WVAMC meeting

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Insight into MotoGP

Having had more fun at the Museum on the Monday and wondering why the LE was not running well on the way home I decided to have a look at it. It turned out that a burnt out exhaust valve on the left cylinder was the culprit. It was not until I started to grind in the valves that I was able to see there was no seat contact on about a third of the valve. No wonder there was no compression! A new valve was fitted and performance restored.

On Thursday I headed out to Ripley village hall for the meeting. It was not a good ride as there was so much traffic. I think I filtered almost all the way from home, around the M25 to the A3. I arrived late but still in time for the start of the talk by Neil Spalding. Those of you who follow MotoGP will have heard him many times on Eurosport talking of the technological developments that the teams are coming up with. He explained about how the power was delivered to the rear wheel and how it relates to the firing order of the engines. Different configurations give differing power delivery. It seems that a vee formation is good for even power delivery with the crankshaft having the minimum variation in momentum as the pistons slow at the top and bottom of each stroke. He explained the difference between bike and car engines and how the crankshaft on a bike was much heavier to ensure a smooth power delivery. In MotoGP you do not want 200 plus bhp coming in like putting on a light at the switch. He spent some time talking about the Honda RC211V vee 5 engine of 2002 and that the carburration was split between the front 3 cylinders and the rear 2 at certain throttle openings. 

Honda Vee 5 engine.

To manage the power when the throttle is opened only the front 3 cylinders were used so that the power delivery was metered very accurately and above all smoothly. There is even computer control that compensates for the angle of lean. Once you have something that works the chassis then has to do its job. Apparently the centre of gravity for a MotoGP bike is somewhere in a 6mm square on the machine and it is not easy to find. The design of the engine and where the gearbox should go is very important so things can be positioned in the best place. There was some discussion about why Ducati's had been so good with Casey Stoner and with no-one else. It turns out that he just rode every corner like he was going to crash. Now Ducati are sorting the problem out and it seems they had too rigid a chassis. With the modern bikes reaching silly angles of lean the suspension that operates up and down in the plane of straight line riding do not work when cranked over at 60 degrees. If there is no give the wheels just bounce and traction is lost and down you go. To get the tyres to continue gripping something has to give so the chassis is designed to flex in that plane to achieve this. 

Bautista in action.

At present the MotoGP teams are signing up people who can slide the bikes and this gets around a number of the handling issues with riders skill. Talking of tyres, Pirelli had made tyres to suit the bikes but with the change coming using Michelin tyres the bikes will need to be designed for the tyre and not the other way around. Neil gave us an immense amount of detail about what manufacturers had done in their quest to be number one. It was a very enjoyable evening that gave an insight into making a winning bike.

Jack's Fish and Chip shop

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More for August

Monday at the Museum on the LE and it didn't run very well so Tuesday I discovered there was no compression on the left pot and it required a strip down of that side to discover a burnt out exhaust valve. This was only discovered when I started to grind in the valves and the exhaust valve had about a third of the seat not touching. Chuck it away and find another one from my box of bits. The replacement one was not in good condition and it took about an hour and more to get a reasonable finish for the seat. I have now got valve grinders wrist. It was a bit late in the day so I finished it Wednesday morning and it was all sorted by 10:30. There was enough time to get myself cleaned up and off to Jack's Fish and Chip shop on the A30 at Bagshott. I also needed to drop on a few bits to a 2CV friend who lives close by and I did not see on Monday at the local 2CVclub night. I thought I he might like them for the weekend. Jack's do deals for the senior members and it is a congregation point for vintage and classic bikers.

I knew I would not be there until after 1pm and I would miss the 12 to 1pm senior deal but I was on a mission so I had lunch before I left home. Out on the Buell for a brisk ride and still get to Jack's to see a good selection of bikes. There I met Velocette man who has an MSS at the Museum and today was out on his 1926 Triumph.

Even though I had been to Jack's before there were still people who did not know about he Museum. There are still some who know but have not yet visited. I am ever hopeful that another handout of fliers will get them to come along. I met a guy who had visited the Museum with the Enfield club the other week and he was impressed by our hospitality and how good the Museum is. There is a promise of another visit from the Enfield club and I do hope the Meteor comes along too.

I didn't stay long but I did manage lots of pics of the bikes I saw there. I thought the Honda engined Norton Commando was quite interesting

BSA Gold Flash,           AJS  big Twin    Pre War Harley and a BSA B33

 

Croxley green and more

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Early August

The month of August drifts between holidays and events. Most of the time the focus is on what is happening over the Bank Holiday weekend. However, locally the first Wednesday in August is the Watford Car Club annual event at Croxley Green near Sarlat just outside Rickmansworth.

This time I headed up there a bit earlier in the day to see what was there and hand out some fliers for the Museum. I was on the Buell and after getting to the depleted motorcycle parking area I was invited to put the Buell on display with the other bikes. There were some really well presented bikes there and as time went on more bikes were on display. One caught my eye and at first I thought it was a Norton Jubilee but when I questioned the owner is was the bigger engined Navigator.

Off to Birmingham at the weekend and handed out more fliers at the Holiday Inn Birmingham airport and just down the road is the National Motorcycle Museum. More fliers for them and I picked some of theirs up to bring back. Monday at the Museum on the LE with another international day and more rain. Tuesday out in the rain again to Wycombe MAG to hand out more fliers and find out about the shenanigans going on with subtle changes in the MAG name. Best left to the people who know, I guess, but my view is that it is a waste of effort that will not achieve very much. I do support MAG as we need to have a political voice to remind the politicians we are still voters. Moving on after more biking on Wednesday on the LE and a trip to Snobs at Hangar Lane gyratory for a new battery for the Buell. I thought it was time as I had to keep jump starting it off the car battery. With the new battery fitted I was out on Thursday for a ROG's run that went down to Eastbourne missing most of the rain. I bemoaned the fact that each time I was out on the bikes it rained! Bertha was dripping on me! Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so far that week and if you have been following what I have been doing, other than Croxley Green it has rained on me every ride out. Who said it had been a dry summer? Eastbourne was a good trip out with the only downpour at coffee break as we waited for the rain to go away under a gazebo in a country garden hoping the lightening would miss us.

At Eastbourne we had lunch in Harry Ramsdens and watched the biplane wing walkers doing stunts over the beach followed by a flypast of two Spitfires and two Lancaster bombers. One from the UK and the other featured on the news a few days earlier as it had come from Canada.

On the way back to the bikes we came across a very nicely restored Ariel Leader and the couple who rode it there have promised to come to the Museum. Black clouds loomed but the run leader kept us away from the rain and I managed to get home dry for a change.

Just Catching Up

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Just Catching Up

Having fun with the Valiant trying to get it starting easily and trying to avoid the rain. I have managed to do both for most of July, but just a reminder of how bad the weather was at the end of June have a look at this video of one of the events I went to:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rI9iSaXeGI

At quieter moments I did discover that Pete is quite a cartoonist and here is one he did for a bike magazine. His interpretation of twin leading shoe front brakes. I know at least some of you can remember them!

So, what has been going on, well The Ivy has been out to another show and returned on Monday, I've been to the LE Velo club night on Tuesday. On the Valiant again just to prove it can start and run reasonably well and I have now put that one to the back of the garage while I get out and about on my LE. If anyone has had a look at my Facebook they will know I was out on the Buell last Thursday for a ROG's Run that went down to Hive beach for lunch at the fish restaurant there. Very nice and not far from Weymouth. I managed a round trip of some 305 miles for the day close to a record for a day trip but not quite as the most done on one of theses ROG's Runs was 322 miles. There were 20 bikes out for this trip and our first stop was at the Fighting Cock in the New Forrest.

I was out earlier this week in search of some elbow protectors as the ones for my Joe Rocket jacket had disintegrated and I had only wrist pads instead as they had moved to the bottom of the pocket in the arms. I visited Infinity Motorcycles at Hangar lane, they had none suitable and left some fliers and then did the giratory a couple of times to get around to the North Circular and J&S (formerly Hein Gericke) on the other side of the road, where they did have something that did the job. I, again, left fliers for the Museum and also received some in return as they are promoting the new shop.

Uxbridge Rotary Club Auto Show

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Uxbridge Auto Show 2014

Uxbridge Auto Show 2014

I missed the rain last Monday and just got home in time before another rainstorm would have got me soaked as it had when I had last ridden the Valiant. I'm beginning to think it attracts the rain, or is it me? Just as I was about to leave for the show on the Sunday morning a few spits of rain were falling and I was tempted to put on my leaky over-suit to keep the worst off. Fortunately nothing came of it and I had a dry trip to the Uxbridge show ground for the event. I was too late to get the Valiant into the concours but got an event plaque when I arrived instead. I was relatively early and the Museum stand was not yet set up but was directed to the location by the Triumph Owners Club which was next door. All hands to the pumps to set up the stand for the event when everyone did arrive.

First priority was a mug of tea that I bought from one of the mobile cafes. This one was a Citroen H van. I was now ready for the day I went on the rounds of the club stands leaving Gary and the gang in charge of the gazebo and fliers. It was not long before I returned to collect more fliers and on out again this time to the car club stands. I ran out of fliers again, had lunch at a burger van, talked to the guys at the Institute of Advanced Motorists also Motorcyclists. There were more bikes on the stand than cars. Back for more fliers talking to anyone and everyone and completed the rounds about 3pm.

It was time for the prize giving. I treated myself to an ice-cream. I felt like I had walked miles, but the day was not done yet. There was a great deal of interest in the Museum. Those there all day said it had been quite busy. On request I fired up the Valiant just to show how noisey it was. Those around seemed to enjoy the sound. There were a number of comments about the silencing capabilities from the silencers. I agreed that there was not much in them.

As the event wound up people were still visiting the stand and picking up fliers. By 4:30 it was time to pack up. Black clouds were looming again and there were spits of rain in the wind and it was in the direction I was heading. When it was time to go the Valiant had had it's good start for the day and now just refused to run. It started easily on pushing. There were many names to call it but none to be repeated in print. I blasted away after the engine un-choked itself and I was on my way home. Filtering through the traffic and probably making a nuisance of myself being not slow but not quick either, finding the spaces to get to the front of the queues. It was a good day out with the bonus of clear interest from the car clubs to take a trip to the Museum.

I struggled to get to the Museum on Monday morning. Filtering past Chris as he waited in traffic. Fortunately it was a slow start and there was time to have mug of tea with the first visitor of the day from Ecuador. He was interested in anything and everything. Ecuador does not have a big history of motorcycles and most of what he saw was new to him. More people arrived, a couple from New Zealand and a gentleman from Denmark. The New Zealanders were the last to leave and the doors closed around 4:30. After more huffing and puffing the Valiant finally got going. I've got to do something about it but not this evening as I was off out to my local 2CV club meeting. It would have to wait for tomorrow.

A New Visitor

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The Ivy Arrives

I have been at the Chinnor Byke Dayz all weekend having fun enjoying the real ales and music that Wycombe MAG put on. I was there for fun but also to represent the Museum handing out fliers and soaking up the atmosphere. It rained on Friday night and I have the Valiant in the tent with me. Old bikes and rain do not mix well.

I did the ride out on the Valiant, and got very wet again in the monsoon rain storms that were brief but heavy. The Museum had two free ticket in the raffle so it added to the promotion. I managed to get some fliers put into the “goody bag” which was a bit sparse so there are thought about what could be done for next year. On the run out I just happened to park next to a very nicely restored Triumph at the stop.

I handed out more fliers at the concours show and the Valiant was parked up in one corner of the arena. No prizes today but as I had Museum fliers taped to the spokes I'm not surprised. I did win a bottle of scotch instead in the raffle. So there was something to take home.

It was a very good event having live music from 1pm to 1am and there were some very good bands there too. Real ale and good food always helps. I'm going to have to put this one on the calendar for next year. I would recommend this event for a musicfest. As you probably gather, I liked it. Monday back at the Museum on the Valiant and I missed the rain today! During the morning we had a surprise visitor in this case it was an unusual 1924 Ivy motorcycle. It does look the classic for that year and after getting it out of the van we put it in the tea room to have close look at it. Another opportunity to take more photos.

Windsor Great Park Rally

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BEN Charity Ride Through Windsor Great Park

Saturday 28^th June started well with a little sunshine as I headed for the start of the run. We set off from Ascot Race Course car park and wend our way along some pleasant country roads to enter the Park and then a ride along roads that are not normally open to vehicles. At the start there was an exceptional collection of veteran, vintage and classic cars and motorcycles. While at the start the rain clouds gather and just before we set off it starts to rain. 

The clouds are black and it rains so hard drops splash up from the puddles. It was wet! I was on the Valiant and surprisingly it ran quite well in spite of the heavy rain. I had a minicam with me and when I have time I'll upload the video to youtube so you can see how wet it was. I was drenched inside my over-suit. The zip leaked! As usual I hand out fliers at the start and again when at the destination which is the Sunningdale recreation ground where we all congregate to show off our polished machines for the concours. It was a difficult afternoon and I did not manage to hand out many fliers as there were not many people there because of the weather. A little disappointing for everyone with so much effort that goes into the event. At the end of the show vehicles are judged and prizes are handed out. The event finished early. I was in a flower stall tent waiting for the rain to go off when I heard my name and had won something for the Valiant. It was another second prize! It was worth getting wet! 

By the time I had collected my prize and made my way back to the Valiant there were only three bikes left. An unusual 1939 side valve BMW, a 1954 Vincent and me. Geared up and ready to go I was asked by the BMW man to help him get his bike on a trailer. I only had to steady it while he tied it down. The Vincent man was also leaving. He had an assistant and was still kicking it over as I returned to the Valiant. After a couple of kicks it fired up and I was away. I had twenty miles of rain to go through to get home. Easily accomplished! It finally stopped raining when I got home so I chamoised the bike down before putting it away. So it would be clean for when I used it next.

In between it has been a busy time with visits to bike shops, namely new rear tyres for both the Buell and the Kawasaki and MOTs so Snobs at Hangar Lane for wheel bearings, HGB in Ruislip who have done me some deals on tyres, Jack Lilleys for MOTs and Wycombe MAG for a very pleasant evening out. I've also been out to Newlands Corner to hand out fliers on Sunday morning. A couple of weeks ago we had a few members of the Royal Enfield Club turn up at the Museum and last Monday we had another visitor from New Zealand.