Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i The Classic MotorCycle

Owing to the ever-changing nature of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the latest proposed date for the 'April' Stafford show remains August 15/16. The official statement reads as follows: "Following the recent announcements from the UK Government, Mortons Events has had to postpone the 40th Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Show, which was due to be held on April 25/26. "The safety and well-being of our visitors, exhibitors, partners, contractors and staff is the most important factor and the key reason for postponing the event. The events team have been continually monitoring the latest public health and Government guidelines regarding the evolving Covid-19 situation and acting in accordance with their advice. "We have secured new dates for the show at the Stafford County Showground which will now take place on Saturday, August…

The Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) has come to the decision that, given the UK Government guidelines for exiting the lockdown, the 2020 Festival of 1000 Bikes is not going be viable and could not be safely run for participants, staff and spectators, while still providing an enjoyable experience. All entrants will receive a full refund but this may take a little longer than normal due to reduced staffing levels within the office. Though mass gatherings are likely to continue to be prohibited, smaller social runs - which are predominately outdoors and allow for social distancing - could be allowed to resume in the future, taking place while still observing Government advice. For further information please visitwww.vmcc.net/…

The long blonde hair and celebrity image may have been replaced with a more sober look, but the appearance of 1980s track race star Egon Millier stirred enthusiasts' memories and created plenty of interest at the annual Anniversary of Speedway, celebrated at the Speedway Museum located within Paradise Park, the large zoo run by former rider Peter Sampson. Egan's invitation had been extended when he was asked to take over the presidency of the World Speedway Riders' Association. Handing over the chain of office was the last official duty of outgoing president Mike Broadbank. Many years' involvement in showbusiness meant a microphone held no fear for the new president and his inaugural speech, delivered in perfect English, expressed his gratitude at being accorded the honour. Egan's riding career extended over…

Rubbing handlebars with 315 GRP in Steve's well equipped workshop is an example of the stripped-down S8 model, which, during its production run between 1949 and 1956, outsold the S7 by nearly two to one. Kindly, Steve gave me the opportunity to take his S8 for a quick spin. Bought from a 92 year old enthusiast in 2015, the totally original S8 has only covered just over 8000 miles in those 70 years and wears that wonderful patina of worn paintwork and the odd dent or two in the mudguards, toolbox and petrol tank. In its all black livery and 'normal' size tyres, the S8 looks positively svelte compared to its mist green S7 sibling, so how does the riding experience compare? Starting was equally easy, but the S8's all-aluminium…

Lovely Martin Tiller, who I'd come to know over the years at various shows where he'd be with his great mate John Guy, was always friendly and encouraging to me from the outset of my doing the magazine. At shows, John and he would be patrolling together, and we'd always stop and have a natter, normally finding out what they'd been up to (John restoring something or another, Martin researching and helping) though I started to learn more about 'Martin's Square Four: This ohc machine ( or the bare bones ofit) had been entrusted to Robin James Engineering Services, and was having the 'full works: It was a huge job, involving an exhaustive list of work to be done; Martin often travelling to Robin's place at Leominster to check on…

Coincidentally, mentioned in the bit about the Model go (previous page) is my wanted ad about looking for a vintage sportster. Among the replies was a chap local to me in Lincolnshire, with a KTT Velocette. Well, this was above and beyond my hopes and expectations ... And price limit. Anyway, I subsequently bought the KTT later on ( a long story, involving family loans, mainly from my aunt) but the vendor, Rob Drury, and I became friends, and still are. A year or two after we'd bought the Mk.I KTT ( a truly fine machine) Rob called and said: "Do you fancy riding my prewar Mk.VIII at Dijon?" Er, yes, please! So we put in place a plan and off we trotted to France; Rob, another guy, John Goodhall,…

This was one I wasn't expecting. In fact, I was rather dreading it, mainly as stories of riding the famous BRS (Brooklands Racing Special) Nortons are chock-full of incident, including Phil Read apparently getting a speeding ticket on the most famous of all the examples, Old Miracle, resident in the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, when riding it in the London to Brighton Pioneer Run. To recap what a BRS is - basically, one takes a 490cc, 79 x 100mm single cylinder side-valve Norton engine. This is then installed in a glorified bicycle frame, with the drive coming straight off the end of the crankshaft, direct to the back wheel. There's no clutch, no gearbox, precious little suspension. Added to this are a fuel tank, light mudguards, a couple of…

As TT winners go, Alec Bennett isn't one of the most famous or most revered, neither does he any longer feature highly on the list of all time winners. For a long · period though, in the late 1920s, he held the record for the most wins in the races. He also scored some landmark wins in TT history, including the last side-valve machine when he rode a Sunbeam to victory in 1922, the first overhead camshaft victory, for Velocette in 1926, and the first TT win for an overhead camshaft Norton, triumphing on the Walter Moore-designed CS1 in 1927. For these feats alone, Bennett warrants a place in the history of the TT. Alec Bennett was born in Craigogantlet ( normally misspelled as Craigantlet, even on roads signs ...…

Crosby The TT's history never fails to amaze me and some of the most extraordinary tales are from the late Geoff Davison's TT books (Davison was himself a top TT racer in the 1920s ), including Racing Through the Century; Racing Reminiscences and The Racing Game. And it was buried within one of Davison's books that I encountered this story ... In 1931, a group of horses appeared on the track at between Union Mills and Glen Vine just before the first man came through for the morning's practice session. The horses were swiftly herded into a neighbouring field but then freed themselves and rejoined the course at Crosby. As the riders raced past the horses increased their speed but were eventually stopped at the highlander. It would have been…

■ A and B = engine control 'chessmen' levers for engine compression and fuel vapour supply. ■ C and D = fuel tank and pipework for supply of fuel (probably petrol) for the hot tube ignition burner. ■ E = fuel tank and surface carburettor for the engine. ■ F = cylinder head, though God alone must know why this had to be labelled! ■ G = hot tube ignition. Platinum wire will pass from the top of this into the engine's combustion chamber. ■ H = burner for hot tube ignition.…

when the gearbox locked at 120mph plus. The crash was catastrophic but the Isle of Man had a new medical innovation - the helicopter. That Godfrey was quickly taken to hospital saved his life - and incidentally he stayed in touch with nurse who cared for him, meeting her again over 40 years later. The racing career of Godfrey started on an ex-Tommy Wood KTTVelo, bought direct from Tommy, the father of Tony's work pal, with Wood senior acting as mentor to Tony - then Manx Nortons, winning the 1958 ACU Star/ British Championship. Tony excelled in production racing too, with several big wins, and he was the winner of the US The common misconception was that Tony Godfrey's crash in the 1963 250cc TT, when he became the first…

The Triumph Owners' Club rally, at Meriden in 1958: riders are, from left, K Wakefield, E Dyson, B C Barrow and G Cooke. The eyes of Wakefield and Dyson are focussed on the starter's raised finger, while, out on the right, Cooke looks, literally, to be posing for the camera - that's where his eyes are. As for Barrow; well, one can't see his eyes, which probably doesn't bode well for visibility. That screw-in adjuster in the middle of his MkVIII goggles needs tightening up a bit, so the poor lad has a chance of unhindered vision. Their machines provide an interesting spectrum of the Triumph range, both old and new. Going from the left: Mr Wakefield and his passenger are on a Tiger Cub, registered VOE 850, though it…

That I've always thoughtAMC's mid-to-late 1950s single cylinder competition offerings are among the best looking motorcycles of all time, hardly makes me unique. Because, quite simply, they are. But, to me, the Matchless GsoCSR takes it to a whole new level. While the rakish, red-tanked Gso racer is a thing of beauty and wonder, I always liked the CSR better - it looked usable, at least to a point, while it was also blue, which seems to be my favourite colour of motorcycle. So with a combination of the all blue finish and gold-coloured engine, well, I was sold straight away. There was also something almost mythical about them too; this homologation special machine, which only went to the US, intending to stick it to the Gold Stars, Triumphs and…

Specifically, Peter Rosenthal's DBD34, which I rode as part of a feature about Peter in the June 2008 edition. That I've been lucky enough to ride several Goldies subsequently, as well as own a couple, doesn't diminish the first time I rode a DBD. Pete's is a beauty, but is resorted to 'factory specification' so comes with the fault inherent to the model; which aren't faults if you're using it as intended, but are not helpful if one is trying to ride in something like a civilised manner. So, it's a pig to start - Peter fired it up for me - and first gear is ludicrously tall, with clutch slip required the whole way through any town you encounter. And of course the clutch soon gets hot and bothered…

If I've ridden a lot ofVelocettes, I've probably ridden as many - if not more - Triumphs, many of them Bonnevilles, and a lot of them restored by the same chap, one Hugh Brown, of Hertfordshire, who really does know how to put a Bonneville together. Witness the 12omphplus his 'street sleeper' (it looks standard) T120 recorded at Elvington a bit ago. From Hugh, I've ridden 1964, 1966 (two number), 1967 (two of), 1969, 1970, plus more than one TT and probably others I've forgotten. The best of the lot was Hugh's own 1970 T120, his own pet project. Hugh's 'customer' 650s are great anyway, but this one was something else. At the time, I was running a brand-newT100 Bonnie, and truth be told this ageing stager bettered the new…

What can I say? It's perhaps an obvious choice, having this machine at my number one, but for as long as I can remember, I was captivated by the famous picture of Ginger Wood on the Series A Vincent- HRD V-twin Rapide racer at Dorrington Park, shown facing; it was effectively a lifelong ambition to ride it. The chances of the likes of me owning such a machine are long gone, which is just how it is. That's the case for the vast majority ofus, while I know I'm fortunate to be able to access our family's collection as well as, 'through the job; the opportunity to swing a leg over such exotica as this glorious, snarling beast. How did it come about? Well, James Hewing at The National Motorcycle…

Indian 741, ex-WD Although George has made his name as an off-road ace and most of the bikes in his collection are either trials, scrambles or enduro machines, he also has several interesting road machines, including a pair oflightweight MVs, a prewar Blue Star BSA and two ex-American Second World War Army issue model 741 Indian V-twins. In the days of the Depression in the 1930s, hundreds of US motorcycle manufacturers had fallen by the wayside and it was left to Harley-Davidson and Indian as the only ones left to carry the flag into the war years. The Second World War changed both factories even before US involvement, as the armies of other countries needed motorcycles for their war effort and during the six years of hostilities, the Springfield company…

Many of us will have enjoyed happy days watching or competing on the English short circuits in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Racing is always risky, but here's a few memories which make me smile to set the ball rolling. I well remember a race-long tussle for third place between a pretty lady driver piloting a huge American Ford Galaxy and a tiny 650cc Steyr-Daimler-Puch ( tuned, enlarged Fiat 500) at Snetterton, chasing a pair of Alan Mann Racing Lotus Cortinas. The squeal of the Galaxy's tyres as the lady drifted ever more extravagantly round former Norwich Straight end hairpin hooked me on airfield racing. Then there was the Murray Walker-moment when the commentator uttered across the loudspeaker system "Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, with consummate ease, passes a backmarker on the back…

In the beginning My investigation into the story of one of .TAP's last racing engines and an engineer's efforts to build and race competitive British motorc ycles started when I saw Ewan Cameron's 5oocc Phoenix- .TAP. After asking Ewan for more information, he sem through a scan of a Vic Willoughby article published in The Motor Cycle, April 2, 1952. From here thcsror y unravelled and with further research, this is what I have so far.. Precision engineer and keen weightlifter Ernie A BaiTctt, from I !arrow , Middlesex , started grass track racing in 1946, attending meetings at Folkstone, Lyddcn Hill and Favcrsharn among others. Ernie ended his first season by winning the Nov ice Cup at the final meeting of the season , at Brands I latch. The…

Credit for Billy Jones Hope you're well in these 'interesting' times. What a pity we can't all be out enjoying this lovely spring weather on our bikes, but it's a sacrifice we have to make. What we are grateful for is guys like you who continue to provide our monthly magazine fix despite the challenges you talk about in your editorial last month, so keep up the good work. Which leads me on to the reason for bothering you. In your June issue, the photo and story on page 70 of the Stevens brothers and the four-man AJS Junior TT team of 1914 ("Men who mattered - the Stevens brothers") is wonderful, but I'm sure you won't mind me pointing out an inaccuracy in the text. Eric and Cyril Williams…

The history of the British motorcycle industry is littered with innovative and radically exciting designs that promised much but failed to deliver, an example of which is this month's test bike. It's a 500cc twin with the name of Sunbeam on the petrol tank and now owned by West Country enthusiast Steve Morris. In 1945, with the Second World War coming to its end, there came rumours that BSA were developing a new overhead camshaft inline twin which was set to be a class leader, a model which Small Heath hoped would be snapped up by the bike-starved population. Sadly this was not the case and subsequent sales were disappointing. During the war, it was standard practice for captured enemy vehicles to be evaluated by makers of similar bikes and…

This 1928 AJS K8 of my dad's has been owned by him 10 years longer than I've been alive, having bought it in around 1968 for 'a fiver' - which actually isn't the whole story, as in fact he swapped it with a flat-tank Model 18 Norton (which his mate Albert still has) that had cost £5 a couple of months earlier. The reason? Well, at that point the AJS was in 'racing trim' and dad wanted to go vintage racing, which he duly did. But he wanted to go vintage racing, hand-change and all, and soon realised he was wasting his time unless he swapped to footchange; he acquired all the bits, but then decided he was basically going away from the original point, so called it a day…

That I've gone on about my Sunbeam obsession in these pages, it's perhaps no surprise that I'll have this machine in among my selection. This particular go was restored by Peter Woodward, who sold it to National Motorcycle Museum founder and owner Roy Richards. It had a cracking history and had been meticulously put together by Peter, a man who knew his Sunbeams (and who I'd coincidentally spoken to 10 years before when he'd answered my 'wanted' ad for a 'vintage sportster' and offered a go kit; we discussed and both decided it was beyond my abilities!) and was as pretty as a picture. As a boy, I'd been captivated by Model gos, one in particular; the ex-Bob Lowe 'special order' machine featured in the November 1985 Issue of The…

When I was a boy, 30 to 35 or so years ago, there was a fellow called Lieutenant Colonel Archdale, who would come to local VMCC runs, on one of a number of machines - including a gorgeous Parallel g Sunbeam (see my Sunbeam Model go bit) and a two-speed Scott - but, generally, on his Douglas; this Douglas. My younger brother, Simon, and I, thought it was quite simply the best thing we'd ever seen, the aura added to it by the way 'Archie' - though I never called him that to his face, always Mr Archdale - rode it. Which was always at pace. As well as the thoroughbred vintage motorcycles, Archdale had a penchant for old sportscars too, Aston Martins and Frazer Nashes in particular. His family…

In these days of coupons when most of our joy in motorcycling has of necessity to be of the 'armchair' variety, I often allow my thoughts to range over the machines I have owned in the past. There is one feature that strikes me most forcibly and that is that when viewed in retrospect, it is the machines owned early on - in fact the older the machine the longer ago one owned it the better - that give the greatest pleasure in these reveries. Why is it - and I believe I am not alone in this - that what at the time seem to be catastrophes, all resolve into laughable episodes? The first machine I owned was a 350cc Sports AJS that for several years had been owned…

01 Engine Aluminium crankcases housed a single timing side roller main bearing with a ball and roller on the drive side. These supported a built up crank assembly with a roller big-end, the 88mm stroke was common to both engines. Barrels were iron, or alloy, with separate pushrod housings. Theseeventuallychanged to one-piece aluminium castings while a shorter con rod reduced the height of the engine. A 71mm piston for the B32 gave 348cc, that for the B34 was 85mm for 499cc. Inside the timing case and behind an out-rigger plate, separate camshafts operated the tappets and an intermediate gear to the magneto. There was also a gear type oil pump. Engines with separate pushrod tunnels had access to the tappet adjusters for the rockers operating the valves, one inlet, one…

In 1918, the Franklin Institute of America presented John Prestwich with a silver medal for his invention of the accurate, easy to use and rapid fluid gauge. Reaching the required age, Vivian Prestwich (John's eldest son) signed up for flying duties with the Royal Naval Air Service, which then amalgamated with the Royal Flying Corps, creating the RAF. Later in the same year, the Prestwich business was restructured as JA Prestwich and Co Ltd (JAP). During the later stages of the war, JAP remained engaged in making huge numbers of shell components and aircraft parts, including wings and ailerons, involving up to 1200 assembly line workers, spread over three shifts. Many were women who doubled up as first aiders and ambulance crew after hours. The first motorcycle engines back in…