INSIGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE

Kevin Cameron’s articles once seemed a bit intense – until I started reading them carefully. His explanations and descriptions of the industry and mechanics are full of insight and knowledge. In December issue 759, he recommends we ‘look up’ Ixion’s books; by coincidence I have just read Ixion’s Motor Cycle Calvacade.

Published in 1950, it’s a great record of the inventions and tribulations of early motorcycling. He describes the dust of unsealed roads and the sweaty effort needed to start the machines, then pedal-assist, before single gears and slipping leather belts were eliminated.

His descriptions though of the enthusiasm of his contemporary bikers might apply to today – why do we still ride in crap weather, cold, wet, and expensive bikes?

Yet we reject the easy life of what Ixion calls ‘greenhouses on wheels’. Oh, we have a great life now on modern bikes!

Interestingly, Ixion lists 13 qualities needed for his ideal bike; if we choose well, we can have ’em all. My favourites are low vibration with good speed and climb and ease of starting (no kick-starts or manual advance/retard now). Yet he would have ditched some of our modern offerings due to everincreasing weight and difficult-toclean engines (many current bikes have knobs and lumps to hide and bake on our modern crap: salt, tractor mush and cow poo). Ixion’s ideal choice of a Velocette LE was

a great one at the time: enclosed, easy to clean and start and shaft-drive. Just like today though, kerb appeal and the panache of a salt cellar were major reasons for it failing to be a big hit.

I like your mag, a good selection of road-riders’ stuff, tours and tests. On bike tests though, what about more detail on maintenance intervals and costs please? Oh, and perhaps have the sun behind the camera; some pics of black engines and black leathers on a dark background are real teasers. Good stuff though!

Andy Hall