VINTAGE BSA COMBINATION 50 YEARS OF SIDECAR SERVICE
SUPERB SPANISH STROKER SPORTING MONTESA IMPALA
Where legends come to life
March 2014 Number 03,March 2014
£4.10
Red Hunter Ariel’s excellent postwar single
FREE: 32-PAGE
SUPPlEMENT
INSIDE: 1930s racing hardman Ernie Nott 1954 ISDT gold medal
Francis-Barnett Velocette Viper restoration guide Moto Guzzi V7
News&Events EDITED BY JAMES ROBINSON
Surtees to star as guest of honour The Stafford show takes place on the weekend of April 26-27. Details from www.classicbikeshows.com
VELO OC SPARES DAY
Members of the Velo OC converged on the sports centre in the village of Huncote on Sunday, January 12, for the annual autojumble. Among the wares on offer was this girder/ rigid MAC, at £3600.
QUO AT CHOLMONDELEY
Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, in its seventh year, has announced legendary rock band
8
Status Quo is to play on the first night of the festival, Friday, June 13, 2014. Tickets to include seeing the iconic rockers are on sale now. Last year’s Pageant of Power saw record numbers in attendance to witness attractions, including a host of unique cars, boats and planes. For further information on the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power and for video highlights from the 2013 event, visit www.cpop.co.uk
HITCHCOCKS HIRING
e Royal Enfield
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2014
specialist Hitchcocks is looking to fill a ‘situation vacant’ by recruiting a general stores person. It’s a full time, 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday job and will include taking orders over the phone, picking and despatching orders, making up assemblies, counter sales, general stock control etc. Some knowledge on postwar Redditch made Royal Enfields is essential. Contact Dave on 01564 783192 or email info@hitchcocksmotorcy cles.com or reply by post to Allan Hitchcock, Hitchcocks Motorcycles, Oldwich Lane West, Chadwick End, Solihull B93 0EY.
John Surtees, the only man to have won the blue riband world title on both two and four wheels, has been confirmed as guest of honour at the 2014 Carole Nash Classic MotorCyle show, due to be held at the Stafford County Showground. As well as John, there’ll be two of the vehicles with which he’s synonymous; an MV ‘fire engine’ four from his own collection, plus, from America, the V8 1.5 litre Ferrari 158 in which he became 1964 Formula One world champion. The car is finished in the blue and white colour scheme, of the National American Racing Team, used for the last two races of the season.
PIONEER RUN IN APRIL
is year’s Sunbeam MCC Pioneer Run takes place on April 13, later in the calendar than previously and in an attempt to avoid a repeat of last year’s weatherruined event.
VMCC CANCEL 1000 BIKES
e Vintage Motor Cycle Club has chosen to cancel its proposed 2014 Festival of 1000 Bikes at Mallory Park on July 12-13. Ian Botham, for the VMCC, stated: “Motorsport fans will be aware of the uncertainty that surrounded the future of Mallory Park in the
latter parts of 2013. Crucial months of planning and preparation have been lost (meaning) we are not equally confident of delivering this prestigious event with the amount of time remaining. We did not feel we could proceed without full confidence of being able to offer an event of the high quality which is now expected from this wonderful weekend.”
ASI IN MAY
e fabulous ASI Motoshow is on May 911, at the Varano de’ Melegari circuit, near Parma. Details at www.asifed.it
Come and join us In our continued efforts to make the most we can of our classic magazines, we’re investigating the possibility of adding to our editorial team, with the potential appointment of staff, based at our Horncastle, Lincolnshire headquarters. Interested? Drop us a line at jrobinson@mortons.co.uk with a CV and a brief resume of what you think you could bring to us. Ideal candidates will have good literary skills, an enthusiasm for and an interest in classic motorcycles, be social media savvy, happy to work weekends attending events and possessed of a full motorcycle licence.
Classic Off Road and Road Racing show
NEWS IN BRIEF
Among those attending the Putoline Telford Twin-Shock, Classic & Road Racing show on February 22-23 at Telford Exhibition Centre will be trials star Mary Driver, pictured below, who will be on stage each day talking about the ‘old days.’ With her will be the 250cc Greeves on which she competed in the Scottish Six Days Trial. The Scots Trial celebrates its Centenary in 2014 and a display of the event’s history is being produced for the show. Previous winners are also coming along include Dougie Lampkin, Sammy Miller and Johnny Brittain.
Well tailored and finished, the Tucano Urbano Urbis 4G jacket (above) comes with an easy detachable inner waistcoat – which can be worn as a separate garment – and to keep draughts at bay, there is a good overlap of the ‘Panta Trip’ trousers. The Urbis 4G jacket retails at £189.99 with elbow and shoulder armour (£169.99 without) while the matching Panta Trip 8827 trousers are priced at £129.99 with knee armour (£119.99 without). To keep you extra warm a quickly detachable ling is available for £21.99. For the whole range of Tucano Urbano clothing and accessories and stockist information go to www.tucanourbano.co.uk Andy Westlake
PHOTO COMPETITION
Keen amateur photographer? Fancy some prizes? Have a look at our competition on page 52.
Tucano e National Motorcycle Museum Urbano gear appoints museum director James Hewing has been appointed as museum director at the National Motorcycle Museum, based in Solihull. Following a successful 2013, particularly for the conference centre, directors of the museum are keen to continue to develop the museum during 2014, its 30th year of operation. James has spent the last 10 years as CEO of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC). During the decade he spent at the club, turnover
grew by 86% and membership grew by 25%. Nick Hartland, director of the National Motorcycle Museum, said: “Last year was a great year for us, and we are confident that, with James on board, 2014 will be even better. “Having worked closely with him during his time at the VMCC, I know he has some brilliant ideas for the museum and I look forward to working with him to create an all-round fantastic experience for our visitors.”
HURRY, HURRY...
If you’re quick, you might still be able to make it to the Bristol Classic show at the Royal Bath and West showground, Shepton Mallet on February 8-9.
PREsCOTT FEsTIval
e annual Prescott Bike Festival will be taking place on Sunday, April 6, 2014, and promises to be an action-packed day in support of the Nationwide Association of Bloodbikes charity. e fourth annual event will be larger than ever before, with even more bike manufacturers and clubs confirmed, plus a large display of historic, modern and race bikes on display in the paddock, demo areas, passenger rides, stunt show, trade stalls, live music, good food and a host of entertainment both on and off the track Special guest appearances include former three times British Superbike Champion and Bloodbike ambassador John Reynolds, MotoGP commentator Steve Parrish, motorcycle adventurer Nick Sanders and making his debut appearance, Michael Rutter. PINHaRd PRIzE wINNER
James Hewing, new at the NMM, here on a Norton Inter at Dijon.
e recipient of the Sunbeam MCC’s 2013 version of the Pinhard Prize is young road racer Joe Francis. He follows such illustrious winners as John Surtees (1954), Mike Hailwood (1958) and Malcolm Rathmell (1968).
The ClassiC MoTorCyCle | MARCH 2014
9
Standard of private entries was commendably high, with Britain, Europe and Japan all well represented.
Newark growth continues Still a relative newcomer in the classic show calendar, the CBG Winter Classic is becoming a seasonal fixture.
Words: James Robinson Photography: Joe dick/leanne mandall
T
here was a fine array of classic machinery congregated at newark showground on the weekend of January 4-5, as enthusiasts came together to celebrate the new year – and to indulge in a weekend’s motorcycling chat, after the (traditionally non-motorcycling!) seasonal festivities. competition was strong for the honour of best in show, but Graham Holloway’s early (1955) Tiger 110 Triumph was judged pick of the bunch, though it was run close by a number of machines which won class ‘honours’ – among these were Tony cookson’s splendid 1956 750cc Triton (best Restoration), Garry kendrick’s 1978 Hailwood rep ducati (best Private entry) and dave Yates’ 1980 Rd Yamaha special (most Technical interest).
18
The ClassiC MoTorCyCle | MARCH 2014
Plenty of ‘brews’ were ‘supped’ over the weekend… mainly in an attempt to keep warm.
Classic event | Newark Show
Though they’ve both been at a Newark show and won prizes before, that doesn’t diminish the quality of Trevor Bostock’s 1936 Ivory Calthorpe Major, Best Prewar, and Ken Thirtle’s highly unusual 1921 Reynolds Runabout (it’s reckoned there’s only two others, one in Italy and the other at the museum in Birmingham), Best Vintage. Ken is on with two more restorations at the moment – a 1956 Moto Guzzi Galetto and a 1926 ‘Round Tank’ BSA – while we’ve more planned (in the way of a feature) on the Reynolds, too. Likewise, we’ve also recorded some more details of Malcolm Potter’s prize-winning 1958 Manx (which took him six years to piece together/restore) that won Best Competition, while we’ve previously featured Dave Bradley’s Greeves Prototype, which had Best Postwar bestowed upon it. Though missing out on a prize this year, Pete Bateman’s cammy engined, swingarm (RS) framed Velocette has an interesting – somewhat chequered – history. Basically, Pete has owned the engine since 1959 and at that point it was part of a complete machine. But when he moved house in the 1960s, it was left with a friend and subsequently the rest of the 1939
“Enthusiasts came together early in the new year.” 1
Best restoration was Tony Cookson’s impeccably presented wideline Triton.
2
For sale in one of the back halls, a JTOR JAP V-twin engine. The ticket was for £6500, though it needed work, with flywheel assembly a requirement.
3
That’s just what I was looking for…
4
One of the neat, wellpresented private entries.
5
Guest of honour Roger Marshall, with Best In Show owner Graham Holloway.
6
Marital harmony.
KSS ended up under a rockery. Pete managed to hang on to the engine through more house moves, and then re-housed the motor in later Velocette cycle parts. He’s done plenty of miles on his handsome special, too, (apparently it ‘pulls like a train’ while his clubmates on the Velo OC stand reckon he doesn’t spare it the whip either) and he’s promised us a go – and the full story – later on this year. Incidentally all the Velos on the OC stand were used and usable machines too, with a pair of KTTs (Rob Drury’s MkIV and Frank Allinson MkV) alongside the later singles and Dave Wells’ two-stroke ladies model. Best of the club stands (chosen by the other clubs) was presented to the British Two-Stroke Club, which had a rich and varied collection; Dave Yates’ Yamaha was among them, as was ‘Norbo’s’ Bimota V-Due, the rare 500cc two-stroke V-twin that basically sealed the company’s fate (in a bad way…) in the late 1990s.
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2014
19
I am the law
The earliest Guzzi V-twins were built to a very high standard. How has this ex-Carabinieri machine held up? Words and photography: Steve WilSon
I
loved the look of this ex-Carabinieri v7, right from the start. Mike Russell de Clifford, head of italian motorcycle specialists Moto Corsa, had secured it via the trade, and dismantled it. Spurred on by a fantastic restored version seen at a show, Mike was about to go to work when a buyer came forward and said he had to have it, but just as it was externally. Wise man – the v7’s patina tells you all about its working life with the local civil police (the national force were the Polizia Stradale). on the road, the fully equipped blue machine drew universally admiring, interested looks. the roads around Moto Corsa provided an excellent test-ground, as Mike has relocated from three legged Cross to the Dorset countryside south of Shaftesbury. twisting narrow lanes turning into long sweepers up and down the flanks of steep green hills – Guzzi country. My own ‘modern’ is a hefty 1100 California, but the v7 is still a big, heavy machine – at 516lb (234kg), some 130lb more than an equivalent triumph tR6P, and about 5in longer both in wheelbase (57.33in) and overall length (88 in). Part of that weight was from the car-type 12v electrics. these included the large police-spec 500W, rubber belt-driven dynamo
40
The ClassiC MoTorCyCle | MARCH 2014
(the civilian models had been 300W, which was still a lot more than lucas’ 60W offerings), fitted between the cylinders on these early twins. there was also the Marelli starter-motor mounted on the left side of the crankcase (no kickstart was ever fitted to these twins), with an appropriately massive 32A hour battery. italian motorcycle electrics after that gained a bad name, but there was nothing whatsoever wrong with this kit. i imitated Mike in reaching over with my left hand to hit the starter button, set inaccessibly below the right handlebar beneath the choke lever, and so was still able to work the throttle with my right hand at the same time. the engine caught well, i nudged the right-side heel-and-toe change with my heel to engage first (after that it was down-for-up with the toe, on this British-pattern gearchange), and we were away. First impressions weren’t great. Following a smooth enough change into first, shifting thereafter was with the same loud ‘clonk’ which is still present on my 1990s’ Cali. the clutch action seemed ‘on/off’ abrupt, and from second onward the ride was accompanied by an extreme whirring whine which i thought might be the dynamo drive but which Mike would identify as transmission – the gears.
Moto Guzzi | V7 Police
The ClassiC MoTorCyCle | MARCH 2014
41