Back to Basics Historic Bike Summer Camp 2017

I rode up to the Back to Basics camp a couple of years back when it was held in Gloucestershire and a very fine event it was too. Alas I was away for work last year and so it will be as well this year. Here's the flyer for the 2017 event, held in Yorkshire this time and well worth attending if you have a free weekend. Do note the bit though about pre '77 bikes and it being a tent only event. If you do go along, enjoy it and maybe send a few photos this way for the blog...

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To be held at The New Inn

Cropton, near Pickering, North Yorkshire.  YO18 8HH

                    

The venue for the 2017 camp is at one of the southern gateways to the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors where there is an abundance of wonderful motorcycling roads and spectacular scenery.  

The idea is to simulate a motorcycle rally as of the 1960’s and 70’s when all makes and models of motorcycles congregated with their owners for a weekend of 2 and 3 wheeled enjoyment.  This site is a bit more basic than in previous years whereas although it has 24/7 male and female toilets with washing facilities, there are no showers.  

Previous camps have been resounding successes so there is no reason why this one should be different.

This Summer Camp is open to all pre 1977 motorcycles, classed as “Historic Vehicle” which must be ridden to the event.  Trailers and vans will not be permitted and as it is a “Tent Only” event caravans, campervans and motor homes will not be allowed on the campsite.

The pub itself will be serving meals all weekend and as we will be supplying free tea and coffee, you can travel light if you wish and leave the cooking equipment at home….but make sure you bring your own cup.

We hope that you can join us at this, our 4th. Historic Bike Summer Camp and make it as memorable as in previous years.  So strap your tent to the back of your bike and have yourself a great weekend amongst like-minded folk.

For further details contact rayjay110@hotmail.com

Happy Riding.

Etoile Phantomesque Model Exclusif by Dietrich

A cycle vying for the title of most pretentious model name against the Hetchins Magnum Bonum Spyder. The Dietrich possibly nudges into the lead by the addition of 'Model Exclusif' to the mix. 

In actual fact 'Model Exclusif' is possibly referring to the fact that the frame is a one off, this is borne out from the fact that all model names and trade marks are actually hand painted rather than decals. The frame has never been used and the story behind it is that it was bought by an Englishman living in Paris in thirties. When he returned home just before the war he brought the frame with him and kept it until he passed away just last year.

There appears to be no record of Max Dietrich as a known frame builder, it is quite possible that the frame was built as a hobbyist's one off. Rue Jacob in Paris, the address given on the frame, is on the West Bank and has always been an area of small businesses and artisans. It is possible that Dietrich's was a small shop on the Rue who occasionally turned their hand to frame building.

The build is in general of high quality and there is good attention to detail. At one time it appears that there were badges on both the head tube and saddle tube as both are drilled for these. Sadly they have gone missing somewhere along the way and all that remains is their shadows on the faded paint. The rear drop outs are Oscar Egg type. As for the frame design, who knows! The thirties were a period of keen experimentation in racing frames and this is just one such example of ingenious thinking.

Sadly the forks are missing - if anyone out there has a suitable set going spare with lugs that are close to matching then do get in touch. I would be happy to change the steerer and then get them colour matched to the frame. Eventually I hope to build the bike up, so, again, if anyone has any unusual French components of the period that would complement the build please let me know.

Any finally, if you have any knowledge at all of Dietrich or this frame I would be delighted to hear from you!

An Awkward Hill revisited

I posted the below postcard image up round about a year ago. Shortly after Pete from Occhio Lungo got in touch to say that the bike is a Premier and now I've heard from Andy Loosemore with a whole load more detail.

The bike is indeed a Premier, a 3 1/2 hp model that was first registered 12 July 1912. The rider is a chap called William Kier Little and it is he owned the machine from new. Little lived at 73 Petteril Street in Carlisle, an address that still exists, the street is known in more modern times for having suffered bad flooding on more than one occasion recently. William Little was born 30 July 1879 and unfortunately there is a sad end to the story for he was killed at the Battle of the Somme 5 October 1916 at the age of 37. He was a Private (#4923) in the London Regiment and his death is commemorated at at the Thiepval Monument in France (pier and face 9, D9 C13C).

The information is somehow haunting but it seems fitting to know something of the people who rode the machines we now cherish. The history and story of the riders it has had is something of the soul of a motorcycle. Some folks get excited by racing history and famous riders but the story of Reginald A N Other, BSA Bantam rider, is every bit as valid and potentially interesting and gives us food for thought each time we get out and ride.

Thanks Andy for the story.

in memoriam William Kier Little.

Back in Japan

I'm back in Japan again for a wee while for work.

Japan remains petrolhead heaven and customising is as popular as ever. Here's a few snaps of bikes parked around and about that are a bit different from those you see at home...

This is the Honda Solo. Looks like a custom but in fact this is as
it comes fully stock. Uses the Cub 50 motor in diminutive cycle
parts with retro styling. Very nice. At 6ft 2 I'd look like I was riding
a clown bike!

Other side of the Honda Solo.

Kawasaki Z400. The 400cc class is one of the most important in
Japan as there are two riders license classes - up to 400 and above.
 250s are also popular - below 250 and you don't need the
biennial roadworthiness inspection. 

Yamaha SRs remain amongst the most popular retros.

There's a strong custom fashion for a hybrid street tracker / sand
bike / hill climber look Tall suspension, wide tyres, high bars,
long swinging arm and bates headlight.

Two wheels, powered or pedal remain incredibly
popular.

The Honda Cubra is another retro 50cc Cub variant.

Another sand bike hybrid custom.

Custom super scoots are eternally popular.

This one is mild. Some are totally space age.

Honda Zoomer X update on the cult Zoomer. Personally I
preferred the old Zoomer.

Yamaha Vox retro scoot.

This unfortunate Vox has got a parking ticket. Not totally sure
what went wrong with their parking. Bit out of line?

Another Zenith Gradua combo

Not too sure why but photos of Zenith Graduas just seem to keep coming my way. I don't think they were ever a common bike back in the day, maybe it was just that they inspired enthusiastic ownership and proud Zenith riders liked to have their picture taken on board their pride and joys. This particular one is hauling a chair along and dates, I am guessing, from the late veteran era. Zoom in on it and the bike is used and muddy and the gent riding has a fantastic moustache!

c. 1914 Zenith Gradua twin.

New Hudson Autocycle 1956

Brochure for the New Hudson autocycle. 1956 was the year the New Hudson Autocycle was revamped and given cleaner, more enclosed bodywork. Production continued until 1958 when Villiers dropped the 2F engine that was fitted to the New Hudson from their range. New Hudson was actually part of the bicycle division of BSA. It could also be that BSA discontinued the Autocycle and did not seek a replacement motor for the Villiers as during the end of it's production run the Autocycle was competing with BSA's own branded Dandy.

Fitting a spark plug thread insert

The latest in my 'never quite right, barrel of woes, one day it will be perfect' Gold Star's compression related issues was a damaged spark plug thread.

I had known for a while that the thread was not perfect but it held fine and I left it be. Turns out it was very much not fine at all and was the source of a small leak and consequent drop in compression. The escaping exhaust gasses had slowly blown the thread further and then began to melt both the threads on the head and the plug itself.

One burnt out and buggered spark plug.

It may seem that it should have been very obvious that the bike had this issue but you have to believe me when I say that it wasn't at all and only came to light when I was about to take the head off for the umpteenth time to try and nail the drop in compression.

The Goldie had suffered from low compression for a while previously and I had stripped down the top end to inspect, found nothing, re-assembled it and it came good. It may well have been the plug at fault back then and torquing it down some more on re-assembly gave a temporary seal.  

One damaged CB32 head.

Searching around for a fix it seemed like an insert would be the best bet. I had thought that more than likely I would have to get the head built up with weld and re-threaded but there was nothing to lose in giving a quick repair a try.

Shopping around and the insert kits are either very cheap or very expensive, I couldn't find any middle ground. Naturally I went for the cheap.

Thread kit and a couple of the inserts. Reamer tool is useless
but even so the price of the kit was small, it came with five
inserts and they worked out at a pound a piece if you throw the
tool away.

The kits come with a combined reamer and thread cutter and several inserts of different lengths. I decided to do the job with the head on. I greased the reamer to try and keep a hold of any shavings from dropping in to the head and figured that if anything was left in there at the end of the job it shouldn't be a big trauma as it will find its way out through the exhaust pretty quickly.

First problem was that the reamer / thread cutter tool was absolutely useless. It did not ream at all and the tap part of it would not take. Thinking around the problem I measured the outer thread on the inserts and luckily had a matching tap. The thread was a UNF. I very lightly counter sunk the plug hole and the decent quality tap went down fine.

Proper job. Quality UNF tap.

Next problem is that of course there was not an insert of correct length to match what I needed. Not a biggie - I just cut the insert down to length.

To install the insert I first put it on to a plug with the threads copper greased. Then applied loctite to the outer thread of the insert and put it in to the head. I torqued it down hard and gave the loctite a while to set. The plug came back out without the insert just fine and the repair was good.

Against my best intentions quite a lot of swarf had entered the head so I brought the piston up to centre slowly (so as not to blow any swarf past the valves) and picked out the head shavings with a screwdriver that I had dipped the tip of in grease. It took a fair while to completely clear the head but it beat taking the thing off.

Removing swarf with a greasy screwdriver.

End result is compression back and a properly fitting plug. Still remains to be seen if the repair will last, the worry is that the insert will expand slower that the head and loosen off but I am fairly confident it will be ok. Fingers crossed that the Goldie motor is finally sorted!

End job. A fairly decent repair.