Now, Ifullybelieve that between youall, OBM readersknowjust aboutanythingand cansolvealmost anyconundrum,soIamaskingfor your help on alittle matter that has puzzledmefor anumberofyears
Many yearsago,a friend of mine gave me four bound volumes of CarMechanics magazinefromthe 1960s.(CarMechanics is still going strong and is nowpublishedby Kelsey Mediawhichalsohappens to be the new owner of OldBike Mart.) As well as being– as it remains –athoroughlypractical and useful magazine,these tomes areafascinatingglimpseinto1960s motoring. Iquickly found that my favouritebit of each issuewas the LookingAhead column in whichall manner of things were predicted for the future, includingbothelectric and driverlesscarsand the fact that one daywemight be able to driveto France under the sea.
Butthe item that reallycaughtmy attention wasthe announcement, completewith the illustrationyou seehere, of anew BP petrol station, due to open in the summer of 1968 in Acocks Green, Birmingham.If you’re wonderingwhy Ishould be so interested in amerefuelstation,well, it wasbecause this one didn’t have anypetrol pumps.
In placeofconventional pumps, motorists would fllupfrom electricallyoperatedoverheads whichwould drop down from alarge overhead canopy, asystemalready
in place in Japan. Ihad visions of this beingafree-for-all as cars converged from all directionsand fought for hoses,but apparently there wasa system
Te ideawas that cars would stop in acoloured circlemarkedout on thegroundaccordingtothe grade of petrol required.Teforecourt attendant(remember those?) would then pressabuttononthe wall of the petrol station and the hosewould descendtoshoulder height. Te customer wasthen served,which wasthe jobofthe attendant. Te frst self-service petrol stations were already in operation, buttheywere the exception to the rule
On aside note, thereissome dispute over whereand when the frst self-service petrol station opened in GreatBritain. Te National MotorMuseumsays the frst operational self-service pump opened at SouthwarkBridge, London,inNovember1961, while the National TransportTrust claims it wasTurnbull’s FillingStation in Plymouth andthe automatedpumps were frst used by customersonApril 11, 1963.
However, it appearsthat BP felt motorists themselves couldn’t be trustedwith itsnewfangled overhead system and it wasprobably right. It wasclaimedthatthe main advantage of the system wasto speedupthe fowofcarsonto the forecourt andallowfor greater manoeuvrabilitywith no pumpsor
islands in the way. CarMechanics reported in November 1968 that the Acocks Greenstation wasnow in full operation but, here’sthe thing– after that (when,sadly, my back issues of CarMechanics runout), I’ve neverbeenable to fndout a single thingabout this ‘petrol station of the future’ Despitespeakingtolocals and even contactingmuseums in the area,I don’t knowwherethe petrol station wasorhow longitlasted before, presumably,either closing or revertingtothe traditionalpump. It’s somethingthathas niggledatme foryears,soifanyonecan provide moreinformation youwillhavemy undyinggratitude
While still on the subjectofBP, oneof OBM’s contributorsrecently stopped at aBPflling station in Bury St Edmunds.Beingonhis old Indian Chief,hesat on the bikebut,assoon as he reachedfor the pump hose, avoice squeaked over the tannoy that he hadtoput his motorcycle on its side stand. Anyone with any knowledgeof1940s Indians will know that theyhavetobeupright in order to actuallyget morethan
asmidgeon of fuel into the tanks. So he went in to explain this to the cashier who –and you’reprobably ahead of me here–simplyparroted the phrase: “It’scompany policy.” Luckilythe Indian hadenough juice to gethim to another station, whichalsohappenedtobeaBP, whereheflledup, without the Chief on the side stand and without the tannoyutteringapeep. So he went in and spoketothe chap behind the counterand askedwhether it wasindeed company policythat amotorcyclehad to be on its side stand in order forthe pump to be operated.And you knowwhatthe answerwas? Of course not.Asever, thereare jobsworths everywhere.
Romney MarshShowand Bikejumble
Just ahop,skipand ajumpfrom the M20, theRomneyMarsh Ride-InShowand Bikejumble will be held on Sunday,June 29,at the traditional site in Hamstreet, Kent Te ride-in show that is an established part of the eventis aimed at classic motorcyclists who enjoy usingtheir bikes,not just polishingthem,and attracts ridersfromacrossthe regionand beyond. Tere’s no extrachargeto enter, just ride in, paythe standard admission feeand park in the designated Ride-InShowarea.
Tere’s alsothe addedincentiveof £25 cash prizes for the Best Classic (pre-1980) andBestPost-Classic machine.
As ever,the show will attract awide rangeofages, makes and modelsfromacrossthe vintage,classic and post-classic scene. Last year’s winnersrefect the varietyonshowwhen Peter Denyer (pictured here receiving his prizefromshoworganiser JulieDiplock)tookBestClassic with his 1953 BSAC11 250cc, while LesCook’sHonda CB100N
ClassicMotorcycle Dayat CrichTramway Village
Tisyear’sClassic Motorcycle DayonSunday, July 6atCrich TramwayVillageinCrich, Derbyshire, will be the eighth eventfor the partnershipwith the Vincent HRD Owners Club and it’s already attracted bookingsofmorethan300 entries forclassic motorcycles
Tere arenumerous trophies for the best motorcycles and scooters,judgedbyexpert judges,includingBestOriginal, Best British,BestJapanese, Best Italian, Best International, Best Pre-warmotorcycles,and Best Scooter. Te Best in Show Trophy will, again, be voted for by thevisitingpublic and VincentHRD OwnersClub organiser JonLambley says : “Manyofthe classicmotorcycle owners consider this eventto be one of the best and most importantinthe year,and we
hopethat everyone will enjoy thisyear’sdisplay and vote for theirfavourite machine.”
As well as perusing an incredibly varied selection of machinery– andthere’s always some interestingand rare bikes that turn up –therewill be exhibitions,woodland walk and sculpturetrail, workshop viewing gallery andtramdepots, featuringthe best that the National TramwayMuseum hastoofer. But, as oureditor Blue will tell you,the best part of the dayisthe chance to ride on avintage tram.Rumours that Blue alwayssits at thefront and pretends to drivethe tram are unfounded.Probably. Forfurther information visit www.tramway.co.uk/ whatson/classic-motorcycleday or ring 01773 854321 or email: enquiry@tramway.co.uk
securedBestPost-Classic. Alongside theshowbikes will be plentyfor thebargain hunters, with awide varietyoftradersand autojumble stalls oferingparts, tools, literature, accessories and more.
Tose whowanttodeclutterthe garage have an ideal opportunity to shift surplus spares by booking aWorkshop Clear-Outstall forjust £15, whichincludes entryfor twopeople.
Te Free Bike Mart display-tosell area provides afreeway to sell
completebikes –machines canbe droppedoforridden in,withonly an entryticketrequired
Te showtakes place at Hamstreet, Kent TN26 2JD, and gates open to thepublic at 10am, with last admission at 1.30pm (the eventclosesat3.30pm). Entry remains at just £5 foradults,£4for seniors, and free foraccompanied under-16s,whileEarlybirdentry from 8am is £10. Fordetails,advance tickets and to enteryourbike, visit www.elkpromotions.co.uk
VincentSparesannounces newmanaging director
Te VOCSparesCoLtd is pleased to announcethat BenKingham has taken the role of managingdirector, succeedingBob Patchett whohas retired.
Benwill be well-known to those interested in classicbikeracing. He andhis VincentBlack Shadow have an enviable trackrecordatthe Goodwood Revival,and also in other classicraceseries.Beforejoining VincentSpares, Benran hisown business, BSKSpeedworks, providing performance partsfor BMWK Series race bikes,aswellasrebuilding other classics,includingVincents,for customersaround theworld.
Te VOCSparesCo, whichtrades as VincentSpares, wasestablished by theVincentHRD OwnersClub 50 yearsago.Itisa limited company, separate from theclubwhich holds
43% of the shareholding.Vincent Spares provides all the components necessary forpost-warVincents; in addition, club members’ bikes aresoldoncommission, andthe workshop in Desborough will undertakeprojects for customers rangingfroma completerebuild to a simple service
Malcolm McKenzie, chairman at VOCSparesCo, said: “Ben hasbeen workingwith us part-timefor the last year,soweknowhow efective he canbe, andhebringsanew level of energy to thewhole business. We wish himevery success.”
Ben racing at Goodwood –ona Vincent, of course.
BenKingham, new VOC Spares Co Ltd managing director,seen here after winning Rider of theMeeting at the Goodwood Revival in 2022.
More Motorcyclesatthe Manor
Nowinits thirdyear, Motorcycles at theManor goes from strength to strength.Tis year’s event, on Sunday,June 29, from 11am,will once againbeheld at West Ashby Manor(LN95PY)justnorth of Horncastle in oneofthe most picturesque settings of anyshow. Tisyearwillsee aspecial display of bikes from theJohn ChapmanRaceBikeCollection which will include twothreecylinder MV Agustas,afourcylinder MV andaHondaRC181 amongothers, as well as hostLarry Riches’own 1960 Ducati 250ccpoweredrace car. Amongthe VIP guests will be DerekChatterton, Jack Machin,ChippyMoore,Brian Maxstead and Martyn Bland, while there will be aplethoraofclub stands (clubs canapply fora free standatmotorcyclesatthemanor@ gmail.com). It’s hopedthat, following the appearance of a
by Derek Manders
rare localmarque,the Lincoln Elk (pictured here with alessrareand equallylesslocal BSA!) at the last event, theremay be twoofthese unusualmachines in attendance thisyear.
To make afull dayout of it,there area number of localride-ins to the show. Tese will allstartat 10am and leavefromthe Market
Nürburgringclosedtomotorcycles
If aridearoundthe famous Nürburgringwas on yourbucketlist, then you mayhavemissedthe boat.Tecircuit hasannouncedthat it is no longer open to motorcyclesonthe 21-kilometre Nordschleife.From2025, the only waytoridea motorcycle on theiconiccircuit is on asuper visedtraining session andthere areonlyfourofthose on ofer this year
Place, Sleaford; Washingborough CommunityCentre, Lincoln; Willingham Woods, Market Rasen; the roundaboutatLaceby; Caenby Corner CofeeShopand JJ’s cafe in Hagworthingham
CodsallClassic
Entryisbydonation with proceeds to localcharities,while OBM canthoroughlyrecommend the cake standrun by localladies andstockedwithdelicious and reasonably pricedbaked goods!
Motorcycle Show to raisefunds forschool
Te last Sunday in June sees the ever-popular Codsall ClassicMotorcycleShowheld at CodsallMiddleSchoolin–you’re aheadofus! –Codsall. Forthosethatdon’t know, that’s near Wolverhampton and wasoncethe home of Jim Leaofpop legends Slade.Te
showwillbeonSunday,June 29 from 11am to 4pm and will have refreshments, arafeand the usual awards,with allthe fundsraisedbeingdonated to the school forthe beneft of the pupils.For moredetails,contact Tony on 07811 376770 or email wynnejones.t68@mail.com
RIPJAMES MESSHAM
Oneofthe UK’s oldest velodromes, Messham’sWall of Death, hasbeenrockedby tragedy. JamesMessham died aboard thecruiseship MSC Virtuosa on May3after what is believed to have been an altercation on board. As we went to presstwo men hadbeenarrestedin connectionwiththe deathof the populargrandfather To James’son Jake,a fourthgeneration wall of deathrider, and to allhis family,weofer ourcondolences
Racing atthe Nürburgring in 1930.
Photo
10th Anniversary BigBikeSunday
Te Aire ValleyClassic Motorc ycle Club will be holdingits annual,highlysuccessful, motorcycleshowonSunday, June 29. It will be the 10th showheld at Skipton Auction Mart andoverthatdecade the eventhas raised about£40,000 forlocal charities and organisershopetoraise alot morethisyear.
Te showwillattract vintage, classic and modern machines,withtrophies forthe Best in Classand thetreasured Best in Show.Morethan100 show bikesshould be there, covering acentury of motorc ycle development. Terewill also be trade and food stands,owners’ club stands andthe usualtombola and rafe
Last year wasarecordyear, with morethan 1000visitors, raising£6000 which wassplit betweenManorlands Hospice, theYorkshire AirAmbulance andDementia UK charities –and organiserswanttotop that in 2025!
TheSkoda motorcycle that will neverbe
In 1899 Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement builtamotorcyclecalledthe Slavia whichthey promoted –aswas the wayofthe time –by ridingincompetitions,with VaclacLaurin ridinginraces across Europe.Ridinga Type B, their worksriderNarcis Podsedníček was successful in theParis-Berlin MotorCarriage Race of 1901 –hewas actuallythe frst motorcyclisttoarriveinBerlin but, despite evidence from police ofcersatthe fnish, the organisers selected four Frenchmen on De Dion-Boutontricycles as thewinners, leavingPodsedníček with onlya moral victory. Followingthis, thetwo Vaclavs changedthe name of thecompany from Slavia to Laurin & Klementand therestishistory
At this pointyou maybelooking alittle confused and thinking: “What history?”Well, the Vaclavs turned their attentiontobuilding cars in 1905 whichtheydid rather well, becomingthe largestcar manufacturer in what wasthen Austria-Hungary.In1925 they were acquired by another company andrebranded as SkodaAuto.
Nowa Skodadesigner hascreated aSkoda concertmotorcyclewhichis, apparently, inspired by the1899Laurin& KlementSlavia B; this is part of Skoda’s‘Icons GetAMakeover’ series whichseems agoodexcusetolet the company’s designershavea bit of fun.
“I wanted to do somethinguniqueand go back to thebrand’s roots,” said RomanBucaille, who studiedmechanicalengineeringbefore switchingtodesign. “I work on cars everyday, and since Ialsolovemotorcycles,creatingone wasreallya refreshingchange.”
At frst glance it doesn’t look like theold and new bikes have much in common at all. Bucaille optedfor asportycaferacer look for his creation with lowbarsand aseatthatfoats
abovethe rear wheel. He retainedthe original split-framedesignwhose frontsection is V-shaped referencingthe háček,the diacritical mark atop theCzech letter ŠinSkoda’s ofcial spellingofits name,and asquigglethat’s become agrille motif.Bucaille alsoftted a tool baginside the frame (somethingessential in the pioneeringdaysofmotorcycles when
maintenancemight be required en route) and fnisheditinthe same leather as the seat.And, unlikethe original SlaviaB,which hada240cc air-cooled, single-cylinderengine producing amighty1.7hpwith atop speedof25mph,the modern version would be electric andprobably morespeedy. We say‘probably’because we will neverknowasitissimplyaconcept.
French designer Roman Bucaille with an original Laurin & Klement Slavia Bmotorcycle from 1901.
Left: The Slavia B reimagined for the 21st century.Itis, of course, designed to be electric.
Right: Bucaille paid homage to the original machine with aleather belt drive and tool bag.
What would Narcis Podsedníček have made of the 2025 Slavia B?
Bike andBrew: thefirstride
Afew months ago Mick Payne introduced us alltothe Bi ke andBrew event. Now, with hisMARK (Motorbiker Acts of Random Kindness) passport in hand, he sets of on the first visit of theyear
Every timeI ride down King Street into Laugharne,passing Brown’sHotel with its renowned restaurant, I’mnaturally remindedofthe fctional villageof Llareggub, half expecting to seeone of itsbrilliantly crafted characters Laugharne was, famously,oncethe homeofDylan Tomas wherehe hadhis writingshedabove theTaf Estuaryand worked upon Under Milk Wood.Teshedisashort uphillwalk from the carparkbeside the medieval castle; it’s worththe stroll andisleft as if Tomashas just popped down to Brown’s, hischosen watering place
I’mheading fora slightly less posh eatery andit’smyfrstride of the2025 Bike andBrewevent
To work up an appetite I first visited the nearby Pendine Museum of Landspeed wherethe resurrected Babs, once buried under the sand for more than 40 years,is now housed
where, by visitingany of the featured cafes,you canget astamp in your passportfor thecostofa brew. A passportcosts £10 andthe eventruns from May1 to theend of October. MARK –MotorbikerActsofRandom Kindness– is acharity that gives help where larger ones mightnot, especially raisingfundsfor mental health.For furtherdetails see www. makeyourmark.charity or followit on Facebook Te ride continues winding outof town in the directionofPendine and betweenthe twotowns is thelovely StoneRange Cafe in the village of Brook. As I’ma bitearly andwanting to observethe two-minutesilence for VE Day, IcontinuetoPendine.Tis is home to ‘Babs’,the carthat JG Parry-
Tomasdrove on March3,1927, tryingtoregainthe land speedrecord takenfromhim just afew weeks earlieronthe same beach. Sadlyhe lost hislifeonthat fatefulday If youfollow my suggestion and visit the museum,bewarnedthat thetrafc calming humpsonthe accessroadare viciousand thosein thevillage aren’tmuchbetter. Don’t forget theurban speedlimit in much of Wales is 20mph.Nevertheless, it only takes amatterofminutes to getbacktothe StoneRange with its largecar park andplethoraofoutside seating. Familyrun in a500-year-old barn, they servegoodhome-made food and,inmyexperience, superb cofee sourcedfromlocal roasters Dietary optionsare cateredfor and
the cafe is dog-friendly insideand out.
My ride for this year’s eventis either my old Jawa 350 andVelorex or a2022 RoyalEnfeldMeteor350 Sunnydayswill probably mean the Enfeldsingle,a comfortable cruiser-type machinethathas been in my garage since July 2024 andwas bought as apresent to myself formy 72nd birthday. Te previous owner fttedafew accessories,none of which I’ve seen ft to be disappointed with ;the genuine TouringSeatisa
real comfortaid andcoupledwith some 15mm risers on the ’barsgive these old bonesaneasytime.Te onlydownside is that the seat is brown(albeit adarkbrown)– butI can’tsee that when I’msittingonit. As the year goes on Iwill trytovisit many moreBikeand Brew venues. Teyare scatteredall over Walesand the West Midlands of England so I should putplenty of milesunderthe bike’swheels.AsI mentioned, each cafe visited earns astamp andevery 15 stamps gives the rideranentry in adrawwith the opportunitytowin aKawasakiZ900, alongwith other prizes.Tat’s abonus,but the real prizeisthatridersare helpingothers livebetterlives.Passports maybe bought at participatingcafes or on the websiteoryou canemail info@ makeyourmark.charityfor details
Te Stone RangeCafe, Brook, Laugharne SA33 4NXisopenseven days aweek, 9am-4pm(10amon Sundays).
Tel: 07930 851975 or visit www. stonerangecafe.com
Pendine Sands, the scene of many motoring events over the years, including the current races for pre1949 hot rods held each summer by the VintageHot Rod Association.
Today’smode of transport was my Royal Enfield Meteor 350.
Agood coffee, acheesy bakery item, and the first stamp in my passport –what morecould Iwish for?
The Stone Range, my first cafevisit on my Bike and Brew quest.
Right: Advertising for the YR2 which would beget the
Below right: ‘Meet the EXCITERS! Turn yourself loose with one of these, and you can bet your bunny conquest will come your way.’ What on earth was theYamaha PR department smokingthe day it came up with that ad? Presumably thechap behind the bike is with his ‘bunny conquest’…
JapaneseStreet Scramblers: Yamaha YRseries
Steve Cooper looksathow Yamaha took its all-newYR1 and jumped aboardthe 1960s street scrambler trend.
In1967 the Iwatafactor y rolledout its most signifcant machine since the 250cc two-stroke YDS1 of 1959. Te all-new Yamaha YR1 350 two-stroke twin wasaground-up design that featured avertically split crankcase and aclutch mountedonthe primar y motion shaft.Both features hadbecome the normatthat pointfor ever yone except Yamaha whichhad stayed true to the old German Adler MD200/250 designofthe 1950s that it hadplagiarised Te new YR1 would also go on to laythe foundations of all Yamaha’s futuretwostroke twins,includingthe laterTRand subsequentTZ race machines.Journalists of the period lovedthe new motor and its chassis, but theydid quer ythe aesthetics Best described looking like the love child of Suzuki’s TA/TB twins and an early 1970s MZ,its stylingwas unequivocally‘diferent’.Tat said, this column imported one from SanDiego and thoroughlyenjoyed the experience over severalyears
Tere aresome suggestions that afew YR1Cswere produced,but evidence seems to be rather scant, to saythe least. However, 1968 sawthe releaseofarestyled YR2alongwith aYR2C street scrambler. Te cylinders hadacquired twoextra portsbased on racetrack experiencewhichadded some vigourtothe previous three-portmotor.TeYR1’s franklybizarre tank profle wasswapped outfor amuch moreelegant design,even if the YR1’ssidepanels were still beingusedand encroachingintothe lower rear areasofthe new tank.In placeofthe YR2’schrome tank panels the YR2Cs came with panels paintedin pearlescent white.
Te YR2C followed the general linesofthe olderYDS and YM street scramblers butwas done with signifcantly morethought and consideration. Just clearing the topofthe engine cases, thesilencerswereas tucked in as Yamaha could possiblymakethem–and theycertainlylookedthe part
even if theydid still push the rider ’s legs outa tad.
Other diferences from the YR2 were the obligatory braced’ bars and rubber concertinaforkgaiters in place of the road bike’ssteel shrouds.Curiously,there doesn’t appear to have been asumpguardoferedeven though the contemporar y AS1 and CS 125/200 street scramblerswerethus equipped.Oversight or deliberatelydodgingthe supposed dualpurposeofthe YR2C? Agoodquestion. Both the YR2 and YR2C were equipped with a powerful twin leadingshoe frontbrake whichreceived praiseduringroadtests forits powerful retardation and efectiveness, although applyingthat potent front brakeona damp or loose surface would have hadthe YR2C’s rider on their ear!
Despitethatstrange apparent anomaly, the YR2C sold well enough beforebeingreplaced thefollowing model year.
In 1969 Yamaha ofered the YR3C whichwas,toall intents and purposes,little more
than areworkedYR2C.Te candyred or candyblue paint options of the 1968 model hadbeenswapped outfor a vivid redormid-green. Te seat hadbeenredesigned without the chrome side trim and rana coverwith transverselines,presumably to addsome degree of grip on the rough…ifanyone felt braveenough!
Te otherkey diference wasthe tank whichnolonger hadthe bolt-on panels Information on the YR3C is scarce,but it wasdefnitely sold in Japanand America. Whether the YR3C wassold into 1970 asa run-out model is up for debate,but there were no more350cc street scramblersfromYamaha after that.With no Series 4 models due to superstition aboutthe Japanesecharacter for that number equating to death, the next350 was the roadgoing-onlyYR5, but therewas defnitelynoYR5C. Te Yamaha factor yhad, by then, clearlydelineated betweenroadand of-road bikes and the twolines would neverblur again.
Even when the classic bike scene is depressed thereare peopleout therebuying and selling in order to keep theirparticular project moving. If you want apetrol tank for aSuzuki GT380B, then that’s what you’ll be needing because nothing else will have the same unique low-level cap. And the same applies to many other model-specifc components –which often means they come with aprice ‘penalty’. Shouldyou be looking for the seat unit of the JDMonly Honda MBX250, then it will probably have to come from Japan with all the attendant costs, but what other options do you have?
Here in Blighty,people arestill trying to sellsimilar rareparts at somewhat salty prices, but whether they’regetting much success is up for debate. Whenyou have arare‘widget’ for abikethat only sold in small numbers then the market is pretty small. Quite possiblythe only time you’ll get top dollar is if said‘widget’ is the last signifcant item needed for along-term project.
Many of us will have been there–bike almost fnished, weather starting to improve, adesire to get out on the road, etc.
Occasionally paying over the odds for apart that willliterallycomplete arestoration can be morally (if not fnancially) justifed. When Iwas working on aYamaha CS5E that was otherwise done entirely from NewOld Stock, the ‘brand new stillinits wrapper’ oil tank that had been unearthed in aNew York Kawasaki dealer’sbasement was emphatically amust-have. DidI pay too much? ShouldIhave bided my time? WasIhasty? Well, the bike was complete so, in my mind at least, it was agood call and got the bike fnished.
Of course there’sanother option and one that used to be akeystone to the classicvehicle world decades ago: swapping. Beforepeople got avaricious and expected to be making fortunes from every single piece of car,bike, van, lorry ephemera or component, folkused to rock up and swap stuff. In the US of Athey still call their autojumbles 'swap meets' even if cash does now often change hands. Although exchanging parts for parts might seem alien these days you can still sometimes obtainwhat you want if money isn’t your primary or sole aim.
Suppose, for example, you have aNOS Honda CB360G5 tank you’d like to move on but you can’t get what you think it’sworth using online auctions. But you need, say,aseat ingood condition for your Suzuki X7 and someone has one. Do you both sell your parts for as much as you can and then add extra cash to the pot to buy what you need? Or do you simplyexchange parts with both of you walking away from the deal satisfed?Doesn’tthat sound like agood move?
Such scenarios wereonce common with old duffers like us when aFordCortina Mk2 wing wouldget exchanged for aVauxhallVX4/90 grille. The actual values weren’tasimportant as having access to the parts needed. Perhaps it has all got far too materialistic now with online auctions and the like getting fans to believe that every single item is mega valuable?
Whatisthe point of acting like ahigh-fying fnancier when, in reality,we’reall dealing with likeminded enthusiasts. Having recently exchanged two oversized piston kits for agenerator,I’m morethan happy with the deal, and so is the other chap. Getting the parts you need is so much more important than simply making money for many of us. Who really wants to be in ascenario where you know the cost of everything and the value of nothing? Surely helping each other out and sharing the joy is so much better?
This smart 1968 Yamaha YR2C was offered for sale on eBay last year
In achange from the stock livery,this 1969YR2C has been painted (by those finepurveyors of paint, Dream Machine) in Kenny Roberts colours. This lovely and original example –with just 400 miles on the clock –was sold by Cheltenham dealer,We Sell Classic Bikes.
YR2C.
The YR3C was offered in this green or in red.
Bristol ClassicMotorCycle Show
From restored classics to the world’s first electric Cotton, Brian Crichton findsalittle of everythingand moreat the Bath and West Showground.
Surpriseand delightfactors at the classic world’sseason-opening showinthe south includedthe Cotton Club in the swingwith surely the world’sfrstelectric Cotton, a debutstand by aSwindon trio with
modern Japanesetwo-strokeclassics, and a13-year-old beingmentoredfor MotoGP stardom.
Te showboasted more than 70 club stands,ranksofdazzling bikes causingheadache decisions for
Bournemouth Council dustcart driver Michaela Trunwittwith her well-polished and dusted1999Kawasaki ZRX400 Eddie Lawson replica, which she has owned for five years, on the Vintage Japanese Dorset Section stand. Husband Chris had a1983 Z1000R2 Lawson Rep which inspired her to go for the smaller model. Only five 400 examples arecurrently road registered, says Michaela. Dorset VJMC displayed 15 bikes, from a1971 Suzuki Rebel (owner Jon Old) to 2000 Kawasaki ZRX1000 C4 (Wayne Northover). Standmaster Ade Oliver,owner of six Hondas, had so many requests to display that he scratched his own entry.Hehas attended Bristol for the last eightyears, when VJMC Dorset first got involved.
Outdoor autojumblers ‘Gypsy John’ Newson (left) and ‘Quiet John’ Gowlett brought along abargain trailer of £1-£10 items that proved very popular.The carb display boardtempted two buyers. Gypsy John runs Oxney Classic Motorcycles in Kent. AVincent specialist,his fabulous black Norvin 1000 was onthe Vincent Owners Club stand, along with his sectioned Vincent500 Comet engine andgearbox. He spent 343 hours creating his WidelineRapide special.
concoursjudges, guests of honour TT aces Chas Mortimer and Alex George,a Dore &Reesclassic bike auction, and indoor and outdoor autojumbles Saturday’ssunnyweather puta
spring in ever yone’s step.Sunday’s lessclementweather didn’t deter the crowds,though the rain-lashedshow breakdownwasn’tsopleasant. Show organiserNickMowbray said: “Itwas areallygoodweekend
overall. We attracted acrowd of 14,000, very similartolastyear.”Te showunderlinedthe continued enthusiasm and supportfor the classic bikemovement. Roll on the rest of the year!
Lynch
reveals
the
the
reported overall turnover to be up 22% in comparison with last year.Top 10 sellers arelisted with this report. Dore& Rees will be back at the Bristol Showin2026.
Paul Kinnett, Paul Carter and MikeShipp from Swindon, Wiltshire, used three vans to get seven of their many two-strokestothe show for the debut of UK2 Bangers, aloose association of mainly 1970s-1980s
disciples. Faintly amused thattheir Yamaha FS1-E 50 drew moreattention thanperformancemodels including aSuzuki RG500, they arepictured with Mike Shipp’s 1981 Yamaha RD250LC which he hasownedmorethan20years.
YouTuber Steve Hill (his channel is Exeter Riders) took afancy to this stylish Ducati 750 Sport in the Dore& Rees auction.Though this particular lot didn’tsell, the auctionhouse’smotoring specialist, MikeWells,
stroker
Charles Cotton
his 1923 flat tank electric Cottonfor
first time. The original Blackburne engine hasbeen replaced by a
electric,
conversion inspired by Fred Spaven’sconversions for Royal Enfields. The 60v single-speeder withbatteries from aNissan Leaf car is good for50mph, says Charles, who plans track as well as road riding. The name is no merecoincidence, either. Charles’ grandfather’sbrother Frank Cotton founded his eponymous motorcycle company in 1918 in Gloucester.Just afew years later in 1926 Cotton riders took the topthree places in the250 IsleofMan TT
Roger ‘Benny’ Barrett and his 1972 Honda CB350-4 on the VJMC Dorset stand. The Honda wasanimpulse buy at an autojumble 14 years ago, when, said Benny,itwas “in aright state”. The forks had to be removed so that Benny could fit it in the boot of his car.“Ihad never seen one before,” said Benny,who gets partsfromDave Silver Spares in Suffolkand direct from dealers in Japan. Aretiredproperty maintenance worker,Benny started as an apprentice motor mechanic in Oxford.
Charterhouse Auctions’ motorcycle specialist George Beale (left), guest of honour Chas Mortimer(eight times TT winner) and 13-year-old road racer Thorley Trevorrow.Thorley,onrung twoof thefive stepstoMotoGPstatus,is being mentoredbyMortimer, winner of GPs in five classes. Beale,creator of 10 Honda-6 works replicas and other motorcycling miracles, is contemplating arace equipe this season. The Honda RC30 in shot was due for auction at Charterhouse’sMarchsale at the Haynes Motor Museum.
Bonhams’ seniorbikespecialist Bill To,pictured with a1925 Brough Superior SS100, one of the star attractions for the Spring Sale at the Stafford Classic MotorCycle Show.Head of department James Stensel and Hampshireand Dorset consultant Mike Jackson werealso manning the Bonhams stand. Last April at Stafford Bonhams grossed £3m and achieved 95% sell-through.
Right: Best in Show was this 1921 NUT 700 in the private entries display Owner Andy Pennell lovingly restored it from abasket case. NUT (Newcastle Upon Tyne) singles and twins weremade from 1912-1933 and werethe pride of the Geordies when Hugh Mason won the 1913 TT Junior race on a NUT V-twin.
Left: Former AJS-Matchless club chairman and president Roy Bellett (left) withPhil Beck of club cover specialists Peter James Insurance. The 125 AJS with the yellow tank on the AMOC club stand was araffle prize donated by AJS importer Nick Brown. The club also displayed arare1957 500 Matchless CS twin, high-pipe 1938 350 AJS M26 ohv,and 1959 AJS 7R racer.Selling raffle tickets and recruiting new AJS-Matchless club members wereTony Smith, Dave Chattley and Duncan Moss.
Left: Brian Clarke’s 1959 350 AJS 7R looking sensational on the AJS-Matchless OC stand. Brian, an endurance race fan and former race team helper,now wants to sell. The stand opposite was Charterhouse Auctions, so it was convenient to talk terms with Charterhouse staffMatthew Whitney, Abigail Bromell and George Beale to include the Ajay in the Charterhouse March sale at the Haynes Motor Museum.
■ Two-stroke John Nash award: 1972 Kawasaki S1 –Lee Millington
■ Military: 1942 James 125 –Mike Chedzoy
■ Scooter: 1957
■
■ Post-war: 1954 BMW R25/3 250 –Ralph Larner
■ Continental: 1975 Giulietta Levriero– Steve Shute
ANorton on the VJMC Dorset stand! Closer inspection reveals it’s aYamaha in disguise. This tribute to the racing Norton Rotary and rider Steve Spray is actually a1993 Yamaha YZR-750-4.It’s numbertwo of 15 examples (13 black, two white) built 14 years ago. Bodywork moulds were takenfromthe race Rotary in the National Motorcycle Museum. OwnerNeil Percival from Bristol has ridden it at Mallory,Donington and Cadwell and plans to include Anglesey circuit thisyear
Oneoftwo Hagon monocoque500 Honda singlecylinder racers for sale on the Stuart Newton Sporting Motorcycles indoor trade stand –£7500 each or £12,000 the pair.Rarelydoyou see a Hagon monocoque, let alone two. Talented all-round competition rider Alf Hagon also built monocoque MX outfits. Newton has been aregular trader at Mortons’ classic shows for 40 years and had eight bikes for sale.
Above: This dynamic 1968 350 Greeves Oulton 35RFS was the winner of the RoadRace concours category.Only 21 or 22 examples were madebythe Essex factory.It’sone of morethan60restored Greevesowned by Gary Bamfordwho runsBritish Bikes1970inMoreton Valence, Gloucestershire, supplying Greeves parts andrestoration services. (1970 is the year he was born.)
Right: Race bikes in the outdoor autojumble included this Drixton 450 Honda (£7500 ono) and 125 Honda CR93 replica (£2500). On aseparate stand, trader David Harvey of Portsmouthwas offering an ex-JimCurry Honda K4 350 twin at £6000ono.Seasoned racerCurry,who died last year,prepared this road-based model for the 2007 TT Centenary celebrations.Brighton Speed Trials rider Harvey,who had astand for the first time at the Bristol show,has paradedit.
Super club display by the Rudge Motorcycle Club using shopfrontage from the late
This delightful diorama won the £500 Club Stand second prize. The
anniversary,tookthe premier £750 award.
Greeves club chairman Gary Bamfordwith a1964 24RBS Silverstone 250 first owned by TheMan fromInterpolactor RichardWyler,star of the 1960s TV series. Wyler is believed to have raced this bike. He also toured Europe on aGreeves twin in the 1960s. Bamfordisprobably the world’sleading Greeves collector; his RBSSilverstone is the second produced.
The show attracted good crowds both days despiterain on Sunday with some 14,000 visitors in all. Attractions included race bike fire-ups, talks by TT winning guestsofhonour Chas Mortimer and Alex George, and the Dore&Rees auction.
Ransome withhis 1000cc
triple
of the show’s
Interest award. John and wife
built the
to the 1970s Mead &Tomkinson
enduranceracers. John workedfor Jack Difazio Motorcycles, Frome,Somerset, from 1967-1970, returning in 1975-1980, andagaininthe late 1980s. Jack Difazio is reckoned to have produced 50 hub-centre conversions. John Ransome displayed four Difazio models and says visitor interest was thebest he has ever received at aUK show
Tony East’s Isle of Man motorcycle museum.
Wells Classic Motorcycle Club,this year celebrating its 25th
John
Laverda
Difazio hub-centre steered endurance racer,winner
Technical
Marion
Laverdaasa tribute
Laverda
readers’ let ters
Please send al lletters to OldBikeMart,Media Centre ,Mor tonWay,Horncastle, LN96JR or emai l OBMe ditor@mortons.co.uk andpleaseinclude your loca lity
✪ Whi te Diamond Star Letter
The lasting influence of a small blackand whitephoto
Firstly,thanks for a great paperwhich I always lookforwardto reading every month.
Iwas really interested to see the image of the 1927 BSA VTwin from John Witcomb,photo 4inyour Feedback column, in OBM478.
The Bossington campsite is the same location of the photo you see here, taken in 1946 by my father, Frank, who was 26 at the time. The site was in afeld to the rear of cottages which fronted the small main street, visible in the background of both photos.
The bike is a1927 Velocette 350cc KSS ‘cammy’ ftted with, on this occasion,a Swallow sidecar that Frank used for camping trips. Originally comprising athreespeed gearbox and
hand change, the bike had the early positive stop foot change mechanism designed by Velocette’stechnical director Harold Willis. First used in 1928 the unit was available from the works as a bolt-on conversion, superseded by fourspeed gearboxes on later models which incorporated this revised mechanism internally Bossington was a popular camping trip on the Velo for Frank in the late 1930s, ideal for aweekend break from home in the Thames Valley.The 1946 visit was after demob from the Royal Engineers with an issue of 600 miles worth of petrol coupons, the bike having been stored in the family cellar during the war Frank had arelatively
busy time duringthe Second World War, with involvement in the North Africa campaign, Sicily invasion, Italy invasion then returning to England for D-Day and ending up with the British Army of Occupation near Hanover in North Germany.The Royal Engineers werevery much ‘frst in and last out’ during hostilities, preparing the way for advancing troops and armoured vehicles or covering their backs in aretreat. Often working high up on an exposed Bailey Bridge under fre, they just had to grit their teeth and ‘get on with the job’. Going through Frank’sold photos after his untimely death in 1976 prompted me to visit Porlock during that year’sheatwave on a1970 Honda CB250
when Iwas 17. From then on it became aregular weekend break from work in Maidenhead, as it had for Dad 40 years earlier.The campsite in Bossington had by now closed but the nearby Sparkhayes campsite in Porlock was ideal, being atwo-minute stroll to the village centreand having the rear entrance to the Royal Oak pub just across the road!
For the next 30 years Ivisited Porlock during most summers, on aVelocette MAC in 1977-78, and then regular trips from 1979 onwards on a Yamaha SR500. These
trips wereoften made with my good friend Les, who also had an SR500. These were also the machines for several European camping tours with Les during the 1980s, often covering over 3000 miles and six or seven
countries in three weeks. Visits in the new Millennium shifted to aroom at the Ship Inn in Porlock, as sharing asmall ridge tent in a feld was not really that high up on my wife’s wish list! Since 2015 we arenow fortunate to live
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The mystery of Miss Cottle’s gearbox
Iwas intrigued by the photo on page 47 (top right) in the very informative article on Miss Cottle, appearing in the March edition of OBM
Studying the photo, it seems that this is a BSA Blue Star,judging by the high-levelpipes and inset roundel in the timing cover,beneath the mag/dyno drive inspection cap. Further,the single seat tube and oval knee grips indicate a1933BSA
B33-3 Blue Star Junior. BSAonly madethe Blue Star Junior for 1933 and 1934, andthe 1934 model had twin seat tubes and triangular knee grips. (In 1935 the sporting 250 was called aSpecial andhad acompletely different engine.)
However,what is confusing me is the gearbox.
This is not the usual very sturdy four-speed gearbox ftted to the 250, 350 and 500 Blue Stars and, essentially,the M20s.
Iwondered if the factory had ftteda special gearbox for such an intrepid rider.But if the standardgearbox could cope withthe additional power of the 500, why would you need aspecial gearbox?
It looks morelike the rather weak standard 250 three-speed gearbox in outline, but is missing the triangular extension for the clutch cable stop, and, of
course, this didn’thave thefacility for afoot change mechanism. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Hereisaphoto of my 1933 Blue Star for comparison. Unfortunately it is ftted with the 1934 tank. Imade and ftted a rear carrier,because Igo shopping on it using an ex-WD haversack, but Isee that Miss Cottle prefers awicker basket for her shopping!
Steve Cornish
Kudos forChronometric Instrument Services
I’d just like to mention the excellent service I’ve had from Chronometric Instrument Services in Nottingham.
Early in February Irang them to enquireabout my speedo dial from aBSA C11G that I’ve just restored (the dial face was ruined). Iwas told by agentleman that the dial could be reprinted if Isent it to him, which Idid.
Afew days later he rang to say it was done. Ipaid him and he sent it to me by Royal Mail, frst class recorded delivery,onFebruary 24.
On March 4I rang again to say that Ihadn’treceivedthe dial. He gave me the tracking number and Iwent after my postman. He checked for me on his phone and said the Post
Offcehad received it and it was now at “Ambridge”! Iwent the next day to our sorting offcebut it was closed. Iwent back the next day (March 6) and they tracked the package again and said it was lost!
Next day,Chronometric Instrument Services rang me to ask whether I’d received my dial. Isaid it was lost. He said to ring him on Monday, March 10 after the postman had been and if it hadn’tturned up he would print me another dial on anew backing and send it to me free of charge. Ireceived that dial on March 17. Now that’swhat Icall excellent service.
Tony Cox, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire
Another recollection of RoySmith
Iwas sad to hear of Roy Smith’s passing as one of your other readers said in last month’sLetters.
If Irecall correctly,hehad asmall motorcycle shop, Ibelieve in the Kingston on Thames area, and around 1958-ish Ibought a1948
Velocette KSS from him for £55 (it would be worth slightly more now Ibelieve) and Icalled in the shop for the odd part now and again. Nice guy,always had time to chat.
Kevan Green, Kent
Miss Cottle’sBSA, but can anyone identify the exact model, and cast light on the gearbox?
Steve Cornish’s1933 Blue Star
nearby in retirement, all originally prompted by asmall black and white photo in my dad’sold album.
Paul Woodley, Porlock Weir, Somerset
More unusual Japanese trialsmachines
Reading Michael Mee’sarticle in OBM479onKeith Wheeldon using aYamaha YDS3-C bikein scramblesreminded me of another rather unsuitable Japanese bike used in trials afew years earlier.I don’tknow the name of the rider, but he rode apretty standard looking Honda 50 or 90 in Midland CentreACU area trials. Hereisa photo of him riding in the Boxing Day trial in 1963 in the area southwest of Birmingham. Ihave no idea how he fared in the results.
Afew years later in 1967, Alan Kimber was running the Suzuki importers from awarehouse in GoldenHillock Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham (just astone’sthrow from the BSA factoryinArmoury Road, Small Heath). He wanted to compete in all forms of motorcycle sport, but the factory made only road-racing and motocross machines, no trials bikes. For trials he decided to build bikes to compete in the Welsh Three Day Trial based on the brand-new Suzuki Super Six roadster.Idon’tknow if these were imported American-specifcation street scramblers or modifed roadsters. Inever saw the actual bikes, only photos in the articlein the Motor Cycle
From what Iremember,they had
high-level exhausts but werepretty much standardotherwise. They wereridden by Peter Gaunt (exRoyal Enfeldand AJS works trial rider), John Harris(ex-BSA works trials and scrambles rider) and Ken Sedgley (ex-DOT and Greeves works rider). Having owned a Super 6, Iwouldhave thought the power delivery would have been all wrong. Allthe power was at the top and littleatlower revs. Having six gears may have helped, though. The outing couldn’thave been too bad though as they wereall entered in the 1967 ISDT in Poland. In the event, Gaunt and Harris both
received gold medals, but Sedgley retired on the frst day
At the same time as using the twin, the 100cc B100P single was tried. Peter Gaunt did most of the development riding. This proved much moresuccessful, winning many class awards, and the twin was dropped. Eventually the pressed steel frames were dropped and atubular frame with the engine suspended from it used. These werebuilt by Alta and Gaunt himself, only the engine unit remained from the Suzuki.
Peter Cranmer,Halesowen, West Midlands
Some thoughts on spark plugs
With regardtoJohn Southall’s spark plug issue in the Letters pages of OBM479, Ihave three thoughts.
1 –The plug heat range relies upon intimate metal-to-metal contact between the plug body and the head to carry the combustion heat away into the head/fns/ atmosphere. Therefore, this plug
Condenser query
Not for the frst time have Ihad afailed condenser on one of my bikes. Agenuine item is not easy to fnd as the bike is quite rareand, as Ihave on previous occasions, Itried numerous condensers, both old and new,with no success. Ieventually gave up and, after trawling the internet, I
could be overheating.
2 –Carbon will build up as in Mr Southall’spicture, thereby making the plug’sremoval diffcult.
3 –Asanexperiment use ashort reach plug (thereby allowing heat transfer fully) and see if misfre disappears. If so, replace the defective insert.
RichardHyatt
found aNOS item which Ibought and ftted and which works perfectly My query is, what is the difference between one condenser and another? Iknow they arerated in microfarads which is ameasure of capacitance and I know what they do, but not how they do it. Is therearelationship
Pankhurst’s of Plymouth
between the coil and the capacitor?Isit possible to runatest on aparticular condenser to ascertain whether or not it will workwith a particular coil? Ihave asked friends with more experience than myself but as yet with no luck. Does anyone know?
James Pollard, Great Harwood, Lancashire
Irecently came across an ad from 1961 for Pankhurst's, now long gone, in Plymouth's Union Street. The street was split into two halves. The clubs and bars were in the frst area and shops wereon the Stonehouse Bridge side. Did many servicemen purchase their motorcycles at Pankhurst’safter a night on the town?
Pankhurst also had ashop in Weymouth.
RichardBurt, Okehampton, Devon
Memoriesstirred in South Africa
It’s an international Readers’ Tales this month with photos from museums on twodiferent continents. Probably thelast thingthat ‘Matchless’ Mi ke White expected to findonaholiday in South Africawas aplace that brought back so manymotorcycling memories forhim…
While on ashorttour of South Africa we came across amotorcyclemuseum in Knysna on thesouth coast after passingasignfor it
So we stopped for alook. Te proprietor,onhearing we were English,was very welcomingand spentquite some time chattingtousand explainingthe history of the museum and exhibits.
Colin Stunden,the owner, says the museum is devoted to “the greatmemories about the bikes we hadand rode growingup, the bikes we haven’t seen in years, and the bikes we miss”.Tis is his owncollection and there aremorethan60bikes.“ To me there’snosuchthingas anot cool bike,”saysColin.
“People come in and seethis as anormalcollectionof bikes,thattheycould have, that if theylookedfor one theycould fnd one.Tere is no bikeherethatisso pricelessthat you’dnever ride it or not be able to aford it.Iwanttoinspirepeople to go and gettheir memories back and buythe bikethey once hadwhen they were younger.”
Te Motorc ycle Room is mainlydevoted to motocross
and trials machines butalso hasmanyother interesting bikes of all makes. Butwhat caughtmyeye were just two ordinar ylooking bikes to anyone else,but specialto me.One wasanNSU Quickly whichwas my frst ever motorbike(yes, amoped,I know) whichIpaid about £3 for,touse over the pits whenIwas eight yearsold.I savedmypocketmoney up to pay for it.Teother bike wasa HondaCX500 which is the bikeonwhichItravelled halfwayaround Australia, startinginSydney, goingup the east coast, acrossthe top, down through the middle and then back to Sydney. Te otherhalf of Australia–doing the same butonthe west side –Ihad done afew years beforeonaYamahaXJ550. Afew yearslater Itook my trusty oldMatchless G12 CSR(which Ihavehad for 45 yearsnow)upto the NorthCape(Norkap), the furthermostnortherly pointofEurope. Istartedin Calais,then went to Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, on to Norway,then back again. Norkap is 600 milesinside the Arctic Circlesoitwas a very cold ride,especiallywith
rough camping. Butthe tour Iremember the mostwas back in 1990 in Taiwan on aborrowed Sanyangmotorcycle. Irode around acountry where all the road signswerein Chineseand nobodyatall spokeany English.Somyself and my girlfriend on the back did not knowwhere we were goingand basically just sawwhere we endedup each nightaswecouldn’t askanyonethe wayand we couldn’t even read the road signs. Tatwas quite an experience
Te Motorc ycle Room in Knysna is well worthavisit and thank you OldBikeMart for beingsuchawonderful read.
The very last BMW Hp4 Race which was uncratedinthe museum.
AHonda CX500 which immediately brought back memories of my Australian trip.
Colin’sphilosophy on his museum: allaboutmemories.
My first bike–anNSU Quickly!
Colin Stunden’scollection in TheMotorcycle Room in Knysna, South Africa.
