From Latvia to the TT

After about a year riding my first bike, a 197cc James, I made the huge leap to a 2T Villiers-engined Cotton. It was powerful enough – if you could start it – to ride two-up.

So, one Sunday in 1963 with my friend Melvin Hammond on the back, we drove from Keynesham near Bristol to the Forest of Dean. All went well until, in the forest, the bike started to wobble, the back tyre was flat. Here we were studying the disaster when an old prewar car pulled up. “What’s up?” asked the stranger. “Flat back tyre,”

I told him. “No problem,” says he, opening his boot to reveal a huge tool box filling the boot.

The wheel was soon out and the tyre off to reveal the inner tube with the valve ripped out. “No problem,” says he, “we will get a new tube…” Remember, this was a Sunday in the Forest of Dean… he drove a few miles to a village shop, which was not only open but, by some miracle, had an inner tube.

Back at the bike, the wheel was soon on and, after saying a heartfelt thank you, off we went. It probably wouldn’t happen today.

I am 74 and still ride my stable of three Ariels, two NH350s and a VH500 of 1951 vintage.

The article in the September edition about Juris Ramba and his motorcycle exhibition in Latvia prompted very happy memories, since it was my privilege to meet this brilliant engineer some years ago. He has completed many superb restorations in often difficult circumstances, putting the efforts of lesser mortals like myself to shame.

Back in the early Eighties, Juris and a few friends wanted to experience the TT and were in contact with Ken Hallworth, who we all remember as the founder of OBM and past president of the VMCC. Ken and Irene arranged accommodation for them, if the trip was allowed by the powers controlling Latvia at the time. Permission was on, then off, with great uncertainty, and then finally given with very little warning. I believe that Juris and his compatriots actually reassembled a rare machine on the sea journey over here.

I met them, with friends Ken and Irene, at some function in the Isle of Man, and some things stick in my mind. Irene told me that when providing a meal, a pineapple was part of the dessert, and the visitors became emotional and wanted to preserve a piece to take home. It seemed that it was generally unobtainable and the preserve of the rich back home. They were quite impressed when taken to the local supermarket where plenty were on sale. How lucky we are.

They had not been allowed to take much currency abroad, which offended their generous nature, but everyone was happy to help out with expenses and drinks etc. One of the party impressed me with his ability to consume Guinness followed by whisky chasers!

Juris spoke good English, but his friends did not, and when he left the table to speak to others, I thought it was hilarious to watch them trying to mime ‘double overhead cam’ and ‘double knocker’, when describing one of the machines. This got worse when they wanted to know the meaning of the ‘KOBI*’ badges being worn by some of the more venerable

VMCC members.

There was a short road run the next day, and myself and a couple of others were asked to ‘guide’ some of the party who would not be able to read the route instructions. I was impressed that the poor chap following my leisurely progress remained glued about a bike length from my tail. It turned out that he was a champion rider back home.

Happy memories indeed, and I have read articles about the exploits of Juris with both admiration and pleasure ever since.

* I too had to ask, and it stands for Knight of the Order of Bl**dy Idiots. Try miming that!