The Classic MotorCycle March 2020

When I was a boy, in between drawing tiny pictures of Vincents (10p piece for wheels was usual) and daydreaming about what I’d love to own when I grew up (more Vincents, SS100 Broughs, cammy Velos, Gold Stars, racy Sunbeams, Rex-Acmes, maybe the usual stuff for a classic enthusiast, although perhaps not a 10-year-old…) the two actual motorcycles I thought I’d conceivably manage to aspire to acquire were a BSA A65 and a Velocette Venom. In my mind’s eye I could – and still can – picture exactly how each one would look, with central to the mental image of ‘my’ A65, the big, red glass fibre petrol tank. Actually, that was pretty much as far as my daydreaming went, with the petrol tank the key element, with an otherwise…

This fabulous picture is quite simply fascinating, a wonderful study, a case of the closer one looks, the more there is to be seen. First though, the occasion. Held over a Friday and Saturday in early May 1912, it was the Mersey Motor Club Twenty-four Hours Trial, to give the event its (fairly self-explanatory) title as recorded at the time. Held over a ‘severe course’ partly in North Wales, the winner was to be awarded the Butler Cup, with all those finishing within maximum time allowed receiving gold medals, with silver medals to all who finished the course, but did not make the scheduled time. Competitors started to arrive long before 8pm on the Friday, on St George’s Plateau, Liverpool. Here, numbers and so on were doled out and affixed,…

The Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show, to be held over April 25/26, at Stafford showground, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. 2020 also marks the 75th anniversary of VE Day, so something of a 1940s theme will be instigated, with several historic machines from the period – including the Norton bought brand-new by then movie star George Formby, with Formby impersonator Graeme Hardy, expected to be there. Additionally, there’ll be a couple of aeroplanes too, in the form of a full-size Spitfire and Hurricane, while clubs are being asked to embrace the theme, with dressing up in period garb encouraged, not just by the clubs, but by people attending. To add to the outdoor appeal, a Merlin aircraft engine will join the usual motorcycles in the start-up area. Details…

Team Obsolete is seeking a skilled race mechanic/ engine builder for their Brooklyn, New York, shop. This is a unique opportunity to work on the world’s most exotic ‘Holy Grail’ historic race bikes, such as Hailwood’s Honda 250cc ‘six,’ Agostini’s MV Agusta multis, AJS Porcupine and Triple Knocker, Dick Mann’s G50s, Gold Stars and BSA triples, ex-works AJS 7Rs, and much more. Occasional overseas travel is possible. Please email resume and cover letter to: bikes@teamobsolete.com…

PIONEER RUN’S NEW DESTINATION The Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club is pleased to announce a new destination for its Annual Pioneer Run for some 300 Veteran motorcycles, tricycles, quadricycles and combinations. Starting at Tattenham Corner, Epsom, at around 8am on Sunday, March 22, 2020 the final destination will be Brighton City Airport at Shoreham, where machines will start arriving at lunchtime. BROOKLANDS MOTORCYCLES CORRECTION In the article ‘A Waiting Game’ in The Classic MotorCycle of February 2020, a photo on page 31, shown above, was captioned as a ‘BVR dohc five-valve engine.’ This was a misunderstanding and the engine is a four-valve unit. Apologies for confusion caused. ASI MOTOSHOW The wonderful ASI Motoshow takes place over May 8-10, 2020, in Parma. Visit www.asifed.it…

There’s some interesting machinery already confirmed for Bonhams’ April Stafford sale, in particular, a couple of rare vintage V-twins. One, a 1927 Matchless M3/S, of 990cc, right; the other a 1928 Montgomery, powered by a 680cc V-twin JAP engine, above. Vintage Matchless machines seem to have only survived in penny numbers, with this type of V-twin especially unusual; the usual khaki-coloured machines are relatively often seen at appropriate events (though again not in numbers) but this type, featuring a Brough Superior-esq saddle tank, is hardly ever in evidence. Estimate is £28,000-35,000. Montgomeries are hardly thick on the ground either, V-twins especially so, making this middleweight an attractive proposition. Founded in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, Montgomery – as a concern – moved to Coventry before the First World War and continued…