The Classic Motorcycle - March 2021 - Preview

BIG TWIN BEAUTY FIRST MOTORCYCL LE X-cellent Matchless Daimler’s Reitwagen

FORTIETH YEAR OF PUBLICATION 19812021

MARCH 2021

Lithesome Lithesom single Sporty Ducati with no excess fat

The wonder of Williams Tribute to the all round-talent TRIUMPH TRIDENT DEVELOPMENT  EARLS COURT SHOW 1949  BSA A7s AT DAYTONA TWO-STROKE ARIEL TRIALLERS  BTH HISTORY  BILL SNELLING CHAT

Editor’s welcome

E NOW SUBSCRIB Y FOR ONL

£42

While standing in front of the fish stall at the market, the choice of what is in front of me is always mind-boggling – simply because everything (and by that I mean everything) appeals. My weekly journeys to see Mick (whose dad used to have a 650SS Norton, I’ve learned) are also like a learning process, as I ask “What’s that?” and “How would I cook that?” and thus end up, every week, coming home with all sorts of different things, while I’ve also picked up when cockles are fished, what areas the best mussels come from and that if the weather is bad, there’ll be no fresh crab, as the small boats that are used to harvest them can’t go out.

Diversity and the acquisition of knowledge. It’s what, to me, so many things are about, including, of course motorcycling. Both our columnists touch on that subject this month, while also reflecting, in Roy Poynting’s case, on why certain things appeal to particular people, while Jerry Thurston talks of different mentors, and their influences.

Mentors and peer pressure are big things, no doubt, regarding our choices in many parts of life, including motorcycling. The one make clubs, in particular are rife with people who have grown up in Velocette or Brough Superior circles, though – conversely – there’s always the man who rides a Norton, though his dad was BSA through and through. Actually, that analogy probably applies more to the man who rides a Yamaha, though his dad was BSA all the way…

Marque loyalty and enthusiasm is also fascinating, as is why it comes about. Of course, the familial link is present there, but there’s also so many other reasons – I remember someone telling me of the disproportionally high number of Scott OC members with that surname, and I’m sure it’s the same for other makes too. Then there’s the ‘wanted one when I was young’ brigade, the ‘had one when I was a boy’ crew, and then the odder ones like ‘I was given it’ or ‘I found it.’

All these things are influences, which help inform and influence choice. But as with my dilemma at the fish stall, I face the same nice problem regards motorcycles.

I like them all, and while l understand why people won’t eat a whelk or want to ride a hand change flat-tanker, personally I can find appeal in the lot. Hopefully, this issue will have something to satisfy all palates too.

PAGE 12

18

26

JAMES ROBINSON Editor

Regular contributors

Tim Britton, Rachael Clegg, Jonathan Hill, Roy Poynting, Richard Rosenthal, Martin Squires, Jerry Thurston, Andy Westlake.

Contributors this issue Myles Raymond, Andy Withers.

THE CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE (USPS:710-470) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd., PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK . USA subscriptions are $63 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to THE CLASSIC MOTOR CYCLE, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 chris@classicbikebooks.com

63

CONTENTS ISSUE | MARCH 2019 Archive photograph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Subscribe and save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Ducati Mk.3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Peter Williams tribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Matchless Model X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 V-twins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 BSA A7, Daytona 1954 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Earls Court 1949. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Lockdown Velocette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Trials Ariel two-strokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Daimler motorcycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Closer look – Triumph Trident development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Bill Snelling interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Triumph unit twin rebuild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Sketchbook travels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

32

56

Roy Poynting column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 You Were Asking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Jerry Thurston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Classic components – BTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Classic camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Next month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 POST: The Classic MotorCycle, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ EMAIL: jrobinson@mortons.co.uk

SUUBSCRIBE TODAY!

FROM ONLY £42

» Every issue willwill be be sent hothot offoff thethe press andand delivered straight to your house » Every issue sent press delivered straight to your house » You’ll never miss an an action-packed issue or supplement again » You’ll never miss action-packed issue or supplement again THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2021

5

d n a n r u t r a t S a Triumph This diminutive lightweight machine, released in response to taxation changes, was one of several 150cc Triumphs.

I

Photographs: MORTONS ARCHIVE

n 1933, Miss Marie Vernon, secretary of Deansgate Mart Ltd., of 192 Deansgate, Manchester, sets off for Liverpool, after taking over the newly introduced 150cc Triumph which was being ridden round England by Triumph agents.

The lady shaking her hand is Marie Burke, a then well known film and stage actress.

So why were Triumph making a 150cc machine? Up until then, the Coventrybased firm had been the makers of half-litre and above motorcycles, the best known and biggest volume the 550cc Model H, which saw service in its thousands during the First World War. Even the ‘Baby’ (as it was known by everyone, though officially called the LW or Junior) two-stroke – launched in 1914 – was of 225cc, which made the newcomer the what? The embryo?

The reason that Triumph – and several other factories, with BSA, New Imperial, Excelsior and Royal Enfield – were making machines of this size was simple – tax.

In 1929, Labour’s Ramsey MacDonald became prime minster, taking over from Conservative Stanley Baldwin, who had himself had taken over from MacDonald, who had taken over from Baldwin. Britain, like most of the world, was in the midst of an economic crisis, and in 1931’s budget, chancellor Philip Snowden announced a half rate tax of 15s for motorcycles of under 150cc. The idea of this was two-fold; it would help the money of the man in the street go further, while it also might bring in some sales for Britain’s beleaguered motorcycle industry.

The new legislation came into force on January 1, 1932, and soon over a third of all motorcycle makers, from AKD to Wolf (AER and Zenith didn’t list a 150cc…) catalogued a machine which would benefit from the Snowden tax advantage. Many used Villiers engines (like Wolf ) though others built their own engines, just as AKD did. Among the others which built their own engines were BSA, Royal Enfield and most famously New Imperial, whose Unit Minor was probably the pick of the bunch, it remaining a sales success for much of the 1930s.

6

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2021

Triumph (who weren’t the only ones) took a multi-pronged approach. The 174cc own-made two-stroke engine (from the model X) was reduced to 148cc, they bought in Villiers two-stroke engines (of 98cc and 148cc) to make the bargain basement Gloria model, and then a 148cc four-stroke engine was designed and implemented, using the X frame and cycle parts, and becoming the XO. The two-strokes were quietly withdrawn.

During a 1933 road test of an XO, The Motor Cycle recorded a top speed of 47mph and fuel consumption figures of 112mpg at a steady 25mph. The attractive little coil ignition motorcycle featured some nice touches and was handsomely finished in black, with gold lining with a small sky blue lozenge on the petrol tank. There were inverted levers, tension spring girder forks and a stylish fishtail-esque silencer. Soon, the 148cc model was joined by a 175cc variant, while a ‘/5’ indicated a sporting model, with four-speed gearbox. The last year they were listed was 1934 and it’s reckoned less than 2000 four-strokes were made in all the various guises.

Triumph was to return to the 150cc class when, at the 1952 motorcycle shows at Earls Court, the firm announced the all-new 149cc Terrier. Though it owed nothing to the XO from 20 years before, the cylinder barrel was tilted at a similar angle. The maroon finished, plunger-framed machine – which was as pretty as its older sibling – was to go on to spawn the 199cc Tiger Cub, which then went on to form the basis of the BSA C15 and all its various offshoots, including more Triumph badged machines.

And as for the ‘star’ in the picture?

Marie Burke was a London-born actress, who appeared in over 40 films between 1917 and 1971, as well as being a regular on British television during the 1950s and 60s. Ms Burke (who was born Marie Altfuldisch, though the family changed its name to Holt during the First World War) was a founding member of Equity, the actors’ union. Married to opera singer Thomas Burke, their daughter, Patricia End Burke, was an actress too.

Classic archive

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2021

7

News&Events NEWS IN BRIEF  GEOFF TANNER

Double winner at the 1955 Manx GP, taking the Junior and Senior races on Manx Nortons, Geoff Tanner has died at the age of 93.

London-born, he made his Isle of Man bow in 1954, with fifth in that year’s Junior Clubman’s race, then fourth in the same year’s 350cc Manx GP. Following his 1955 success (when he became the first Manx winner to average over 90mph, in the Senior race) he graduated to the TT, his best result being third in the 1958 Junior race, on a Norton.

Geoff Tanner, in highflying action during the 1956 TT races.

Devastating fire sweeps through Top museum As we headed for press, news was reaching us of a devastating fire at the Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum in Austria,

featured in our April 2019 edition. It’s not yet fully known the extent of what machines have been lost, but there’s fears

NMM auction

 BADGER GOSS

There will be a tribute next month to Bryan ‘Badger’ Goss, former scrambles star, who died recently, aged 80.

 MAURICE HALLETT

Word has reached us that Maurice Hallett, whose Mondial Sogno featured in our August 2020 issue, passed away just before Christmas. Our condolences are expressed to his family and friends.

 WHEELS AND WAVES

The 10th Wheels and Waves is scheduled for June 30 to July 4, 2021, in Biarritz.

8

Rare Rapide sold Staffordshire-based Cuttlestones’ winter antique sale, on December 3, 2020, included among the diverse 800-plus lot catalogue a small collection of classic motorcycles, among them a Vincent Series D Rapide.

First registered on March 11, 1955, and with just four owners from new, it sold for £35,500. More information via www.cuttlestones.co.uk

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2021

that a large number of BroughSuperiors, among many other rare and exotic machines, have been destroyed. More next issue.

In one of the most unexpected auction prices realised for some time, this 1923 Chater-Lea, shown above, with 350cc ohv Blackburne engine, sold for a staggering £55,200, despite it coming with little or no history or registration number.

Offered by H&H at their December 19, 2020 sale, the machine was one of several from the National Motorcycle Museum, all of which raised stellar prices. Visit www.handh.co.uk

&

New Events News

NMM Triumph As part of the ongoing support shown by Triumph Motorcycles, the firm has donated a new Trident 660 to the museum, for it to be raffled.

National Motorcycle Museum director James Hewing said: “We are absolutely delighted to have such a significant prize for our reopening fund raffle.

Offering a brand-new Triumph Trident 660 will really help towards raising the funds that will allow us to reopen seven days a week. We have a very

Book Review

‘The complete book of Moto Guzzi – every model since 1921’ 100th Anniversary Edition

long-standing relationship with Triumph who have once again shown us their support at a time when it really matters.”

Details from www.thenmm.co.uk

Fabulous French fliers Bernard Salvat, France’s foremost vintage motorcycle authority, is publishing a limited edition book on the ‘real’ Koehler-Escoffier – those made before the company was taken over by Monet-Goyen in 1930.

With at least 248 pages and over 750 illustrations, including many never seen before, this hardback book will weigh in at over 3kg. Available only in French and published in May 2021, the print run is limited to

500 and will cost 180 euros.

Readers of The Classic MotorCycle who preorder before March 15 will pay only 130 euros, a 30% discount. Email editionsebs@orange.fr for sample pages and an order form.

New year, new look

Vintage motorcycle specialists Draganfly have unveiled a new website for 2021. The site, which was under construction for the bulk of last year, has the same information, exploded diagrams and shop facility as their previous online home but is capable of more service features. It is hoped that the new Draganfly.co.uk will give customers better access to their historic orders, a ‘wishlist’ facility for those long restorations, and be more mobile friendly – so an easier shop all round. Existing customers can log in using their current details and as always new customers are welcomed.

Draganfly specialise in Ariel, BSA and classic Triumph parts and make many items of stock in their workshop. Craven Equipment is their sister company specialising in classic motorcycle top boxes and panniers.

10

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2021

Author: Ian Falloon t G Group Published by: Motorbooks, an imprint of the Quarto Email: specialsales@quarto.com www.QuartoKnows.com Available from specialist bookshops and Amazon.

Hardback, 255 x 305mm (portrait); 272 pages with over 350 photographs and illustrations.

ISBN 9780760367704 Price: £45; $60 US; $76 CAD; $80 AUD ‘The Complete Book of Moto Guzzi: 100th Anniversary Edition,’ written by motorcycle expert and historian Ian Falloon, offers enthusiasts a thorough review of Guzzi’s storied 100-year history of all its production models.

Carlo Guzzi was born in Milan in 1889, where he studied engineering and worked for the motor company Isotta Franchini.

However, it was not until the First World War where he served as a mechanic in the Italian Air Force, that his dream of building his own motorcycle became a reality when he met the pilot and motorcycle enthusiast Giorgio Parodi – an alliance that would eventually see the formation of one of Italy’s greatest motorcycle manufacturers.

Parodi was born to a wealthy ship-owning family and it was his father who had guaranteed the financial backing for the venture. By 1921, the Moto Guzzi company was established at Mandello del Lario, on the shores of Lake Como. Interestingly, even though the company was named after Carlo Guzzi, Giorgio’s father, Emanuele, retained all the company shares. Carlo, the engineer, was paid a royalty for each machine produced, but never had any financial interest in the company.

The oldest European motorcycle manufacturer in continuous production, Italy’s Moto Guzzi has built some of the most iconic motorcycles ever produced. Established in 1921, the company is one of the

most traditional motorcycle makers and, conversely, one of the most innovative.

Carlo Guzzi’s first engine design, a horizontal outsideflywheel (aka the ‘baconslicer’) single, defined Moto Guzzi’s road-going motorcycles for the company’s first 45 years. From the late 1960s, the transversely mounted 90 degree V-twin engine became the company’s symbol.

More recently, Moto Guzzi has seen two changes in ownership, and, under the umbrella of the Piaggio Group, has enjoyed a resurgence in style and development.

This 100th anniversary edition book includes all of the new models through 2020, as well as new photography and updated technical specification tables and more.

All of Moto Guzzi’s production models are detailed here, including classics such as the Falcone, the V8 Grand Prix racers, the V7 Sport – not forgetting the Zigolo and the lightweight models – the Ambassador, the Eldorado, the Le Mans and the Daytona, right up to today’s complete range of modern machines including the V7, V9, Audace, California 1400 and V85 TT Adventure.

Published by Motorbooks, an American imprint of the Quarto Group, this is a superb, high-quality 272-page tome with over 350 photographs and illustrations, written by the highly-respected and very readable author, Ian Falloon.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jonathan Hill.

THE WAY WE WERE IN

MARCH 1921

Recent Brooklands record breaking: on February 10, Wizard O’Donovan, passengered by Rex Judd, driving a 490cc single cylinder sv Norton Model 16 with torpedo shaped sidecar, smashed eight world and British Class G (500 s/c) records.

Then on February 22, Judd, standing in for the injured O’Donovan, riding a single speed 490cc sv Norton solo posted 85.35mph for the flying kilometre, enough to break Wizard’s 1915 Brooklands record of 82.85mph, but then the timing equipment failed.

O’Donovan was so impressed by Judd’s riding he prepared the 490cc Norton for an FICM world record attempt to break Gene Walker’s record of 82.31mph set at Daytona Beach in April 1920. On March 22, 1921, the timing equipment confirmed Rex Judd as double world champion, posting two-way

speeds of flying kilometre 86.37mph and flying mile 83.53mph.

While two and three-speed gearboxes are common for 500cc and above machines, they are rarities for lightweights. Bowing to customer pressure, Levis launch a new model powered by their proven two-stroke engine, though fitted with a lightweight Sturmey-Archer gearbox, and New Imperial have introduced a neat threespeed gearbox with clutch and kick-starter available for their 2¾hp model.

Going a gear better, makers of the Juckes gearbox (Efficient and General Engineering Co., Wolverhampton) have developed a four-speed gearbox.

And to suit outfits and cyclecars, the option of an extra pinion which converts the low gear to offer a reverse facility will be offered.

1946 Designer of the Second World War folding military Welbike (powered by a Villiers autocycle engine), Lt Col John Dolphin indicated he was to set up a company to design and put into production a

1971

Worldwide concern was growing over the number of road traffic accident casualties and fatalities.

The problem of motorcycle accidents was highlighted by safety campaigners. In the USA, Davis W Clark MD and John H Morton MD had just published a paper in the Journal of Trauma entitled

redesigned civilian version.

Manufacture of the tiny semifolding scooter-like machine, named the Corgi, was to be farmed out to an engineering company with the capacity to set up a production line.

‘The Motorcycle Accident: A Growing Problem.’ Although no precise data existed for 1970, Clark and Horton predicted that year, of an estimated 5,000,000 motorcyclists in America, 5000 suffered fatal accidents while as many as 250,000 injury, ranging from minor abrasions to traumatic.

1996 The motorcycle world lost two important historical links with the deaths of Bertie Goodman of Velocette and the legendary MZ racing

two-stroke development engineer Walter Kaaden.

Both were aged 76 years.

Richard Rosenthal.

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | MARCH 2021

11

Payy jjust

£3.50

per edition

When you take out a subscription to The Classic MotorCycle

That’s a 22% saving when you pay by direct debit

VISIT www.classicmagazines.co.uk/tcmdps

ENJOYED THIS PREVIEW? THE BEST ACTION IN TRIALS AND MOTOCROSS

DIRTb bike ke

VELO MAC MA S SPECIAL PECIAL NORTON RT RTON INTER AJS SCEPTRE SCEP E SPORTS! SCEPTR SPORTS POR !

PORTS

CLASSIC

#48

ISSUE

Forty-eight Autumn 2018

OCTOBER 2018

No. 330 October 2018 £4.30 UK Off-sale date 31/10/2018

MOTO MEMORIES // TECH TALK // MONTESA COTA 200 // BULTACO MATADOR

3.60

Running, Riding & Rebuilding Running, Rebuilding Real RealClassi RealC Classic C lassi Motorcycles

BOXER CKS TRIC

HOW THE LEGEEND BEGAN

SUPERMAC’S TRIUMPH DRAYTON

PRINTED IN THE UK

PLUS MOTO MEMORIES TECH TALK MONTESA COTA 200 BULTACO MATADOR AN HOUR WITH: GERRIT WOLSINK

£3.60 US$9.99 C$10.99 Aus$8.50 NZ$9.99 PRINTED IN THE UK

HOME, JAMES!

UNIVERSITY GRADUATE

#48

001 Cover_OCT.indd 1

AT THE CASTLE

DRUMLANRIG 2018 D 20

WINNER

SUPER PROFILE: ARIEL’S HT3

GREEVES ESSEX TWIN BUYING GUIDE // STRIP YOUR TWOSTROKE // BSA B31 RESTORATION // MALLE MILE // CAFE RACER CUP // SHETLAND CLASSIC // THE CLASSIC TT // MIKE HAILWOOD REPLICA

CLASSICS

65 PRE65 PRE

PRINTED IN THE UK

R 2018 ISSUE 174 OCTOBER

N48 2018 US$15.99 Aus$14.99 NZ$18.99 UK£5.50 UK Off-sale date 15/11/18

BUY  SELL  RIDE  RESTORE

13/09/2018 10:34:50

001 CDB Cover_048.indd 1

02/08/2018 14:53:55

001 Cover_174.indd 1

03/09/2018 10:18:26

•SINGLE ISSUES •SUBSCRIPTIONS

CLICK HERE

www.classicmagazines.co.uk

ENDOFPREVI EW

I fy oul i k ewhaty ou’ v e r eads of ar ,whynot s ubs c r i be,ort r ya s i ngl ei s s uef r om:

www. c l as s i c magaz i nes . c o. uk