Real Classicの January 2025 の目次

SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT SPECIAL Hindsight, as we all know, is a wonderful thing. With hindsight carefully focussed by the light of subsequent events, it is easy to proclaim that the Ariel Leader was both exactly what the British bike industry needed in the late 1950s… and also that it was exactly what that same industry did not need. Many authors have explained the reasoning behind Ariel's decision to drop production of their respected range of traditional ohv singles, twins and fours, focussing instead on an entirely new design, based on nothing else the company or indeed the industry- had done before. I've no wish to do that, to be truthful, because the further we move from actual events, so conjecture takes over from facts. And the simple, single fact here…

If the idea of embarking on a week-long motorcycle adventure along glorious roads, soaking in spectacular scenery, and visiting unique cultural and historical landmarks excites you, then the Motogiro d’Italia is a dream ride. One of the largest and most celebrated retro moto-touring events, the Motogiro d’Italia draws around 200 riders each year from all corners of the globe. It’s a captivating mix of nostalgia and modern riding that has earned its place in the hearts of motorcycle enthusiasts. From 1914 to 1957, the Motogiro d’Italia was one of Italy’s most prestigious and exhilarating multi-stage road races. Along with iconic events like the Mille Miglia car race and the Milan-Taranto, the Motogiro was a thrilling test of man and machine that raced across Italy’s varied landscapes. Riders pushed their bikes…

The MoT for the Paris-Dakar replica had long since elapsed by the time Tim had completed the build. Legally, there was no way to conduct shakedown rides prior to travelling for the MoT so the trip(s) for the MoT were the shakedowns. I use the plural here because it was not plain sailing. It took two false starts before the MoT was duly completed. The first issue was that steering felt a little stiff, particularly under braking and when turning to the right. On the straights, however, all was good. You may recall from last month that the oil cooler pipe had to be rerouted due to the difference in engine configuration. This rerouting was OK on one side but a little too close to the fork slider on the…

SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT SPECIAL Back in 1955, this, the latest in a long line of James motorcycles, rolled off the production line. James had maintained continuous production since 1884 when the penny farthing was, literally, the biggest thing in two-wheeled transport. Their first motorcycle, a Werner-powered friction roller design, appeared in 1902. Throughout the ‘golden era’ the company made and designed both singles and V-twins, resorting to more utilitarian designs in the financially depressed 1930s, mostly powered by Villiers two-stroke engines. James had a busy wartime, with the 122cc ‘clockwork mouse’ proving especially popular with field troops. The factory rose to the challenge of getting Britain back to work after the conflict with a bewildering array of military-monikered two-stroke lightweights. As in life, the higher the rank, the more luxurious…

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT SPECIAL The 348cc AJS 16MC was developed specifically for trials from the AJS 16 / Matchless G3L post-war singles, the ‘C’ denoting competition use. The first examples in 1948 had a rigid frame with a single front downtube and, riding a 16MC in this form, Hugh Viney won the Scottish Six Days Trial three times. Various engine changes were made in the following years, until in 1950 the competition models were given all-alloy engines, uprated Lucas wader magnetos, stronger clutches and the option of the lovely little two-gallon fuel tank. These bikes were used to great effect in the 1950 ISDT in Wales, winning six gold medals. By 1955 improvements included a new Burman gearbox, an all- welded but still rigid frame, and changes to hubs and spokes.…

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT SPECIAL A 1958 Velocette Mk3 LE stands in my shed, with a fully charged battery and fuel in its tank, ready and able. The 192cc, 4-speed, foot-change, kick-start machine shares the space with more glamorous two-wheeled company, but it still gets chosen for anything from a quiet country lane bimble to an outing to the local bike night. When my dad bought the LE in 1961 for £95, my lifetime of motorcycling commenced as a six-year-old pillion, feet resting on wooden blocks bolted to the footboards. Throughout the 1960s, the LE was used for commuting, regular trips between Somerset and South Wales – where Dad would happily use the new M5 motorway when it opened – days out with me aboard and even a twoup holiday in the…

Benelli is Italy’s oldest surviving motorcycle manufacturer and has a long and storied history that’s closely tied to the Motogiro. Founded in 1911 by the six Benelli brothers in Pesaro, the company has been at the forefront of Italian motorcycle design and innovation for over a century. They introduced their first production motorcycle in 1921, and their four-stroke 175cc racer won the Italian championships in 1927, 1928, 1930, and 1931. In 1950, a Benelli won the 250 world championship and in 1953 a Benelli won the Motogiro d’Italial. In 1951, the firm launched their original Leoncino model, which was a popular sales success. It had a small lion on the front mudguard, a design element that’s carried over to the modern Leoncino that I rode. In the early 1970s, the…

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT SPECIAL My intentions of riding a long way south turned my thoughts to engine overheating problems and ways of minimising them. I set about replacing the enormous fibreglass front mudguard with a slimmer, tyre-hugging item from a sports model. I was warned that I’d spoil the aerodynamics and hence engine cooling and rain protection of a design conceived using aircraft wind-tunnel testing – which demonstrates the long lasting impact of Royal Enfield’s marketing deception all these years later. The dramatic photoshoot of an Airflow in the Bristol Aeroplane Company wind tunnel in October 1958 was made six months after the launch of the Airflow to the buying public! I was reassured by Royal Enfield themselves who, when providing Airflow combinations to the motorcycle press for sidecar testing, installed…

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT SPECIAL Maserati’s contribution to Italy’s glorious fourwheeled heritage uncannily parallels that of the equally historic Benelli brand on two wheels. Each was founded by a large band of brothers passionate in the pursuit of mechanical excellence, each won Grand Prix races and World Championships with the result, but each played second fiddle in the public eye, both on the race track and in the showroom, to the more illustrious products of rival patriarchs named Enzo Ferrari and Count Domenico Agusta. Each moreover tasted success in the marketplace, before falling prey to commercial hardship and, doubly ironically, ending up simultaneously in the hands of the very same Argentinian financial entrepreneur, Alejandro de Tomaso. His efforts to milk their prestige only succeeded in devaluing their appeal even further - but…

When my father Frank married his first wife in 1935, he fell out with his younger brother Jim. The family argument also split up the company they ran, building electrical equipment. The two brothers’ wives hated each other and things became impossible. My father left, joined the Air Ministry and 1939 arrived very soon after that. Jim also ran a motorcycle and bicycle shop in Accrington and began to build bicycles. I remember the shop in Accrington which had a big sign saying ‘CAIRNS FOR RUDGE’, but only from our one and only visit when we attended my grandfather’s funeral in the late 1950s. We knew very little of what occurred after 1935, and my father remarried after WW2. The years rolled by with little contact apart from birthday and…

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Motogiro is the opportunity to visit Italy’s many motorcycle museums. Italy has a rich motorcycle design and racing history, and the Motogiro organisers make sure to include stops at some of the country’s most significant museums. These museums are more than just repositories of history – they are a celebration of Italy’s enduring love affair with speed, style, and innovation. Whether you’re a diehard motorcycle enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates Italian craftsmanship, these stops are an essential part of the Motogiro experience. In 2023, one of our rest stops was at the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera, where we were treated to a glimpse of two-wheeled history. Piaggio, the parent company of Vespa, Moto Guzzi, Aprilia, and Gilera, has an impressive collection…

Somewhere nearby there could be a photo of the A65’s primary side. Hopefully it reveals the possibly unique exit point of the alternator’s lead. The alternator, as you may remember, is a curious whirly thing which lives within the primary chaincase and through a combination of voodoo and applied impossibility supplies sufficient electricity to light the lights and spark the spark plugs. The example fitted deep within the Beezer’s innards may in fact do this, but only time will tell. So far, the battery has always had sufficient accumulated electrical urge to fire the engine when required, but in the absence of an ammeter I don’t actually know whether it is simply over-active or is being electrified by the alternator. No doubt at some point I will find out. Probably…