Br ve new wor d – in theory
Good day to you, may your kick-start whirr be followed by combustion first time, your tyres be firm and your insurance lower than last year. And if not, at least it's not raining, well, here anyway.
It seems just yesterday that ‘we' were chatting last month and in this new world, things change so quickly. What have we been up to? The Stafford show was a welcome return to older times and while it had to be different, we enjoyed it, as did most folk we spoke to there.
With fewer people allowed, it did mean there was more room to see and appreciate the great club stands and all the hard work that goes in. A special ‘hello' must go to the Benelli and Motobi club, who fielded Maria's questions about the Enduro electrical gremlins – they were very helpful.
The Velocette LE club were a cheery bunch, too, with an LE trike on the stand. Neville's uncle was a Butlin's Redcoat in Clacton, Essex, but lived in Norfolk. Eighty miles each way, but this was covered on his trusty Velocette LE Mk.1, with handstart, hand gearchange and would take him some time to return home. Useful, yet not the prettiest, we look at the LE on page 50.
We also spent some time in the auction, which had so many lots it lasted three days! There was everything, from famous race bikes that only the few can afford, to everyday bikes even we could buy, and projects that even a mother would find hard to love. Dirty overalls, smelly helmets and a tandem were all up for sale – even a selection of penny farthings!
A good auction is the best way to see what a bike is worth at that time. At the moment Triumph 5TAs are often for sale elsewhere at £4000 and more – but in the auction, the average price was £2500. That's what people are prepared to pay for a 5TA at the moment, admittedly without riding it and without warranty.
It's a conscious decision that in Classic Bike Guide we shy away from forever talking about what something is worth and concentrate more on ownership, riding and looking after our bikes. If everything in your life is about money, then my opinion is that you're missing out – it's a way towards happiness – it is not happiness itself. That's a freshly rebuilt engine that starts first time…
It was great to meet up with a BMW stalwart and good friend, Rob Bensley, on his modern BMW R1200RS. Rob used to race airhead boxers back in the Seventies and was even on the front cover of the BMW club magazine – though it was because he'd run out of fuel on the last lap… Rob still does a tremendous job organising trackdays for riders who want to improve their riding, with lots of instructors on hand and only roadbikes allowed. And you don't even need a BMW!
People that go above and beyond for others astound me. Like helpful club members, or Lindsay Atkinson, who has organised a ‘Women in motorcycling' exhibition – read more in the news pages. Whenever I read of another disgraced MP, I cheer myself by thinking about all the great people I've had the pleasure to meet in motorcycling, I hope it makes you smile, too.
Enjoy the mag, all my best,