Bitten by the bug
Don’t blame me for this. When Lewis and I built his 125cc Excelsior as a project it was a one-off – how was I to know that he would go and buy another one?!
Yes, the disease has taken hold. Lewis has bought this 250cc Excelsior Talisman Twin project to build with his dad, Richard – and I am delighted. I will be looking in on his progress occasionally – currently being located 200 miles away at university, his progress may be slower than last time, although Richard is very keen to get cracking.
This helps to boost my confidence about young people and old bikes. It makes sense at several levels. For a start, working on an old bike is approachable. There are no security fastenings, you can change the plug without the engine management going bonkers and you don’t need ‘diagnostic’ apparatus to find a fault. I remember my disgust when the ‘Escort boys’ had more interest in ‘woofers’ than pistons – but in reality, by then the radio was about the only thing you could still tune. I think we are starting to see a reaction to that. Some kids have had enough ‘virtual’ and want ‘real’ – what use are things that can only be fixed with a lot of money to a low earner?
There’s another thing I hadn’t realised. My mates in their twenties ride big classics like mine – 650s and 750s – but while I could ride a Suzuki Hayabusa if I wanted, their A2 licence restricts them to 47bhp. So if they’re not riding classics, the option is a worthy but slightly dreary modern middleweight – and a dealer servicing commitment. So I think there’s a practical as well as aesthetic appeal – we just have to let young riders try our bikes and find out for themselves.