Interesting Stuff
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C2B Saturday 22nd April
In preparation for the up and coming Coventry to Brighton Event, We have been fettling the 1927 BSA Sidecar combo, that used to ply its trade in Brighton.
As you may be aware, it made it most of the way last year, but the fuel economy, was an oil barons dream, doing about 10mpg., and the side car stub axle bending and cracking was the cause of its demise.
Over the last few weeks work has been carried out in an attempt to make this year’s outing a complete success. Geoff Ansell has arranged for a new axle to be fabricated, machined and fitted; and Dave Whitehead has rebuilt the carb to cure a sticky float.
Pictures below show the first start up, as you can see, a little bit of oil had accumulated in the engine, during its “fallow” period.
The Vintage Motor Cycle Magazine.
It’s amazing, the more things change the more they stay the same.
Came across some old issues of the club magazine, here are the section notes for the Midland Section
Dates are:- Dec 57: Nov 60: Oct 78: Nov 80: Sept 81: Jan 82.
Can you tell which is which?
Sunday 31st July National Motorcycle Museum.
Today at the National Motorcycle Museum Dave Whitehead and Tony Brinkworth put the finishing touches to the Museum's recommissioned 1924 BSA Brighton Taxi Combo.
I had the pleasure of starting the machine (first kick) and took it around the car park several times without a snag or missed beat!
On that form it looks as though the 2024 Coventry 2 Brighton Run (27th April) will at last see the Combo complete the 167 mile tortuous route back the the Taxi's stomping grounds during the 1920's.
28th 29th October National Motorcycle Museum Open Day
A number of the members, including the cleaning team were involved as helpers for the Museum open day. Particularly useful were the car parking team who assisted in segregating the cars from bikes and ensuring that maximum space was utilised in the dedicated bike park. This was a major task, particularly on the Sunday where approaching 1000 bikes alone were on site. As a reward to the cleaning crew they were all issued with a VIP ticket to enable to “rub shoulders with the stars”
Here’s an article published in full from the “Friends of the Museum” Newsletter,
written by James Hewing the Museum Director.
Saturday 20th Jan Museum Friends Day.
Lots of familiar faces at the Museums Friends Day Lecture given by Rick Partington of Classic bike fame.
In the morning he gave us lots of interesting stuff about his beloved Blackburn engine machines and the trials and tribulations of frame repair.
The afternoon was taken up with Carburation and the equipment your workshop really needs.
Great day out.
Famous Triumph rider Norman Hyde was at the Museum to give a talk about his Sprinting career. It was certainly interesting enough to raise Bob’s eyebrows!
Ride a Classic at the NMCM 18th & 25th September.
Every so often the National Motorcycle Museum gets some of their collection out for ‘Friends of the Museum’ to have a taster ride on a variety of classic bikes.
This years’ events on the 18th & 25th September were, due to Covid restrictions, the first for nearly two years. Never the less 25 “Friends” rode, an eclectic mix of machines in the morning session with a further 15 riders partaking of the afternoon session.
Whilst the closed circuit laid out in the car park is a little restrictive it’s a great opportunity to ride bikes that may never come your way
Watch the Video Below
approx 12 mins
Banbury Run
Here's a short video of the 2022 Banbury run, held on 19th June.
It Features Neil on his Royal Enfield 250sv
Sunday 22nd August
Friends from the Morini Club. dropped into the Musuem today
They had their meeting today to mark 23 years since their last visit!
Association of Pioneer Motorcyclists
Victorina Young from Somerset (known as Vic),
named after a Russian Aunt who was a cousin to Yul Brynner
Victorina started building 'Choppers' and custom painting in 1969.
Won the International Custom Car and Bike Show, Top Bike award in1973 at Crystal
Palace with a customised 1958 Triumph TR6 with a write up in Motor Cycle Mechanics 1973 May edition.
Now has a customised 1957 Triumph Bonneville in the lounge!
Currently rides a new Trike.
Her grandfather 'Teddie' Young was President of the APMC in 1931-1932.
The Best Club House in the World.
The section recognises the generosity of the National Motor Cycle Museum in allowing open house for their
monthly “Club Night”
As a homage, here is a 5 minute tour. (It doesn’t do the collection justice)
If you haven’t been put it on your “Bucket List”
Hoar Park June 2021
There's a regular Coffee Morning every Wednesday at Hoar Park.
Here's two old "Velo Fellows" en-route. (9mins)
Friday 13th August
As a way of thanks to the Motorcycle Museum, for all they do for our section, Bob has been giving free guided tours to visitors who are willing to listen to him babble.
On today’s tour was a lady Ukulele teacher, who gave us a few tunes on George Formby’s Ukulele, which is on display alongside his pre-war Norton. She was not very complimentary about the non-genuine plastic strings and has donated a new set of proper steel strings for fitment later.
Not seen, off shot Bob was busy googling “Ukulele Lessons”…. Fortunately, you will be pleased to hear, his on line enrolment application was swiftly rejected. So you will not be subjected to his rendition of ‘When I’m cleaning Windows’ ‘Leaning on the Lamp Post’ or, more importantly, ‘Why Don’t Women Like Me’ at future club nights.
Also pictured, his namesake: Bob the Peacock inspecting a visitor's bike.
Mafe's Morgan going strong with its new owner (Bob, North Cotswold Chairman) taken at Snowshill Arms on Wednesday 14th April 2021.
The committe had their first meeting for over a year, in splendid isolation.
Outcome is a Programme of Events for 2021.
See "Schedule of events 2021" page.
Thanks to Mark Lepkowski of the Norton Owners Club for allowing us to reproduce this article.
Cleaning the legends
Back in the summer, the Midlands Section of the VMCC asked for volunteers to help get all the bikes at the National Motorcycle Museum ready for display by giving them a good clean and polish. At that time, the museum was planning to re-open at the start of October, but alas, as we all know, the on-going
Covid situation led to the government introducing further restrictions
and that re-opening is now on hold.
VMCC asked us to spend three or four hours every Thursday morning
to get the 800 or so display bikes sparkling clean again. I believe the
regular museum cleaners had been either laid off or furloughed, hence
the call for VMCC to come to the rescue. The Birmingham branch are
lucky enough to have use of the museum as their club house, so they have a vested interest in its continued success.
Not wanting to miss such a unique opportunity, I joined a small band of a dozen or so fellow enthusiasts, and armed with tubes of Solvol, bike polish and cloths we set about our task. It took us eight weeks to go through the five display halls as well as all the bikes in the reception area. I was lucky and
managed to clean the Nortons, as well as rarities like the Brough
Superior, Buccaneer and Silk 700. It was a real treat to get up close
to so many iconic bikes as opposed to seeing them behind a barrier.
Following the cancellation of the re-opening, we were asked back to
the museum today (29 October) to dust down all the bikes so that
our earlier hard work would not be wasted. With the hard graft
already having been done back in the summer, the dusting process
was much quicker and we got through two display halls today.
The plan is to go back every month to keep on top of the bikes in readiness for whenever the museum can open up again.
I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the Nortons from a slightly different viewpoint than you would if visiting the museum. I have kept the pics as large as possible so you can see the details. (see Slideshow at end)
And finally…
This Nemesis took me the best part of an hour to clean with the huge amount of alloy making up the chassis, swinging arm and front fork! Despite claims by some when it was released that it is a wooden mock-up, there really is a tiny V8 engine hidden under that fairing. A pity it never saw the light of day - or not really a Norton?
And on the subject of bikes not really being what they are, here is one of the infamous Triumph TR6’s badged as a BSA. Meriden workers assembling the bikes as part of a special order in 1972 downed tools when they saw the petrol tanks!
Click on the arrow > on the right of the logo to see all the pictures
Financial Update
If you are interested in an update of our Accounts for 2020 from the Treasurer
Click Here and make a request
Good new is that we are still solvent
Two Hondas
Approx 10 Mins
In 1974, as a youth of 17, I bought a green Honda CB250 G5 from the shop of racer Derek Chatterton. It was the bees’ knees for a (short) while, before I moved on to bigger better bikes.
In 2010, I saw two semi derelict G5s for sale on eBay and bought both for the grand total of £160.
This video is of one of the preliminary trial rides, not bad only broke down twice! I soon remembered just how good these old Hondas are and promptly sold them for a small profit on eBay and quickly spent the proceeds on an early Fireblade, much more satisfactory.
Sorry about the video quality but technology has come on in leaps and bounds in the last 10 years.
Cadwell Velo
Approx 2:30 Mins
An early excursion to Cadwell Park for a track day. Bike is a 59 Viper (350cc) which I have owned since 1974. A little slow for track use having to change down to third to go up the hill at Coppice, good fun all the same.
Same excuse for video quality as before.
Cadwell
Approx 10 Mins
A year on and we are back at Cadwell and on slightly (!) more suitable bikes.
Video quality still not great, but getting better.
Santa Pod and Whilton Mill
Approx 7 mins
Strange bedfellows, but the video quality is much better.
Top Fuel Dragsters are LOUD
The Guy brought 3 Karts to Whilton Mill which cost 6 of us about £200 a head for the day, all in. Great value, great fun, BUT at the end of the day nobody had the strength or will to drive any more…brutal.
As an explanation, stick on beards are a bit of a tradition.
Bumpy & Museum Ride a Bike Day
Approx 12 Mins
Bumpy have a 9 acre site in Batley near Wakefield. We went for a Trial Riders lesson, none of us having done so before, as you can see we managed to capture a couple of tumbles, but not nearly all of them.
If you fancy having a go they can be contacted at http://www.bumpy.org.uk/
Open to ‘Friends of the Museum’ 2 or 3 times a year James Hewing and his staff get 10 or so Bikes out and let us ride them round the car park. To join see https://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk
Training Day
Approx 7 Mins
Twice a year, VMCC Head office arranges a training day at Curborough Sprint circuit near Lichfield. Members bring their, mostly, pre war machines, for those signed up on the day to ride under safe, closed road conditions. It’s not often you get to ride a Brough, Vincent, Velocette, Scott etc in quick succession. This Video is from September 2016 and we did not let the rain spoil a good day, or the bacon butties.
Alan Fox Coach lining.
I’m sure you’ve all seen the November 2020 VMCC Magazine (page 18) extolling the virtues and explaining how Alan Fox carries out his tank and wheel coach lining service.
Unfortunately it does not say how or where you can contact him!
For anyone working on their bikes over lockdown and winter who has the need for some coach lining on petrol tanks, oil tanks, mudguards, wheels etc. Alan Fox is the man.
He lives in Shirley, not far from our Chairman Geoff and his contact number is 07853 831594.
As can be seen from the article, his work is pretty damn good, so if you need any lining doing give him a call to discuss.
A Collection of Bikes we've ridden
