Prescott Bike Festival 2015 pt2

Some more pics from Sunday's trip to Prescott....

BSA B50SS Gold Star. When these came out they were almost
as much of an afront to dyed in the wool BSA enthusiasts as
was the Ariel 3 moped. Using the hallowed name of the Gold
Star in vain. Now though quite a popular bike for what they
are.

Sweet plunger Beesa and sidecar in the bike
park.

Something not right about this Lambretta. Spot
the twin exhausts and forward mounted radiator.
An Italjet motor is hiding inside.

Beautiful flat tank Model 18 Norton on the Norton Owners
Club stand.

Same Norton. Great used look about it.

Another beauty on the NOC stand. Garden Gate Manx.

There were actually two Magni Moto Guzzis at Prescott. The
ultra rare Daytona Magni and this merely very rare Magni Sfida.

Ossa Yankee 500cc two stroke twin racer conversion.

I love Nortons. I love Velocettes. This hill
climb special Norvel ticked both boxes.

Novel again. Very functional and with a certain
elegance.

'Spring Heel Jack' 1927 works KSS Velocette with experimental
Bentley and Draper rear suspension. Tried out at the 1928 TT
in practice but judged unsuccessful.

Sprin Heel Jack on the hill. Sadly when I saw it the bike wasn't
running sweetly at all.

Nice Honda CB750 based chop. Raked, lowered, solid rear
struts and a BSA fuel tank.

Another cracking Honda CB750 based special, this one a cafe
racer. Beautifully executed.

Lovely functional Norton ES2 based race bike.

Prescott Bike Festival 2015 pt1

Slung a leg over the BMW this morning and headed North for the Prescott Bike Festival. The Bugatti Owners' Club owned hill climb is a great venue for a bike event, enough space for a few stalls and exhibits and of course the historic hill for demonstration runs. The bonus of it being BOC owned is that catering is a bit above usual bike show stuff too!

The weather gods were kind and big numbers of spectators turned up. Plenty of interesting bikes to see and a good showing of three wheelers too. The demonstration runs ranged from the impressive (super motos giving it some beans, Manx Nortons and a feisty Grinall three wheeler) to folks going up on Yamaha Fizzies but it was all good fun and that is what it is all about, that and raising money for Blood Bikes.

Here's the first tranche of stand out machines from the day...

Moto Guzzi engined Triking style home brewed three wheeler
by the name of 'Silverfish'.

Nicely executed Ducati new school cafe racer.

For me this was the stand out machine of the event. I was
lucky enough to have a chat with the owner / builder who
filled me in on the details. More below...

The front suspension, brakes and steering are from a
Westfield kit car.

All panels are aluminium and hand beaten.

Lines of the machine are very elegant, probably the prettiest
home built three wheeler I've seen.

Detailing is excellent.

Power plant and drive train is Honda Pan-European. 140hp
gives plenty of welly.

Unusual to see a Rickman Metisse combo. This one has a
Triumph pre-unit motor.

Great finish on the tank of a trials Cotton.

Here's the full Cotton trials. Had a chat with the owner. It's
been rebuilt recently to use rather than shine. A nice job done
of renovating a machine whilst keeping character.

Another three-wheeler. JZR Daytona.

Front view of the JZR.

Lambretta LD, rennovated yet rusty and packing a surprise.

Drive train has been replaced with a newer Piaggio unit.

Nice job.

This one had me lusting. Ultra rare Magni Moto Guzzi Daytona.

The Magni Guzzi again, beautiful from every angle.

Can't resist.. one more detail of the Magni.

Definitely one of these would be in my fantasy garage.
Douglas 90 Plus production racer.

The brake fitted to the 80 and 90 Plus Douglas is possibly
the finest looking brake to come out of any British factory.

Another detail on the Dougie.

Lands End Trial 2015 pt 2

A few more snaps from last weekend's Lands End Trial taken at Blue Hills. Once again the pictures speak for themselves so no captions. A great event, good work to all involved organisers and competitors alike.

1997 Bullet 500 for sale

- Now Sold -

The time has come to part ways with a faithful friend. This Bullet has been with me since it was six months old. It was bought in India then ridden home via Pakistan, Iran and Turkey on a year long trip. Since then it has been down to the Sahara and across in to Europe many times. It had a sidecar fixed to it for a short while and has completed several long distance trials. That's not to say it is worn out, it has always been looked after mechanically and few parts are the same as when it left the factory. It is registered as a 350 though is currently running a 500 motor which has something like 10,000 miles on it.

Here's the spec with a list of different from standard parts:

- 21 inch front wheel with alloy rim and stainless spokes

- 18 inch rear wheel with alloy rim and stainless spokes

- high output 3 phase alternator with boyer powerbox

- boyer micro-digital electronic ignition

- amal carb and k & n filter

- leather pan type saddle

- rear carrier

- alloy front mudguard

- stainless rear mudguard

- stainless rear wheel trim

- stainless pilot light rims

- stainless headlight peak

- Lucas type rear light

- British bullet petrol tank

- Smiths repro speedo

- Lucas repro ammeter

- Hitchcocks stainless toolbox lid screw conversion

- Hitchcocks fibreglass electrics cover

- Hitchcocks alloy points cover

- Samrat rockers

- Samrat tappet cover

- old style battery carrier with rubber battery dummy case and new battery inside

- led rear bulb, halogen front

- bullet type indicators

The bike rides well and is ready to use. Though it had a sidecar for a few months it tracks straight and will ride hands off. Should be good for green laning, touring or just cruising the back roads. Pretty much ready straight away to head off on a big adventure should the mood take you..

Will be a bit sad to see it go but have too many bikes and too many projects on.

I'm in Southern England, send a message via the blog if interested.

Lands End Trial 2015 pt1

Though I was at home for the Lands End this year I didn't enter. The reason for this mostly down to not currently having a suitable bike for the event. Though I love the concept of riding a classic in the trial, job and family commitments were meaning that I was getting jaded spending all of my rather limited workshop time for a couple of weeks either side of the trial first prepping a machine and then fixing it afterwards. Though the satisfaction for me would be lesser in a modern mount there is a great joy in just wheeling it out of the garage ready to go before a trial and then hosing it down and putting it away for the next event after. If anyone has a decent Beta Alp or Yamaha Serrow etc available then get in touch....

So, the next best thing to entering is spectating (or perhaps marshalling - I wasn't in a position to give the commitment for it, maybe next year...). I rode the BMW R100RS down to a friend's house in Wadebridge Friday eve and saw as I crossed the border to Cornwall competitors heading North. I was arriving and just about to get a decent meal, a few ales in a local pub and a good night's sleep, their journey was very much in the opposite direction. At this point I didn't feel particularly jealous of them!

Next morning, slightly jaded from too long in the pub we headed down to Blue Hills to take in the sights. Were it not for the sore head I would have felt smug as by the time they reached Blue Hills there were a few riders looking quite broken. Of course many were thoroughly enjoying their trial, it's just that I am often one of the broken ones having hauled an unsuitable Royal Enfield up many steep and muddy hills.

A result of the excess ale consumption was stupidly leaving my camera behind in Wadebridge so what is here is taken on a phone, not too bad until you zoom in. Most of the pictures speak for themselves so few captions.

First up a short clip. My oftentimes trialing companion Dan taking it nice and steady and cleaning Blue Hills 1. He arrived good and early, obviously this was because I was not riding with to encumber his progress!

The winch atop Blue Hills saw plenty of action later on towing up
reluctant cars.

Dayton Albatross Scooters 1957

Dayton Albatross scooters came to market in 1955. In 1957 the new twin cylinder model was launched. The Villiers twin engine is a sweet motor and though the Dayton is a heavy beast and far removed from its Italian cousins it had some success in its time and was widely used in sporting scooter events. In my mind the nicest British scoot by a long way.

Dayton Albatross brochure front cover.

Dayton Albatross brochure centre spread pt 1.

Dayton Albatross brochure centre spread pt 2.

Dayton Albatross brochure rear cover.