Anoraks – do you love them or hate them?
I thought your readers might find this interesting in light of the recent comments about ‘experts’ in Steve Cooper’s Oriental Angles column. I wrote it before the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine which makes the very last paragraph particularly poignant.
Anorak – to be or not to be? We hear the phrase so often; it conjures up a certain image but I reckon it’s a word that is meaningless, in the same way of trying to define what makes a bike or car a ‘classic’. By this I mean when you try to create the set of rules by which you can apply and determine something is a classic (or someone is an anorak) you quickly starting going round in circles and it becomes impossible!
My train of thought on this all started after reading about a chap trying to sell his Kawasaki S3 triple for what appeared a reasonable asking price. Several members of his owners' club then pointed out all the various imperfections and aspects that were not correct.
I think we are probably all guilty of being (or coming across as) 'anoraks', as well as being on the receiving end of an anorak. Let me give some examples of 'anorakism' which I think are clear, although you may disagree of course.
A few years back I attended a rally at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford in Cambridgeshire, hosted by the Triumph Sports Six Club. This is a club essentially for owners of Triumph Spitfire, Herald, Vitesse and GT6 models. I was not a member but the advert mentioned that bringing it along would aid entry (including to the museums) and, while I have a Triumph, it is a 1971 2.5PI saloon and not one of the aforementioned. To cut a long story short, we blagged our way in really as the people on the gate examined the car and, on the basis it was a Triumph, allowed us in.
Now the point of this story is that the only reason we attended was to go and view all those lovely historic planes, so we parked up and headed straight for the museum(s).
I was surprised (nay, horrified) to see everyone else get out their deck chairs and flasks so they could sit behind their (predominantly) Triumph Spitfires and talk Triumph Spitfires. Virtually no one took up the opportunity to go and see the planes. Duxford is vast; you need more than a day to view everything and the USAAF hanger holds a stunning collection of warbirds.
And so I conclude categorically that those Spitfire owners were all anoraks – a proven case! But someone will argue that those Spitfire socialites were simply taking up the opportunity to meet likeminded souls and share stories and exchange ideas, etc, and that I’m a miserable anti-social old bugger attending on a false pretence!
Another instance of categoric anorakism was when, a few years back, I joined a fairly local classic car club. During the joining process the club organiser was so excited because he also had a Triumph saloon and he went out of his way to ensure we were parked next to each other at the first (and only) rally I attended. The big day arrived and the chap chaperoned me next to his car. I emerged from the driving seat and the first thing he was he thought the trafficator on my door pillar might not be original. I mentioned the car has never been restored and that I’d be surprised if it was not before simply walking off never to see/speak to him again – I concluded a certain anorak of the highest order that I was determined to avoid at all costs! BUT again, perhaps he was right and my door pillar trafficator is ‘wrong’ (I’ve never investigated it or given it a thought) and someone will say we need blokes like that who do know everything down to the perfect shade, shape, marking and every conceivable intricacy as otherwise how will we know when we have it right so we can reach ‘perfection’?
I think everything comes down to your point of view and how seriously you take things. A point in question is the Allen bolt autism that some people have.
My KH400 is an original unrestored example that, apart from the chrome side stand and the Allen bolts in the casings, is 100% as it left Japan (the Allen bolts were there when I bought it 22 years ago). I have been told on a number of occasions to replace those wretched Allen bolts – an easy thing to do, BUT why would/should I? When I was a kid owning more triples than I can recall, one of the first things we would do is change the wretched cross head screws for Allen bolts so, in my eyes, it is a period modification, in the same vein as Cibie headlights, expansions or ARE wheels (a holy grail that I think detracts from the looks compared to an original spoked wheel).
I’m sure I’ve come across as an anorak on occasion – we all generally have an interest/topic we know a lot about and, given the opportunity, we’ll unload our knowledge on the interested or unsuspecting! I guess if you are into your concours events and shows then it does really matter to that select group of like-minded. I tend to not go to many shows unless I can leave when I want as the thrill for me is riding there and riding back, so no sooner have I arrived I want to leave – but this is because I’m still working full time and am a fogey dad, so actual riding time is so precious.
I bumped into a 75-year-old geezer who had a KH250 that was a total mix of various models. His Bonnie had simply got too heavy for him and this KH250 was his first Japanese bike – he’d paid £3750 for it (a couple of years back) and thought he had a bargain. I could not bring myself to burst his bubble and do the anorak thing as the model was a B2 but the cosmetics were a real Heinz variety... but he was happy and I left him happy.
I think the trick is to know when/ how/if to use your anorak skills.
People don’t like having their stuff knocked off the perch they have it on, so keep it to yourself unless someone either (a) asks (b) you’re negotiating with a buyer/seller or (c) you are among the like-minded!
Live and let live, I used to blast about on my triples ‘V’ signing all those Harley riders on their ‘stupid’ bikes but now I love all two-wheeled stuff (although bobbers are the exception).
Anoraks – it’s a love/hate thing. Can’t live with them or without them, we’ve all been one, been on the receiving end of one, and every now and then are so glad there is one on hand who knows about that intricate difference between models/parts and solves the problem so your old bike/car is back on the road.
My motto is, buy what you like and don’t obsess about value – like my dear late brother said to someone going on about how much their house was worth: “I don’t care if mine is worth a pound so long as no one is knocking on the door to tell me I’m now a refugee.”
PS: After reading my Old Bike Mart
I save it for a very dear friend who is now in his 90s but who owned a Triumph Speed Twin for many years in his younger days. He absolutely loves OBM. I can relate so closely to all the stories and tales of your readers senior to my almost 60 years (hence my Oriental Angles leaning!).