Wessex Veteran and Vintage run

The hot summer weather finally broke the weekend of the VMCC Wessex Veteran and Vintage section's run from Shillingstone Station. Still a good turnout of some very desirable machinery bolstered by a touring contingent over from Holland. No need for too many words, here're a few pictures....

Gorgeous oily rag Minerva v-twin from Holland.

Close up of the Minerva.

New Hudson v-twin with a superbly restored wicker sidecar.

Engine detail on the New Hudson.

And a fuller view.

1929 Norton Model 18 heads off.

Unusual veteran Singer has a unit construction
engine.

Full view of the Singer.

And here's the other side of the Singer motor.

Very fine Zenith Gradua v-twin also over from Holland.

Another view of the Zenith.

And finally, parked up in the restored station was this rather
nice Brian Rourke road bike.

Henderson combo going up the Khyber!

Two very wonderful if rather scruffy pictures of a gentleman and his Henderson four combination. On the reverse one of them is labelled 'Khyber Pass 1922'. There must be a great story behind it all. The Khyber Pass has always been a wild frontier and the chap looks like he may be a military fellow but on a machine far more glamorous than was ever used by HM Forces. Perhaps he was a wealthy officer and this was his private steed? Click on the pictures to get higher res images. 

1922 Henderson on the Khyber Pass.

1922 Henderson on the Khyber Pass.



Calne Bike Meet

The concept is a small town in Wiltshire, great roads all around it and one day a year when loads of bikes descend. It's not the first event of its kind but has been going a few years and gets a good turnout of interesting people and machines. I rode up to give the newly aquired BMW R100RS a test run (more of which to come). A beautiful summers day and great roads running past West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill.

Got the camera out and snapped away, here're a few machines that caught the eye...

This Moto Guzzi cafe racer was beautifully made. Nicely
engineered and with a good eye for detail. Looks fantastic
too!

Same Guzzi. A big 'v sign' and a whole load
of road presence.

Mellowed Laverda Jota 1000 snuggling up to a hedge.

Not many scooters around but this Lambretta D made up for
the lack of quantity with quality. Looks like it was very well
restored a few years ago and has now nicely aged. The
optional extra Smiths 'D' speed is a good period touch.

Shiny Morini 500.

There was a fine display of vintage speedway machines. This
Rotrax was very tidily restored. The Rotrax speedway machines
were made in Southampton by the same company that made
cycle frames.

Sunbeam Model 9 detail.

Sunbeam Model 9 bigger picture. Unusual to see one in off
road trim.

I've a soft spot for Japanese Market retro machines. This is
a Suzuki 'Tempter'. Probably a name that sounds better in
Japan. Nice looking bike though and that front wheel could
look good on a cafe racer....

Supercharged Harley V Rod. Matching helmet!

Very tasty Velocette cafe racer. Looks like it was built up
around a Viper. It has a RFS (Ralph Seymour) badge on the
crankcase so perhaps has some interesting history.

Not a bike you would expect to see hitched but this Z650
with lightweight Watsonian Stratford makes a fine combo.

Another from the vintage speedway display. This one a twin
port BSA.

OK, I'm a Royal Enfield nerd, but lovely to see an original
unrestored Constellation and fitted with the optional fully
enclosed chaincase!

Very shiny BMW /2 and Steib rig.

This four wheeler crept in but rightfully so. Nicely built Ford
V8. Love those big finned brake drums!

Last and certainly not least a Yamaha RD200 and a Honda S90.
Both fine specimens.

Messerschmidt microcar brochure

Sorry, not sure of the year but here's a leaflet for the Messerschmidt microcar range. Looks like it was translated and printed in Germany from the look of the models in the pictures and the occassionally wayward spelling.

Messerschmidt brochure page 1.

Messserschmidt brochure page 2.



John Tickle Norton twin leader front brake

Spotted this John Tickle twin leader brake plate on a Norton recently and it made me yearn for one on my Dommie. Even more so after I read the Tickle biog recently in a motorcycle mag, a proper character! So, if you've got one of these sitting on the shelf gathering dust and needing a good home please get in touch...

John Tickle Norton front brake plate.

Velocette brochure 1961 range

I recently came by a small cache of fifties and sixties brochures all as original postage packs with envelopes, covering letters, price lists and brochures. For this first one I've maxed out on nerdiness and scanned the whole lot. There might be someone out there other than me who actually finds this interesting.

Anyway, if you are still reading, this is the 1961 Velocette promo pack with envelope scanned first, then covering letter, price list and brochure.

1961 Velocette brochure pack envelope.

1961 Velocette brochure pack covering letter.

1961 Velocette brochure pack price list page 1.

1961 Velocette brochure pack price list page 2.

1961 Velocette brochure pack price list page 3.

1961 Velocette brochure pack price list page 4.

1961 Velocette brochure page 1.

1961 Velocette brochure page 2.

1961 Velocette brochure page 3.

1961 Velocette brochure page 4.

1961 Velocette brochure page 5.

1961 Velocette brochure page 6.

1961 Velocette brochure page 7.

1961 Velocette brochure page 8.

1961 Velocette brochure page 9.

1961 Velocette brochure page 10.

1961 Velocette brochure page 11.

1961 Velocette brochure page 12.