Classic Bike November 2019

Welcome HOOKED ON OLD BIKE MAGS Parillas were never on my radar when I first got into bikes in the 1970s, so when Phil Aynsley sent over the pictures of a Wildcat scrambler for this month’s d’Elegance (see p62), I took it as an excuse to dig out some of my old American bike mags and find some original road tests. Especially since the Wildcat is such a technically interesting and gorgeous looking motorcycle. My thirst for American news back in the late 1960s/early ’70s meant I was a regular Cycle World buyer. And not only have I kept every issue, I’ve even managed to supplement them recently, with a stash of 1960s issues, going right back to the launch issue of January 1962. I always knew Americans loved Limey…

Parillas were never on my radar when I first got into bikes in the 1970s, so when Phil Aynsley sent over the pictures of a Wildcat scrambler for this month’s d’Elegance (see p62), I took it as an excuse to dig out some of my old American bike mags and find some original road tests. Especially since the Wildcat is such a technically interesting and gorgeous looking motorcycle. My thirst for American news back in the late 1960s/early ’70s meant I was a regular Cycle World buyer. And not only have I kept every issue, I’ve even managed to supplement them recently, with a stash of 1960s issues, going right back to the launch issue of January 1962. I always knew Americans loved Limey bikes, but never realised how much they revered…

NOVEMBER 2019 LONDON MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM FACES CLOSURE Ealing council’s £52,000 annual rent bill will kill off Bill Crosby’s tribute to the British motorcycle industry WORDS: RICK PARKINGTON PHOTOGRAPHY: GARY MARGERUM BILL CROSBY HAS finally had to yield his battle to keep his London Motorcycle Museum at Greenford, Middlesex, owing to the difficulty of keeping pace with increasing property rent. Since the announcement of the impending closure, visitor numbers have increased dramatically, but as Bill ruefully says: “A lot turn up saying they’ve been meaning to come for years; it’s a shame it takes closing to finally get them here!” Many of the 200 exhibits are to be sold in the Bonhams auction at Stafford’s Classic Bike Show this month; Bill is intending to keep 16 bikes as his personal…

BILL CROSBY HAS finally had to yield his battle to keep his London Motorcycle Museum at Greenford, Middlesex, owing to the difficulty of keeping pace with increasing property rent. Since the announcement of the impending closure, visitor numbers have increased dramatically, but as Bill ruefully says: “A lot turn up saying they’ve been meaning to come for years; it’s a shame it takes closing to finally get them here!” Many of the 200 exhibits are to be sold in the Bonhams auction at Stafford’s Classic Bike Show this month; Bill is intending to keep 16 bikes as his personal collection, and loaned exhibits currently on display will be returned to their owners. “The problem is the rent,” says Bill, “Ealing council want £13,000 off us per quarter. I’ve been selling bikes…

ROD COLEMAN, A giant of Kiwi motorcycling, passed away in his Whanganui home on August 6, aged 93. His father Percy was a 12-time New Zealand champion and a successful businessman, and after beginning racing in 1944, aged 18, Rod was funded by Percy to race at the 1949 Isle of Man TT. He crashed in practice and broke his jaw, delaying his TT race debut until 1951 when, as part of the official NZ team, he finished eighth in the Junior on an AJS 7R. This impressive debut led to his joining the AJS factory team (after turning down an invitation to partner Geoff Duke on works Nortons) where, alongside the 7R, he raced the final version of the 500cc Porcupine. A perceptive rider, Coleman carried out the gruelling testing of…

TODAY, MOST OF the young motorcycle riders in Southern California would associate the name Malcolm Smith with a big motorcycle dealership in Riverside, California. Their parents might remember having bought MSR products (an acronym for Malcolm Smith Racing) or having read countless reports of his wins in desert races. Those who don’t even ride motorcycles might even remember seeing him in On Any Sunday – arguably the greatest motorcycle movie of all time. Taking a tour of the dealership, it’s easy to understand why his name is associated so closely with the off-road community. The first floor is packed with brand new off-road racing motorcycles from many brands, but even though it’s impressive, especially from a European perspective, that’s not the whole story. It’s when the visitor climbs the staircase to the…