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JANUARY 2021
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Welcome to the first issue dated 2021, which, for most of us, is a year that can’t come fast enough, given how 2020 went. Though it’ll be some time until we all collectively return to a normal way of life, as I write there is some light at the end of the tunnel, with talk of vaccines and a genuine way of seeing an end to a worldwide crisis the likes few of us will have ever experienced, and which, hopefully, we’ll not have to endure again. There’s certainly been nothing of this magnitude during the last 40 years, which is the anniversary (ruby, hence the spine masthead colouring) The Classic MotorCycle celebrates, the first issue being published in June/July 1981. With Bob Currie – Midlands editor of The Motor Cycle during the 1960s – at the helm it featured on its cover a Gold Star BSA, and within, features on a Vincent Black Shadow and the prospective National Motor Cycle Museum. Somehow, it still staggers me that at that time a Goldie was 20 years old and the Shadow 30. It’d be like us having a 2001 cover machine and a 1991 main test; so a Fireblade and an 888 SP Ducati probably the equivalents. It’d be a very different sort of magazine… Elsewhere in 1981, the big showbiz news of the year was the Royal Wedding – for which Triumph produced an incredibly gaudy version of the Bonneville – while Ronald Reagan is sworn in as US president (and is shot soon after), Mike Hailwood was killed in a car crash (Bob Marley, Joe Louis, Bill Haley and Natalie Wood also die this year), while in popular culture, the first London Marathon is held, Only Fools and Horses (with central character Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter supposedly influenced by motorcycle racer Lewis Young) and Postman Pat first air on UK television, Bucks Fizz win the Eurovision song contest, Muhammad Ali has (and loses) his last ever fight and, most important of all, Ipswich Town Football Club won the UEFA Cup. Who knows what 2021 will bring? Well, there’ll be the swearing-in of a new US president, hopefully a London Marathon and success for Ipswich Town (now scrabbling around in the lower reaches of the football league) while, with some luck, we’ll be able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the magazine at Stafford in April. Speaking to Richard Rosenthal about the anniversary, he mused; “Well, I was involved 10 years… and 20 years ago… and a bit 30 years ago…” So we’ll be pressing him for a few memories, I think, and maybe ask him to bring his Royal Ruby to put on the Stafford stand. Here’s to a good 2021.
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JAMES ROBINSON Editor
Regular contributors
Tim Britton, Rachael Clegg, Jonathan Hill, Roy Poynting, Richard Rosenthal, Martin Squires, Jerry Thurston, Alan Turner, Andy Westlake, Steve Wilson.
Contributors this issue Rob Drury, Greg Pullen.
THE CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE (USPS:710-470) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd., PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $63 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to THE CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com
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CONTENTS ISSUE | JANUARY 2021 Archive photograph .......................................... 6 News ................................................................... 8 Subscribe and save ........................................ 12 Newark autojumble ....................................... 14 Letters ............................................................. 16 Triumph T100A............................................... 20 Motoball history............................................. 29 Itom Astor Competizione .............................. 34 Nimbus 750 four............................................. 42 Index 2020....................................................... 50 Lockdown Velocette....................................... 52 Charles Falco .................................................. 57 Closer look – early passenger carrying ........ 62 Engine timing............................................... 68 Al Osborn interview ...................................... 72 Roy Poynting column .................................... 76 Jerry Thurston................................................. 78 Sketchbook travels ......................................... 80 You Were Asking............................................. 86 Classic components – JAP part 13 ................ 97 Classic camera................................................ 98 Next month ..................................................... 99
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In search of sunshine Despite the economic hardships of the time, and the fact the exchange rate was terrible, a European tour was still undertaken. Image: MORTONS ARCHIVE
P
aused by the side of the road, a 1931 550cc Ariel side-valve ‘Sloper’ and sidecar, which has ferried The Motor Cycle’s correspondent Wharfedale (real name Donald Smith, The Motor Cycle’s Northern correspondent) and his wife on a continental trip ‘from Manchester to Maggiore’ – which was where the picture was taken. In the background – gazed on by Mrs W/S – is Isola Bella, ‘the beautiful island’, while the Ariel awaits further instruction. Ariel’s new Sloper was the very height of fashion – the Selly Oak, Birmingham, firm took the trend for sloping engines further than most, with the motor inclined at 60 degrees. There were two overhead valve models in 1931 – the SF31 and the SG31, the former with two-valve head, the latter with four-valves – as well as the one featured here, the SB31 side-valve. Despite its older engine configuration, the SB shared the other models’ duplex downtube frame, which straddled the engine, and four-speed Burman gearbox, of a clean design and looking much like gearboxes would for the next 25-plus years; the Sloper models were much shorter lived, only listed for 1931 and 1932. Wharfedale detailed the couple’s experiences over two consecutive issues in November 1931. During 1930, he’d visited the area he now revisited, while reporting on the International Six Days Trial. Clearly impressed, he endeavoured to return, this time bringing his wife. “There was a lot of thinking to be done when the mission was made,” he writes. “Plans, maps, and, most important of all, finance, had to be considered from every angle. Kit was collected and the machine was prepared to face every conceivable emergency and, finally, on a pouring wet Monday, we started out for Lake Maggiore, Stresa, and sunshine.”
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THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | JANUARY 2021
The Ariel was ‘most elaborately fitted up by the makers, thoughtfully provided, at Harry Perry’s [Perrey was Ariel’s star trials rider and competition manager] suggestion, with 27in by 4in tyres.’ It was agreed that, on route from Manchester, the tourists would call at Birmingham for the machine to be given the ‘once over’ then press on to Dover. But all didn’t go to plan. “Thirty miles had been covered when I assailed that uneasy feeling I had forgotten something. Now, what could it be? No! Yes! It was! I had forgotten my driving licence.” This all sends the plans awry, necessitating an early morning (3am) start
the day after, and, despite running out of petrol in London, they make the ferry in good time, the Ariel last to be loaded ‘…in favour of all the Rolls-Royces and such of the wicked rich.’ Across the water to Calais, then into Belgium and a couple of overnight stops, before into Germany, and three more nights, which included encountering a German waiter who had been interned in the Isle of Man during the war. Next was Switzerland and the Alps, before Italy and, eventually, the town of Stresa. ‘“Tomorrow,’ I said to my better-half passenger ‘you will see the most beautiful
Classic archive
place in Northern Italy and tonight you will drink the most lovely wine of the land.”’ It didn’t quite work like that – the wine was good but next morning’s weather more Manchester than Maggiore. ‘… we promenaded in raincoats’ the comment. Still, Isola Bella (320 metres long by 400 metres wide, which features a palace, an Italianate garden and a small fishing village, and was named after Isabella D’Adda, wife of Carlo III of the House of Borromeo, who, in 1632, began its transformation to what it is now) was explored, before next day it was time to head home; the sun was now shining, but time was pressing.
Switzerland turned to France and more mountain passes (“Two miles on full bore in second and first caused the motor to get a little warm”) and more exploring into Switzerland again – including pausing in Geneva – then to France and, eventually, Paris, with some battling with the capital’s traffic: “They don’t encourage the form of driving which the motorist of the ‘popular car’ type in England believes to be safe driving.” Next day it was on to Calais – but, with 130 miles to go, ‘…one of those expensive noises occurred in the machinery.’ But it wasn’t as catastrophic as feared; part of the
shock absorber had come adrift in between the chain and sprocket. With the help of a garage, the sidecar was removed, and, after four-and-a-half hours’ work, the problem remedied. After another night, it was Calais again, then back on the boat, reaching London the same evening. Next morning, London to Birmingham – for the transmission to be properly sorted – then home to Manchester. They’d covered 2500 miles, over 16 days, at an all in cost of less than £40. And the last word to Wharfedale: “We hadn’t found much sunshine, but we had a store of End golden memories.”
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | JANUARY 2021
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News&Events Bonhams sale date change The Bonhams Winter Sale has been deferred by one week due to the current situation regarding the pandemic, and will now take place on Friday, December 11, and Saturday, December 12. It will be staged as a live and online auction ‘behind closed doors’, with an auctioneer at the rostrum and bids accepted online, by telephone or by leaving an absentee bid. All lots will be available to view in the 50,000 sq ft former
■ NUMBER CHANGE As we all know, the world has undergone some changes this year… among them being that homeworking has become a ‘thing’ for many of us who were previously office-based. What this means is there’s a new editorial phone number for The Classic MotorCycle, which is 07739 615604. General enquiries should still be directed to 01507 529529, with archive requests to 01507 529423, and advertising 01507 529418. Editorial email (and the preferred way of contact) remains jrobinson@mortons.co.uk ■ SHOW CALENDARS SET There’s some tentative planning going ahead for the 2021 Mortons’ show calendar. A couple of events have now been given new dates – so the The Bristol Classic MotorCycle Show, at the Royal Bath and West showground, Shepton Mallet, and usually in February, will be over July 24/25, and the Classic Dirt Bike Show (also traditionally February) is slated for May 15/16. This will be one year only changes. ■ CORRECTIONS From the December 2020 issue: Jon Pertwee (page 98) wasn’t born in 1938, but 1919. Blame my dodgy maths. And Kevin Jansen’s BSA A10 tank (page 25) didn’t come with a tent in it, but a dent… Blame my dodgy typing. Apologies all round.
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THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | JANUARY 2021
RAF Bomber Station hangar at Bicester Heritage, from Wednesday, December 9, to Friday, December 11, 9am to 5pm each day, by appointment only. The National Motorcycle Museum reserve collection will be on the Friday, with other machines – including the three V-twins and the three fours pictured left – sold on the Saturday. Visit www.bonhams.com for details
Everett Brashear One of the top AMA flat-tracker racers of the 1950s, Everett Brashear died October 29, in Los Angeles, California. He was 93. Between 1952 and 1960, Brashear won 15 AMA flat-track nationals and dozens of regional races. Born in Texas, Brashear grew up with little interest in motorcycling, but by the 1950s was a leading contender. He retired from racing in 1960, but came back, then retired, and came back again; actually earning his top finish in the Daytona 200, sixth, in 1964 on a Matchless. Later, he worked for Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Yamaha and Kawasaki. In all, Brashear spent 47 years of his life in the motorcycle industry in one form or another.
Stafford show planning It’s sincerely hoped that the Stafford Classic MotorCycle show will be able to run at its traditional April date in 2021, with preliminary planning well underway. The 2020 event was going to be ‘40s themed’, tying in with the end of the Second World War, and the 40th anniversary of the first show. Of course, it wasn’t to be, so while the 2021 event will acknowledge the show milestone, it’ll look more towards the 40th anniversary of the first issue of The Classic
MotorCycle, title sponsor of ‘April Stafford’ for many years. To that end, we’re looking to welcome some magazine ‘cover stars’ along – we know the whereabouts of many of the later machines, but any owners of early main cover feature machines out there, pleased drop us a line. Issue one featured a Gold Star at the
Daytona vintage race, so it’s unlikely we’ll track that one down… But drop me a line at jrobinson@mortons.co.uk or call 07739 615604 with details.
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | JANUARY 2021
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& Draganfly head steady
New Events News
From Draganfly, some new parts for Triumphs – a left and a right head steady for T150/T160 and X75, part numbers 82-9378 and 82-9379 respectively. They also suit the BSA A75. Priced at £10.21 plus VAT each, made in their workshop. Call 01986 894798 or draganfly.co.uk
Shaw Special sold at Spicers Despite a rather hectic, lastminute venue move owing to Covid restrictions, the show went on, with top price at the Spicers Auctioneers sale on November 7, 2020, the 1929 Shaw Special, built by John Shaw of Scarcroft, Leeds, using an ABC frame and an Austin 7 car engine. It featured three forward gears and reverse, it used either a hand or lever operated clutch, coupled brakes by hand or foot, electric or foot start, and rode on AJS wheels, the rear being detachable. During 1930 and 1931 Mr Shaw then undertook some 8000 miles of touring on all kinds of roads and tracks in Britain, then in the mid-1930s he toured the continent with his wife as pillion, travelling for
two or three weeks at a time on several occasions. Shaw passed away in 1967 and his wife loaned the machine to the Nostell Priory Museum. Unused for many years, it was restored in 2010, but largely unridden, though still in family ownership, since. It realised £24,150, sold to a UK enthusiast. Elsewhere in the sale, the five superb ‘oily rag’ vintage Sunbeams made a collective £58,995, while there were some other interesting prices too, including £1000 for a 1958/59/60 amateur photographic album, with several pictures signed. Held online only, there was an 83% selling rate for motorcycles. For the full results visit www.spicersauctioneers.com Next sale is in March 2021.
The Austin 7-engined Shaw Special. There’s hope it may be returning to the roads soon.
Classic Superbikes The bookazine Classic Superbikes is now available, featuring road tests and impressions on everything from an early Speed Twin to a late Moto Guzzi V7. Look out for Jonathan Hill’s book review next month. Priced at £7.99, buy it in WHSmith or classicmagazines.co.uk
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THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | JANUARY 2021
Book Review
“Tales of Triumph Motorcycles and the Meriden factory”
Author: Hughie Hancox Acknowledgement by Hughie Hancox. New soft-back edition in the Veloce Classic Reprint Series. Published by Veloce Publishing Ltd, Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 3AR. Tel: 01305 260068 Email: sales@veloce.co.uk Fax: 01305 250479 Soft-back, 207 x 250mm (portrait); 144 pages with over 90 photographs and illustrations. ISBN: 978-1-787115-49-1/UPC 6-36847-01549-7 £19.99 (UK); $32.50 (USA) Reprinted by popular demand, this story is an attempt to convey to the reader the wonderful atmosphere that prevailed at Meriden – where ‘the greatest motorcycles in the world’ were made – in the 1950s, how things slowly changed throughout the 1960s and, finally, in the early 1970s, how it all came to a terrible and ignominious end. Hughie Hancox (born 1938, he died 2011) started work with the Triumph Engineering Company (manufacturers of Triumph motorcycles) in 1954. He was employed initially as a trainee for seven years, working as a fitter until his call-up for National Service. Initially a dispatch rider, Hancox graduated to the famous Royal Corps of Signals Motorcycle Display Team or ‘White Helmets’ as they were known, becoming a corporal rider/fitter responsible for keeping the side-valve Triumph TRWs in top form. It is interesting to read that the display team’s 25 machines (including a Speed Twin outfit), were provided and prepared by Triumph and ridden (at that time) to many showground venues across the country – all on open exhaust pipes! After demob in 1959, Hughie resumed work at Meriden in the experimental department, and actually worked on the prototype Bonneville. He eventually
became one of the legendary Triumph production testers from 1960 to 1962; later becoming a fitter, before joining the staff as a technical advisor and customer related trouble-shooter until the factory closed in 1973. There are marvellous and often amusing anecdotes about Hancox’s highly skilled colleagues and respected managers in the early, successful years at Triumph, together with details of problem-solving and design improvements. This excellent, well-written book is a mirror of social history of long-forgotten working practices and the author’s experiences during National Service. What really sets this book apart from the many, often apocryphal, accounts by so-called experts who were not even involved, is Hancox’s succinct and personal account of what really caused Triumph’s sad decline. Unfortunately, lack of space prevents me from fully describing what is probably the best and most thoughtprovoking account I have read. Not only an excellent writer, Hughie Hancox was also renowned as one of the world’s experts on Triumph motorcycles and his restored machines won many prizes. Excellent – an essential addition to any library. Book reviewed by Jonathan Hill.
THE WAY WE WERE IN
JANUARY 1921
The Motor Car Act of 1903 required all ‘motor cars’ to be registered with the keeper’s local authority (council, borough etc). Motor cars and motor cycles weren’t defined separately, though many – but not all – authorities kept separate records for cars and motorcycles and in 1905 further groups such as heavy vehicles, again with separate records, were added. Each vehicle was issued with a paper registration certificate for the vehicle and if the vehicle moved authorities, it had to be registered with its new authority; in some cases, the original registration mark remained with the vehicle, while other authorities issued a new (local) mark. The result of authorities having separate record listings for differing classes of vehicles led to some authorities using identical registration marks on a vehicle from each class,
1946
The organisers announced they weren’t in a position to restart the IoM TT series this year, but were hopeful of running the Manx GP later in the season. As before
1971
Setting their sights on a share of the big bike market, Yamaha had recently launched its first large capacity motorcycle, the 653cc ohc parallel twin
1996
Surprised enthusiasts, who were ready to tax their motorcycles ready for the coming season, were continuing to phone The Classic MotorCycle offices, after being informed by their local Post Office that no fee is required for their over 25-year-old machines. From November 29, 1995,
eg a car, motorcycle, traction engine, lorry could all have the same mark. As from January 1, 1921, the 1920 Road Acts required licensing authorities to issue a separate identifiable registration mark for each vehicle – most vehicles would be liable for a road fund licence fee (which it’s claimed would be used to maintain and improve roads) and need to display a tax disc as proof of payment. The existing registration certificate, used until this time, was replaced by either a RF12 (private vehicles) or RF42 (commercial vehicles) logbook, in which, for the first time, the registered keeper’s details were to be recorded. All vehicle keepers had until January 31, 1921, to comply with this new legislation if they wished to continue using their vehicle/s on public roads. the war, the ‘Manx’ would comprise three solo classes: 500cc Senior, 350cc Junior and 250cc Lightweight. Entry details would be published later. cylinder XS1, to widespread acclaim. Early reports confirmed the machine was tough and performance not that far off the Triumph Bonneville and Honda CB750. Conservative chancellor Kenneth Clarke’s budget meant keepers of over 25 year old vehicles at the start of the year no longer had to pay a licence fee on applying for a tax disc for said vehicles. However, displaying a valid (free) tax disc remained compulsory. Richard Rosenthal.
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | JANUARY 2021
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