Category: Atco Royale 24 (197?)

After a few races during the latter part of the 2010 season, need to make some space. It’s a YZ250 F (1979), the first year when the FIM ruled that the number boards

I rebuilt the bike during the year , including a complete engine strip, a new rear wheel and sorted the electrics. It’s got new plastics, and a cleaned up tank.

The bike goes well, and some tuning during the season has improved this. Cosmetically its in good order, only needs the temp number boards changing.

It’s a pretty standard bike and if it needs anything it’s the front pipe that needs sorting out (got a few dings in it).

The bike is currently in storage in darkest Herefordshire but now I’ve mored house, viewing can be arranged from 13th January. Further information on +44 7720 079845 or malcolm@hungerstone.net. Delivery possible in UK or Belgium. £1450

What applies to classic offroad bikes, should also apply to lawnmowers and I’ve been hankering for an Atco for a while. I’d persevered with the Westwood ride on until it had become unusable, as the rotary cut was carving out chunks from the lawn quicker than the rabbits this year.

Quick eBay session and found an Atco Royale of unknown vintage nearby and the deal was done. Like a bike purchase:

– there were bits missing (the clutch cover in this case);
– it had a poor restoration job at some point in the past, with a lurid green
– it worked, well do to the front lawn, until the clutch went
– ordered the clutch parts from ebay
– fixed it the following weekend

It does do a nice cut, though years of the rotary mower has taken its toll on the surface of the lawn. It’s not too bad to work on and it seems to get spares for it.

Atco are now owned by Bosch, but their mowers haven’t really changed for a few decades. The spares lists and exploded diagrams are all on the web site and once you navigate the Java app, all is revealed. Very good.

Some more work to do, including a full oiling of the moving parts and potentially getting the blades sharpened. It’s a very satisfying, comfortable piece of machinery for the shed.