Tanshanomi's Snap Judgments

Hesketh V1000/1200

Thu, May 13th, 2010


1982–2010 Hesketh V1000 & V1200
Performancewww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The Westlake-developed V1000 was powerful enough, but nothing remarkable; nothing like the British world-beater it was supposed to be. Additionally, it made an unholy clatter when running and had terrible gearbox problems.
Handlingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Nothing special in 1982, antiquated today. Broom Engineering has updated the chassis lately, but it's still cumbersome and top-heavy.
Lookswww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
A mixture of crudeness and divine elegance: it looks like it was cobbled together in a old laundry shed...on the estate of an enormously wealthy man. This is because — not coincidentally — it actually was. (Lord Hesketh wasn't nearly so wealthy after attempting to build a production motorcycle from scratch.)
Reliabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Heskeths fall somewhere on a sliding scale: 3.5 points for a new 1200cc model from Broome Engineering, 2 points for a well cared for used one that's been fairly well sorted-out, down to half a point for them as they were originally built at the Easton Neston Estate.
Practicalitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It's a horrifically expensive, hand-built roadster of which there are only a few hundred in the world (very likely no two identical), and it does nothing any better than any number of mass-produced bikes.
Desirabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It has a remarkable backstory and intriguing looks, but in terms of functionally as a rider, it falls flat.
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The fact that it's been in semi-production on and off for nearly three decades is a testament to its strengths. The fact that there have been financial troubles throughout and only a few hundred built is a testament to its many weaknesses.