A Norton Twin

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Norton Dominator Model 7

I am still gathering more information about Douglas motorcycles and browsing through magazines at the Museum last Monday discover an article about one of the bikes we do have in the Museum. The article in Classic Motorcycle of September 1994 describes the Norton as a good all round motorcycle with excellent handling and acceleration. It would out drag a Triumph but fail on top speed. That was Triumphs domain.  As a recent report on the Model 7 it was very favourable, with cast iron head and barrel as the norm of the time. It did not have the featherbed frame a little too early but did have the teledraulic forks. It has a classic style and reported to be Norton’s best twin.

The Norton is squeezed in between a Sunbeam and a Velocette and stands out with its silver tank in a sea of black. Behind it is the Ariel Square Four a monster of the time. In the same magazine was a feature on Val Page one of motorcycle design leading lights and his designs pop up with the major motorcycle producers from the Golden Age of British Motorcycles.

As for getting out and about I’ve been out to my monthly 2CV club meeting on the Monday evening and the LE club on the Tuesday only Pete has been handing out fliers and has left a bundle at Chiswick Honda for them to hand out. There are many dealers out there that are supporting us by just having our fliers around. I was in the Museum this Sunday for a flying visit and as I was leaving spoke to a man who was keen on two strokes so I spent a little time with him talking about the attributes of the 1925 Scott Flying Squirrel 600cc two stroke water cooled twin and what made that design special for the time but also restricted future developments.

 I have always liked the idea of the Scott with the removable transfer ports and the ease at which you could tune the engine. Everything is so easy to get at.  It was a good design in its day but developments with two and four stroke engines over the years meant it was left behind in the race for performance and sales in the 50’s.

Kempton Park Show December 2013

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Off Road Bike Show

Since returning from Cambridge I do not seem to have stopped with the Wey Valley Bike club Christmas Dinner on Friday Night followed by the Off Road Bike show at Kempton Park on the Saturday then Gita’s work Christmas do. I did have a rest day on Sunday but that still required gardening stuff in preparation for the winter (if it comes) and at the Museum on the Valiant on Monday. It made it there and back even with lights on in the dark! A major achievement over previous experiences. In the brief down I have scanned in the 2013 Triumph calendar for future reference found and article about the Norton Dominator Model 7, something we do have in the Museum and did a little more research on Douglas and the 1935 Endeavour. Interestingly there is a section in a Dutch book of Motorcycles (£1 at the museum shop and written in Dutch) that the BMW R32 was first produced in 1923 and not as reported in some of the prominent magazines as 1932. 

Back to the Off Road Bike show and as usual there are some amazing bikes there and in my rounds managed a few photos. I didn’t even get outside to look at what was there however Brian did and saw a 1930’s BSA vee twin, complete but in a very sorry condition. Patrick supported us all day. The stand was set up for us when we arrived first thing with the Norton 500T next to the Triumph 1977 Long tracker, and a mysterious entry known only as Steve’s bike. Sitting on the platform was the Moti Minarelli. Our 50cc sprint bike that in 1973 blasted a standing quarter with a terminal speed of 51.3mph and a magnificent 82.9 mph flying kilometre. The Pendine Land Speed Racing Club were very interested in getting it to Pendine for the Speed Week next year. It was a good day with lots of interest in the stand and the Museum with hundreds of flyers being handed out.

Around the stands, as usual were so many interesting machines and I think the stand that really took the festive season in hand was the Two Stroke Club with a flying Father Christmas catching the eye along with dress and trimmings. They did win the best stand award for their efforts and applauded by all around as they collected their prize. The Douglas Club stand picked up a number of awards for best bikes in categories.

I did like the array of Solvo Autosol advert Vincents on display particularly the outfits. The Brough stand always looks good and the new Brough on display too. This one is mentioned in the BMCT news for December 2013.

Gone Flying

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Visit to Duxford

I'm in Cambridgeshire for a few days and it has just turned mighty cold. I rode up from Hayes on Sunday evening after my first of the month meeting with the Wey Valley Advanced Motorcycle club. 

I left more fliers for the unsuspecting and then went on to Newlands Corner to catch more. I had a nice chat with a guy from the BSA owners club who was there on his BSA scrambler. He kindly let me take a picture of him and his bike  (the best side).

On from Newlands corner to the Museum to pick up a replacement stick on badge that had come unstuck from my tabard. 

    Taking the opportunity, not to be missed, I visited the Imperial War Museum at Duxford on the Monday. A little trip out on the Buell along some very nice country lanes with a few interesting moments with occasional mud from tractors smeared across the road. It all adds to the thrill of winter motorcycling.  Following TomTom and in the end using an OS map because Tom kept sending me to the M11 I arrived at the air field, leaving most of my gear in the panniers on the bike and armed with fliers and beanie went into the museum. I was warned that it was not that warm.

I left fliers at the desk for the staff as I was not permitted to leave them for the general public I went on the rounds of the hangars supported on a good lunch from their cafeteria.

I was well impressed by all the displays and above all the size of some of the aircraft. I only found a few motorcycles on my rounds and I did think at the time how big a part motorcycles played in both World Wars and not really recognised as they were used as the most rapid form of communication at airfields.

I took a number of pictures of planes and bikes and at closing time made my way back to the cottage where I am staying. I had a good day out and if you are able pay Duxford a visit do so. Some of the displays are awesome. 

A Ray of Sunshine

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Sunbeam

In those quiet times at the Museum I find myself looking through magazines for some interesting bits they I may put into the blog. Last week I found an article about the Sunbeam B24 that has the big timing chest, short pushrod tube and an engine style that would have looked good in any 60’s bike. For 1938, a masterpiece. It was when Sunbeam was owned by AJS and among the many developments that Sunbeam had in the pipeline during the 30’s this particular motorcycle had a very big AJS influence. For those who know AJS certain characteristics of the Sunbeam engine, like the tappet cover, reflects this. Sad to say that the designer of this engine is not known. Please let us know if you do happen to know even if it is only someone who worked on the bike. It all adds to its history.

So what is important about the B24? It is because in 1939 there was the B24S, the sport model, and we do have this one on show. The main obvious differences are the high level exhaust system and the twin friction dampers on the forks. There were also additional springs attached to the friction dampers to add progressive damping. This was seen on many racing bikes in the 30’s notably Moto Guzzi and Bennelli. This was the peak of the girder forks and it was evident that something different was needed as is seen by the use of telescopic forks from the 40’s, notably BMW. In the Museum the Sunbeam is displayed with a window behind and is a difficult photo to take best done on a winters’ day when the sun is not shining. For me, it is the prettiest motorcycle in the Museum.

It has been an interesting few weeks with an array of international visitors coming to the Museum including a motor cycle shop owner from Tokyo, a couple from Australia, a Norwegian,  a Canadian farmer from Saskatchewan who has a friend wanting parts for his Velocette LE. Also visiting us was Dean Williamson who is about to launch a new motorcycling magazine called “Mustard”. He is on Facebook.

 Out and about I still have people from the Wey Valley Advanced Motorcycle Club who do not know about the Museum. I thought I had got everyone! Pete is in contact with a number of Motorcycle dealers and last week was West London Yamaha who now have a Museum poster and are handing out fliers too! Now that winter in on us we have another deal for a pound off if you visit on a Monday. The fliers will get out there soon. Keep an eye out for us at the Off Road Bike Show at Kempton Park 7^th December.

Wednesday 6th November

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White Helmets

How different are the days of the week?  Mainly it is the memory of what happens on any particular day like Mondays are my Museum days or Thursdays are my ROG’s days but what about a Wednesday? A Diamond day at B&Q for us oldies and why should November 6^th be such a special day? The Museum opening up specially on a Wednesday and me being there too! I had come back from Bristol late in the evening with tales from the Douglas Factory at Kingswood that have peaked my interest and a note  will follow when I have had time to research it a little more. From the title you may have already guessed that this was a visit from the White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team.

They are of the Royal Signal Corps and have been doing displays as long as I can remember and that comes from the beginning of TV in the UK and the Edinburgh Tattoo where they have performed many times. Fortunately the team is much younger than those I can first remember. I wonder if any of those who I first saw on TV are still around. It was a damp day so I was in the car and camera in tow. I did my bit when they arrived, taking photos and running out of batteries! I managed some pics before they got in the Museum and after a few introductions the group split into two as there were 20 of them.

I did my stint on the early bikes, taking far too long before the other group returned and I did it all again. More photos at the finish and they were gone! I did ask if they would do a pyramid under the Meriden clock but that didn’t happen but they did sign the board of fame. They didn’t manage many of the cakes either before heading off for lunch at the Ace Cafe.

They all looked very pleased about the visit being interesting and informative but I’m sure they would have preferred to be riding their bikes instead. I do hope they can come along again and stay a bit longer and chat some-more. I did learn that the Triumph motorcycles they use are over 14years old and were built specially for the Display Team.