Weymouth Week 2013

A few pictures of machines that caught my eye from the VMCC Dorset Section's Weymouth Week 2013. The big run of the week, The Weymouth Run, on the opening Sunday was blighted by damp conditions though the rain was never hard enough to lessen enjoyment of the day and close on 200 bikes rode. With a lot of miles to cover over the week the majority of the bikes entered fell into the practical classics category, BMWs, British parallel twins and heavyweight singles, a smattering of Japanese classics and very few pre-war bikes. Noteworthy exceptions were an intrepid couple two up on a D1 Bantam, A Guzzi Zigolo and a Galleto.

Scott two-speeder parked up in Milton Abbas.

Lovely original Triumph TR5 Trophy explored parking
opportunities on the verge.

Tidy and well-used Moto Guzzi Galleto.

Detail on a late Velo MAC. Very rare to see those petrol
tank trims.

Detail on a nicely aged pre-war Velo MAC.

Nicely turned-out DBD34 Gold Star scrambler fitted with what
looks like a Norton 500T front wheel.

This was a favourite. A Condor A580 Swiss army machine.
Unusual high level exhausts and dual high / low ratio gearbox.

Moto Guzzi Zigolo.

Honda CB160 street scrambler.

Detail on an early post-war Norton 16H showing an admirable
patina.

Rare Royal Enfield Model L 570cc sv.

Lovely unrestored veteran Triumph.

Finned concentric carb tops

Found out about these nice finned concentric carb tops that a local guy is making. Bought one from ebay. It arrived and is very nice. Should look a treat on the Bullet Fury flat tracker project that parts are slowly being accumulated for...

Look at his blog, Jon's Metal Casting and buy on ebay. Highly recommended but don't everyone buy one or they won't be individual....

Amal Concentric finned carb top.

VSCC Wiscombe Park May 2013

A fine day out amongst the company of the VSCC crowd at the Wiscombe Park Speed Hill Climb. As usual a lot of exotic machinery being used as it was intended to be. As is reputed to often be the case at Wiscombe it rained though not enough to detract from the day too much. But how wonderful it would have been in the sun... Still, the grounds don't get to be so lusciously green without a regular watering.

Brooklands Monoposto Riley on the first corner.

GN Gnat slides off the start line in the wet.

Apologies about the poor picture but what a machine! Salome,
a period modified Morgan with GN rear axle. It's been racing
and developed pretty much since built and is now reputed
to produce 200bhp!

Mrs Jo-Jo Austin 7 special.

To compare and contrast with the Gnat, here's the

GN 'Grannie' special doing nearly the same thing.

Much photographed, the mighty Napier Bentley. 24 litre Napier
Sealion W12 engine. Not really suited to the tight course but a
fine spectacle.

And now for something completely different. Absolutely loved
this Rudge. Beautiful condition, nicely mellowed and all
original. Wish I knew the model, very unusual with the drop
bars and rod brakes, though I've seen a couple of other makes with
this set up. Hercules did something very similar and BSA did
a drop and rods machine but with conventionally positioned
levers.

Detail of the unusual brake levers on the
Rudge cycle I coveted...

Another detail on the Rudge. Condition just right!

And finally.. a Morgan sprints up the hill.

Fafnir Motor Cycle Engines 1911 brochure

An obscure name now but back in the day Fafnir produced complete cars and motorcycles and provided proprietry engines to a wide range of other producers. Based in Aachen, Germany the motorcycle engines were produced from 1900 to 1914 and built under license from Werner. Complete machines were made from 1903 to 1914.

1911 Fafnir Motor Cycle Engines brochure page 1.

1911 Fafnir Motor Cycle Engines brochure page 2.

1911 Fafnir Motor Cycle Engines brochure page 3.

1911 Fafnir Motor Cycle Engines brochure page 4.

More bikes from Nagasaki

A few more machines you don't see at home spotted in Nagasaki...

Retro machines are massively popular. Flat tracker styles are
in; there is a really nice flat track version of the Kawasaki
Estrella and Honda do an equivalent. This is the Honda CB400
retro bike. 

Rear three quarters view of the CB400.

The excellent Honda Ape. You see a lot of these around. Many
are heavily modified. This one is fairly standard.

Nothing unusual about a Kawasaki W model, except this one
is a W400 designed to fit with the Japanese motorcycle
class of 125 to 400cc.

Line of US dispatch riders on Harley WLs

World War Two period pic of a group of Harley mounted dispatch riders. Looks like it was taken in the States (or perhaps Canada?) and at a cold location.

Harley mounted American DRs.