KEMPTON MOTORCYCLE JUMBLE Saturday, July 22, 2017
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June 2017 £2.10 ISSUE
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OLD BIKE MART ’
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With the world-famous leader board in the background, travelling marshals pose on their big Triumph twins during the 1955 TT races. Note the ‘Roads Open’ machine at the far end of the line-up. Photo: www.mortonsarchive.com
2 NEWS
June 2017
Pete’s Prattle
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Editor Pete Kelly OBMEditor@mortons.co.uk Designer Charlotte Fairman Production editors Sarah Palmer, Sarah Wilkinson Picture Desk Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Divisional Advertising Manager Sue Keily Advertising Tania Shaw tshaw@mortons.co.uk Alan Green agreen@mortons.co.uk
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ometimes a letter or email arrives that’s truly humbling, such as the one I recently received from Richard Illingworth, the son of retired and well-respected journalist David (Bradford Telegraph and Argus, Westminster Press and Yorkshire Post) who I remember well. David took him to all kinds of motorsport events in the late 1960s, including those at Croft Autodrome, near Darlington, where I’d once raced myself, having painted blue race numbers on to my 250 Cotton Telstar because the two-fifty class was, as ever, full! “I believe you must be the Pete Kelly who came to report on events at Croft riding a black Velocette Venom, and enjoying the press ‘facilities’ of the small brick building, railway sleeper ‘stand’ and, later, an old double-deck bus,” wrote Richard.
Venue change for ‘gutless wonders’ Because of the closure of the pub from which the event was due to take place, the Bikes in Beds Run for cyclemotors, autocycles, mopeds, low-powered motorcycles and other gutless wonders on Sunday, July 9 will now start from The Bell Inn, High Street, Little Addington, Northamptonshire NN14 4BD. Riders will meet at 10am for 10.30am for the 33-mile run along local roads, and enquiries can be made to Hugh Gallagher on 07805 247033.
“I think it was 1968 or 1969 when you turned up at Croft on a small blue Suzuki, and although I was just a schoolboy of about 13, you entrusted me with the Suzuki key and I had a most enjoyable afternoon mastering clutch control and learning to ride a proper motorbike in the car park between the press box and clubhouse. “That act of kindness was pivotal in my life. Thank you.” I remember my little 80cc Suzuki well, and often covered the motorcycling at Croft for The Northern Echo on which I worked, and freelance for Motor Cycle, but I’d long forgotten the particular incident that Richard reminds me of. That such a small and simple thing as letting him ride my Suzuki should lead to the shaping of his education and career paths, as well as laying the foundation for a continuing love
of all things motorcycling, is what I find so humbling, though. After studying science in his sixth form, Richard took a degree in mechanical engineering, followed by a successful career in manufacturing and running large factories which led to him becoming a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. While still at school, he rebuilt a £10 field bike BSA D1 plungerframed Bantam in readiness for ‘L’ plates on his 16th birthday. “The exhilaration of going up hills in my native Bradford without having to pedal any more left an impression on me that’s as fresh today as it was on my 16th birthday in 1971,” he wrote. Many more motorcycles followed. He was active in the Trail Riders’ Fellowship for years, and still owns his first-ever new bike, a 1990 Yamaha XT350, along with a 1999
Ducati 900SS whose torque and handling “blew his mind” after five years on a Yamaha Diversion. And to think it all started with that little blue 80cc Suzuki of mine!
Unrestored and original SOS takes Stafford prize A 1937 water-cooled 250cc SOS that was displayed by Peter March on the Hednesford Club stand at the Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show at Stafford over the weekend of April 22/23 was judged the best unrestored and original machine in the show after Peter got it running for its owner. Peter was so taken by the SOS that he spent weeks building up a dossier of the history of the Birmingham marque that was founded by Len Vale-Onslow, and in due course we’ll be matching this with our archives to bring you a full feature. Right: The 1937 SOS is pictured after the event with Peter March’s dog Charlie, a lovely gentle lad.
NEWS 3
June 2017
Avon tyres add 1957 TT authenticity to replica 100mph-lap Bob Mac Gilera Avon’s motorsport team is marking the 60th anniversary of the first 100mph TT lap, set by Scot Bob McIntyre on a 500cc fourcylinder Gilera running Avon’s Speedmaster GP race tyres in 1957, by fitting accurate, period Speedmaster GP racing tyres to a replica of the record-breaking machine on show on the Island.
Cheating the wind, full dustbin style! The replica Gillie has been fitted with period Avon Speedmaster GT racing tyres to celebrate Bob Mac’s historic 1957 TT win.
In that 1957 Senior race, McIntyre managed 99.99mph from a standing start with a full fuel load before breaking the 100mph milestone on his second lap at 101.03mph. Away from the anniversary celebrations, the Mountain circuit will be ringing to the sounds of full-bore superbikes and sidecar outfits as this issue of Old Bike Mart arrives at your homes. Avon is offering a full support service, and the sidecar classes will be on a knife edge
with no fewer than seven top teams in possible contention for wins, including last year’s Race One winner John Holden, who’s running his Silicone Engineering outfit with new passenger Lee Cain, and Race Two winners Ben and Tom Birchall. Flamboyant French rider Timothee Monot is competing on Avon’s Xtreme racing rubber in the Supertwin, Supersport 600 and TT Zero classes.
Can you hear the howl? Just study those four downdraught carburettors and black megaphone exhausts for a minute or two and you soon will.
Straight-line thrills in store at Brighton Bike entries in the Brighton and Hove Motor Club’s Brighton Speed Trials along Madeira Drive on Saturday, September 2 are being organised by the Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s Sprint Section. Details can be found on the section’s website, www.vmccsprint.co.uk/vintage_ classic_modern_motorcycle_sprint_ racing/Welcome.html or the vmccsprint Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/vmccsprint/ During the Brighton Speed Trials on Saturday, September 2, spectators will be able to get close to action like this as a JAP special gets off the line on the resort’s famous Madeira Drive.
Win £39.50 family tickets to Crich Tramway Village The Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire, home to an amazing variety of beautifully restored and running trams, has two family tickets to give away in this free-to-enter competition. Simply answer the following question and send your name, telephone number and/or email address to ‘Tramway Competition’, Old Bike Mart, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, LN9 6JR, by June 24, 2017. All correct answers with full contact details will be put into a draw, and the first two winners drawn out will win the tickets. WHAT DATE IS THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE DAY AT CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE IN 2017? For information about events at Crich, visit www.tramway.co.uk
Terms and conditions: The family tickets are for two adults and up to three children for any single date at Crich Tramway Village up to November 5, 2017. Winners of the two family tickets will be notified within five days of the draw.
Sheffield’s last tram and a gleaming Vincent make fine bedfellows at a Classic Motorcycle Day at Crich.
Riders relax in the sun behind a line-up of classic motorcycles at a previous Vincent Owners’ Club-organised bike event at the Crich Tramway Village.
4 NEWS
June 2017
NMM Winter Raffle winners – and a ‘Goldie’ to dream about! After the winning ticket in the National Motorcycle Museum’s Winter Raffle was drawn by former World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss live on stage at the International Classic MotorCycle Show at Stafford on Sunday, April 23, Roger Ward from Worksop became the astonished owner of a brand new 1200cc Triumph Thruxton R fitted with a ‘track racer’ kit. Second prize in the museum’s raffle, a 1954 500cc AJS Model 18, went to Peter Baldesera of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and a luxury ‘classic’ weekend hotel break for two was won by Paul Wright from Ipswich. A gorgeous 1960 500cc BSA DBD34 Gold Star Clubman is being offered as first prize in the museum’s AprilNovember 2017 Summer Raffle, and a 250cc BSA C11G will go to the holder of the second ticket to be drawn, with a similar hotel break as third prize. The draw will take place at the National Motorcycle Museum LIVE event on November 4.
“Look what I’ve just won!” Roger Ward from Worksop tries his meanlooking, ‘track racer’-kit fitted 1200cc Triumph Thruxton R for size at the National Motorcycle Museum.
What a beauty! You can almost hear the twittering exhaust of the 1960 500cc BSA DBD34 Gold Star Clubman that’s been put up as first prize in the National Motorcycle Museum’s April-November 2017 Summer Raffle.
Peter Baldesera collects his beautiful 1954 500cc AJS Model 18 – and that drip tray looks remarkably clean!
RAF legends to fly over Llangollen bike festival A Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will honour LlanBikeFest, the Llangollen Motorcycle Festival, with a fly-past over the event on Sunday, August 6. RAF officials have confirmed that visitors can expect the flight at some time on the Sunday morning, with exact timings to be confirmed closer to the event.
“Wales has chosen 2017 as the Year of Legends, and the sound of Merlin engines echoing around the Dee Valley will be music to the ears,” said LlanBikeFest’s John Hutchinson. “We are especially honoured as this year also marks the 60th anniversary of the Flight being formed. “We’ll keep people posted with the time of the flight on
Facebook and Twitter.” LlanBikeFest is sponsored by Carole Nash Insurance, and day tickets will cost £10 on the gate or online at www.llanbikefest.co.uk or by calling the festival office at 07960 693398. Children aged 15 or under will be admitted free. Club stands and exhibitor bookings are also free of charge.
Golden anniversary tribute to the Triumph Daytona at Scottish Classic Motorcycle Show To mark the 50th anniversary of the Triumph Daytona, almost 50 Triumph Meriden twins will boost the normal entry of 130 classic and classic racing motorcycles at the 28th Scottish Classic Motorcycle Show run by Ayr Classic Motorcycle Club at Ayr Racecourse KA8 0JE on Saturday, June 17. The Daytona was named after the Florida speedway where Buddy Elmore took victory on a works Triumph Tiger 100 in 1966, and where Gary Nixon won the Daytona 200 race on a Triumph Daytona in 1967. Centrepiece of the Triumph display, which will be housed in a separate exhibition hall next to the main halls, will be an original 1967 Daytona with its original-spec twin Amal Monobloc carburettors, and the organisers hope to make this the largest-ever gathering of
classic Triumph motorcycles in Scotland. Entries are still invited from owners of Meriden-built 350, 500, 650 and 750cc twins, including original factory-spec models, Triton, Tribsa, Metisse or Cheney specials, choppers, bobbers, café racers or off-roaders, and parade laps will be organised. Traders specialising in the marque will also be present, along with autojumblers. The event will support the Scottish Charity Air Ambulance and Breast Way Round, with BWR again running the helmet park. Gates open at 10am, and a specific parking area is planned for visitors turning up on any age or model of Triumph motorcycle to the show in an ‘Avenue of Triumph’ lining the entrance to the Meriden marquee.
Entry forms can be downloaded from ayrclassicmc.com, or any other enquiries can be made to showsec@ayrclassicmc.com .
June 2017
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6 NEWS
Derbyshire venue for Sunbeam S7/S8 rally The Sunbeam Owners’ Fellowship Annual Rally for S7 and S8 machines will take place at Osmaston village, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire, from July 13-16. For further enquiries, call 01538 756927.
All bikes welcome in 100-mile Dartmoor Run One of the friendliest bike runs of the year is the Exeter Classic Motorcycle Club’s annual Dartmoor Run, which is fully marshalled and includes refreshment stops. Covering 100 miles of glorious Devon countryside, it welcomes all bikes, and this year’s event will be on Sunday, July 30. Full details can be found on the ECMC website http:// exeterclassicmotorcycleclub. btck.co.uk, but riders can just turn up at the starting point of Exeter’s famous quay from 9am for registration at £10 per machine, with all money going to charity. The run will start at 10am, returning to the quay by around 4pm for the prizegiving.
Concours night at Kelham Weather permitting, the Notts branch of the Norton Owners’ Club is organising a Concours Night at the Fox pub, Kelham, near Newark, on Wednesday, July 12, starting at 7.30pm. All makes of bikes are welcome. For further details ring Garry on 01623 470153.
June 2017
Barry Sheene’s world championship-winning Suzuki RG500s at Cumbria Steam Gathering Barry Sheene’s two world championship-winning Suzuki RG500s will be among the star attractions at the Cumbria Steam Gathering at Cark Airfield, Flookburgh, near Grange-overSands, Cumbria LA11 7LS, from 9am until 5pm each day over the weekend of July 29/30. The four-cylinder two-strokes, on which Barry won the two titles in 1976 and 1977, had been stored at his home on Australia’s Gold Coast since the charismatic, outspoken and highly skilled rider passed away in March 2003, and were shipped
back to the UK to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first of those victories. They were seen on many special occasions last year, including the Oliver’s Mount race circuit at Scarborough, and because of Barry’s passion for historic road racing in his later years, ‘Ollie’s’ big event on June 22/23 this year will be named The Barry Sheene Festival Powered by Suzuki. Suzuki GB has taken the opportunity of celebrating Barry’s titles by displaying the bikes for the first time at a UK steam gathering
as part of Suzuki’s Vintage Parts Programme, and thanks are also due to the Estate of Barry Sheene and Martin Crooks of Crooks Suzuki, Barrow-in-Furness, for his help in looking after the bikes at Flookburgh and sharing his vast knowledge of anything Suzuki. For more than four decades, the Cumbria Steam & Vintage Vehicle Society Ltd has been bringing together vintage vehicles to Cark Airfield from far and wide. Some 250 motorcycles have been entered this year, and the Broke FMX extreme motocross
Still looking as good as new, and with the No 7 race numbers that will always be associated with Barry Sheene, these world championship-winning Suzuki RG500s will be on show at the Cumbria Steam Gathering over the weekend of July 29/30.
display team will be giving a spectacular arena display. The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club will be making its second appearance at the gathering thanks to Sam Scrogham and members of the Furness Section, and the Furness British Motorcycle Club will have a nice selection of restored British motorcycles for all to admire. No fewer than 1250 exhibits will be on display, including traction engines, cars, commercial vehicles, vintage tractors and stationary engines. Birds of prey, a sheep show and even action from the North West Lawn Mower Racing Association will add to the attractions. More information is available on 07825 369601.
Extreme action like this, by the Broke FMX display team, will enliven the arena events.
Biggest-ever bike entry at Cirencester Extravaganza A record number of well over 200 motorcycles will turn their section at the Gloucestershire Vintage & Country Extravaganza at South Cerney Airfield, Cirencester, into a ‘show within a show’ from August 4-6. There will be a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight fly-by on the
Saturday and Sunday, and the main arena will feature parades of every kind of vintage vehicle on site, including traction engines, buses and coaches, commercial vehicles, tractors, military vehicles, classic cars and caravans as well as motorcycles and scooters.
Organised by the Stroud Vintage Transport and Engine Club, the event will also mark the 150th anniversary of local factory vehicle and stationary engine manufacturer R A Lister and Co, and as many exhibits as possible from this famous manufacturer are being sought.
The non-profit-making club raises money for national and local charities, and the event is one of the largest of its kind to be run entirely by volunteers. For more information, or to purchase advance tickets, visit www. glosvintageextravaganza.co.uk .
June 2017
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8 NEWS
June 2017
Classic racing and so much more at Donington’s brilliant weekend Looking around the paddock at Donington Park race circuit on the first weekend in May one couldn’t help wondering whether the organisers had read last month’s ‘Pete’s Prattle’, writes Ian Kerr. As the Endurance Legends motorcycle racing series, featuring a four-hour classic endurance race
Sadly, things didn’t go quite as planned for the Suzuki team in the big endurance race at Donington Park.
complete with a number of star guests, made its Donington debut, the sheer diversity of motorcycles from all eras was what made the event so attractive to the visiting enthusiasts, no matter what their particular penchant. American motorcycling legend Freddie Spencer was out on a Two Brothers Honda RC30 in Sunday’s race bike parade ahead of the main Endurance event, as well as launching his new book, Feel. From an earlier era John ‘Moon Eyes’ Cooper could be seen looking at the many Triumph Triples and talking to previous Triumph Endurance winners like Peter Bates, who’d brought his winning Daytona to display. In fact there were many more stars of yesteryear just keeping a low profile, enjoying the ambience and talking to other enthusiasts like TT winner and works rider Mick Grant. A lot of the pre-event build-up centred around the fact that former
A reminder of the 1970s as a fearsome Yamaha is kept under steady control.
factory riders James Whitham and Steve Parrish would be riding as part of a Suzuki team in the Endurance race, along with MCN senior road tester Michael Neeves, on a Suzuki Katana machine that was built up in full public view at last November’s Motorcycle Live show by Suzuki Vintage Parts, who were also sponsoring the event. Sadly, despite the detailed preparation and the team’s competitiveness throughout practice and qualifying, Jamie crashed out on the very opening lap and ended the team’s involvement in the meeting. A look around the pits showed the diversity of machines that compete in the series, ranging from BMWs to Laverdas, as well as the many Japanese-powered bikes. Some of these were genuine originals while others have been constructed to compete in the European series which has grown since the inaugural event some 10 years ago.
A trio of Seeleys brightens up a cold and dull Saturday.
Other race series in action during the weekend included the Lansdowne Classic Series for 350cc and 500cc Grand Prix machines raced up until the end of 1963, and the International Classic Grand Prix, which recreated the spirit of 1970s and 80s racing. There were plenty of parades for those who just wanted to give their classics a blast on the hallowed Donington tarmac, as well as a chance for others to ride a range of classic bikes from all eras on
Wherever there’s classic racing, you’ll always find a Velo or two.
the Melbourne Loop thanks to the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, which also arranged a stunning static display nearby. The London Motorcycle Museum too took pride of place among the many club displays showing some of their unique prototypes as well as some of the championship race machinery that can be found in its west London building. A walk around the paddock found more than 100 bikes on display covering all interests, quite apart from the race bikes. While the Saturday was cold and wet, there were just as many smiling faces as on the sun-soaked Sunday as like-minded enthusiasts just talked motorcycles!
A Lansdowne Series Manx Norton prepares for action.
June 2017
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10 NEWS
June 2017
O Scotland’s hills for me…
I
n much warmer weather than the freezing conditions in which last year’s event was held, 80 enthusiastic classic motorcyclists descended on Kinlochleven to take part in the Moidart Peninsula Motorcycle Road Run on Thursday, April 27, writes John McCrink. Nestling on the eastern shore of Loch Leven, the village of Kinlochleven, which was formed around 1906 from the two ancient highland settlements of Kinlochmore and Kinlochbeg, is sandwiched beneath the Mamore Hills to the north and the rugged mountains of Glencoe to the south. The amalgamation came about because of the construction of an aluminium smelter and associated housing for its employees. The plant was powered by a hydro-electric scheme situated in the mountains above, and made Kinlochleven the first village in the world in which every home was powered by electricity, hence its nickname 'The Electric Village'. In those early days British Alcan employed some 700 people producing some of the highest-grade aluminium, but its small size compared to modern smelters led to its closure in 1996, and the hydro plant was converted to a general purpose power station connected to the National Grid. Today Kinlochleven is a vibrant destination popular with walkers, mountain bikers and nature lovers. It boasts pubs, hotels, shops and even a micro-brewery, and is the penultimate stop for walkers on the West Highland Way. Now in its eighth year, the Moidart Run, which always takes place the day before the Pre-’65 Scottish Two-Day Trial, attracts entrants from all over the UK as well as abroad, and this year riders came from Ireland, France, Spain and even the US. At the traditional starting point of Kinlochleven's Viaduct Car Park, an eclectic mix of old bikes (and riders) assembled under cloudy but dry skies, with the temperature more like the seasonal norm expected in late April, and not having to be layered up and kitted out like a polar explorer came as quite a relief. By 9am, with blue sky and blue smoke appearing, the surrounding hills were soon echoing to the unmistakable joyous sound of old motorbikes, and with any motorcycle built up to 1979 eligible, there were flat-tankers and Japanese 'fours' and everything in between. During a quick look around I soon spotted a Vincent Black Shadow, a Cheney Triumph ISDT machine, a 1952 Bantam D1 Comp Model, a 1930 350 Levis and even an early Honda C70 'step thru'. There were some pretty special riders too. Speedway legend Barry Briggs, returning once more to enjoy his annual highland holiday, was still complaining about too many right-hand corners on the route; 1974 Double British Motocross Champion Vic Allan
There’s a cheery wave to photographer Eric Kitchen as this fittingly sparse Matchbox outfit skirts the water.
Eric Kitchen, 84, who’s been photographing Scottish Six Days’ Trials and Pre-’65 Two-Day Trials for decades, received this appropriate token of appreciation for his services as guest of honour at this year’s Moidart Peninsula Run.
An MZ leads the charge along a narrow, undulating and undoubtedly scenic stretch of the run.
was back in the old country, riding his magnificent home-built, Brian Stonebridge-inspired Greeves/NSU that looks and sounds great; and the more mature trials enthusiasts would soon have spotted legendary 1960s’ Francis-Barnett teamster and SSDT and Pre-'65 Scottish veteran Mike Ransom, who was still raring to go after all this time! By 9.30am, with signing-on completed, guest of honour Eric Kitchen welcomed everyone and drew the raffle prizes. A lifelong motorcyclist and ace photographer, Eric is a 'weel kent' (well known) face around these parts, having been photographing the SSDT and Pre-'65 for several decades as well as covering all the Moidart Runs, and at a mere 84 years young was doing it all again this year. Many people are familiar with Eric's work – but how many realise that, as far back as 1953 and 1954, he successfully competed in the SSDT on a 500 Triumph that he still owns – and back then he rode the bike from his Lancashire home to the highlands, 352 miles each way! Continued on p.54
Restored by Ali Robertson from Edinburgh, otherwise known as Ali the Bubble, these two Messerschmitt bubble cars took part in this year’s Moidart Peninsula Run.
June 2017
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12 PENDINE LAND SPEED WEEKEND
June 2017
Straightlining on the sand! Pete Kelly reports from the Straightliners’ first assault of the year on Pendine Sands, with photos from David Hammonds.
Spectators trudge along the endless sands from the car park to the start of the event.
D
espite softer sand conditions than last year and at times quite a brisk breeze, no fewer than 21 records were broken at Straightliners’ Land Speed Weekend at Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire, on May 13-14 and 25 new ones were established – and the good news for those whose diverse machinery did not perform as well as hoped is that they’ll get the chance of a second bite at the cherry when the event returns over the weekend of September 23-24. Bonneville rules, allowing entrants to establish their own class, resulted in a wide and varied mixture of machinery, and there was even a demonstration of ‘the world’s fastest garden shed’, complete with window sticker declaring ‘My other car is a Porch’, which broke the beam at well over 70mph. For many, cautious getaways coupled with the very high gearing of their solo motorcycles – notably in the smaller classes – resulted in disappointment when they became bogged down at or just beyond the starting line, but that didn’t stop
Keith Terry (246cc Lambretta) from reaching 101.441mph by the end of his own standing-start kilometre! With his 500cc Triumph Tiger, Peter Allen took his standing kilometre record from 91.187 to 93.785mph. Delays on the Saturday, coupled with deteriorating sand conditions that definitely weren’t helped by one four-wheeled competitor doing power-turns when turning off at the end of the run, meant that the standing-start mile and starting-start mile-and-a-half runs had to be held over until the Sunday. John McAvoy (1300cc Hayabusa), whose terminal speed of 158.811mph beat Steve Walton’s old record of 156.983mph, was fastest in the former, but Terry Smith’s terminal speed of 187.312 over the longer distance just wasn’t enough to beat his own existing record of 194.589mph. Had the organisers been able to run the planned standing-start twomile event, 200mph might easily have been achievable, but sadly they simply ran out of time. It was bitter-sweet weekend for
Jim Brown’s 1000cc Laverda Jota upped two of its own records during the weekend.
Waiting for the tide to go out, Chris Davies’ Triumph Terrier-framed special basks in the sunshine on the Saturday morning.
There’s no getting out of it now…!
Raring to go – Chris Davies of Triumph Tiger Cub specialists Meriden Off-Road wonders what he’s let himself in for.
This is what it’s all about as a sidecar crew prepares for the ‘off’ on the historic Pendine Sands.
Meriden Off-Road’s Chris Davies, having a go on sand for the first time in his life, whose raucous-sounding and beautifully prepared Triumph Terrier-framed special hit problems from the start. After a great launch in his first standing kilometre attempt with the ‘big’ motor fitted, he suddenly found himself running ‘blind’ when his visor steamed up, and limped over the finish line at a measly 46mph! After returning to the pits and queuing endlessly once again, his second run looked much more promising, and he was going great guns at around 73mph in third gear when he changed into top – or thought he had! “I kept revving it as hard as I could, and the piston nipped up on one side,” he said. It was only during his gentle run back that he realised he’d never engaged fourth gear in the first place! There were more problems in store when Chris fitted the smaller
Pictured in the makeshift paddock on the sands, the Meriden Off Road crew are (from left) Mark Lees, Chris, his wife Mary, Stewart Badley, Bob Gibbs and Steve Watts.
On his 1930 499cc Rudge, Chris Illman didn’t manage to improve on his existing records of 104.967mph in the standing-kilometre and 103.771 in the standing-start mile.
If you saw the world’s fastest garden shed overtaking you on the motorway you’d get a shock!
200cc engine for Sunday’s standingstart one-mile runs. “It felt really powerful in first and second gear,” he said, “but as soon as I engaged third it dropped right off. I was stuck in that gear for half a mile, because it wouldn’t pull at all in top.” Despite this over-gearing, he still managed to establish a class record for the little Tigger at 76.294mph, set on his second run of three, and with all the valuable lessons learned,
After a steamed-up visor put paid to a decent first run, Chris returns to the paddock.
Let’s hope this doesn’t refer to crankcases!
he’ll be returning to the sands with a vengeance this September. In the meantime, he’ll be working out the gearing to perfection for the sand, and a 28mm flat-slide carburettor will be fitted to the bigger motor. The final step, if all goes well, will be fitting a supercharger. Andy Lincoln-Smith (400cc Honda NC29) took a hat-trick of records from Andy Slade. In the standingstart kilometre, he raised Andy’s old record of 95.661 to 108.429mph; in the standing-start mile from 105.032 to 118.535mph; and in the standing-start 1.5-mile from 104.159 to 118.296mph. On his 1000cc Laverda, Jim Brown gained two out of three by upping his own records in the standingstart kilometre from 117.882 to 123.085mph, and in the 1.5-mile from 129.786 to 131.273mph, but in the standing-start mile he didn’t quite match his record of 134.391mph, his best run of the day being 130.226mph. By far the most records were broken in the standing-start kilometre, with Stephen Roberts (125cc BSA Bantam) upping his own 78.482mph record to 79.187mph; John McAvoy (1300cc Hayabusa) upping Steve Walton’s old 156.983mph record to 158.811mph; Helen Lincoln-Smith (600cc Honda CBR) smashing Rodda Thomas’s old record with a scintillating run at 137.093mph; Colin Simmons (500cc Suzuki T500) upping his old record of 88.075 to 90.425mph – and even Tom Anable raising his old 43.486mph Monowheel record to 44.646mph. Once again, Straightliners put on a great weekend, but the endless walk along the sands from the parking area to the start line must have come as something of a shock to many visitors!