Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i The Classic MotorCycle

Richard Rosenthal is fond of saying: “One should never deny oneself another motorcycle” (though he claims it was someone else who said it to him) and this month, almost inadvertently, I’ve welcomed another newcomer into the new and already becoming fit to burst shed – see the lockdown feature (page 58) where some is revealed. Having recently moved house and funds not being what they once were – and indeed selling a few bits and pieces – the last thing I needed or wanted was another machine, but a pal offered a great deal and wanted me to have it and… well, you all know the rest. But it is going to lead to some serious consideration as to what I want and what I should keep – the new…

ITALIAN RIDE IN The Sammy Miller Museum’s Italian Bike Ride In is happening on Sunday, July 4, 2021, starting at 10am, at the New Milton site. GOODWOOD REVIVAL Over September 17-19, 2021, the Goodwood Revival returns, with this year’s motorcycle races for 1960s GP racers. Expect MVs, Patons, Matchless G50s and lots of Manx Nortons. SEPTEMBER’S EUROJUMBLE The 2021 Eurojumble, will be held on Friday, September 3 and Saturday, September 4. Based at Netley Marsh near Southampton, secure your ticket or book your plots now at www. netleymarsheurojumble.com or call customer services on 01507 529529.…

Ernie Hall’s birthday in May 2021 was his 90th, the following month wife Joan and he celebrated 63 years of marriage, and they continue to enjoy retirement at their home in the Kent countryside. They reflected on lives that have revolved largely around motorcycling, where engineering and artistic skills involved some fascinating opportunities and challenges faced by few others in the world of powered two-wheelers. As a child, Ernie’s first motorcycle experience had been as passenger in the family sidecar outfit, powered by an Ariel Square Four, the earlier overhead cam model. Around 1940, this extended to ‘hands-on’ experience when Ernie was allowed to drive it around a field. After the war, his father turned to four-wheeled transport, but with Ernie old enough to ride, he bought his son a…

Caravan towing follow-up Following the publication of Gordon Jackson’s enquiry: “Can I tow a small caravan in the UK and on the Continent behind my BMW outfit?” (YWA, July 2021, page 85), readers have contacted with comments. Our friend Alan Underwood headed the list of those who identified the caravan hooked up to the Honda Gold Wing as a Freedom, and it is likely to be a Microlite. Production of this model started in 1973 and it’s now built as the three-berth Freedom Microlite Sport, weighing 580kg. Due to its complex body construction, despite its light weight and low cost it is considered one of the most watertight caravans on the market. Since us motorcyclists attract rain, this model could be perfect for hooking up behind your outfit, but you’ll…

Though British race fans will best remember Dick ‘Bugsy’ Mann – who has died aged 86 – for his stirring performances in the GB v US Match Races, traditionally held at Easter in the 1970s, plus perhaps his Daytona success, Dick Mann was a much more versatile and consistent winner than that. With 24 successes in AMA Grand National events – his first in 1959 – his win tally is the second highest in that series, while he was also two times the winner of the AMA Grand National (1963 and 1971), as well as enjoying success in motocross, trials, flat track, American TT and road racing. Born in Salt Lake City on June 13, 1934, he moved to California aged eight, acquiring a BSA Bantam aged 15. It was…

“The Motolady’s book of Women Who Ride” Motorcycle heroes, trailblazers and record-breakers. “Meet 74 of the most influential motorcyclists of the last century.” Author: Alicia Mariah Elfving Published by: Motorbooks, an imprint of the Quarto Group Email: specialsales@quarto.com or www.QuartoKnows.com Available from specialist bookshops and Amazon. Hardback, 20 x 240mm (portrait); 184 pages with over 170 photographs and illustrations. ISBN 978-0-7603-6750-6 £22; $30 US; $40 CAD Written and curated by Alicia Mariah Elfving, founder of themotolady.com and the Women’s Motorcycle Show, “The Motolady’s Book of Women Who Ride” presents the remarkable stories of more than 70 pioneering women motorcyclists. From the earliest days of motorcycling, women have played a central role in making two wheels a respectable form of transportation, recreation and motorsport. Featuring record-breaking racers, stunt riders, builders, world-circling adventurers,…

ENGINE TYPE Franco Morini UC4 single-cylinder two-stroke CAPACITY 49.9cc BORE X STROKE 39mm x 41.8mm POWER OUTPUT Not quoted LUBRICATION Pre-mix petroil GEARBOX Four-speed in unit with engine STARTING Pedal IGNITION/ ELECTRICS 6V Magneti Marelli CARBURETTOR Dell Orto type SHA 14-12 SUSPENSION Paoli telescopic forks, monoshock swinging fork rear FRAME Fully duplex WHEELBASE 45in SEAT HEIGHT 29in WEIGHT 133lb BRAKES Four inch sls drums front and rear TYRES 2.75x17in front and rear TOP SPEED 30mph…

How old were you when motorcycles as an interest grabbed you? Or more to the point when classic motorcycles as an interest grabbed you? And why did these older machines pique your interest? Maybe you were like me and of the era which still regarded old British bikes as cheap transport when we were young. Problem is we’re not young anymore and neither are our contemporaries. It is a sad fact the older riders do pack in riding at some point, not always because they drop off their perch, but left unchecked this movement in riders means unless younger enthusiasts take up the mantle, old motorcycles will descend into a minor curiosity rather than a serious interest. The off-road world has met this head-on and a trial, enduro or scramble…

There’s no doubt that one of the most frustrating aspects of restoration is having to rely on outside experts who have their own work schedules and priorities. Take the paintwork for my latest project, which only became ready for collection after five months and as many phone calls. The paintshop man apologised profusely for the delay, and explained that due to the build-up of work during, and after, the first Covid lockdown, it had been put on one side while attention was paid to the needs of bigger customers! Very understandable of course, but not very helpful or tactful. Anyway, financial allowance was made for wasted time and trips, and I was pleased with the result, so that was that. But another remark made by the paint man started me…

1921 The Department of Tank Design and Development had developed a single tracked ‘caterpillar’ type vehicle. Powered by a 348cc Douglas fore-and-aft twin cylinder engine mounted over the rear of the machine with drive to the back pulley, it looked similar to a small motorcycle, but with a caterpillar track. The track was dished, enabling only part of the bottom length in contact with the surface at any one time. The rider sits amidships, feet on foot boards, and steers using a handlebar and by (limited) body lean. The handlebars move the flexible rubber front pulley wheel to deflect the track left or right from central, to effect steering. The military hoped it could complement its larger tracked vehicles. 1946 At 11am precisely, Percy Alves (349cc Triumph) led away from…

Italjet Grifon ENGINE Triumph OHV unit construction four-stroke twin CAPACITY 649cc BORE 71mm STROKE 82mm POWER OUTPUT 54bhp@7300rpm CARBURETTOR 2x30mm Amal Concentric 930 COMP RATIO 9:1 IGNITION coil ELECTRICS 12v 45W LUBRICATION Dry sump with separate oil tank TRANSMISSION Primary drive by Duplex chain GEARBOX Four-speed foot change CHASSIS Italjet duplex frame SUSPENSION Front Marzocchi telescopics; rear Twin shock BRAKES Front 200mm double sided twin leading shoe; rear 160mm single leading shoe TYRES 350x18in front and rear DRY WEIGHT 177kg OVERALL LENGTH 2110mm OVERALL WIDTH 570mm SEAT HEIGHT 865mm WHEELBASE 1400mm FUEL CAPACITY 9 litres OIL CAPACITY 2.8 litres TOP SPEED 175kph/109mph (estimate)…

“The Catria family formed the backbone of Motobi’s future four-stroke range.” Even by the standards of Italy’s Etceterini array of little-known marques back in the 1950s, Motobi is an obscure subplot to the ongoing soap opera that the ever-changing panorama of Italian motorcycling represents. Characteristically, the company only ever existed because of a family squabble which saw Giuseppe Benelli, eldest of the six brothers whose mother Teresa had set them up in a mechanical repair workshop in 1911 as a prelude to attaching the Benelli badge to their own range of motorcycles from 1921 onwards, walk out of the family factory in 1948 and cross the street to found his own rival marque. Its products were at first merely identified by a large letter ‘B’ on the fuel tank –…

Since the turn of the century before last, motorcycle manufacturers – and especially those wanting to go racing – have been chasing power. It wasn’t very long before designers realised that the key to increased output was getting more air into the engine. It’s the age-old equation; extra air can be mixed with more fuel and more fuel means a bigger bang and corresponding extra shove. The easy way to get more air in is to increase capacity, which is fine, provided you have enough room and are not too worried about weight. In the early days some motorcycle builders followed this too – many of us have seen the Glenn Curtiss built 1907 record machine housing a V-eight destined to power a dirigible. Various Brooklands books feature other monsters…

YOUR EVENT SHOULD BE HERE The Classic MotorCycle is anxious to learn all about your motorcycle-related events. Contact us at The Classic MotorCycle, Mortons Media Ltd, Diary Listings, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ or email obmwallplanner@mortons.co.uk JULY 2021 2 AUGUST ISSUE OF THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE ON SALE TODAY 3 YOUR OLD BIKE MART WITH YOU TODAY 3-4 CRMC Race Meeting at Cadwell Park Lincs www.crmc.co.uk 3-4 The International Classic MotorCycle Show, Stafford County Showground, ST18 0BD www.classicbikeshows.com 3 Diamond Day – NCC London Custom Bike Show: Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, North Circular Road, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD.london.acecafe.com 3 Rufforth Autojumble, Rufford Park, York YO23 3QH. Tel. 01904 738620. Mobile 07713 164848. www.rufforthautojumble.com 4 Honda Bike Day: Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, North Circular Road, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD. london.acecafe.com…