The Classic MotorCycle September 2014

ORIGINAL VELO THE SPECIAL ONE KTT STORY

MVSCRAMBLER

SEPTEMBER 2014

BSA’S BEST EVER PRE UNIT TWIN

COUPES MOTO LEGENDE BMW R67 WITH ADDED EXTRA ARIEL MODEL A ROYAL ENFIELD MOTOR CARRIER WHAT SCOTT FOR WHAT MONEY? MICHIGAN MADMAN E J POTTER: ‘I HAD TOO MUCH POWER FOR BONNEVILLE’

Number 09, September 2014

Rocket Goldie

£4.10

The brilliant

Editor’s welcome

In the process of putting together each issue, various facts, figures and information strikes a chord and sinks it, or impresses specifically. This month, the fact Freddie Frith won all rounds of the 350cc world title chase in its first year, as mentioned in Richard’s piece on page 72, leapt out.

I think this was because I was reading it on a Monday morning, having the evening before watched Marc Marquez win his ninth consecutive MotoGP race, while during the day I’d been at Mallory, where I’d seen Agostini out, demonstrating his MV. Apparently Marquez is on the verge of equalling Giacomo’s 10-race unbeaten run, which is double the number of race wins Fred achieved in 1949. That leads on to the ‘who’s best’ question, of course unanswerable, but interesting to consider – because all one competitor can beat is who’s in opposition to them.

So while in 1949 Frith had a highly rated teammate on a similar machine (Bob Foster) which is as Marquez is now (Pedrosa), and there were other equal (or almost equal) machines about, ‘Ago’ didn’t really have such competition.

That wasn’t Giacomo’s fault though – and anyway, if someone had have been on an equal machine, he’d have perhaps just beaten them anyway. Therefore, in many ways, his least heralded 500cc championship on the Yamaha was his greatest achievement. Still, whatever, Ago was in fine form at Mallory – there’ll be more about that event next month.

Freddie Frith was from Grimsby, not far from our ‘base’ in Horncastle, which itself is only something like seven miles from Cadwell Park. The picture below is from what has become a great ‘day out’ (this year on American Independence Day) for us locals – and a fair few less-than-local – as we joined the Morini OC for its annual trackday.

By ‘we’ I mean a group of Velo enthusiasts plus a couple of New Imps – there were I think nine of us out on prewar machines. We were sent out in the ‘Morini group’ which meant that we shared the track with a host of the 1970s Italian V-twins, predominantly. And great fun it was, too.

Come day’s end and Ian Whitehead – one of the aforementioned New Imp riders, pictured below with me – offered me a go on his Grand Prix, just like Ted Mellors used to race. I didn’t need asking twice and enjoyed a couple of laps on the pokey pushrod 350, which Ian races and hillclimbs. Brilliant, and it made my day. Thanks Ian.

OW SUBSCRIBE N FOR ONLY

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JAMES ROBINSON Editor

44 Contributors

Ian Kerr, Roy Poynting, Jerry Thurston, Alan Turner, Richard Rosenthal, Andy Westlake, Steve Wilson.

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

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

CONTENTS ISSUE | SEPTEMBER 2014 Archive photograph ..........................................6 News....................................................................8 Diary ................................................................14 Letters ..............................................................18 Coupes Moto Legende...................................20 Subscribe and save........................................24 COVER STORY

BSA Rocket Gold Star Super Profile ..............26

Velocette KTT .................................................38 BMW R67/R68.................................................44 Royal Enfield Motor Carrier ..........................48 Straight from the plate – 1930 Belgian GP .......53 Motorcycle spotlight - Ariel Model A............58 MV Agusta Scrambler ....................................62 Ted Mellors’ reflections..................................68

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Closer Look – 1949 GP season.......................72 Brian Butt interview .......................................76 Men who mattered – E J Potter .............................80 Roy Poynting column.....................................82 Jerry Thurston column...................................84 Marque of distinction – Scotts.......................86 You were asking ..............................................88 Restoration guide – Douglas Dragonfly .......92 Technical feature – Two-stroke cooling part 2...96 Next month...................................................112 Classic camera .............................................114

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POST: The Classic MotorCycle, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ EMAIL: jrobinson@mortons.co.uk

Readers’ Letters YOUR VOICE & YOUR OPINIONS

Generation games I am really enjoying all of the articles in the magazine, I thought you might like to look at these family photographs.

The earliest one is of my grandad Ernest Wardman taken, we think, at Micklefield, but it might be Leeds. My dad told me that the bike was a New Imperial.

The second photo is of my dad Fred taken at Mersa Matruh in 1941 shortly before his capture at Tobruk in 1942 and the latest one is of me taken yesterday on my BSA B40, which I have just finished restoring.

Hope that these are of interest, James, many thanks to you and the team for a great magazine.

John Wardman, via email.

Ed note: Thanks John.

I reckon that grandad’s motorcycle is not a New Imp, but a single speed Triumph, circa 1910.

Three generations, on their motorcycles.

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THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | SEPTEMBER 2014

DARTING DATES

In the article in your August 2014 issue ‘What’s in a name’ Roy Poynting says Douglas was prevented from using the name Dart by Daimler, but I do not believe this can be so, as not only does the Dragonfly predate the SP250, but Chrysler stopped Daimler thus naming its car.

Geo Corner, Errol.

I REMEMBER THEM!

Schweizo Brothers (as mentioned Letters, May 2014) are still vivid in my memory, as my dad bought my first motorbike from their Dartford shop in 1967. It had a Greeves frame, Villiers 2T motor and I was thrilled when having just turned 16 years old, I passed my test on it.

My dad (Kenneth Wilson) was treasurer of Bexleyheath District Motorcycle Club for many years and I have fond memories of him taking me to the Langmaid Trial which I believe is still being held.

I live in Burton-on-Trent now but all my motorbike memories as a teenager stem from the south east London/Kent area where I grew up, and which will never be forgotten.

Graham Wilson, Burton-on-Trent.

Feedback, good and bad Congratulations on the August 2014 edition of The Classic MotorCycle. Good articles, interesting bikes and good coverage of the Banbury Run; a real event where motorcycles are in actual use.

I didn’t purchase the June or July copies of the magazine. For my tastes, the content of each was, frankly, dire. July must be the nadir of the magazine. Main features were on two mediocre motorcycles, the Jubilee and C15; I could understand one ‘grey porridge’ inclusion… but two? Also, my friends all share my taste that articles of static display shows are pointless and a waste of print. Why would we want to read about shows we didn’t attend, about people we don’t know?

I have been a loyal purchaser of the magazine since edition one (that is the ‘Classic’ morph of the original).

Nowadays, I preview the magazine and check if it’s worth buying. August was.

Personally, I enjoy modern reviews of interesting machines from Norton, Velocette, Sunbeam, and the more obscure makers. Articles relating to company history are generally engaging, as are biographies and tales of past sporting events. I abhor lightweight and simplistic copy.

I’m 60, have ridden continuously since the age of 12, and have been involved in road racing, trials and hill climbing. My current stable includes two overhead cam Velocettes, an Ariel HT5, Yamaha XT500, AJS 16MS and a Motor Guzzi V1000. I have worked as a journalist (many years ago), but I now provide financial advice and training to large businesses in matters of finance. I am educated to a post-graduate level.

I don’t think I am unusual in taste or history, in fact my large group of classic motorcycling acquaintances are much as I am and generally share my views. Please keep the magazine interesting. Include articles with some weight. Ensure that road tests are critical and highlight the flaws of the ridden.

Chris Ward, via email.

Credit where credit’s due…

In the August 2014 edition Alan Turner, one of your contributors, refers to the Pioneer Run as well as the Sunbeam club itself. On pages 78-79 his ‘Brief chat with Peter Higgs’ refers to the Pioneer Run seven times without alas giving any reference to the club.

My point is the VMCC gets ample mention of its events and it can be easily misconstrued that the Pioneer is a VMCC event. My wish is that journalists could give due credit to a smaller but successful club that beavers away.

Again on page 92 Alan actually refers to the Sunbeam club saying it’s for all motorcyclists and motorcycles, but essentially we are for the various eras up to and including 1939 only.

In trying to clear up this mixed message, as his opening words, ‘care is needed’.

Baz Staple, via email.

WRITE TO: The Classic Motorcycle, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6LZ EMAIL: jrobinson@mortons.co.uk FAX: 01507 529495

EMC issues As a former owner of a 350cc EMC, Tony Jenkins’ letter (My Old EMC, August issue) was of interest and it was a pity he did not mention the fact that the engine was a split single, or twingle if you prefer. In this type of twostroke there are two cylinders topped by a common combustion chamber.

It was usual for these to be placed fore and aft relative to the crankshaft axis (eg Puch, EMC and others) although TWN and Garelli placed them side by side.

With a fore and aft layout one piston reaches top dead centre slightly before the other, so with the exhaust port(s) positioned in the leading cylinder and the transfers in the lagging one this means that the exhaust port opens well in advance of the transfer and closes correspondingly early, giving asymmetric port timing.

In the side-by-side arrangement the pistons moved in step and the port timings would have been symmetrical about the dead centres. The differential port timing and the convoluted gas path through the engine ensured good separation of incoming and outgoing gases and this is only partially achieved with the TWN arrangement.

The problem with all this as applied to the 350cc EMC engine was that Ehrlich made the engine, but most of the rest of the machine had to use bought-in parts.

Chain transmission and a Burman gearbox meant that the engine rotated in the same direction as the wheels, so the exhaust cylinder had to be at the rear.

With the front cylinder benefiting from both the fresh air and the cool incoming charge and the rear cylinder getting most of the heat and little cooling air it is not

surprising that the block became increasingly pearshaped as it warmed up. Water cooling or gearing to reverse the rotation of the engine would have been the solution, but would have made an already expensive machine prohibitively so.

Tony described the machine as good-looking with an upswept exhaust, but that vast empty space in front of the cylinders did nothing for the overall appearance. The exhaust was a high-level horizontal system exiting from the left rear corner of the block and as Tony said, had a sound of its own. The forks were Dowty Oleomatic, using air as the springing medium and oil for damping.

They were also used by Panther and Velocette for a few years. Crankcase sealing was on the labyrinth system, in this case using interleaved fixed and rotating diaphragms. The conventional garter-type seal was surely available at the time so why this more complex arrangement was used we will never know.

For some years I was the VMCC Marque Specialist for EMC and in 1997 I prevailed upon the organisers of the founders’ day gathering at Stanford Hall to allow a small celebration to take place commemorating 50 years since the machine was introduced. About a dozen machines were displayed, of which mine was the only one ridden to the event. Dr Joe kindly came along and seemed to enjoy himself looking at the bikes and talking to their owners. I ran my 350cc EMC for a number of years and it was a pleasant enough machine, but the probability of piston trouble was always in the back of one’s mind. Really all it needed was a Triumph 3T engine!

Mike Jackson, Puckeridge.

THANKS FOR THE FEATURE

For someone, like myself, whose natural profile is usually to be found somewhere bumping along the bottom I am very happy to have had an article in your fine magazine featuring me.

Alan Turner came over one day, a chap I had not met before, but who I found to be the most enjoyable company and who seems to know everyone who is anyone in the motorcycling world and we got on like a house on fire.

The result was his article in your magazine. All I can say is thank you very much indeed for something which has given me a lot of fun in getting it together and lot of pleasure for all of us seeing and reading it.

I do hope it is enjoyed by the rest of your readers as well. It will be most interesting to see what response we get, if any, to my thoughts on classic bike trials.

Thank you so much for doing this and for sending me the copies of The Classic MotorCycle which will be long and deeply treasured.

Peter Higgs, via email.

Beat the deadline EMCs ready for despatch. Note the ‘for export’ sticker on the machine at the front. Wonder where it went?

For publication in the next issue write to us

by August 15, 2014.

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Race rarity

Motorcycles which have a full history are rare. Racing motorcycles with one are rarer still. Which makes this Velocette very special indeed.

Words: JAMES ROBINSON Photography: JOE DICK/MORTONS ARCHIVE

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THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | SEPTEMBER 2014

Velocette | KTT

T

here is no denying that the knowledge of a vehicle’s history adds much to its appeal. ‘Provenance’ is a key word now, the knowledge of what something has done adding to its appeal. But all too often, works models, the ones which won many of the big races, were subsequently modified, updated, raced again and often subsequently cut up.

As an example, I know a chap who has the rev counter bracket from a Harold Daniell TT winner, acquired by his father who worked at Nortons at the time; he knows this is the only bit (or one of a few bits) that survive from the bike, as his father watched it being cut up – the fate of many works racers.

Privateer mounts, though, are another matter entirely. Over the counter machines normally fared differently though quite regularly their fates were just as ignominious – it usually went something like; first owner raced at high level, second owner slightly lower, third-fifth owners club racers, sixth and on butchers, bakers and candlestick breakers… then a depressing, worn out death for a once proud machine, which by now sports all sorts of ‘updates,’ modifications and aberrations.

The KTT featured here is somewhat different, in that it only went through stages one to three – and was then put away, stashed in an attic, so avoiding much of the butchery and breakages that befell so many of its kind.

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | SEPTEMBER 2014

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What could have been...

They cleaned up on the racetrack, but MV Agusta also got dirty playing motocross, though decided to concentrate on the Tarmac.

Words and photography: PhilliP TooTh Additional photography: Gian Pio oTTone

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The ClassiC MoTorCyCle | SEPTEMBER 2014

MV | Motocross

M

ention the magic letters MV to any motorcycle enthusiast and into their head will pop the names of legendary riders like Cecil Sandford, Carlo Ubbiali, Tarquinio Provini, John Surtees, Gary Hocking, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read and, of course, Giacomo Agostini. They all won world road racing championships on the red and silver racers, but Meccanica Verghera’s first win was on the dirt, not the track.

The first production MV motorcycles to leave Cascina Costa, near Varese, were available in the summer of 1946.

A short while later, on October 6, MV’s first official agent Vincenzo Nencioni won an off-road high speed trial at La Spezia. A week later Mario Cornalea delivered the second MV victory on the 98cc two-stroke, this time in a road race at Valenza Po, and he won again at Alessandria the following Sunday. Come November and a three-man MV team comprising Nencioni, Cornalea and Mario Paleari cleaned up at another off-road race at Monza.

Count Domenico Agusta became hooked on winning.

The epic story of MV Agusta racing was under way.

We’re going to leave road racing to one side and take a closer look at some of the off-road exploits. Factoryentered MVs participated in high-speed time trials for 20 years and notched up numerous wins, including several gold medals in the prestigious International Six Days Trial. But when it came to motocross, perhaps the toughest test of man and machine, the factory decided against official works bikes and riders.

Any triumphs – and any failures – were down to private pilots, perhaps assisted by local dealers and occasionally by the House of Varese.

The baptism of MV Agusta in motocross took place in 1949 at Gavirate, near Lake Varese and 30 miles from the factory. There were two races – one for 500s and another for 125s. The 500cc class was won by Giulio Galbiati on a Moto Guzzi Alce fitted with a Condor road race engine.

But the big surprise was the performance of the light and nimble 125cc MV strokers piloted by Bertoni, Grossi and Attolini. They finished one-two-three with an average speed for the race very close to that of the 500cc fourstroke. It was the first of many victories, and the little MV would even be placed first overall when it was up against the big thumpers in races open to any capacity class.

For the first half of the 1950s those private MV pilots used bikes powered by 125 and 150cc two-strokes, or the 175cc four-stroke engine with a single chain-driven overhead camshaft that would be used in the 15hp CSS Supersport ‘Disco Volante’ (Flying Saucer). Mondial won the first-ever Italian 250cc MX championship in 1956, but two of these 175cc MVs put up a respectable performance by finishing third and fourth.

THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE | SEPTEMBER 2014

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