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July 2019 £2.20 ISSUE
409
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With three young Constables being trained aboard Velocette LE ‘noddy’ bikes, it appears that the Sergeant – who is the only one wearing a proper motorcycling helmet! - isn’t too impressed with the standing officer’s abilities aboard two wheels! Mortons Archive www.mortonsarchive.com
2 EDITORIAL
July 2019
Editorial
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Editor Dave Manning OBMEditor@mortons.co.uk Designer Charlotte Fairman Production editors Pauline Hawkins, Sarah Spencer Picture desk Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield Group advertising manager Sue Keily Divisional advertising manager Billy Manning Advertising Team Leader (Classic Division) Leon Currie lcurrie@mortons.co.uk | 01507 529465 Advertising Ricky Nichols rnichols@mortons.co.uk | 01507 529467 Marketing manager Charlotte Park Circulation manager Steve O’Hara Publisher Tim Hartley Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole General queries Customer Service number: 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-6pm, Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm and 24hr answerphone Archive enquiries Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423 Founder Ken Hallworth OLD BIKE MART (ISSN:1756-9494) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $48 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 City Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to OLD BIKE MART, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 City Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com PUBLISHED BY
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an you hear me? I said, CAN YOU HEAR ME? One of the most hotly debated topics on motorcyclefocussed social media at the time off writing i i i this hi editorial is that of the proposed new ‘noise cameras’, announced by the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, as they’re set to begin a trial period of seven months at various roadside locations, after which they may come into operation and begin issuing fines. Whether it be the gentle chuffing of a mid-capacity sidevalve, the bellow of a beastly vee twin, the crisp ‘thrap’ of a two stroke trials bike or the twitter of a Gold Star on overrun, there are a great many classic motorcycle noises that are pleasing to the ear, and warming to the heart. But we have to protect those things that are important to us, and ensure that they’re not being taken away for all the wrong reasons. The trial of the new acoustic camera technology is to determine whether they’re capable of showing that a legal noise limit has been breached by a motorist, while taking into account the class and speed of the vehicle relative to the location of the noise camera. Naturally, comparisons are being made with speed cameras (and not just in terms of law enforcement, but also revenue collection), yet it is unclear if the technology exists to be able to pick out a single source of noise by an unmanned noise sensor. Much like the way a speed camera works, if a microphone in an acoustic camera detects a vehicle breaching legal noise limits, it triggers a camera
to take pictures of the vehicle registration number and any other relevant images to allow a fine to be sent out to the vehicle’s owner. The debate is that, surely, a sensor would be affected by the noise from other sources, such as other vehicles, aeroplanes, industrial sites, etc., and that sound is a very different issue to speed. The speed of one vehicle is easily determined, but sound is affected by a great many things – not only can sound be deflected (and exaggerated) by surfaces such as the walls of buildings, there is also the Doppler effect to take into consideration (whereby sound waves ‘stack up’ in front of a moving sound source), and this is before any other noise sources are taken into account. A speed camera’s reading will not be affected by the speed of other vehicles around the ‘target’ vehicle, but an acoustic camera will. Speed doesn’t change with temperature, humidity or wind, but sound does. Speed isn’t affected by the road surface, or if the road surface is wet, yet noise is. And speed doesn’t increase with speed (if it did, we’d all have accelerated into oblivion years ago), but noise does. Much of the press reportage of the new acoustic cameras has suggested that it will be motorcycles that are targeted above everything else, yet I do wonder if it is bikes that are the true noise pollutant that this suggests? After all, by their very nature, a motorcycle is used to travel from point A to point B (although invariably not by the shortest and most direct route, it has to be said), and is therefore in motion, so any sound that emanates from said vehicle moves with it. That’s not something that can be said for industrial noise, or for agricultural
processes, or even domestic noise such as that made by lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, pressure washers, etc. Even other modes of transport are far more intrusive on the sound front than motorcycles – take helicopters and microlight aircraft as an example. Here on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, they can be heard for a much longer time than even the most intrusive of motorcycle exhausts. And we must also bear in mind that 'an intrusive noise' may not necessarily mean a loud one, and can be a relatively quiet, yet incessant sound, such as the constant background thrum of wind turbines, or a cockerel crowing at 4am. Would it be fair to focus purely on motorists, who by their very nature will be taking their noise with them while they travel? Of course, our interest lies in older machinery, and construction requirements state that 'no limits apply to motor cycles or mopeds first used before 1 April 1983', while varying limits have come into place, for different capacities, since then – all of which are tested, by Construction & Use regulations, under a drive-by noise test (there are no static noise tests for roadgoing vehicles). Something which the Transport Secretary seemingly is not aware – “The trial isn’t intended to target law-abiding drivers, but those who are flouting laws around noise. All vehicles must legally meet strict noise limits before they are allowed on the road.” It seems that Mr Grayling has either forgotten that vehicles existed before 1983, or that he is insinuating that owners of those vehicles are flouting the law. A government statement on gov.uk also noted: 'It could also help to catch those who rev car or
motorcycles engines beyond legal limits, making life a misery for those who live close by.' Yet there are no legal limits to which an engine must be revved, and given the vastly varying nature of internal combustion engines, this wouldn’t be especially clear even if there were. It is said that these acoustic cameras will be able to take into account the class and speed of the vehicle that they’re targeting, and the Government has also pointed out that an issue that they wish to overcome is that enforcement is currently reactive and relies on subjective judgement by police. But surely that has to be part of the answer – being subjective? It’ll certainly be part of classic bikes not being targeted for seemingly creating a nuisance, and probably for motorcycles in general. Interestingly, just about every news outlet that has run the story has also run a comment by the CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association, Tony Campbell, yet has not run any comments by any car lobby group, or any comments from lawnmower manufacturers, microlight pilots or wind turbine operators, so the mainstream media clearly sees the acoustic cameras as being a clampdown on motorcyclists and no one else. Maybe, just maybe, this could be another instance where classic bikes are given dispensation, much like road tax and the low emissions zones that are popping up left, right and centre? Fingers crossed… Enjoy the issue,
July 2019
NEWS 3
Hidden collection up for sale July 30’s H&H Classics auctions sale at the National Motorcycle Museum will see, among others, an amazing collection of bikes from a Kent-based motorbike enthusiast who managed to secrete no fewer than 21 motorbikes in his garage, garden shed and cellar, all unknown to his family! After the secret collector’s death, his family were amazed to discover a file full of motorcycle logbooks and relative documents – receipts, registrations, petrol coupons etc. They knew that there were a couple of bikes in the garage, wrapped under blankets, but the file contained documents for no less than 21 machines! The bikes were found under a variety of covers, and include a BMW with Steib sidecar, six 1950s Autocycles that a district nurse might have used around the villages, and his pride and joy – a Velocette LE Vogue. In the garage, there was one obvious bike under a blanket, and they knew that the BMW and Steib combination was tucked behind some hanging curtains, but as they dug a little further and pulled covers off, they found three more motorbikes snuggled under wraps. A combination and four other bikes were in a little garden shed stashed behind some other normal garden items
and a couple of pushbikes, and in another shed they found six more! So, with 13 found, they were beginning to scratch their heads as to where the other eight could be. They emptied the smaller shed and found that there was an extra bike stacked in behind one of the others. Another was found under a tarp in the garden – it had been there for some 30 years and nobody in the family had taken any notice of it and hadn’t ever even questioned what it was! In the cellar, which had some benches, small tools and pots of paint on shelves, they dragged out a workbench, and found two autocycles tucked behind it, completely covered in woodshavings and dust. The last five bikes were harder to find, eventually discovered in the garage, that they’d already searched once. These missing ones were found pushed up against the walls of the garage, hidden under blankets and sheets of plywood, pieces of wood, old pipes and radiators and all sorts of other general garage detritus. The family admits that their father was a bit unusual: “Our dad was a little eccentric. An HGV driver by trade, a collector and craftsman at heart and a hoarder by nature – but an incredibly organised one!”
Gypsy John’s road trip By the time you read this, John Newson of Oxney Motorcycles will be somewhere on the north coast of Scotland, part of the way through his ‘all four corners’ tour of the UK on his unrestored 1954 Vincent Rapide. He left the Romney Marsh Oxney headquarters to travel to John O’Groats – and then onwards to the west and then down to Lands End before the return to the Kent Oxney HQ – just a few days
Wight Lightning The Isle of Wight group of the BSA Owners Club are opening up their event, held over the weekend of September 14-15, to clubs and classic British bike owners of all kinds. As the name of the weekend suggests, the Wight Lightning rally will be held on the Isle of Wight, and will be at an indoor venue with onsite food and bar. There’ll be live entertainment on both Friday and Saturday, plus a run, raffle, quiz, bike show, awards, etc. Tickets are available on a pre-book basis only, and they also gain a 20% Wightlink Ferry
after returning from the International Vincent Rally in Austria! His around-Britain tour will be covered in just 14 days, with the aim of raising money for the RNLI. There’s still time to donate to this very worthy cause, and you can do it online at www. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ vincentrapide We’ll be relating how John got on during his tour in a forthcoming issue of Old Bike Mart. discount (Wightlink sail from Lymington and Portsmouth, while you can also travel via Red Funnel from Southampton), and the £14 cost includes camping. Contact Wendy (rally sec), 48 New Street, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1PX, telephone 01983 529607 or email wendy. ewbank@btinternet.com. Cheques should be payable to IOW BSA OC; please enclose a medium-size, stamped self-addressed envelope. Ferry crossing details can be found at www.Wightlink.co.uk or phone 0333 999 7333 and www. redfunnel.co.uk or phone 0844 844 9988.
Mark Bryan of H&H Classic Bike Department says: “The restored bikes have been properly laid-up on blocks to protect their tyres, some engines and gearboxes were drained, and spark leads disconnected. Even the unrestored projects were all carefully wrapped up to protect them from any further degradation and preserve them in their original condition.” A note on one of the logbook envelopes listed spare Steib sidecars – but finding these proved almost impossible. Eventually they were spotted tucked under the fire escape – almost invisible to passers-by. The collector’s daughter says: “Once, maybe 40 years ago, Dad had a bonfire in the garden. He stayed with it until it was out and once he was sure it was safe, he went to bed. In the middle of the night he woke to noise and shouting and discovered that our wooden fire escape at the rear of the house had caught alight, with not only the Steibs under it but also at the time, his pride and joy – the Velocette Vogue. Dad fought the fire himself and dragged the burning tarps off. He sustained burns to his hands but his beloved bike was unharmed – he was so quick that only the tarps had burnt – and incredibly there was no damage at all to the bike.”
“Dad’s hobby in his 40s and 50s was renovating these old motorbikes. We used to go away to motorbike rallies and he would show a couple of the renovated ones. He would ride a little autocycle and he allowed me, his daughter (from about the age of 11) to ride either the very rare LE Vogue or the massive Matchless 650 cafe racer around the various arenas. I even rode it around Brands Hatch. He was such a confident man, and his confidence was so infectious that it never even occurred to me that there was anything unusual about a youngster of about seven stone riding such a huge machine. Recently, uncovering that very bike – I was amazed that I’d ever been brave enough to ride it – it’s huge! “For a couple of decades he was incredibly busy with it all, and then his hobby moved on to woodworking and he just packed them all up and they’ve been forgotten about for over 30 years. None of us – not even Mum – knew he had so many. In the 1970s and ‘80s he must have just added to his collection and quietly ferreted them away. We couldn’t believe he had 21 of them. No one would ever have known they were here – we’d all been in and out of the garage so many times and yet five large bikes and four autocycles were concealed in there.”
The Clifford Arms Classic Show
The Clifford Arms Show in Great Haywood, Staffordshire, goes from strength to strength. This year’s event was on May 19, with sunshine drawing a big crowd of classic and modern bikes to the car park of this popular pub. Club stands from the Norton Owners, Moto Guzzi, Vintage Japanese and Clifford Clubs added to the attraction with some stunning restorations. It was Mike Walker’s rare 1934 Moto Guzzi 500cc single (shown below) that took home the only concourse award as Best Bike. The show raises money for a range of charities, not charging admission but asking for donations. This year saw a new record, with Blood Bikers and Midland Air Ambulance sharing the entry income and Crohn’s Disease UK and Colitis UK sharing the tea and coffee stall’s takings. Between them all they shared more than £1100, which had organiser Barry Owen very happy: "We’ve made £800 to £900 before and I wanted to reach £1000 this year,” he smiled. “Over £1100 was a great result for both the charities and local bikers.”
4 NEWS
July 2019
National Scramble of Scotland
Now in its third year, this wonderful event organised and promoted by the busy bee workers of the Galloway Motorcycle Club Ltd, has already become something of a national treasure among classic motocross fans, and this year’s event was just as superb as the previous two – maybe even better. For the members of the Galloway club leave absolutely nothing to chance and no stone unturned in their efforts to make this meeting so memorable for both riders and spectators alike. Indeed, the Classic Grand National Scramble of Scotland has rapidly become a cherished event in the classic motocross calendar. And it is easy to understand why. Take a mysterious Scottish castle built high up on the side of the valley of the river Nith. Surround it with deep and dark forests and a lush rolling landscape leading down to a tranquil lake. This is the stuff that fairytales are made of. Roll out a swooping and meandering motocross track on that lush landscape and that fairytale has become reality! With an entry list bursting at the seams and in the delightful company of four-times World Motocross Champion Heikki Mikkola, this three-day event was a joy to be part of from start to finish. And sometimes, even the spectacular show put on by the racers out there on the track became secondary to the sheer atmosphere of just being at a place like Drumlanrig Castle in the company of many likeminded people. One such person of course was Pete Mathia, the former British 125cc motocross champ who is still parading his natural God-given riding skills around the circuits aboard his mighty 490 Maico after some 51 years of racing. The ‘Cheshire Charger’ still sports a cheeky schoolboy smile which contradicts his 66 years of age. Skinny as a bean, he still makes winning a motocross race look so easy – super smooth and always in control. Hmm – maybe I got that wrong! “I was hurting like hell after the first couple of corners but just kept going!” admitted Pete. “But it was a whole lot better than last year when I crashed in the first corner of my first race and retired for the rest of the meeting.” Okay, even former motocross champs have bad days sometimes, but Pete’s 2019 Drumlanrig efforts certainly deserved a bit of Scottish prize money this year. He was still smiling that cheeky smile when he went to collect his just rewards and return his race transponder anyhow!
The dramatic Drumlanrig Castle, as seen from the motocross paddock.
A wonderful line-up of JAP Mettise machinery, owned by Cecil Pearson and known as the JAP Racing Team, turned out at Drumlanrig Castle.
But this event isn’t just about prize monies, awards and winning; there is so much more to the Classic Grand National Scramble of Scotland than that. Check it out next year and, undoubtedly, you will see what I mean. (Michael Mee)
Brighton Speed Trials 2019 Having first taken place in July 1905, the Brighton Speed Trials can rightly be considered as being the longest running motor sport event in the world. 114 years later and Saturday, September 7 sees yet another running of this iconic event, the current format being a standing-start ¼ mile sprint along Brighton seafront’s Madeira Drive. With up to 200 cars entered, there are also 75 motorcycles taking part, an eclectic mix including machines from the 1920s up to the present day. The VMCC Sprint Section will once again be organising the motorcycle side of things, by kind invitation of the event organisers, the Brighton and Hove Motor Club. The VMCC Sprint Section has been running the bikes at Brighton since the section was formed in the early 1980s, however the section’s founders were running the bikes from the very early 1970s, namely Len Cole and Phil Manzano followed by Paul, Pat and Jayne Standing. Spectator entry includes a
free programme and access to the paddock area, so not only can the variety of machines be seen at close quarters, the riders and mechanics can be chatted to if you want to know some detail about the machinery, plus spectators will be able to follow competitors’ progress live through the whole of the quarter mile sprint via a huge 21 sq m LCD screen. Advance tickets have a 20% reduction and details can be found on the Brighton and Hove Motor Club website, listed below. Frosts Cars Ltd of Brighton is the main sponsor for yet another year, and thanks goes to them for continuing to support this historic event. Thanks are also in order for the marshals, medics and behindthe-scenes teams. So, if you fancy a day at the seaside in conjunction with a classic motorsports event, the annual Brighton Speed Trials are definitely worth a visit! VMCC Sprint Section website – www.vmccsprint.co.uk VMCC Sprint Section facebook – www.facebook.com/vmccsprint/
Brighton & Hove Motor Club website – www. brightonandhovemotorclub.co.uk
6 NEWS
July 2019
Solving Yamaha wiring woes
Bike gets gold at Chelsea
Rex’s Speed Shop, specialists in British, European and Japanese motorcycle electrical systems, have expanded their online resource to now include freeto-download wiring diagrams for Yamaha DT and XT/TT500 models, as produced between 1974-1980. As these models will often have an electrical system that is in a somewhat dishevelled state nowadays, this diagram can give some much-needed insight into how problems can be overcome, particularly given that the system used on these bikes uses a mix of AC and DC power, which can be confusing. Free to download from the tech support page of the website listed under ‘Simplified Motorcycle wiring looms’, the diagrams show a stripped-down wiring loom with charging and lighting for road machines, an indicator circuit that can be easily added to that basic loom, handlebar and ignition switch wiring details, and a stripped down loom diagram with AC lighting for competition machines – essentially everything you need to know about the electrics for an XT or DT of that age. A very handy little guide to print out and add to your workshop manual and / or stash under your seat in case of emergencies. And, in case you need reminding, this is a free download! You can find it at www.rexsspeedshop.com/wp-content/ uploads/2019/06/DT-XTUniversal-Wiring-Loom.pdf
Okay, so it was Kazuyuki Ishihara’s garden ‘Green switch’ that actually won the gold, and while his Japanese-style garden was, undoubtedly, absolutely fantastic, he has to be commended for including a ’53 Triumph Trophy TR5 in his display, thanks to Ideal Motorcycles.
Classics on the coast
Lytham Hall, near Blackpool, is celebrating a round dozen for the popular Classic Car & Motorcycle Show, as the impressive Georgian mansion prepares its 78 acres for an automotive invasion on Sunday, August 4. Aside from a vast array of classic motorcycles, there’ll also be a huge display of classic cars, from Austin Sevens to Land Rovers, plus light commercials, classic 4x4s and ex-military vehicles.
The concept for Mr Ishihara’s 2019 garden was to provide a place of beauty and calm to take a shower in the garden, relax in a tea room, enjoy the pond, the sound of water, nature and surround oneself with the things you love most – which, in Mr Ishihara’s case, included a vintage motorcycle. The Trophy that was seen by thousands of people at horticulture’s greatest show of the year was supplied by Simon Elliott, the owner of Ideal Motorcycles in Washington, West Sussex. It’s not every day that a team of Japanese gardeners, complete with a personal assistant and translator, walk into your classic motorcycle showroom, but that was exactly how the collaboration started. When preparing for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, Mr Ishihara had asked one of his regular plant suppliers if he knew of someone with a passion for motorcycles, and he was pointed in the direction of Simon and Ideal Motorcycles. Simon spends a great deal of time seeking out the very best, most original and correct examples of historically-interesting The popular arena displays provide entertainment and expert commentary running all day means you can sit back and relax. For those who prefer to get up close and personal among the pistons, enjoy the chance to pick up tips and chat to fellow enthusiasts and owners around the acres of displays and club stands. There’ll also be arena displays, alongside plenty of trade stands, plus the famous autojumble for plenty of opportunities to pick up a bargain, or that elusive spare part.
motorcycles, with Mr Ishihara eventually choosing the ’53 Triumph as the perfect accompaniment to his garden. At the time of writing, the Trophy was for sale in the Ideal showroom, and you can see more at www.idealmotorcycles.co.uk or call 01903 892492. Easily accessible from the M6-M55, the show runs from 10am-4pm, with entry at £7 per adult and £2.50 for children, including free parking, full access to the park, gardens and historic stable-yard tearoom, with house tours available for a small additional fee. Well-behaved dogs are also welcome everywhere in the park, which has miles of woodland paths to explore, so no-one need miss a great day out! Lytham Hall is signposted from Lytham town centre, and from M6/M55 come off the M55 at Junction 4, turn left on to A583 and stay on the A583 on following signs to Lytham / Ballam, past Green Drive Golf Club. A note though, if you’re using a satellite navigation system to locate the event, ‘Lytham: Ballam Road’ is more accurate than using the postcode. For more details, to exhibit your classic vehicle, or for trade plots, contact Mark Woodward on 016974 51882 or see www. markwoodwardclassicevents.com
8 NEWS
July 2019
Trials style for the Bullet Even folk who don’t hold Redditch products high on their choice of classic motorcycles will have heard of Johnny Brittain, and will be aware that he rode a Royal Enfield. They’ll also be aware that the Enfield Bullet has been in production since God’s dog was a puppy, and that production of the 350 and 500cc singles is now
Tea and cake on Exmoor
running higher than it ever has, courtesy of the two Indian factories. Combine those factors, and you’ll understand the reasoning behind the launch of a new Royal Enfield Bullet – the Trials Works Replica. Available with the 498cc Bullet powerplant, there’s not only styling that apes the International Six Day Trail machines such as that ridden so successfully by Brittain (HNP 331, which was actually a 350cc machine), but also a specification to suit – blocky trials tyres, trimmed mudguards, a raised exhaust silencer, a single seat and braced handlebars. Following the modern trend set by many manufacturers, Enfield also have a comprehensive aftermarket parts package that includes sump guard, a headlight
grille and other trials-oriented parts. Available from August this year, at £4699 (including on-the-road costs), the bike will naturally have the modern componentry required to pass modern standards, such as ABS and fuel injection, and the Bullet Trials will now be open for bookings across the country and will also be
The 2019 Taunton Classic Motorcycle Club annual charity Exmoor Run will be held on Sunday, August 11. The run is open to all motorcycles, and starts at Sheppy’s Cider just outside Taunton. Signing on is from 8.15am at Sheppy’s – where you will be able to buy tea or coffee and a bacon bap – and covers just under 100 miles, all fully marshalled, with stops for coffee and lunch. Coffee is in Minehead and the lunch stop is in the picturesque town of
available to book online at www. royalenfield.com As an aside, there is also the Royal Enfield’s Past, Present and Future exhibition at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre in Redditch, with a six-week run that started on June 1, and at which the Bullet Trials was unveiled.
Dulverton. The run returns to Sheppy’s for the presentations, raffle and the opportunity to buy a slice of delicious cake and a cup of tea! The cost is £10 per bike, if paid in advance, or £15 if you register on the day. All the profits from the run go to the club’s chosen charities – the Air Ambulance and The Freewheelers. For full details of this year’s run, photos from previous years and to request a run entry form, visit www.tauntonclassicmc. weebly.com
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10 NEWS
July 2019
Homemade hero heads to auction Motorcycles with an interesting provenance tend to raise some truly astounding prices at auction, yet this 1935 OK Supreme has an estimate that seems to buck that trend. When it was originally owned by Henry Harrison from Liverpool, shortly after World War Two, it was modified to have a rear swinging arm with AMC suspension units, and subsequently entered into the 1951 Isle of Man TT by local bike dealer Victor Horsman. Harrison rode the machine, averaging 60mph and finishing 14th in the Lightweight class event. His average speed rose the following year, to 66mph, although that only gave him 22nd place, but considering that the OK Supreme was more than 17 years old at that point, that's still something of an achievement. Retired from the TT, it was further modified with front suspension from a Velocette (as shown on the riding picture here) and then raced on short circuits, including the Ulster GP. Sold by Henry in 1959, it has remained with the vendor ever since, laying unused for some years before being restored in the Eighties and
displayed at several local shows in and around Liverpool. For more than 20 years it has been stored within a small collection of bikes in Liverpool, now being re-discovered and brought to auction at the National Motorcycle Museum’s H&H Classics auction on July 30. It has a pre-auction estimate of between £6000-£8000, and more details are available from www.handh.co.uk
Cornish cream As one of the oldest dealers in the country, Damerells in Indian Queens in Cornwall, is currently run by the grandson of the founder, Steve Damerell. While they’re a new-bike dealership, they also retail second-hand machines and so there’s little surprise that they have an amazing collection of bikes, including an impressive array of classic Yamaha two stroke machines and trailies. You can see, and read, more at www.damerells.co.uk/ pages/about-us/classic-collection And Damerells don’t have the only collection in Cornwall, as the Hawkins Motor Group also has its own museum of classic bikes, despite the fact that the group’s five dealerships sell cars! The company started when Henry ‘Billy’ Hawkins began his working career aboard a Scott Squirrel, which was sold in 1933 to help finance the first dealership. More than 50 years later, the Scott was found in an orchard in Goonhavern near Perrenporth and then restored for display in one of the showrooms. In 1946, Hawkins had been dealers for Ariel, Norton, BSA, Vincent, Scott and AJS, but it wasn’t until 1972 that they became Peugeot car dealers. Thanks to that background, the Hawkins British Motorcycle Museum was opened in 2002, and now contains more than 40 classic Brit bikes, recently
Classic Yamahas are in abundance at the Dameralls’ Cornish showroom
added to with a 1938 Speed Twin which was actually used as a part-ex for a new Peugeot 2008 car! The Hawkins British Motorcycle Museum is located at Hawkins Peugeot St Stephen and is open to the public six days a week, Monday-Saturday, with free entry.
The museum is next to the Memories Café allowing you to enjoy your visit with the option of indulging in a hot or cold beverage or a snack. And they also hold an annual event in conjunction with the VMCC, with more details on the website at www.hawkins.co.uk/motorcycles
Fifth time at Saxilby
Calipers refurbed
Following mention of their brake caliper refurb kits last month, wee can also point out that Brake Masters can rebuild and refurb calipers themselves. The rebuild comprises the caliper being stripped, cleaned and rebuilt, while the refurb includes the same processes with the addition of the caliper being recoated, essentially becoming as good as new. For refurb, a single or twin piston caliper is £68 while a rebuild is £44, with prices rising for more pistons, with the four-piston calipers being £79 and £57,
and six potters (rather rare in the world of classic bikes!) are £89 and £66. Giveen that the end result will be that a caliper is virtually as good as new, and in many cases having a finish that is far more durable than that applied to calipers at the factory, this is significantly cheaper than buying a new caliper if, indeed, one is available at all! Brake Masters are at Unit 3A Broom Park, Bridge Way, Chesterfield, S41 9QG, while their kits can be found on ebay or on the website at www.powerhouse.uk
Saxilby Bikers’ Club holds an annual fund raising day each year, with all proceeds going to the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance Fund, and this year’s event – the fifth in succession – will be held at The Anglers, High Street, Saxilby, LN1 2HA on Sunday, July 21, from noon to 6pm. Refreshments will be available, while live bands will be playing, and a raffle will take place with prizes that include an American Experience with Harley Davidson, a free bike MoT (which we at OBM recommend, even though bikes of more than 40 years of age are exempt) and many more. The recordbreaking monowheel will be displayed and will give short demonstration runs. Classic bikes will be on show and anyone wishing to take their pride and joy to show it is very welcome to do so. Also, there will be a best bike on the day competition, with a trophy for the winner. More details are available from Roy Jewison on 01522 702007 and r.jewison@btinternet.com
12 NEWS
July 2019
Beezumph birthday bash With 2019 bringing about the 40th anniversary of the Trident & Rocket 3 Owners Club, this year’s Beezumph Rally – held at Cadwell Park on July 25 and 26 – is set to be something of a special couple of days. The Beezumph event originally came about when a few of the club’s members suggested that it’d be a good idea to hire a circuit, around which club members could ride their own bikes. This was before the popularity of track days and, despite the initial event being blighted by damp conditions, it proved a great success, so much so that this year’s event is actually the 28th consecutive Beezumph! While the meeting began at Cadwell Park, for several years it was held at the Trac Mon circuit on Anglesey (formerly known as Ty Croes), although it has now returned to the iconic and picturesque Lincolnshire track. This year’s theme is that of 40 years of the TR3OC club, and previously there has been a focus on the Anglo-American match races of the Seventies, as well as the unforgettable sight of in excess of 70 Triumph Hurricanes that assembled at Cadwell in 2003, accompanied by the original bike’s designer, Craig Vetter (as seen in the pic to the right).
Aside from two days of track action, the Thursday will also see a rideout from the track to the Lincolnshire Aviation Centre at East Kirkby, to witness the start-up and taxiing of the recently restored Second World War Lancaster bomber, Just Jane. That evening sees an autojumble taking place back at the track, followed by an unmissable talk by journalist, MotoGP specialist and pundit, Neil Spalding. The fun continues on Friday, with more ontrack action, and a raffle for triple-related items, and finishing off with a barbecue and live music from Rickshaw, covering songs from the likes of the Rolling Stones and David Bowie. The bikes that’re being ridden on track will be split into five groups, varying from track day beginners on road-going bikes through to experienced racers on finely honed race machinery. While you’ll be able to view the bikes and talk to the riders in the open paddock, there’ll also be a fair number of Seventies race bikes on display, with hopefully some of the riders of that very machinery in attendance too! There could very well be a few of those bikes and riders heading out on track laps as well…
Obsolete spindles remanufactured
While various AJS and Matchless models used a front wheel spindle that utilised taper roller bearings running directly on to the spindle, the spindles themselves became obsolete and unavailable quite some time ago. Usually fitted to bikes manufactured between 1950 and 1962 (some bikes made outside of this timeframe may also have them fitted), a worn or damaged spindle may, at one point, have been a serious issue, but thankfully that is no longer the case! The Vintage Bearing Company now has the appropriate replacement spindles back in stock, at £160 including UK postage. They can be ordered, along with many other bearings, seals and lubricants, from the website at www.vintagebearings.co.uk, by calling Phil Haywood direct on 01283 509562 or emailing vinttagebearingg@aol..com..
Don’t miss the Eurojumble! Make a date in your diary for this year’s Carole Nash Eurojumble on Friday, September 6 and Saturday, September 7. Thanks to the event’s proximity to Southampton, it attracts many visitors from mainland Europe, so there’s little surprise as to why it is called the Eurojumble! Consequently, there are stallholders – and thus lots of parts, machines and paraphernalia – that you’d not find at other, more northerly, shows and autojumbles. Held at Netley Marsh, the 26th event has more than 300 traders lined up, with the
further potential of private autojumble stalls at a mere 20 quid for a plot on the Saturday, meaning you can rid yourself of any spares that you no longer need, before stocking back up with plenty of potential goodies that will come in handy one day! Advance tickets are £9 per adult for Friday, £6 for Saturday (on-the-day tickets are £12 and £7 respectively), while children aged 15 and under have free entry. Secure your ticket to the event and book now at www. netleymarsheurojumble.com or call customer services today at 01507 529529.
After the track action is finished on the Friday, everyone is encouraged to enter their bikes into a line-up, in which bikes are judged in various categories – from factory standard to modified specials – and the winners awarded trophies.
Beezumph is known for its friendly atmosphere, as is Cadwell Park, so what better combination for a couple of days in mid-summer? Advance tickets, and more information, can be found at the website at www.beezumph.com
Automobilia bonanza Maybe thanks to the increased interest in all things of age, or because motorcycles and classic cars have increased in value beyond many people’s pocket, or whether it’s thanks to TV programmes such as American Pickers and Shed & Buried, the increase in ‘automobilia’ just keeps on building. The Charterhouse auction on July 18 and 19 shows just how big this interest is, with a massive collection
of petrol pumps, enamel signs, oil cans, illuminated dealer logos, forecourt oil dispensers and many other items coming to auction from a collector in Somerset, many of which items are going under the hammer with no reserve! More details on the auction can be found at www. charterhouse-auction.com or from 01935 812277 or email info@charterhouseauction.com
Yorkshire Classic Charity Bike Show We’ll be hoping for good weather on the evening of Wednesday, July 17, for that is when the Yorkshire Classic Motorcycle Club is holding its 18th Annual Classic Bike Show at the Bronte Hotel in Haworth. With eight classes to cover bikes through the ages (including Girder Fork Rigid machines, Military and British Competition to 1970, British, Foreign, Scooters/Mopeds to 1980, through to present day Reproduction and Customised), there should be plenty of interest for all the visitors. Show bikes will be arriving from 5pm onwards with the presentation of awards at around 8pm by club
member, well-known local biker, two-day trial winner and ex-TT racer, Nick Jefferies. Food and drink will be provided by the Bronte Hotel and a raffle will end the evening, which should finish around 9pm. All proceeds will be shared by the club’s three chosen charities – Manorlands Hospice in Oxenhope, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and The Cellar Trust in Shipley – who each received an impressive £1000 last year thanks to kind people’s donations. The Bronte Hotel can be found at BD22 8RA, just outside Haworth and to the south of Keighley.
Ripon roaring in August Yorkshire’s picturesque Ripon Racecourse will play host to in excess of 500 historic vehicles over August Bank Holiday, and while many of them will be of the four-wheeled variety, there’s set to be a good turnout of powered two-wheelers as well. Aside from the private vehicles on display there’ll be plenty of trade stands too, with tools, models, book and gift stands in abundance, while there’ll also be an autojumble for those who’re looking for a shopping experience with an oilier, more hands-on approach. There’ll be rows of clubs stands, and an arena with classic vehicle displays, all just easily accessible five miles from the A1M. Gates open at 10am on Sunday, August 25, with the show running until 4pm, while admission is £7 for adults and £2.50 for children. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome and there is free and ample parking. For more details, or to exhibit your classic vehicle, see www.markwoodwardclassicevents.com
The attached photo shows club chairman, Ian Livingstone, presenting Colin Cooper and his immaculate 1976 Honda CB750 K6 with the trophy as winner of last year’s Best in Show!
14 A BIT ON THE SIDE
July 2019
Jawa 350 OHC Most riders will be familiar with Jawa’s 350 two-stroke twin that is very often seen with one of the Velorex range of sidecars attached. Mick Payne knows the breed, and takes a closer look at the latest offspring.
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awa two strokes and sidecars have been around since I were a lad, and I’ve been riding bikes (legally) on the road for more than 50 years! For the past four-and-ahalf years I’ve owned one myself, and regular readers will remember our adventures with the outfit on a five-month trip around Britain in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society. These, not so smoky, strokers are still imported by David Angel of F2 Motorcycles and are still a great way of getting into sidecars. There’s a new kid on the block however, Jawa’s 350 OHC. It’s been around for some time and has dragged the company into the modern era; ish! Once again imported by David, the traditionally styled bike is powered by a 397cc single cylinder four-valve air-cooled
engine. Sporting all the usual modern features such as EFI and electronic ignition, it keeps both wheels planted in the past (or is it retro?) with 18-inch rear and 19-inch front wheels and, for that extra bit of tradition, still sports a kick-start along with the push button Power is quoted at 20.4 kW, that’s 27bhp in real terms and max torque is 30NM at 6000rpm. Compared to the two-stroke, which puts out 23bhp but has 32NM of torque at just 4750rpm, it’s a more modern output. The newcomer has also gained ABS for the front disc; the rear brake remains a drum, but has lost the lovely enclosed chain of its sibling. Swings and horses? It has, in roadster guise at least, reverted to the marque’s traditional styling with chrome panelled fuel tank
and black knee grips. There’s also a sporty looking OHC Special that mimics one of Jawa’s successful race machines, a bit too much fairing to fit a chair though. Of course F2 are also very well known for their sidecars and also import the Velorex range. “Jawa and Velorex go back a long way,” pointed out David, so it was pretty much inevitable that the new bike would find itself harnessed to one of their chairs. “The fitting has been a joint effort between Velorex and ourselves and consists of incredibly over-engineered laser cut plates. These are fitted to both sides of the frame picking up on extended frame, engine and even swinging-arm mounts. We have also added a fifth fitting to the factory-supplied kit just as we would use on heavier bikes.” As well as developing a fitting kit for left hand side attachment, F2 have fitted an adjustable hydraulic steering damper and uprated rear shocks. The rear brake is linked to a similar drum on the chair but the bike retains the ABS front disc. I can vouch for the efficiency of this set up as my own outfit has similar brakes, minus the ABS. “I’ve kept the gearing as standard which means that fifth is a tall overdrive type gear for faster flat roads, although it cruises at 50 to 55mph,” said David. Lower gearing is offered as a £95 option meaning fifth gear is no longer an overdrive; worth investing in methinks. So what’s the bottom line? On
the road price is £8495, compared to £7795 for a two-stroke powered outfit, then there’s the cost of the gearing change; probably a good idea where I live in Wales. As much as I like my traditional Jawa I think if I was buying new I’d be tempted by the OHC model although I might miss the stroker’s torquey nature.
For more information see F2’s website on www.jawamotorcycles. co.uk or speak to David on 01945 410165 between 2pm and 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday. I’ve not forgotten about the tyre piece, it’s just been postponed a bit and I might even have another new outfit to report on next month too!
July 2019
15
16 MADE IN JAPAN
July 2019
Yamaha DS6
Fifty years ago, Yamaha took one final roll of the dice with an engine design that had been part and parcel of their line-up since their very first twin had appeared back in 1959. Steve Cooper takes a closer look.
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lthough part of the long line of YDS 250cc two-stroke twins, Yamaha took the slightly oddball decision to drop the ‘Y’ prefix which had been part and parcel of the scene from Day One. For the 1969 model year, Yamaha officially referred to the new, learner legal, quarter-litre machine as the DS6 (or DS6B stateside). And even today on Yamaha’s own website the bike’s description misses out that letter Y, which is rather odd as the machine that took over from the DS6 was to be called the YDS7… strange logic to say the least! The DS6 was the final iteration of the long-running vertically split twin engine layout that traced its origins back to early 1950s Germany, as we’ve previously seen. Quite why Yamaha saw fit to run this engine layout for so long is something of an enigma when, by late 1966, they were ready to launch the horizontally split engine as seen on the YR1 350. Typical of both the Japanese factories in general, and Yamaha in particular, the final hurrah for the vertically split twins used very little from the outgoing YDS5E. Why the Yamaha factory even considered tooling up for a new model that was only ever going to be on the sales list for a single year might be anyone’s guess, yet perhaps there was method in their madness. The YDS5E was what you might call cosmetically challenged and its looks arguably never did do it any real favours. The DS6 was a serious cosmetic revision of what was there and brought the 250 twin into line with much of the contemporary range. Gone was the gawky tank with its large and obtrusive rubber knee pads and bolt-on chrome panels; also ousted were the oddly angular side panel and oil tank. In their place were much more rounded and elegantly proportioned panels that looked almost organic compared to the old model. And yet, even if Yamaha were once again going to bill the machine as a sports twin, it would still run shrouded suspension front and rear along with
As Yamaha say themselves – “Power and stamina to Go with a capital G”
vestigial rubber knee pads. The DS6 was still expected to be all things to all men and women apparently. Unique to the DS6 was a pair of cigar-shaped exhausts sporting tulipshaped outlets; nothing else in Yamaha’s catalogue before or since has featured silencers like those on the DS6. Whatever the reason for fitting an electric starter to the YDS5E, no such device was fitted to the DS6 which, if nothing else, helped to lose a bit of weight. Inside the engine the architecture still harked back to the YDS3 and 5E models with their strange gear change mechanisms that necessitated a rectangular sump plate casting cover over the contrivances that made up the shift system. Up top, both the alloy barrels and cylinder head were new and although the DS6 utilised a similar five-port set up as seen on the later YDS5Es it created a different beast. At low revs the DS6 was found to be amazingly tractable and offered a flexibility not too far away from the fabled RD250 that was still three years away. However, give a DS6 its head and it took off in a manner that potentially belied its slightly gentlemanly appearance. If ever Yamaha made a street sleeper or Q bike in the 1960s, then this was it. Even now for what purports to be ‘just another old stroker’ a DS6 has a pretty good head of steam… and it had the handling to match. Quite what racing DNA was trickled into the DS6’s chassis is anyone’s guess, but for a machine that was still being marketed as a do-anything kind of machine it handled better than many of its kind. With a dry weight of around The Yamaha brochure actually included specifications such as climbing ability (24 degrees) and minimum turning radius (2200mm)
145kg the DS6 was lighter than the YDS5E it replaced but not exactly lightweight, yet this may actually have played to its strengths. With the motor well stoked and the tacho needle moving towards the red zone, the bike could be hustled through bends on a rising throttle without any concerns of frame flex. And despite still running what was perhaps the most complex rear brake linkage out there, the cable-operated rear drum was more than up to the job. Up at the front was a TLS (twin leading shoe) drum that had been a signature trademark anchor on the firm’s twins for the best part of a decade. In fact it was so damn good that it would be subtly revised, oriented to face the opposite side then repurposed in less than a year on DS6’s replacement, the YDS7, and live on for another three years before being dropped for the disc brake on the RD250. The DS6 was very obviously something of a stop-gap model while Yamaha worked away behind the scenes on its replacement, but a couple of features that differentiated the DS6 from its predecessor would soon be carried over on to the ‘all new’ YDS7. The DS6 sported twin gauges finished in satin/crackle black and these must have been substantially cheaper to buy in than the headlamp bowl mounted combo unit used on the YDS3s and 5s. The replacement machine would have similar instruments but in chrome-plated cases. Many of the YDS5Es had either been supplied without indicators or had used the small pressed steel, cylindrical, units. The DS6 used chrome alloy units that had first seen the light of day on the smaller twins circa 1967-68. Bigger, more visible and, most importantly, better looking, these too would be used on the YDS7. There was, of course, the inevitable street scrambler spawned by the DS6 and the resultant DS6C would go on to be arguably the best of the genre… from Yamaha at least. And, as was custom and practice, the DS6 rapidly found itself being used as the basis of a race bike. Delivering some 44bhp at 11,000rpm, the resultant TD2 racers proved to be hugely competitive and, even if they did cost £900 at the time, it was still a relatively cheap way to get into top-level 250cc racing. The DS6 would only last the 1969 model year before being replaced by an altogether more modern machine… which we’ll cover in next month’s issue.
On a Facebook page I follow, a post popped up recently where a guy in the US had acquired a Honda CB350G as a genuine barn find (they indisputably have a lot more barns per square mile stateside than we do BTW!). For those that are scratching their heads, it’s a model that wasn’t imported into the UK – think purple and black CB350 K4 with a disc brake front end and you’ll be close enough. The new owner asked his global audience an innocent enough question – “Should I break this bike down for spares, sell it as it stands, or restore it?” And as you might expect he received a plethora of answers ranging from truly banal, through the logical, and on to the genuinely bizarre. One of the more ‘inventive’ responses suggested that the owner convert the bike into a café racer, and logic here was that the bike would ultimately be worth more. Sounds like a reasonable suggestion at first glance doesn’t it, but what’s the truth there? Will a CB350G café racer be worth more than a standard machine once you’ve carried out all the necessary work? Only if the current owner finds someone gullible and rich enough to pay over the top for what was always an average machine at best. And, of course, most of the parts our would-be café racer builder will buy in the course of this project are likely to be of the cheap-andnasty variety. Not so sure? If you were doing up an old nail simply to move it on, would you be using high-end parts? Exactly! There’s a basic tenet that should always be applied to any motorcycle purchase regardless of condition - if you don’t have an affinity for said machine, an aspiration to own this particular model or had one back in the day, then why bother with one now? If you cannot profess some innate enthusiasm for a bike before you’ve acquired it, do you really believe you’ll become attached to it when you’re fighting to get it apart at 11.30pm through the depths of winter in an unheated shed? My own experiences with Satan’s Suzuki Stinger strongly suggest that the more a bike fights you during its renovation, the less desire you have to spend time and money on it... and I’d always wanted a Stinger! Being into classic motorcycles is one thing. Taking on a refurbishment, renovation or restoration is something else entirely, and you’d be well advised to think long and hard about the outcome before making a commitment. It will take much longer than you expect, it will cost more than you budgeted for and, regardless of planning, resources and the like, will confront you with issues you didn’t know existed. And please don’t think you’ll be making a profit once the bike is sorted. Why? Simply because the economics are substantially stacked against you. Those that restore bikes for a living charge a premium for their time and expertise along with staff to pay and manifold overheads which their customers have to pay for. And those customers know from Day One that they will, without question, be paying substantially more than the finished bike is worth. There is, unequivocally, little money to be made from motorcycle restoration when run from a garden shed. So back to our American friend and his barn find – what should he do with it? The most obvious and least expensive option would be to lob it on eBay, Craigslist or the numerous other internet auction selling sites. Someone out there had a CB350G back in the ’70s and wants another one now; they’ll also pay decent money to relive their youth. Alternatively, break it for spares which will also offer a good return on a minimal investment. Not every old bike is automatically a classic and worth serious money. Remember that and don’t anchor yourself to a machine that holds no attraction for you!