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Kindly sent by David Davies, this picture shows Vintage Motor Cycle Club stalwart and Old Bike Mart’s founding editor Ken Hallworth, who died in December at the age of 74, with his 250cc Raleigh as he re-enacted Margery Cottle’s Round Britain Ride on a similar machine. Skirlaugh in East Yorkshire was the point where Margery met Hugh Gibson, who was riding a Raleigh sidecar outfit on the same endeavour – but in the opposite direction. Our tribute to Ken appears on page 3.
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February 2017
Pete’s Prattle www.oldbikemart.co.uk email: info@oldbikemart.co.uk
Editor Pete Kelly OBMEditor@mortons.co.uk Designers 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
01507 524004 Marketing manager Charlotte Park Circulation manager Steve O’Hara Publisher Tim Hartley Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole General Queries Customer Service Number: 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm, Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm and 24hr ansaphone Archive Enquiries Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423 Founder Ken Hallworth OLD BIKE MART (ISSN:1756-9494) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $48 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 City Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to OLD BIKE MART, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 City Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com PUBLISHED BY
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e never appreciate how good something is until we lose it – perhaps that’s why there’s such a big interest in old motorbikes – so the recent reports of disagreements within that great organisation, The Vintage Motor Cycle Club, have left me feeling rather sad, especially in the light of the untimely passing of Ken Hallworth, who did so much to make everything work when he became the club’s first full-time national secretary. As stated in our tribute to Ken on the opposite page, he arrived at a club in turmoil and wasted no time in setting about schemes to save the organisation, including the club raffle that still exists today. Old Bike Mart could never be the same without the excellent reports and photos of those VMCC events organised by sections all over the United Kingdom that
Autojumble date change The date of April’s Huddersfield Autojumble in the Old Market Building, Brook Street, Huddersfield HD1 1RG (next to Tesco) has had to be changed from April 2 to Easter Sunday, April 16. Other 2017 dates are March 5, September 17, October 29 (rally), November 26 and December 31.
bring so much joy to members and non-members, participants and spectators alike – in fact it sometimes feels as if we’ve never had it so good. In all the years that I’ve been editing newspapers and magazines, about everything from motorcycles and steam railways to cycling, traction engines and old tractors (to name but a few!), I’ve always been keenly aware that, whenever people become deeply passionate about their hobby, whether it be motorcycling, angling, birdwatching or stamp collecting, they join a club and eventually become more closely involved in its organisation. Then rivalries erupt, feelings get hurt and disagreements break out – it’s called human nature, I suppose – but I’ve also learned from hard-earned experience that reconciliation feels a million times
better than breaking apart. The VMCC is a national treasure whose activities, social and otherwise, are thoroughly enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life who ride all kinds of motorcycles. I’m sure that all of us would want to keep it that way. *** An excellent suggestion from Andy Hanlon, who loves our stories of days gone by, written by people who were there at the time, is that we publish more of them before such memories disappear for ever – so come on readers, don’t be shy! There must be thousands of great motorcycling stories just waiting to be told. Another reader, noting the number of letters with simply the word ‘email’ beneath their names, suggests it would be more interesting if they mentioned the towns, cities, villages or (if they
Good advice for Tiger Cub fans Reminding restorers of Triumph Tiger Cubs that restoration costs always exceed the value of the finished product even when labour costs are discounted, The Original Triumph Terrier & Tiger Cub Club notes that interest in the ‘little Tiggers’ continues to grow. The peppy little machines are still surfacing in various stages of decomposition, although quite a few have appeared of late in relatively complete and restorable condition. More good advice is always to start with the bits you can’t buy, like the original engine and matching frame, preferably with logbook and proof of the bike’s history, for the club has learned from experience that when registration is applied for, the DVLA will not accept anything less.
have good reason not to give such information) n) counties they’re writing from – and who could disagree with that?
Triumph sales up in 2016 In the year ended June 30, 2016, Triumph Motorcycles Group’s global revenue grew by £56.3m to £407.6m, with profit before exceptional costs increasing by £7.9m to £16.6m. Triumph is the largest British bike manufacturer, with more than 750 dealers across the world. It currently employs around 2000 personnel worldwide, with subsidiary operations in the UK, America, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Benelux, Brazil, India and Thailand, as well as a network of independent distributors. Triumph has manufacturing facilities at Hinckley, Leicestershire, and Thailand and CKD facilities in Brazil and India. Sales were up by 4.5% to 56,253 units, with export sales accounting for 85.3% of the total. Overall turnover rose from £351.3m to £407.6m.
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February 2017
We’ll miss you, Ken Moving farewell to Old Bike Mart founder Ken Hallworth
Image: Mortons Archive www.mortonsarchive.com
to save and turn around the club, and Ivan gave a wonderful tribute at the crematorium service. In 1985, having departed the VMCC, Ken and Irene launched Old Bike Mart, essentially a few sheets of newsprint distributed at events up and down the country, and it flew – quickly becoming the essential ‘autojumble in your armchair’’ publication that it remains today. In 1992, Ken and his friend David Earnshaw launched Old Bike, a quarterly publication for pre-1950 motorcycle enthusiasts, and the title ran for 32 issues. After Old Bike ceased publication, Ken continued to write his ‘From Our Archive’ feature for The Classic MotorCycle. The words of OBM reader Kevin O’Brien, who along with his wife helped with the publication in various ways during the late 1980s and early 90s, sums up exactly the kind of person Ken was: “We became very fond of both Ken and Irene,” he writes, “and found them among the nicest couples we ever encountered. They were honest, hard-working and thoroughly decent people, and we considered it a pleasure to know them as friends, let alone work closely To mark the occasion of OBM’s 300th issue in June 2010 we towards the deserved gathered together every editor this fine publication had had in its 25 success of OBM. year existence – all four of them – and took over the Raleigh stand “It would be unfair at the Classic MotorCycle Show in April. Front and centre, seated to pay tribute to Ken on a Raleigh, is founder Ken Hallworth, while behind, from the left, and his importance are Malc Wheeler, Tim Britton and Nigel Clark. Fitting tributes were paid to Ken Hallworth, Old Bike Mart’s founding editor and the Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s first full-time national secretary, at his funeral service at Macclesfield Crematorium on Thursday, January 12. Ken, who passed away at the age of 74 on Wednesday, December 21, was one of the warmest people you could wish to meet as well as a committed and knowledgeable vintage motorcycle enthusiast, and our hearts go out his wife Irene and family at this very sad time. After a career that had encompassed being a draughtsman, salesman and motorcycle restorer, Ken took up the challenge of becoming the VMCC’s first national secretary with a passion, arriving at a club in turmoil and setting about schemes to save the organisation, including the never popular, but very necessary step of raising the membership fee significantly. To bring in more money, he introduced the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Raffle, the first machine being a Big-Port AJS. In partnership with Ivan Rhodes, the club’s president at the time, he managed
This copy of the very first issue of Old Bike Mart was reproduced to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
in the old bike scene without giving due credit to Irene as well, for they came as a pair, and I’m sure that, without Irene at his side, Ken would have found it a lot more difficult to get the title up and running. “However with Ken’s knowledge of every aspect of the old bike world, it was a real success story and Ken became quite an authority on the history of our hobby and lifestyle. I considered him to be up there with the best of them as a writer and historian. “The world is a sadder place without Ken, and our sympathies go out to Irene and her family.” • Editor’s note: In memory of Ken, donations were given to the British Heart Foundation after the funeral service, and I urge OBM readers to do the same. They can be sent c/o G Wathall & Son Ltd, 101-111 Macklin Street, Derby DE1 1LG (01332 345268).
Restored Marsh MR4 racer on display at National Motorcycle Museum After being beautifully restored by the National Motorcycle Museum’s Colin Wall, the amazing four-cylinder Marsh MR4 racing motorcycle built by the legendary Fred Marsh is now on display in the museum’s Hall 2. Fred, who was a fitter and turner at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Southampton, set about creating his own four-cylinder machine after witnessing the rise to dominance of Gilera and MV Agusta fours in the late 1940s and early 50s, and seeing no real response from the British motorcycle industry. Although he started the design work in 1953, it wasn’t until 1962 that it reached running condition, and with the exception of Triumph Terrier cylinder heads, chosen partly because of their 75-degree valve angle that permitted the use of MV-type cams, all other parts were designed and made by Fred, including the wooden patterns for all the major castings. He often machined parts on his lathe at Harland & Wolff during meal breaks, but most of the work was carried out on his own home-constructed lathe that could be adapted for such tasks as line-boring the crankcase main bearing housings and end-facing the castings. Because a racing Norton gearbox was chosen, primary drive was by chain rather than the gears favoured by Italian manufacturers, and rather than make his own frame, Fred used one from a Douglas Dragonfly because of its similarities to that of the Gilera, and fitted it with Roadholder forks. A Norton clutch was also used. When The Motor Cycle’s David Dixon tested the Marsh four in 1963, the engine
Looking and sounding its best again after a thorough NMM restoration by Colin Wall, the Marsh MR4 racing motorcycle, built by Fred Marsh to take on the Italians, is now on display in the museum’s Hall 2.
would rev to only 7,200rpm, but this had been upped to 9000rpm by the time Robin Miller, of Motor Cycle News, did the same in 1966. The machine was given race outings by various riders including Tony Godfrey and George Collis, sadly without achieving any significant results. Later in its life it was used on the road and displayed by Fred Marsh on the Isle of Man during TT week, where Derek Minter tried it for size. After Fred died in 1978, the four remained in storage until it was bought by the museum in a 2008 auction. The machine is notable for not being a copy of anything, but rather an original one-off produced by a British engineering genius, and as such represents a unique
machine possessing an exclusivity that no mere replica can boast. After completing his restoration, Colin Wall said: “It took Fred Marsh seven years to complete the bike, and it’s not hard to see why. He made one mistake on the crankshaft, and that set him back six months. “You can imagine how much pressure I felt to finish this and get it right. It’s been on the bench for about six years.” Colin, who had to figure out all the technical stuff himself, and started up the bike just a few weeks ago, said: “It’s been a beautiful bike to work on, and it looks as nice as any MV or Gilera. The quality of the finish is amazing – it doesn’t look DIY at all.”
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February 2017
Galloway Flat Tank & Girder Fork Weekend returns After a break in 2016, the Galloway Flat Tank & Girder Fork Weekend event for prewar machines will return by popular demand on May 5-7. Promoted jointly by Vintage Motor Cycle Club and Marston Sunbeam Club members, the emphasis will be very much on earlier machines, and there will be a reduced entry fee for pre-1931 machines. Based at Castle Douglas, in southwest Scotland, the previous events in 2013 and 2015 attracted sizeable entries of flat-tankers, including several veterans, as well as a good
selection of late 1920s and 30s models. The venue is just 50 miles northwest of Carlisle and the M6 and convenient for Irish ferries, so the organisers expect once again to attract participants from all over the UK and maybe beyond. The lush landscape offers superb motorcycling roads, empty of other traffic, in picturesque surroundings, and the routes on all three organised runs are suitable for all classes of eligible machines. The runs will also be backed by a recovery vehicle. The attractive market town of
Castle Douglas offers various types of accommodation, and the event will again be based at the Lochside Caravan and Camping Park, close to the town centre and all amenities. There will be a strong, locallybased social element for those who want it, including an evening in the Sulwath Real Ale Brewery tap room, which has been popular in previous years. Entry forms and further details are available from Geoff Brazendale, either by the preferred method of email on dhmoff@ btinternet.com or by calling 01228 549445.
Another great season of activities for NMM Friends is about to begin It costs just £29.95 for an adult to become a Friend of the National Motorcycle Museum, with reduced rates for senior citizens, juniors and families, yet the benefits to be accrued are enormous. For instance, the free-of-charge Friends’ Museum Workshop Training Day in the Manxman suite on Saturday, February 25, will feature various sessions presented by associates and partners of the museum, including frame building by fabrication guru Ken Sprayson, tricks of the trade by the museum’s own restoration team and ‘Rick’s Fixes’ with Rick Partington. For a nominal fee of £10, Friends will also have the unique opportunity to ride various machines from the museum’s huge collection during the first of this year’s ‘Try a Classic Bike’ weekend on April 1/2. In a closed-road environment within the museum’s grounds, they’ll be able to do a number of ‘laps’ on a selection of lever throttle/hand change machines (training provided) as well as later motorcycles from the 1940s to the 1960s, including Brough and Vincent, and there will be a choice of morning or afternoon sessions. Saturday, March 25 will be the first of three Classic Bike Tours dates on which members of the Friends scheme will be able to ride some of the most exciting and valuable classic motorcycles from the museum’s inventory.
Become a Friend of the National Motorcycle Museum and you could be riding mouth-watering machines like these.
Those taking part will receive an induction and ‘off-road’ training before being escorted by advanced motorcycle instructors around the Warwickshire countryside. Bikes on offer range from a 250cc BSA C15 to a Brough Superior SS100, with each class of machine attracting a different ‘hire’ fee that includes insurance costs and lunch in the museum’s restaurant. To become a Friend of the NMM (adults 18-65 £29.95, senior citizens £27.45, juniors £19.95 and families of two adults and two children £49.95, call the National Motorcycle Museum on 01675 444123, visit www.thenmm.co.uk or email shop@thenmm. co.uk . Videos of the above events can also be viewed at www.thenmm.co.uk
More Triumph goodies from Clive Scarfe Systems High-quality stainless steel grab rails to fit Triumph T160, T150 and T150 US motorcycles are now available from Clive Scarfe Systems. Produced to the original design, these strong, rust-free components have 2mm thick indicator-holding webs for additional strength. Other new products are a Triumph T150 stainless steel alternator cover (part no 70-8757) and a Triumph T150 and T160 cush drive repair kit. For information on all these items, visit clivescarfesystems.co.uk – email CliveScarfe@ hotmail.com or call 01502 583915 or 07443 611731.
Thicker indicator-holding webs are a feature of these highly-polished stainless steel grab rails for Triumph T160, T150 and T150 US machines from Clive Scarfe Systems.
A stylish finishing touch for T150 Triumphs is this stainless steel alternator cover.
February 2017
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6 NEWS
February 2017
Discount ferry fares for Southern 100 marshals The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and Southern 100 Club have launched a new travel discount scheme in the hope of attracting more marshals to the ‘friendly races’ that take place on the 4.25-mile Billown circuit near Castletown from July 10-13. Details of the scheme and booking forms have been sent out to everyone eligible, and online registration for those intending to marshal this year has opened at www.southern100.com .
Lincolnshire Show appeals for classic bike entries
The discount scheme, quite separate from the one for marshals who volunteer for the Isle of Man’s Mountain circuit during TT Fortnight and the Festival of Motorcycling, will be reviewed after this year’s Isle of Man Steam Packet International Southern 100 races in the hope that it can be repeated in the future. Racing in the Isle of Man Steam Packet International Southern 100 is usually fast and furious on the tight and narrow 4.25-mile Billown circuit.
Why not join Lampy’s 2017 Charity Challenge? Graham Lampkin, who last year rode 2000 miles across the Picos de Europa and Pyrenees in northern Spain, along with colleague Chris Nutter, to raise funds for Cancer Research, has emailed Old Bike Mart about his plans for Lampy’s Charity Challenge 2017. In recent years, Graham has
combined his hobby of bikes with raising money for charity. “I’ve had a lot of fun and satisfaction, and would like to encourage others to do the same,” he writes. “I have a theory that whatever and however we ride, having a destination and a purpose will encourage us to get our bikes out
April bike show at Conygre Hall Although miserable weather and a low number of sellers at Two-Wheel Autojumble at Conygre Hall, Timsbury, between Bath and Radstock, Somerset, on Sunday, January 15 was disappointing, the response by bargain-hunters increased during the day, and with bacon rolls and cups of tea available, the day at least made for a good social gathering. All profit from these events goes to an air ambulance charity, so hopefully the next
ones on February 19 and March 19 (all take place on the third Sunday of the month) will fare better. Special guest at April’s special Vintage, Classic & Modern Bike Show and Jumble at the same venue will be former sprinter Henry Body, who’ll be judging the exhibits. Now in his eighties, Henry often outperformed many later models on his Douglas. For more information about these events, contact James Burnard on 07727 025877.
and make us feel much happier, so I’m challenging everyone to take part and hopefully motivate some memorable trips.” The idea is that he and a few mates select a destination somewhere in Britain, and entrants then get there by whatever route they choose, either by themselves or with mates,
whenever they decide, in 2017. Points will be scored for various features of each trip, such as mileage, age of bike, amount raised for Cancer Research UK and others. If you’re interested, Graham can be emailed at glampkin@ btinternet.com or by calling 01282 862749 evenings.
Another challenging Beamish Trophy Trial Organised by the South Durham Section of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, and open to VMCC members only, the 45th Beamish Trophy Trial for motorcycles and tricycles manufactured before January 1, 1980 will take place on Sunday, September 17, starting and finishing at the New Board Inn, Hill Top, Esh, County Durham DH7 9RL. The route, based on that of the Travers Trophy Trial of the 1920s and a South Shields MC trial of about 1925, consists of 100 miles of Northern Dales, with a number of
testing hills, some of them untarred. Entrants’ knowledge of the Highway Code and motoring history will be tested along the route, and while detailed route cards will be issued at the start, and some parts of the route will be marked out, the onus on finding the correct route will rest entirely with the rider or driver. To come close to the original trials, observed sections will be marked on the off-road test hills, with entrants attempting unbroken climbs on road-legal tyres with gaps between the tread blocks not exceeding 6mm.
Alan Caine, the volunteer organiser of the pre-1990 classic motorcycle display at the Lincolnshire Show, taking place at the showground on Wednesday and Thursday June 21/22, is appealing for entries. Each exhibitor will receive two free entrance tickets per day, worth £23 each, and just as in 2016, the display will be located close to Gate 5. The bikes, which must be roadworthy, taxed, tested and insured, need to be on site by 8am, and unless the police inform otherwise, will not be able to leave until after 6pm. A potted history of each machine would also be desirable. A 20ft x 10ft marquee for seating and a rest area will be erected by the display, and there will be a covered trailer for helmets and riding gear. Alan needs initial expressions of interest by March 1 – he can be contacted on 01472 851674, 07778 019611 or at alncn100@gmail. com .
30th Bath Classic Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this year’s two-day Bath Classic trials/ scrambles meeting will take place at Yatton Keynell, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, on April 22/23. John Payton (01761 431506) has all the details.
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February 2017
To advertise call Tania on 01507 529465 or Alan 01507 529467
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February 2017
Continental treats for veteran and vintage fans The Veteraan Motoren Club of The Netherlands concentrates on veteran and vintage events with a cut-off date of 1940, and its members are kindred spirits to those of our own Sunbeam Club, writes David Davies. This makes a trip to Holland well worth considering, for the roads and food are excellent, and the Dutch speak better English than we do. The downside is that they are almost unbeatable in time trials! This year’s events include a run for pre-1915 machines at Gees, not far from Hoogeveen, on April 22, and the following day the Dutch equivalent of our Pioneer Run, the Horsepower Run, will take place at Veenhuizen, not far from Assen, which is open to motorcycles built up to and including 1920. Other parts of the near continent also have some veteran and vintage treats in store, including: The following weekend there will be an event for pre-1915 machines
in Osthofen, Germany, on April 29/30 as well as a one-day event in the Dutch town of Enter, not far from Almelo. There will be a Vintage Revival at the historic Montlhery circuit just outside Paris over the weekend of May 5-7, and the 38th Ibbenburen Rally in Germany is planned for June 2-5. This popular event attracts some early and unusual machines such as Megolas and Hillebrand and Wolfmullers, as they can be ridden and demonstrated on the town’s trotting track. One of the first signs of spring is the receipt of regulations for ‘Rund um Bad Minstereifel’ for motorcycles made before 1940, which takes place from June 2225, for which full information is available from Josef Werhahn at www.motorclub.de . The Dutch also remind us that ‘The Ring of Kerry’ event will take place in Killarney, in the Irish Republic, from July 8-15.
Winning ticket for a 1961 Venom Mr Bill Russell has become the lucky winner of the magnificent 1961 500cc Velocette Venom star prize in the Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s June to December 2016 raffle. Other winners were: Mr Clipperton (Davida Classic helmet); Mr J Middleton (year’s subscriptions to Old Bike Mart and The Classic MotorCycle); Mr Phil Hodges (year’s subscription to Classic Racer) and Mr Cunningham (year’s subscription to Bonham’s motorcycle auction catalogues). Big, black and beautiful – the 1961 Velocette Venom won by Mr Bill Russell.
Three events in The Netherlands which can be combined easily, and are showcases for the residents’ awesome skills in regularity, are the 52nd Hengelo International on August 26/27 (note that this is the ‘Little Hengelo’ not far from Zutphen, and not the ‘Big Hengelo in the East); the 44th Gorredijk Run on Saturday, September 2 and the ‘Nuttert van der Heide’ that’s run the next day in Noordewolde. Both of these events are staged in the province of Friesland, and are not far from Hengelo. For those who like to plan really well ahead, the Trondheim Rit will take place once more from June 8-11, 2019. For more information, contact Secretariaat Veteraan Motoren Club, Ureterpvallaat 4 9202 DC DRACHTEN, The Netherlands (info@vmcmotor.com). One more event that’s always proved popular with UK enthusiasts is the three-day ‘Balade des
Some of the veteran and vintage machines that regularly take part in Dutch events, like this amazing wooden-bodied three-wheeler, are quite outstanding. The photo was taken by Bill Phelps in 2008. Vieux Clous’ in the north of Pas de Calais over the weekend of May 19-21, for which information is available at contact@ confreriedesvieuxclous.fr .
The FIVA World Rally for Motor Cycles takes place in Provence, France, from May 24-26. www.fivaworld-motorcycle-rally-2017.org or fivawrm2017@ffve.org
Unrestored and unashamed – Classic Jeff Smith’s 1955 SSDT winner Transport Now in the hands of OBM Picnic reader Brian Bird, the BSA Gold Star on which the legendary Jeff Smith won the 1955 Scottish Six Days’ Trial was due to go on display at the Bath & West Showground on February 4-5. The bike started life as a rigid in 1954 before being converted to swinging arm by the BSA works team for the 1955 season, and won many trials piloted by Jeff, Peter (Jock) Wilson and Harry Rainer to name but three. “As you can see from the picture, the bike is unrestored, which is how it will stay while I own it,” says Brian.
Astride his 1955 SSDT-winning Goldie, Jeff Smith was pictured with Brian Bird in 2015.
Organised by the Letchworth Garden City Classic & Vintage Car Club, this year’s Classic Transport Picnic will take place at Fairclough Hall Farm, Halls Green, Weston, Herts SG4 7DP on Saturday June 3. As well as several car classes, there will be classic motorcycles and vintage bicycles. Gates open at 11am, and the event closes at 5pm. Admission fees are £5 per vehicle at the gate, and £2 for pedestrians, bikes and scooters. More information is available at www.lgccvcc.co.uk, by emailing picnic@lgccvcc.co.uk or by calling 01462 674347.
February 2017
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10 NEWS
February 2017
NMM rings the changes in all five display halls During the latter part of 2016, the five display halls of the National Motorcycle Museum were completely changed to improve the visitor experience and interpretation of the collection. The museum houses the biggest collection of British motorcycles in the world, with more than 1000 machines from 170 different manufacturers spanning three centuries. Around 850 of these machines are on display at any one time, and now that the mammoth move-around has been completed, visitors both old and new are invited to take a look at this amazing inventory. The museum foyer contains a large number of motorcycles, including the museum’s collection of sidecar outfits, Velocette road machines and temporary displays including a Wallace & Gromit sidecar. The Hall 1 exhibition, entitled ‘60 Glorious Years’, was the idea of museum founder Mr William (Roy) Richards and showcases, in year order, the six wonderful decades of motorcycle manufacturing in Britain from 1898 to 1960. Exhibits vary from the earliest veterans to the powerful 650cc twins of the Rocker era, and the hall also contains three special displays – the NMM’s tribute to Geoff Duke, Vincent road machines and Sunbeam road machines. Hall 2 now displays, in alphabetical order, road machines beginning with A, B and C, but excluding BSA, and has special displays about Brough Superior, military machines (including a ‘Troop Aid’ feature), ‘Photo Studio’ (showcasing a very special or temporary loan machine), 22 prototypes and working bikes. The museum’s huge collection of BSA and Matchless machines is now displayed
This delightful Wallace & Gromit sidecar outfit is presently on display in the National Motorcycle Museum’s Foyer.
in year order in Hall 3, which covers motorcycles beginning with B (BSA) and D to N (but not Norton). In Hall 4, the museum’s large Norton, Royal Enfield and Triumph collection can be viewed, and Hall 5 is devoted to competition motorcycles from A to Z including road racing, off-road, sprint and dragster machines in year order. The hall also contains special displays of world record-breaking sprint bikes and dragsters and all the ex-works Norton rotaries, including the famous Steve Hislop 1992 Senior TT-winning ‘White Charger’. For more information, visit: www.thenmm.co.uk
BSAs and Matchlesses galore are among the gleaming ranks of machines now on display in Hall 3.
Norton fans will find everything waiting for them in Hall 4.
This stunning New Imperial V-twin can now be found in Hall 5.
Moto GP winner Crutchlow takes Torrens Trophy Cal Crutchlow was awarded the Royal Automobile Club’s coveted Torrens Trophy at the Pall Mall clubhouse on January 24, for becoming the first British rider to win a premier class World Championship Motorcycle Grand Prix in 35 years. “It’s taken a long time, and a lot of hard work,” said 31-year-old Cal. “It’s an honour to be recognised by such wellrespected industry figures, and I feel very privileged that the Royal Automobile Club considers me worthy of it.” The trophy has been awarded only nine times in its history, and only when the club feels that the achievements put forward justify it. Presenting the trophy, Torrens Trophy Nominations Committee chairman Barrie Baxter said: “Cal Crutchlow is one of the most fearless riders in MotoGP. Last season he became the first Brit to win a premier class race since Barry Sheene in 1981 when he triumphed in the Czech Grand Prix at Brno.” After starting his motorcycling career at 11, Cal Crutchlow made rapid progress,
winning the 1999 Junior Challenge. Two years later, he claimed the Aprilia RS125 Challenge crown, then graduated to the British Supersport Championship. After winning the title in 2006, he moved up to British Superbikes, first with Rizla Suzuki and then HM Plant Honda, taking two BSB victories. Cal burst onto the international stage in 2009, winning the World Supersport Championship with the factory Yamaha squad. He spent the following year in World Superbikes, taking three race wins, and in 2011 he graduated to MotoGP and earned Rookie of the Year honours. For the past two seasons he’s ridden a Honda for the LCR team, and last year followed that historic Czech success with a second victory at the Australian Grand Prix. The Torrens Trophy contenders, announced at last year’s Motorcycle Live exhibition, also included Jonathan Rea and Michael Dunlop. Rea rode another faultless season in World Superbikes and successfully defended his 2015 title, becoming the
first man since Carl Fogarty to score back-to-back championship victories in the class. Dunlop won another two Isle of Man TTs last June and raised the Mountain Circuit lap record to 133.962mph.
Cal Crutchlow, the first British road racer to win a premier class victory since Barry Sheene in 1981, receives the Torrens Trophy at the Royal Automobile Club’s Pall Mall clubhouse on January 24.