MAY 2013 Update

Ride-Out May 2013

 

At last the biking weather has arrived. Sadly I did not take my own advice to come out of hibernation in February, so my steed still needs a bit of fettling before it is on the road. It was good to see everyone out there enjoying themselves which has given us an idea for a piece in the future about ride out venues. If you have any suggestions of places that you visit, send them to routes@Fenlandclassics.co.uk . We also have some of your favourite ride-out routes we are still checking out, but still need some more so send them in on the same email address.

As previously reported, we are supporting the Brooklands Museum Motorcycle Volunteers with their Ton-Up day in association with The Ace Cafe London on 23 June 2013 to celebrate 75 years of the Ace Cafe. It is looking like a fantastic event. Your chance to ride up the Hill and the famous banking have now closed, but there will be loots to see and do. There will be a mass ride in from the Ace Cafe, motorcycle films, many very interesting bikes and of course the action on the famous Test Hill   Glen Richards will ride the 2012 British Supersport winning Triumph on Test Hill on 23rd June. His BSB team-mate, Bill Mc Connell will ride the Museum’s Wicksteed Triumph (See April Update for more about this unique bike. Also 84 year old Johnny Giles, the highest medal scoring British ISDT rider of all time, will be reunited with his Cheney Triumph and will ride it up Test Hill.

We will also be visiting the Bike Shed Event at Shoreditch Studios EC2A 3HHon 18- 19 May as well as Goodwood Festival of Speed 12-14 July 2013.

APRIL 2013 Update

April has arrived and still there is snow. When will it ever end? Still tons of salt being tipped on the roads and whilst it is a life saver, it plays havoc with our old bikes. We are told that the weather will pick up after the second week of April, so maybe we can get out more then. This time of year is usually a time for an increase in bikes of all ages on the road and the Dept of Transport has re-launched this years Think Bike campaign aimed at improving driver awareness particularly at junctions where the stats tell us most accidents happen. I am sure you will all have your own experiences of near misses or worse. For bikers it is difficult to anticipate where the next hazard will come from. Zebra Crossings and side turnings are the ones that seem to catch me, however defensively I drive. My own scars come from Diesel spills and wet drain covers! Why not let us know your stories via Twitter @FenlandClassics #roadsafety. You can also hear the ads on the radio or go to http://think.direct.gov.uk/motorcycles.html for more advice and information.

Vintage Bike Test

The Brooklands Volunteer Team

 

We were privileged to join the Brooklands Museum Motorcycle Team on 21 March 2013 testing their bikes before they attend the Vintage Revival meeting at Montlhéry near Paris later this month. We joined them at The Museum at Weybridge in Surrey to load up the bikes and then made our way to the test location which is more used to seeing the likes of TV Top Gear’s Clarkson, May, Hammond and the Stig burning rubber of the four wheeled variety.
 

A Very Cold Start

To say the weather was cold was a bit of an under statement. Rain was forecast later in the day and the east wind was howling across the exposed airfield. All the bikes fired up ok and were warmed up before the run began. There was enough time for all the bikes to stretch their legs before a break for lunch and some fettling. Alas in the afternoon there was only time for a short session before the rain started.





The Wicksteed Between Runs

There are also more pictures and information on the Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteers Facebook page.

 

There is a common misconception that these museum bikes are sitting in the museum gathering dust. We are able to say that this is far from the truth and if you want to see them and many more running at the museum turn up to the “Ton Up Day” at the museum (KT13 0QN) on 23 June 2013, celebrating 75 years of the Ace Cafe London. All the bikes listed below will also be in action at Montlhéry historic circuit near Paris on 20-21 April 2013

Ton Up Details:

www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Vintage Revival Details:

http://www.vintage-revival.fr/

 Here are the details of five of the bikes on test for France:

 1933 350 cc Norton International

This bike was supplied by Norton for the 1933 Manx Grand Prix.  It was then used in road races and was first raced at Brooklands in 1936 in the Hutchinson Hundred by JB Moss.

1983 350cc JAP powered OK Supreme

Built to a very high standard by one of the volunteers from a box of bits, it spends all of its time at the Museum but is taken out to play as often as possible.

1936 250cc Rudge “Brooklands Special”

This is a bike built by the volunteer team and like most of the others gets a regular outing up the Museum’s Test Hill or at events such as the one in France.

BSA 500cc JM24 Empire Star

This is a replica of the 1937 Wal Handley Empire star that lapped Brooklands Circuit at over 100 miles an hour in June of that year. This bike was built to celebrate the centenary and had pride of place at the Brooklands Gold Star Event last year. This is the bike that one the famous Brooklands Gold star after which BSA changed the name of subsequent models to the famous Gold Star. Read more in April’s edition of Classic Bike Guide.   

1937 500cc “Wicksteed” Triumph Recreation

This bike was created in 1986 by the late Tich Allen, and is a replica of the 500cc Brooklands Record Holding bike driven by Ivan Wicksteed Using a 500cc supercharged engine, he achieved 118.02 mph on 8^th October 1938 on Brooklands outer circuit. This record still remains unbroken.

Ivan Wicksteed on the Original Machine