1965 Greeves 250cc Silverstone Road Racing Model

At the start of the 1960s, the private owner was reasonably well provided for with AJS, Matchless and Norton machines in the Senior and Junior classes, but in the lightweight category he generally had to make do with a sleeved down larger engine or a home-built special such as the REG and Jones ohc twins. The other alternative was to use a two stroke. This type got a boost when Mike O'Rouke finished 7th in the 1960 Lightweight with an Ariel Arrow and kindled an interest in Cotton, DMW and Greeves.

The Greeves was to become the leading light among British two-strokes during the 60s, the first of the Silverstone models evolving from a Villiers engined Sports Twin ridden by Reg Everett in the Silverstone 1000 Km race for production roadsters in May 1961. Thge production racing machine was first marketed in March 1963 and had a very good season finishing with 4 out of the first 6 at Cadwell Park in September.

Substantially revised and with a new Greeves engine replacing the old Villiers 36A unit, the 1964 model RBS wasconsidered a worthwhile improvement but was prone to high-speed misfire and the new five-speed gearbox was a disaster. Despite the faults, Gordon Keith won the Lightweight Manx Grand Prix at 86.19 mphand his best lap at 87.61 mph was the fastest time ever by a British production 250.

The 1965 version, the model RCS, despite a poor showing in the TT, came into its own again in the Manx with another win by Dennis Crane and Peter Williams in 3rd place. Out of 53 finishers, 13 were Greeves mounted.

The Silverstone line continued until the 1967 RES model but by now the Japenese opposition with Yamaha and the Spanish Bultaco were outclassing the Greeves and the factory concentrated its competition energies on Motocross.