Old Bike Mart April 2025 issue **20 PAGE FREE PREVIEW**
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April 26-27
George Brough with the SS100AlpineGrandSport Prototype on which he wonthe 1925 London to Edinburgh Trial and theVictor yCup Trial in 1926 (it also wonthe London to ExeterTrial that year,ridden by JP Castley) before sellingthe machine to Prince RChagla of India. Youcan see more examples of the magnificent SS100 at this month’s International Classic MotorCycle ShowatStafford.
World’sBIGGEST display of Brough Superior SS100s and special guest Henry Cole at
Te clocks have gone forward, dafodilsare takingoverevery green spaceand the sunisevenshining. Spring is upon us and Ihad wanted this editorialtobeanoptimistic, cheerful introductiontothis issue, butsometimes the best laid plans go awry
TismorningasI satdownto writewhat should have been ahalf page flledwith bouncylambs and fufy clouds,Idiscoveredthat a friend of afriendhad passed away Ihad known from the chatteron social mediathat the gentleman wasmissing and sadlyIknowfrom experiencethatsuchsituations don’tend well. So it wasinthis case, achoicemade and alife ended.
Despitestrides for ward over the last coupleofdecades thereisstill a stigma abouttalkingabout mental health,particularly among men and, mayIsay it without causingofence, amongoldergentlemen. So many have been broughtuptobelieve that it’s somehowunmanlynot to maintain astif upper lip –and to admit to havingfeelings,well,that’s just not what achapdoes.
Butall of us will go through timeswhen that stoicism is tested to breaking point, whether it be the lossofajob or ofa partner, beingunable to ride anymore, retirementnot beingthe roses around the cottage door imagethat you expected,and countlessmore scenarios.Sometimes theredoesn’t even seem to be areasonwhy you
mightfeelhelplessand hopeless. And sufering in silence can, at times,bethe worstthingpossible forboth yourmental and physical health
Tat’swhy Iamheartened to seeseveral organisations tacklingthis very subject. In last month’s News we told you aboutMotorbiker Acts of Random Kindness(MARK) whichis encouragingpeople in the middle of the countr yand Wales to takepart in an eventvisitingbiker cafes with the intention of raisingawareness of mental health,along with funds to supportworthwhile community causes and groups.Tea and motorcycles is afne prescriptionfor improvingyouroutlook
theywould do somethingto, as Paul says,stopother families goingthrough the heartache a suicide brings.
Meanwhile,ifyou visited Motorcycle Live at the NECatthe end of last year,you mayhavecome acrossthe Mental Health Motorbike stand with its artist-in-residence, ourver yown Weeble,who hasbeen astalwart supportofthis charity since it wasfoundedfve yearsago Mental Health Motorbikedescribes itself as ‘a free mental health frst aid supportser vice forthe biker communitythroughout the UK’ It wasstarted by Paul Oxborough and JayLucas who found themselves together at the funeral of their friend Dale Cafrey.Dale wasjust38years old when he took his life and, at that funeral, Paul and Jaypromised his familythat
Teyset themselves an ambition to have amental health frst aider in ever ytownand cityinthe UK .Ten, of course,alongcame Covid-19. But, instead of putting things on hold, theyrealised that people were goingtoneedhelp all the moreafter lockdownand isolation. Usingonline meetings, theyinitiallystarted with aplanto train 100 mental health frst aiders. And theydid just that.Tey then set themselves atargetoftraining1000 mental health frst aidersbythe end of 2024; theyare closinginonthat targetwith morethan900.
Mental Health Motorbikeofers free one-to-one and peer support, trainingactivities,anonline group, mental health presentations to clubs and organisations.Itworks with the motorcycleretail industr y and attends morethan150 events ayeartomakepeople awareof the charityand what it canofer
anyone in crisis.And it’s all runby volunteers, people who giveuptheir time and expertisetohelp others and, yes, to save lives
Just as youwould seek help for abrokenleg or an unsightly rash or chestpains,then asking for help when the worldseems ableak place should be just as commonplace and regarded as the same.Itdoesn’t matter yourage or your background or your gender, ever yone needsa helpinghand at some point, becausethe nexttimeI seeanappealonsocialmedia about someone missing, Idon’t want it to be one of you. mhmotorbike.com makeyourmark.wales
Dale WinfieldCollectiontostar at BonhamsStaford Sale
In addition to theusual treasuresthataBonhams auction throwsup, this year’s Spring Sale at the International Classic MotorCycle Show promises some mouthwatering lots. In addition to a remarkable sevenBrough Superiorsand afabulous Montgomerythat our editor would,ifnot kill thencertainlymaim for, some of the starsofthe sale arebound to be those beingofered in the Dale Winfeld Collection.
Te late Dale Winfeld –who startedthe outdoor gearchain of Winfeld Outdoors stores –was a motorcycle connoisseur, buildingupacollection that oncenumberedover 400 machines.OnApril 26, some 43 motorcycles from that collection will be ofered at auction, all without reserve. Mr Winfeld clearly hadwiderangingand eclectictastes in motorcycles
At the lowest end–both in powerand value –isan early1950sgentleman’s bicycleequipped with a 50ccTrojanMini-Motor which would enable the braverider to whiz along at amighty30mph.At the other endofthe scale aretwo ex-CarlFogarty motorcycles,both Honda VF750R RC30s,one from 1988and the otherfrom 1989, whichhappenedto be twoofthe three years that he wonthe Formula OneWorld Championship.
Tree Vincentsare being
This ex-Dale Winfield 1950 Vincent 998cc Series-C Rapide was subject to acomplete restoration by Maughan &Sonsinthe mid-1980s and has coveredjust 825 miles since.
oferedfromthe collection –a1950Series-C Rapide, a‘Grey Flash’ replicaand a1951 Comet –which have ‘comeand buyme’ estimates, £18,000-25,000 inthe case of the Rapide and £8000-12,000 forboth the Grey Flash replicaand the Comet.
Butour attention was caught by the more unusual lots,suchasthe 1980Triumph Bonneville Executive Limited Edition with just 12 milesonthe clock–surelyitmust exceedthe £4000-6000 estimate.Tereisalovely 1947 Gilera Saturno499cc;
one of EddieKidd’sstunt bikes ;a1950MotoGuzzi Superalceand aBianchi 318cc MT61 both in militaryspecand a1964 GreevesEssex attachedto alightweight Watsonian Bambini child’ssidecar Whoeverwinsthe glorious1930 ‘cammy’ AJS350ccR7willbea lucky manorwoman. Unfortunately, the history is unknownand it’s unregistered, indicating that thiswas purely arace bike(andone of thelast producedbyAJS). Te estimate of £12,000-18,000 is pretty much on the
money,but what apretty machine.
However, it’s guaranteed that onelot in particular will captureviewers’ imaginationsand that’s the 1937 ScottFlying Squirrel combination Now, it wouldbea desirableoutft at the best of times,but this one comes with that magical designation,‘Ex-Steve McQueen’.Itwas bought by Dale Winfeld at the SteveMcQueen estate sale at Caesar’s Palace,Las Vegas, in 1984. We’venot been able to discover what the hammer pricewas at
that auction, butwewill be interested to seeifthe ‘McQueen efect’isstillin operation.
As we told youinlast month’s News,the Brough display alone will make thisApril’s Stafordshow an eventtoremember,but of course thereismuch, much more, as youcan read in thisissue’s special supplement.
Te International Classic MotorCycle Show is on April26-27 at theStaford Showground. Go to www. classicbikeshows.com to fndout more and buy advance tickets.
Teafor more than twoatSammy Miller Museum
We always appreciate a bitofbeverage-based news so we were pleased to hear that theSammy MillerMuseumhas openedits new tearooms, appropriatelycalled Sammy’sPit Stop.It’s under themanagement of Mark and DanEllson of L’Arte CofeeHouse whichhas an extremely
well-regarded cofee shop in Pooleaswellas outletsinWokingham andBasingstoke.Te tearooms will be ofering awhole rangeoftasty treats,fromafullEnglish breakfasttocakes and sconesand, of course, excellenttea andcofee, allser vedin thenew brightand air ybuilding
or,weather permitting, in themuseum’sVictorian Courtyardwhichisalso home to craftshops anda newcopperwater fountain.
We’renot sure how oftenyou’ll spot Sammy himselfinthe tearooms becausehehas just acquireda newproject to occupy his time and
oneabout whichheis very enthusiastic.Asalad –and he will admitthat wasa fewyears ago– he took ashine to theBond Minibykebut,despite the countlesstreasures in themuseum, he’d never ownedone.Until now.
At therecentDore& Rees auction at theBristol ClassicMotorcycleShow,
Sammycouldn’t resist a1949example andit’s alreadygettingsome love andattention in themuseum’s ever-busy restorationworkshops
Te SammyMiller Motorc ycle Museum canbefound at Bashley CrossRoads,New Milton, HampshireBH25 5SZ and is open sevendaysa week from 10amto4.30pm.
At present, Sammy’sPit Stop is open from 9.30am to 3.30pm With theopeningofthe newtearooms– which will alsocater forevents like open days and autojumbles–the regular morning ride-inwillnow take placeonTuesday rather than Tursday.
When people talk gloweringly about Italian styling,they have perhaps forgotten about the Bianchi MT61…
Youdon’tnecessarily think of a250cc Greeves as asidecar hauler,but this 350cc Essex looks perfect with its Watsonian Bambini chair
The AJS R7 from the Dale Winfield Collection –isn’titjust so pretty?
This Scott outfit is bound to be one of the most talked-about lots in the Bonhams Spring Sale, but will prices be pushed up because the previous owner was one Terrence Stephen McQueen?
Now open, Sammy’sPit Stop.
How the latest acquisition to the museum’scollection arrived at the end of February…
…and now it’salready looking like a Bond Minibyke!
ScooterDay at KemptonParkShow
Te nextKempton ClassicMotorcycleShow and Autojumble hasa rather small-wheeled feel aboutit. Tat’s becausethe event, to be heldonSaturday, May10, at KemptonPark Racecourse in Sunbury-on-Tames,willbea ScooterDay Special!
You’ll fndevery motorcycle andscooter part youcan think of,whether it be spares,
accessories,memorabiliaorevena complete machine readytoridehome. Younameit, it’ll be there.
Alongside morethan250 tradestalls,there will be plenty of privateentries showcasing their pride and joy, from fullyrestoredclassics to projectbikes stillinneedofa little TLC. Whether you’relooking forinspirationor
TridentMCS devastated by fire
Ahugefre at themotorcycle restoration workshop of Trident MCS, manufacturers of the RobNorth Triples, hasdestroyed anumberof motorcycles,aswellastools and irreplaceable memorabilia
Te historicracebikebusiness, basedin Woodsetton, Dudley, is run by husbandand wife Lesand Denise Whistonand the freisbelieved to have broken outinthe centre of thewarehouse containingrestored machines, includingcustomers’ motorcycles.Teblaze wasfoughtby crewsfromeight diferent frestations
afterbeingspotted in the earlyhours of March14. Followingamotorcycleaccident last August in whichLes wasseriously injured and subsequentlyspent twoweeks in intensivecare, the couple hadoverlookedrenewing the property’s insurancepolicy, so the losses, whichamounttoaround £200,000 arenot insured.Les had also only just startedtoresume work againfollowing his injuries. Fire investigatorshavefound that the blazewas accidentaland probably the result of an electrical fault.
WEEBLE’SWORLD
just admiring the craftsmanship, there’ll be somethingfor everyenthusiast
With this beingthe ScooterDay Special, expectanincredible lineup of scooterentries and club displays, celebratingeverythingon twowheels.Get your tickets from just £6 at www.kemptonautojumble.co.uk andenjoy the ultimateday out, especially if youlikescooters.
VMCC autojumble to be held in Forfar
Ouch! It wasn’tbeing on the foor that hurt.Itwas the resumption of averticalstance.
News from Arthur Merchant of the VMCC in CentralScotland who writes :“In some parts of this sceptred isle,you can choose to visitanautojumble mostweekends withoutthe need to travel toofar butin Scotland theyare fewand far between. Te CentralScottish Section of the VMCC have been runninganannual spring autojumble for more than 25 years, frst at PerthMart (nowknocked down)then at Forfar Mart (whichwentout of business).Solastyearweagain foundourselves homeless.
“Wewereverypleased to fnd ahome at Forfar Indoor Sports part of whichisForfar IceRink, not toofar from the former
auction mart wherewewere for anumberofyears.(Te fulladdress is CarseviewRoad, Forfar DD8 3BT.)
‘Lastyear’sevent went well, so we will be back on April20 thisyear(twoweeks earlier than usual)and looking forward to what is as much asocialgatheringasitisa businessopportunity. Stopping mid-morning to grab acouple of pictures for ourFacebook page,I am always struck by the imageofasea of people all chatting, barteringand generallyenjoyingthemselves! Hope to seeyou therefor another Grand DayOut! ” More informationfromarthur. vintagent@gmail.com
We can’t guarantee therewill be loads of pretty young ladies on scooters at Kempton Park, but it certainly cheered us up searching the archive for these photos!
Foundagain after seeminglybeing lost for four decades, Fred Marsh’sremarkablehand-built V8.
National Motorcycle Museum acquires thelostMarsh V8
In its collection of rare machines,the National Motorc ycle Museum hasone whichreallydoesdeser ve the soubriquet of ‘unique’.In2008 theNMM purchasedthe March four-c ylinder 500ccracing motorc ycle,atrueone-of whichwas designed and built by Fred Marshwhile working asanengineeratHarland and Wolf (where he would machine partsonhis lathe during lunch breaks). It wasn’t until 1962, some nineyears afterthe projectbegan,thatitwas up and running andwould eventually
be racedbyTonyGodfrey and George Collis among others
However, it wasknown that Fred also builta 500cc V8 motorc ycle butafter Fred’s deathin1978itdisappeared andwas eventuallypresumed to have been lost forever.It became somethingofamyth with some wonderingwhetherit hadeverexisted at all.Now it’s been revealed that,after Fred died,his widowgavethe V8 bike to DonLowman, aver ygood friend of Fred’s whohad worked under himasanapprenticein thelate1950s.
Since 1979 it hasbeenin storage, its whereabouts andevenits very existence asecret. (However,wehave discovered duringa deep dive on theinternetthatafew local peopledid indeedknowofits whereabouts.)
Nowthe MarshV8500cc motorc ycle hasbeenacquired by theNationalMotorcycle Museum andmustbeone of themostsignifcantclassic motorcyclefndsofrecentyears It is hoped that it will eventually go on displayalongside its sibling.
ROYERICSMITH
It is with sadnessthatwe report RoyESmith died aged 93 in anursing home near his home in West Sussex on February 14, 2025,after ashort illness Royloved motorcycles, maintaining hisown bikeinthe stables of his mumand dad’spub,the Victoria,and soon his passion grew to the point where it became his business. Some of you mayremember RoySmith Motors,based in New Malden, wasverywell known around theareaof SouthWestLondonand Surrey.
RoySmith’s wasa Honda/Yamaha main dealer and, at the time, the largeststockistof Yamaha spares in the country. It also carried alarge clothingand accessories rangeand had
Roy Smith aboarda Velocette at Brays Hill in the 1954 Junior TT
averydecentworkshop
Unsurprisingly,Roy Smith’s became apopular meetingplace at weekends
Royracedinthe IoMTT, both Junior andSenior races, as well as competing in the International SixDaysTrial (ISDT) severaltimes,including in Garmisch,Germany.
He andhis wife Evelyn alsotravelledthe UK and Europe participatingin many bikeraces, often travellingonhis motorbike andsidecarorwithhis LandRover andtrailer In retirementRoy spentmanyhappy hours lookingafter hisvintage bikes,takingpartinmany London to Brighton Runs with themand enjoying apeaceful retirementby the coastwithhis beloved Evelyn Roywill be sadlymissed by allhis friends,family andneighbours, as well as thosewho worked with him at RSM. Safe home Roy, safe home.
Ayoung Roy on alate 1930s Velocette MSS.
From left: WesWall of the museum restoration team, Colin Wall (Wes’sdad), the NMM’schief restorer,museum director James Hewing and previous owner Don Lowman.
Theoldestsurviving electric motorcycle in theUK?
Iconic Auctioneers’ Spring Shuttleworth Sale will be avariety of modernand classicmachines, butprobablythe mostunusual lot is an electric bike. Youmight think that’s not uncommon –after all, electric motorcycles areeverywhere these days.But this is an electric motorcyclefrom1942…
Iconic believesthis to be the oldest survivingelectricmotorcycleinthe UK and it startedlife in 1922asa standard petrol-drinkingDouglas 2¾. However, in 1942 –atatimewhen, of course,petrol wasrationed– aMr Pidcock of Peterborough converted the Douglas to useonhis daily commute to work at an engineering company.Atfrstheusedthe Douglasframe buthethencreated
his ownchassis,alsousing some BSAparts.Temotor is aMorris lorry startermotor with powerfrom three 6v heavyduty batteries and speedis selected by alever with three positions,6v, 12v and18v
It featured twice in MotorCycling, once in 1942 andthenthe following year,and hada maximumspeed of 18mph.However,although Mr Pidcock claimedin1942 that the now electric motorcycle had‘aduration of aday’, fvemiles is actuallycloserto the mark
Tis machinewill be oferedatthe Shuttleworth Collection, OldWarden Park,BedfordshireSG18 9EPonMay 6, 2025, andthe estimate is £50006000.Incidentally, oneofBritain’s mostsuccessful cyclists,Olympic
gold medalwinner and 2020 electric mountain bikeworld champion is one TomPidcock.Wewonder if there is anyconnection…
Goodbyeafter 42 years to thePonderosa Cafe
It waswith sadnessthatwelearned of the closureofthe PonderosaCafe, awell-knownlandmarkand stop on the HorseshoePassinLlangollen.
OwnersSimon and SamClemence announcedthe news on Facebook, saying:“It is with aheavy heartwe announce that thePonderosa shall not be reopeningatthispresent momentintime. We wouldalsolike to thankour staf,pastand present. We couldnot have accomplished oursuccess without you.”
Simonopenedthe cafe as an 18-year-oldsome42years ago during whichtimeithas been afavourite with walkers, hikers, cyclists andparticularly with motorcyclists. Te viewfromthe cafe of theClywdianMountains
Andthe PinhardTrophygoestoAlice!
Te SunbeamMCC is delightedto announce that 21-year-old trials rider Alice MintafromTelford hasbeen adjudged winner of Te Pinhard Trophyfor 2024. Shehas been riding bikessincethe ageoffourand has hadoutstandingsuccess at National andInternational levelinthe last year
Te Pinhard Trophyisone of the UK’s most prestigiousrewards,the giantcup (it holdsa whopping three gallons of whatever liquidyou care to pour)havingbeenpresented to thebestunder21-year-old sporting motorcyclistcompetingunder ACU or SACU jurisdiction since1950. OBM is delightedthat oureditor is oneofthe judges forthe Pinhard Trophy.
Alice is amemberofthe successful Team GB winnersofthe Trialdes Nations,beating therunners-upItaly by 30 marks. Sheisthe currentLadies TrialChampionand wasbestfemale competitorinthe arduous ScottOneDayTrial.Inthe community she oftenofersher services to help youngriderson training days On learning that she hadwon thePinhard TrophyAlice said;“Iam trulyhonoured to receive this award. In theUKwe have awiderange of success in motosport so to be singledout and announcedasthe winneris honestly unbelievable.Iamveryproud of my successoverthe last year,tonot only
representGreat Britain,but to win theTrial desNations fortwo yearsin arow is averyspecial achievement forme. It certainlywouldn’t be possiblewithoutthe support of all my family, friendsand sponsors whohavebeen behind me everystepof the way. Troughoutmy season I’ve found it just as importanttofnd time to supportupcomingwomen’s talent, and Iwould also like to thankmyclubSouth Shropshire MCCfor puttingmeforward for this prestigiousaward andtothe SunbeamClub forcontinuing to
Alice followsinthe footstepsof previous femalewinnersMaureen Towler,Donna Foxand Alicia Robinson,all trials riders,and joins alistofpastvictors whichincludes such motorcycling legendsasMike Hailwood, JefSmith,MickAndrews, Arthur Lampkinand John Surtees. If you know of ayoung riderwho deserves to be nominated forthe 2025Pinhard Trophy, then please contact Tony Lloyd, PinhardTrophy trusteeatSunbeam MCC, on 07751 300233 or emailanthonyjohnlloyd6@ gmail.com
As well as aweeklymeetatthe 59 Club’s Plaistow headquartersevery Wednesdayevening, thereisnow alsoaregular club meet at AllSaints Church.All Saints wasoriginally builtand opened with thelate Reverend William ‘Bill’ Shergold, who wasinstalledasits frst vicar in 1957, andwho establishedthe motorcyclesection of the club in 1962.Evenifyou arenot amember, youare welcome to attend between 6.30-9.30pm on thelastTursday of each month, talk bikesand see
wasone of thefnestvistasinthe area andthe surroundingroads are hugely popularwith bikers. Simon addressedthe latter directly,adding: “Tereare many othercafes you couldhavechosen butyou choseus andfor that we aredeeplygrateful. Abig heartfelt thankyou goesout to thebikingcommunity for their unfinchingsupport throughmany ups anddowns during theyears that we have been at thePonderosa.”
Te Ponderosahad closed in November 2024 for maintenance but, until the recent announcement, wasbelieved to be reopening for the 2025season. Although the website is stillavailable,the Ponderosa’s Facebook page hassince been removed.
whatthe club is about. Refreshments areavailable andAll Saints Church canbefound in Uxbridge Road, Hanworth,Middlesex TW13 5EE.
NewSaturdayopening at WatsonianSidecars
If youfancy aride outonaSaturday, then whynot head forWatsonian Sidecars whichisbased in the picturesque NorthCotswolds, home to some roads ideal for abit of pootlingabout.Watsonian is now open everySaturdayfrom10am to 2pm, givingvisitorsthe chance to meet up,perusethe sidecars, clothingand accessories in the recently refttedshowroomand then have acuppa (ora latteorsome such fancycofeeifyou’resodisposed) andabitetoeat in Mr Watson’s Cafe whichisbased in aconverted
double-deckerbus beside the factory –whichis, of course,the UK’slongest runningsidecarfactory Watsonian Sidecars canbefound at Unit 72, NorthwickBusiness Centre,Blockley, Moreton-in-Marsh, GloucestershireGL56 9RF
Mr Pidcock on his electric motorcycle in 1942. It is still registered with the fuel designationof‘electricity’.
Left: Theelectric Douglas today in what appears to be near original condition.
Above: Power comes from three large 6v batteries.
Above: AliceMinta competing in the World Trials Championship in Germany in 2024. Inset below: Alice Minta, winner of the 2024 PinhardTrophy
Thirty yearsfor theYamahaTRX850
We here at OBM know Jonath an La mble yi nh is gu is ea sV incent HR D Club or ga ni seroft he Cr ic h Motorc yc le Daya nd Vi nc ent Ow ners Club mach ine re searcher,but ,a shetoldu s, he al so li ke st wi ns of ar at her di ferent va riet y…
“I’m relati vely ne wtot he Ya ma ha TR X8 50 motorc yc le worldbut li ke ma ny ot her TR Xowner s, I’mhooke da nd wi ll ke ep mi ne fora slonga sI ca nr ide, or even longer
“Cur rent ly,t here is no UK TR XO wner sC lubper se,but onei sf astapproac hi ng.I n theU Ka nd arou nd theworld, therei sahea lt hy follow ing of theYam ah aT RX 85 0w it h an al most ‘c ult’ li ke follow ing (t akea look on Facebook at theg roup ‘Yam ah aT RX Ow ners GroupU K’).
“O rigi na ll ybui lt in 19 95 as asport sbikem ai nl yfor the Japa na nd ea st Asia ma rket , adec isionw as made by Li n Ja rv is to promotet he TR X8 50 more by gett ingt he jour na li st
Al an Cathca rt to race it in Eu rope.O verR ac ingi nJapan, le db yS atoKen sei, prepared thebike, nick na me d‘Tr ix ie’, andt he re st wa sh istory.A la n
hadag reat raci ng seas on in Eu rope anda ls owentonto wi nt he ‘Bat tleoft he Tw in s’ in theUSA on Tr ix ie .I nterest wa sg rowi ng andYam ah a
wa sc ajoled andc onvi nc ed into ex port ingt he bi ke into Eu rope in 19 96.However,due to over pr ic ing, poor sa le sa nd thec ompetition from ot her br ands,t he modelc ea se d produc tion in 20 01 “Twent yyea rs later, there is ahea lt hy follow ingof theYam ah aT RX 85 0w it h it spunchy10-va lve, 85 0c c, DOHC ,270 -deg re e, pa ra llel tw in engi ne.S omuc hso, th at theU Kowner sa re hold inga 30 th an ni vers ar ye vent at the Sa mmyM il lerMus eu mi n theNew Fore st on Satu rd ay, Ju ne 21
“Spe cial guestw it hh is race bi ke Tr ix ie wi ll be Al an Cathca rt ,w ho Ibel ie ve is equa ll ya se xc ited to be there as we are, andh as pl an sto freupt he bi ke anddoa fe w laps of thec ar pa rk .Wea re al so hopi ng to have theA ir Ambu la nc eTea mt here who wi ll be sell ings omeT RX T-sh ir ts,badge sa nd ot her memorabi li a, andt here wi ll be afew trophies to ha nd out.”
VJ MC HA MP SH IR E’ SA NN UA LAUTOJ UM BL E
Te VJ MC Ha mpsh ire
Se ct ionw il lb er un ni ng it s popu la rWey hi ll autoju mble ag ai nt hi syea ronSunda y,
Ju ne 8. Te eventi sloc at ed at We yh il lC ou nt ry Ma rk et wh ic hi sjus toft he A3 03 on theA 34 2Wey hi ll to
Lugger sh al lroad. Al ls el lers’ pitc he sa re ju st £10a nd set up st ar ts at 6a mw it hpublic ac ce ss from 7. 30 am
En fie ld Ve lo rexGT
Mick Payne speakstothe owner of anew Enfieldoutfit and finds it’s threetimes lucky.
Onlya couple of months agoI impliedthat the Bonneville had replacedthe RoyalEnfeld as sidecartug of choice Tis is true to an extent, but Watsonian hasbuilt several outfts with the bigEnfeld twins,although recentlyF2 built aver yniceexample with the relativelynew Velorex GT chair,asyou seehere. Tisis asingle seat body that shares the stylingofthe Sportwith the practicalityofthe Tour
John Burton is the owner of this lovely example,his thirdsidecaroutft.“In 2006
Iwas involved in aserious accidentatwork,”hesays.
“Te outcome wasthat it afectedmybalance so two wheels hadtogoand three became the waytogo.”His frst example wasanEnfeld Classic500 and Watsonian Monza: “Tis wasfne for potteringabout,but not really suitable fortouring fully laden.”Tis wasreplacedwith
aTriumph Bonneville T100 (the 900cc twin) and again, shoppingwithWatsonian, a GPManx .Tis wasfound to be heavyonthe steering whichsadlyaggravated other injuries
John’sparticularEnfeld Interceptor wasfrst registeredinJanuar y2023 but it stoodinthe dealer ’s for two years. “I boughtitinJanuar y this year with just deliver y mileageand David Angel at F2 fttedthe new chair,” John tells me,addingthathe and hispartner chosethe Velorex with value for money beingone cited reason. “My partner alsoliked the looks, ease of access and weather protection and Iliked the leveloftrimofered with that
Bank holidayride-in to theNMM
On the frst MayBankHoliday –that’sMonday,May 5– the National Motorcycle Museum will be hostinga ‘ride-in’ eventwhichwillfeature a largeautojumbleinside the museum’s ComptonSuite with stalls outside,too Terewillalsobea special guestinthe shapeofLili Myers, widowofHair yBiker Dave Myers, who will be partakinginanexclusive stage interview. Alongside her will be Jason‘Woody’ Woodcock, organiser of Dave Daywhich, after last year ’s
Cont ac tJoh nBar terat ba rt er john770@ gm ai l.com formoredet ai ls ab outt he autoju mble
Lili’s forthcoming book will be available to pre-order at the event.
hugely successful inaugural event, will be takingplace on June 21 this year.Tey will be talkingabout last year ’s Dave Dayand the plans for 2025, aboutthe auction of his BSA (details of whichwebrought you in ourMarch issue) and, of course,about the man himself.Visitorswillalsohave achance to preorder Dave & Me,Lili’sforthcomingmemoir abouther husband, his legacy, and their shared love of food, bikes and much more.
model, the interior trim is very pleasingtothe eye.”Te outftwill certainlyearn its living, as John reports: “I’ll useittorun up to my home in Wiganand to my partner ’s home in Leicesteraswell as touringthe UK and possibly Europe.”
Itsmaiden tripfromF2 in Wisbechsurprised John with howeasyitwas to ride –David hadconfdedto me howconcernedhewas in settingupasidecarfor a regularrider,but he needn’t have been. “I wasamazingly surprised at howeasyitwas to ride,” remarksthe happynew owner.“Te handlingisgreat and it’s very lighttosteer,the usual quirks associated with sidecars arehardlynoticeable.”
Te optional sidecarbrake wasn’t ftted–“My other two outfts didn’t have thischoice and brakingwas adequate on them.”
Another opportunitynot taken up wasgraphics to keythe sidecartothe bike as the Enfeld already has ablack tank butwith the forwardportion silver and blue.Now I’dbehappy with that,but John is not…“Te onlymodifcations I’ll make will be to paintthe tank gloss blacktogiveitanall over colour match,a luggage rack and soft panniersand atouring screen.”Itmight seem extravaganttopaintthe biketomatch the chair,but afriend of mine paintedhis bikeand sidecartomatch his
Te NMM will alsobefring up some of its collection of rare machines and there will alsobesavoury smoke mixingwiththe Castrol-R as abarbecueisfreduptokeep ever yone fullyfuelled. Visit www.nationalmotor cyclemuseum.co.uk for moredetails of the event.
new crash helmet! Te SportGTisthe fagship model in the Czech company’s rangewith atilting scuttle aidedbyahydraulic ramand fully80litres of boot space.Tis is accessedvia the moveable seat back and there’salsoa handyextra storageareaunder the seat squabaswell as auseful rack
As David says :“Tereare very few options available for the GT simply becauseitcomes with mostthings as standard.” It costs£4995 plus fttings at £695 and the actual ftting price will vary with the bike used
Forfurther details visit simplyside cars.co.uk or give David aringon01945 410165 (TuesdaytoSaturday).
Sharing reminiscences and asking questions will be Lili Myers.
BIT ON THE SIDE
Japanese StreetScramblers: Honda CL350
Steve Cooper explains howHonda’s CL350was farmorethan simplyanofroad version of the company’s CB350.
Ifthere’sone motorcycle that encapsulateswhatthe genreofstreetscramblers is all about, it surely hastobe the HondaCL350. It typifes the adaptations necessary to morph aroadbikeinto something diferentwithout making substantial changes. Te bikewas producedfor and targetedatthe American market wherethe 350cc capacitybracket washugely popular. In some states 350s could be used as astarteror learner machine; elsewhere 350s were the machines of choice for urbanand transurbanriding.And, if anyone wasinany doubt just how key350s were to sales in the USA, just think back to the last yearsofthe British bike industr y. Te 350cc Triumph Bandit and BSAFur ywere designedprincipallyfor the Americamarkettogarner learner riders.
Te CB350Kappearedin 1968 and wasver yswiftly followedbythe CL350 with both models sharing the same basicengine and chassis. Te CB350K wasdesignedand built to replace the CB77, akaSuper Hawk,that haddone so much to enhance Honda’s profle through the 1960s Te old model (alongwith
the 250 CB72) haddone aspectacularlygoodjob uppingthe company’sprofle and reputation butithad been expensivetobuild. Te new 250/350K series had been designed to be easier and cheapertobuild, thereby increasingand maximising Honda’sprofts.
Te frmalsototally revamped the waythe K series twins’frames were constructed. Insteadofusing the engine as astressed member of the chassis, the new bikes ranafull cradle frame with twin downtubes. Althoughthe olderCB72/77 system hadnever been found signifcantly lacking, Honda hadelected to followthe then currentthinkingand opt for amoreconventional framework in whichtomount its newengines. Ultimately this proved to be apopular move as the K-series twins sold in substantial volumes to riderswho wanted afourstroke twin. When combined with the trail SL350, salesof all the 250/350 Kseries twins amountedtoseveral hundred thousand; estimates vary from 250,000 to 500,000 units
Te CL350 featured the usualstreetscrambler elements –braced’ bars and high-levelexhaust system
fttedwith heatguards and largecollector box. Te initial model wasoferedinwhite with redorblue as perthe CB350 with an optionfor orange and whitepaint.Te K1 model wasessentiallythe same with minor cosmetic diferences.TeK2series received anew rounded tank and, once again, minor changes. Forthe K3 CL350 it wasyet more cosmetic changeswith strangespikey graphics
Te model carriedon until 1972 when the fnal K4 derivativewas released with dramatic metallic lime green paintworkand blackand red pinstripes or deep maroon with whiteand orange detailing. Also on this last model, the side panels were very similar to thoseofthe road-goingCB350. Hondahad nevermade anybonesabout the fact that the CL350 wasanafectation, apretention, a‘formover function’ motorcycle. It
bore little if anyrelationto its illustrious CL77 cousin and didn’t have one iota of genuine dual purposeability. So whydid it make street scramblers? Well, initially becauseits rivals were, so it hadtoofersomethingto compete alongside –and then the company discovered that the machines were beingboughtbya subset of potentialHondaclientele whosaw the CB350 as just a little dull and boring whereas the CL350 wasperceived as havinga bit of dash and roguish glamour aboutit. As we know, ultimatelythe street scrambler thingwas ablind avenue at best or, alternatively, just amarketing ploytoobtain extra sales or not losethem to rivals.Bythe early1970s therewas clear delineation betweenroad bikes and trail bikes…unless you were Honda. Te Big Aitch would have onefnal popatthe genreasweshall subsequentlysee
Anumber of CL350 customs have been built, among them this example, based on a1971 machine, by Slipstream Creations of St Louis, Missouri who say: ‘Wewanted to turnupthe dial on versatility and off-road ability just abit, while keeping that vintage Honda style and charm.’
Wandering through social media acouple of months ago Icame across awonderfully accurate comment from aparticipant of the Marusho MotorCoLtd –Owners and Admirers page on Facebook Afan of the marque in Japan had sent aclutch, gaskets, seals and springs to another devotee in America commenting thus: “Parts only have value and fulfltheir mission when they go to the people who need them and areused effectively.I don’t intend to live with them forever.” This generous donation of spares will hopefully get arareJapanese machine back on the road.
Afew fans of older Japanese classics will probably know of the R92 500cc BMW lookalike Magnums and Electras, but the spares in questions werefor one of the altogether rarer V-twins. Without such thoughtfulness and generosity how on Earth would you even dream of keeping such ararebeast as a viable motorcycle and save it from becoming asterile shell of amuseum piece?
The older Japanese bikes are, the harder it is to maintain their viability.Afriend of this column had been tinkering with some astonishingly rare early Hondas and commissioned some lever setstobe cast. Youmight think it’d be okay to ft something British or European from theperioduntil youlearn that these levers werethe inverted type and mounted in the ends of the handlebars and run their cables through said tubing. He had afew sets made for himself, then shared the joy with the scattered community of early Honda fans across the world. The sharing of knowledge and parts is key to ensuring these earliest postwar two-wheelersremain tangible and relevant. So, when you areelbows deep inside a1959 Yamaha YDS1, it’sgood to knowa few fans effectively have your back.Anotherfriend of this column was going through Yamaha’sfrstsports twin andconcludedthe tuning fork brand’sengineershad been “learning on the job”! As the modelprogressed (1959 to 1961) the engine seems to be verymuch built as WIP –aka ‘Work In Progress’. Changes to crank seals, bearings and so much more appeared to have been the norm. Once again, those dedicated to the model wereable to offer advice and support with key items such as replacement conrods. Having sampled the bike last year Ican confrm that another crucial piece of motorcycling’shistory is once again alive and well and putting smiles on its owner’s face. And as any of the above might appear to present achallenge, think about those that arefascinated by the likes of Olympus motorcycles. Ostensibly made from the late 1950s through to the early 60s, Katayama Industry Co Ltd of Nagoya city,Chikusaku, rolled out some real oddballs. Early models were heavily infuenced by the likes of NSU’sfour-stroke singles –but then they went offona tangent. Inline two-stroke twins with horizontal cylindersmounted in pressed steel frames werecertainly ‘out there’ and then they went one stage further with asimilar layout and a370cc stroker triple… Kawasaki fans, please take note. On the rash assumption afew brave souls in Japan areinto Olympus motorcycles, what the hell do they do for support and spares?
All of this rather puts our motorcycling lives sharply into perspective. The average fan moans about the fact that spares for something from the 1970s aren’t as common as they once were, and, when they do turnup, they’renot cheap. But imagine owning a Marusho Lilac CF40 or LS18 and fnding thatyou need pistons? Or an Olympus motorcycle that needs anything other than tyres or spark plugs? Sometimes super rarebikes have aremarkably small following and the spares have limited commercial value in reality.Sharing them with those in need genuinely is most defnitely ‘doing the decent thing’.
Above: Hondafirst offered the CL350 in redor blue, butthe latter colour scheme, as seenhere, was themost popular Right: An advertisement for the CL350.
The K4, the final derivative of the series, was available in astriking lime green livery with pinstripes.
The CL350 featuredthe usual street scrambler elements such as ahigh-level exhaust system fitted with heat guardsand large collector box.
CBG Winter Classic Show
Pulling on his thermalsand tucking ahot water bottledownhis trousers, John Mi lton sets of forNewark. Oli Hulme follows along to takesome photos.
Newark-on-Trenthas many charms.Itdates back to Romantimes ; King John diedinNewark Castle in 1216 (possiblyof ‘a surfeit of peaches’); its vicar wasexecutedbyHenr y VIII when he wasonhis Dissolution of the Monasteries tour ;itwas besieged three times duringthe English Civil Warand in morerecent times it washome to RAF Winthorpewhichhousedtwo Polish squadrons during1941 and 1942. Butofthe many attributes it has, Newark does not possessa tropical climate. At anytimeofthe year.In Januar y, it wasvergingupon Arctic as the Winter Classic showopenedits doors. If King John reallydid die after overindulgingonpeaches they certainlydidn’t grow around theseparts
Te showisheld at the Newark Showground, a 200-acresitewhichwas once part of the aforementioned RAFWinthorpe. On acold and frosty Januar ymorning, the morefanciful might have imaginedthe ghostly sounds of VickersWellingtons, HandleyPageHalifaxes, Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfres,but what youcould actuallyhear were mostly people stamping their feet and muttering: “By Jove,it’scold”(or wordstothat efect).
Tis eventisalwaysthe season starter, although itwas aweeklater thanusual.Even so it wasa welcome distraction from the post-Christmas period whichgenerallyhas MrsMiltonsaying: “Can you just…”,three wordswhich arealwaysfollowedbysome
mundane household job that never, ever involves motorcycles.So, havingmade my escape from the good lady, IheadedtoNewark.
Whether it wasthe desireto getawayfromspouses intent upon fndinga taskfor ever y waking moment, or the need to getparts and inspiration for that projectyou startedwith all goodintentions in October, or just in search of agoodday out, many people hadhad exactly the same idea. In fact,somany turnedout on Saturday that the overfowcar park hadtobe pushedintoser vice
Butboy,was it cold. Luckily it wasn’t windy– if there’sa wind from Siberiathere’snot much stoppingitbeforethe wide expanseofformer airfeld –orraining, whichweretwo bonuses. (Rememberthis time last year when mostofthe
countr yseemedtobeunder water?) Unfortunately,despite the crowds millingaround, it seemedtobejustascold in the halls as it wasoutside Apparently theshowground hastaken outits ancientgas heatingsystembut hasn’t got around to replacingitwith anythingother than visitors’ bodyheat.
Ihavetoadmit to being rather fond of the Winter Classic(obviously,itwould be nice if it washeld at a warmer time of year butthen it wouldn’t be theWinter Classic) becauseitsets out to embrace morethanjust the usual classic fare. Yes, I love classicmotorcycles with apassion butthatdoesn’t mean that Ican’t enjoy and appreciate other realms of the two-wheeledworld. Te OldSkool Suzuki display,
Accompanying the Greeves was this rather desirableAJS with aMetisse frame and
engine. At £6500 it would be an excellent machine for historic twin-shock scrambling.
I’m not hugely knowledgeable about Frenchmotorcycles, but I think this is alate 1940s/early 50s Peugeot P55. Regardless, isn’t it apretty little thing?
Stormer
Hands up, who lusted after one of theseintheir youth? Ah, so just me, then…
This one photo shows what avariety of machinery the show attracts –commuter,off-roader, learnerand classic all in arow
Monkey bikes and the attendant scene areabit of amystery to me, but Ireallyliked this custom machine.
Wasitchilly? Yes. Yes, it was –asthe heavy frost on this Honda Hornet shows.
Andy Briggs’ ‘ratter’ Sunbeam which he says “elevates patina to an all-time high”. He did add that, despite outwardappearances, it is mechanically perfect.
This Greeves was one of apair of scramblers getting alot of attention on one of the outside stands.
Left: Proper patina on this Douglas Vespa. Early Vespas werealmost entirely built in Britain by Douglas Foundry with manyofthe parts being made in Britain and the Veteran Vespa Club had put on adisplay with an example of every Douglas Vespa model.
One of the latest amazing paint jobsfromGatchRivettAirbrushin.
Above: Roger Marshallhitches aride with Wayne Gardner
Abeautiful line-up of Ducatis.
Smiles –well, mostly smiles! –fromthe VMCC crew
As always, the BSA Bantam Owners Club put on afine displaywith everything from racers to pigeon carriers! TwomoreDouglas Vespas with an ‘on point’ leopardskin print sparewheel cover
for example,was astunning arrayofmachiner ywhich hadmewondering whether astreetfghtercouldn’t be shoehornedintothe Milton shed. Tree of the machines on showbelonged to John McLean of McLean Racing and Restoration, including his fabulous Suzuki GSX1400 (nowa GSX1700), currently the quickest Suzuki in the world. John took it over to the Fire Up zone wherethe poor bikelookeda littleconfused at beingmade to make alot of noisewithout actuallygoing anywhere. Tis is amachine whichjustwants to go very fastina straight line.Star guest, WayneGardner,threw hisleg over it to the delightof the crowd, butIdon’t think Te Wollongong Whiz will be troublingJohn fora ride down the stripany time soon!
Alongside Wayne wasfellow Hondafactor yrider and his very goodfriend, Roger Marshall. Together theykept commentatorSteve Plater (alsoaformer racer) on his toes –and in fts of giggles for alot of the time.Whether it wasrelatinganecdotes to the crowd, gettinginvolved in the Fire Up displays, walking around the showorsigning autographs and takingselfes with visitors, theyboth seemedtobeenjoyingthe eventasmuchasanyone Terewas alsoanexcellent showing from the scooter clubs –another reason Ilike the Winter Classicisthatit doesn’t matter aboutthe size of your wheels.Takea look at anyone of the custom scooters and Iwould have defedyou not to stand in aweofthe craftsmanship that goesintothesemachines Te passion and dedication areevery bit as strong –if not stronger –asthat among proponents of the more traditional classicmotorcycle scene
However, whileI waswowed by the amazingairbrushed paintworkonsome of the scooters,myattention was grabbedbytwo motorcycles at entirelythe other end of the
spectrum,bothlooking like theyhad been abandoned yearsbeforeand mightbe no stranger to acanal.Te frst wasa BSAGold Star whichstood outevenmore for beingonthe Gold Star OwnersClubstand which, as it is celebratingits 50th anniversar ythis year,featured much shininess.
KendraQuinn’s BB32 is not shiny. Butithas been in her familyfor almost70years,her late father havingboughtitin 1956 (the previous owner had been PeterHodgson who had scrambledit for some time)
Stoodupsince 1969, it has fnallybeenrecommissioned, readyfor Kendratoride it, although beforeshe haseven hit the road it hadalready won aprize in the shapeofthe Best Unrestored machine at the show.
Another contender for that title could be foundonthe Francis-Barnettstand.Te 1937 Seagull wasunearthed–quiteliterally–froma garden in central London in 2021 (therewas aphotoon the seat of howitwas found) andwhile the engine turns over and has compression, it hasn’t been starteddue to aweakspark.I wonder what owner Simon Freemanintends to do with it Like many of us,I liketoplay the game of ‘Whatwould I takehome with me?’,the rules of whichare it hastobejust onemotorcycle. But, on this occasion, Isimplycouldn’t narrow it down to one OneminuteI would think it hadtobeSimon Grant’s immaculateHondaCBX1000 (just12,700 miles from new); the nextitwould be thever y noisylittleBSA Bantam sprinter or the Kirkby Brothers’ Matchless. Or one of the Maicolettas.Orthatweary Francis-BarnettSeagull. Or the Triumph-enginedGreeves (unusual to seeone in café racer rather than competition trim)…
Tat Icouldn’tchoosejust one– and I’manold hand at this game –isjusttestament to what an interestingand varied showthe Winter Classicis.
Another pretty machine was this immaculate MotoBi. Not sureif it’sa50or125cc, but it’scertainly asmart
Next to the pristine Sunbeam S8 on the left is David Perkins’ slightly less pristine 1953 S8.Mind you, if you’d spent more than 40years hidden away in ashed you probably wouldn’tlook this good! David admits he’sdone nothing to it in the last year so we expect progress in 2025, Mr Perkins!
Pride of place on the Generations Scooters Club stand was Andy Robinson’sVespa. It wasratherapoignantcentrepiece forthe displayasitwas ahomage to Andy,who died suddenly last November
This 1953 BSA Gold Star BB32 had quite the back story.Itwas bought by Kendra Quinn’sfather in 1956 andafter Kendra was born,she came home from thehospital on this bike,tucked into her mum’sjacket. It was stored away andnot started for 40 years; Kendra’sfather died in 2023 and the bikehas now been recommissioned.
little fellow
The Kirkby Brothers ‘Racing Wheelbarrow’ replica, ahomagetothe original machine thatwas designedbyTom Arter and Peter Williams in 1969 and that was the first biketoever run cast magnesium wheels.
Sunbeam owners behind Jim Reader’s1949 S8 combination.Jim and his wife Tink had ridden the outfitdown from North Yorkshire in freezing conditions,sohats offtothem both.
Not surethis scooter was ever intended for three-up, but Wayne Gardner rides offwithpassengers Roger Marshall and Steve Plater
A1976 AJW Greyhound (a short-lived model which was originally arebadged Minarelli-powered Peripoli moped) with a50cc unrestricted six-speed P6 engine. What apretty little bike.
While Ihave never owned (orwanted to own) ascooter,thereissomething charming about aMaico that tempts me…
TheNorth Lincolnshirebranch of the Velocette OwnersClub put on afine display which saw two of itsmembers’ motorcycles win their classes. Seen hereisJohn Mundey’s1938 Velocette KSS which took the Best Pre-War prize
and Sharon Simmons of
Acause for much comment was Simon Newman’s1937 Francis-BarnettSeagull G/47 which was rescued from agarden in central London wherewesuspect it had been for quite some time. Despitethat, not only is virtually everything still there but it’soriginal –the engine still turns over although it hasn’tbeen started yet
After Phil Read’svictory at the TT on aCB750F2,Colin Seeley wascommissionedtobuild the Phil Read Replica,the firstfully faired race replica to be available from anyofthe Japanese manufacturers. Onehundred and fifty were built, the first 75 in England, of whichthis is one.It belongs to RichardHolmes, who finisheditasa tribute to his father,who died during the build, and it took BestinShow.
Michael
Westcountry Windings, now in Thetford.
Togged up against the cold, the cheery chaps from Amal.
readers’ let ters
Please
✪ Whi te Diamond Star Letter
Whateverhappened to the Walker Bullpup?Weknow!
Iwas recently contacted by afriend who subscribesto Old Bike Mart.Hetold me that amotorcycle of mine was mentioned in the February issue. (I apologise, but as a born-again biker after a40-year absence I didn’tknow of your publication. Obviously, Idonow and Ihave since subscribed to it.)
The motorbikeI’m referring to is my 1926 Walker Bullpup on page 34 of OBM476 whereit’sdescribed as ‘ugly’ and ‘rather wonderful’ and at the end of the write up it says: ‘I really hope that whoever bought it restores it to its former glory.’
Well, Ihave done some restoration on it and got the bike roadworthy again and
Ithought youmight like to see it nowand knowwhat work I’ve done. Igot the bike fromBonhams’auction at Stafford.Iwanted a British pre-war V-twin, preferably one that would beBanbury Run eligible (pre-1931). When Ifrst saw the Bullpup on Bonhams’ website, Ithought: “Whatahorrible looking machine” andI thought no more about it.
Aweek or so laterI was lookingtosee if anything else had been added to theupcoming auctionand, ofcourse, the Bullpup fashed up againand Ilooked at it and thought: “Actually Iquite like this!”. The more Ilooked at it, the more determinedI was to own it.
Iwas concerned about the stated 18-
inch seat height so I decided to go and see it in the fesh.Iwas very surprised to fndthe seat height is actually 26 inches,which makes it anice height, and the 9ft overall length stated in the listing is actually 8ft. Theseincorrect dimensions arestated by aprevious owner in the documents that came with the bike so I can only assume that’s what Bonhams copied for its listing.
As soon as Igot it home Iwas eager to see if it would run, so Ipoured abit of fresh petrol down the fuel pipe and gave it a few kicks. Much to my surprise, she soon burst into life for a few seconds. So on to the lift it went for a good ‘seeing to’. Petrol and oil tanks came off and werethoroughly
Areminder of high times (and dozing in thesun) in the Highlands
Ihave just read Peter May’snewest book, A Winter Grave.Most of the story is centred around Kinlochleven and many of the places mentioned Iassociate with the Scottish and it brought back memories of riding and as an offcial motorcyclist. What Iremembered was not Gordon Jackson losing only one point during the week or Sammy Miller starting arevolution with two-strokes, but the fun times Ihad enjoyed.
Ihad ahigh number for my frst ride and, after my mates had left, Isettled down in the
sun outside the Gorgie and fell fast asleep. A kindly gent gave me ashake and asked if I was riding inthe trial. I said that Iwas and he said: “Then you had better get your bike, all the others have gone!”
Iremembered Dickie Davisplaying the piano in the Grand at night and taking orders for the morning. And then up to the Highland wheretherewas always asing-song. Brian Holden (the one with the bad eye) sang the Alphabet song and Tiger Payne sang about achap taking alive lobster homewhere therewas nowhereto
put it. Iremembered Stewart Williamson stopping at the end of Ranoch Moor and Bob Collier on his 250 Norton Jubilee giving himatow using four inner tubes for arope. Once Bob got the bit between his teeth the journey was hair-raising. When they arrived in Fort William, Stewart was acomplete wreck. We flled him up with Glen-something or other but he never rode again. So, do riders today enjoy this sporting holiday in the Highlands?I would like to think so, but I doubt it.
Reg Butchers
cleaned. The seat cover was so bad it needed replacing but fortunately therewerea lot of old pictures of the bike in the documents so Iwas able to get a good colour match for the seat cover
The wiring was such a mess that Ijust rippedit all out and started again from scratch. The HT leads had turned to jelly, so they werereplaced. New tyres, both primary and main chain were replaced. The rear light was broken so I purchased an old one online. When it came I found it had astop and tail ftting in it, so I’ve ftted it with abrake light. Ialso had asteel cap made to cover the open clutch.
Other than that, it just needed abit of setting up and agood clean really.Ihave
Left: the Bullpup is ready for the next stage of its long life. We at OBM weredelighted to hear from Glen and learnofthe excellent new home that the Walker Bullpup has found. We wish him many happy miles on the ‘wonderfully ugly’ machine. Mr and Mrs
since covered about 100 miles on it and I absolutely love it. For such along bike it corners really nicely and the attention it gets is mind blowing.
In thedocuments that came with the bike was an article from an old The Classic MotorCycle headed ‘Whereisthe unique Walker Bullpup?’, and featured a1930s pictureofthe original owner and builder,Mr Walker,and his wife sitting on the bike. The article was placed by Mr Walker’s nephew
who remembers it from the 1950s when he was achild; he was told his uncle Vic made the bike from scratch and he wanted to know what became of it.
Obviously fnding the bike was important to him so Idecided to see if Icould track him down. Ionly had aname to go on but, much to my surprise, Google came up with only one person with that name and Iwas able to get an email address. He was absolutely delighted that Ihad the bike and
ONE PRODUCT DOES IT ALL: 12 ounces of pure non-abrasive cleaning, polishing and protecting power for ANY type of metal! White Diamond Multi-Purpose Metal Polish is aconcentrated, fast-drying, heavy-duty metal polish formulated for hand cleaning or power buffingofmetal surfaces. Each month the writer of the star letter on OBM’s ‘Your View’page will receive a White Diamond Metal Polish and High Shine Finishing Metal Polish. Visit www.whitediamondeu.com
AFast Lady is always right!
Ihave aright-hand foat bowl monobloc on The Fast Lady,myVincent outft. It was given to me about 15 years ago to stop fuel starvation going round Gerard’sat Mallory Park. Ever since, if Isee one at ajumble, I buy it! Idon’tknow why! They aredesignated 689 as opposed to 389 for the left-hand bowl. I’m guessing the bike they weremade for was a Constellation/Rocket Gold Star Topone in the carburettors photo you see herehas 689/228 on the other side 1165. Next one down 689/203 on the other side 7/67. Next one is 689/205 but not the other stamping, which Ibelieve is the
date of manufacture. Next one down has 680/205 9/66. The last one has 689/002 and no date stamp. Seen ftted here, The Fast Lady has 689 and no other markings.
Imagine the concours judge looking for something to mark down an entry on when he says to the owner: “You’ve got a689 but it should have 689/228 but yours has 689/203…”
Eddie Wallbank
he’slooking forwardto seeing it again. He told me he had given up the search, believing it had been exported to Australia and scrapped. Idon’tknow why the last owner didn’treply to the article but I’m glad he kept it so that Icould. I’m planning to do the Banbury Run on it this year.Itwill be the thirdtime the bike has done the Banbury run (the last time was 1979). Coincidentally it’ll also be the thirdtimeI’ve done the Banbury run. Glen Dickens
New owner Glen has been surprised at how little restoration the Bullpup needed.
Walker –and dog –onthe Walker Bullpup in the 1930s.
The Canterbury Belle certainly floatsColin’s boat!
I’m very taken with the concept of the ‘CanterburyBelle’launch sidecar as shown on the cover of OBM475 –what agreat idea that really
foats my boat! But did it ever catch on as my elderly father has never seen one in all of his years and moreso, did this one survive at all?
Maybe other readers have some more information about it?
Colin Humphries
Three
up, if abit fuzzy!
Great mag and in the November issue agreat piece by John Moulton. Among the topics included was Hector Dugdale in Alvanley,Frodsham Being local for us in Liverpool, we went theremany times and called it Hector’sHouse as in the name of achildren’sTV programme.
Flipping heck, a unique BSAA7!
Reading Bill Woolnough’sletter regarding the Triton ftted with aright-hand monobloc, Ialso have apictureofsuch a device printed on a T-shirt of my BSAA7 and, like the rest of the bike, it is wrong because the original photo was fipped over –soIalso have a pictureofaunique A7 with the timing side on the left.
Mick Dughan, Burton upon Trent
John also mentioned where he was asked to deliver a Suzuki GS1000 to Oulton Park for Barry Sheene to show off. Well, at the time Iwas a regular track marshal at Oulton and during one of the breaks beforethe next race we heard abike coming over Hilltop towards us at Knickerbrook.
Iquickly grabbed my camera and got aterrible pictureof Barry riding the Suzuki with American riders Dave Alsdana and Skip Aksland (both Yamaha riders!). I’m proud now, though.
Mervyn Dorricott, Whiston, Merseyside
Another bright spark of an idea from France
Isaw one of OBM’s adverts for aTDC gadget, but Ifound it easy to make my own from an old spark plug; you break offthe ceramic, snap offthe small electrode at the bottom and pull out the central electrode. Clean out the hole through the body and tap it out it to 6mm. With asuitably long 6mm coach bolt, the head ground down to ft into the spark plug hole, this can be threaded up through the spark plug body and two nuts wound down from the top. Insert the gadget and
once TDC or fring point is set, wind down the bolt until it touches the piston head. First nut is then wound down to hold the position and the second nut to lock the frst in place. I found it convenient to slot and grind down two sides at the end of the bolt to aid holding it in position with either ascrewdriver or small spanner when fnally tightening. Yetanother Heath Robinson success! Great publication, thank you!
