Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i The Classic MotorCycle

A fabulous and interesting private collection of earlier machines from the north of England has been confirmed for Bonhams’ October Stafford sale, the motorcycles this year going through on October 14. Among the machines in the sale are no less than three early vintage NUT V-twins, plus other V-twins from the same late teens/1920s period, including a Reading Standard (built in America), an Ariel, plus a sublime 1913 Hazelwood. Even earlier are a trio from 1904 (a Rex and two Ariels) while a fore-and-aft Harley-Davidson flat-twin, from 1920, is another rarely seen motorcycle. Visit bonhams.com for more.…

On July 26, H&H hosts its latest motorcycle sale at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham. There’s a great mix up for grabs, with motorcycles ranging from five Vincents to autocycles. The H&H contingent were out in force at Banbury too; motorcycle specialist Mike Davis (left) won the Feridax Trophy with his lovely New Imperial, while head of motorcycle sales Mark Bryan (centre, on another New Imp) and auction staff Martin Crooks (Sunbeam) joined in too. Have a look at handh.co.uk for auction details.…

Closing in 1961, ending 40 years of production in Ashford, Norman Cycles Ltd was Kent’s only major manufacturer. A number of Norman motorcycles can still be seen at Dover Transport Museum, while at Willesborough Windmill in Ashford, the barn (now serving as a cafe) also has a collection of Norman bicycles. The restored windmill at Willesborough is the established venue for the twice-yearly gathering of Norman enthusiasts, the latest being on May 27. There were examples of several landmark models at the event. As a manufacturer, Norman was always looking to improve its products. Like so many others, it fitted bought-in engines, mostly from Villiers. Off-road competition success established the brand and as the road bikes became neatly styled and brightly finished, sales numbers were impressive. Andy Johns had ridden…

On my way to examine Adrian Coole’s unmolested-looking Bianchi Gardena 75, I once again ask myself a question that always stumps me when I go and report on a sub-125cc motorcycle from the past. What is it that’s changed so much over the decades that small capacity, lightweight motorcycles have so dropped out of favour with motorcycle manufacturers? Is it simply because there are no willing paying customers for them? Or is it because the amount of traffic on our roads nowadays simply prohibits the use of motorcycles with a reasonably low top speed and less than rapid acceleration? Whatever the reason might be, it’s a shame, because lots of fun can be had in small packages, and the Italians in particular were experts in putting together an attractive, well-built…

A row of motorcycles on white plinths flanks an exhibition wall at this year’s Isle of Man TT. The machines include RS250 and RS125 Hondas, a 1000cc Padgetts 2012 Honda Fireblade Superstock racer and, also from Padgett’s, an ex-John McGuinness Honda CBR600. And then – somewhat incongruously – among the plastic covered modern machinery sits a 1923 250cc Blackburne-powered Rex-Acme. I put it there – smack bang in the middle of the show – because the story of this machine is one of intrigue, promise and ambition. What’s more, it is extremely rare: this Rex-Acme finished third in the 1923 Lightweight TT with a speed of 49.53mph and a finishing time of four hours, 34 minutes and 20 seconds. So at this year’s Bennetts/Rachael Clegg exhibition at the TT, the…

Colour coding As far as motorcycles are concerned, with few exceptions, electrical current is taken to and from the machine’s electrical components by copper wires sheathed or coated with an insulating material. This may be a form of plastic, or rubber in the case of older electrical cable, or modern replicas of this. Initially, the sheath was black or another single base colour, which made tracing the cables through the machine ever more difficult as systems became more complex. One alternative tried by some makers was to apply colour-coded rings to ends of each cable to aid tracing, but soon a colour-coding system was adopted. Initially, these were single colours, but as wiring became more complex, a greater variance of coding cable was needed, leading to two and even three-colour…

EDITOR James Robinson Tel 01507 529405 Fax 01507 371066 email jrobinson@mortons.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE James Adam Bolton, Tim Britton, Rachael Clegg, Jonathan Hill, Roy Poynting, Richard Rosenthal, Martin Squires, Jerry Thurston, Alan Turner, Phil Turner, Andy Westlake, Steve Wilson. PRODUCTION EDITOR Sarah Wilkinson SENIOR DESIGNER Kelvin Clements DESIGNERS Michael Baumber, Libby Fincham PICTURE DESK Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield PUBLISHER Tim Hartley DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Billy Manning ADVERTISING Sarah Mitchell-Savage Tel 01507 529418, email smitchell-savage@mortons.co.uk SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Paul Deacon CIRCULATION MANAGER Steve O’Hara MARKETING MANAGER Charlotte Park COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Nigel Hole PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Dan Savage EDITORIAL ADDRESS PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.classicmotorcycle.co.uk GENERAL ENQUIRIES & BACK ISSUES Tel 01507 529529, 24-hour answerphone email help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk ARCHIVE ENQUIRIES Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk Tel 01507 529423 SUBSCRIPTION…

The VMCC’s annual Banbury Run is the ideal place to fire-up one’s enthusiasm for pre-1931 motorcycles; a motorcycling carnival, with an amazing soundtrack and an intoxicating mixture of intriguing smells, as the combination of oils being used (two-strokes, four-strokes, while there’s always a few on Castrol R too) mingle with the aroma of bacon being fried in the early morning summer. The British Motor Museum, which was formerly the Heritage Motor Centre, has been the home of this totemic event for the last few years, and the run is growing into its new surroundings, a place which is under seemingly constant development – this year, the evidence of a whole new infrastructure was plain to see, and although it’s not complete yet, clearly when it’s done, the site will provide…

Barry Winter is a lucky man, but it’s the kind of luck that comes out of sustained effort. With a successful career as a skilled engineer at the Environment Agency behind him, he could concentrate on his small, interesting collection of classic bikes; some of them have featured previously in these pages. But the story of perhaps the collection’s high point, this 604cc Gold Star, which he uses mostly on the Island and for track days, began back in the day, and has a complexity unexpected in such a monolithic motorcycle. For there’s another Gold Star in his garage. The family way “I bought my original Gold Star, a 1955 500cc DB34, around 1960,” Barry explained. “Then my brother had it, but I bought it back from him.” So time…

ENGINE: Single cylinder two-stroke air-cooled, inclined at 35 degrees cylinder head in light alloy, three ports, three piece crankshaft BORE: 46mm STROKE: 43mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 6.9 CAPACITY: 71.5 cc MAX. POWER: 3.4bhp@7000 rpm LUBRICATION: 5% mix, two stroke/ fuel mixture CARBURETTOR: Dell’Orto UA 16 BS with choke and washable air filter SPARK PLUG: Marelli CW 240A POINTS GAP: 0.45 mm FRAME: pressed steel SUSPENSION: front, telescopic forks, rear, swinging arm and hydraulic shocks FRONT WHEEL: 19 inch REAR WHEEL: 18 inch BRAKES - DRUM: 115mm width GEARBOX: three-speed unit construction CLUTCH: Wet clutch, multi plate WEIGHT DRY: 60kg (132lbs) FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 12 litres MAXIMUM SPEED: 75km/h (46mph) at 7000rpm…

Within moments of stepping into any modern motorcycle show or dealership, you’ll often hear the question ‘How fast will it go, mate?’ or words to that effect and the sales team will display these vital statistics on every new machine. Often if buying a new motorcycle, we may be more interested in touring capabilities, comfort, handling, braking, steering, reliability, spares back-up and maintenance schedules. While we won’t be interested in its ability to pull wheelies or scribe doughnuts, sooner or later we’ll ask its speed potential. Recently, two older enthusiasts viewing my son’s 1960 BSA A10 Golden Flash were overheard discussing speeds with one stating: “She’ll be good for the ton.” Speed was clearly a consideration to them and a glance at the 1950s road tests of their youth confirm…

One of the best qualities an amateur restorer can have is adaptability… when something goes wrong or a minor hiccup occurs the adaptable person can then smile and circumvent the problems. Or at least pretend that’s the way it’s going to happen… The other day, I was battering one of the other bikes in my personal fleet against the tougher bits of the Highlands in the recent Pre-65 Scottish two-day trial and after the first day was doing a bit of minor fettling. As ever in such circumstances, a few ‘friends’ were on hand to offer ‘advice’ and during one such exchange it came to light one lad always has two projects on the go in his garage at any one time. The theory being if one goes awry he…

I have enjoyed attending The Bike Shed show each year since the inaugural event in 2013. All the shows that this veracious bunch of bikers has put on have consistently grown. The quality of the show has also jumped up – not just in size but quality, as the newer custom scene has grown worldwide. The custom builders who enter their machines for display have also upped the game year-on-year in both their ambition and workmanship. I’ve only featured the odd machine from this show within Sketchbook Travels due to thinking of what is interesting to the readership. This year, however, I think that the show has grown such a wide appeal that I can actually dedicate a whole article to The Bike Shed. The machines I have chosen do…

THE SPECIALIST When it comes to spares for, and knowledge of, Raleigh and Mobylette mopeds, Aplins Motorcycles in Bristol is a recognised authority. Founded in 1959, Aplins was soon dealing with both marques and continues to do so. Thanks to Brian Aplin, the son of the founder, who shared his encyclopaedic knowledge for this guide. ■ Aplins Motorcycles: 0117 9777376 ■ VMCC (Cyclemotor Section): www.vmcc.net01283 540557 ■ National Autocycle and Cyclemotor Club: thebuzzingclub.net MODEL HISTORY For decades, Raleigh bicycles provided commuter transport for millions, so moped manufacture was a natural evolution. The driving licence regulations at the time and cheap insurance made mopeds very attractive to anyone who wanted basic, solo transport. The absorption of major British bicycle manufacturers into the Raleigh group meant it actually made a variety of…

Australian Douglas works rider and engineer Les Bailey (36, Douglas) has a quick look across to ensure his sidecar passenger is in position. Apparently, said passenger had a certain, distinct style at the start of the Western-super-Mare speed trials, organised by the Bristol MCC. Explained Motor Cycling: “His [Bailey’s] passenger adopted a somewhat novel procedure at the start, for, having pushed the machine off and run behind it until the engine was picking up, he sprinted and dived first down the torpedo shaped body, travelling down the course head first.” In fact, close study of the picture shows that the passenger is in a slightly strange position – indeed, the position of a man who’s just sprinted and dived head first into a moving sidecar! Whatever, it was effective, helping…

Following the continued growth of Museum Live over the past four years, Saturday, October 27, will this year see the National Motorcycle Museum host its fifth annual open day, when everyone will be invited to visit the museum collection free of charge. There will also be a host of other free attractions including the ever-expanding indoor trade and autojumble area. The event’s large trade and autojumble area is held within the warm, dry surroundings of the National Motorcycle Museum’s conference facilities. For details of how to book a 6ft pitch for just £40 (plus VAT) contact Dan Powell 01675 444112 or danp@nationalconferencecentre.co.uk Further details at nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk…

The Morini Riders’ Club was formed in 1975 for British enthusiasts. Many of the members attend rallies on the continent, so the club decided to reciprocate by organising its first International Rally. The site selected was near Maidstone, Kent, an easy Morini-ride from Channel crossing points. The event was well supported with various nations represented. It also attracted many riders from the home country. It was apparent the Morini of choice was the 3½, long out of production, but for many of those present, the near-perfect motorcycle with a combination of performance, economy, handling and roadholding. Among the long lines of parked bikes, there were also 250 and 500cc V-twins as well as a few of the singles by which the company became established. On the Saturday of the rally…

A reasonable pre-entry was boosted with numerous day entries for The National Sprint Association’s first event of the year at Westonzoyland, Somerset, on May 12/13. There’s enough runway left at the venue, a former Second World War airfield, for a quarter-mile course and the necessary shut-down area. It seems the recent and much lamented loss of Shakespeare County Raceway means racers have to look further afield to find suitable venues. John Young was looking forward to another season of adding more successes with his venerable pair of early Triumph-framed JAPs. Leaving the line in his usual monowheel fashion, he had the 500cc class wrapped up, but his Saturday best of 15.92/75mph in the 350cc category was more than matched by John Carter, who exercised the throttle on his Velocette MAC…

Island treasures These two machines were caught on camera during holidays on islands in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. The BMW single was found in a street known as Kidonias adjoining the bus station at Chania on Crete in October 2017 and the Dnepr was found in Palma on Mallorca in May 2018. I think the BMW was parked very near to a motorbike repair establishment and the Dnepr was located just across from Comtat Del Rossello. I don’t know what model, era and specification either of these two are, but perhaps the readership of The Classic MotorCycle can identify them, care of your letters column? Phil Barnes, Sussex, via email. Harley Servi-Cars in India The Harley-Davidson Servi-Car article in the July 2018 issue reminded me of a visit to…

To say Norton’s designation of its various models was rather obscure is a bit like suggesting Geoff Duke was quite a good racer – true, but a gross understatement. As well as the occasional use of letters, Norton coined names for the later machines, and through the years model numbers from 1 to 99 were scattered around with no apparent relationship to engine size, frame type, or even the order of introduction. Unsurprisingly therefore, when Sammy Miller told me he’d just restored a Norton Model 21, I had little idea of what he was talking about. But I’m far from alone in my ignorance; the Model 21 turns out to be one of the rarest variants in existence, and it needed somebody with the encyclopaedic marque knowledge and status of…

This is the 20th season for the Lansdowne, with seven meetings at six circuits. The series has retained its four sponsors – all of them at the heart of the classic motorcycling scene. Bonhams has backed the series since its start in 1999 and the National Motorcycle Museum (NMM) since 2001, while both Avon Tyres and The Classic MotorCycle (TCM) have been sponsors for a decade. Without these dedicated companies, the series would not be what it is today. Silverstone The first meeting of the 2018 season was on the Silverstone International Circuit with four races by invitation of BMCRC (‘Bemsee’), based in the vast garages of the F1 wing. Last year’s champion Dean Stimpson (Izzard Racing Manx) started the new season where he left off in 2017 with three…

In 1958 the hula-hoop was invented, rock star Elvis Presley topped the charts with ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ Wolves won English football’s first division and in the UK the price of an average house was £2390. Young TV viewers saw the launch of Blue Peter, or if you were a budding motorcyclist the weekly press was full of the launch of the new Ariel Leader two-stroke twin and BSA’s single-cylinder C15. Some buyers’ aspirations of personal transport were slightly more modest and down at Pankhurst Motorcycles in Weymouth on May 23, 1958, Elwin Graham handed over his £101-13s-7d and took charge of a brand new 150cc James Cadet. Elwin can’t have imagined that 60 years on, his James would still be running with just over 13,000 miles showing on the clock, and…

Carburettor refit Last month, the Triumph Trident’s overhauled carburettors were refitted to their subframe, the throttle slide was synchronised and the choke slides with new cable set were fitted. On strip-down before work commenced, a brief visual check confirmed the linked fuel pipe set, with their myriad different clamps, were beyond reinstalling and the three carburettor mounting rubbers (stack pipes) were lightly perished. Arguably, they would have served a few more years, but as the carburettors were off the engine, it made sense to fit a new set. New fuel pipe assemblies for Triumph Tridents and BSA Rocket Threes were available as a ready-made kit in the past, but as I enjoy all aspects of working on motorcycles, I’d rather make the set from a length of appropriate flexible fuel…