BACKWARDS GLANCE

What a great magazine! I’m not a fan of magazines, as they often touch on things of interest without ever getting to the real heart or depth of a subject. But the articles published in your mag do a better job than many others. A couple of joys for me were the Squariel, Ambassador and V50 articles in RC193, because they reminded me of some odd bikes I had.

On Squariels – or not. I once had the chance of buying one from a dealer in Widnes. I was sorely tempted, but couldn’t manage the cash, so picked up a 1951 BSA B31 with a swinging arm. Apparently the guy had a crashed Norton 350 single and removed the swinging arm framework from it, and grafted it onto a 1951 B31 frame. I rode it for around 6 months (November to May) and the worst it did was fail to light the electric lamps... until I found out how to make a ticking contact Wipac / Lucas regulator work. The rear dampers were weak on damping, and it wallowed a lot, but it was a useful commuter and rally bike on weekends. It won the can of Gunk at a rally for being ‘worst on the field – should have been buried there!’ Such are memories.

The Ambassador – while not something I remember – reminded me of a few BSA Bantams I had owned. But even more so a

Francis Barnet with a 170 Villiers engine. The silencer was some odd 4-stroke silencer – looked much like the silencers in the photos of the 350 Ariel or Andy Tiernan’s Ambassador. Loud and I always thought lacking in back pressure for the Franny-B. But the F-B did over 5000 miles between my legs – on top of the original 8500 miles or so, and never missed a beat. I commuted around Liverpool, rode from Southampton to Liverpool, went rallying (up to 100 miles a trip) and just loved the lack of power and sportiness that meant everyone passed me by. ( Yes, I was once passed downhill by a cyclist!) Such are memories.

On the V50: I have a 1979 V50-II. In the 1990s I needed to sell an LC350 race-tuned Yamaha (17:1 compression and burnt pistons every time I cruised at about 58mph for more than

1 or 2 minutes!). That one was soon to cost my licence for speed – or fit me for a coffin for overexuberance, so it had to go! I can’t tell you how fast it went – it was certainly race competitive against the 500 4 cylinder 2-stroke Yams of later vintage. ( Yes, I did blow one away one afternoon!)

Back to the V50. The article is very good at presenting this gorgeous-looking classic that rides like a dream and has adequate torque and a limited top speed to save my licence. Hardly any vibration, with push-and-go practicality

( just push the starter button). The only thing I can’t figure out after more than 20 years is how to get a smooth reliable tickover. But we all have foibles. Yes, the twist-grip is heavy, but since I changed the clutch plate and reset it, the clutch is easy and light, and now my left hand is smaller than the right. Italian law specifies that under all circumstances the twist grip shall close the throttle automatically – hence the ‘heavier than Amal’ springs. But you get used to it.

With Pirelli tyres it was as good – and forgiving – for grip and handling as anything I have ridden. It got me out of situations that may have been disastrous on other bikes – I managed to get abrasion marks right to the edge of my tyres,

driving on the right-hand side of the road.

I have owned and ridden BMWs for approximately 30 years, riding to Scotland on a BMW R100R on many occasions to watch The Open, once doing the John o’Groats to Land’s End run. One not exactly funny incident happened on my BMW when in Macclesfield. When stopping at some traffic lights, I put the wrong foot down on stopping, only to find a hole in the road, and gently toppling over – no damage done, this being a throwback to riding early British bikes.

Being a golf fanatic curtailed my motorcycling. I had participated in scrambling / motocross for 15 years and at as pointed out by a young biker at work who couldn’t manage that. But it wasn’t always intentional! I am now on Avons that suit me now I have slowed-down a touch – until the next time.

I have modified the bike a bit. When I got it I could not get comfortable with the Guzzi handlebars. But I fitted a Yamaha bar (odd one from a mate) that was just right, and a small universal screen that really breaks the wind load at 70mph. It just kicks the rain onto my visor. After years of continual battery charging (every trip – or after 2 weeks commuting and it wouldn’t start – I use an Optimate, a biker’s best tool for battery life. I got a recorder box from work and it told me the voltage was OK for town use, but when on the open road (over 3500rpm) it dropped to ‘no charge’. I confirmed this with an ammeter. An electronic voltage control for the Bosch alternator replaced the original ticking-contact one. Everything is perfect now.

I use LED rear bulbs and indicators, rather than buying them in boxes of 12, and have added a pair of 7W LED bicycle lamps for daytime lamps. They’re mounted on the indicator stalk, which on the Mk II is mounted beneath the steering head. I also fitted taper roller bearings in the steering head when the balls ceased to be round on the originals. Stainless pipes and silencers replaced the original rusty steel when the bike was about 25 years old, and they make very pretty colours every time I give it a lot of throttle.

Original paintwork, switchgear, and almost all the plastic makes this a pretty original ‘modern era’ classic I love enough to ignore the tickover foible. A 25-year affair with a ‘younger lass’ that never ages in my mind. Well, wouldn’t you want one? Reliable with character is the best description I can give it.

Thanks for a great magazine.

Ken Chicken

Glad you enjoyed it. We always try to provide a little variety in the bikes we feature!

the age of 36 I was invited to a game of golf. Having never hit a golf ball before, I managed to smash my first attempt straight down the fairway – time to stop racing bikes.

Thank you. I always thought that golf was dangerous…

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