onZa porcupine sequence

[2manyoranges]

OK...now I want to get it straight. Living on chalk at the time, I liked Porcs a lot, and ran them, Ground Controls or WTBs. The dates are all a bit hazy. But the sequence I think is:

Porcupine - 1990 black or white with tan walls Orange and black label
Porcupine II - 1992 Black or tan sidewalls Orange and black label
Porcupine II race - 1993 Black Kevlar bead with long purple and pink ‘PORC II Kevlar’ label

Then, there are tyres referred to as ‘Porcupine 2s’ which have the large ‘PORCUPINE’ label and were made by Chen Shin (CST)? These latter are a mystery to me personally since I had all the former in vast numbers (they wore out fast of course), but these big label ones have cropped up here and on ebay....anyone have any insight?

 

[raidan73]

Here’s my Racing Porc’s II for reference

 

[2manyoranges]

Thanks Aidan - those are indeed the Racing Porcs which I associate with that pattern box - the lovely purple and pink labels. I had those in blackwall and I found a stash in the workshop a couple of years’ ago - one of which went to Regan. But the big ‘PORCUPINE’ label ones are still a bit of a mystery....

 

[regan_ev]

Thanks Aidan - those are indeed the Racing Porcs which I associate with that pattern box - the lovely purple and pink labels. I had those in blackwall and I found a stash in the workshop a couple of years’ ago - one of which went to Regan. But the big ‘PORCUPINE’ label ones are still a bit of a mystery....

Tim, I can't remember exactly who it was that made thosemassive label PORCUPINE tyres - it was the onZa trials bike importer at the time (ATB Sales???), circa 1998 or maybe i'm completely off and they came later in the noughties - but they were not the original iteration of the onZa company which was in tatters by then if not already split and sold. Then i think again in the early 2010-teens, the ONZA TIRES company was formed after they bought the rights to use the onZa brand name for tires (and tyres!) whereas the UK company kept the rights to sell onZa trials bikes and components but weirdly also retained the moulds (and trademarks) for Porcipaws grips which were relaunched as a lock-on version about 2016/7? onZa bikes are not allowed to sell tyres using the onZa/ONZA name to my knowledge.

Not sure this helps or confuses further!

 

[2manyoranges]

Regan - great to hear from you and hope ankle is improved - that’s a reassuring reminder of the conversation which I thought we had when we were discussing the Racing Porcs a couple of years’ ago. With those large label Porcipines being sold at elevated prices on ebay either the sellers are confused or they are trying deliberately to unwisely trade from the reputation of the original tyres. Buyer indeed beware.

 

[regan_ev]

Thanks Tim - ankle is now at a plateau in terms of healing; it’ll only get worse through wear and tear from now on but thankfully doesn’t cause me any issues daily, just if I’m stood too long or walking a lot on uneven surfaces.

I don’t recall us discussing them but I do recall someone educating me on the difference which, hopefully, I’ve got correct enough for other to make sense of.

cheers!

 

[2manyoranges]

Ah - it was when I first joined RB and you had that 2.10 Kevlar blackwall racing-porc-in-a-box from me. You said 'key thing is the label....is it the pink and purple one or the one which has big text...I would like it if it's the former and not if it's the latter....' And hurrah! It was indeed the one and true label of pink and purple.....

 

[2manyoranges]

oh....and Raidan don't put things like that up here...that picture of two (2!) NOS racing porc IIs....tanwall!!!....people will start fainting and falling over or 'literally' dying with envy....