The Classic MotorCycle
Two-wheel life from a bygone age Backroad bimbling
A ss restrictions in the UK are gradually lifted, so we all relish the return to omething akin to normal – or at least being able to go out freely on our motorcycles, back to indulging in our old hobby of ‘wasting petrol’ (as a pal used to describe it; I prefer ‘using petrol’) and just generally riding about. That’s even more of the case now; to just go for a pleasure ride takes some consideration, as one needs to take into account the practicalities, but I’m sure we’re all adapting.
With no recent opportunity of going somewhere to have a ‘look round’
– or, more so in my case, somewhere to enjoy a hearty lunch and a pint… – pals have taken even more on board the ethos that the ride is about the journey, not the destination. I’ve gone ‘old school’ by finding a magnetic, clear map holder in my brother’s garage, and slapping that on the tank of the bike, pulling out an applicable page from an old road atlas, then heading off with a vague idea of where to go, but sort of letting it take me where it goes. It’s meant I’ve ended up finding new and better ways to places I’ve been to before, but via a completely different route. It’s been rather enjoyable, in fact.
‘‘ ‘‘,‘‘ ThThere’s no need to rh us I’ve just been riding about, taking in the sights and smells, having a pleasant time.
This is the sort of riding that best suits an old motorcycle. My mostused machine of late has been by late 1950s TriBSA (which consists of a Triumph Thunderbird 650cc engine, in a BSA frame) and it’s proved well suited to the task. There’s no need to rush; I’ve just been riding about, taking in the sights and smells, having a pleasant time.
The TriBSA genuinely isn’t the sort of motorcycle I was looking forward to owning, but it came in exchange for another ill-advised purchase, that wasn’t getting much use either. The idea of deals and exchanges I always love; having the capacity to get excited about basically any motorcycle, means if I’m ever offered or hear of anything (just today it’s been a mid-1930s Rudge racer and an XT500 Yamaha, for example) then I can find a reason, in my head, why I really, really want it…
Elsewhere in the classic world, we’ve had the news that ‘April Stafford’
– The Classic MotorCycle backed extravaganza – won’t go ahead as a standalone show, but be incorporated into October Stafford, scheduled to take place over October 10/11.