Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2018 i The Classic MotorCycle

My cousin Pete came over from Australia to ride with dad and I in Ireland for the ‘National’, which necessitates a whole, horrid, long van journey, during which of course we talk about all sorts, though often back to motorbikes. I invariably say: “I’d quite like one of them” about pretty much anything motorcycling, as well as various other cars, vans, pick-ups, motorhomes, bicycles, and anything else (garage snacks!) encountered. At one point Peter said something along the lines of: “Jeez, is there anything you don’t want?” in his Australian-intonated (he’s been there 20 years) accent. Though it did make me think a bit, mainly that it’s perhaps I’m just ‘suggestible’ in the ‘monkey see, monkey do’ manner… Anyway, owing to transport issues (the original hire van broke; a long,…

BONHAMS’ OCTOBER STAFFORD SALE Three overhead valve SS100 Brough Superior projects headline Bonhams’ Stafford sale on October 14 and the preceding day, Saturday October 13, sees the sale, at the same venue, of the fabulous and eclectic Adrian Reed collection.Details at bonhams.com  or call 0208 9632817. MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS SHOW Headline news for the October Stafford show, to be held over October 13/14, is the appearance of 11 Cagiva ex-GP racers being displayed together, on the central Mortons’ stand. Details and tickets 01507 529529 or staffordclassicbikeshow.com GOFF BUSINESS MOVE Electrics supplier and guru Paul Goff is moving home and business to larger premises on October 17, so there will be around two weeks’ disruption to the normal mail order service. The new address is 49…

It’s an unfortunate fact that financial constraints usually delayed the application of advantageous developments to the motorcycles most in need of them, and many of us remember riding weedy post-Second World War tiddlers struggling with two or three-speed gearboxes when much torquier four-strokes had the benefit of four ratios. It was no different in the pioneer years and it would be a mistake to think the apparent simplicity of motorcycles like this little veteran James made them more user-friendly. On the contrary. The lack of features like a clutch and kickstart – already becoming available on more expensive heavyweights – makes riding them more of a challenge. Why? Well, if you have no kickstart you have to push start, and when/if the engine fires, a clutch allows you to keep…

The word ‘staycation’ may be a more than normally repellent portmanteau to British ears (we never called a holiday a vacation to begin with) but the summer’s warm weather made the concept appealing. I hadn’t been back to Scotland on a motorcycle for quite a while. The last time had been the epic 1996 ride up and back to Aberdeen and thence the Shetlands, with Sean Hawker on our BSA M21s – we’d got an award at their show for that one. But I’d never made it to fabled Applecross, where north of Skye lay the Bealach na Ba, the Pass of the Cattle, claimed to be the greatest road ascent in the UK, climbing from sea level on a single track with passing places with a 1.5 gradient and…

The decision I made to assemble what I had, rather than flail blindly around trying to create what I lusted after – Triumph’s TR5A/C or the similar ISDT type machines – has eased things slightly. First of all, what I will have will be a motorcycle in a large lump and from that point, some direction will be clear. If I’m honest, I didn’t think I was going to have as many issues with a Triumph rebuild as I’m having – after all, I’m familiar with the model, I’m not overly concerned with originality and parts for Meriden twins are not that scarce or even ridiculously expensive. Nor did the factory change the spec too much over the model’s life and as long as note is taken of when the…

“I have no idea if the boring bits like oil changes happened and were cut to make a faster-paced film.” I can never find enough motorcycle related content on ‘regular’ television, so in order to satisfy my cravings for something with wheels and an engine, and having what’s termed a ‘smart’ TV, I often recourse to the YouTube channel. This is full of amateur videos and among the postings of the criminally talentless murdering songs at the local karaoke bar are thousands of motor-related clips. Within these are a whole raft of films that feature people’s endeavours to fire-up something that’s sat in a shed or the American backwoods for years. The video titles are always along the lines of: “We found this… will it start?” and I’ll freely admit…

This picture (stamped ‘D Gonzalez Pagel, Fotograpo, Ramon De le Cruz, 69’ on its reverse) which we’ve deliberately left uncleaned as attempts may damage it, shows Luis Coppel on his Harley-Davidson V-twin, in a remarkably tough event held in Spain on September 14, 1919. It was a race held over a 58-mile circuit, which was covered eight times by the winners, taking 12 hours for the 465 miles. The surface of the track, near Madrid, was ‘mixed’ to say the least, with some really rough bits as well as steep gradients. Coppel averaged 35mph to win the open sidecar race; his time compared favourably with the overall winner, Florencio Fuentes, also Harley-Davidson but this a solo, who finished with an average speed of 38½mph. Neither Coppel nor Florencio Fuentes set…

That was the heading (‘TT racing – American style’) on an article in the September 19, 1957 edition of The Motor Cycle, in which American Jack Mercer explained to the largely British audience just what ‘TT’ meant in America. The story was accompanied by pictures too, including this one, which shows some of the Stateside stars in action, with Al Gunter leading the field on his Gold Star, ahead of like-mounted Dick Mann. Number 84 is George Everett, on a Harley-Davidson V-twin, with Devon Wenger aboard BSA number 21. This was in the 45 cubic inch (cu in) class, where 500cc overhead valve engines were permitted to race against the 750cc side-valve Harley-Davidsons. “Revise your ideas, you Isle of Man addicts, about TT racing,” was how Mercer began his report/introduction…

1918 Peace and the future was the big topic – many had written ‘nothing will ever be the same again.’ However, the cessation of hostilities would mark a new era for motoring and motorcycling. The pre magneto days of trembler coil ignition and associated accumulator problems have been long swept away, replaced by magneto ignition. Likewise the adoption of gear systems and then countershaft gearboxes as the world was building up to war provided motorcycle flexibility and reliability hitherto unknown. If one regarded the pre magneto and multi gear systems as the first epoch of motorcycling, then the second epoch began a few years before the outbreak of war. Had the war started a few years earlier, before the development of magneto ignition, gear systems, more powerful and reliable engines…

The West Kent Run (this year August 2-6) has grown steadily to become one of the biggest events in the Vintage Motor Cycle Club calendar. The concept came about through the efforts of Alex Brett and Alan Abrahams. No strangers to overseas motorcycling adventures, they decided their country also ought to have a gathering that would transcend frontiers with motorcycling as the common interest. It has certainly stood the test of time as this year marked the 34th run. European politics may dominate the news elsewhere, but motorcycling seems happily free of such constraints. With almost 400 riders taking part, more than 60 entered from at least nine other nations. The Netherlands was best-represented, with around half the continental visitors calling that country ‘home.’ Unsurprisingly, many overseas riders also ride…

ENGINE TYPE Single-cylinder two-stroke CAPACITY 225cc BORE X STROKE 64mm x 70mm POWER OUTPUT 2.25hp (RAC rating) LUBRICATION Drip feed (supplemented by petroil mix) GEARBOX Two speed chain primary drive TRANSMISSION Chain cum belt STARTING Push start IGNITION/ELECTRICS EIC magneto, acetylene lights CARBURETTOR Brown and Barlow two-lever SUSPENSION Druid-type front forks, rigid rear FRAME Tubular steel, brazed lug WHEELBASE 48in SEAT HEIGHT 27.5in BRAKES Stirrup-type front, belt rim rear TYRES 24in (outside dia) x 2.25in TOP SPEED 35mph (est)…

Triumph used a neat-looking bolt in strut to allow a competition tank to be fitted to the swan-neck frame – the bigger tanks strengthened to do the job – but this strut is essential if the alloy tank that I have is to be used. The problem is I have no idea about the dimensions of this strut. I could measure up and ‘guesstimate’ but it would be nicer if I could find an actual one or if someone with such a beast could measure it for me and say things like ‘the tube is an inch diameter 16 gauge steel tube with 1/8in brackets welded on at 90° at one end and 45° at the other…’ Or even better – if I could lay such a strut on to…

Bradbury press cutting I discovered this press cutting recently and thought you might be interested. Eric Adcock, Lancs. Thank you for sight of this cutting Eric, from the Oldham edition of the Evening Chronicle, dated August 7, 1974. (Eric was Dot’s leading works trials rider who competed with much success for decades on the Experts circuit.) The article by one of their writers, John Gaunt, features a 1911 Bradbury advert published in The Motor Cycle, depicting a single cylinder 3½HP Bradbury with wicker bodied sidecar attached slogging up the 1-in-5 incline on Rock Street, Oldham, carrying four chaps (including the driver) weighing a total of 40 stones (254kg). The picture is interesting for various reasons – Bradbury the make, Bradbury the machine and Mr Percy Platt, the driver of the…

OCTOBER 6/7 National Finals. Santa Pod Raceway, Airfield Road, Podington, Wellingborough, Northants, NN29 7XA. www.santapod.com.Tel 01234 782828. National Sprint Association (Southern Section). Westonzoyland Airfield, Bridgewater, Somerset, TA7 0LZ. www.sprinting.org.uk. OCTOBER 7 Classic Bike Show. Pant-y-Dwr Hall, B4518 Rhayader-Llanidloes, Powys, LD6 5LL. Tel Roger Mason 01597 870241; 07968 849748. Email rogeremason@msn.com. Kenley Autojumble. The Portcullis Club, Kenley Airfield, Victor Beamish Avenue, Caterham, Surrey, CR3 5FX. Tel 07772 169524 or 07971 823314. www.facebook.com/KenleyAutojumble BTSC Red Neck Run. Wisborough Green, West Sussex. Tel 01483 272765. End of Summer Scooter ’n’ Mod Special. Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, London, NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com LE Velo Lancs & S Lakes. Garstang Auto Jumble, and/or Garstang riverside. Tel 01772 782516. Garstang Autojumble. Hamilton House Farm, on A586, off A6, Garstang, Preston, PR3 0TB. www.garstangautojumbles.co.uk.…

Franklin’s Indians Irish motorcycle racer Charles B. Franklin, designer of the Indian Scout and Chief Authors: Harry V. Sucher, Tim Pickering, Liam Diamond, Harry Havelin Foreword by George Hendee Wells New paperback edition in the Veloce Classic Reprint Series. Previously published by Panther Publishing in 2011. Published by Veloce Publishing Ltd, Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3AR Email: sales@veloce.co.uk Tel: 01305 260068 Softback, 248mm x 192mm, 340 pages, approximately 160 photographs and illustrations. ISBN 978-1-787112-23-0 £30, $50 USA Charles Franklin, the first Irish motorcycle racing superstar, was born in Dublin in 1880 where he quickly became involved in motorcycle racing during the pioneer years. He rapidly established himself as both a rider and tuner, particularly of Indian machines. One of the instigators of the…

Born in Liverpool on September 1, 1928, the most memorable, enduring image of Reg Armstrong is of him crossing the finishing line to win the 1952 Senior TT, just as his Norton’s primary chain snapped, falling like a dead snake onto the tarmac. It was his only TT win, but part of an interesting career and life. Though he was born in England, Armstrong’s parents were Irish and returned to Dublin in the early 1930s, where his father, Fred, established a motor factoring business. Reg’s older cousin Harry Lindsay taught him to ride a motorcycle, the pair of them having aged 16H Nortons, when they were around 15. During the Second World War the cousins volunteered for patrol duties and such, keeping their (under) ages quiet! As peace returned, Reg…

Anon-motorcyclist I was chatting to the other day raised the naive query of whether an engine made today to a traditional design would behave like a modern one. Obviously the simplistic answer is – no. If it was identical with the original, it would behave exactly as well – or as badly – as it always did, except that even an exact replica of a traditional engine would have a longer life with today’s superior oils, and would need less maintenance That’s the easy answer, but what got the little grey cells going was trying to imagine how a traditional design of engine would behave if engineered to modern standards. Four-strokes vary too much to give a blanket answer for them, but two-strokes of the classic era (with the honourable…