling. The trials machine was developed for production in late 1964 using a [[Villiers Engineering|Villiers]] 36A/37A 246&nbsp;cc engine with iron barrel or at a higher cost, a Greeves light-alloy cylinder, and a ''Miller'' magneto.<ref name="Motorcycle Sport Sep 64"/><ref name="Motor Cycle July 64"/>

The frames were easily distinguishable from one another; the trials frames had twin, narrow, almost parallel down-tubes, whilst the scrambles frames used splayed tubes which also carried the oil where necessary, avoiding the need for a separate oil tank. A fibreglass fuel tank, mudguards and seat/tailpiece/race number plate were all available as required. The trials version had an extended tailpiece with mounting for a [[Vehicle registration plates of the United Kingdom, Crown dependencies and overseas territories|road number-plate]] necessary in ''Combined'' [[Motorcycle trials|trials]] which had timed ''road-stages'' linking with the several-to-many ''Observed Sections'' which historically could be scheduled as a typical part of a traditional UK trials event.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6gbhqX3XEI Video of 1954 Invicta MCC (Ramsgate) Combine Trial] Retrieved 2014-06-08</ref>

Under UK Construction and Use Regulations, competition machines intended for road-use were required to comply with statutory basics of sound engineering, a [[MOT test|test certificate]], mudguards, seat, audible warning device and number plate. Lighting was not required, but if fitted had to be complete and working.<ref>[[The Motor Cycle|''Motor Cycle'']] 21 February 1963 p.243 ''Help Club''. "Machines which are not used after dark are exempt from the lighting regulations. A machine equipped with lights must have them in full working order by day or night." Accessed and added 2014-06-29</ref>

The frames were initially available with AMC and [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton]] telescopic front forks and British Hub Co. ([[Motoloy]]) brakes front and rear.<ref>[[The Motor Cycle|''Motor Cycle'']] 19 November 1964 p.30 Advert ''Motoloy Brake Hubs. Proved in scrambling, racing & trials, single and twin leading shoe brakes. The British Hub Co. Ltd. Birmingham 3.'' Accessed and added 2014-09-27</ref> The pivoting rear-forks on all models were fitted with ''[[Silentbloc]]'' bushes.<ref name="Motorcycle Sport Sep 64"/> A later option was ''Metal Profiles'' (REH) front forks.

They were later built for 123, 244, and 405&nbsp;cc [[two-stroke engine]]s.

The Sprite marque should not be confused with the older British ''Spryt'', a small-capacity [[two-stroke engine]] produced by [[Excelsior (Coventry)|Excelsior]] in [[Coventry]] and fitted to the historic [[Corgi Motorcycle Co Ltd.#History|Corgi]] minibike.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/Transport/Motorcycles/Sprite.htm Wolverhampton History and Heritage website]

{{British motorcycle manufacturers}}

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[[Category:Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England]]