Book Review
“Classic Superbikes”
Inside stories of the world’s greatest classic and retro bikes
Author: Frank Melling
Editor and photography: Carol Melling Archive images: Jane Skayman Published by: Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529529 www.classicmagazines.co.uk Signed copies are available from the author at www.frankmelling.co.uk Softback, 210 x 295mm(portrait); 130 pages with over 140 photographs and illustrations.
ISBN: 978-1-911639-20-6, £7.99
The key thing about Classic
Superbikes is that it is not a collection of marque road tests with meticulous specifications and comparisons with other makes. First and last, they are stories told by the author aboutmachines that he once dreamedof riding and was fortunate inhaving his dreams come true.
Then there is the historical background to put these bikes in context. As a journalist, Frank Melling is unusual in the fact that he has also been a regular competitor and “a fairly useful road racer” in the classic classes and a long-time centre standard scrambler “of no greatmerit.” He has also been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.
The aim of the book is to entertain and informtoo, but primarily to share the wonderful, privileged position that he has been inhaving had access to these bikes.
The first of his dreambreaking rides was on the replica 1957 500cc fourcylinder Gilera, generously loanedby the SammyMiller Museum. Not surprisingly, an amazingmachine on all counts. A great sighof relief was felt by all concernedwhen the £200,000 machine was returnedundamaged!
Read about the 1938 Triumph SpeedTwin, the superb 500cc parallel twin that became the benchmark for the whole industry; Fritz Egli’s exclusive hand-built 1250cc Yamaha XJR-engined
Egli Fritz at £42,000 “handles superbly but is poorly finished and vastly overpriced;” Ducati 900SSHailwood Replica “the machine dreams aremade of;” Triumph Street Twin: “Triumph’s best-selling retro bike;” the Triton “the ultimate bespoke special;” the last works BSA scrambler ever produced – the fabulous handbuilt B50 and riddenbyMelling – “…the worst factory rider ever supportedby BSA;” Hesketh Venom: The gentleman’s motorcycling carriage “as sold, it was vastly overpriced, overweight and underpowered;” HondaCB1100R: The exRonHaslammachine – big, powerful and very successful; “Slippery Sam,” the most famous production racer of all time; Norton Commando
750 Mk.1: “The best of all the Commandos;” MotoGuzzi V7
II: “A superb refined tourer;” Honda Rune: “Not for the shy – the ultimate overweight, impractical, poseur’s machine.”
Alongwith fascinating background info there’s the author’s personal recollection of the 1978 Formula One TT and Mike Hailwood’s againstall-odds win and Melling’s ride in the RetroMoto St Cergue hillclimb in Switzerland.
A fascinating read of some of themost exotic bikes available, helped by some superb photography by CarolMelling.
We all knowwhat happened to the 2020 calendar of racing events, although some clubs managed to get a few meetings run, none of the Lansdowne dates materialised. They nearly got to Pembrey in October, then with a week to go the Welsh Government said ‘no’.
There are seven Lansdowne meetings planned for 2021 at seven different circuits, with
April 17/18 May 7/8
June 13
June 26/27 July 16-18 July 31/Aug1 October 2/3
The Lansdowne Classic Series aims to re-create the halcyon days of the late 1950s, when unfaired Manx Nortons ruled the roost, challenged by Matchless G50s, AJS 7Rs and the odd plucky BSAGold Star. Add in the five different clubs, and, for some, the Goodwood Revival meeting, which the Lansdowne helps to organise and run the motorcycle race, in 2021 over September 17-19.
There are no changes in the rules and regulations for 2021, Avon Tyres are still the control tyre supplier and the four classes will remain the same. Dates are:
Castle Combe CRMC
Oulton Park BMCRC
Mallory Park CMMC (Classic CarMeeting) Anglesey Wirral 100
Cadwell Park NG Racing
Donington Park CRMC
Croft CRMC
occasional Rudge, Velocette and Vincent, and you have a fantastic, vintage spectacle.
Check on the website lansdowneclassic.co.uk for any changes to these dates and for full details of the series.