A Ray of Sunshine

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org 

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

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

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.

The Wet and Windy Monday

 www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

 Wet and Windy

Another Monday at the Museum and this morning the car would not start so I braved the gales on the Valiant. Fortunately at that time of day the wind was not so strong, the rain had stopped, all the trees had fallen and cleared and my only discomfort was being sprayed by the man cleaning the war memorial with a pressure cleaner at the top of Oldfield lane south. James, Geoff and I congregated in the shop and thought that it would not be a very busy day because of the weather. Expecting no one to come. I started reading an article about the REG, a dohc 250cc twin of the early 50s designed and built by RE Geeson. 

It was raced in 1950 2years before the NSU Rennmax of similar design.  Innovative for the time and at the hands of John Surtees won race after race. This engine revved to 12000rpm, a 360 degree twin with shallow angle between the valves giving a small dome combustion chamber. The biggest problem was finding an ignition system that would keep up with the revs. By 1958 the REG was producing 34bhp at 11000 rpm enough to do 137mph at the 1961 Isle of Man TT. 

Pictures and details are from the Classic Racer May/June 2009. Even Mr Honda had come to visit the REG production based at his home in South Croydon. So before I could finish reading the article a gentleman from Sweden arrived and before I had gone 10 paces a gentleman from Japan arrived and the a couple from Queensland, Australia arrived too! Geoff was with the guy from Japan. The Australian couple wandered through and the lady ending up in the tea room as the man headed on to the home of Triumph, closely followed by James. I was left in charge of the till and the phone and then a guy from Canada arrived with only £50 notes so we did a deal that he could pay at the end of his visit, when James would be able to use the credit card reader. I returned for a short time to the man from Sweden and I spotted James heading for the Barn and suggested the Swede should pop on over there as it has something of interest for him. I talked to the Australian lady for a while until James returned and I could finally get a comfort break. When I returned the Australian couple had met up with the man from Sweden and they were on their way to catch a train. The Canadian was still with us and he has a friend who has a Velocette LE and was in desperate need of spares. As most people who own LE’s know belonging to the club is essential. Unfortunately I did not have any paperwork with me I could only pass on the club website information. I managed my lunch quietly and returned to the magazine for a while before a Danish couple arrived. The man was a member of the Danish Triumph Owners club and as you might guess very interested in the specials in the “Home of Triumph” He took many photos, including one of me, as we went around the displays. When we were back in the main hall he was very interested in the BSA Fury as he had recently read about the Triumph Bandit and for him this was an extra bit of information for him to publish in their magazine. This couple were on a tight schedule and their taxi was to come at 4pm. There was not enough time to see everything and he promised to pay us another visit. It had rained heavily during the afternoon and had dried enough for me to make a dash for home. The Valiant would not start! James tried as well to no avail. Then the inspiration hit me so I removed the plug caps and wiped the ceramic part of the plug with my fingers to remove most of the moisture, replaced the caps and with as much effort as I could muster prodded the kick start through its short travel to have the engine burst into life! I felt a bit hot but much relieved that I did not have another engine to fix. Home by 5pm and missed the next rain storm. I shammied the Valiant to get most of the water off before putting it back in the garage. It had been an exceptional day with an international flavour in spite of the weather.