'Your loving Les' is astride a Norton Model 18. I'm not exactly sure of the year of the bike but it sports the rare instrument panel tank which, I believe, was an option. The handlebar levers are of the inverted type which would date it to very early thirties. An interesting accessory is the pneumatic air bag type strap on pillion saddle (made by Camden?).
Old time riding gear intrigues me and this chap's outfit is no different. He has a very cosy looking storm coat and a great pair of gauntlets but on the bottom half regular slacks and shoes. Riding my old nails I usually find that a good pair of boots is one of my most important bits of riding kit, if only to keep the oil splashes away from the rest of my clothes. Was it any different back in the day? Of course the bike was newer but it still had open valves and leaky pushrod tubes..
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| Lovely early thirties Norton Model 18. |
Float-on-air seats made by a firm called Moseley. Fur collar would have been misery in the wet, he'd probably wearing ankle boots rather than shoes, most people did and they were hefty kit back then. He's got one of those klaxon horns in front of his knee, light switch onthe back of the headlamp, ALK reg stated July 1933, so your date is about right. Vintage riding kit interest me too, ever tried to find a Stormgard coat tho'?
ReplyDeleteSure enough. Here's a 1929 ad from Grace's Guide showing the Moseley and Sons inflatable pillion seat for motorcycles.
DeleteFunnily enough I've got one of these pillions kicking around at home. I had forgotten the manufacturer so thanks for the reminder Ken. A good friend has got a DR coat - it takes him about fifteen minutes to do up all the straps after he has put it on.
DeleteA pneumatic pillion pad! I never knew such a thing existed. But sure enough, I came across this 1894 article in regard to pneumatic saddles for bicycles. Several are mentioned, including models "ventilated" to prevent heat, and "blocked" to prevent side slipping.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever spent a long day on a single saddle especially a leather one, you'd know the value of these; thye turn up now and again at jumbles, but the internal rubber sac is always perished.
ReplyDelete