Old Bike Mart March 2025 issue **20 PAGE FREE PREVIEW**
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SaturdayMarch8
We featuremany of Nick Nicholls’ photosin OBM,buthereisthemanhimself at the1959 TTaboarda 692cc RoyalEnfieldConstellationAirflow providedbyKing’sofManchester.Notethesocks whichare colour co-ordinatedtothe bike,andhiscamerabag aroundhis neckreadyfor thenextshot!
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Editorial
We areall familiar with the circular blue plaquesthat areattached to buildingsand denotingthata prominentpersononce resided within thosewalls.But have you ever wondered just when blue plaques startedtoappear?
Much to my surprise, the blue plaque scheme datesbackto1866 whenitwas establishedbythe SocietyofArtswhichunveiled the frst plaque the following year at 24 Holles Street,Cavendish Square in London to mark the birthplace of Lord Byron. Sadly, youcan’t seeitbecause the housewas demolishedin1887, provingthat even ahistoricalmarkerwill loseout againstprogress. Te scheme was devised by politician William Ewart in 1863, althoughittookthree years to come to fruition. (Incidentally, William Ewarthas his ownplaque on the housewherehelived in Hampton, London, although it acknowledgeshis role in promoting librariesrather than blue plaques.)
Although the very frst plaques were blue,inthe earlyyears of the scheme,plaquescould be green, brown, terracotta or made of stone, while theyweren’t even necessarily round. Te blueroundel whichwe all recognisetoday only became universal after the Second World Warand then it wasamatterof economicsratherthanaesthetics whenitwas discovered that glazed RoyalDoulton stonewareprovideda cheapoption for creatingthe plaques
In 1901, theSocietyofArts scheme wastaken over by the London County Council which eventuallydecideduponthe fnal designofblue and featuringa laurel wreath.TeSocietyofArtshad only putup35plaques,soone ayear, whichthe LCCand its successor, the GreaterLondon Council, considered wassomewhat on the paltr yside –not to mentiona little snobbish,beingconfnedtothe noble,goodand cultured Between1965 and its abolition in 1986, the GLCerected 252 plaques beforethe scheme passed to English Heritage.You will notice that,until now, the scheme hadbeenLondoncentric because, obviously,no one importanteverlives outside the capital. Tatimbalance has subsequentlybeenredressed by Historic England’s nationalscheme while localcouncils and authorities canalsoerect blue plaques.Tat hasled to anumberofmotorcycling relatedplaques –EdwardTurner, SiegfriedBettman,Harry Weslake, DickieDale and RexMcCandless amongthem,not to mention plaques markingAJS,Vincentand other manufacturers.
So,why all this interest in historic markers? Well, as youwill know, we followedWitley&District MCC’scentenary events over the course of last year.Following the successofScramble 100 (as coveredin OBM469) whichmarked ahundred yearssince thefrst
motocross event, the club thought it would be appropriate to have a permanentrecordofthatoccasion
So,after some negotiation with the authorities,itwas decidedthata blue plaque would be the best way to do this.
On September14, 2024, aselect groupofpeople,includingWitley MotorCycle Club members, Scramble 100 organisers, Surrey HeathMuseumrepresentatives, localdignitaries and interested members of the public,gathered in London Road, Camberley, Surrey at noon to unveil aspecial blue plaque commemoratingone hundred years of motocross
WitleyclubchairmanIan George gave ashort introduction, after whichthe honoursweredone by Coun Sarbie Kang,Mayor of Surrey HeathBorough Council.
Youcan nowsee the plaque on the wall of the former Surrey Heath
council buildingat241 London Road, Camberley(nowaresidential home), alongwith amatching plaque markingthe histor yofthe buildingitself.Tobeaccurate, the 1924 Southern ScottScramble actually startedatthe Victoria Hotelpublic housewhichstood immediatelynexttothisbuilding, butthathas longbeendemolished, making it alittle difcult to attach a plaque to it
Oneofthe competitorsinthe earlyScottScrambleswas the redoubtable Marjorie Cottle,who we profle on page 44. Nowthere’s aladywho deser vesa blueplaque if anyone would liketotakeupthe challenge?
Tis year’s International ClassicMotorCycle Show at theStafordShowground will make motorcyclehistory as it hoststhe world’slargest ever public displayofBroughSuperior SS100s To celebrate100 yearssincethe launchofthe Brough Superior SS100, theStaford showwill host atruly unique presentation of morethan 20 Brough Superior SS100s,includingsomeof the rarest and mostfamousBroughs ever made, gatheredtogether forthe frst time.
Among the iconic line-up will be the 1929 JTOR V-twin JAP-powered‘George VI,’ previously ownedbyTELawrence– better known as Lawrence of Arabia –whichwas in his possession until 1932. Becausehewas nota tall man, George VI wascustomisedfor Lawrence, the toprearofthe fuel tank beingcut away to allow for alower saddle height. It wasactually bought for LawrencebyGeorgeBernard and Charlotte Shaw when he returned from serving with the RAFinIndia. However, Lawrence wassouncomfortablewith accepting such an expensive gift that he insisted on paying for the Brough himself.Itwould be on George IV’s successor that TE Lawrencewas killedon May 13, 1935.
Another legendarybikewill be the1927 JAP-powered‘WorksScrapper,’which earned the title of ‘World’s Fastest’ in 1929. Built by Freddie Dixon and the Brough Superior Works in 1927, this bike wasusedbyDixon to take the recordfor the frst bikewith asidecar to lapBrooklands at morethan100mph.Later he made an attemptonthe ‘World’s Fastest’ record in Arpajon in Francebut,while the motorcycle reached130mph,itcould notmakethe return run. In 1929 the WorksScrapper returned to Arpajon, this time riddenby Bert LeVack,and brokethe record at 129.05mph. It wasalso regularly racedbyGeorgeBroughhimself Alsoconfrmedfor the show is a1926KTOR V-twin JAP-powered‘Cunlife Brough’, instantly recognisable by its striking lilac and nickel fnish.Tis machinewas racedbyJackCunlife, who,incidentally,alsoharboured an unfulflled ambition to mountanexpedition to theArctic to discover the NorthWestPassage andfnd the graveofSir John Franklin, who perishedalong with 132 men in an attempttodiscoverthe NorthWestPassage in 1847. (As thoseofyou who watched the TV dramaTeTerrororhave read Michael Palin’sexcellentbook Erebus : Te Storyofa Ship,Franklin’s gravehas never been foundand his twoships, HMS Terror and HMS Erebus were notdiscovereduntil 2014.) Jack wasthe brother of successful racer May Cunlife,who campaigned aBentley anda supercharged Sunbeamthathad previously belonged to HenrySegrave and whichshe crashedatBirkdale Sands,Southport,in June 1928;her father,who wasinthe passengerseat,
wasthrownout and killed.
In addition to the magnifcentdisplay of HaydnRoad’sfnest,Bonhams will also be auctioningtwo Brough Superior SS100s, each of whichisexpectedtofetch more than £300,000.
Specialguestwill be TV personality Henry Cole,a Brough afcionado himself, having set aworld land speed record fora pre-1955 750cc motorcyclein2013, ridinga ‘BabyPendine’ 750ccBroughSuperiortoanaverage speedof
Left: Jack Cunliffe racing his Brough.
99.78mph on theBonneville Salt Flats.
As ever,there will be all theusual andmuch anticipated attractionsoftrade stands,cluband privatedisplaysand autojumble stalls Te International ClassicMotorCycle Show will takeplace on April26-27 andyou cansave morethan20% by buyingyourtickets online where aday’s entrywillcostyou £16.50 rather than the £21 gate price. (Under-16s getinfree.) Fortickets and moreinformation, visit www. classicbikeshows.com
Make your Mark –and have acup of teatoo!
If you liveinWales,the Cotswolds or the West Midlands,there is anew ridingevent scheduledfor 2025. Not onlywill it give areasontogoout on yourbikebut it will also help acharity andbiker cafeswill also beneft.Te charityisMARK -MotorbikerActs of Random Kindness–which has been setuptohelp with mental health issues andsupport grassroot causes.Its idiomisReleasethe Clutch, Quietthe Noise. MARK’ssuggestion is that motorcyclingisa good route to mentalhealth and it even ofers
training forcounsellors; you just need thedesireand adonationtotake advantage. Te eventtakes placebetween Mayand Octoberwithpassports beingavailable thebeginningof March. Te cost of apassportis £10 andevery location (thereare currently90) hasaunique stampto collect.Accumulate15stamps and youget an entryintothe rafe fora newKawasaki. Afurther 15 stamps will getyou another entryand so on. Raise£100 for the charity through
JustGiving and youget an exclusive T-shirt. Allthat remainsistoride your motorcycleinsomeofthe most scenic countryside Britain hasto ofer!Passports will be available from thecafes themselves;visit www. makeyourmark.wales or they can also be foundonFacebook– just search ‘makeyourmark’ or ‘Bikeand Brew Passport Event’ Youcan alsoring07984 345326or emailinfo@makeyourmark.charity for more details
Below: This 1925 Brough Superior SS100 previously belonged to Robert Matthewsand will be offered in the Bonhams sale at the Staffordshow.
Above: Lawrence of Arabia’s George VI,one of theBrough Superiors which will be on display in aunique exhibition at Stafford.
Brough to be centre of Ardingly
Another show celebrating the centenary of the Brough Superior SS100, along with the 90th anniversary of the death of TE Lawrence,isElk Promotions’season opener.TeArdingly ClassicBikeShow &Jumblereturns to the South of England Showground on Sunday, March30, and is setto celebrate acentury of motorcyclingexcellence with aBrough Superior theme
With strong supportfrom the BroughSuperior Club,the organisers are aimingtodisplay an example of everyBrough Superior modelever produced, creatinga
unique opportunityfor enthusiaststowitness these magnifcent machines together Te main Jubileeshow hall will once againbe the centrepiece,featuring an impressive arrayof privatelyowned pre-1980 machines and club stands with,ofcourse, thespecial Brough Superior display promisingtobea highlight for visitors, showcasing these iconic machinesthat earned their reputation as the ‘Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles.’ With almost twoacres of showspace available, the eventwill also representthe broader spectrum of motorcycling history alongside the
Brough celebration. As ever,the all-motorcycle autojumble and trade stands will ofer newand used spares,accessories, clothing, toolsand more, flling theremaining indoorhalls (pictured here) andoutdoor spaces Forthoselooking to clear spaceathome, ‘workshop clear-out’ stallsare available (pre-bookonly). Te Free BikeMart displayto-sell area returnsfor those wishingtobuy and sell completemachines, while variouscatererswill be on hand throughout the day. Tickets,stall bookings and allother details canbefound at www.elk-promotions. co.uk
Dave Myers’ last motorcycle to be sold
Te National Motorcycle Museum, in partnershipwith H&HClassics, hasannounced that thelateDave Myers’ BSAGoldstar, featured in Hair yBikersGoWest, the last series recordedbyDaveand partnerSi King,istobeauctionedliveatthe Museum on March26. Allproceeds from thesale will go to CancerCare NorthLancashire& SouthCumbria andthe NSPCCChildline charities ; good causes closetoDaveand his family’sheart
Dave’s widow, LilianaMyers,said:
“Teauction of Dave’s BSAGoldstar is afantastic waytosupport twocharitieswho do incredible work.Wehopetoraise as much as possible,sowould encourage interested bidderstodig deep into their pockets for the chancetoown
atruly specialmotorbike.”
National Motorcycle Museum director,James Hewing,added: “Teauctionofhis bike represents a unique opportunity forsomeone to ownapiece of motorcyclinghistory while celebratingDave’senduring legacy.”
Meanwhile the NMM has mounteda specialtribute (pictured here)witha displayfeaturing lifesize cut-outs of Dave andSi, making it amust-visitfor fans of the Hair y Bikers and classicmotorcycling alike. Te Hair yBikersseries ranfor twodecades,turningDaveMyers andSiKingintonationaltreasures with theirloveofmotorcycles and good food
Anyone wishingtobid on the BSAGoldstarcan do so in person,
WEEBLE’SWORLD
OneMan andHis Dog(andHis NewPuppy!)
OneMan and HisDog (andHis NewPuppy!)
“What is it,Dog?”
“That,Runt, is called a motorbike,”saidDog
“What does it do?” asked Runt
“Itgives theHobbitan emptybankaccountbut lots of joyand happiness.”
“Oh, it’slikeatype of mechanical Dog, then.”
“You’relearningfast, Runt. Youwillgofar.”
viatelephone,bybidding online at the sale or by leaving acommission bid with the auctioneers aheadofthe sale. All of the sale lots canbe
viewedatthe museum from 1pmonMarch 25 or on the sale dayitself. Formore informationonany of thelots visit www.handh.co.uk
Giro SouthWesttightens entr yeligibilityfor 2025
Having establisheditself as the premier UK eventfor MotoGiro eligible tiddlers,organiser Russell Benneytold OBM:“We arekeepingthe limit at 60 motorcycles,but we want to increasethe proportion of those interesting1950s and1960s machines.Teoriginal idea wasjusttocreateaMoto-Giro styleUKevent,one that was moreaccessibletoUKowners, butwehavebeenovertaken by numbers. We have plenty of MVs, Gileras,Terriersand Bantams,but alsomanyearly 1970sJapaneseentries.Perhaps toomany. We need to create spacefor the Laverdas,Morinis and Jamesesetc,those makes that arecurrently underrepresented. By tighteningthe eligibility from theend of 1973 to theend of 1969, it is intended to free up spacefor the more varied tiddlers that arecurrently
garagedwith nowhere to go.” Severalhaveaccused Benney of beinganti-Japanese,but he insiststhatthisisnot the case “I have no objection to CB125s and CD175s, butgivingmore spacetoCB160s and SS125s is moreinkeeping with what we aretryingtodo. In short–all pre-1970 tiddlersare welcome! “Teearly 1970s owners need notworry that theyare beingrejected, theJuneJaunt and the other GSWeventsare stillopentothem– in fact,we have increasedthe number of spaces on the 2025 June Jaunt to caterfor them.”Plus, early 1970sexceptionswillalways be made for interestingbikes, likefor example,the 1971/1972 MV125, or earlyPuchs.Entries open for the 2025 Giro South West (TreeMoors Run) are nowopen. Fordetailsemail Russell@phaseone.co.uk
Cyclonesetsnew worldrecord
Arecordfor themost expensivemotorcycleto be sold at auctionwas setinFebruar ywhenthe hammercamedownon Lot106 at Mecum’ssale in LasVegas
Tat machinewas a 1915 Cyclone, believed to be one of only14 survivingmotorcycles made by theJoerns MotorManufacturing CompanyofMinnesota Te company lasted just fveyears,ceasing production of motorcycles in 1917because it wastoo expensive.
Butduringthose years Cyclones really were aforce of nature –and engineering excellence. Poweredbya 61 cubic inch engine runninga Schebler carburettorand a single-speed transmission operated viaafoot
clutch,itdeveloped 45 horsepower –something almostunheard of in the frst decade of the20th centur y– andwas capable of reaching topspeeds of 100mph.Boastingthe frstoverhead-camshaft engineavailable in Americawithself-aligning roller bearings at atime when most motorcycle engines still used plain bushes onshafts, it was, in short, themost sophisticated vehicleof itstime.
Despitethe Cyclone’s astoundingperformance it hadtwo majordrawbacks ; frstly,itwas expensive at $350,and secondly, it wasfragile,especiallyin long races, duetoits lack of positivelubrication. Becauseofthe frst factor, only asmall number were sold whilethe second
element meantfew have survived.It’sbelieved that, in all, just 14 Cyclones still existwithonlyfve in racingconfgurationlike this one.
TisparticularCyclone wasrestoredbynoted American motorcycling historian Stephen Wright whoalsorebuilt aCyclone forSteve McQueenwhich sold in 2015 for$852,500, becomingthenthe most
Call forhelpbythe TigerCub Register
Te TriumphTiger Cuband Terrier Registerstand at theInternational ClassicMotorCycle Show at Stafordin Aprilwill have atheme paying tribute to the late Mike Estall, founder of theRegisterand author of Te Tiger
expensiveauctioned motorcycle in histor y. Tus, although this machinewas oferedwith no reserve, no onereally expectedthatsomeone would waltzawaywith a bargain, butthere were defnitelya few gaspsat the South PointHotel and Casino whenthe bidding stoppedatanincredible $1.32 million. Tat’s £1,048,950 in real money…
Czeching up on aflying motorcycle
With allthe advancesintechnology, especially in automobiles and motorcycles,isn’t it alittle surprising that asuccessful fying motorcyclehas yettobeinvented? After all, all thosepredictions of the futureinthe likesof Popular Mechanics magazine hadusfying to work on personal airborne machines by the turn of thecentury, butalmost25e yearsonand we remain intractablytiedtoterra frma.
CubBible.Anyone who knewMike is invitedto visitthe stand and share their reminiscencesofthe manwho did morethananyonetopromote thefutureofhis belovedTiger Cubs Better still,ifanyone hasabikewith a particular connectiontohim –maybe one he ownedorperhaps restored –and theywould like to putiton show, please contact Mike Powell on mike@tigercubclub.com or ring 07887 917466.
Well,thatmight be aboutto change accord to Unlimited DroneeXperience(UDX), a Czechcompany that intends to revolutionisepersonalmobility with the Airwolf.What’sthe Airwolf, youask?No, it hasnothingtodo with the cheesy 1980s TV series starring the late Jan-Michael Vincent. TisAirwolf is atwoseater vertical take-of andlanding machine that is,inkeepingwiththe times,electric It operates viafourtilting propulsion pods whichcontain high-speed propellers with the combinedoutput said to be 430hp; each of thepodscan be controlled individuallyfor maximumagility. So far, developmenthas gotasfar as the scale model yousee here with an inquisitive(and normalsized) catand some impressive illustrations that could have been liftedstraightout of a1950s edition of the aforementioned Popular Mechanics.
UDXsaysthat theAirwolf can acceleratefromzeroto60miles perhourinjustthree secondswith atop speedof142 milesper hour However, at present, it canonlyfy for 41 minutes–nothankstoits 639lbweightbeforepassengers –whichmeans that itsusesare currentlyprettylimited.We’dstill make room for one in the OBM Shed,though.However,it’sunlikely we will have to shufe anything around becausethe Airwolf is still very much in thedevelopment stagewith aprice tagof$320,000 –so quitelikelytobefar morethan that if it ever goesintoproduction.
Pre-loved–and awaiting more love!
Whileabrand-newoutfitmight be mostpeople’s dream, sometimesthe budget doesn’t stretch that far. Mick Payne takes alook at somesecond-hand oferings currently avai lable on the market.
Awhile agoI covered the new Benelli and Watsonian combination available new at just £7999, a greatway to getintosidecars
Tese areavailable with a delivery expectation of just a few months,though Watsonian is hopingtohold oneinstock in the near future.But thereis another option; that of buyinga used, ready-built outft.
Te Federation of Sidecar Clubs’magazine is agreat way of fnding asecond-hand rig and sometimes even adealer maytakethe risk of havingone in stock. Just one is rare buta motorcycleshop with three lovely examples (though one hasrecentlysold)is, as theysay, real rockinghorse poo
Te dealer is Billau Motorcycles in Darlington whosecurrent outftstock comprisesa 2023 BSAGold Star and arather lovely Indian from 2016, although until recently they did have agood-looking Ural Classicftted with aUral chair.Tis wasthe civilianised version with 18-inchwheels
and that charmingreverse lever on theside of thetank, all very vintagelooking.Te stylingislessponderousthan the better-known Ural and hasconventional telescopic forks.Finished in glossblack,it wasquitea looker and I’mnot surprised it sold so quickly.
Another outftfromthe east is the BSAsingle Gold Star and Cozy chair.Te‘Euro’sidecar originates,likethe bike, from Indiaand sits just rightnextto the retro-styled machine.Ifyou squinta bit,the bikeisa dead ringerfor aBSA B33, butthe engine is actuallya clever restyle of aRotax single,redesignedto looklikea pre-unit component. ItsDOHCshort-stroke four valver isn’t goingtohavethe ploddingpower of aB33, but neither will it be likea DBD34 Goldie with the RRT2four-speed gearboxthat wasoften jokingly referredtoasa fve-speed’box with frst missing.
Te Cozy Euro sidecarisa very traditional item with looksnot too diferent to aSteib LS200 of the 1950s. Both wheel and
body aresprung, the latter with substantial ‘rubber bands’, and acomfortablesingle seat with armrests is provided. Te steel body alsohas an alloystepand stainlesssteel rack as standard and this particular one is in its original blackpaint.“Iliketosell what nobodyelsehas,” Andrew Billau told me.“Teyput asmile on my face.”Telastoutftto featuremusthavegiven him amassive grin –a stupendous modernIndianChiefand Princesschair.Tis deeply valancedblue example with tan seatingisa wonderful vintagelookingoutftthatI’m sure many sidecarenthusiasts would be proudtoown.Tere’salsoa largeaccompanyingliterature flethatAndrew would be happy to send to interested parties
Te Chief ClassicVintage is poweredbya 1811cc V-twin that pushes outnearly100lb-ft of torque at alowly 2100rpm –now,ifthat doesn’tfoatthe sidecarrider’sboat, Idon’t knowwhatdoes. Iknowit’sa bit of alottery winpurchase, but£16,995 doesn’tseemtoo
expensive, especiallywith that lovely matchingchair.TeBSA , however, comesinata rather moreafordable £9250 and has onlycovered 489 miles Te teamcan arrangedelivery or work with acourier of your choice.Tis family business, whichhas been around since 1982, alsohas agoodstock of trikes,both motorcycle-based and Can-Ams,and even a2012 Morgan three-wheeler.Billau Motorcycles’two-wheeled machines areaneclectic mix, too. Go to www.100bikes.co.uk or call 01325 281331.
Above: This BSA Gold Star combination combinesretro good looks with the ease and reliability of anew machine and, with just 489 miles under its tyres, it’svirtually brand-new.
Above: The Cozy Eurochair, complete with armrest and luggage rack, is not far removed from amid-century Steib, but at abudget price.
Above: This Indian Chief combination is quite the statement piece. Inset: Smart tan upholstery complements the blue livery
Japanese Street Scramblers: Bridgestone175/200
In his continuing series on street scramblers, Steve Cooper looksatthe twin produced by Bridgestone in the 1960s.
Built up to aspecification andnot down to aprice, the 175cc DualTwin had not only impressiveperformance but good looks.
Aswesaw afew issues ago, Bridgestone was in ‘onthe act’when it came to street scramblerswith itsbiggest machine,the GTO 350. It,alongwith its roadgoingcousinthe GTR350, are very often the star two-stroke attractions at events today simply becausetheyare so thin on the ground. Although they often gettop billing, there’s alsothe smaller Bridgestone twins and, arguably,theytoo arerarebirds
It wasatthe 1965 Tokyo MotorShowthatthe 175 Dual-Twin wasfrstunveiled. Sharingthe same basic architecture as the 90cc single with twin cylindersof50mm x45mm,the bikedelivered some 20bhpat8000rpm
At aquoted 123kg, the 175 hadanimpressivepower-toweight ratio,dispatchingthe quartermile coveredin17 seconds with atop speedin the mid-70s.
Built up to aspecifcation and not down to aprice,the bikefeatureddiscvalve induction, hard chrome plated boresand two-stroke oil injection. Like numerous Japanesedomestic market bikes,the 175 Dual-Twin also featured agearbox which
In this advertisement, arather sedate couple areriding the 175…
could be used as either afouror fve-speeder. By actuating alever (calledthe ‘sport shift’) on theleftside of the engine inthe rearward position, this selected afour-speed transmission wherebythe gearboxoperatedin ‘rotary’ manner.Once intop (fourth) gear,pressingthe gear lever down took youtoneutral with another tapengagingfrstgear. Flippingthe leverforward gave the rider astandardfve-speed boxwith neutral betweenfrst and second gears.
Te 175SSfollowedthe usual routeofstreetscramblers with the obligatory braced
Of course, amereletter and number designation wasn’tgood enough for the American market wherethe 175+ becamethe Hurricane
to be currentlyoff the road.
…but the owner of the 175+ would findhimself surrounded by abevy of beauties attending to his and his motorcycle’s every need!
handlebars,bashplate and high-setexhaustsftted with peashooter tailpipes.Keento maximiseprofts, the frmwas persuadedtoalsoproduce a limited number of competition machines that were marketed as the 175+ Racer or Hurricane. Stripped of lights,with cutdown mudguards (the front mounted of the bottom yoke) and satin blackexpansion chambers not unlikea true scrambler,the race version was alsogifted revised carburettors, modifed discvalves,handfettled portingand possibly high-compression cylinder heads.With its blockpattern tyres, the bikewas almost unassailable in its classon American TT dirttracks.
At the behestofthe importers, RockfordMotorsof Illinois,the 175SSreceiveda coupleofcosmetic updatesas the 1960s drew to aclose.Te chrome and candyred of the original modelswas swapped outfor amid-greenand white colour scheme and sold as the Mach II SS-7 beforethat wasreplacedaround1970 by the Mach II SS1. Badged as a 200 (but actuallystill 175cc), little hadchanged otherthan the silencersbeingpainted
satin blackand the paintwork changedtosilverorwhite. Unfortunately,salesnever reachedtheir full potential partly becauseBridgestone wasindirefnancial difculty; the costofmotorcycle production hadbeenneither assessed nor managed properly andthe parent company washaemorrhaging moneyinorder to keep the bikeside afoat. By 1971 it wasall over for all the frm’s modelsand the business went back to its corebusiness of tyre manufacture.
All of whichisdesperately sadasthe twins hadpunched well abovetheir weight in termsofboth performance and quality. Five decades on, anyBridgestone is ararebike butwith the 350s reaching cult status,the 175s have been generallyoverlooked and especiallysothe SS variants.Aswas the way, the street scramblersweremore aboutformthanfunction butnot so the Racer.Tat wastruly acrackingpiece of kitand not onlywalked the walk butgenuinelytalked the talk.A ride on one of them would, even now, be an epic experience!
It’sa fact of lifeinthe Japanese classic bike world that some of the parts out thereare beginning to get alittle long in the tooth. It’snomoreevident than when youlook inside apetrol tank and recoil in horror from the smell of some ‘gone off’ rancid fuel. Old leaded fuel never stank like the ethanoldoped stuffweare obliged to use nowadays. If you’relucky, the tank will still be viable once cleaned out, but what if it’srusty?
There’saraftofpossible options out there, ranging from YouTube tutorials through various forms of vinegar to diluted molasses and so much more We’reaninventive bunch if nothing else, but some choices arealittle ‘out there’. Brickacid works but can cause fash rusting post-cleaning and not everyone has access to acement mixer in which you can place your duvet-wrapped tank flled with dry lining screws…
So, assuming the tank is clean, what next? If it has holes in it you have the options to weld, braze, silver solder or softsolder,but all come with the caveat that the tank HAS to be free of fuel and fuel vapour –or there’sa frewaiting to happen!
Each method of rectifcationcomes with its own pros and cons. Some aremoreDIY-oriented than others, some use high levels of heat, some impose localised strains, some can damage the sheet steel; all requirelevels of skill, knowledge, empathy,etc. The inexperienced fettler might be better offgetting expert input rather than damaging apotentially irreplaceable tank.
Now,assuming the tank is as leakproof and clean as possible, what next? Tank liners areanemotive subject –some swear by them while others swear at them. No matter what form of liner/protectoryou choose, it has to be mixed and applied exactly as per the manufacturer’sinstructions. That may sound simple but some fail to grasp this undemanding rule. Thejob takes time and patience and really cannotbe considered as a‘cheap quick fx’.
Which onetochoose? Thereare enoughproducts out theretochoose from but, as the oldadagesays, you generally get what you pay for.Someare good, others okayand afew seem to come with more problems than they solve. Ask around at bike nights, look at forums, get personal recommendations and so forth. An unreliable and poorly installed tank liner is acreatureofnightmares, aquality liner properly applied can be alifesaver –literally.I’ve used liners to extremely good effect on afew bikes wherethe tanks variously needed failing seams sealed, weak areas reinforced and/or leaks sealed. When used on clean steel, as per the instructions, the end results have been brilliant. My own Suzuki Stinger is testament to this fact.
Do you genuinely need atank liner/sealer/protector on aperfectly good tank? Respectfully,I’d argue no, but how come? Moder npump fuels seem to be constantly evolving and changing chemically.This has led to some tank liners subsequently failing in service, so why line atank that doesn’tneed it? Yes, ethanol can promote corrosion in tanks, so don’t leave petrol in them over winter.Drain the fuel out and spray the insides with ablast of something like GT-85; this works formelike adream and has done foryears. Many use fuel stabilisers and they do seem to be getting more effective these days. Others bite the bullet and fork out for the ethanolfree, over-winter fuel and it seems to do areally good job– but it’snot cheap.
Ultimately afuel tank leftwith moder nfuel in a damp shed or garage is aproblem waiting to happen. When yousee the price of decent second-hand tanks these days it makes you realise that looking after what youhave is aseriously goodinvestment.
Bridgestone Dual-Twins don’tcomeupfor sale often.NED 221G, a 1968 example, was sold by BonhamsatStaffordback in 2010 for £1495 although it appears
One of the last incarnations was the Mach II SS-7, nominally a200cc. It wasn’t enough to save the motorcycle side of Bridgestone.
Scrambler
Prewar
Days
With little in the wayofoutdoor events happening in December, Onno Wieringa visits one of Europe’s largest vintagevehicleshows –all held under coverin Belgium.
Now in its thirdyear, the Prewar Days event in the XpoinKortrijk wasonce again awonderful fair to visit.PrewarDays celebrates the golden ageof motoring, focusing on vehicles manufactured beforethe Second WorldWar (although therewerealsoquiteafew from beforethe FirstWorld War, too). Tis period, roughlyfromthe early20th century up until the early 1940s,isconsidered by many enthusiastsasatime of signifcantinnovation and craftsmanship in the automotiveindustry.
Cars and motorcycles from this eraare admired fortheir unique design, engineering innovations and the historical contextinwhich theywere created.
Prewar Days 2024 was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of theBugatti 35, a legendarycar with morethan 2000 victories under its tyres, making it the mostsuccessful race carofall time.Built by Bugattibetween 1924 and 1930, theModel 35won theGrand PrixWorld Championship in 1926 havingwon 351 races in the previous twoyears,not to mention setting47records
HD-Classic of Belgium’sstand with, in the foreground, apairofPhebus machines.Atthe front is a1903 tricycle which wouldhavebeen offered with either an Aster or aDeDionengine, while behind it is aModel Cquadricycle from 1899. APhebustricyclewas ridden at the Crystal Palace velodrome by CharlesJarrottwho achieved 39mph. ThePhebusnamedisappeared in 1903 althoughitwas briefly resurrected by adifferent firm after theFirst World War.
Minerva of Belgium is famous as an engine manufacturer –itsuppliedits motors to morethan 100 othercompanies –but it also produced its own machines. This pair date from those years; on the left is a1905 model and on theright amachine from 1907. In 1909 Minerva ceased motorcycle production in order to concentrate on premium automobiles.
As well as cars and motorcycles, the eventattracted manytraders sellingvintage andclassic parts... ...and even whole projects.
With styling very much of its time –the 1930s –anAlfa Romeo 8C takes its placeinthe display
A499cc Sunbeam from the model’sfirst year in production in 1915. This was atimewhen, unsurprisingly,much of John Marston’soutput was destined to go to the Alliedforces with the Royal Naval Air Service being particularly keen on this machine.
If you can’taffordafull-size Bugatti, then British firmBabyracers offers an alternative with its handcrafted half-size replicas powered by an electric motor,although each one of the beautiful machines costs the best part of 20 grand –and you have to be about 10 years old to drive them!
That distinctive engine instantly identifiesthis as aZedel but we’re undecided as to whether themachine is aTerrot or aDeronziere
Te Bugatti worksteamwon theTarga Florio fveyears in a row, from 1925 through to 1929. Its2.2 litreinline eight-cylinder engine made the 35 capable of speedsofover125mph and it wasalsoone of the frst cars designedasa single construction and ofered to privateers by the factoryas a ‘ready torace’package
It wasnot onlyfast, it was beautiful, with astreamlined teardrop-shaped bodythat embracedthe ArtDecodesign movement. Unsurprisingly, theseiconic racerscommand high prices when theycome up for sale –anexample wassold by Bonhams in its Bond Street sale in December2024 for £552,000 –but therewerehalf a dozenBugatti 35s on display at the show.
Te exhibition hall in Kortrijk wasflledwith astunning selection of machinery, conditions varyingfrom completely100% restored to sometimes‘completelygone’ (evenfor the fanatic,there comes apointwhereyou have to accept that avehicle is beyond saving!). Everywhere therewas afeast for the eyes,
even if it wassometimesa bit of ashock forthe wallet when the price tags were looked at.
Of course,myeyeswere mainlyconcernedwith thetwoand three-wheeledvehicles that made ourmouthswater Friend and colleague Nick Jonckheere took along,inhis opinion, a“very modern and comfortable”motorcycle –a 1914 500cc 3 5bhp Premier. Nick told me: “Ithas athreespeedtransmission and kickstarter, somethingnew in those days.For example,Triumph didn’t have this until they launchedtheir 1915Model H.”
Hans Devosof HD-Classic hadaspectacular motorcycle on his stand, the OEC-Temple supercharged four-cylinder ‘world recordbike’,whichwe will be featuringinafuture issueof OBM.In addition to the OEC-Temple,his stand boastedunique Indian racing motorcycles,includingan eight-valveIndianfactory racer and an Indian-Pope four-valve racer,aHarley-Davidsonwith aKoslowconversion kit, an Auto-Wheel Minerva of 118cc from 1920 and much more beautiful stuf!
Puch, Sunbeam, Royal Enfield, Nimbus... You pays your money and you takes your choice!
This, however,isdefinitely aTerrot, fitted with asingle cylinder Zedel engine, builtbySwiss companyZürcher &Lüth (although the factory was actually in France to avoid importduties).
This Koehler EscoffierKLS5L would have been the company’stop-ofthe-range machine when it rolled out of theMâcon, France, factory in 1938. It’sfitted with a500cc OHV with hairpinsprings, reinforced sports tank and foot shift although not the original carburettor.
Nick Jonckheerewith the 1914 Premier that he describes as a “very modernand comfortable” motorcycle.
Ahandy way to move amotorcycle!
In addition to the Bugatti 35’s anniversary,the eventwas also celebratingcycle cars with a specialdisplay of the compact (and often hand-built) vehicles that were popularinthe early 20th century due to their accessibilityand sporting character
Awalk around Prewar Days takes time; youshould not be in ahurry here. It is incredible to seewhat beautiful vehicles and innovativetechniques areondisplay,and howthe industrywas progressingso quicklyinits infancy. Each manufacturer in thosedays approached its designs with its ownideas and therewas alot of experimentation in building motorcycles and cars that were increasinglybetter, faster and safer.Itisclear that some designs were shamelessly adopted –‘adopted’issomuch nicerawordthan‘stolen’ –by others. Especiallyinthe former Eastern European communist countries,alot of copyingtook place, often by incorporating the best designs and ideas into one model.
Forexample,therewas a1939 RussianPMZ nextto the OEC-Temple (the latter beingone of my favourite motorcycles at the event).
Tisracingmotorcycle was built by aPMZ factory worker and racer calledKrivosheyev and with it he wonthe 1939 National Cupand setaspeed record of 140.6 km/h on the 5km track. Te motorcycle hasa PMZA-750 powertrain and amodifed LZHchassis
Te fettledengineproduces 25hpwhich could push this lightweightmachine to 90hp It’s an astonishingmachine and is currentlyowned by AleksandrasinLithuania,who took it to Prewar Days.Tebike hashad afull restoration and looks likenew, with attention havingbeenpaid to every detail, includingthe special leather seat.IfonlyIwas arich manand could aford it –but enjoyingitatthe Xpowas still atreat!Icould writea book aboutall the other gorgeous motorcycles on display, like the 1901 De Dion-Bouton 2.75 hp quadricycle,a 1905 Minerva 433cc with aspecial front end, or the ‘King’sBike’ –a Rudge Multi from 1921,all beautiful bikes that, just likethe other fantastic motorcycles and cars at Prewar Days oferaunique view of history
If youwanttoattend this year's showatXpo,the dates areDecember5, 6 and 7
TheWall autowheel was acontraptioninwhich an engine was contained within awheel and could be easily mounted to abicycle to make it, yes, amotorcycle. First developed in 1909 in England, avariety of engineswereused, including Monet-Guyon, Briggs & Stratton and Minerva. This particular example from 1920 (believed to be using aMinerva engine) still has the original Belgian Engelbert tyres, aBelgianlicence plateand original tax plate from 1947.
This really is agem –a1914 1000cc Indian eight-valve racer that is pretty much untouched andinrunning order.Indian introduced its eight-valve V-twin and four-valve single-cylinder engines in 1911 and they wereaninstant success.The eight-valvecame to rule on the boardtracks and in 1920 set aworld recordof114.17mph With no brakes. (Brakes werenot fitted to the boardtrack racers because it was considered too dangerous –sudden braking might cause the rider behind to crash.)
Aleksandras with Mr Krivosheyev’shomebuilt PMZ racer. Production of the standardPMZ with a45cui746cc V-twinlasted from 1934 to 1938 during which time some 4500 motorcycles were built. But what does that engine bring to mind?
Terrots arepopular and therewerequite afew at theshow. This one dates from the late 1920s when Terrot was the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in France.
‘The Silent Humber’, so called because of its quietness. In 1922, the same year this particular 600cc machine was produced, The MotorCycle magazine reported: ‘Outstanding featuresofthe Humber aresilence of engine operation, accessibilityand smooth running.’
When Indian launched its eight- and four-valve racersin1911 they werenot for sale. Instead, they wereloaned out only to factory riders and promising racers. Wanting to compete against thisvery fast butunobtainable engine, ahandful of privateers used Pope cylinder heads. This is one of those rare conversions.
Arear view of the Phebus Model Cquadricycle. The Model Cwas also manufactured in London by aMrF WWellington under the nameAutomobilette although this sems to have been ashortlived venture. This Phebus is 98% original with only the front footboards and some small parts having been replaced. It seems it has been hardly used over the last 126 years and the engine even has the original piston.
The Nimbus Model C–nicknamed the ‘Bumblebee’ –was introduced in 1934 by Fisker &Nielsen in Copenhagen and it went on to turnout morethan 12,000 Model Cs over the next 25 years, of which 25% to 30% weresold to the Danish military,police and postal service. The overall design remained basically unchanged in that quarter-centuryand asurprising number have survived.
This 1922 NUT Model Owas discovered in bits in ashed in the north-east of England in 1960, not too far from whereitwas born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The owner put it back together and, in 1962, obtained aletter from aformer NUT employee stating that this motorcycle was one of abatch made by the works for the Isle of Man TT,the frames being numbered ‘P1’ to ‘P5’. If that is correct, then this is potentially an extremely raremachine.
motorcycle
The OEC-Temple supercharged four-cylinder
to which we will returninafuture OBM
The Bugatti 35s at the show mighthave been rare, but this motorcycle makes them look almost commonplace. This 1934 Harleywas built for the track with aHarley factory racing frame(of which few survive), which was reinforced with an extra tube from the rear wheel to the seat tube. TheHarley VL enginewas modified with special cylinders and heads madefor Harley by Andrew Koslow,a former engineer and dealer forExcelsior-Henderson; when Excelsiorclosed, Koslowwas allowed to keep the blueprints of this conversion kit that he developed for the Excelsior racers. This machine was possibly the prototype for the 1936 Knucklehead models.
In order to stay ahead of Harley-Davidson in the early years of the 20th century,Indian introduced first the eight-valve racer andthen, in 1916, anew 1000cc sidevalve V-twin. The61cui Powerplus engine, designed by Charles Gustafson, was, like the race bike, immediately successful. As part of the model’sdevelopment, worksrider Erwin ‘Cannonball’ Baker rode apre-production model from Vancouver,Canada to Tijuana, Mexico in August 1915, travelling 1655 miles in three days, nine hours and 15 minutes. This particular Powerplus at Prewar Days was impressively original.
The Time Bandits Race Team was started by Hans Devos of HDClassic for people who like to ridetheir old motorcycles –and we mean ride. Therehave been trips to Bonneville, the UK’sPioneer Run,IsleofMan, Montlheryand manymoreplaces. Behind the sign is aZundapp KS600 which was once campaigned by Kurt Nitschsky,afamous German racer who died at the age of 34.
This Bedelia was getting alot of attention as well it might,for this marque almost singlehandedly inspired the cyclecar movement of the early 20thcentury.Two young men(andtheywerebothjust 18 at the time) called Robert Bourbeau andHenri Devaux adaptedmotorcycle designs in orderto build anew four-wheeler which would carry two people, with the passenger sitting behind the driver. To change gears, the driver had to operate alever which slackened the belt by moving the rear axle forwards and then the passenger hadtomove the belt between pulleys by means of aseparate lever, which rather indicates that two people hadtobeinthe Bedelia at alltimes. The Bedelias sold very well but when the cyclecar boom crashed after the First World War, so didthe company.
De Dion-Bouton produced this quadricycle in 1901. Within two or three years it would have metamorphosedintosomething that was recognisably acar
Minervas are, understandably, very popular in Belgium and this 1905 machine was beautifully restored.
readers’ let ters
Please send al lletters to OldBikeMart,Mor tons Me dia, Morton Way, Horncastle , LN96JR or emai l OBMe ditor@mortons.co.uk andpleaseinclude your loca lity
✪ Whi te Diamond Star Letter
AsalutetoreargunnerYallop
Alan Graham’sGhost Story for Christmas in OBM474 took me back to Christmas Eve 1944. ALancaster PB366 (S)of35 Squadron Pathfnders crashed in the village of Great Paxton after takingoff in fog from GraveleyinCambridgeshire. All crew werekilled. Their families received atelegram on Christmas morning. Therear gunnerwas, at 24 years old, the oldest memberofthe crew He was akeenmotorcyclist, travelling from his homein
Ipswich to base on his 500cc Ivory Calthorpe.
The rear gunner was Sgt 1356347 Roy Yallop, my brother Brother? Yes, Iwas only four at the time but Iremember mysister Josie’sdistress after receiving the telegram and the gloom that followed. Christmas would never be the same.
Roy knew Canadian crew members stationed at Pocklington and other bases in the area; they gave him oranges, araretreat at that time. They
also gave him amaple leaf transfer; Istill have it. Maybe Roy knew Don… perhaps he bought the Ivory Calthorpe off him! The photo of the Mk IV Halifax with Alan’sstory was by the makers, Handley Page (note no squadron markings). Ihave a copy with the signatures of Roy and crew on the rear
Barry Yallop, Ipswich, Suffolk
Going all around the Globe
In answer to the letter in OBM476 Iremember well the Globe establishment and can report it was bought by John Marsden, the son in the long-established family-run greengrocery business that lived and traded directly opposite on the other side of Waterloo Road. This would have been in the mid-1970s.
ONE PRODUCT DOES IT ALL: 12 ounces of pure non-abrasivecleaning, polishing and protecting power for ANY typeofmetal!White Diamond Multi-Purpose Metal Polish is aconcentrated,fast-drying,heavy-duty metal polish formulated for hand cleaning orpowerbuffingofmetal surfaces. Eachmonth the writer of the star letter on OBM’s ‘Your View’ page will receive aWhite Diamond Metal Polish and HighShine Finishing MetalPolish. Visit www.whitediamondeu.com
When Arielmen ledthe way
The pictureonthe front of your January edition of the Daimler car alongside an Ariel Leader brought back memories of my time at Ariel Motors in the 1950s.
Iamunable to recall the exact year but at the MIRA test centre there was an ‘openingday’ of the banking feature of the outer circuit. Irecall Sir Bernardand Lady Nora Docker werethere in agold-plated Daimler –the body was painted normally but everything else was gold plated!
Therewas aparade (or processionIsupposed you could call it) around
the outer circuitto declareitoffcially open for use. Leading the procession werethree Ariel men, of which Iwas one. White overalls were supplied for the occasion and helmets werepainted Ariel redwithagoldband. Idon’thave acopy now, but therewas apictureof us in the following week’s copy of Motor Cycle or the ‘Blue ‘Un’, the ‘Green ‘Un’ being Motor Cycling edited by Murray Walker’s dad Graham. Ithink they cost four pence each back then when there were240 pence inthe pound!
Others Irecall taking
Beforeheprogressed to Globe, for years John operated his own start-up Smethwick Motorcycles business from alock-up garage around the corner in Shireland Passage, off Shireland Road. At that time it mainly consisted of rattle-canned Bantams and the like, that ran –onagood day –ondubious DIY energy transfer ignitions. Ifrstmet the heavily bespectacled John (sometimes nicknamed ‘The Owl’) in 1972 when Icommenced work in Smethwick. Ilater traded numerous bikes and spares to him, including arebuilt 1974 re-registered Dominator 99 (ARF 69M) when attempting to raise funds for my frst house purchase pending my 1976 marriage.
On the subjectofBroughs, my grandad told me he bought aBrough in 1935 offa guy’s widow in Manchester for £7 10s. He got apair of Triumph Ricardo forks for £1, had the front wheel rebuilt for 12s 10d and he said it was a600 twin. Iampresuming
part in the procession wereNorman Dewis in aD-type Jaguar,Reg Parnell in an Aston Martin and awide variety of others Inolonger can remember
The Ariel Leader also triggered memories.I road tested the original engine/gearbox assembly in atemporary ‘lash up’ frame which left alot to be desired handling wise!
Thinking about good handling qualities, I worked at Velocette prior to and following my
years at Ariel. Iowned three Velos, a‘Cammi’ 360, aMac 350 and you can see my Venom here. So sad Ican’t ride it now but Ienjoy it just thesame. There’s something special about agood Velo, they are special. Over 100mph for 24 hours, thefastest single cylinder bike in the world Ithink. To any of my contemporaries out thereIwould like to say a belated Happy New Year
Harry Thacker, Shirley,Solihull
a1920s one. Can you shed any light on the matter –can’task him obviously Ta muchlyfor thedispatch ridingpicture.Icaught it just at the end of 250 learners and fbbing about licences. My frst dispatch job was to take aletter to Walt Disney on my 1960 C15. Igot out my A-Z and rode up the steps at Carlton House Terrace. “You’relate” they said but Istill got paid. Ilater did my test on a 1977 XL125. Ian Jones, Accrington, Lancashire
The Norton had a 1956 wide-line frame with a1961 engine and it had been my original intention to create it with aManx appearance. To this purpose Iobtained a genuine Manx tank and spent afortune at Paul Dunstall’sfor an alloy central oil tank, racing
Larging it
seat, clip-ons, rearsets and other goodies.
However,Itraded all these to John in my money-raising venture, putting the bike back to standardtosell.
The old-style replacement silencer for the Norton had been ordered and eventually obtained from Globe at least two years after the UK’sdecimalisation in February 1971 at a cost of £3 13s 3d and was handed over with the accompanying apologetic comment: “They’ve gone up a boat-load in price”. Irecallthe elderly owner,who Ithink was called Ray (not to be confused with Ray’s Motorcycles in Cape Hill) who used to cycle to his shop from a Birmingham address on adecrepit-looking pushbike up the steep adjoining Cape Hill road. The shop premises werevery dimly lit by a dangling single exposed low wattage bulb high above the cluttered counter and any enquiry for bits would see him disappear ‘around the back’. He was diffculttoengage in conversation, but Irecall meeting him when he
arrived later than usual for work one day.He was most despondent and, explaining his late arrival, produced avinyl-type horsehair saddle cover for a single Brookes sprung seat that he had just collected from the factory with the comment: “They’ve stopped making these, whereamIgoing to get any now?”
Ionce suggested he advertise in an effort to increase his business which resulted in the explanation: “Why,ifI increased trade Iwould need atelephone as well as additional staff to operate, it would all cost more.”
There’snoanswer to that.
The Norton (seen here) is still recorded with DVLA and is now shown as redalthough it has been untaxed since October 1996. It served me well, including aweek’s pre-marital holiday with my wife of now approaching 50 years in the Isle Of Man for the 1974 Manx Grand Prix.
Ithink we had one dry day all week.
Phil Rich, Chetwynd, Shropshire.
up with the letters!
Ilook forwardto OBM arriving every month. It’sthe motorcycle magazine that gives me the most pleasurewith its mix of articles and readers’ adventures.
The 60 Years Ago article in issue 475 was particularly enjoyed. A Crusader 250 was my frst proper bike after passing my test on a Honda C50. Wish Ihad known then what Idonow!
However,aplea; these reprints of old articles arenuggets of gold and really enjoyable. Fascinating also arewhat Motor Cycle readers were
saying in the letters pages. Am I the only one who struggles with the size of the print of these letters? I appreciate as editor you arelimited by the available space but would it be possible please to reprint them at their original size?
Avery happy reader
Keith Johnston
Our fault entirely –wewanted to squeeze as much into that particular 60 Years Ago as we could and admit we made the letters too tiny.Normal service has been restored! Ed.
RoyalRuby–the gemofthe North West
Your piece on Royal Ruby in the A-Z of British Motorcycles in OBM475 fed in some interesting peripheral information but also one or two inaccuracies –not surprising given the obscurity and time past. The company only moved twice to my knowledge, from Cannel Street, Ancoats to Moss Lane, Altrincham, and then eventually to Bradshawgate, Bolton, under new ownership.
Therewereapparently twobatches of V-twins ordered by the Russian government, but only the frst were delivered and, as you rightly say, werenot paid for in the turmoilofthe revolution there.
Some of this batch have surfaced as far away as Denmark, Germany and Portugal, so maybe they were purloined along the way.The remaining batch went on to the local market although some were bought by the UK government and, after the war,the same government settled unpaid Russian debts to British frms quite handsomely, which might have been the fnancial incentive for Royal Ruby to expand to the Altrincham site and launch arange based on leaf-sprung suspension,machines undoubtedly infuenced by the pre-war TT Indians. (Several other frms such as Beardmoredid similar).
Unfortunately,bythis time the short period of post-war optimism had largely evaporated and the ensuing slump (together with the moulders’ strike) pulled the rug out
An excellent example of aRoyal Ruby in the Sammy Miller Museum in the New Forest.
from under Royal Ruby whose prices wereunrealistically high and that led to the collapse. The best example from this period is in the Sammy Miller Museum and was, I believe, with its nickel-plated fttings ashow model owned for many years by the familyofthe manager, Mr Bacon. AV-twin with sidecar from the Ancoats WD batch is in Manchester Museum of Science and Industry
Horrocks Motor Mart of Bolton bought alot of knock-down material at the liquidation auction including the name and may have been assembling some from parts for sale as earlyas1924 but did not make theirown engines and, when they put together an original line in 1927, it was with Villiers and JAP engines.
Thereare,to date, only two remaining examples of Bolton-made machines (no Oldham connection),
my 1929 250cc and a350cc model in the Lakeland Motor Museum. That enterprisepetered out in 1933. All this info was gleaned from chats with Bob Currie, the renowned fount of knowledge, who was always happy to accept different views on gaps in the history of these obscurefrms.I fnditvery diffcult to believe that the Altrincham factory could have absorbed 1000 workers, ahabit of exaggeration maybe carried over from the Ancoats factory wherethe artist’simpression on the brochure cover included the Singer sewing machine factory next door!
Adrian Holden –VMCC marque specialist, Royal Ruby
As Adrian says, so much of the details about early marques is missing, incorrect or was simply never recorded so we aredelighted to be able to add alittle moretothe Royal Rubystory. Ed.
Concentric carbs –acorrection
Thank you for publishing my letter in January’s OBM –‘Regarding Monobloc & Concentric Carbs’, but please can you publish asmall correction?
The letter printed said ‘Their design brief was to makeit clean’ but it should have read ‘Their design brief was to make it cheap’! It makes alot more sense as Iwrote it. True, the design was also cleaner than the Monobloc but it was still horribly retrogressive everywhere else! Cheapo. Not for nothing
did someone start abusiness to re-sleeve Concentrics and sell hard-chromed slides to suit. Great paper.Thank goodness we have it. The A-Zsection is a wonderful addition –long may it fourish!
David Woods, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire
That’ll teach us to type in handwritten letters without putting on our reading glasses! We still have afew letters to go with the A-Z of British Motorcycles so it will indeed flourish alittle longer! Ed.
The (lowpressure)
In 1966 low pressurediecasting was not anovelty process. Alumasc Ltd, Burton Latimer, had been using it for nearly 20 years and was known locally for pots and pans and beer barrels (Flowers’ kegs).
However,Peter Cranmer’sletter in December’sissue regarding Birmal Castings did bring back memories –I started my apprenticeship therein1952. Low pressurediecasting was used on the Hillman Imp and on the American Chevrolet Corsair One former employee, returning
die is cast
from National Service, came in with abright redracing Douglas motorcycle. When departing at the end of the day it could be still heardnearly three miles away across the valley! Unfortunately, one day on an S-bend at the bottom of avalley,heselected down instead of up, producing a large hole in the crankcase. Using the facilities in the factory (argon arcwelding and the machine shop) he repaired the engine! Those werethe days!
David EGrainger,C.Eng. M.I.Mech. E. (retired )
Atriptothe Dragon Rallyin1966
Theannual event that is the Dragon Rallyisheld in the wintry depths of February in North Wales. It is organised by the Conwy Motorcycle Cluband has been held at various locationsinthe areasince1962. Itspopularitycontinues
to attract thousands of hardy ridersevery year;in1966 one of that stalwart band was John Edwards.
In1966 the rallywas held at GlynPadarn, near to the lake at Llanberis,and Iand severalother members of the Brighton and District Motorcycle Club haddecided to go alongand join in the fun. Iwas toowimpishtoride my FannyBarnett trials bike or my old hack 350cc Royal Enfeld Bullet,let alone my bigMatchlessG12CSR,now back in solo trim,all the wayto Wales in the middle of winter Instead, Ijoinedmymate JohnnyRichinthe sidecarof his MatchlessG9500cc twin, takingitinturns to drivethe outft as we fancied. Happily, Iwas already adept at riding with three wheels,havingftted asportySwallowJet 80 sidecar to my bigMatchlessfor a six-month period in 1963.Tis hadbecome the thingtodoin ourclub that year after anew member, BarrySimpson (who laterrodethe glorious Norvin as relatedinmyHalloween ghoststory in OBM473) turned up on his MatchlessG9twin with asportyGarrard sidecar. He wassoadept on it,even when his chair wasempty,the rest of us found that in wet weather we simply couldn’t match his pace It wasn’t longbeforethree or four of us decidedto experimentwith three wheels ourselves.I recall theoriginal learningexperience as being dangerously alarming, but once my braingot dialled in to the peculiar skill required, Ifound it to be aweirdly satisfyingmodeoftransport
Three wheels favoured Anyway,I digress; back to the Dragon Rally. Alsotravelling with us to thisevent were fellow club members DerekBurtand
his dad, alsoonthree wheels with their 650cc Triumph Tunderbirdoutft.A pair of somewhat moreadventurous club members (whosenames I nowsadlyforget) joined us on the trip,too,two-up on asolo Triumph T100SS.
Havingdecidedthat travellingtoNorth Wales in the depths of winter would be asomewhat diferent prospect to travelling up to Liverpoolinthe June sunshine en routetothe TT,we hadan overnightstopover, courtesy of the organisers. As Irecall, this overnightbreak wasina school gymnasium.I certainly rememberspendinga night sleepingfullycladinmy Barboursuit and bootsona hard wooden foor amonglots of otherDragon-bound bikers.
Te nextday,Saturday, was the dayofthe rally. Te weather turnedout to be wetand windy as we headedintoWales on the A5, passingLlangollenand Betws-y-Coed. As we turned of towardsSnowdonia at CapelCurig on the A4086, we found ourselves motoringinto astrongheadwind and heavier rain. Wales waslivinguptoits reputation as awild, wetand windyplace
No worries,itwas all part of the adventure.I knew John waswell protected in his weatherproof, blackPVC BlackPrince ridingsuit since Ihad ownedone myself and hadfound it to be asuperbly efcientoutft for many years. Iwas snug in the sidecarinmy usual, rather moreexpensive butnot quitesoweatherproof, waxedcottonBarbour suit.I must confess,I hadoriginally boughtthe Barboursuit for its perceived ‘pukkaenthusiast’ look buthad later, not
surprisingly, found it to be the perfectoutftfor trials riding whichI indulged in duringthe winter of 1962-63.
Very soon we were heading for the Llanberis pass,the last stagebeforethe rallysite. In thosedaysI hadyet to travel over anymountain pass,so this prospect wasexciting. Te runuptothe topwas alongthe side of the mountain, not too twisty butopentothe westerly gale force side wind which battered the rain againstthe sidecar, making it enjoyably exhilarating.
Asad reminder of the risks
Te rundownfromthe summit wassteeper and twistier and once on the valleyfoor, the rain and strong side wind
persisted. It wasprudent to proceed with caution even on three wheels and it wasa surprisewhen aguy on aBMW R69 came past us on astraight section, leaninghardintothe wind and travellingatwhat seemedtobeanextremely riskypace
All toosoon, my doubtswere confrmedfor,within amile or so,our little convoycame upon the scene of an accident. Tis wasalready being attendedbyseveral people so therewas no pointinstopping to help.Awhile later, arriving safelyatthe rallysiteatGlyn Padarn, rumoursofafatal accidentweresoonrife and not toosurprisinglyand very sadly, it wasthe rider of that R69 who haddied.
Once this tragedyhad been
absorbed and puttothe back of ourminds,the rallywas greatfun. Te weather was, of course,cold and fairly dull, butneverthelesswehad an enjoyable time in the company of similarly adventurous and slightly masochistic fellow enthusiasts.
Iremembertherewas abig bonfre in the eveningand I fancya cavalcade of machines took part in aheadlamp-lit run in the darknessaround the localarea. As Irecall, the six of us hadfor some forgotten reason decidedtoskipthat particular event.
After acomfy nightinour tentssnuginour sleeping bags,itwas time to pack up and setofhome, joiningthe many other ridersalsoheading home alongthe valleytowards
the Llanberis pass in chilly butdry weather.Weexpected astraightforward runback viaCapel Curigand theA5, eventuallypicking up the top end of the M1 viawhatisnow the M45.
Abreakdown on the way home
Oursteady progress continued on down the M1 until about amile beforethe southern end, whichinthose days was near St Albans.Here, John’s G9 Matchlessbegan to stutter and fnallydied. Ourdiagnosis on the hard shoulder revealed that we hadnosparksand it turnedout that ourmagneto hadtotallyfailed. Happily, Derekand his dadhad stopped with us,while ourtwo friends on the T100SSTriumph had
At the 1966 Dragon, Derek Burt on the left, ourfriend with the T100 and, on the right, Derek’sdad
