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25 Articles

One of the best bits about acquiring another old bike – either as a replacement or an addition – is getting to know it, becoming familiar with what's what, what it does and where it goes. At least, that works for me, as regular readers of The Shed will know. Maybe I need to add that understanding how it does what it does and exactly how it's fitted to the rest of the bike are especial bonus understandings. These can greatly improve the delight involved with fiddling and fettling. And the more successful that process is, the better the bike is likely to be when it comes to actually riding it. From my own personal viewpoint, AMC machinery rarely poses a problem, because I've been messing around with those since…

flying IN STYLE

It's not every day you see a RollsRoyce Silver Dawn limousine, because for one thing they were only manufactured for a few years, during the height of Britain's postwar austerity era from 1948 to 1955. So even as Royces go it's a rare bird. And you certainly wouldn't expect to see a red-and-black one Bonneville-bound with Canadian plates, sailing like a stately ocean liner along the high desert Interstate highway during the three-day voyage from British Columbia to western Utah – still less towing a trailer bearing such improbable cargo as a strangely-shaped motorcycle strapped beneath a canvas cover. But it was this unlikely rig which in 2008 conveyed Tom Mellor and wife Diane with their 1969 Triumph Trident T150 to the Bonneville Salt Flats, where the Canadian rider set…

flying IN STYLE

PO BOX 66 BUDE EX23 9ZX HAPPY BIRTHDAY RC! I enjoyed Rowena's Members’ Enclosure last month, looking back at the beginning of RealClassic twenty years ago. I bought my copy of RC01 at Shepton Mallet back in 2004, but I doubt I was the first to buy a copy. Before then I had known of Frank from the AJS and Matchless Owners'Club, where he edited the Jampot, the club's magazine. Your piece made me look back at the first issue of RealClassic, as I am proud to have a collection containing every issue, but was horrified to find I don't seem to have RC02. I couldn't find an issue 13 either, but snuggled between RC12 and RC14 was RC12A, so I guess you were superstitious? The magazine is a great…

I saw the letter from Andrew Smith in RC238 suggesting an article about his Honda DN-01. Yes please! I'd love to hear a long-term owner's view of this bike. Obviously he likes it or he wouldn't be a long term owner, but even so… it's an interesting machine and one that I've been tempted to buy. I was put off by the idea of an automatic motorbike: it just doesn't seem right somehow. Oddly enough, I love an automatic car. It just doesn't seem right on two wheels. Is it the same DCT arrangement found on some current Hondas? Ora full auto? I rode a friend's VFR1200 for a couple of hours once, and I must admit to being totally underwhelmed by the DCT thing. In auto mode it just…

AWESOME NORTON!

Sometimes dreams are expensive. Well, usually they are. Whether your particular dream has two legs and the right parts to go with them, a hull and an outboard motor, four wheels and fuel injection, or two wheels and carbs… dreams will cost you. Motorcycles are my lifelong passion, well at least since age 8, and following a 30-year career in the US Navy, they seem to multiply like rabbits in my shop. I have built or repaired dozens and currently have around 30, of 13 different makes. Since the 1960s and my exposure to the Norton girls, I lusted after a Commando (and of course a Norton girl), finally purchasing a 1974 model about ten years ago. As I planned to keep the bike forever, I lavished many dollars on…

AWESOME NORTON!

EXTRACTING THE IMPOSSIBLE

In the Rickman Interceptor article in RC238, the problem of removing broken studs was encountered. This can be very tricky and can easily result in damage to the casing. I have found that using left-hand spiral drills to do the drilling out quite often results in the remains of the stud winding out on the drill while drilling. Most good engineers suppliers sell left hand drills. Be very wary of the'easy out'tool. If it snaps off in the part then the only solution is spark eroding. There is a device called a'tap disintegrator'but they are a bit random and can damage the thread. If the part is precious, and you are unsure, take the job to a professional. Great articles by Odgie. Does he wear his underpants over his tights…

EXTRACTING THE IMPOSSIBLE

THE END IS NIGH?

Recently I read about the cancellation of a major model railway show. The rising costs and dwindling attendee numbers had finally caught up. The average age group of the model railway enthusiast is a mirror image of the classic motorcycle owner, and the numbers are falling. Similarly, many charities face problems recruiting volunteers. The serious lack of volunteers with mechanical engineering experience means some have to go to Germany for steam loco parts. Those volunteers belong to the same age group as vintage and classic motorcyclists. I volunteer with the Leighton Buzzard Railway. Of the thirteen of us, nine are over 70, one is over 80. The supply of new members has been curtailed by the extending of the retirement age and the need for some to carry on working…

THE END IS NIGH?

I was interested in Paul Henshaw's article about the 250 Enfield Clipper. He is correct in his suggestion that the ignition system was by Miller. The 1954 and early 55 models were fitted with a Miller alternator and points system, which then was superseded by Lucas items. However, Paul describes the frame as being similar to the Model G, but lighter. I had a parts book for both models and the part numberfor both frames is identical. I fitted a Model G engine and transmission into a 250 as a straight swap. The only difference was that the wheel rims were one size smaller, which explains why they were a bit pedestrian. Thanks for a great magazine. Terry Gaunt, member Thanks for the info, Terry. That's the great thing about…

Regular contributor Nick Adams graces RC's pages once again with his latest article'On Borrowed Time'in RC237. In a dual-sport world dominated by BMW's GS, and prolific offerings from just about every motorcycle manufacturer on the planet, it's refreshing to see Nick demonstrating that such sophisticated (and expensive) offerings are not needed to follow the dream of adventure touring. Nick's elderly Moto Guzzi Eldorado exhibits a stoneaxe simplicity of technology. Coupled with Nick's can-do / why not? Attitude, it proves that the modern day offerings of adventure tourers are unnecessary to enjoy such adventures. Indeed I suggest that because of the age and simplicity of his steed, Nick's travels are that much more satisfying in their achievement against the formidable wilderness he challenges, not to mention the occasional mechanical hiccups that…

I would appreciate anything anyone can tell me about my dad's Rudge. Mum is on the bike and I would think it was taken in the 1940s in Cardiff. Is it a Leeds registration number? The headlamp seems to have a blackout visor – if so, the photo may have been taken during WW2. Mum and dad married in 1943.1 was born in 1947 and by then he had a car. I only saw this photo after mum had passed away, and I didn't know dad owned a bike. When my elder brother fancied a Douglas Dragonfly as a first bike, dad talked him into having a BCA C11 instead. As an apprentice in 1963 I struggled to afford my first bike, which was a BSA SS80. Dad loaned me…

THE LIGHTER SIDE

After reading the recent letters about riding lighter motorcycles as we get older, I totally agree that it is something a lot of us need to do, I am rapidly approaching the age of 75 with an arthritic left knee, probably due to the motorbike accident I had at Alexandra Palace in 1965. I suffered six breaks in my left leg around the knee and lost my right leg below the knee. This has not stopped me motorcycling. For the first 25 years of married life we initially owned bicycles, then could afford to buy a Lambretta TV200 and Bambini sidecar. From then I have owned around 50 motorcycles and well over 30 sidecar outfits, one of the best being a 1000cc Moto Guzzi California and Headingham sidecar. Until last…

THE LIGHTER SIDE

BMW R27 The South Durham VMCC was home to many interesting old machines, but few stood out like Kelvin's unusual, quirky looking, irritatingly reliable and oiltight 250cc BMW R26. What it lacked in sound and fury, it made up for with easy starting and fuss-free riding. He rode many a mile on it over the hills of Durham and Northumberland, even venturing into Yorkshire on club runs. This was in the early 2000s but it stayed in my mind as a machine to have, even as I restored a wallet withering Commando. Some years later, serendipity coincided the sale of my Commando, an R27's arrival at Venture Classics and my passing by on the way to meet Frank W for supper and a bevy or two. It was just too…

If you ask any enthusiast these days what they think of ČZ you might receive a look of inquisitiveness and then perhaps a few words would be pronounced: cheap, reliable, but perhaps not very exciting. That might be true but those pronouncements make no allowance for how the Čzechoslovakian manufacturers (of Jawas too) increased their quality and materials over time. Indeed Jawa still produce modern examples of this sort of machine. I hadn't ridden a ČZ before this one, but long ago an uncle used to swear by them (no, not at them!) as he commuted from the suburbs in London to High Holborn on what may have been a 175 single. Thinking back to when my machine was new in the late 1980s, my mind was filled with recollections…

From a DIFFERENT PLANET

IZH JUPITER 3 If you're a RealClassic regular, you may remember my friend Geoff's home-built rotary Norton which appeared ib RC220. As you might've gathered, Geoff is rather fond of the unusual. However, it's normally the case that when you come across a bike which is rare then it's either very expensive or very old. The bike featured here is indeed one of the rarest motorcycles that resides in our fair isle, but it isn't expensive nor especially old. What is it, then? You're looking at a 1976 Russian-built IZH 350 twin, the Jupiter 3 model, which was occasionally sold or described as a Cossack or even a Neval. Geoff bought the IZH from a friend, and at that time it had a right-hand sidecar chassis fitted which was topped…

From a DIFFERENT PLANET

THE HISTORY BIT

As my Russian is a bit rusty, please take the following information with a generous sprinkle of sodium chloride. The general gist is that the Soviet people's committee for the economy issued an order in 1931 that the Izhevsk motorcycle manufacturing plant should be commissioned, with the potential to manufacture 120,000 machines per year. This undertaking was no doubt inspired by the efforts of one Pyotr Mozharov, an automotive designer at the Izhevsk armament plant. Mozharov headed up the'moto department’ and put together several motorcycle prototypes in the late 1920s. The IZH1 of 1928 was a transverse 1200 sidevalve twin which output 24bhp, weighed 300kg and bristled with innovative suspension and drive solutions. Mozharov followed his initial efforts through the 1930s with half a dozen more experimental machines, mainly powered…

THE HISTORY BIT

For how many years, gentle reader, have the very many classic chatter zones been alive with the sound of ‘When will Triumph produce a modern Tiger Cub?’ In fact, for reasons known only to themselves, Triumph – the modern incarnation – continue to be resolute in their avoidance of a great model name, but they finally have produced the bike… they just called it something different. Two kinds of something different, in fact, as was ever the way. While I bounded around the Somerset lanes aboard Triumph's brand new Speed 400, I mused upon the corporate reluctance to employ the surely effective and certainly evocative Tiger Cub monicker. I reached no sensible conclusion. This was a good thing, and I concentrated instead on simply enjoying a glorious sunshiny day in…

I was at the front of the queue for the Triumph 400. So much so that I was an entire year too early and thus missed the boat – by sailing too soon! I spent my cash this time last year on a street-scrambler 500 twin. Even so, I still fit the bill as a potential purchaser of Triumph's new pint-sized roadster, being distinctly susceptible to something bright, shiny and new. I'm always in the market for a physically compact yet peppy streetbike. Let the hunt begin… I've another machine specifically dedicated to long-distance travel, so full touring kit is surplus to requirement. My bike simply needs sufficient carrying capacity for a laptop and waterproofs. Its engine could be a single or a twin, and cubic capacity is less important…

HONDA CB450DX The devil finds work for idle hands, they say. So it is with me and classifieds or well-known online auction sites. Itchy fingers just casually window shopping – until the temptation becomes too much… This particular impulse-purchase is the product of an old and recurring itch. I have owned a few Superdreams over the years, both 250 and 400 models. I liked them all yet sold them. When I ask myself why I would sell any machine I quite liked, only to regret it and later buy one similar, I can't really find the answer. It's an affliction and I seem to have done it again. Well – almost. In case you've never tripped over one of these, this is a Honda CB450DX and is, to all intents…

SUNBEAM Centenary

VINTAGE & VETERAN CELEBRATION Let's clear one thing up straight away: despite its title, the Sunbeam Club is an all-marque organisation, open to everyone. Especially everyone with a bike built before 1940! When formed in 1924 the group originally catered for just Sunbeams, but its scope soon broadened to accept all motorcycle marques. Over time, the Sunbeam MCC became the custodian of the Pioneer Register and the host of the Pioneer Run – the world's largest gathering of truly ancient, pre-1915 machines. Back in the 1920s and 30s, many of the club's members were competitive riders who took part in the earliest speed trials and race meetings. Hence many of the club's modern events are open to any vintage or veteran motorcycle or outfit built before 1940 – and hence…

SUNBEAM Centenary

BSA GOLD STAR My workshop recently played host to a reasonably rare visitor, a BSA CB32 Gold Star. Its build date of 1954/55 means it's an example from fairly near the end of the line for the smaller Goldie. I was told it had been running but it lacked compression and power. Also, the front end felt like it was going to fall off! I decided to take a look at the engine first. Once the cylinder head was removed it quickly became evident that a badly fitted and blown head gasket was the main culprit. This was one of the laminated gaskets where layers of around 0.002” thickness can be peeled away to fine tune the compression and oil sealing. The latter also involves a proud spigot sticking up…

Plug-in PANTHER

PROJECT PANTHER REANIMATION PAST THE LAST My Model 10 became a 10e as it moved solely using electricity, an EV indeed, albeit with limited performance. Isn't it amazing how a project can be started with the intention to ‘just get it working’ and then stop, but once you do get it working the project expands to become about getting it working better. That's why I started investigating potential upgrades. However, if the motor was going to get an upgrade then the aesthetics also merited a (small) upgrade. An upgraded motor was going to need a more powerful battery, which would need some shelter from the weather. Putting the battery in the no-longer-needed petrol tank seemed a good idea – tucked away from the elements while retaining the motorcycle's silhouette. Great…

Plug-in PANTHER

Vintage Stony is PUB's'season opener1 event, for it is hard to get anything earlier than January 1st (unless one wants to organise a trial starting at midnight). The question was would the weather play ball, especially as it was very wet around that time? The very late answer to that one was yes, and flooded bits of road locally had subsided whilst further rain held off until evening – hooray. Next question, would the Bollée play ball – for it had failed fairly badly at Banbury in 2023 for reasons unknown? Naturally it had been looked at/serviced since then, but nothing untoward found, so a day or so in advance a further check was made, and the engine started. No problem, but it couldn't be taken for a drive because…

Ollieś ODDJOBS

I know it may seem to some that I'm a little bit obsessed with BSA Bantams, but honestly, this is not the case. It's just that the BSA Bantam seems to have an invigorating effect on others, an effect that involves them mucking about with the things to an incredible degree. These people might chop them, or sprint them, or shoehorn Suzuki RG500 engines into them. They trial them and motocross them and race them. And in Dave Musk's case, they turn them into the ultimate austerity motorcycle. A 5bhp, 190mpg, electric start equipped BSA Bantam Diesel Automatic. Dave says there has already been a diesel Bantam, done in Bobber format. Of course there has. A diesel Bantam Bobber. It's entirely logical. But Dave wanted a Bantam that looked like…

TALES FROM THE SHED

It sometimes feels like the only reason I can produce for hanging on to some of our old clunkers is that they provide seemingly endless opportunities to pass away those frozen, windswept hours out in the unheated environs of The Shed. Like several others, I would prefer to actually ride my machinery more often, but… but… I have the RE Woodsman for winter duties, so can stop pretending that I maintain my weary fleet of two (Triumph T25SS and Matchless G2 CSR) ready to take up Post Office Run duties every time it's salty outside. At the moment, Woody is providing reliable and rugged riding, so why did I get both Matchless and Triumph ready for action a couple of months ago? No idea. Moving swiftly on, then. All the…

TALES FROM THE SHED

Members’ Enclosure

You'd think that anyone who spends half the week mucking around with motorbikes and the other half of the week writing about mucking around with motorcycles might do something totally different in their spare time. Like – oh, I don't know skydiving or maeramé. But no. For our day off in January we visited a motorcycle factory, and for our day off in February, we visited a motorcycle show. And it would be tricky to find two more different experiences… Our first outing involved a 450 mile round trip to Hinckley. A quarter century ago, we were regular visitors at the original Triumph factory, fetching test bikes for magazine features. That factory was a typical industrial site – functional and workmanlike, full of hustle and bustle. These days, when you…

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