Classic Superbikes 2

CLASSIC SUPERBIKES II Frank Melling

More inside stories of the world’s greatest classic and retro bikes CSB 2.indd 1

£8.99

16/06/2022 15:41

Introduction

I

’ll let you into a trade secret. Books like Classic Superbikes II are conceived at lavish planning meetings where all the team, and making a book like this is very much a team effort, sit round an immense table where we sip champagne and eat expensive nibbles while impeccably dressed staff hover discreetly to meet our every need.

Star billing is given to the author, who is treated with awe by the rest of the team as they hang on his every word.

Then I hit the bedroom floor and the dream finished!

In fact, what really happened is that I was walking along the Bridgewater Canal, which is near us, at the height of Lockdown. The towpath was deserted because it was blowing a gale along with dense clouds of wet, penetrating sleet fighting to soak us.

From inside my anorak, I felt my phone buzzing. I dug it out and saw that it was my boss at Mortons, Steve O’Hara, so naturally I took off my gloves and accepted the call.

Steve was as positive as ever – he always is. The bottom line was that the first Classic Superbikes had sold very well, despite Covid and the multiple Lockdowns, and now Steve wanted another book in what was becoming a series.

I stuck the phone inside my woolly hat and the conversation went like this: Steve: “CSB (our internal name for the book) has sold really well. Do you fancy doing another one?”

Me: “For sure. That’d be great.”

Steve: “Okay then. You know what to do. Got to go now but we’ll speak later.”

And that was how CSB II was conceived – on a tow path, in a wet gale with my fingers frozen.

The reason I could accept Steve’s offer was that Carol – my wife, best friend, editor and business partner – and I had enjoyed making CSB so much. In fact, I’d already started to working out a rough of the new book – as the pre-planning is called – just in case Steve did call me.

The bikes, and stories, in the book reflect what a great time I have had with motorcycles all my life. They are all machines which have delighted me, made me angry or left me in wonder. They’re bikes which actually reach into my motorcycling soul. Critically, the stories put the bikes into historical context.

I’ve also included some chapters on the inspirational things which have happened to me – and none more so than coming to know Sammy Miller so well. Sammy is one of the world’s greatest all round riders and the genius behind the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, in Hampshire.

Author and Concept: Frank Melling Editor and Photography: Carol Melling Archive Images: Jane Skayman and Jonathan Schofield Design: Michael Baumber and Druck Media Pvt. Ltd. Publisher: Steve O’Hara Printed by: William Gibbons and Sons, Wolverhampton Published by: Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6JR. Tel: 01507 529529 ISBN: 978-1-911703-02-0 © 2022 Mortons Media Group Ltd

Then I had to include the story of how I, very briefly, became a six times World Champion – and believe me, such fame for a clubman rider like me is not quite as attractive as it might seem.

I feel certain that if some government official, or pressure group, ever reads how much fun I have had writing CSB II then I’ll get banned, or sent for ‘re-education’ to bring me into line with current politically correct thinking. Until then, I’ll just say that I have had a brilliant time writing the book – and I hope you enjoy reading the stories as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holders. All enquiries should be addressed to the publisher.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this book, the author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies.

Unless otherwise indicated, the opinions expressed herein are those of the author of the book and do not necessarily represent the views of persons or companies represented.

The right of Frank Melling to be identified as the author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

Making Classic Superbikes I f I have been lucky when it comes to riding bikes I have been just as fortunate in working for Mortons Media. As I have mentioned, Steve O’Hara pressed the big green ‘go’ button for Classic Superbikes II during a blizzard and it was great to have Mortons Magazines’ managing director, Dan Savage, on board too.

Thanks to you both.

The book’s front cover has been designed by Mike Baumber. This is the fifth cover we have produced together – and he’s still working with me, which I guess shows something about how well we get on.

Jonathan Schofield has found some great pictures from Mortons’ magnificent archive which is unquestionably the best repository of classic motorcycling images in the world. Thanks Jonathan.

Finally, and most importantly, my wife Carol has toiled on the text until it is the very best we can make it. As husband and wife we get on very well but when she’s the editor and I am an author, discussions can sometimes get awfully near a mixed martial arts bout!

Additionally, Carol took almost all of the pictures in this book – and she’s a brilliant race mechanic too. And no, she doesn’t have a twin sister who’s looking for a long term relationship with a classic bike racer.

I want to conclude by thanking all the many people who have entrusted me with their valuable bikes over the years.

I will begin with the legendary Sammy Miller, and the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, for letting me ride his BMW Rennsport because that is a privilege accorded to very few people in the world.

Lawrence Rose, of Classic British Bikes, continues to let me ride his bikes and he has some lovely machines: thanks Lawrence. Thanks also to the private owners who let me try their bikes.

It’s a real vote of confidence when I have been entrusted with an owner’s pride and joy. So, many thanks to Jo for her lovely RGV racer-on-the-road; to Phil for his stunning Honda CBX 6 and Ian for giving me such a good time on his Yamaha SRX. And it was a great pleasure to ride Mark’s KSS Velocette which was a real time travel door to pre-war Britain. Bill Smith Motors in Chester kindly allowed me to borrow their Honda CB1100RS demonstrator.

Jim Blomley owned the Yamaha OW01 in the book and there is a lovely backstory to the chapter. I would never claim to be a world class star but I can ride a race bike.

We were at Spa, in Belgium, with Jim when he offered me a ride on the Yam. What he didn’t tell me that I was also, unknowingly, doing a demo to a potential customer.

I rolled back into the paddock, all smiles – Jim took the bike from me and handed it straight over to the customer.

It doesn’t bear thinking about what would have happened had I whanged it up the road!

And last, but far from least, the smiling Maureen who let me experience the horrors of her Ariel 3.

Many of the track action images were taken at the fantastic Anglesey Circuit. Thanks to everyone at Trac Mon for their kind hospitality.

Thanks to you all for extending me the great privilege of allowing me to ride your very precious machines.

Contents

003 INTRODUCTION

008 CHAPTER 1: CROOKS SUZUKI PRODUCTION RACER What dreams are made of

016 CHAPTER 2: MONTE GENEROSO

Where I, very briefly, became six times world champion

024 CHAPTER 3: ARIEL 3

The final nail in the British bike industry’s coffin

032 CHAPTER 4: CHENEY THUMPER A true legend

040 CHAPTER 5: HONDA CBX 6

The most honest motorcycle ever made

046 CHAPTER 6: BMW TYPE RS54 RENNSPORT Pure German race magic

054 CHAPTER 7: SAMMY MILLER MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM One man’s incredible dream

062 CHAPTER 8: PANTHER 600 The working man’s limousine

070 CHAPTER 9: MATCHLESS G15CS The original desert sled

076 CHAPTER 10: SUZUKI RGV 250 Racer on the road

084 CHAPTER 11: HONDA CB1100RS So near – but no cuddly toy

092 CHAPTER 12: BSA M20 Vastly better than getting shot

098 CHAPTER 13: DUCATI SILVERSTONE When I grow up, I want to ride a Ducati

104 CHAPTER 14: BSA ROCKET GOLD STAR Grrrrr! Touch my oil tank and I’ll bite you!

110 CHAPTER 15: YAMAHA SRX

Nearly, but not quite, one of the best bikes to come out of Japan

118 CHAPTER 16: VELOCETTE KSS The gentleman’s sporting steed

124 CHAPTER 17: YAMAHA OW01 The first of the new wave

1 | CROOKS SUZUKI PRODUCTION RACER

Crooks Suzuki Production Racer What dreams are made of

It was love at first sight for Melling and the Crooks Suzuki 1 | CROOKS SUZUKI PRODUCTION RACER

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his is a really odd story to write and, I have to admit, more than a bit emotional because Crooks Suzuki, and the T500 production racer from 1970, have been with me almost all my motorcycling life – and that’s a long time!

The story starts in 1969. After leaving school aged 16 I had ricocheted from one job to another and established a fairly consistent record of failure at everything, from a labourer painting shelves to an executive officer in the Post Office – and all stops in between.

One rather unproductive avenue I explored was trying to get a job with any of the leading motorcycling magazines of the day. The brutal truth was that none of them would have me for free. I had no A-levels, and therefore hadn’t completed one of the excellent National Union of Journalists’ training courses, no experience of working with a magazine and no inside contacts. In fact nothing whatsoever to make me worth employing, except that I could write – and I really could write – and I loved motorcycles.

Through a series of incredibly lucky breaks, a lot of effort and some real natural ability I was accepted for teacher training in the autumn of 1969. At the same time, my Auntie Edie went to America – on an aeroplane! How exotic was that? I asked her to bring an American bike magazine back for me because America was an all-new motorcycling world. Auntie Classic Superbikes II

Edie was very fond of me and so brought back not one bike mag but 14 – and the call of being a journalist began again.

When my mum found out that I still harboured hopes of writing about bikes she went absolutely bonkers. Her dream for me was to come home from work with clean hands. That was the ultimate aspiration all working class mothers had for their kids. Now I had won life’s golden lottery ticket by starting teacher training and she was terrified that I would lose everything for the sake of motorcycling: it was a wholly justifiable fear.

Regardless, I wrote to all 14 magazines with a fine piece of creative writing in terms of my experience and industry contacts – but not my ability to produce professional quality articles. This bit of my sales pitch was absolutely accurate!

Twelve magazines didn’t reply, one said no and Motorcycle World, of Park Avenue South, New York asked me to send them a piece. I did, they liked it and I was a professional journalist: it really was no more complex than that. You can read the full story in the first part of my autobiography A Penguin in a Sparrow’s Nest.

So there I am with the opportunity to continue with teacher training and at the same time get paid for writing about motorcycles. What could possibly be better?

The snag was that my new employers had great ambitions for the magazine – and for me. New York was in the wrong place because all the motorcycling action took place on the West Coast. But they did have a superstar English journalist – I was very creative when I first wrote to them – and this would give them the edge over their Californian opposition.

For my second article they demanded a world exclusive, and I just managed to pull this off by the skin of my teeth by writing an article on the Cheney Suzuki which was doing so well in British motocross.

My editor absolutely loved this and so decided to raise the stakes. He had very little idea of what the Isle of Man TT actually meant, and its status at the time, but he had accepted all that I told him about my industry contacts. He had no problem asking me to come up with another world exclusive – this time, the bike which won one of that year’s TT races.

Although the USA had very little tarmac racing at the time, the TT was still the most important event in the road racing calendar and was therefore known to my American editor. Hence his commissioning of the article.

At the same time, because it was the most important road race in the world, getting a ride on a bike which won a TT was quite simply impossible: not difficult but just not achievable.

When I speak to young journalists who want to be freelancers, I try to explain to them that perhaps the single greatest asset you can have is the ability to deliver. Always accede to an editor’s request – and then work out how to do the job later!

This black and white attitude was what I loved most about working for the Americans – and still do.

America truly is the most democratic nation in the world. No-one at Motorcycle World asked me about my family background, my A-levels – or lack of them – or Classic Superbikes II

3 my total absence of professional training. Everything was wonderfully, beautifully simple. Write the story and if we like it we’ll pay you. If we don’t, you’re fired.

What could be fairer than that? You could have all the qualifications in the world, but if you couldn’t deliver you weren’t going to get hired and certainly not paid.

I thought that this was great so I did what all good freelancers do – I lied. Yes, I would test a bike which won a TT and yes it would be an exclusive.

What could be easier?

The answer was almost anything in the motorcycling world.

For a start, the main classes were simply beyond reach – even with my fevered and desperate imagination.

Giacomo Agostini, and the works MVs, looked to be certain winners in the two Premier classes and things weren’t much easier in the 250cc and 125cc divisions. I just was not going to get a ride on any of these bikes.

My only hope was the Production TT. Production Racing is a class for what are, supposedly, standard road machines and at the time there was a huge amount of interest in the idea of racing machines which, in theory at least, the general public could buy.

Production Racing attracted factory entries from Triumph, BSA, BMW, Velocette, Bultaco and Norton all striving for race results which would help sell bikes so, in theory at least, I was in with a chance.

By this time, I was very serious about college. I had settled well into the academic work and professional training and so had to fit being a top international journalist in between lectures, seminars and tutorials. It was a busy time and the current obsession with worklife balance really does make me smile. I lived to work – and loved it!

Fortunately, there was a payphone at the bottom of the stairs leading from the English department and, with a pocketful of coins, I started to haunt this place.

The first pitch was to BSA. “Hello, I’m Frank Melling and I’m a journalist writing for Motorcycle World…”

I didn’t get much further until the much loved “Dear Sir or Madam” response kicked in and I was asked to send my CV in to the press department for consideration.

11

1.

The 1970 TT winning Crooks Suzuki was the motorcycle which changed the young Melling’s life

2.

Melling fell in love with the T500 in 1970

3.

The T500 is big enough for a holiday home and so comfortable for the rider

CROOKS SUZUKI PRODUCTION RACER |1

1 The lady on reception at Triumph was a little less brusque – but not much.

Two down and no scores so far.

Norton was no better and the British BMW office had no idea what the parent factory were doing and no interest in me whatsoever.

Geoff Dodkin, who ran the works Velocettes, was polite but Velocette were on their last legs as a motorcycle factory – he doubted if there would be any bikes at the 1970 TT. I had run out of ammunition and the enemy was swarming over the hill with fixed bayonets. This was the end. My two article journalism career had been a wonderful experience but thank goodness I had taken college seriously. At least I wasn’t going back to scrap metal burning or humping potatoes into farm trailers!

Then I read an article in Motorcycle News.

Eddie Crooks, the owner of Crooks-Suzuki, was going to enter the Production TT with a 500cc Suzuki. Here were the final dregs in the almost empty bottle of the terminal order in the Last Chance Saloon. This was it. One last bet – and then I would be thrown out on to the street as a failure.

I loaded up with loose change, headed for the phone booth again and dialled the Crooks’ shop in Barrow-in-Furness.

“I’m Frank Melling. I’m a journalist. May I speak to Mr Crooks, please?”

“Yes, this is Eddie. What’s up?”

I was in shock. Instead of a distant secretary or receptionist I was talking to the man who could, just possibly, save my head from the noose.

I need to digress at this point to explain about Eddie. He had no training or experience in marketing or PR but intuitively knew 1 | CROOKS SUZUKI PRODUCTION RACER

more about the subject than anyone in the motorcycling business, and probably any other profession for that matter. I am sure that he left his mother’s womb looking for a photo opportunity because he was – quite simply – a natural, and gifted, marketing genius.

He also took to me immediately and we were instantly on the same wavelength.

In some respects, Ed was not always a paragon of virtue but with me he was wonderful and, as the years passed, we were to become ever closer.

Ed’s aim was to make Crooks-Suzuki, located right at the end of the deeply unfashionable Furness Peninsula in the far north west of England, into one of the biggest Suzuki dealers in the world. To do this, he needed publicity and here was what at least sounded like a journalist offering him five pages of it.

Yes, I could ride the T500. Yes, I would be the only journalist allowed to ride the bike regardless of whether it finished first or last.

For my part, I promised that I would write the story regardless of the results and we shook hands over the phone.

I wrote another letter to America with an interesting interpretation of the facts. I had got a bike and for 101% certain it was going to win the TT – I skated over which TT – so all was good. Trust me, I will deliver.

To be honest I didn’t know that much about the Suzuki T500. At the time I was more interested in dirt bike sport although, like a lot of sporting riders of my generation, I did ride road racing machines whenever the opportunity came about.

Suzuki began production of the T500 in 1967 – not 1968 as is widely reported. Martin Crooks, Eddie’s son, has a newspaper cutting 12

2 of Ed sat on the T500 production line in 1967 and that’s fact. At launch, everyone was universally sceptical over the practicalities of a 500cc two-stroke twin. It’s not that there had never been a 500cc two-stroke engine before – the British Excelsior company had a three cylinder unit in production as early as 1953. Somewhat ironically, the Excelsior engine, which was designed for microcars, proved how unsuitable big two strokes were in the real motorcycling world!

This is why the T500 was so radical.

Despite their GP winning heritage Suzuki didn’t have in mind a highly strung, rev happy race replica which required endless meticulous maintenance. Rather, the concept was for a high-speed tourer which would run faultlessly for thousands of miles and be easy to ride.

Classic Superbikes II