JUNE 2013 Update

The Weather is getting better, so no excuse not to be out on even the most precious of motorcycles. As you will see below, we have recently spent more time recently with post war and modern bikes than our own era of Pre 1940s.

Our own development continues. This remains our temporary virtual home whilst a full e-commerce enabled site is developed. Meanwhile we continue to rescue old bikes and carry out research projects. We therefore need your help to boost the content such as with your favourite ride outs, bike friendly haunts and your restorations.  Send your content to Editor@fenlandclassics.co.uk

Brooklands Motorcycle Volunteers

 

The Volunteers are busy preparing for the Ton-Up Day which is their premier event for 2013 Follow on Twitter #TonUpDay . Many of the museum bikes will be ridden but some need some attention following their trip to the Vintage Revival meeting at Montlhéry near Paris in April. There are some stunning images of this event via the Volunteers Facebook page.

The Rudge Enthusiasts met at the Museum on 19 May. There was a large turn out and most took the opportunity for a blast up Test Hill and a ride round part of the iconic banked circuit.

 

 

More recently we got the chance of a few images replica Manx Norton which had been run up for the first time since the owner had acquired it some time ago. The test was successful which will enable the owner to run it at the Norton Owners Club Day at the Museum on 9 June 2013. For more details see the Museum Website.

 

BikeShed.cc Event

 

On 18 May we had the opportunity to find out what went on behind the Bikeshed! The Event is essentially a coming together of all things bike with an emphasis on custom builds of all types. Held at the Shoreditch Studios, this was an opportunity to soak up the art of the motorcycle. The guys behind the Bikeshed Motorcycle Club are a group of London based individuals who are passionate about motorcycles that decided to combine their infrequent blogs, blags and email banter into a virtual club. This grew into the “Event” after they imagined their version of what a cool bike show would look like. All we know is it was the best show we have ever been to. So roll VT to for a flavour of the event.

 

 

See more at The Bikeshed.cc Website

 



The Southern Classic Motorcycle Show and Bikejumble

Eric, The worlds fastest Patterson organises the bi-monthly jumbles at Kempton Park Racecourse which are supplemented by the Classic Show each May. This year was yet another success with the usual display of owners clubs and the addition of a Cafe racer display to celebrate 75 years of the Ace Cafe London and some of the Bikes to be auctioned by Historics on 2 June. For more about future bike jumbles and Eric’s Daytona world records on vintage bikes see the EGP Enterprises Website.

 Follow Us

 



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

Vintage Bike Test 2013

On 21 March 2013 we joined the volunteers of Brooklands Museum Motorcycle Section track testing motorcycles before they go off to the Vintage Revival meeting at Montlhéry near Paris in April. Here are a few shots of the day and a full report will appear in the April Update 

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

 

 

 

MARCH 2013 Update

It is still very early days for the site and the content will be evolving over the next few months. We now have the News page which is supplemented by Twitter @fenlandclassics The London Ace Cafe and Brooklands Museum have just launched a Ton Up day in June. It is a bit outside our era, but we will be supporting it. The Pioneer Run is defiantly in our era and watch out for some pictures and action in our next update.

All Our Yesterdays is our look at what was going on 100 years ago and this will also go backwards in time as we get into the WW1 period next year. We are still on the lookout for some interesting ride out routes and look forward to them coming into routes@fenlandclassics.co.uk

We will also be launching Fenland Classics TV and providing you will the opportunity to buy pre WW1 bikes and parts later in the year.

Our passion is older bikes, but we still have time to applaud the pioneers of today who are developing new green fuelled motorcycles 100 years after our grandads were bolting engines onto bicycles and racing them at Brooklands. The first TT Zero for zero emission motorcycles was held in 2010 and won by American Mark Miller riding a MotoCzyszE1pc at an average speed of just over 96 mph second was Briton Robert Barber riding an Agni which incidentally was the first electric motorcycle to ascend Test Hill at Brooklands bringing the story full circle. The TT Zero continues with the lap record now held by Michael Rutter on a MotoCzyszE1pc with lap of 104.056 mph. So the speed is there, but sadly not the longevity. So why do we love Zero emmissions bikes? The answer is simple it saves more fuel for older bikes! Things have moved on further and we will continue to keep up with the latest developments on the News page . 



The Agni in Action in 2009 at Brooklands Museum

FEBRUARY 2013 Update

After a bit of a false start, we are now up and running and are in the middle of building both an online and physical presence.

What is Fenland Classics?

We aim to draw on your experiences to bring news and information to our readers. We will be concentrating on the Pre WW2 period which covers the pioneers up until the days when petrol rationing and conscription led to many bikes disappearing to the shed down the garden, and incidentally how many are there still buried out there? We will be asking you all to delve into your family archives and help build a history of the dawn of motoring. These are very big aspirations but we need to get started as there is not much out there and what is there is scattered over the web and more worryingly being placed in rubbish skips on a daily basis.

If you have any old photographs, slides, plates diaries or written material relating to old motorcycles contact us at History@fenlandclassics.co.uk.  We are only interested in personal material which has not previously been published, so no Magazines or books please. We are also interested in any business archives relating to early motorcycle related business. For now we are casting the net wide and see how it goes.

We also want to build up a listing of your favourite biking routes. Contact us at Routes@Fenlandclassics.co.uk