Paton 250 parallel-twin GP Racer
With Phil Aynsley
I briefly mentioned Paton’s 250 parallel twin GP bike a couple of columns ago when talking about its big brother 500. I thought it would be interesting to have a more detailed look at it.
This design is itself a following on from the 250cc parallel twin that Giuseppe Pattoni and Lino Tonti designed for F.B. Mondial (F. B. Mondial 250cc twin-cylinder GP Racer) and formed the basis for all the four-stroke Paton’s to come.
The 250 used a 53 x 56 mm bore and stroke and a six-speed gearbox. The output of 32 hp at 12,000 rpm was acceptable but the bike was overweight at 137 kg which made its performance marginal. The best result it achieved was a third in the Lightweight TT at the IoM in 1964 with Alberto Pagani aboard.
Of the two 250s made the one seen here is the only original example left. The second bike was converted into a 350 (which was owned and raced by Mike Duff), before again being enlarged, this time to 500cc (which was raced by Englishman Fred Stevens who won the 1967 North West 200 on it).
