Old Bike Mart - September 2019 - Preview

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September 2019 £2.20 ISSUE

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This picture from the Motor Cycle, August 1959, shows Jimmy Guilfoyle’s BSA powering along the Tipperary Flying Mile in New South Wales, Australia, although whether this fully streamlined machine is a development of the Featherbed-framed Gold Star that he’d built – and which was probably the most successful Goldie campaigned Down Under – is unclear. Mortons Archive www.mortonsarchive.com

2 NEWS

September 2019

Editorial

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Editor Dave Manning OBMEditor@mortons.co.uk Designer Tracey Markham Production editors Pauline Hawkins, Sarah Spencer Picture desk Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield Group advertising manager Sue Keily Divisional advertising manager Billy Manning Trade Advertising Team Leader (Classic Division) Leon Currie lcurrie@mortons.co.uk | 01507 529465 Trade Advertising Ricky Nichols rnichols@mortons.co.uk | 01507 529467 For Private Enquiries please visit

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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 8.30am5pm and 24hr answerphone 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.

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N

ow that the summer holiday season has drawn to a close and the kids have gone back to school, and the morning commute returns to the dreary nose-to-tail traffic so typical of modern life in Blighty, it seems that the busiest time of the year – as far as classic motorcycles and the riding thereof – is just about over. As the evenings draw in, and the mornings have that misty mellow fruitfulness of which Keats was so fond, do we start to think of wrapping our steeds in dust sheets and blankets, and of stashing our riding gear away in cupboards or lofts? I damn well hope not!

After all, it’s still only just the start of September, and there’s the likelihood of a fair few clement days to come and, given that the recent years have resulted in something of an Indian Summer, then we can all look forward to having some decent riding days through not only this month, but a great deal of October too. And with October comes the year’s second helping of classic overdose with the Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Stafford Show, and the potential for a bit of pre-rebuild season retail therapy. Of course, an easy way of finding out exactly what it might be that you’d like to buy before you consign your bike to the winter’s hibernation/disassembly/repair is to get out on your classic and ride it, thus confirming any issues that the machine may have to add to the list of endless tasks to write on the workshop whiteboard for the winter. You have got a big whiteboard with tasks on, haven’t you? If so, then like mine, it must seem that there’s a little pixie that sneaks into the garage every Sunday night to add tasks on to the list that has been (marginally) shortened by the jobs that have been erased during a frantic – and far too short – weekend.

Although, rather than being insistent on finding any problems with your current classic bike, you may consider the autumn shows as the perfect time to peruse potential projects, maybe spending some time in the Stafford auction room (more on this next month) or scouring periodicals and websites for a bargain to snap up and tinker with over the long, dark winter.

(Remembering, of course, that any confusion over a bike’s origins, or of its registration status

can be addressed by our very own classic bike admin guru, Mike Worthington-Williams, and his Unearthed and Feedback columns, see pages 34 and 35).

But of course, even though the ‘riding season’ (a term which creates some friction with me and a number of other riders, given that so many riders believe that you should consider every day of the year as potentially suitable for riding in our relatively mild climate) is drawing to a close, each and every weekend will still have a show, autojumble, meet or race event of some kind, all competing for the attendance of avid motorcycle fans. So you’ll never be short of something to do, and somewhere to go, on your bike, thus excusing you from actually spending any time in purposeful spannering in the garage.

Although one thing has stuck me of late. It does seem as though modern society dictates that you have to have an exact idea of what you’re going to do with your weekend – and that in order to go out on your bike then you have to have a specific destination in mind. The success of so many transport cafes and bike-friendly roadside eateries and pubs (and probably classic bike and car shows as well) owe much to this phenomenon, but whatever happened to just going out for a ride? Just meandering aimlessly down back lanes, of turning left then right, ad infinitum, until you come to a dead end, or the coast. But then they’re pretty much the same thing I guess. Hmm, that’s maybe a metaphor for life right there…

So, rather than metaphorically meandering down life’s back lanes, maybe it’s time for me to actually focus on getting some things done? As there are 86,400 seconds given to every one of us, each and every day – and that’s autumn and winter days, as well as longer summer ones – it probably makes some sense to use as many of them as possible for some kind of genuine purpose. As the second hand sweeps around with each tick and tock of the clock, that’s time you can never get back. So it’s probably a good idea to use what time you have wisely. You’ll not be doing something constructive with every single second – we do, after all, have to eat, sleep, converse and defecate (not necessarily in that order) – but I

think the trick is to ensure that you do something of worth each and every day. Whether that be replacing a rusty fastener on your classic Brit, searching out the right kind of gearbox for your veteran sidevalve, or even just a couple of hours of practising your TIG welding or bronze brazing.

Or, for that matter, just taking your favourite old classic out for a brief ride around your local lanes. As long as it makes your life, and the life of the motorcycles that are around you, just a little bit better, then it makes that day worth living. Of course, you could just sit on your lardy backside and do nothing but moan, but that would be your loss.

For me, I’m taking a leaf out of my own book, as I’ve bought a self-help book to teach me how to combat procrastination, and I’m going to read it tomorrow…

Enjoy the issue,

September 2019

NEWS 3

October Stafford Show

Taking place over the weekend of October 19-20, this year’s Carole Nash Motorcycle Mechanics Show will have, as guest of honour, multi-world sidecar champion Steve Webster.

The show’s resident compere, ex-racer Steve Plater, will be interviewing Webster on stage over the weekend, focusing on the highs, and lows, of his illustrious career on three wheels – from the early days on

Elvington airfield near York to his first title with Tony Hewitt in 1987, with a further nine world titles following in the years up to his retirement from the sport in 2005.

Over those years, aside from the 10 world titles, he also collected 62 world championship wins, and an astounding 31 consecutive pole positions.

Of course, that is just one

of the many highlights of the October Stafford Show, and aside from the Bonhams auction, the various and varied club stands, and the expansive autojumble (both outside and in), there’ll also be the racing paddock and fire-up area, classic trials, and an array of bikes from the Allen Millyard stable. Over the years, Allen has built more than 30 bikes, including many multi-cylinder Kawasaki two-strokes, a V8 and a V12 Kawasaki four-stroke, several small capacity V-twin Hondas, and a replica Honda six-cylinder built using two Yamaha FZR250 engines.

He’ll be attending this October’s Stafford Show with his latest Honda SS100 V-twin, a four-cylinder Kawasaki S1A 350, his Velocette V-twin (his imagining of what a Velocette V-twin from the 1930s might have been like) and the Flying Millyard (built with two cylinders from a radial aeroplane engine).

Stratford’s sponsors The Stratford Autojumble, set for Sunday, September 15, is now sponsored by the world-famous Bonhams auctioneer’s specialist motoring department, Bonhams MPH. Based close to the Stratford autojumble venue (at the iconic horse race course in Stratford), Bonhams MPH operates from Bicester Heritage Centre, at the former Bicester RAF base.

The centre focuses on the businesses supporting the classic automotive and motorcycling market, so is an ideal position for Bonhams MPH, with its specialist classic motorcycle department also based in the same office.

Given the long-term relationship

between Bonhams and the Stafford classic shows, this has to be a fruitful connection for the Stratford ‘jumble.

With specialist and general traders for both classic motorcycles and cars at the show, you may find that important part you have been looking for, or something to add to your garage collection, and it’s the ideal place for traders and visitors alike to meet and haggle over parts and spares.

There will be food on offer too, so you can browse through the stalls for hours while getting a bite to eat.

Gates open at 9.30am.

To purchase tickets and for further information, visit the website www. stratfordautojumble.co.uk

Held at the Staffordshire County Showground on the A518 east of Stafford, the show opens at 9.30am on Saturday 19, through to 6pm, with Sunday having a slightly earlier closing time of 5pm.

More details, and pre-book tickets, can be found at www. staffordclassicbikeshows.com

Staffordshire classics Following the successful inaugural classic motorcycle show last year, Sunday, September 29 will see a repeating of the small and friendly show at Codsall Middle School, Codsall, Staffordshire. More than 50 classic motorcycles turned up last year and nearly £400 was raised for the school. Entry is free, refreshments will be available and there may be some awards! Please contact Tony on 07811 376770 or Mick on 01902 839038 for more details.

Raising Dust In The Desert Following the review of this title in the June issue of OBM M, we’ve been informed that the email address that we published for the author wa as incomplete, so those of you u wishing to order a copy of this fascinating tome should d use the email address smwarner@dsl.pipex.com

Saxilby success

Saxilby Bikers Club would like to thank everyone who turned out to support the annual fundraising event held at The Anglers in Saxilby on July 21 and who helped make it such a success.

The perfect weather attracted more than 300 bikers, and many locals on bikes and on foot, to join the club in helping to raise £1500 for Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance fund.

The best bike on the day competition was judged

by Derek Phillips, a well-known local racer in the 1950s and ’60s, who chose a 1979 Honda CBX 1000 owned by Tim Maguire from Bassingham. The main raffle prize, a ride out on a Harley-Davidson, was won by Mick Golding from Saxilby.

West Sussex Bulldog Run Held on Sunday, September 22, the Bulldog Run is a classic motorcycle charity event open to motorcycles of all ages, starting and finishing at Clymping Sports & Social Club, one mile west of Littlehampton on the A259 in West Sussex.

Pre-booked classic entries are £12 per rider and £5 for a passenger, with modern machines at £14 per rider and £5 per passenger, which includes a breakfast roll and hot drink.

On-the-day entries are £15 for a rider and, again, £5 for a pillion and food will be available at both the start and the finish.

You can download entry forms from www.sbmoc.vpweb.co.uk or from Richard Bennett on 01242 542928 (sae please if posted).

Please return the completed form to Richard Bennett, Hamilton, Eastergate, Chichester, PO20 3XD, together with the appropriate entry fee.

4 NEWS

September 2019

‘Jumbling on the Marsh Having been running for more than a quarter of a century, the Romney Marsh Classic Bikejumble returns to Hamstreet, near Ashford in Kent, again on Sunday, September 15, with a massive all-motorcycle autojumble and a ride-in bike show with spot cash prizes – £25 each for Best Classic (pre-1990) and Best Post-Classic!

Outdoors autojumble pitches are available from just £15, and trade stands aren’t much more, while there’s also space in the huge marquee too.

If you’re clearing out your workshop, a special rate is available for specific ‘clear-out’ pitches, although these must be booked in advance.

Free camping is available

Kingpin Norton adaptors Kingpin Components have been selling oil taps with a built in cut-out, to prevent starting the engine without the oil on, for a few months now. Following the success of these, and a number of enquiries about fitting them to Nortons, Kingpin have started manufacturing these oil tank fittings (pictured). Made entirely in stainless steel, they have a 1”x20TPI thread on one side to screw directly into a Norton oil tank and give a 1/4BSP thread to screw the oil tap on to. If you are running a magneto that didn’t originally have a facility for a cut-out, Kingpin Components

can supply these for most of the common magnetos as well. All of these parts, and many more, are available from the Kingpin Components website at www. kingpincomponents.co.uk

British Two Strokes run With sign-on from a sociable 10am, the British Two Stroke Autumn Leaves Run will take place on Saturday, September 28, starting from the club’s virtual home at Sausthorpe Village Hall, in Sausthorpe near Spilsby, Lincolnshire (the postcode is PE23 4JN). It is planned to provide a fish and chip lunch after the run at a small extra charge. Please phone for details – call Andy on 07940 447570 or Jay on 07502 222754.

‘Red Wheel’ plaque at The Ace Ace Cafe London has been revealed as the 115th location in the UK to receive a Red Wheel plaque. The plaque, which will be fixed to the front façade of the building, is being awarded in recognition of its legacy in the development of transport, its unique history, and of its being an icon which was a must-visit gathering place for young British motorcyclists in the 1950s and ‘60s, and which continues to inspire today.

The plaque, with text that reads “Built 1938 as part of a service area for the new North Circular Road.

In the 1950s and ‘60s, it became a magnet for young motorcyclists”, is to be unveiled at the Ace by the Mayor of Brent, together with Father Sergiy Diduk, chairman of the 59 Club, at a ceremony on the morning of Sunday, September 8,

as part of the cafe’s annual Ace Cafe Reunion that, at 10.30am, includes the “wave off” of the gathered motorcyclists as they depart on the annual ride-out to Brighton for the ‘Brighton Burn-up’ (see p10).

The Transport Trust, which runs the Red Wheel scheme, was founded in 1965 and is committed to promoting Britain’s proud transport heritage – nationally and through all modes of transport. It works in partnership with historians, industrial archaeologists and engineers to determine the most worthy candidates, and has previously unveiled Red Wheels at the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, Brooklands, and at the Camden Roundhouse (a rare turntable engine shed).

for stallholders on Saturday night, and don’t forget that the organisers also lay on their traditional free stallholders’ buffet from 6pm to 8pm on Saturday evening too!

Opening at 10am on the Sunday, the Romney Marsh Classic Bikejumble can be found at Marsh Road, Hamstreet, near Ashford, Kent TN26 2JD (A2070, six miles from J10 of the M20), which is not only close to the cross-channel links and easy to reach from the M20 motorway, but is just 15 minutes’ walk from Ham Street railway station!

Admission is £5 adults, £4 for 65s and over, kids under 16 are free and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome. Last admission is at 1.30pm, there’s free parking, and refreshments are available, previous events have featured a local hog roast, toasty sandwiches and real coffee in addition to chips and burgers.

For more details call 01797 344277 or visit the website at www. elk-promotions.co.uk

Finance for Warco

Those of you who’re a little more hands-on with your workshop experience, and who machine parts as well as maintain classic motorcycles, may be interested to hear that Warco, a supplier of lathes, mills and other workshop machinery ideal for the classic vehicle enthusiast, is now offering finance on its products, bringing the company within easier reach of those of us who don’t have reams of cash to spend in an instant!

The finance facility will soon be available online, and in the meantime Warco can quote verbally, or in writing. Also, for companies, Warco can offer attractive, tax-efficient leasing terms with an option to purchase for a peppercorn sum at the end of the term.

More details can be found at www.warco.co.uk or from 01428 682929 and sales@warco. co.uk

Mad Bob turns to Blacktop

In deepest Herefordshire, close to the Forest of Dean, the company previously known by the moniker of Mad Bobs has undergone something of a transformation, being reborn as Blacktop Restorations.

The new company can undertake all manner of machining work, including small batch CNC work, specialist TIG welding of all manner of materials (including titanium and copper!), bespoke panel work including fuel tanks, cast crankcase repairs, and fabrication of just about any component needed for a classic motorcycle.

Based near Ledbury in Herefordshire (close to the fantastically named Eggs Tump), the team at Blacktop are ready to take on your project, big or small.

For more details surf on over to the website www.blacktoprestorations.uk or call 01531 650888.

6 NEWS

September 2019

Leighton Motorcycle Hill Climb Motorcycle racers and spectators are revving up for a day of high-octane thrills against a unique classic country house backdrop. On Sunday, September 22, Leighton Hall, near Carnforth in Lancashire, will host its fifth annual thrilling speed hill climb competition.

The hill climb, organised by Ian Sherrard of Sherrard Classic Vehicle Events, has quickly established itself as one of the most popular and competitively contested events in the off-road motorcycle calendar, with tricky challenges for riders racing at speeds up to and in excess of 100 miles an hour.

The undulating uphill track, extended last year, includes a testing 50-60 degree bend just 50 metres from the start line, giving spectators a grandstand view of thrills and spills, with live commentary keeping everyone up to speed.

With no limits on speed or noise, the race is open to all solo motorcyclists and three-wheelers of any capacity, while a new class for 2019 covers junior riders aged between 13 and 16 years, a great opportunity to spot future talent.

With an open paddock, there’ll also be an ever-popular autojumble, trade

stands, static and club displays of modern and classic bikes, and plenty of on-site refreshments. New for this year, the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service will be focusing on staying safe on and off road, with enrolments for the emergency service’s life-saving Biker Down course.

Grounds open at 9am with practice warm-ups from 9.30 and racing starting at 1pm. Tickets remain at 2018 prices, just

£8.50 for adults, and £3.50 for under-15s (accompanied by an adult).

Admission includes free parking, plus access to Leighton’s gardens and grounds.

For entry forms, trade and autojumble, directions and more information, visit www.leightonhallmotorcyclehillclimb. co.uk or contact Ian Sherrard on info@ leightonhallmotorcyclehillclimb.co.uk, or on 07836 331324.

National Motorcycle Museum Live Following the massive success of Museum Live over the past five years, Saturday, October 26 will see the National Motorcycle Museum host its annual open day when all members of the public can enter the museum free of charge.

While there will be car parking charges (at a tenner per car), bike parking is free (of course!), and

in addition to entry to the entire museum of more than 1000 bikes being gratis, there are additional attractions laid on for just the one day. Aside from loads of trade stands, several of which are involved with the museum’s ‘Meet the Experts’ programme such as Central Wheels, there’ll also be autojumble stands, and the museum’s conference facilities will play host to stage shows at 11am and 2pm hosted by Steve Plater and featuring Charlie Williams, John ‘Moon Eyes’ Cooper and Henry Cole, while Henry will also be conducting an on-stage version of his Shed & Buried TV programme with Sam Lovegrove, which is now in association with

the TV channel, Quest, and will also incorporate surprise guest appearances revealing the secrets of their own sheds! Henry Cole, Charlie Williams and John Cooper will be holding special book signing sessions at the event when they will all be autographing their recently published books.

Paul Sample, the artist behind the Ogri cartoon strip, will have 24 of his original full-page cartoon strips which will form a special display at this year’s event. These large pen and ink originals have never before been on public view and are a preview of an exhibition planned for next year featuring more than 100 previously lost strips rediscovered in 2017.

As in previous years, there will also be the ‘start-up’ area in the museum’s courtyard, with numerous race bikes both from the museum and from Phil Morris Racing being started for the aural delight of visitors. Allen Millyard will also be starting a number of his creations, including the recently completed Velocette V-twin.

With live music, food (including the infamous breakfast barbecue) and the draw for the as-new, old stock raffled 1977 Triumph Trident T160 during the afternoon, this must be one day at the museum not to be missed!

You can enter to win this amazing prize with raffle tickets available to buy online from www.thenmm.

co.uk or by calling the museum on 01675 444123. For further Museum Live 2019 updates and timetable, see www.thenmm.co.uk

8 NEWS

September 2019

Copdock Motorcycle Show

Bikers from all over England, and some from mainland Europe, will again gather at Trinity Park, Ipswich on Sunday, October 6 for the 28th Copdock Motorcycle Show, regarded by many as the largest one-day motorcycle show of its kind in the UK! The Copdock Classic Motorcycle Club is made up of unpaid volunteers and is a non-profitmaking organisation. Club chairman David Baldry said: “We feel really proud to be staging our 28th show and we want our visitors to share in the committee’s hard work and dedication. Last year, with the sun shining, we had over 150 show bikes, 500 bikes entered on club stands, over 50 individual bike club stands and 200 trade stands.

This year, with just weeks to go, we are predicting we will exceed those numbers and, if the weather is kind,

we are confident we will break our attendance record as well!”

This year’s line-up includes: special guest Allen Millyard with a selection of his amazing creations; the Tigers Children’s Motorcycle Display Team (now in their 39th year, although clearly not with the same ‘kids’ riding…); multiple world trials champion Dougie Lampkin riding in the trials arena; Darlington’s Dave Coates Stunt Show; the custom bikes marquee; Ken Fox’s Wall of Death; motoball displays; a second arena with a classic bike cavalcade and pre’65 scrambler displays; Norwich Newstars Youth Grasstrack Club giving demonstrations of their machines and equipment; and CAMRider Motorcycle Training, the show’s main sponsor, will be providing tasters of motorcycling to novice riders in the tarmac arena.

Nailsea International

The 10th Nailsea International Bike Show will be at a new venue this year – the Ring O’Bells pub in the Somerset town. Although it is still young and relatively small compared to the main shows, it is growing bigger each year, raising more money for its chosen charity, Children’s Hospice South West – www.chsw. org.uk – which provides respite care and support for terminally ill children and their families.

This year’s Nailsea International Bike Show will be held on September 21 and 22 with a line-up of local bands playing live music, refreshments in the pub (plus cakes and ice creams sold to raise charity donations) and a diverse array of motorcycles.

While the show caters for all manner of motorcycles, old and new, there is a significant classic element. The Cecil Keel Award will go to the best classic British bike in the show.

The website is www.nailseabikers.org.uk and you can also find Nailsea Bikers on Facebook. Call 07900 170832 if you need any more information.

There’ll also be manufacturers’ stands with new bikes, the aforementioned trade stands, a large autojumble, loads of show bikes all under cover, live music, multiple food outlets and real ale from the awardwinning Dove Street Inn. More than 150 motorcycles will be exhibited at the show. In the new Trinity Exhibition Hall and the custom marquee there will be bikes built between 1915 and the present day. The Bike Park always proves to be an attraction, with thousands of bikes on display.

The cost of entry for an e-ticket, available from www. copdockmotorcycleshow.co.uk, is just £8.50 for adults with accompanied under-14s free.

Tickets bought on the day are £10.

Car parking, bike parking and a show programme are provided free of charge on show day.

The continuing success of the show has enabled the club to donate over £500,000 to charities and good causes to date. More than 30 different organisations have

benefited from the show’s success.

The main beneficiaries over the last few years have been SERV Suffolk and Cambridge, Suffolk Family Carers, Treehouse Appeal, EACH, SARS, Ipswich Hospital (various wards), CLIC, East Anglian Air Ambulance and MAGPAS.

RSPCA's motorbike show hits 15

Held at the Animal Centre in Clough Road, Hull (HU6 7PE) on Sunday, September 8, this year sees the 15th anniversary for the Hull RSPCA’s major fundraising show, with classic machinery of all forms congregating and lining up for judging.

There will be prizes for first, second and third in the British, European, Japanese, American and Custom bike classes, plus the Frank Palmer Memorial Trophy awarded to Best in Show. Thanks go to 5-Ways Motorcycle Centre of Walton Street, Hull, who have generously donated the trophy for the best classic Japanese bike.

Entry for those on bikes – costing just a packet/tin of dog, cat or rabbit food – is between 11am and noon,

while the general public can visit the show from noon at a charge of £1 per person – disabled access is available.

Money raised will be used to build new kennels for the dogs. There’ll be plenty of trade stands, with local motorcycling businesses, the Revitt Red Race Team who will just have returned from the Isle of Man, stalls with motorcycling memorabilia and clothing, a motorcyclists’ dedicated raffle, and more. All the food – burgers, cakes, quiches, sandwiches and scones – is home cooked, and there’s also afternoon tea in the Education Room, which is delightful!

Call 01482 341331, or visit www. rspca.org.uk/local/hull-and-east-ridingbranch for more details.

10 NEWS

September 2019

Hail to you, classics of Glamis This year’s Scottish Transport Extravaganza, held at Glamis Castle in Forfar on July 13 and 14, saw temperamental weather, as is usually the case in those parts, but the Sunday cleared up and allowed the 15,000 attendees to enjoy the sunshine, writes Francis Lee. From my point of view as a classic motorcycle enthusiast, it did not disappoint either. A wide range of motorcycles were in attendance, including a 1923 McKenzie Roadster, a French 1939 Terrot 98cc, and a pristine 1977 Honda CB400/4.

Altogether there were 105 public motorcycle entries, covering the veteran, vintage, post-vintage, classic and modern classic categories, from 1914 to 1980. There were also 22

entries from the organising club, the Strathmore Vintage Vehicle Club (the SVVC), while many of the public motorbikes were exhibited by members of the Central Scottish branch of the Vintage Motorcycle Club.

Some local motorcycle clubs were in attendance, including the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club, combining 24 bikes between two stands, and Scotia Wings displaying nine Hondas. Lochside Vehicle Services from Orchardbank, Forfar also displayed some bikes, including BSAs, Triumphs, Nortons, Hondas and Yamahas. There were even two ex-WD motorcycles being displayed in the military vehicle section. Another excellent year has been witnessed at Glamis

Ace Cafe Reunion – and 59 Club's 60th In addition to Ace Cafe London celebrating its annual Ace Cafe Reunion at the legendary cafe on London’s North Circular Road on September 6 and 7, and with the rideout to Madeira Drive in Brighton on September 8, this year the cafe is privileged to also be a part of the 59 Club’s 60th anniversary!

To celebrate the 1959-founded club’s diamond milestone, the annual Cafe Racer Ride Out departs the Ace at 10.30am on Saturday, September 7 as a Bypass Burn-up to attend a special one-hour celebratory service and blessing of the bikes.

This will start at noon and will be led by 59 Club chairman and motorcyclist Father Sergiy Diduk, at his church, All Saints, Hanworth.

All Saints was originally built and consecrated by the late Reverend William Shergold in 1957, prior to his then moving on to the Church of St Mary, Eton Mission at Hackney Wick, London and the 59 Club.

As a keen motorcyclist Father Bill, or Farv, as he was affectionately known, visited the Ace Cafe in 1962 to invite motorcyclists to attend a service and blessing of bikes at The Eton Mission, Hackney Wick. This was a great success and was widely reported on at the time.

From this, the 59 Motorcycle Club, a registered church charity and motorcycle club was born, and its now revered reputation established.

All are invited to attend this very special service and blessing of bikes.

The rideout will be leaving the Ace at 10.30am, the route being: A406, A40, A312 Hayes bypass to All Saints Church, Uxbridge Road, TW13 5EE. Overflow parking and facilities, with toilets, will be available at the Hanworth Air Park Leisure Centre opposite the church.

After the service and blessing, the Cafe Racer Ride Out then returns to the Ace for 2.30pm and the Best Ridden Cafe Racer competition judging, awards and rock 'n’ roll!

You can find out more information about the 59 Club, a registered church charity and motorcycle club led today by Father Sergiy Diduk, and its 60-year history, by visiting the website at www.the59club.co.uk or search Facebook for 59 Club.

Castle. I know how hard the SVVC works to put this event on and have been doing so for 45 years. I believe thanks are also in order to the Earl

of Strathmore for allowing the club to use the site. All enquiries on this event should be directed to the organising club at www.svvc.co.uk.

By Eckington, what a fun day!

Inspired by the memory of past outfit and solo riders Charlie Freeman and Billie Nelson, Eckington Motorcycle Day is all set for Saturday, September 21.

The town, at the edge of the Sheffield urban sprawl, is actually just within Derbyshire (the postcode is S21 4EH), and will see the town’s streets crammed with classic, vintage and veteran motorcycles.

Entry is free, with fun from 10am to 4pm in the town centre.

Any autojumble, stall holders or anyone who wants to display machines or memorabilia in shops, should contact keithriley777@ btinternet.com, telephone 01246 431459 or alternatively just turn up, park and enjoy!

Any donations on the day will be for Ashgate Hospice.

Send in your 2020 wall planner dates

As we’re shortly about to start the construction of the 2020 Old Bike Mart wall planner (the year for people with perfect vision, of course), if you are among those event organisers who would like to promote the date of your event on said wall planner just go to www.oldbikemart.co.uk/wallplanner or post basic details (typed copy only)

to: OBM wall planner 2020, for the attention of Heidi Lamb and Julie Wood, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR. You have a few weeks before the deadline of Monday, October 21, 2019, but please note that it is your responsibility to submit correct information, and we cannot be held responsible for incorrect entry!

It was 'The Best of Times'

The racing career of Charlie a e Williams a s Launched at the Carole Nash Classic Motorcycle Show at Stafford in April, this is Charlie Williams’’ personal biography (is there any other type?), covering his racing career that featured not only a significant number of very successful years at thee Isle of Man TT, but also racing in Grand Prix on th he continent against the big names of the time.

While some racer biographies are little more than a listing of race results, this is an enjoyable romp through one man’s racing career, wellwritten with humour and candour, with Charlie’s prose showing just why he was not only a popular character over on the Isle of Man, but why his shop in Chester had so many devoted patrons. Priced at just £9.99, the book iss available from charliewilliamstt.com Charlie will be signing copies of his book at the National Motorcycle Museum’s Live event on October 26.

12 NEWS

September 2019

Reunion fun at Big Bike Sunday

M

ore than 1200 motorcycling enthusiasts gathered in Skipton on June 30 to enjoy the show put on by The Girder Fork and Classic Motorcycle Club.

At least 100 classic and modern motorcycles were polished and prepared by their owners in an attempt to win the best in their class or even best in show. The oldest motorcycle was a Calthorpe made in 1914, 105 years old and still running. There were rare and indeed, unique machines, including a trike pulling a mini caravan shaped and painted like a can of Guinness, but big enough for two to sleep in! Prizewinning bikes included a Triton, a Gold Star, a

1957 Lambretta and a Honda SS50 – something for everyone!

There was also a reunion between Tony Jefferies, the TT racer from the ’60s and ’70s, and his first racing bike. Tony built the bike while working as an apprentice at the Triumph factory, with it being put together in his friend’s front room using parts ‘acquired’ from the research and development labs in the factory. Tony raced it for a couple of years before becoming a Triumph works rider. The bike was then sold and lay unused for many years. A club member has recently restored the bike to its former glory and rides, not races, it regularly.

Tony gave the crowds at the show

an amusing insight into how the bike came into being and his racing career. The awards were presented

by Tony and his brother Nick, also a motorcycle racer, with many TT successes between them.

The show raised more than £4000 which will be donated to the three club charities – Manorlands/Sue Ryder, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and White Knights/Blood Bikes.

14 A BIT ON THE SIDE

September 2019

Boxing clever The sidecar has become more of a leisure item in recent years although, as Mick Payne knows, there are still plenty of enthusiasts using them on a daily basis.

I

n the past, sidecar outfits were often considered a workhorse with the bike, frequently a side-valve single, hitched to a family-sized saloon or a utility box. The most famous of these were the patrol outfits of the AA – and, to a lesser extent, the RAC – although they were also used to deliver the daily milk, the post and carried many a tradesman’s tools.

The genre hasn’t died though and both F2 Motorcycles and Watsonian have begun offering a ‘Cargo’ option.

Sidecars are fitted to bikes for many reasons, although logic probably isn’t one, and family, dogs or just the need to carry more than a solo can manage are more likely.

Richard and Mopsa English

took a Meriden Triumph fitted with a Squire box sidecar around the world in the early ’80s. The box carried all their needs, plus spares for the occasionally unreliable bike. This was nothing new however, as in July 1927 Stanley Glanfield set off on an epic trip with his 3½ hp Rudge, the box sidecar filled with the petrol, oil, spares and food necessary for the 18,000-mile global trip. An Englishman Abroad can’t be expected to eat foreign food – better it tastes of oil and petrol!

Many years ago I tested a Squire cargo sidecar fitted to the right-hand side of a BMW K series. Several of these were built for escort duty in the former Soviet Union

by Watsonian Squire and

The Watsonian platform can be used to carry all manner of hardware, not just that pertaining to business.

it was one of the few times I’ve ridden an outfit with a chair on the ‘wrong side’. It took a lot of unlearning of the basic sidecar driving skills, I must admit! Although Squire sidecars are no longer in production, as I mentioned earlier, Watsonian have reinstated a Cargo option.

This is a versatile unit that can be configured in several ways, based on the chassis they build for the popular Meteor with its 16-inch wire wheel. It can be supplied with, as standard, a flat load space but can also mount a luggage box or even a sidecar body with optional extras to carry bicycles or even a motorcycle.

If you are interested, get in touch with Ben or Stuart on 01386 700907 to discuss

The naked Watsonian platform.

The waterproof lining in the F2 box.

LEFT: The Velorex chassis holds a work-friendly luggage hauler well.

your requirements; the basic Platform Sidecar Chassis starts at £1695.

The other alternative is F2’s Cargo model, a lockable plastic box clad with aluminium on all four sides and the base. This provides 200 litres of storage space inside with extra tie-downs for luggage to be carried on top, up to a maximum of 100kg – that’s plenty of cakes and lashings of ginger beer! It sits on the well-proven Velorex chassis and with progressive suspension, mudguard and lights and costs £1995, with a braked wheel an option for

an extra £75. Ring David on 01945 410165 between 2pm and 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

Another option is to go down the classic route, which is what Bill Moore did with his 1955 BSA M21; he restored and fitted a period box to a Watsonian chassis. “The box was done as a tribute to my great friend and guru, Jim Bates, who had a shop in Coventry. The signwriting was done by Alan Evans in return for a split cane trout fly rod!”

All very serendipitous as the rod was hand built by Bill’s father – nothing like a bit of bartering, is there?

The Watsonian can also carry a sizable box.

Bill Moore’s M21, complete with signwritten tribute to his pal.

The toolbox under the lid of Bill’s outfit reminds of the tyre pressures required, along with plug and contact clearances.

September 2019

15

16 MADE IN JAPAN

September 2019

It takes a brave, and strong, man to tame this violent powerplant.

At rest, the big TM doesn’t seem at all malevolent…

Suzuki TM400

Was Suzuki’s big TM the final frontier? Steve Cooper goes where no man has gone before to reveal the truth.

I

n late 1969 or early 1970 someone at Suzuki’s Hamamatsu HQ came up with the bright idea of creating a big-bore scrambler that could beat the likes of Yamaha and Kawasaki on the dirt. Moto-X was rapidly becoming a big-time sport Stateside and Suzuki wanted their slice of the action. It was agreed that the chosen machine would sport a single cylinder, two-stroke engine with a target horsepower somewhere north of 35bhp. Suzuki’s R&D teams, being rather skilled in the art of stinkwheels at this point, managed to deliver a ripsnorter of a motor that laid down an impressive 40 horses at 6500rpm.

The chassis was par-for the-course steel tubing but, with an eye on competition successes, the ferrous stuff was light gauge and of relatively small diameter. The resultant TM400 tipped the scales at just over 100 kilos ready to race.

The bike was unveiled with typical Hollywood glitz at Warner Brothers’ Studios by none other than Star Trek’s William Shatner and the then-obligatory leggy lovelies. The good captain, reading from Suzuki PR, assured all and sundry that the new bright orange and black machine was as close to the factory bikes as possible. With the engine and serpentine exhaust painted satin black, the TM400 was unquestionably drop-dead gorgeous. Allegedly drawing heavily upon competition success, the bike was said to embrace leading-edge technology that would allow amateur mudpluggers to emulate the factory riders – Roger DeCoster and Joel Robert. The big TM might not actually be a works RH but the insinuations were there with a big, 34mm, Mikuni carb, some 33ft-lb of torque at 6000rpm, Suzuki’s much-vaunted PEI (aka Pointless Electronic Ignition), 2.5-gallon fuel tank, factory-fitted high density/flexible

Undeniably good-looking from any angle, but flawed in ways that cosmetics cannot fix.

polyethylene mudguards and a Posi-Forcecum-CCI oil injection system. The launch bike was officially named as a TM400R but Suzuki America, as was their custom, also gave the bike a name… in this instance the new, top end dirt bike was called ‘The Cyclone’. Further PR strongly suggested that the orange and black missile was genuinely only intended for the upper echelons of weekend riders due to its latent potency.

Taking more than just the one leaf from the old British factories’ policy of only releasing new bikes to ‘friendly’ magazines, the importers applied the same modus operandi thereby insuring the Cyclone only received glowing plaudits. However, the reality of riding the Cyclone was somewhat at odds with James T Kirk’s sponsored view of things. Doubtless Suzuki’s engineers were ultimately looking to install the most potent engine in the lightest chassis but subtle nuances such as controllable power, predictable handling and rider safety had all somehow fallen by the wayside. Period reports from riders with no direct financial connection to Suzuki USA noted they were initially assailed by ‘the wall of sound’ that bore no relationship to that of the gifted music producer, Phil Spectre, who’d invented the concept. That massive coiled expansion chamber had little or no internal baffling, allowing an exhaust note like no other… and that was only at tickover! Given a decent handful of go-go juice, the Cyclone was hell-bent on deafening both its rider and anyone who was close by.

Typical of many Japanese machines of the period, the largest TM had both its horse power and torque all tucked up together near the top of the rev range. On tiddlers this really wasn’t an issue but on a big-bore dirt bike missile it was an entirely different story. Initial rider reaction was often along the lines of… “oh, this is good, powerful but controllable”… and just a second later it was an utterly dissimilar reaction that scared many and persuaded some that sky diving might be a safer recreational sport!

As the revs exceeded five grand the bike was getting into its stride and by six it was instantly throwing out maximum torque and then, in just 500 more rpm, the Cyclone was hitting maximum power! The throttle was not so much a device for controlling fuel and air as it was an on/off switch! Now factor in the obvious issues of bends, jumps, berms and the perpetually uneven track found on every Moto-X circuit and you can see why throttle control was so desperately unpredictable. One well-known and rather tidy desert racer commented: “This thing is dangerous! Here, somebody else can give it a try!”

That air-cooled, two-stroke single was capable of scaring any mortal man, just by the sound it made alone.

Bearing in mind we’re talking here about a period when all the Japanese factories were focusing on engine development and only paying lip service to chassis design and you can already see what’s coming next.

The frame ran a single downtube and this, allied to various misconceived geometries, gave a general handling feedback akin to a drunken camel on roller skates. Both frame and swinging arm would attempt to tie themselves in knots while the typical lacklustre suspension played Buckaroo, feeding various malign forces back into an already compromised frame. To make matters infinitely worse the bike’s handling was completely unpredictable, variously allowing the front end to wash out or let the whole bike sit bolt upright in a tight bend.

Despite all this, and a hell of a lot more, the Cyclone attracted a dedicated following if, for no other reason, because of that amazingly potent engine that needed to learn a few basic manners.

Fitting European-sourced shocks and forks helped a little but were not enough on their own; soon aftermarket frame kits were being offered to those who still wanted to brave the Cyclone’s wrath. Enterprising individuals also designed and manufactured heavier flywheels and/or magnetos but it was all little more than window dressing as the beast was born malevolent and refused to be properly tamed.

The more riders looked, the more they found wrong and at least one bright spark (sic) discovered what may very well have been at the heart of the bike's malicious, spiteful and vindictive nature. The ignition ran a first generation CDI unit that was self-supporting without any of the microprocessors or sensors we take for granted today. Helpfully the unit retarded the spark on start-up to get the motor running then advanced the timing at 4000rpm but not incrementally; it was either on retard or advance! And, most unhelpfully, the system would regularly fluctuate by 200–300rpm, randomly advancing the timing willynilly and making power delivery woefully unpredictable. By the mid-1970s the TM400 Cyclone was recognised across America as seriously bad news.

No one really wanted a new one and those that owned the much-modified old ones happily passed them on to the younger, keen and gullible who thought the vendors were just old men who’d lost their bottle.

Dealers were so desperate to shift existing stock ahead of the all new, totally different and hugely more predictable Suzuki RM400 they eventually ended up selling Cyclones for just $500 brand new. Even now the TM400 retains its evil reputation and with just reason. It really was so vindictive and spiteful that the trail bike it spawned is still, to this day, tarred with the same brush and we’ll be looking at that machine next time…

Planning workshop projects is, for many of us, a way of envisaging what the end result is going to be; it’s almost like the carrot on the end of an exceptionally large pole, yet still just visible. The yin to the carrot’s yang is generally the protracted period(s) of waiting for other people to do their bits to your parts.

When I had a real job – masquerading as an industrial chemist – my last job title was the vaguely shaped notion of being a project manager. Knowing from the off that this role entitled the incumbent to be lumbered with anything and everything no one else wanted to be bothered with was, perversely, damn good training for the arcane art of motorcycle restoration.

Rule Number One of any project, be it a new building or an old bike, is not to tell a living soul the real cost of the job.

Overestimate the final cost by a factor of at least two then add 25% more for contingencies. Quote this figure to your line manager or significant other if you have to but always, and without exception, at the end of the job tell them you came in under budget. As time goes on you can also lie spectacularly to yourself about the likely cost of the next project. Trust me here when I say that lying to yourself is a stunningly good skill to have!

Rule Number Two of bike restos is this – what the hell is missing? It’s far, far, better to find out now before you’ve broken the bike down into its component parts. Brackets, levers, air or battery boxes, seat bases etc., are all best offered up to ensure quality of fit to a complete machine. In most cases it pays not to do much at all until you have all the major components to hand.

Rule Number Three relates to lubricants and cameras. Hose everything that might even be just slightly seized with easing oil and take pictures while you’re doing it.

Photograph everything from every angle and especially cable runs, both control and electrical. You can never have too many records of the bike prior to disassembly.

Now store those pictures and create a viable back-up, just in case.

Rule Number Four – label, mark, identity, store. If you need this explaining further perhaps you need to temporarily lose halfa-dozen key components… this normally focuses the mind perfectly!

Rule Number Five states that your own timelines will generally be at odds with those of every third party supplying goods and services to your project. Paintwork and chrome plating always come with long lead times attached to them and big ticket values.

You can generally get a lot done while waiting for the pretty, shiny, stuff which generally goes on close to last anyway.

Rule Number Six is as immutable as it is self-evident…if it looks worn out it probably is, therefore replace it. This is where costs inevitably rise but unless you’re building a sterile museum piece then everything needs to be functional. If a bearing feels wrong it probably is, so why risk it etc.?

Rule Number Seven is inextricably linked to Murphy’s Law and should only be ignored in extreme circumstances. Always use the right tool for the job in hand even if it means delaying the work. It’s so easy to damage a freshly painted frame for the want of the right bit of kit. Using the correct gear makes a bad task easy and generally pain free. In particular, buy yourself a spring puller rather than struggle with pliers when putting on stand springs… this will dramatically reduce your outlay on sticking plasters!

And finally the Golden Rule, Number Eight – when it’s going wrong walk away, grab a brew, sleep on it and then go back with fresh eyes and clear head. Stress and pressure, ego and pride are the nemesis of any restoration.

Set yourself realistic goals, plan each job as it comes along and above all else enjoy what you’re doing. Remember, this is just a hobby!