The BFG 1300. "Le moteur Shaddock"

Once there was a cartoon series on TV: The Shaddocks and the Gibis. The videos were always quite surreal and the Shaddocks were strange creatures who were often uselessly working on technology or technically fiddling around.

But we are short of the BFG 1300 by writing it off as a Shaddock motorcycle

The thinkers behind the idea were the gentlemen Boccardo Favario and Grange. The first of the trio soon disappeared. The idea was born in the shadow of a kind of 'inventors' grant', the 'Concours Lépine'. In 1978 the brave trio won there, 50.000 French francs with their idea to make a heavy French motorcycle using as many existing (French) car parts as possible. That approach had to guarantee affordability, availability, simplicity and reliability. The final production started in 1982.

Success with car technology

At that time, the Honda Goldwing had already shown the world that 'car technology' in a motorcycle produced a very good and beautiful result. The BFG stood out with its bulky lines and its dashboard taken over from the Renault 5 Alpine rather awkwardly. Moreover, motorcyclists who had always been conservative had a hard time with the fact that the BFG did not have a reserve position for the gasoline. The single, centrally mounted carburetor, she was also not comfortable.

The BFG took out its 1.299 cc 70 hp

But the block did score well on its couple. The BMW R70RT, which is also 100 hp, also delivered 70 hp but had a maximum torque of 58,8 Nm at 4.100 rpm. The BFR pulled at 3.500 rpm 98,1 Nm! In addition, the BFG was so comfortable that it was really a mileage eater. At 6.000 rpm the top speed was flat 200 km / h. But at 4.000 rpm, such a BFG trotted 130 km / h well. And he could hold that for centuries. The four-cylinder boxer ran a bit from 1 to 14. The block was also smooth enough. Already from 1.500 rpm in his five such a BFG went off tightly.

Steered better than a Goldwing

With its long tank, extended sitting position and the flat steering wheel, the BFG, with its 1.600 mm wheelbase, was a much better, more active steering engine than the Goldwing. The five-speed gearbox shifts well. And all that ugly angled bucket work provides excellent protection against the wind and the elements. This French giant also did the brakes because the brakes came from Brembo. The employability and reliability of the idea have since been proven. There is a machine running within the French BFG club that currently has more than 480.000 km on it. Smoothly!
The BFG was actually a kind of Honda Pan European that was way ahead of its time.

The state of affairs

According to our information, such 600 BFGs have been made. One part of it went to various government departments. We once saw three new ones that were unsaleable in Amsterdam for years. The last of the Mohicans had MBK on the tank. About 4.000 copies are still known within the BFG club.

You will hardly find them here, but in France a fixer costs a mille or two. Neat, good copies yield a maximum of 6.000 euros. The plastic work has often become crispy due to UV radiation. There is hardly any replacement stuff.

If you happen to own such a BFG, we would love to hear from you.