SPECIAL ISSUE: A CELEBRATION OF HARD-WORKING MOTORCYCLES
FIT TO AS TOUGH AS SERVE THEY COME AA B40 Army Bianchi MT 61
APRIL 2019
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This issue, we’ve a loose theme running through of ‘working motorcycles’ – so witness the GPO, AA and police machines, plus a talk with a policeman, WD B40 and Bianchi, the history of the Russian motorcycle industry (where hard work was a given) as well as some representation from the world of competition, where motorcycles were used as a tool of work. Whether Steve McQueen could come into the category of using his motorcycle as a tool of work – I suppose, yes, as a part of his ‘work’ was his image. So the idea has been to celebrate the usage of motorcycles as working vehicles, which, over the years, has seemingly become less and less the case. It’s difficult to ‘pinpoint’ at what date motorcycling became largely a ‘leisure pursuit’ rather than a transport necessity; perhaps the early 1960s heralded the first signs of change, particularly in America, as Triumph abandoned its 1950s mantra of ‘clean all-purpose motorcycles’ (see bathtub enclosure etc) and reverted back to a more stripped back, functional look, while smaller capacity models were gradually junked too, in favour of the bigger engined, more ‘fun’ offerings. This idea of motorcycles as leisure vehicles probably spread to the UK in the 1980s and certainly by the 1990s, from which time the idea of fleets of ‘working’ motorcycles was largely redundant despite some new initiatives, such as motorcycle taxis. The motorcycle became an ‘extra’ rather than a necessity. There are still cultures where motorcycles do work hard, all year round – witness China and India, to name two – but in the UK (and America, Australia and Europe, largely) a motorbike is something to have fun with, rather than go to work on. I’m not debating the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ of the situation, just acknowledging that it is so. And probably it has accounted for the enduring appeal of classics; not having to rely 100% on something, means that there is added flexibility in choice. On another note, we’d also hoped to bring you the show report from the ‘season opening’ Bristol extravaganza, but as many will be aware, the bad weather meant an unavoidable cancellation and postponement. Hopefully it’ll be in next month… weather allowing…
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JAMES ROBINSON Editor
Regular contributors
Tim Britton, Rachael Clegg, Jonathan Hill, Roy Poynting, Richard Rosenthal, Martin Squires, Jerry Thurston, Alan Turner, Phil Turner, Steve Wilson.
Contributors this issue Mike Davis, Bernard Holloway, Gerfried Vogt.
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
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CONTENTS ISSUE | APRIL 2019 Archive photograph .......................................... 6 News ................................................................... 8 Austrian museum .......................................... 12 Letters ............................................................. 16 Subscribe and save ........................................ 18 BSA GPO Bantam ........................................... 20 French event ................................................... 26 Ariel Model A .................................................. 30 Bianchi MT 61................................................. 36 Jones racer....................................................... 42 Triumph SAINTs ............................................ 46 Brian Wood, motorcycle policeman............. 52 BSA AA B40..................................................... 57 Soviet motorcycles ......................................... 60 Closer look – magic wheels ........................... 66 Eric Boocock interview.................................. 72 Men who mattered – Steve McQueen .......... 74 Motorcycle specials (AJS record breaker) .... 76 Roy Poynting column .................................... 80 Jerry Thurston column................................... 82 You were asking.............................................. 86
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Restoration guide – BSA WD B40 ................. 90 Technical feature – carburettor jets ............. 92 Classic components (hand oil pumps)......... 98 Diary..............................................................110 Next month ................................................... 113 Classic camera.............................................. 114 POST: The Classic MotorCycle, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ EMAIL: jrobinson@mortons.co.uk
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Two ladies go to war The remarkable story of Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm and their First World War endeavours.
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ot much more than a month after the First World War starrted, 30-year-old divorcee Elsie Knocker and 18-year-old Mairi Chisholm m were running a first aid post on the western front, having abandoned their lives at ho ome to ‘do their bit’ for the war effort. In doin ng so, they became two of the most famous women of the war, receiving a host of medals for bravery and serving througho out the entire four-year conflict. At the time, being a divorcee was somewhat unusual – Elsie was one of 380 0 women granted a divorce in 1912, the yeear she separated from Leslie Knocker, whom m she had married in 1906. Elsie (a nicknam me she acquired as a young girl) had endureed a traumatic childhood, both her parents dying when she was a child, and she wass adopted, though her late father, Dr Lewis Shapter, had provided her with a legacy, which perhaps appealed to Leslie. Elsie broke free of her abusive and domineering husband, leaving with four-year-old son Kenneth. She did, however, choose to claim herself a widow w. Elsie hadn’t endured a wretched childho ood, tragedy notwithstanding, having a good education and attending finishing schoo ol before training as a nurse, which was to come in useful later on. By 1913 she also o owned a Chater-Lea combination, aboarrd which she’d roar about the countryside, Kenneth in the sidecar. The Chater-Lea was swapped for a Scott and sidecar. Through her motorcycling activities, Elsie met Mairi Gooden-Chisholm, a high-spirited teenager from a wealthy, plantation owning family, who eschewed horses and society in favour of fiddling about with and riding motorbikes, facilitated by her father buying her a fore-and-aft Douglas. Mairi – of Scottish decent but the family moved to Dorset when she was a child – and Elsie became firm friends, competing in various motorcycling events. So, at the start of the war, Elsie and Mairi raced to London (by motorcycle, naturally)
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THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | APRIL 2019
much to the angst of Mairi’s mother, who was allread dy agh hast th hat her daugh hter was into motorcycling. After a spell working as a courier in the capital, Knocker and Chisholm were recruited to Dr Hector Munro’s Flying Ambulance Corps, and headed to Belgium, a country badly battered in the early stages of the war. Witnessing atrocities, the pair decided more direct action was needed – and so in a vacant cellar they set up a dressing station in a town named Pervyse, north of Ypres, where for the next three-and-a-half
years they tended the injured. They received many commend datiions and d med dalls, but no funding, relying on raising their own funds. During the course of their endeavours they became the most photographed women of the First World War, gaining huge fame. Knocker also gained a husband, marrying Belgian pilot Baron Harold de T’Serclaes, in January 1916, after a whirlwind romance. Later the same year, Chisholm was engaged too, to another flier, Jack Petrie, but he was killed in a training accident. During the final year of the war
Classic archive
the ladies’ hospital – named ‘Poste de Secours Angllaiis’’ wh hich h transllates as ‘Briitiish h First Aid Post’ – was badly bombed and gassed, necessitating their withdrawal from the front. Chisholm was to recover enough to return, but was again forced out before the war’s end. Knocker and Chisholm signed up for the new women’s section of the Royal Air Force – and they are photographed undertaking a preparatory course at the British School of Motoring in June 1918. The model under their attention is a Matchless
V-twin. Postwar, Elsie’s marriage didn’t end dure – it seems th he Baron wasn’’t aware of her divorcee status, and the discovery ended the union, though she was allowed to remain ‘Baroness’ while they weren’t actually separated officially until 1925. It seems that Mairi was also disappointed by the deception – the two barely spoke again. Mairi was engaged again but never married, while Elsie never remarried. During the Second World War, Elsie joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, but left not long after Kenneth (a Wing
Commander) was killed in action in 1942. Later, sh he bred d ch hihuah huas wh hile Maiirii suffered with her health – she’d been poisoned and had septicaemia – though she did race cars and work for the Anglo-French Sizaire-Berwick car manufacturer. Elsie Knocker – the Baroness Elizabeth Blackall de T’Serclaes – died in 1978, aged 93, while Marie Chisholm – GoodenChisholm – passed in 1981. In November 2014, a statue of Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm was unveiled in the garden End of the Hotel Ariane in Ypres.
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | APRIL 2019
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Neews Events
New ws&Events
NEWS IN BRIEF HANSON BIKES AT BIG DRIFFIELD SALE
DAH auctions in Driffield has been asked to auction the lifetime collection of Mike Hanson. Among complete machines are a 1930 Velocette KTP and a 1927 Sunbeam Model 9, with projects including a Rudge Special and a Norton CS1. They will be sold, without reserve, on March 2, at Sledmere House in East Yorkshire. For further information please contact Andy Spicer on 01377 253151 or andrews@dahauctions.com
It’s Crocker gold This is what more than £545,000 of Crocker looks like. It is lovely…
THERE’S BENEFITS TO BEING A FRIEND...
One of the most important aspects of the National Motorcycle Museum friends’ scheme is giving its members the chance to take part in some unique activities that just wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Some of this unique content includes Classic Bike Tours, Ride a Classic Days and Workshop Training Days. See www.thenmm.co.uk for more details or call 01675 444123.
BOB TRIGG
Bob Trigg, the technical director of Norton at the time the Commando was developed in the late 1960s, has died after a short illness. He started as an apprentice at BSA and Ariel, and after working at Norton he later moved to Yamaha.
If you were the one to buy a pair of Crockers – one big tank, one small tank – at Mecum’s Las Vegas auction, on January 22-27, then you’d have parted with
1937 small tank $423,500. It’s rare for Brough Superior prices to be topped, but at $357,500, the 1925 SS100 was ‘only’ third in the big seller lists.
Ton of appeal for off-road collection Bonhams has announced details of the sale of the Sant Hilari Collection, to be offered on Saturday, April 27 at the two-day Spring Stafford Sale (April 27/28) at The International Classic MotorCycle Show.
PIONEER RUN
The 80th Pioneer Run takes place on March 24. The start will be at Epsom racecourse, while the run will finish on Madeira Drive, Brighton. It’s the biggest pre-1915 motorcycle event in the world.
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$1,127,500 dollars (£873,248) to now be the owner of the iconic pair. The 1939 ‘big tank,’ shown above, realised $704,000, and the
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | APRIL 2019
The entire 100-strong collection of competition machines will be offered without reserve. The vendor amassed this collection of machines over a lifetime spent as both a competitive rider and a works
mechanic for several top-flight teams. The collection charts the development of many manufacturers, including several prototype examples. Details from www.bonhams. com/motorcycles
The world’s most costly Speed Twin? This is it.
NEWS IN BRIEF JOHN HAYNES
The creator of the Haynes manual, John Haynes, has died, aged 80, after a short illness. Born in what was then Ceylon in 1938, the first Haynes Manual – for an Austin Healey Sprite – was published in 1965, after Haynes realised that the ‘official’ owners’ manual didn’t really work for the average home enthusiast. There have been over 200 million Haynes manuals sold around the world since.
McQueen Speed Twin headlines Vegas The world most expensive Triumph Speed Twin? Well, here it is, the 1938 example owned by movie icon Steve McQueen, which was quite likely restored for him by his great pal (and
stunt double) Bud Ekins. It fetched £136,262 at Bonhams’ recent (January 24) Las Vegas sale. In the same sale, another 1938 Speed Twin made over £33,000, which is a
staggering amount too. Some other prices weren’t so strong (though £87k for a Munch Mammoth was good) but it seems prewar Speed twins are the thing to have!
Two historic Nortons from the Sammy Miller Museum will be on the Footman James stand at Stafford over April 28.29. The ‘silver fish’ kneeler wil join the F-type flat single in the display.
ARIEL OC RALLIES IN ITALIAN STYLE
Welsh week opens up For what has for many years been a closed-to-club event, this year the long-standing Sunbeam MCC Welsh week is open to all riders on pre1940 motorcycles and three wheelers. The June 22-29 event is centred at Radnor Revivals, Brynwyddog, Llanbister, Llandrindnod Wells, Powys LD1 6TL. It offers a week’s riding of approximately 90 miles per day with accommodation in wellequipped comfortable lodges, with two or four sharing. There is also a camping, caravan and motorhome site available. Home cooked food is provided, breakfast, packed lunches and two course evening meals in a separate lodge with a good communal matey atmosphere. Costs are £260 per person with four sharing a lodge, £300 per person for two sharing. £230 for camper vans etc. Entry fee extra. Please contact Bev Kemp: vsekemp@btconnect.com or 07876 597697.
MILLER NORTONS TO SHINE ON SHOW STAND
The Ariel OC’s Italian Lago di Como rally takes place from May 2-7. It is based around the Hotel Britannia Excelsior, with the cost €580 each person in double room all inclusive, hotel and lunch and dinner. Details from arileclubltalia@livero.it
ALL CHANGE AT NORTH LEICESTER
Dickson Brough at the NMM sale H&H has attracted a 100-plus machine line up for its sale at the National Motorcycle Museum on March 2. The star lot is the 1930 SS100 Brough Superior, above, once property of F P ‘Gentleman’
Dickson, a close pal of George Brough’s. In need of reassembly, the motorcycle is estimated at £160,000-£200,000. Other machines include this lovely G45 Matchless, below. For details visit: handh.co.uk
Time-served Moto Morini specialist North Leicester Motorcycles has sold all its stock to Mdina Italia, which it’s hoped will seamlessly take over as the ‘go to’ Morini experts. They are at www.mdinaitalia.co.uk or 0845 6809005. Morini sales and service will handled by Lusso Veloce. Contact 01530 261192 or visit www.lussoveloce.com
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Neews Events THE WAY WE WERE IN
April
1919
On instructions from the US Liquidation Commission Grahame-White Co Ltd (auctioneers) enjoyed a successful sale of lorries, cars and motorcycles used by the US Army in the UK. Slick organisation by the auctioneers saw all lots selling at high prices. It was worth noting other than missing minor items all vehicles were presented in sound condition, unlike some other recent sales. First the lorries and cars were sold, then the 23 motorcycles, starting with lot 74, a 2¾hp Douglas, knocked down for £70. The remaining small Douglas’ went for £65 to £77-10s. Next, eight brand new 6hp Royal Enfield outfits went under the hammer realising £145 or more apiece, while a second-hand example made £100. A single 6hp watercooled fore-and-aft flat-twin Humber with sidecar sold for £95 and a number of used 4hp Douglas outfits realised an average of £80 each. With the supply of new models remaining difficult,
1944
A lady inventor had designed electrically heated handlebars grips. She had been testing these over the
1969
Motor Cycle sports editor Mick Woollett was the first British motorcycle journalist to test the new Honda CB750, covering six
1994
Show organiser Alan Whitehead confirmed over 20,000 enthusiasts visited the 14th annual International Classic Show, at the Stafford County Showground. Sotheby’s auction sale again proved
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it was expected the value of sound used models would stay firm and in some cases exceed the catalogue price of new machines.
The Greenstreet process:
Before the war, petrol shot to 1/6d (9p) per gallon. Government resistance prevented development of alcohol fuels for internal combustion engines, then as the authorities wanted all available benzine for the manufacture of explosives, it too disappeared in 1914. After experience in the US petroleum industry, Mr Greenstreet, now working in the UK, developed an efficient process for converting heavy hydrocarbons into lighter members of the same series, some of which are ideal for the production of motor spirit. Not only will the Greenstreet process see a 65% higher yield of motor spirit from crude oil but it has also produced motor spirit from materials as diverse as peat, sawdust and coal tar. past winter on her Triumph Tiger 90 and was now hoping to sell her idea to a major manufacturer. laps at Brands Hatch on the pre Brighton Show press day. The five-speed 750cc luxury touring machine developed 67bhp. a crowd puller while the Best in Show award went to Tony Scothern’s 1960 Ducati and the Best Club Stand winner was the Military Conservation Group.
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | APRIL 2019
Richard Rosenthal.
Fancy a brand new Norton Commando? One way could be to buy an NMM raffle ticket... but time is running out.
Win a Commando! It’s a rare chance for enthusiasts to own a new Norton Commando... but time is running out to enter the National Motorcycle Museum winter raffle draw. Museum director James Hewing stated: “We have something very special for our winter raffle by offering a brand new/old stock 1977 Commando which has never been run or registered and is showing just a few ‘push’ miles only!”
Second prize is a £1500 Sealey MC680E electro hydraulic motorcycle lift – a newly launched, top of the range electric lift with 680kg load capacity, while third is a luxury hotel break and dinner for two at the Manor Hotel, Meriden. The draw will take place on Sunday, April 28 at the Stafford show. Raffle tickets cost £2 each and can be obtained via the museum on 01675 444123 or by visiting www.thenmm.co.uk
TT celebration for Stafford This year may not be the 100th anniversary of the TT races – but it is the 100th running of the event. With cancellations taken into account, 2019 will be TT100 and this is to be celebrated at Stafford over April 27/28 with a special display of genuine TT racers on the main stand, as well as some celebrated and diverse TT-winning guests, including Ian Hutchison and Jim Redman. For advance show tickets visit www.staffordclassicbikeshows.com or call 01507 529529.
It’s snow joke This was the scene at the Royal Bath and West showground at Shepton Mallet on Friday, February 1... at about the time traders and jumblers should have been assembling their stands ready for a busy weekend ahead. The call had to be made to postpone the event.
Book Review Jeff Smith – official biography
Trials master, motocross maestro
Author: Ian Berry Foreword by former world motocross champion Rolf Tiblin Limited to 1000 signed copies Published by: Motorsport Publications LLC 7164 County Road N, 441 Bancroft, Wisconsin 54921, USA E-mail: chris@classicbikebooks.com www.motorsportx.com Available from Amazon.co.uk Hardback, 220 x 285mm (portrait); 464 pages with approx 400 photographs ISBN: 978-0-9962818-0-5 £60; USA $75 Jeffrey Vincent Smith MBE was born at Colne, Lancashire, in 1934. Always proud of his roots, Jeff carried the red rose of the county on his crash helmet throughout his career. With the advent of the popular TV scrambles, Smith became a household name with his many victories including the Grandstand Trophy and twice becoming world motocross champion. However, to judge him on his scrambles achievements alone would be doing the man a great disservice, for he was also one of the most successful trials riders of his time – a multi-winner of the ACU Trials Rider’s Star (national championship), the British Experts Trial and the Scottish Six Days Trial, along with gold medals in the International Six Days Trial. Encouraged by enthusiastic parents, he won his first-ever trial at the age of 14, riding a 250cc Matchless, in 1948. His progress was meteoric. A second class award in the 1951 Victory Trial on a 125cc BSA Bantam was followed by premier awards in national trials aboard his father’s 500T Norton, he capped his season by taking a gold medal on a factory 500cc Norton Dominator in that year’s ISDT in Austria. An indentured apprentice at BSA, when the Norton
team was disbanded, he had full factory support from BSA, being mentored by the legendary Bill Nicholson, riding the 500cc Gold Star in trials and later turning his attention to scrambles, winning the ACU Scrambles Drivers’ Star many times. We read emotive descriptive accounts of the competition between trials legends such as Gordon Jackson (AJS), Johnny Britain (Royal Enfield) and Sammy Miller (Ariel). In scrambles, we learn of the challenges from Dave Curtis (Matchless), Don Rickman (Triumph-Metisse) and teammate Arthur Lampkin. It is interesting to read in order to beat the allconquering Swedes on their Husqvarna and Lito machines, the overweight and obsolete Gold Star had to be replaced by a lighter and physically less demanding machine, resulting in the world championshipwinning 441cc BSA Victor – at 100lb lighter. Author Ian Berry is to be congratulated on this excellent, long overdue tribute to one of the world’s greatest riders. A large, exceedingly well illustrated 464-page tome (with interesting character vignettes of past masters), it is worth every penny. Thoroughly recommended. Book reviewed by Jonathan Hill
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THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | APRIL 2019
Top Mountain Mou Crosspoint Museum | Austria
Tasty treats at the toll Not your usual ‘pay station’ this location also houses a restaurant and a fine collection of classic motorcycles. Words and photographs: GERRY VOGT
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here’s a place called Hochgurgl on the Austrian-Italian border. Here, there’s plenty of snow for skiing, but (at a height of 7135 feet) it’s also an unexpected mecca for motorcycle enthusiasts. The collection is extraordinary and well worth a visit before or after a long day on the downhill slopes. At the base of a winding road, a large bowl-shaped wood panelled building has been built. The ‘Top Mountains Crosspoint,’ as it was christened in 2016 by its owners, seems to be without any right angles, thus clinging nicely to the landscape around it. It covers a large area, and includes a cable car station, tollgate and a restaurant for 280 inside and a further 380 on its terrace. However, nearly half the area is used for the display of roughly 300 vintage motorcycles, many of which are pre Second World War period, with the majority still being rideable. Entering the main door, visitors are greeted by a light blue, 1954 Moto Guzzi single-cylinder truck used to display local wine. Just behind the cable car entrance, the way to the museum forks off. The rooms straight ahead are dedicated to revolving exhibition specials. Turning right instead, brings you to the museum itself, and after crossing a tiny bridge, the main room – where half of the exhibits are grouped – opens up in front of you. Race bikes are displayed on the right, where the 33-year-old architect Michael Brötz built a faux ‘boardtrack’ for his two customers, the owners Attila and Alban Scheiber. They decided this slightly angled boardtrack was the perfect base for a stream of race bikes.
A dream and an idea – a break for enthusiasts
Opposite, walls are decorated – not with signs, motors, badges or panels – but with segments of bike chassis. The origins of which, however, are easy to name by the shape of those steel chassis pieces hung and fixed as if they were large-scale model kits. “We’ve seen this in an American car museum once, and were quite impressed by the idea. So we dismantled a Vespa PX scooter first,
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1: Sidecar outfits form a central display. A CoventryEagle Flying 8 is nearest the camera. 2: Spectacular Parilla Competizione from the late 1940s. Lovely. 3: The fabulous Megola, with its five cylinder engine in the front wheel. Read more about Megolas on page 66. 4: A Militaire – there really is nothing like it. Really, nothing.
piece by piece, and sketched out the best possible idea of mounting to make it look like a model build-up toy kit,” Atilla recalls. It’s Atilla and his brother Alban who own the museum, cable car, various hotels and sports stores in Hochgurgel; in fact, they also own the road leading into Italy, Passo Rombo, as it is called in Italian. The twin brothers were brought up by passionate car racer Alban Scheiber senior, who indoctrinated his boys with ‘the need for speed’ early on. How early? Very early, as they admit. “At the age of six, we had our first motorcycle, a Gilera 50 trail bike, followed by a Montesa Cota. We had already gone through seven or eight bikes when we got our full licence.” Apart from racing Porsche and Lotus cars in world championships, their father Alban senior was also a pioneer of tourism. The boys, being chips off the old block, inherited his visions and ideas offering a perfect area for visitors, all season. As motorcyclists reckon the Timmelsjoch High Alpine is still one of the most attractive routes over the Alps, the idea to set up a museum became obvious. Once referred to as ‘kings of snow’ by a German magazine, Alban and Atilla Scheiber could now consider this an insult or rather an understatement – from 2010 onwards they started building up a serious motorcycle collection and had a vision about a ‘multifunctional heart’ inside their tiny village, entertaining visitors with sports, a proper restaurant and a motorcycle collection with pieces from all over the world. It has come true.
Rather class instead of mass
“We owned around 20 vintage machines at the turn of the millennium,” Attila Scheiber recalls. Still obviously 5: Diversity is the too many for some friends who were already joking name of the game. that a museum was the only reasonable option. Clymer Indian “However, it was our own idea, and we are definitely nearest, Mk.VIII KTT behind and an proud,” Attila recalls with a grin. For a good reason, as ex-VMCC racing the collection he shares with his brother is now one Vincent outfit of the most valuable vintage motorcycle collections behind. And a Neracar behind that. in Austria. Still, they also been very lucky and could
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obtain a complete collection in 2012. “Which was virtually the base of all you see here. We wanted to make sure to represent every decade within their typical developments and styles. So every visit of an auction, classic event or jumble was like an adventure for us. We have been looking overseas – very thoroughly.” Often it worked out well, and so they came across some high-class veteran machines like a ‘Silent Grey Fellow’ Harley-Davidson, and an Indian V-twin built in 1912. Moreover, they even managed to obtain machines referring to Austria’s Royal and Imperial army (kaiserlich und königliche Armee or k.u.k) time, such as the 1905 Bohemia-built Laurin & Klement – the company was later known as Skoda. “We aimed for 170 machines, then ended up with 202 for the opening in April 2016. Now, we are scratching the 300 mark,” Alban Scheiber says, grinning, while having a coffee in the restaurant – giving a perfect suitable atmosphere, of course, next to a couple of Italian and German mopeds hanging from wooden walls. “And have you noticed? UK motorcycle manufacturers are well-represented.” It seems the two curators like their prewar and unusual machines best. Next to a Matchless twin there is a Triumph 6/1 outfit, even Nanny McPhee dropped her flying wartime Ariel single outfit close to a black 750cc Nimbus from Denmark. Oddities include a black German Megola from the early 1920s, plus real eccentric machines like the shaft-driven Militaire from Buffalo – 1145cc, four-cylinders, heavy steering and wooden wheels. NSU nuts are also cared for – they might have a laugh, or shock – at the displayed original machines from Neckarsulm!
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1: Is that ‘Basil Brough’, the exChris Williams VMCC sidecar racer? 2: More spectacular machinery: Thor nearest, a Pope behind, two mostly forgotten American makers. 3: Blue Moto Guzzi truck carries a cache of local wine.
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4: Big, red, imposing Indian twin. Wonderfully advanced for now being 100 years old. 5: It’s cold outside… window behind a Harley-Davidson/ Aermacchi gives a hint at the conditions.
TOP MOUNTAIN CROSSPOINT Motorcycle Museum 6456 Hochgurgl, Tyrol, Austria Tel. 0043 5256-626 5901 www.crosspoint.tirol Admission: 10 Euro Opens: 9.30am to 7pm, daily
If a tollgate is usually a place you’d like to leave quickly – as ‘road tax’ needs to change hands – the Timmelsjoch High Alpine road seems different and it is – it’s quite the opposite. It’s a place to pause and take a break. If you're not in a real hurry, do plan in to stay a couple of hours at the very least. A little tip for those who are interested in vintage racers – the specials exhibitions rooms are already reserved from May End for 40 vintage racers.
Readerss’ Letters YOUR VOICE & YOUR OPINIONS
Uncle Bob’s tales My ‘Uncle Bob’ was Robert Spreadbrow, the nephew of John Wooler, who he worked for at the Alperton factory in the 1920s. He wasn’t given a finished bike by his uncle but he was told he could raid all the scrap bins, rectify the parts and make his own motorcycle. This he did and he completed his bike at the age of 16. Uncle Bob was quite adventurous and definitely a free spirit, so he took himself off to Devon one weekend and down Porlock Hill which, I believe, was used as a test hill for motor vehicles in those days. He made it down the hill but took several attempts over several days to get back up and home.
My grandmother was beside herself as she imagined every mishap possible and had received no communication. She finally received a postcard the day after he arrived home! His adventures took him into racing motorcycles and his claim to fame was to win BMCRC Clubman’s Senior Grand Prix on July 28, 1934, on his Norton International. It was in the days of ride to the track, take off the lights and race, put the lights back on and ride home. In later years, he tracked down the Norton to a lighthouse keeper in Scotland. “It’s okay, it’s under a cover,” he was
told. When he visited and the cover was removed, the salt and water had destroyed the bike. Uncle Bob rebuilt a 1920s NUT which he used for the Banbury Run. This was then sold and he built another Wooler in the 1980s. He had a frame and an ohv engine, that was not fully developed in the day, so built a motorcycle that was really a prototype. He got the motorcycle going just before he died. He also kept the registration from his original Wooler! I have lost track of this motorcycle but ME 1095, is classified as SORN on DVLA, does anyone know its whereabouts? Graham Leake, ‘Uncle Bob’ Spreadbrow, aboard the Wooler he built up Fordingbridge, Hants. in the 1980s. Where is it now?
Memorable last hurrah for the racing Porcupine In the otherwise excellent article about AJS Porcupines and Matchless G45 (March 2019) it is stated no wins in grand prix came from 1952 onwards. In the opening Grand Prix of 1952, the Swiss at Bremgarten, not only did Jack Brett win, but Bill Doran came second and Rod Coleman fifth. After
Geoff Duke (Norton) retired on lap 21 with a broken exhaust valve, Brett took the lead but had to stop to remove his front mudguard. At this point, Doran took the lead, only to be slowed by gearbox trouble. As they entered the penultimate lap Brett led from David Bennett on his debut ride for the Norton team, with
Doran third. Bennett crashed and was killed, leaving Brett to win from Doran. The Porcupine then came fourth (Coleman) and fifth (Bill Lomas) at the TT, again fourth (Brett) and fifth (Coleman) at the Belgian. Prior to this it came third for Coleman and sixth for Brett in Holland. A second for Coleman and fourth
for Brett at the Ulster, was enough to give Coleman fourth and Brett fifth in the world championship standings. All this is covered in my book The History of World Championship Motorcycle Racing 1949 to 1958. See ronmaggs.com Ron Maggs, via email.
Honda happenings and an unbeatable Benly The letter from John Burgess (January 2019) stirred some memories. I too remember Minnear & Bruce in Guildford from my teens. On the way home from school I’d detour to Bedford road and admire the ‘new fangled’ Hondas in their window.
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I particularly lusted after a Benly Sport (CB92) and vowed to have one when I started work in 1965. The salesman, Mr Smith as I recall, sold me an old Excelsior Consort (two-speed, 98cc Villiers) for £40 as my first bike, with the promise he would take it back for the same amount
THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | APRIL 2019
as deposit on a new Honda when I’d saved enough. By that time however, the CB92 had been replaced by the CB160 so that’s what I bought new in November 1965. It was £222, plus £18 for a rear rack and Avon fairing. I thrashed that bike for two years before moving to four
wheels but have had a CB160 since 2009 which is treated a little better. Though, according to road tests I’ve read, it’s a better bike than the CB92, I have to say I’d still love to have a Benly Sport, which is surely the best looking 125cc model ever made. Neil Shenton,via email.
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