tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13934504194377515262024-03-04T20:02:57.717-08:00Attack the vintagentjogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.comBlogger498125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-89156734491752881992011-01-10T17:35:00.000-08:002011-01-10T17:35:48.576-08:00the vintagent motorcycle<span class="rg_ctlv"><img class="rg_hi" data-height="187" data-width="269" height="278" id="rg_hi" 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" width="400" /><a href="http://thevintagent2011.blogspot.com/">http://thevintagent2011.blogspot.com/</a></span>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-66045523426315296382011-01-09T19:58:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.936-08:00LAS VEGAS 2011; TRENDS...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvfwFFaJ0wlj2UdykFH57871Vdz_gPN242XfsnumzQyBzoQydeeBk2B9dlp5MvZ7MYzS44GeQeSCPw16mXzHzsnfMNQHD3tncEJY_H2mVBU0-55SR46QOStvU7eEYhCBCNpYhBRxTLpk/s1600/ss100.bidding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvfwFFaJ0wlj2UdykFH57871Vdz_gPN242XfsnumzQyBzoQydeeBk2B9dlp5MvZ7MYzS44GeQeSCPw16mXzHzsnfMNQHD3tncEJY_H2mVBU0-55SR46QOStvU7eEYhCBCNpYhBRxTLpk/s400/ss100.bidding.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Total sales for MidAmerica over 2.5 days was $5.5Million, inclusive.</td></tr></tbody></table>The <a href="http://www.midamericaauctions.com/showauction.asp?ID=161">MidAmerica</a> 2011 Las Vegas auction held to their 20 year tradition with 500 motorcycles for sale over two and a half days, beginning with a Thursday night after-dinner auction of 50 bikes. The colors, the buzz of the auctioneers, and the scale of the hall should be experienced by every motorcycle enthusiast at some point - once you're in Las Vegas, its a free show of very interesting machinery, much of it unlikely to be seen publicly again for some time. It is also probably the best place in the US to meet bike collectors from around the world, old or young, established or just beginning, very rich or simply looking for one special machine.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhVUxKCY37Rt9IqRUe0Vakp6zaVWeb7DVmCbanOnPTNTtwr0i6aeElbzGTFkzGPJIa6VR0L7kvk5uPhRW7YOPjV0Vgl7g6lxpX5lYiQizMIAQEDUEmNE-WZIdWCTOWtPaaqV_J_D8lSc/s1600/fritz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhVUxKCY37Rt9IqRUe0Vakp6zaVWeb7DVmCbanOnPTNTtwr0i6aeElbzGTFkzGPJIa6VR0L7kvk5uPhRW7YOPjV0Vgl7g6lxpX5lYiQizMIAQEDUEmNE-WZIdWCTOWtPaaqV_J_D8lSc/s400/fritz.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fritz Simmerlein of <a href="http://www.harleysons.de/">www.Harleysons.de</a> is perfectly matched to this original-paint 1919 H-D 'J'</td></tr></tbody></table>With 500 bikes on show, in some years a repetitive horde of Triumphs or Shovelhead choppers have made for a tedious auction, but this year the mix was uniformly varied, and had something for everyone. Unrestored 'teens and 'twenties machines, newly-built replicas of Board Track racers, seventies café racers, recent customs, racing bikes, and mopeds were all available. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEoqtyhAIY7xItRkso1B6z-PaeNAptADhyrSTpuffpxw2A2RBsF5RssJawhVqWzaV0nQTMbGH9FSdY23Vmeg1t3hG07lUP7Cu52JyzTmU-dBzg7iK0HmyeWbzNxnuYtWqwVD2aXXPNa4/s1600/rickmans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEoqtyhAIY7xItRkso1B6z-PaeNAptADhyrSTpuffpxw2A2RBsF5RssJawhVqWzaV0nQTMbGH9FSdY23Vmeg1t3hG07lUP7Cu52JyzTmU-dBzg7iK0HmyeWbzNxnuYtWqwVD2aXXPNa4/s400/rickmans.jpg" width="368" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring arrived early in Vegas; two Rickman-framed café racers...</td></tr></tbody></table>Highlights of the auction included two <a href="http://www.brough-superior.com/">Brough Superior</a> SS100s with 'MX' Matchless overhead valve 990cc engines; a 1939 model to 'show finish' (chromed mudguards and cylinders/heads), which had correct, matching engine, frame, and gearbox numbers, and a 1938 example with MX engine, previously owned by Brough technical guru <a href="http://www.restorationwerks.com/forsale/brough/">Bill Gibbard</a>, author of 'Maintaining your Brough Superior'. The Gibbard machine had an engine from another SS100, although the machine was all-Brough. Still, when the reserve is a reputed $230,000, one can afford to be picky, and thus it proved to be when the machine failed to sell at auction (although it sold later in the day for $238k). The '39 'show' bike sold for $260,000+ to a new player in the motorcycle collecting world; more on that later.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36B4mdDg934K6p0vS5ou4hs4PuDyhfvabQaX0528y4NGZY_zTdQxmBwajs0T_UNLn1Pl4aRzUnZkOhVFYNds7NYOLgvcAHX2ynCBMa2Vj2bkRDIv1HI724iG-hn4nzTkzSR8h4XWOteo/s1600/ss100podium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36B4mdDg934K6p0vS5ou4hs4PuDyhfvabQaX0528y4NGZY_zTdQxmBwajs0T_UNLn1Pl4aRzUnZkOhVFYNds7NYOLgvcAHX2ynCBMa2Vj2bkRDIv1HI724iG-hn4nzTkzSR8h4XWOteo/s400/ss100podium.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1939 Brough Superior SS100 'MX' to 'show' specification</td></tr></tbody></table>Other interesting machines included a pair of 1934 Dirt Track racers which fetched big bucks due to their rarity and solid-gold provenance. The '34 Harley 'CAC' racer was one of a dozen machines built to challenge the JAP and Rudge racers which ruled the tracks of the time, but as it was no more powerful than the British machines, the model was dropped. This original paint, two-owner bike was a time-warp machine, and fetched well over $120,000.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzdmBfP_7L56dk3k6UBD4_KNJ51Zrd6AlzKlNgWJn-7WUs87ciwjVohK1Uhw75mQBg_aQuJuRxvoPH9nssxeMuLps3mg-0C7EUsSdJjIBW4hyphenhyphenbHeXMUnOc-UqemmK11KgkccBiIzfnzg/s1600/ccac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzdmBfP_7L56dk3k6UBD4_KNJ51Zrd6AlzKlNgWJn-7WUs87ciwjVohK1Uhw75mQBg_aQuJuRxvoPH9nssxeMuLps3mg-0C7EUsSdJjIBW4hyphenhyphenbHeXMUnOc-UqemmK11KgkccBiIzfnzg/s400/ccac.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The 1934 <a href="http://www.crockermotorcycleco.com/">Crocker</a> speedway racer was one of 31 built in the small workshop of Al Crocker and <a href="http://www.crockermotorcycleco.com/">Paul Bigsby</a> (inventor of the <a href="http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/vibe/?page_id=3">'whammy bar'</a>), before they focused on their familiar big twins. The Crocker twins reside on Olympus in terms of pricing nowadays, and that glory has reflected well on the rarer dirt racers - this took over $160,000 on the hammer. While not an original-paint bike, the engine and frame were certainly correct, although that extremely rare Crocker carburetor looked brand new to my eyes; a very clean design with 'monobloc' float chamber, such a carb is beyond rare. Both of these '34 racers compare well with the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2011/01/las-vegas-day-1-bonhams-auction.html">1929 'Mine Find' Harley Peashooter at Bonhams,</a> which sold for $125,800.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBF4VeH9bmLUankS7-DnQ-2Z8B_ytuFOex277Q21rKXCboDs3bPkh1vgb8Mp5tGliXrWEvdFVK366WqY3UT6VL0AAr9FMMjkm8qOH82ACmJuGimNUw73yRDNK_WdmcwXAaOXQeBAh3pA/s1600/crockerspeedway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBF4VeH9bmLUankS7-DnQ-2Z8B_ytuFOex277Q21rKXCboDs3bPkh1vgb8Mp5tGliXrWEvdFVK366WqY3UT6VL0AAr9FMMjkm8qOH82ACmJuGimNUw73yRDNK_WdmcwXAaOXQeBAh3pA/s400/crockerspeedway.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of 12 Crocker speedway racers known. That's Jeff Decker in the stripes.</td></tr></tbody></table> In the replica category was the Flying Merkel from the workshop of ace restorer Chris Carter. Created around an original engine, such shiny machines are fetching less money nowadays than 'patinated' re-creations, a situation which is wreaking havoc with the collector's market. Ron Christensen of MidAmerica noted, <i>"All these replicas are really scaring buyers away from early American bikes. We had an [unnamed] four-cylinder which turned out to have a replica frame, purchased from France. Sometimes owners have been misled, but we have to be more diligent about documenting the bikes to make clear what we are selling. It's difficult to get paperwork out of sellers, even things as simple as titles!"</i> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9f7V9bXkKkAnvQkU29Lcp3LId4Q51Lbr_Kda8FupZzcQIhPTuecMd6gXBwVcakdigoClKEpjno2o7THBbjFiUiXsnZ5S4eVhL2BfJhkx4qPjusZz_6h4AeVdIeOrqAoEsGnoEX1m_yc/s1600/flyingmerkelrepro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9f7V9bXkKkAnvQkU29Lcp3LId4Q51Lbr_Kda8FupZzcQIhPTuecMd6gXBwVcakdigoClKEpjno2o7THBbjFiUiXsnZ5S4eVhL2BfJhkx4qPjusZz_6h4AeVdIeOrqAoEsGnoEX1m_yc/s400/flyingmerkelrepro.jpg" width="340" /></a></div><br />As the skill of 'antiquing' artisans develops, it can be a hard job indeed to tell the difference between a weathered original paint job or a brand new one which simply appears old. Layers of different paint are forcibly 'alligatored' and rubbed with waxes and oils, sepia powders and pumice abrasions to get that just-abandoned look. The ultimate effect of the replicas market has been to make all investors in old American motorcycles especially wary of both restored and original-paint machines. The cry of 'fakery' is heard more often at motorcycle auctions, even against bikes possessing letters of authentication dating decades back! Such wariness is understandable given the number of replicas with a mumbling description in auction catalogs, and it seems high time sellers and auction houses cleaned up their act. Otherwise, its the lawyers who win...and I heard of several big-dollar lawsuits currently pending against well-known dealers and personalities. Perhaps the time has come for a paint-and-metal testing service for valuable machines? The car world takes the lead on this one, although the fine-art world has used paid appraisers/evaluators for a century...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqvFleYtkFIf9RcN0Su5LhZjEKjCxOEqGIlF_zNGfnNfEDEX4aDsptejXCsWCYGJcU0U01cvlbARG2v2a0NhaHNF5UJduAPqZTxEvQE2ec4Ql05SgzucojP2oWaijvCiE1-VLO_VnYbI/s1600/special.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqvFleYtkFIf9RcN0Su5LhZjEKjCxOEqGIlF_zNGfnNfEDEX4aDsptejXCsWCYGJcU0U01cvlbARG2v2a0NhaHNF5UJduAPqZTxEvQE2ec4Ql05SgzucojP2oWaijvCiE1-VLO_VnYbI/s400/special.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Las Vegas is also the place to see unique machines which never turn up anywhere else, like this 1920s 'Engel' flat twin, which uses a car engine from a Holsman, and home-made frame, forks, and driveline. The wheels are wooden, from a car, and the drive is direct - no clutch or kickstarter. I would estimate the engine capacity at 2liters, which means this heavy beast would be a joy to push-start. It may never have been ridden at all, but has a fantastic look, a 20s 'Dream Machine' (or nightmare!).<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXZ0yHiElrQBrpyT5qjA0UL6PHEcu_n58qkBHUHYQAg0u1oncKVW2849H9XYsroffVFkgwjT2gu_EJQBW1B4uN6BcwTY12cKhHqgii3gkdepkLm3E5h99UZjS6892VZUgc8uckTCfkrM/s1600/hdfixie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXZ0yHiElrQBrpyT5qjA0UL6PHEcu_n58qkBHUHYQAg0u1oncKVW2849H9XYsroffVFkgwjT2gu_EJQBW1B4uN6BcwTY12cKhHqgii3gkdepkLm3E5h99UZjS6892VZUgc8uckTCfkrM/s400/hdfixie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantastic H-D racing bicycle ca.1920; the ultimate 'fixie'?</td></tr></tbody></table>Prices on the whole at MidAmerica and the Bonhams auction held on Thursday were solid, although they set few records (except a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BSA_Rocket_Gold_Star">BSA Rocket Gold Star</a> which fetched $32,760 - surely an American record). The very best machines, such as Brough SS100s, rare racers, and documented original-paint machines, have firm pricing in six-figure territory, although dubious rumors can drop prices considerably. The average rider can breathe easy that high-production machines are very affordable and prices remain flat, if not downright cheap, for Triumph, BSA, and Norton twins, most prewar British bikes, and the average Indian and Harley of all years.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkKXAmQIPtQQeh8QBm_UIdmNZOQCB4JTKZ4q6D_4N1vfAs5HPupTP1Gv7BCSBcBlTNo8raSMDGQxANgx4uq-zkaqwMKyXYFkk_fomSepxsIyS72ef4B0yR0vthANCtcH4yDqK4j1kcFg/s1600/originalpaintindian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkKXAmQIPtQQeh8QBm_UIdmNZOQCB4JTKZ4q6D_4N1vfAs5HPupTP1Gv7BCSBcBlTNo8raSMDGQxANgx4uq-zkaqwMKyXYFkk_fomSepxsIyS72ef4B0yR0vthANCtcH4yDqK4j1kcFg/s400/originalpaintindian.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantastic original-paint 1911 Indian belt-drive single.</td></tr></tbody></table>The most intriguing new developments in the motorcycle auction world are twofold; the long-anticipated entry of well-heeled automobile collectors into the top tier of the old bike market, and the sudden appearance of bidders from previously silent countries. This year marked what was hoped for/feared/expected for some time, as at least four big-time 'car guys' snatched some of the finest bikes on offer. Their collecting senses already honed by years of dealing with Ferraris and Bugattis, I watched and spoke with several new players leaving the confines of metal bodywork, who sought advice from experienced 'bike guys' regarding the best motorcycles at each auction. The buzz at Bonhams and MidAmerica was less about bikes and prices than flying rumors about who these new players might be, and what this means to the motorcycle world. Regarding the former - the names are well-known to the Pebble Beach crowd, but the latter question hangs for now. When one new player recognized another major car collector was bidding on the same SS100, he deferred, and bidding stopped. Polite for now, such graciousness may evaporate when the current 'toe in the water' becomes a full-fledged desire to amass a serious motorcycle collection complementing their four-wheeled treasures....and when that happens, records will be broken.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUarp7MSIShg_03ma5l-Py7hawixxjPlZQ9BdVDcLxb1N41E8a_7GMYVkbi3Mromz77vqR_8ndiL0O-YCRpHjjn_C83vYHj8UY1H3R6_HQxyZ-BCFsYlvCHSzEDgYLGwmUKXChB6NEhE/s1600/ss100.forsale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUarp7MSIShg_03ma5l-Py7hawixxjPlZQ9BdVDcLxb1N41E8a_7GMYVkbi3Mromz77vqR_8ndiL0O-YCRpHjjn_C83vYHj8UY1H3R6_HQxyZ-BCFsYlvCHSzEDgYLGwmUKXChB6NEhE/s400/ss100.forsale.jpg" width="357" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'second' Brough SS100; not often you see a B-S on the showroom floor, with a price tag! It later sold for $238,000.</td></tr></tbody></table>The second notable trend of the week was the appearance of collectors from 'new' countries buying bikes to bring home. South America and India have for decades been the happy hunting ground for collectors brave enough to travel or send money to unknown individuals with interesting machines...and I count myself among them, having sourced several Brough Superiors from South America in the early 1990s. It seems they want some of these bikes back! In the 1980s and 90s, it was assumed that bikes sold <i>en masse</i> to Japan or Europe would 'never be seen again', but in truth motorcycles, as when new, circulate around the world to enthusiasts, coming and going as interest and economies wax and wane. It will be interesting to see if the rapidly developing economy of India will produce a new wave of collectors, as Indians are currently buying 300,000 new bikes <i>per month</i>. They have a long tradition of appreciating older machines, although we have yet to see top-notch restorations emerge from their still-large home supply of prewar English machines...which is probably why they're buying good bikes here.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMXEBnuWgXobwpgsFBKfuuLeaKif7E6XXP_3Vj-cMiheNxMBa8x8IGDn40GtxPZeE_YTtqA75Z0XEF0T3murOw5hyO4Xu_8E2iyXhfrsRRFAaRIHyfT6pdFItqvyWKGlPZtS-wcLbN9s/s1600/500bikes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMXEBnuWgXobwpgsFBKfuuLeaKif7E6XXP_3Vj-cMiheNxMBa8x8IGDn40GtxPZeE_YTtqA75Z0XEF0T3murOw5hyO4Xu_8E2iyXhfrsRRFAaRIHyfT6pdFItqvyWKGlPZtS-wcLbN9s/s400/500bikes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vast hall of the South Point Casino.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGu9rm_BPl7hFr5pojp2SUfssKXJb5FgqDt05rIXcjZi1TkKMm3yj5RQhsItFteS-ia5rPhm_Amz-9PCjYR7fj9IXvh-xAWTDFDRbYLMSzYCE4I0ybx1fhiT_UUWslzxkG8oE0Ow-5Jg/s1600/acidtrip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGu9rm_BPl7hFr5pojp2SUfssKXJb5FgqDt05rIXcjZi1TkKMm3yj5RQhsItFteS-ia5rPhm_Amz-9PCjYR7fj9IXvh-xAWTDFDRbYLMSzYCE4I0ybx1fhiT_UUWslzxkG8oE0Ow-5Jg/s400/acidtrip.jpg" width="332" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1960 H-D Panhead custom, 'Acid Trip'. Indeed.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZ-Llcv7MppV5r6Vy2liShPc4QMWTv0JbCoPDcwIuECw8Jad4ok0lqXIIz3ae5SVtYiTS3sv1_hM6FvaEl9uH8ZZu0VhUlmY8TbJRMTy-AqH5rC_qw5-y5m7iUK9LZ7Fw_s9b3WfxVhI/s1600/cabal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZ-Llcv7MppV5r6Vy2liShPc4QMWTv0JbCoPDcwIuECw8Jad4ok0lqXIIz3ae5SVtYiTS3sv1_hM6FvaEl9uH8ZZu0VhUlmY8TbJRMTy-AqH5rC_qw5-y5m7iUK9LZ7Fw_s9b3WfxVhI/s400/cabal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabal of early American bike collectors, setting prices and determining the future of the market. Or not.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZXPaeueHAD4YKlSi1TL2lS9cWY2r821HnmjL8ItqhJXsryLevjPPmypN5nwTxZc9GklQQzKzuZBcgI-QmYQDFpuhBTUVEhperA5Np2KWaZ0pw-e5N2vOfzypxXPDayqbxw870HFP85U/s1600/goggomobile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZXPaeueHAD4YKlSi1TL2lS9cWY2r821HnmjL8ItqhJXsryLevjPPmypN5nwTxZc9GklQQzKzuZBcgI-QmYQDFpuhBTUVEhperA5Np2KWaZ0pw-e5N2vOfzypxXPDayqbxw870HFP85U/s400/goggomobile.jpg" width="347" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goggomobile! And a Berkeley; almost motorcycles...</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ze2CPKqwwtinhGDygGdpPBWRM51p6UM3nbejfColdGaaq8VecFxBrYt9q4JfxjlqUOswvuR4jmzpIj0Z6eV0SWfEK2EHqHCvkFjUwai8Qh_owLUESuaIKxz3KN3YbyB1JW76x_qka1w/s1600/hdgear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ze2CPKqwwtinhGDygGdpPBWRM51p6UM3nbejfColdGaaq8VecFxBrYt9q4JfxjlqUOswvuR4jmzpIj0Z6eV0SWfEK2EHqHCvkFjUwai8Qh_owLUESuaIKxz3KN3YbyB1JW76x_qka1w/s400/hdgear.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The H-D sprocket of the racing bicycle.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijs4-yrh3GnM208CcKYyuW9IKZGxWACQvNoHD9GNPX5Oi6gAxkbcCkOeAVP83RnnhbOuDdQelCWtwGu2JgbRxOff9XHg__IlElodG6zxwxG5zsEtcB70FZwTmy_tv99NJHqEnI-WTE5FE/s1600/hrdA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijs4-yrh3GnM208CcKYyuW9IKZGxWACQvNoHD9GNPX5Oi6gAxkbcCkOeAVP83RnnhbOuDdQelCWtwGu2JgbRxOff9XHg__IlElodG6zxwxG5zsEtcB70FZwTmy_tv99NJHqEnI-WTE5FE/s400/hrdA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1935 HRD Series 'A' Comet</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4SpdKAzHr-gBcCaLPeCidPDgUyW2cUh_V2cpJSe1GrQm4SCmta3qrc6AvzjWtJDmlEZ9Jwys1nHPoE1E8_FcTo9TVfhORPSdklTaMpq1fu7j8BB0tWTWe69M8fG5ut3EZpjokx2whCo/s1600/marshmetz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4SpdKAzHr-gBcCaLPeCidPDgUyW2cUh_V2cpJSe1GrQm4SCmta3qrc6AvzjWtJDmlEZ9Jwys1nHPoE1E8_FcTo9TVfhORPSdklTaMpq1fu7j8BB0tWTWe69M8fG5ut3EZpjokx2whCo/s400/marshmetz.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1910 Marsh Metz belt-drive single</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWdyAExRvTadDajqzt2_JYVO5XLJk5Rx7Xutje1KZT4_ShWBWplhg76ZHFNXc3Hhcrg8MIH80eFyDpPjWxE8dquDaz_49U28voMo6LdRCNdAhsuZptKihZopBVJXy87WYulld5VXh9ck/s1600/marshmetzgear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWdyAExRvTadDajqzt2_JYVO5XLJk5Rx7Xutje1KZT4_ShWBWplhg76ZHFNXc3Hhcrg8MIH80eFyDpPjWxE8dquDaz_49U28voMo6LdRCNdAhsuZptKihZopBVJXy87WYulld5VXh9ck/s400/marshmetzgear.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clutch and belt tensioner levers of the Marsh Metz; two ways to slow down or start up.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqjphpStaKlNLh8huX3OXPCfoh5NtR7gHIdlrlFPrwDGxuhTp3pjKCGBXQ9Hgd6rUDf5PWYiVhRu3Ru0t8D-EsrqFfDM0nXYycuxdTBDtNxoBTOWVE3tEqvRGY4oP0kI_yQrNf0OlbgE/s1600/marylin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqjphpStaKlNLh8huX3OXPCfoh5NtR7gHIdlrlFPrwDGxuhTp3pjKCGBXQ9Hgd6rUDf5PWYiVhRu3Ru0t8D-EsrqFfDM0nXYycuxdTBDtNxoBTOWVE3tEqvRGY4oP0kI_yQrNf0OlbgE/s400/marylin.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning if creepy H-D 'dresser' with Marylin undressed everywhere.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEkGAUXxuiPMgrJAdD9YZh0A6UPdYCQGN2XJTzv3Bn05Cnidl6yQMgIUgjY25UNBhI0Hb-_GMwwMTUUy-TzMYFhDeLhHEJPvGYjSgw8wP_OffpKPNcKE1KDjT1THK1f7C8KjwvTjslkQ/s1600/motosacoche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEkGAUXxuiPMgrJAdD9YZh0A6UPdYCQGN2XJTzv3Bn05Cnidl6yQMgIUgjY25UNBhI0Hb-_GMwwMTUUy-TzMYFhDeLhHEJPvGYjSgw8wP_OffpKPNcKE1KDjT1THK1f7C8KjwvTjslkQ/s400/motosacoche.jpg" width="357" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of rare European machines on offer, such as this 1905 Motosacoche, without the typical engine cladding.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKniBlLstFRL6LOHoOWTKD_UUzvtpXxTiuhRP5puOvKGwKvMVDKj_Qk41c4xWAylpi_n27zw_TDOUtpOHlzb1YQ3wrJQwQO1NvQt8vzlo0Rn3LJ00GolTo7JK68Ht3vb92OUX8ejdlOAk/s1600/munch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKniBlLstFRL6LOHoOWTKD_UUzvtpXxTiuhRP5puOvKGwKvMVDKj_Qk41c4xWAylpi_n27zw_TDOUtpOHlzb1YQ3wrJQwQO1NvQt8vzlo0Rn3LJ00GolTo7JK68Ht3vb92OUX8ejdlOAk/s400/munch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bad year for Munchs in America; none have sold here since the Dave Manthey collection was dispersed.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3-DhE86raMRDNp2LSIp2tLJr9QBQJ93c461M_oPUo8CHdtg7LuEU34Xj5oh6KHDuz0k5mCdro73UlHiCNwr2VYexoC4TKCtxZtLiyW6zwHsCBq7XWKbOmGb6iRebmhdnsvFDujfLe08/s1600/r5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3-DhE86raMRDNp2LSIp2tLJr9QBQJ93c461M_oPUo8CHdtg7LuEU34Xj5oh6KHDuz0k5mCdro73UlHiCNwr2VYexoC4TKCtxZtLiyW6zwHsCBq7XWKbOmGb6iRebmhdnsvFDujfLe08/s400/r5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1936 BMW R5, the rigid version of the R51, and very desireable.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIR2QL8QLFcl2Bvft28rpZcplhfi-ep5R91AdYf3p4HwIw6X-5yjQSJBxuhim4cUQ4kW4iusGUhKn-7wiLzSw6CoUi1VNfKId-ox2WGfTRE6BdTqjgu_GanU5b0gyg-J9mzxNgMgv2jY/s1600/variety.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIR2QL8QLFcl2Bvft28rpZcplhfi-ep5R91AdYf3p4HwIw6X-5yjQSJBxuhim4cUQ4kW4iusGUhKn-7wiLzSw6CoUi1VNfKId-ox2WGfTRE6BdTqjgu_GanU5b0gyg-J9mzxNgMgv2jY/s400/variety.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tremendous variety; Vespa to genuine '75 Norton JPS Commando to dirt bikes.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HAU0-hPSlVPNUj4c3ts757CYVNawAO0RMkGu5grnnDrazwdGQRoVc3GeULhREmQDI61CXKu7CNGoChOmrtCc95_U40INl63nIqmDo6Svx5iteUObRhK2ONs_anKuCbJ4i_klPbLNiBU/s1600/husky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HAU0-hPSlVPNUj4c3ts757CYVNawAO0RMkGu5grnnDrazwdGQRoVc3GeULhREmQDI61CXKu7CNGoChOmrtCc95_U40INl63nIqmDo6Svx5iteUObRhK2ONs_anKuCbJ4i_klPbLNiBU/s400/husky.jpg" width="381" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1938 Husqvarna moped - fun!</td></tr></tbody></table>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-11961505670497305392011-01-07T00:05:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.943-08:00LAS VEGAS DAY 1, CONTINUED<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaHVbD1BykGgPMLLF_z4gXI47vHKrpWInGv6QthcqiVKt47HXZO7F8FBjAByYev2vir83ZbkyU4PLGZ4JRLefDhvZtmzv0wIWrWfOCNdmJBzchGkm32TknRhqAqtMZ642CaL1WuiXvZk/s1600/malcolm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaHVbD1BykGgPMLLF_z4gXI47vHKrpWInGv6QthcqiVKt47HXZO7F8FBjAByYev2vir83ZbkyU4PLGZ4JRLefDhvZtmzv0wIWrWfOCNdmJBzchGkm32TknRhqAqtMZ642CaL1WuiXvZk/s400/malcolm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alain deCadenet and Malcolm Barber discuss a '67 Velocette Thruxton, which sold for $25,000, not including buyer's premium. Total sales for the day were $2.5Million.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdDaOGeh3SbOwJd1cTBD1G3wnnrHE7P9vHr_NGF0kh2L8H4CX8w8xVwjHXYQ0AjA-xqVs1SHhmcaE901mFwxTYTBu-M2N75edlk_94ynk5gUj0lrtadaUuuOQ6QxHL_ZmG69ZcjMV4HQ/s1600/crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdDaOGeh3SbOwJd1cTBD1G3wnnrHE7P9vHr_NGF0kh2L8H4CX8w8xVwjHXYQ0AjA-xqVs1SHhmcaE901mFwxTYTBu-M2N75edlk_94ynk5gUj0lrtadaUuuOQ6QxHL_ZmG69ZcjMV4HQ/s400/crowd.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A capacity crowd made for lively bidding, but 200+ bikes makes for a long day, and the crowd had thinned appreciably by the end of the evening. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqP7xoyVyEshkZHj99yxAKZ6XIPsWXbqb_2Uy1f8SoQDv99pgmNwc_BRfONwgZnOXi4i6-MUnJcbaKvLFkao1VdzcB9jP4DyZptcqBL_pQhwz4zyGe67WHP7Om3e44OEXEI8F3No5mKVc/s1600/750ss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqP7xoyVyEshkZHj99yxAKZ6XIPsWXbqb_2Uy1f8SoQDv99pgmNwc_BRfONwgZnOXi4i6-MUnJcbaKvLFkao1VdzcB9jP4DyZptcqBL_pQhwz4zyGe67WHP7Om3e44OEXEI8F3No5mKVc/s400/750ss.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">1975 Ducati 750SS, 'square case'. Lovely machine.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0JnbjLZMEFaKaiNpqFLdG4cVNkc8SvUCTWtdqH4qsvJDM4OLzC_X4VYhJga0aZL2Cm_bvQCuwL-txc5EcCD1mSXQhX4gsBW0_r73YsXCTBHMaEeGk-n5YXTnphzG4LQ_kSZc3X45a5M/s1600/hirider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0JnbjLZMEFaKaiNpqFLdG4cVNkc8SvUCTWtdqH4qsvJDM4OLzC_X4VYhJga0aZL2Cm_bvQCuwL-txc5EcCD1mSXQhX4gsBW0_r73YsXCTBHMaEeGk-n5YXTnphzG4LQ_kSZc3X45a5M/s400/hirider.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A very rare Norton 'Hi-Riser' Commando 850cc. When new, everyone threw out that seat and the handlebars...</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2_WxRHhbLOuJSa703ZwlrfjtJ49mAHt3HVnmU4v2_5Jry09mlDtBFmcGNm9tOkxM0s47ZIXj8NhWMM8-tKCVyztPJvQqvoy0CcyJD43ZVmAfStqKKmJ0DaCRKaF14PPwz7TitAxbcUE/s1600/bluechop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2_WxRHhbLOuJSa703ZwlrfjtJ49mAHt3HVnmU4v2_5Jry09mlDtBFmcGNm9tOkxM0s47ZIXj8NhWMM8-tKCVyztPJvQqvoy0CcyJD43ZVmAfStqKKmJ0DaCRKaF14PPwz7TitAxbcUE/s400/bluechop.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Groovy original '74 Honda chopper.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXa1gOjWPOxyO3hl6jXQyadBKwYd3kdyAl9mkz94Tt1R0_ROdQ6tk-7Mv70W9Y5XxssYgPDh6XH-QX1aPlVRV1xnziTCSJ7CBRCa-r43pdNxbuEH_wp9i_WQKXIREeP-r4U4yqBV3amW8/s1600/hildebrand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXa1gOjWPOxyO3hl6jXQyadBKwYd3kdyAl9mkz94Tt1R0_ROdQ6tk-7Mv70W9Y5XxssYgPDh6XH-QX1aPlVRV1xnziTCSJ7CBRCa-r43pdNxbuEH_wp9i_WQKXIREeP-r4U4yqBV3amW8/s400/hildebrand.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Equally groovy 1895 Hildebrand and Wolfmuller, which sold for $140k+.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNiNZ_uGQgk-TiUDzltvCL9vkDuxciQQrj2841NfsoSKoI_LCnjB6oV3L4XCkQnz2sz-SZFwZwbST5D5wY24muozHOx5gV3A8m31o8Po_k5bc_Xn-STWvYy5SVjDxRBZzAxqDPWwOMT4/s1600/marvel3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNiNZ_uGQgk-TiUDzltvCL9vkDuxciQQrj2841NfsoSKoI_LCnjB6oV3L4XCkQnz2sz-SZFwZwbST5D5wY24muozHOx5gV3A8m31o8Po_k5bc_Xn-STWvYy5SVjDxRBZzAxqDPWwOMT4/s400/marvel3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The 1911 Marvel was just that - the last motorcycle designed by Glenn Curtiss, who had already moved on to aircraft building. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIGc38sfyZUi8Nv40v6fvUYFJwIy6Yz17UAqpxoXredcgHugJCj9idzoLGyZIebGijPD0W2bInlF2DINXpj-W5oJrNrAN7b9i6ZbwEUn5pd1pGC5VTsys5yqEThXOxSGAYusNgKuVTVc/s1600/marvel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIGc38sfyZUi8Nv40v6fvUYFJwIy6Yz17UAqpxoXredcgHugJCj9idzoLGyZIebGijPD0W2bInlF2DINXpj-W5oJrNrAN7b9i6ZbwEUn5pd1pGC5VTsys5yqEThXOxSGAYusNgKuVTVc/s400/marvel2.jpg" width="348" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I thought initially this was a desmodromic valve system; both valves are positively opened have a controlled closing by a single push-pull rod from the timing chest. The two-way rocker arm worked both valves.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxHujiahUqMW2gVW4Buh1LC0J1QUxjvCZpBCA5XWn3ryElsJbHM-0Lhhkjpf_jiNc3ZBdNVlUB_wciCO84yorJHRPB-HBqAcxqZNYHj3BAMOXEtG4frxYS1CdbjJdU3fLjAHA5qv1mb0/s1600/marvel4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxHujiahUqMW2gVW4Buh1LC0J1QUxjvCZpBCA5XWn3ryElsJbHM-0Lhhkjpf_jiNc3ZBdNVlUB_wciCO84yorJHRPB-HBqAcxqZNYHj3BAMOXEtG4frxYS1CdbjJdU3fLjAHA5qv1mb0/s400/marvel4.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The steel petrol and oil tanks were part of the frame. It sold for $45,000.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGACkZBWAbdhG4NCp6Nq5N80OiU-f75Dz1ru0JyiANb3T6J_e2Z83JJRQyQshO-SU29hjRhqgjnfE0mEiG8Ud8WAfxos7DRui_oQOd0cN0B8Oyd9LEmUvSM2c4Oe6n2XNklOlZpSj23ik/s1600/newowner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGACkZBWAbdhG4NCp6Nq5N80OiU-f75Dz1ru0JyiANb3T6J_e2Z83JJRQyQshO-SU29hjRhqgjnfE0mEiG8Ud8WAfxos7DRui_oQOd0cN0B8Oyd9LEmUvSM2c4Oe6n2XNklOlZpSj23ik/s400/newowner.jpg" width="365" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The new owner of the BMW R51RS, who looks just a bit stunned to have paid $130,200 for his new bike (inclusive of buyer's premium). </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViFa-VVvuDERv_I9Y22DqMycUA9WNtCTNOrOuI4FQn5mQ_PNH9Vv-piAASx3MfF3zz0dwRileC3QPjNSWl5LM_dntKn_Ydfsazlch2skxnx_0LHAHS5pCHbHWMIXPK4F96_WmD9WfEN0/s1600/shriner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViFa-VVvuDERv_I9Y22DqMycUA9WNtCTNOrOuI4FQn5mQ_PNH9Vv-piAASx3MfF3zz0dwRileC3QPjNSWl5LM_dntKn_Ydfsazlch2skxnx_0LHAHS5pCHbHWMIXPK4F96_WmD9WfEN0/s400/shriner.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Shriner's Honda 305cc Dream, complete with ceremonial sword.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-43672191622815937102011-01-06T09:27:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.946-08:00LAS VEGAS DAY 1: BONHAMS AUCTION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;">Reportage on-the-fly at Las Vegas, where <a href="http://www.bonhams.com/">Bonhams</a> and <a href="http://www.midamericaauctions.com/showauction.asp?ID=104">MidAmerica</a> are holding the largest vintage motorcycle auction weekend in the world. Bonhams comes up today, with their biggest US motorcycle auction ever, with 221 bikes plus automobilia. Several grand-slam bikes are included, a few of which are highlighted below.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dVlyDwoUPCRca8XWPaa20Kp7v1cwsOfeFSY211Ugr8-o0FBFOy05t4UyVyf17dRPpZnHP8HSWc4jujFyliCR4tpkUoSWUGr25vXYqA0WNR2oW7hJ9sXAATYB_jmHPEsDOI7TgAujhiA/s1600/bmw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dVlyDwoUPCRca8XWPaa20Kp7v1cwsOfeFSY211Ugr8-o0FBFOy05t4UyVyf17dRPpZnHP8HSWc4jujFyliCR4tpkUoSWUGr25vXYqA0WNR2oW7hJ9sXAATYB_jmHPEsDOI7TgAujhiA/s400/bmw.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/12/amazing-unrestored-bmw-racer-at-auction.html">1939 R51RS 'au jus'</a>...perhaps the only opportunity in our lifetime to buy a genuine, documented, original condition pre-war BMW Rennsport. It may be the only original-condition early RS anywhere?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rNCX1U6-P_ZHks7EHT1qwW5gZDj9VBg9x9PRF_qsBrdYA14Mu0ZgIwWzaKwvbGmol2AQVvFwN4ZsuyfTx2R4yrklNiXnVsRPBJU4rC3PfhgFkwpX7j5GiYhrVh4OhdXxCthoginWAbc/s1600/bmw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rNCX1U6-P_ZHks7EHT1qwW5gZDj9VBg9x9PRF_qsBrdYA14Mu0ZgIwWzaKwvbGmol2AQVvFwN4ZsuyfTx2R4yrklNiXnVsRPBJU4rC3PfhgFkwpX7j5GiYhrVh4OhdXxCthoginWAbc/s400/bmw2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Interesting mix of Lodge pink racing plugs in the cylinder heads, and Bosch waiting in the spare plug/wrench holder above the gearbox. Note gold-painted magnesium Bosch magneto body</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDr0yKBBJBUvIEKgSZw80OM26o7Sm2_uoB-dYGk02OeZTGVUBvExmXt-kYO4cIXnxtmZrZ8AA3JLpx3R8wdtGkaSlSU6GtwgNt1nc9MA0y5UwAYbEDPbShIAk7prBuCTEFJEVabAH_a6g/s1600/bmw3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDr0yKBBJBUvIEKgSZw80OM26o7Sm2_uoB-dYGk02OeZTGVUBvExmXt-kYO4cIXnxtmZrZ8AA3JLpx3R8wdtGkaSlSU6GtwgNt1nc9MA0y5UwAYbEDPbShIAk7prBuCTEFJEVabAH_a6g/s400/bmw3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Irresistible. The saddle is a Dunlop Drylastic (rubber), while the two 'pads' are leather and very stiff. TLC required, although the bike has been ridden in the last 5 years.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9brJzqeNNhkGQV0bMDYUUZUvuPLR8p8X81kKFi3QL2H9DSA7EKr01X1NoWqMcIcHEpbcefo9qfXmxnhNs24ufWGFUEBkiYCaaxUIOEnvMCdEfNf2_jXBhukGMvZC8fJ2rojofpS7Tek/s1600/bmw4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9brJzqeNNhkGQV0bMDYUUZUvuPLR8p8X81kKFi3QL2H9DSA7EKr01X1NoWqMcIcHEpbcefo9qfXmxnhNs24ufWGFUEBkiYCaaxUIOEnvMCdEfNf2_jXBhukGMvZC8fJ2rojofpS7Tek/s400/bmw4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scrutineering ribbons from <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2009/04/sideburn-magazine-3.html">Daytona</a>, 1951 and '52, present and intact.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_BHyKkSghhcWo_21-PbIFC5AHSaieRzonqgKmX-oVOXSsT-PkdWWNE4yEk4U5uvFNVEyOnURtFe5G3foGblbKOp9b6m8fr69JArjNlHq6PbqzGcnbgLe3YlY6_uet88N4WgMmPKV8qQ/s1600/bmw5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_BHyKkSghhcWo_21-PbIFC5AHSaieRzonqgKmX-oVOXSsT-PkdWWNE4yEk4U5uvFNVEyOnURtFe5G3foGblbKOp9b6m8fr69JArjNlHq6PbqzGcnbgLe3YlY6_uet88N4WgMmPKV8qQ/s400/bmw5.jpg" width="386" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Original Weinmann aluminum flangeless rims; <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/11/history-of-alloy-rims-beginning.html">Germany's answer to Borrani/Rudge</a> flanged alloy rims. They were butted together at the seam, and rivetted! I've never heard of a failure, and these were raced on the dirt tracks of the US for 8 seasons.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5DO08uWTMhyphenhyphen1fvPFnae9AqFT1Pso2RD86NcWsHCWKMpZVF_gYrKgwrcpVsAbOpDCqfmL4pZDQQhb4v77cTva9WuXnE-TTe4kHp6J4WLiFKgdSoS3bWIjVY1QTiBOAyRXKSg_KDkFiP8/s1600/camelback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5DO08uWTMhyphenhyphen1fvPFnae9AqFT1Pso2RD86NcWsHCWKMpZVF_gYrKgwrcpVsAbOpDCqfmL4pZDQQhb4v77cTva9WuXnE-TTe4kHp6J4WLiFKgdSoS3bWIjVY1QTiBOAyRXKSg_KDkFiP8/s400/camelback.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The only documented original 1901 Indian Camelback I've ever seen. There are so many replicas of early American motorcycles, it has become a minefield to find a real one. It is the third prototype Indian, that is, among the first three Indians ever built!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxr9XZQih2w8LSUsiZrcmtslGL2ROFhi0BQ0tn2fDiA9_IkPJifiIGkd1ITTBMpxUlY1sneGZpKd30zIcpBG3b1ScCldhsscRLJkssy2oEHpnwZXFOyE4O_TtzqZJzAIq62enzZBjU2s/s1600/camelback2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxr9XZQih2w8LSUsiZrcmtslGL2ROFhi0BQ0tn2fDiA9_IkPJifiIGkd1ITTBMpxUlY1sneGZpKd30zIcpBG3b1ScCldhsscRLJkssy2oEHpnwZXFOyE4O_TtzqZJzAIq62enzZBjU2s/s400/camelback2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steve Huntzinger did the restoration, which he says was a tragedy as the bike was in good condition with original paint before another restorer laid hands on it. Steve fixed what was wrong, and says only a few nuts needed replacing - all else was as the bike left the factory. It has had four owners in 110 years, including Otis Chandler.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jtBc_ndy6M5I_eOhCFE9MwGVXWIrg5F0HzJDtKVKsPzPV1VuCGvzEWiFITI3AwClyrRBLqY_IZ4dOFQ9_U78Y5n4Q_yFIAPGNkG4bSKOmyduXCOxptz1jmoekqZOY096fbQW-5IhZ4A/s1600/excelsior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jtBc_ndy6M5I_eOhCFE9MwGVXWIrg5F0HzJDtKVKsPzPV1VuCGvzEWiFITI3AwClyrRBLqY_IZ4dOFQ9_U78Y5n4Q_yFIAPGNkG4bSKOmyduXCOxptz1jmoekqZOY096fbQW-5IhZ4A/s400/excelsior.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Excelsior Board Track racer which is mostly in original condition, although the wheels and fenders were replaced, then artfully 'antiqued' to match the bike. Which of course cast the whole bike into question - what is one to do? The owner claims the core of the machine is 'as found'.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVNjMaUUwOGBjScVlSNFnCx-C1Pfwtl8HEKLUg5_UptRlqm5wEYH5QegAuWA3uNQ5AFsrpHgMZ7pY9uDhy03gr57PJ3CqfvOFSReGxg_VEtVm82DJx3tiNa6KZ-nW6RqBHw-yDkGxQAk/s1600/hildebrand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVNjMaUUwOGBjScVlSNFnCx-C1Pfwtl8HEKLUg5_UptRlqm5wEYH5QegAuWA3uNQ5AFsrpHgMZ7pY9uDhy03gr57PJ3CqfvOFSReGxg_VEtVm82DJx3tiNa6KZ-nW6RqBHw-yDkGxQAk/s400/hildebrand.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another documented original super-rare machine, the world's first production motorcycle, the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/10/hildebrand-wolfmuller-miss-last-one.html">Hildebrand and Wolfmuller of 1894/5</a>. The engine and frame are from different years, which means someone blew up their engine over 100 years ago. This bike has been in the same family for 60 years, and was restored in the 1960s. A few bits are missing (like the ignition intake, etc), but what is present is in excellent condition. Some of the parts are unrestored.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaceANucM-RF7xQXSSpNwaDPbBwYcS_Lc2pmOmykBqcwUsAs8dQ1b6UdHm4jC6-5tnqjdlc2qU3xzLQHIZ8-ppT1sxvbgUGLUaohkETLAZbC050mhZ2d3tjVJ9SIhZ3a7AHwpMXX-ihA/s1600/hw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaceANucM-RF7xQXSSpNwaDPbBwYcS_Lc2pmOmykBqcwUsAs8dQ1b6UdHm4jC6-5tnqjdlc2qU3xzLQHIZ8-ppT1sxvbgUGLUaohkETLAZbC050mhZ2d3tjVJ9SIhZ3a7AHwpMXX-ihA/s400/hw2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Direct drive, four overhead valves per cylinder - an amazing machine.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaxGRYNaoQ5tNNT0in0nbPDnARpLaynueBeDUpslgMlT_IQDGO6EObhzHLFAiJQa4PGs03u5uaIzeLRy-IEQXejAnKWioh-ANroqLAsb00Zph-CIqGK2-OPN-ga6OPhysbHO-jLcHhI4/s1600/lineup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaxGRYNaoQ5tNNT0in0nbPDnARpLaynueBeDUpslgMlT_IQDGO6EObhzHLFAiJQa4PGs03u5uaIzeLRy-IEQXejAnKWioh-ANroqLAsb00Zph-CIqGK2-OPN-ga6OPhysbHO-jLcHhI4/s400/lineup.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lineup of early American racing machines, many from the Gene Baron collection.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7rUM07aG7M2zaF9fVQExBvha2kK0I7d-d8PA8qYgJJJIp3v9gyNrPwjdrhk_Zj8BsSNlkn-QyhEBsfT28wLeueyNUyKVK79RvOfHPWRpj2C8Dh-LbYYPkwgjtWlaQayJnej1egB3ZM4/s1600/mammut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7rUM07aG7M2zaF9fVQExBvha2kK0I7d-d8PA8qYgJJJIp3v9gyNrPwjdrhk_Zj8BsSNlkn-QyhEBsfT28wLeueyNUyKVK79RvOfHPWRpj2C8Dh-LbYYPkwgjtWlaQayJnej1egB3ZM4/s400/mammut.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally, a <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/06/bavarian-road-test-5-munch-mammut.html">Münch Mammut!</a> A fine late example of the sports version, with 1200cc NSU TTS fuel-injected motor. This 1973 'Einspritzer' has 23,000 miles.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpEW0ZRi9-jFcYSKp-GRH_cBuf1MguiWERaEaLuXptu-CzJ327K3XQu6fQnqftYJAHV9_j33en8gBqoJr9NNqc13yBI-W-v_y7cEzd0mOWRM4GQTWCeLZ1OuVdEaIpZ8Aug1JXVvLzuA/s1600/mammutengine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpEW0ZRi9-jFcYSKp-GRH_cBuf1MguiWERaEaLuXptu-CzJ327K3XQu6fQnqftYJAHV9_j33en8gBqoJr9NNqc13yBI-W-v_y7cEzd0mOWRM4GQTWCeLZ1OuVdEaIpZ8Aug1JXVvLzuA/s400/mammutengine.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Impressive complication.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsjT_UWhUDqs3xqc3rHguu_txht0jTeqGwiS_ASH9wzRy-jJpzcDlKgkuXIaGPzQqAOnCDLz5MCtpRDtKKBAn_x14A6qeibWRmmb26SSkYJF9M-6Z62F8Sbq8ofBSWFjPnanEgvttdTQ/s1600/peashooter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsjT_UWhUDqs3xqc3rHguu_txht0jTeqGwiS_ASH9wzRy-jJpzcDlKgkuXIaGPzQqAOnCDLz5MCtpRDtKKBAn_x14A6qeibWRmmb26SSkYJF9M-6Z62F8Sbq8ofBSWFjPnanEgvttdTQ/s400/peashooter.jpg" width="395" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This Harley Davidson Peashooter was found in a mine in Western Australia. The original owner had a mining operation, and it was convenient dry storage....after finding the machine difficult to start and a long way from the nearest H-D dealer, it was crated and parked near the men's washroom in the mine. Someone heard about it in the 1940s and rescued the bike. It is fully documented by the HD factory as delivered to Perth in 1929. Letters from HD in the 1950s about this Peashooter are included in the sale.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ahu18CPgVkRXnw3T7j25fqv9V6sB3W_-7GeI6wT5r82smvLuYcXRjOevB7ETTPnbT0L-Awts3UPcE5vfAQHQjnn2rUbyJoOFxtg6kc1jqjb5XQj-Bg-10mY-Dem6sjKHeRvGszehW6Q/s1600/peashooter1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ahu18CPgVkRXnw3T7j25fqv9V6sB3W_-7GeI6wT5r82smvLuYcXRjOevB7ETTPnbT0L-Awts3UPcE5vfAQHQjnn2rUbyJoOFxtg6kc1jqjb5XQj-Bg-10mY-Dem6sjKHeRvGszehW6Q/s400/peashooter1.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wonderful patina, and barely used. Direct drive, bicycle pedals fixed near the rear axle, short stub exhausts; the real deal.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtMZfqk_Kjw-AbDviQISsaLUY3_NW7UA9X28uee1ydGL4VNrwp_LYUxOcUpRCYYTKfX-T0oLjGHALyiEq2Od-aAyjA2Wwq5PwI0WTE2qnW7YUbE6rH0_ckrUMy8ar2GqeR8G2cKXqtmo/s1600/peashooter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtMZfqk_Kjw-AbDviQISsaLUY3_NW7UA9X28uee1ydGL4VNrwp_LYUxOcUpRCYYTKfX-T0oLjGHALyiEq2Od-aAyjA2Wwq5PwI0WTE2qnW7YUbE6rH0_ckrUMy8ar2GqeR8G2cKXqtmo/s400/peashooter2.jpg" width="350" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This must be the best Peashooter in the world - what could be better? 100% original condition.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSngyOg_0o5ga-ll38CcB9qxrj2YKIHhOrWDc_YYwo-LVhARADX5pEc7cuHg1BlIDxuGS0X-p-svP0fSgV-IyB49iR2D98CqTa1SE-3o5nKELzn5z0Syt5IH1MrhbCGENm-B-gjToKUo/s1600/vincent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSngyOg_0o5ga-ll38CcB9qxrj2YKIHhOrWDc_YYwo-LVhARADX5pEc7cuHg1BlIDxuGS0X-p-svP0fSgV-IyB49iR2D98CqTa1SE-3o5nKELzn5z0Syt5IH1MrhbCGENm-B-gjToKUo/s400/vincent.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of 12 'Chinese Red' Vincent Series C Touring Rapides built with a black frame. This is a two-owner, original paint machine, with a smidge of extra period chrome, but otherwise completely as it left the Vincent factory in 1952. Found in Fresno, CA.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdmaG098xIBlzZOnimKWmguJ64qGwmM3acJogzUIu8PPQ8ys70CceLw-R-1iWg9-dRiJXnOGKIiy8UVfg_cyEfTeTc9kMbD6KlBS7zMWfWnFDaybQWjQBVlCt5ZpJwzntW4-s9mj0fZo/s1600/vincent2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdmaG098xIBlzZOnimKWmguJ64qGwmM3acJogzUIu8PPQ8ys70CceLw-R-1iWg9-dRiJXnOGKIiy8UVfg_cyEfTeTc9kMbD6KlBS7zMWfWnFDaybQWjQBVlCt5ZpJwzntW4-s9mj0fZo/s320/vincent2.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Many years of washing have eroded the transfers...</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><i>(The altered format for this post is courtesy my SmartPhone) </i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-37540827679225764392010-12-27T19:11:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.953-08:00NORTON NOT MAMMUT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLd4lbTO05VYIIUuoBVzWyotnLboEkruXT-AGuH4xKQwt-eITgnHKDqopXHaDIXy3XiIIsHQHb5nWn2Norifzw8mN3YRecU1nK199trKFEF0vXzYmPDNOg8HbwQBHlrOZYwo2DW1Yiz58/s1600/NORTON+NSU+ORIG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLd4lbTO05VYIIUuoBVzWyotnLboEkruXT-AGuH4xKQwt-eITgnHKDqopXHaDIXy3XiIIsHQHb5nWn2Norifzw8mN3YRecU1nK199trKFEF0vXzYmPDNOg8HbwQBHlrOZYwo2DW1Yiz58/s400/NORTON+NSU+ORIG.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Reader Mick King, owner of Superformance Motorcycles in Vancouver (one of the first performance/custom bike shops in Western Canada) built an interesting special in the late 1960s, using a <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/12/rex-mccandless-and-featherbed-frame.html">Norton Featherbed frame</a> and a salvaged <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSU_Prinz">NSU car engine</a>. This was around the same time Friedl Münch was building his first specials along the same lines; the Norton/NSU makes an interesting comparison to the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/06/bavarian-road-test-5-munch-mammut.html">Mammüt (see my road test here)</a> and another <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/07/bison-not-mammut.html">contemporary special using an NSU engine; the Bison</a>. Mick's Norton/NSU special now lives in the<a href="http://www.deeleymotorcycleexhibition.ca/"> Trev Deeley Museum</a> in Vancouver, Canada.<br /><br /><i>'In the 1960s, there were no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSU_Motorenwerke_AG">NSU</a> dealers in Vancouver, and the car owners couldn't get them repaired... I had a motorcycle shop, and would fix a few NSU cars because I had managed an NSU dealership in the UK. They were so simple to work on, it was a good revenue source and sideline to my motorcycle business, which was one of the first on BCs west coast. I took in a trade an <a href="http://mysite.verizon.net/redbat01/rearengine/page6.html">NSU 1200 TT </a>car for two hundred bucks; due to rat infestation and rust the car was gutted and the wheels and sundry items sold off. I kept looking at the engine thinking it might look good in one of my <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/12/rex-mccandless-and-featherbed-frame.html">Norton Featherbed frames</a>, which owed me nothing... I had a couple gathering dust in the attic!</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwbwUdmPYuGkkTAk5qLQGJhIpBy2_njtBIMu4R5APxZx5Jx9S5qCfeR5pggj6Tex4qWlu3Zj8pd_g0yyiIrAkPPwfvomrlprSWeE8guXlkXJcmg_6ZzA01Uu8WGnKhedt8R3uIys7yFs/s1600/LH+CLOSE+UP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwbwUdmPYuGkkTAk5qLQGJhIpBy2_njtBIMu4R5APxZx5Jx9S5qCfeR5pggj6Tex4qWlu3Zj8pd_g0yyiIrAkPPwfvomrlprSWeE8guXlkXJcmg_6ZzA01Uu8WGnKhedt8R3uIys7yFs/s400/LH+CLOSE+UP.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><br /><i>As winter started in, the bike work stopped; I had just brought over an apprentice from the UK, and a new 9-1/2" <a href="http://southbendlathe.com/">South Bend lathe</a> for our custom bike division, and decided to see if we could fit the NSU motor into the Norton frame. This gave the new arrival some valuable turning experience. We wanted the engine to fit the existing Norton engine mounts, as I did not want to mess up the frame for the sake of the NSU engine; I had no input or feedback as to how it may perform. When the Münch showed up in <a href="http://www.cyclecanadaweb.com/">Cycle Canada magazine</a> I thought, "Great timing! Maybe I can find some encouragement from the article!" But there was no data -no speed or bhp- as I recollect, the mag people were not allowed to ride it? So we plodded on, and after a few weeks the engine was roughed-in, and we took it for a ride. I could see why there was no data available - it was a gutless wonder, despite major engine work! I considered buying a twin-cam Japanese car engine but they were all snapped up for mini flat track race cars, as they are today!</i><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UpVpTWimRvGiH0jfT9ZuQc1CQQ8nrIl-WPct6Ucw0ZJ5SZXGz4eF-j2m81hv_b87mMMnoGvDUYN79xkdSmeOWUK1j__w7cYvNpbM7ZmYAIgZyPK3rcVGzUBe6g-3PGedIzm8-1FoF1Q/s1600/nsu.engine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UpVpTWimRvGiH0jfT9ZuQc1CQQ8nrIl-WPct6Ucw0ZJ5SZXGz4eF-j2m81hv_b87mMMnoGvDUYN79xkdSmeOWUK1j__w7cYvNpbM7ZmYAIgZyPK3rcVGzUBe6g-3PGedIzm8-1FoF1Q/s400/nsu.engine.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note: four Amal Concentric carbs, and reversed Norton gearbox. Top photo shows four Norton Commando 'Peashooter' exhausts!</td></tr></tbody></table><i><br />So I worked on the camshaft, flowed the cylinder head, calibrated the exhausts, put one large-bore carb onto each each inlet port, used premium fuel, etc, and finally managed to get 125mph out of it, which in the late sixties was not too shabby. We painted it up black white + chrome, it looked kinda menacing! It was entered in bike shows from Vancouver to Seattle, and it won a lot of 1st place trophies. The whole project cost around fifteen hundred bucks.</i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPTe2GTgQVfz0sNaWouckLuMMtaYqlSsDuRVLu50f9-7ORC7i5HQZo0mt1vyEEZKV0ofzmlGKglKhYrnVTXLURJM5V-uzZV1UQ9_wMJlK7TYA9TlVNpSEXl9nWXMhTPlA4kZznWZ2_4o/s1600/gearbox.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPTe2GTgQVfz0sNaWouckLuMMtaYqlSsDuRVLu50f9-7ORC7i5HQZo0mt1vyEEZKV0ofzmlGKglKhYrnVTXLURJM5V-uzZV1UQ9_wMJlK7TYA9TlVNpSEXl9nWXMhTPlA4kZznWZ2_4o/s400/gearbox.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Trying to draw a comparison with the Münch would be a waste of time in my opinion, considering the amount of money he invested, plus his engineering facilities and so on. Nevertheless I think from the get-go the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/06/bavarian-road-test-5-munch-mammut.html">Münch Mammut </a>was doomed, mainly because D.O.H.C. motorcycle engines [such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_Z1">Kawasaki Z-1</a>] were already making their debut, and strapping an antiquated and gutless S.O.H.C NSU car engine into such an enormous and costly project baffled me and my mechanics from the get go. Then there was the price... ridiculous!'</i><br /><br />Mick notes, "All of the information above is alleged! and relegated to my memory at the time."jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-23879100230637999112010-12-25T10:33:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.958-08:00HOLIDAY WISHES!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1aTdqG8ViUMOvE0Muw85Vj8Lxq4M3g9MmFn0GNPNU95niir38gBeY1iw3_3ElJHW5afV5RWTKMtVncDqQlE1grT3WqFrzi4_t9rNuTioeoj8_q9NKA4YN6a70nDrEbeP3V8_35S8edk/s1600/santamk8.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1aTdqG8ViUMOvE0Muw85Vj8Lxq4M3g9MmFn0GNPNU95niir38gBeY1iw3_3ElJHW5afV5RWTKMtVncDqQlE1grT3WqFrzi4_t9rNuTioeoj8_q9NKA4YN6a70nDrEbeP3V8_35S8edk/s400/santamk8.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope you get everything you want...</div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-5292917275534307512010-12-22T19:09:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.961-08:00AMAZING UNRESTORED BMW RACER AT AUCTION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3epldYxCMOtPDlIcalqlas9RLwkmbiQOtaChwHtvcSn8gzjPenmqJg9p2MaD5L4d1Kth7oWXbZzOIwUj9xGqLPE6wA7ReI5T0Oi1ohr2z7uTVe1R2W1T5faH_pSu0qoqJwukk45u1p5c/s1600/erez-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3epldYxCMOtPDlIcalqlas9RLwkmbiQOtaChwHtvcSn8gzjPenmqJg9p2MaD5L4d1Kth7oWXbZzOIwUj9xGqLPE6wA7ReI5T0Oi1ohr2z7uTVe1R2W1T5faH_pSu0qoqJwukk45u1p5c/s400/erez-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />With the introduction of the BMW 'R51' model in 1938, the factory had - finally - a totally up to date roadster, with advanced specification. Proper telescopic forks, the first in the industry, were paired with plunger rear suspension and a welded, lugless tube frame, which was very light and incredibly strong, using expensive tubing which was both oval and tapered. Norton copied the BMW forks (introduced on the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/11/off-hook-parisian-bmw-display.html">'R-7' prototype in 1934</a>) for their Works racers, although it was fully 14 years before most other factories adopted 'teles' as standard.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbkrkQqcv9X4_Y9yxuVyTMeuo9IgiM6scAH8tvaxwBISWSjjuAshIIkwCUaGVJaMTIeQU9f-oLuLsSO9BIk-rnaXnAxd7ku27X8chfWVlcgAsmqW-gQ0BLgsmJsO38o2VBd16Hm_DF7w/s1600/erez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbkrkQqcv9X4_Y9yxuVyTMeuo9IgiM6scAH8tvaxwBISWSjjuAshIIkwCUaGVJaMTIeQU9f-oLuLsSO9BIk-rnaXnAxd7ku27X8chfWVlcgAsmqW-gQ0BLgsmJsO38o2VBd16Hm_DF7w/s400/erez.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The new R51 was an upgrade on the 'R5' model of 1936, which used a rigid rear end. Some prefer the handling of the original R5, as plungers tend to wallow over bumps while cornering, a disconcerting effect. The powerplant of the R5 was BMWs first truly modern engine, using chains inside the timing case to drive the camshafts, and a 'square' bore and stroke for its 500cc pushrod engine; quiet, smooth, and powerful. Privateers were soon racing the R5 and R51, tuning the machine to the best of their abilities.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />A clamor arose from these privateers for the BMW factory to provide racing kits and tuning advice for their mounts. BMW responded by offering two types of racers: the R51 'SS' (SuperSport), basically a tuned-up and stripped down standard roadster, which were 'cataloged' and available -at a price- to the public (approx. 50 built), plus the R51 'RS' (RennSport), of which only 17 were built, and loaned out to carefully chosen professional racers.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynEIIFVeiRchCVtkXc_vinL0ywhTLnV76KYy_84PJWDEK0loeBtR6KeXd0JVdh6Ly-ALT_o4HxHo8-n8uG40tO86M2fx6iEv4pAS3qr1b4eaWGAi4jqOOpL71xvvTPstoX-WHtGyhAAs/s1600/erez-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynEIIFVeiRchCVtkXc_vinL0ywhTLnV76KYy_84PJWDEK0loeBtR6KeXd0JVdh6Ly-ALT_o4HxHo8-n8uG40tO86M2fx6iEv4pAS3qr1b4eaWGAi4jqOOpL71xvvTPstoX-WHtGyhAAs/s400/erez-6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The R51 'RS', while based on the roadgoing R51, wasn't merely a tuned-up roadster; it had a very different engine and gearbox, visually similar to the R51, but significantly modified for high performance. Keen eyes can spot the 'RS', but only if they were familiar with the standard R51...more on this later. The most significant upgrades included a new crankcase which housed a gear-driven timing chest (supplanting chains to drive the cams) and a racing magneto atop the crankcase, replacing the generator of the R51 (which used coil ignition). An early-style R5 gearbox with no air filter box housed a close-ratio racing 4-speed gear cluster. The cylinder barrels used a distinctive 'staggered' fin pattern <i>(see above)</i>, and the cylinder head used larger valves and inlet tracts, breathing through Amal-Fischer 'TT' racing carbs, plus a camshaft-driven rev-counter. The specification varied for other items; some R51RS used 21" front wheels (all had 19" rear wheels) with alloy rims, some used 19" front and rear with steel rims, a few gained genuine factory racing hubs and brakes, while some, like the example here, used the steel hubs from the standard roadster. Some RS used a Rennsport racing petrol tank, some used the roadster R51 tank. All used an open, long-taper megaphone exhaust, exactly as the 'Works' racers. The frame, forks, and plungers were subtly modified from the standard R51 roadgoing items, similar to the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa23TV0i3MM7gBjY0861o5TFSNKNcPb7QeoxBPfeUnZYDbBFWEZq0xCxGJX4Rbqtf6cU97RK0dyu-2PkZ1HbvsmIAdByS8i4Ns-nyo7rGlXnEMcpin0l6bjQKZWaPKNPsufUzv4flYYg/s1600/rs.below.jpg">'Works' RS255 machines</a> which were reaping race wins all over Europe at the time. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNoRe8-JOZvT0B6wp29yGqTYVp-S3ReQm3XjIYmYmTive7n4FFh_I-iSA0Uf-YyR9gBH_Vsb9Ml44YlR7Ac6tRuRc61PhK4HIK9EDfHGW1uVLCLhrE2D-43Cpn9ZhZTWIpONPiPmZ82k/s1600/erez-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNoRe8-JOZvT0B6wp29yGqTYVp-S3ReQm3XjIYmYmTive7n4FFh_I-iSA0Uf-YyR9gBH_Vsb9Ml44YlR7Ac6tRuRc61PhK4HIK9EDfHGW1uVLCLhrE2D-43Cpn9ZhZTWIpONPiPmZ82k/s400/erez-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The BMW importer in New York, Emil Recke, was a keen sponsor of racing BMWs in the US, and managed to prise one of these seventeen R51RS racers out of the grasp of the factory. Under Class 'C' racing rules in the US, any motorcycle raced at an AMA-sanctioned event must be a 'production' machine, with 200 units built to satisfy homologation requirement. If major parts were different from the road-going model, such as a bronze cylinder head supplanting an iron one (<a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/05/time-warp-tiger-100-on-sale-at-quail_06.html">as with a Triumph Tiger 100 of the day</a>), these parts must be freely available from the factory, to the public. Internal modifications were allowed, but the engine, gearbox, and frame must be 'as available' in the catalog. Clearly, the R51RS did not satisfy the rules for Class 'C' racing!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />In truth, BMW sold very few motorcycles in the US in the 1920s and 30s, as protectionist trade policies introduced in the mid-20s levied a huge tax (up to 100%) on 'heavy' imported goods. Thus BMWs were rare and very expensive in the US, and it is doubtful AMA scrutineers would recognize the difference between the R51 and 'RS', as they had probably only ever seen the model before their eyes, at the race. Careful study of the 1939 BMW motorcycle catalog would reveal no secrets, as the factory-prepared racer wasn't in the catalog! The 'RS' was a perfect 'sleeper', although still a pushrod 500cc ohv flat-twin...<i>sans</i> supercharger.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJztwQtkcOL9XPJD82HbSDrpl-VtduiMdaNQYrCQoXaJNgP6ktXSYnmLXFlsP-dFezhOAEgiiG_kaLpCHqY6CEARg7woZJZaIkc_rnOUfi7i92NXVqe9KzzsyUSyr6p0ckZG8h5O6s-xA/s1600/erez-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJztwQtkcOL9XPJD82HbSDrpl-VtduiMdaNQYrCQoXaJNgP6ktXSYnmLXFlsP-dFezhOAEgiiG_kaLpCHqY6CEARg7woZJZaIkc_rnOUfi7i92NXVqe9KzzsyUSyr6p0ckZG8h5O6s-xA/s400/erez-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Recke's designated rider for the BMW was Joe Tomas, who used the 'RS' at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytona_200">Daytona</a> in 1940 and '41, long after the rest of the Europe was bombing itself to bits. Resentment against the German racing machine reared its head during a 100-Mile race at the 1-mile dirt oval of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langhorne_Speedway">Langhorne, Pennsylvania (the 'Indianapolis of the East')</a>, in 1941; according to track-side stopwatches, Tomas and the BMW set the fastest qualifying lap, for which a prize of a gold watch was awarded, but AMA officials claimed their 'timer had broken' and Tomas' speed was never officially recorded.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />This was only the start of Emil Recke's troubles, for when the US finally entered the War in Dec. 1941, Recke, as a German national and 'enemy alien', had his bank accounts seized by the US government. Suddenly broke, he was forced to sell his BMW dealership, parts stock, tooling, and motorcycles to survive, for which he was paid pennies on the dollar given the ramping-up of the propaganda machine against anything, and anyone, German (or Japanese). After selling nearly everything he owned, all he had left in the world was his most precious possession, the R51RS which had been entrusted to him by the BMW factory. When it became clear that this, too, must be sold, he did what he had to, and sold the bike. He then took his own life.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF13ThyphenhyphengB-RKshKBbgdvzdxtz4IKpzjO7Mq8yYVwIpIndfNaKqNtQJl99NHh3p5A6GqlxEm1I7hJAXFsMEa0V6Cgyr_hngdYt8BYlfhszXU2mMPZ0ovHqus2Q-MT5f_mbN6UdMq7TlVVU/s1600/erez-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF13ThyphenhyphengB-RKshKBbgdvzdxtz4IKpzjO7Mq8yYVwIpIndfNaKqNtQJl99NHh3p5A6GqlxEm1I7hJAXFsMEa0V6Cgyr_hngdYt8BYlfhszXU2mMPZ0ovHqus2Q-MT5f_mbN6UdMq7TlVVU/s400/erez-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Indianapolis racer Rody Rodenberg was a notorious 'Harley hater', and raced anything but H-D on the dirt tracks of the US. <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/05/time-warp-tiger-100-on-sale-at-quail_06.html">He also rode Triumphs</a> and Indians, but from 1947 through 1952, it was the 'RS' pounding the sand at Daytona. It's known he won some events on the BMW, including an Indianapolis '100', and photographs of Rodenberg racing this machine can be found in <a href="http://www.americanmotorcyclebook.com/">Steven Wright's excellent 'American Racer'</a> and <a href="http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Articles/2008/03/Don-Emde-Keeps-Memory-Of-His-Fathers-1948-Daytona-200-Win-Alive-During-AHRMA-At-DIS.aspx?print=true">Don Emde's definitive work, 'Daytona 200'</a> - both still in print.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />When Rodenberg was finished racing the BMW, he parked the machine, and the current condition is exactly as he left it, 'as last raced'. Only 3 genuine R51RS motorcycles are confirmed to exist, one of which sits in the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-bmw-museum-munich.html">BMW Museum</a> in Munich. This is the only unrestored example, although replicas abound on the vintage racetracks of Europe.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggtFH7LaAuqNxzAmzMQvHOi4KHK1jkWu7i9Cy-qSc8YMxkzchS8td1EA5kPVut1J2-YTPG_C6qkifZORW2zwUVSLAl23SEFH6LkJNLLIZ7GbYl5vL5K5oIH_5Tx5qWU47SCVH7vxTwQ4/s1600/erez-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjggtFH7LaAuqNxzAmzMQvHOi4KHK1jkWu7i9Cy-qSc8YMxkzchS8td1EA5kPVut1J2-YTPG_C6qkifZORW2zwUVSLAl23SEFH6LkJNLLIZ7GbYl5vL5K5oIH_5Tx5qWU47SCVH7vxTwQ4/s400/erez-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This 1939 BMW R51RS is coming up for auction at the<a href="http://www.bonhams.com/usa/carsusalasvegas/"> Bonhams Las Vegas sale on Jan. 6, 2011</a>. Sale estimates range from $120k - $140k; given the utter rarity of the model, plus the complete from-new period documentation offered and confirmation of authenticity from BMW itself, I suspect the price could well exceed these figures.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-39135884480971231232010-12-12T14:01:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.967-08:00LEWIS LEATHERS PHOTOCALL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOUyIsRqnQMOHC8RJazHHUnIn6CDup6tdVpgIMZ0kYxe6TmXGaBPO_byfQPWIuIPuBuVi2LUuvWFHnStNdlhUs2a2itcCWFP8e6eKc-ya9aDayRg41jiZ_VYvOcRCUzsndl9rqgG6xFA/s1600/polaroids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOUyIsRqnQMOHC8RJazHHUnIn6CDup6tdVpgIMZ0kYxe6TmXGaBPO_byfQPWIuIPuBuVi2LUuvWFHnStNdlhUs2a2itcCWFP8e6eKc-ya9aDayRg41jiZ_VYvOcRCUzsndl9rqgG6xFA/s400/polaroids.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />As part of an upcoming feature in his magazine <a href="http://jocksandnerdsmagazine.com/home/">Jocks & Nerds</a>, Marcus Ross (editor in chief - <i>below)</i> announced an open photocall at the <a href="http://lewisleathers.com/Welcome-to-Lewis-Leathers.html">Lewis Leathers</a> showroom in London, Dec. 4th. As I happened to be in town that week, I stopped in to visit the crew, and of course ended up hanging out all day, interviewing <a href="http://www.maxim.co.uk/fashion/clothing/16674/british_style_legends.html">Derek Harris</a> and <a href="http://jhv692k.exblog.jp/">Hiro Maeda</a> at LL for my <i>own</i> upcoming feature on this very long-lived (since 1892!) motorcycle clothing company.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gFINrc6-JdzGmpTG8IYowrXEP2tRHCxv8cQaRkOR6diHOPJRvuWw9GrQDujALAPOclXCw4BPdaqwBE6O6RYBQtPcQT10V9Q-v_Z_tuSpT9km8RQF9Oxx45vR1wRVZaoG_4Mg5lYOAok/s1600/marcus.pdo.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gFINrc6-JdzGmpTG8IYowrXEP2tRHCxv8cQaRkOR6diHOPJRvuWw9GrQDujALAPOclXCw4BPdaqwBE6O6RYBQtPcQT10V9Q-v_Z_tuSpT9km8RQF9Oxx45vR1wRVZaoG_4Mg5lYOAok/s400/marcus.pdo.2.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Marcus shot his portraits with a vintage <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1527107599">Polaroid </a><a href="http://filmwasters.com/forum/index.php?topic=2201.0">195</a> professional camera, creating negatives plus 'instant' black and white prints, which must be slathered with a print-coater stick to 'stop' their development. I haven't seen the 'Polaroid stick' in decades, although this was the standard technique from shortly after the introduction of the <a href="http://www.savepolaroid.com/history/">Polaroid camera in 1948</a>, when it was discovered the instant film invented by <a href="http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/91.html">Edwin Land</a> (full disclosure; my daughter's great-great-uncle), tended to keep developing and turn brown.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOavsThgv0mvhM0UOkkD0xaYrvcAej_T71ol3cFquEQPYz-49Zvjj6iOTMyshEyy9lus8PbMFCSR0DDvjzQKmWZXo5HdUOEaVCCaBjxDtrRo4duFIVAZyZL-bQxQrwht5HglrJT6GmV-o/s1600/derek.catalog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOavsThgv0mvhM0UOkkD0xaYrvcAej_T71ol3cFquEQPYz-49Zvjj6iOTMyshEyy9lus8PbMFCSR0DDvjzQKmWZXo5HdUOEaVCCaBjxDtrRo4duFIVAZyZL-bQxQrwht5HglrJT6GmV-o/s400/derek.catalog.jpg" width="341" /></a></div><br />After exposing the film, a 'print' is pulled from the camera, the chemical paper coating peeled off, a timer on the side of the camera is activated, which goes 'ding' to announce the right moment to coat the print. All very fussy and slow by digital standards, but bearing a kinship with old motorcycles in exactly that regard - the reward of the technique is a print with charming visual qualities. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcUJ4FAQI72WJQC__vdirvPKoptUd2WuZGOVlPOwcuNwNRNid7Z0Epkd68OFuEu1MH43ixthnSBfKWhvJNIg9h463R9XnOWwIJ8Cy-fz1NgI1FbVIQAhivd-GzHViGL3eb5UOo7wYtcE/s1600/hiro.plus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcUJ4FAQI72WJQC__vdirvPKoptUd2WuZGOVlPOwcuNwNRNid7Z0Epkd68OFuEu1MH43ixthnSBfKWhvJNIg9h463R9XnOWwIJ8Cy-fz1NgI1FbVIQAhivd-GzHViGL3eb5UOo7wYtcE/s400/hiro.plus.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Marcus, brave fellow, used up the last of his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Polaroid-665-Black-instant-sheets/dp/B00005MEBB">'665' Polaroid</a> negative film at Lewis Leathers, which had a sell-by date of 2007 stamped on the packs; he found the old stock on ebay. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_Corporation">Polaroid Corporation</a> stopped making instant film in 2008, although a private company, <a href="http://www.the-impossible-project.com/about/">The Impossible Project</a> (nice website), has recently begun selling <a href="http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Polaroid_SX-70">SX-70</a>-style black-and-white and color film. Given the multiple millions of Polaroid cameras still floating around the world (some 300 Million produced), let's hope some of the earlier-style films will come back as well.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXUgLU4_3fcanZfwoVW_Kps5IyaSxlQ2VDhabzk9jR4aKXkhdjr0hGXUWVmBKH7Yl07pNrtYPFtYWEmSFufIPmqr6JRN7wOvm82LFwnZ7_vOtWYPKPetywYjO9Y6hGaZyUeXzb8aNHsg/s1600/kez.derek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXUgLU4_3fcanZfwoVW_Kps5IyaSxlQ2VDhabzk9jR4aKXkhdjr0hGXUWVmBKH7Yl07pNrtYPFtYWEmSFufIPmqr6JRN7wOvm82LFwnZ7_vOtWYPKPetywYjO9Y6hGaZyUeXzb8aNHsg/s400/kez.derek.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Derek Harris <i>(above right)</i>, owner of <a href="http://lewisleathers.com/Welcome-to-Lewis-Leathers.html">Lewis Leathers</a>, was kind enough to allow 'photo posers' use of both new LL clothing and some of his huge collection of archival D.Lewis and Aviakit riding gear. I'll explore the history of the company in another post, but Derek has been instrumental in bringing historic patterns back into production, with the help of Hiro Maeda <i>(two pix up, on right)</i>, who recreates production patterns from the vintage jackets and pants Derek sources from flea markets, ebay, old customers, friends, etc.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAwcnymtxTBdv_O49In8-J9QmfdA46tnTQm2fBxUWAmSFGDQzaKctZZGwDtBiFBw9OOB8ypbXmZ-XbBFtojpYqdb1iqvUbrgmL4jYOeLD6JJAkojb8uuaANOiNU-300J4DhPf9lDLmI0/s1600/pdo.ll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAwcnymtxTBdv_O49In8-J9QmfdA46tnTQm2fBxUWAmSFGDQzaKctZZGwDtBiFBw9OOB8ypbXmZ-XbBFtojpYqdb1iqvUbrgmL4jYOeLD6JJAkojb8uuaANOiNU-300J4DhPf9lDLmI0/s400/pdo.ll.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Hiroyuki Maeda photo)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Derek knows my interest in vintage riding gear (my preferred coverage in fact), and pulled from his archive their oldest intact set of racing leathers and boots, from the 1940s. Identical to the set used in their current advertising campaign, LL have only this summer begun to re-produce this jacket, although not yet the pants. While this particular outfit has become fragile with age, Derek was kind enough to allow me wear it for Marcus' photo shoot. Yes, they fit! Apparently, I need a set... as Montlhéry, and Bonneville, are beckoning...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrjMVDnEBGLBzGhFm-3bEGU4k30PGuamhGQB1dxmpFpi1wCBypIihqXPJFslYzYblYstOqUHEmNjIFnFUE1O4MnxMeEXVUnzHvofbQZxlS_qdzzFi9xoTK2UQs9oCRaQtB2XNPNmT34Y/s1600/exterior2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrjMVDnEBGLBzGhFm-3bEGU4k30PGuamhGQB1dxmpFpi1wCBypIihqXPJFslYzYblYstOqUHEmNjIFnFUE1O4MnxMeEXVUnzHvofbQZxlS_qdzzFi9xoTK2UQs9oCRaQtB2XNPNmT34Y/s400/exterior2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />(What ancient photographic equipment did The Vintagent use for these shots? A first generation iphone...)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEaj6ydotdox0CMurE47dYCfB9ADz7_QNzZusiP3cWuLoKbVTJJ2eHXJ4X450MWlDfiQxWGTOiWjjWoy8zw4cKsj2lL76JokNVAbQjEQRYYDRoXZK-STAom4SDVSjjUkHqaw_78Ik8NE/s1600/kez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEaj6ydotdox0CMurE47dYCfB9ADz7_QNzZusiP3cWuLoKbVTJJ2eHXJ4X450MWlDfiQxWGTOiWjjWoy8zw4cKsj2lL76JokNVAbQjEQRYYDRoXZK-STAom4SDVSjjUkHqaw_78Ik8NE/s400/kez.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2C4LmzyR1-CkT1CEJ63ZZI1rSdl_LF0uwPoai_l4ba8vSHZO64v8bk0r2hC1i1VId-25spHlmMN8RLcDHG16p_dNJgzohFkV1KNP49Fjn5NT8DXxZKPrdfcfVU963PzRdEtPgVtQGYs/s1600/cuppa.sepia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2C4LmzyR1-CkT1CEJ63ZZI1rSdl_LF0uwPoai_l4ba8vSHZO64v8bk0r2hC1i1VId-25spHlmMN8RLcDHG16p_dNJgzohFkV1KNP49Fjn5NT8DXxZKPrdfcfVU963PzRdEtPgVtQGYs/s400/cuppa.sepia.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywenu4n5lWdQKErPVYk4DakyiKu7AxjbjFwZsezbUIgMsw6QsgJ7s1KsDOo7kev9Dhrn4JiofG5IPgaBMBY2P5WO3cYuEWbEBMuxqI8cyRNzxkMME0bao5di0G9NiSiz30jjl6hXvYxo/s1600/gent.sepia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywenu4n5lWdQKErPVYk4DakyiKu7AxjbjFwZsezbUIgMsw6QsgJ7s1KsDOo7kev9Dhrn4JiofG5IPgaBMBY2P5WO3cYuEWbEBMuxqI8cyRNzxkMME0bao5di0G9NiSiz30jjl6hXvYxo/s400/gent.sepia.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjTne61of_NBuK3HImctV9y8i7fnE_KfA1Wswvh76YgnFY-ME1FSxTP1jHfiHLMokuD_2sszxlJ3HfZB1EG87YN6aX3_0Nefrm3JndyEwEniUagQc-NAKJ8nitpp4J9OF0it9U7oLrCE/s1600/marcus.sepia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjTne61of_NBuK3HImctV9y8i7fnE_KfA1Wswvh76YgnFY-ME1FSxTP1jHfiHLMokuD_2sszxlJ3HfZB1EG87YN6aX3_0Nefrm3JndyEwEniUagQc-NAKJ8nitpp4J9OF0it9U7oLrCE/s400/marcus.sepia.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNj4NcZZ1ZY0kgQyLbqxQ_0rM5tZGQEiYe0BwwCnmB6rUBTqRUIqVZnJ9wzzzHiQAbTa730Rm8hmf9pOw4k7VFszN-QtcMpsbVGpiCMduBPT0nb38tTS5Fqccf6JgNzhfb8pyxFvsirY/s1600/mirror2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNj4NcZZ1ZY0kgQyLbqxQ_0rM5tZGQEiYe0BwwCnmB6rUBTqRUIqVZnJ9wzzzHiQAbTa730Rm8hmf9pOw4k7VFszN-QtcMpsbVGpiCMduBPT0nb38tTS5Fqccf6JgNzhfb8pyxFvsirY/s400/mirror2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-31600953282557882442010-12-07T05:25:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.971-08:00BROOKLANDS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFDM7Dco3cgozTYk-YSjtyvZUiP7dBb6wMXpwT_k11alxtMcRXKBWJL4BwVNOQyUuINnbdIQUlUqkRKtNBJNmZMmLUNeqH5usdEiIzyJngG5aycAQ0RiXbdoIbOxvjWu-fjDztsgaaho/s1600/membersbridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFDM7Dco3cgozTYk-YSjtyvZUiP7dBb6wMXpwT_k11alxtMcRXKBWJL4BwVNOQyUuINnbdIQUlUqkRKtNBJNmZMmLUNeqH5usdEiIzyJngG5aycAQ0RiXbdoIbOxvjWu-fjDztsgaaho/s400/membersbridge.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Its a place I never tire of visiting, not caring whether nostalgia or ghosts lure me to the crumbling, mossy banks of this nearly vanished track. <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/04/brooklands-centenary-1.html">Brooklands,</a> the original speed bowl, whose gates were flung wide in <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/03/brooklands-history-in-postcards.html">1907</a> for a parade of touring cars, nearly motorized carriages that day, all billowing ash-stiffened canvas tops and wood spoke wheels, playthings of the rich, curiosities, slow and troublesome, marvelous.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga02siO-H1xneVPH6An9n7ai0iljrBXUY-5tmoLzaqgFAWhTd7XJfjZp-HAe9Q5qEaexutXaXDUKBdOoF19kMG75VNk6ekv_tmmbmIZr_aLXS_1o-2HwgMUeMVTNgMzEP9QIn7q0htH4s/s1600/byfleetbanking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga02siO-H1xneVPH6An9n7ai0iljrBXUY-5tmoLzaqgFAWhTd7XJfjZp-HAe9Q5qEaexutXaXDUKBdOoF19kMG75VNk6ekv_tmmbmIZr_aLXS_1o-2HwgMUeMVTNgMzEP9QIn7q0htH4s/s400/byfleetbanking.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br />Within 100 yards that opening day procession broke out in a race, the first of a thousand to come, the gleam in the eye of those <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwardian_era">Edwardians</a> who rotated throttle levers wide and set to passing the car before, ladies and children aboard, forgetting everything, bunting and flowers trailing behind, irrelevant.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsMtTBD1ybpvFoW9vf3Xgdqr-XoUKl4d_gmr14BWRMsXrWwkYVObWgoZLmi9U5jwkxPdZWWfMRh4DYB3u7E2iCUAmxJwhHBFuNavpWG8ckA15mJsjTAPjuSQjLn6_ik05eWjNME3kIlQ/s1600/gdbrown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsMtTBD1ybpvFoW9vf3Xgdqr-XoUKl4d_gmr14BWRMsXrWwkYVObWgoZLmi9U5jwkxPdZWWfMRh4DYB3u7E2iCUAmxJwhHBFuNavpWG8ckA15mJsjTAPjuSQjLn6_ik05eWjNME3kIlQ/s400/gdbrown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />None could 'win', but someone hit the clubhouse first, no doubt to drinks and merriment, revved up on speed juice. Things grew seriouser and seriouser with time, the gentleman's club suddenly central to Industry - planes, cars, motorcycles, the military, national prestige, progress.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMk0ZJRCctsQP_hI7X6uW-X0IBTzhM773mTiecq7pZEYl7tsapUtPG0iKnVUccfuajK-w4vWcGAG4k28l_qTl6U8H_DYfq85pCP1QvFdWCmQF2xjAOcqmTWsJcumVRB1NAcRq6erT584/s1600/norton.engine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMk0ZJRCctsQP_hI7X6uW-X0IBTzhM773mTiecq7pZEYl7tsapUtPG0iKnVUccfuajK-w4vWcGAG4k28l_qTl6U8H_DYfq85pCP1QvFdWCmQF2xjAOcqmTWsJcumVRB1NAcRq6erT584/s400/norton.engine.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Pilots on two, three, four wheels, or wings, carried that Edwardian gleam, yes in it for the money, but money <i>so they could be in it</i>. There were other places to come, <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2007/03/one-hundred-years-of-racing-isle-of-man.html">Island races</a> and <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/05/book-review-continental-circus.html">Continental</a>, <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2009/04/sideburn-magazine-3.html">sand</a> and <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/09/1956-nsu-breaks-200mph-barrier.html">salt</a>, but two generations of speedmen, and women, knew it as Mecca. The temple grounds of Speed, raw, rough, bumpy as hell, unforgiving, but always there and for so long the only place faster than the vehicles circulating.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkQQQXBycwtfYk1SR4wzXg1q5jANm0QV_LxQxAWon-xlSmM-OTbHjeqFGTI5pGmiRcm9MuOwK5JSYCWjgH12HagKOOouFfZ5woQ5imKyx0l0DE1B7p2ihoMKoL2ldUfhQJ4ttOQprFns/s1600/jap.bs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkQQQXBycwtfYk1SR4wzXg1q5jANm0QV_LxQxAWon-xlSmM-OTbHjeqFGTI5pGmiRcm9MuOwK5JSYCWjgH12HagKOOouFfZ5woQ5imKyx0l0DE1B7p2ihoMKoL2ldUfhQJ4ttOQprFns/s400/jap.bs.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><br />The Absolute speedmen left by the Twenties, needing far more stretch, but they weren't Racing, except against Time, doing battle against a common foe, the mortal enemy of us all.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdqrJEKgbKf1sQ8gCi3cgPZhfNs9gSNH_fmTAniZl7LmPkj3XPa_PJxOLs8VUgusxL6Dy9AVPHzKliFkYY6JA_xh5pgRd6e6nAmaGhBvhohZRl95X040Z4Numt3ncRarZHhlXe2CEz6Q/s1600/wolselely.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdqrJEKgbKf1sQ8gCi3cgPZhfNs9gSNH_fmTAniZl7LmPkj3XPa_PJxOLs8VUgusxL6Dy9AVPHzKliFkYY6JA_xh5pgRd6e6nAmaGhBvhohZRl95X040Z4Numt3ncRarZHhlXe2CEz6Q/s400/wolselely.jpg" width="337" /></a></div><br />Motorcyclists raced time too, by increments, in clocks, staking claims a little further along the miles - per hour, per day - or against their fellows. They raced for trinkets, <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/02/david-vincent.html">enameled copper stars</a>, spark plugs and tires, dotted grainy photos in the press, and a little money to keep going, to be <i>in it</i>. To a man, that was the key, the same gleam bound them, not mercenaries, true amateurs, for the love of the sport, the love of a place. <a href="http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/">Brooklands</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC6TVe7-R2fnHvFul2Cl46-l_5A5N-V6lKutO4hIlyyvrBGthFWcrYD87ZRVmlagR8ZFL5iUpkzHrVYwSFly46KjWHsD5KzuUfrhHACGGKQrnpXKAbanvAyFLmbv1zLq8S_yDlJWP6ds/s1600/wicksteed.triumph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC6TVe7-R2fnHvFul2Cl46-l_5A5N-V6lKutO4hIlyyvrBGthFWcrYD87ZRVmlagR8ZFL5iUpkzHrVYwSFly46KjWHsD5KzuUfrhHACGGKQrnpXKAbanvAyFLmbv1zLq8S_yDlJWP6ds/s400/wicksteed.triumph.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6qHhX4D8ByTU0xMztFmXNd_HqJ0JhyMM69-GFSyUtEzMZM-X0LTzCqZnW-iftDg2iFMSuHdeu9yUaG1U0OqX4fZCWxKkzjhfiYcBazJUutN_R7E3bXnoK82-fnajNjyVeIsiQCGrvUU/s1600/zenith.bradshaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6qHhX4D8ByTU0xMztFmXNd_HqJ0JhyMM69-GFSyUtEzMZM-X0LTzCqZnW-iftDg2iFMSuHdeu9yUaG1U0OqX4fZCWxKkzjhfiYcBazJUutN_R7E3bXnoK82-fnajNjyVeIsiQCGrvUU/s400/zenith.bradshaw.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeZkU9vga1y1oh15cIn4j8H0UFBJSEWdAFyliuvUmotcb5JbKdvo08LNrHSZhtUBaIkyb7bRpxKfZ4vWPfS41iRHNebbHtgdGurdfpQknhrolwq4gGpzpkEBGDdwqSPbVPFgyJWUnL3U/s1600/promenade.percy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeZkU9vga1y1oh15cIn4j8H0UFBJSEWdAFyliuvUmotcb5JbKdvo08LNrHSZhtUBaIkyb7bRpxKfZ4vWPfS41iRHNebbHtgdGurdfpQknhrolwq4gGpzpkEBGDdwqSPbVPFgyJWUnL3U/s400/promenade.percy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6m9zwoGXATSEnRA6O3om8ASO1s-d9kr6h3RbyB34Osracxt7ETgVVuAqoUVGqu6Wj2J9murmvV0QLwCmRRcg9hIgyhsktDz1Giohn-TL5YL_K0TT59GUJwuwzHxkngiFZ0cOqG8jZoE/s1600/norton.mg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6m9zwoGXATSEnRA6O3om8ASO1s-d9kr6h3RbyB34Osracxt7ETgVVuAqoUVGqu6Wj2J9murmvV0QLwCmRRcg9hIgyhsktDz1Giohn-TL5YL_K0TT59GUJwuwzHxkngiFZ0cOqG8jZoE/s400/norton.mg.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkSrmADOzAmQwbKq865RDGmTkMGBQ0vy8KYiHh9X4EGNyx_8Sc7hjiOfwmCFLDc6wZ9xR1oFfoHBeNttMsiDSqRM5J2IHI-y0e_ZDraUVHXJ4SobVTwXib6ftrXvQlcoxxIzlcQpoRc4/s1600/wicksteed.leather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkSrmADOzAmQwbKq865RDGmTkMGBQ0vy8KYiHh9X4EGNyx_8Sc7hjiOfwmCFLDc6wZ9xR1oFfoHBeNttMsiDSqRM5J2IHI-y0e_ZDraUVHXJ4SobVTwXib6ftrXvQlcoxxIzlcQpoRc4/s400/wicksteed.leather.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl2rhNbJQ2o66E5CKSR3zdTknGzInOHUxKo8TN7-lZN_WibDHo4ndTZdhT_tHMODnJkDTxIpQMeSb1R0CBvgLRRrIhVo9AfjJkhmff-28xNUghUdlGRd_hJm5ZmrCMuh_JUX5N4tadr4/s1600/norton.hughes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIl2rhNbJQ2o66E5CKSR3zdTknGzInOHUxKo8TN7-lZN_WibDHo4ndTZdhT_tHMODnJkDTxIpQMeSb1R0CBvgLRRrIhVo9AfjJkhmff-28xNUghUdlGRd_hJm5ZmrCMuh_JUX5N4tadr4/s400/norton.hughes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHl5twNRt2QxawMFdrKr-AXcsrJy5WiEwcFDBhZ1CATB8wccaD8MCRwUCKQRHxeUX5k9NSQCDmsn-tZfp8bZ6efI2fujJXHjW4ArV8LJ22FGak90cVvuo3z_pqHlZKEqbzGJer27fZM0/s1600/grindlay2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHl5twNRt2QxawMFdrKr-AXcsrJy5WiEwcFDBhZ1CATB8wccaD8MCRwUCKQRHxeUX5k9NSQCDmsn-tZfp8bZ6efI2fujJXHjW4ArV8LJ22FGak90cVvuo3z_pqHlZKEqbzGJer27fZM0/s400/grindlay2.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tB3SRcAvEmUd2PXvbJaFH5fLwxCHPbwFXrZhrPJcKuWWj_4VDtUcTQ24iXTBSXgkeejkXOJ8-zM4Fxx1UhNCViiXsS4I3XMllX1XAUQhJF-xkCcas3BAoW3GjhH4P7V4jj8003kIUpU/s1600/bs.above.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tB3SRcAvEmUd2PXvbJaFH5fLwxCHPbwFXrZhrPJcKuWWj_4VDtUcTQ24iXTBSXgkeejkXOJ8-zM4Fxx1UhNCViiXsS4I3XMllX1XAUQhJF-xkCcas3BAoW3GjhH4P7V4jj8003kIUpU/s400/bs.above.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAIjLFvA9If1jaEwGu1W0yO9gdVFL2uzdT-xpmJcTk7p4l8dRYbPj8HGUCVbTiu3BKkwwxc7JPt8CSARWtSgY_kLBvmrbdSuOC48RE7CrdvDWysWJb8a7nrR2kbA_uotSUkK8GJYn2dc/s1600/3bikes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAIjLFvA9If1jaEwGu1W0yO9gdVFL2uzdT-xpmJcTk7p4l8dRYbPj8HGUCVbTiu3BKkwwxc7JPt8CSARWtSgY_kLBvmrbdSuOC48RE7CrdvDWysWJb8a7nrR2kbA_uotSUkK8GJYn2dc/s400/3bikes.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGDo2taeAu5QAbetOHe09v-bQDtIbu0vmnMh4DYWMHknngSM5nBqp4FLu05FPGDb5cWVB2rKGt1lzA1OMeLmLFriNvxUjTJuKcKgKRrWHKTKcHAV_COwbLpCHvGyA9xeJaAjf6MyR7O0/s1600/rex.ok.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGDo2taeAu5QAbetOHe09v-bQDtIbu0vmnMh4DYWMHknngSM5nBqp4FLu05FPGDb5cWVB2rKGt1lzA1OMeLmLFriNvxUjTJuKcKgKRrWHKTKcHAV_COwbLpCHvGyA9xeJaAjf6MyR7O0/s400/rex.ok.2.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-13666984429083644472010-12-04T18:04:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.975-08:00'CRAZY' GEORGE DISTEEL<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAz97SBw_vsn6UKpXSsvbeDeFzWF6voUOqYJ3O5k2L0zvOlAbZR7UZ88bKs7lberlnpS1PzqQfUbb5BfCjA15NGGW38b1fjRdcmJo4pUcgLxMYN6KpHlTQR6Db9AT88CgQyamvo2-OfA/s1600/george.disteel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAz97SBw_vsn6UKpXSsvbeDeFzWF6voUOqYJ3O5k2L0zvOlAbZR7UZ88bKs7lberlnpS1PzqQfUbb5BfCjA15NGGW38b1fjRdcmJo4pUcgLxMYN6KpHlTQR6Db9AT88CgQyamvo2-OfA/s400/george.disteel.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Disteel, towards the end of his life</td></tr></tbody></table> It was a rumor which floated around the San Francisco 'old bike' community for years - the crazy old guy whose son had been killed on a Vincent Black Shadow, went crazy, and spent the rest of his life hunting down Vincents, which he squirreled away in chicken shacks on his property.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinyewJ2IqvwPRewDCGtVdCBW0Js3_5ddTNZkVBslLQHPL3Tqxq20QRsm3KwWxbSvDS2lmzjNynmFklWWFPoqmhYacR4ifm1oFgHFE2EH4PCksmyHeTlvp91BFpj9Byw-V3wRN-A4ZtLA/s1600/ales.knight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinyewJ2IqvwPRewDCGtVdCBW0Js3_5ddTNZkVBslLQHPL3Tqxq20QRsm3KwWxbSvDS2lmzjNynmFklWWFPoqmhYacR4ifm1oFgHFE2EH4PCksmyHeTlvp91BFpj9Byw-V3wRN-A4ZtLA/s400/ales.knight.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vincent Black Prince</td></tr></tbody></table>The rumor was, as far as anyone can tell, based on the real life of George Disteel. George was an avid motorcyclist, a fan of Vincent motorcycles, owning a Black Shadow named 'Sad Sack', and apparently a rider of some skill. Born in 1904, he discovered Marin county in the 1940s after serving in the military - a motorcyclist paradise, full of empty, twising roads and year-round mild weather. No one today knows what machines George owned before the Vincent, but he seems to have purchased his Shadow brand new, and created an impression in the local motorcycling community, not only for his riding ability and choice of the World's Fastest Production Motorcycle (as it said in the Vincent advertising), but of his increasingly erratic behavior, and appearance.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iFQpq0gKv2v-dIgqZWcfiULrt4JnDz50Jfh9G7xTWFRAb7G1kRFUWGcUP5fiu-9ae0AVv9DAjt9PrtYGLcvK6YKM3uKuFT_Ak6pWhF0probqdNmaO_ayzYqNbFj1LzbhvdVn_zoic48/s1600/alex.kss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iFQpq0gKv2v-dIgqZWcfiULrt4JnDz50Jfh9G7xTWFRAb7G1kRFUWGcUP5fiu-9ae0AVv9DAjt9PrtYGLcvK6YKM3uKuFT_Ak6pWhF0probqdNmaO_ayzYqNbFj1LzbhvdVn_zoic48/s400/alex.kss.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> ca.1947 Velocette KSS mk2 'bob-job'</td></tr></tbody></table>A man of great personal discipline, George walked or bicycled many miles per day, and kept up a rigorous exercise routine. He was also fond of wearing little clothing, quite possible in sunny Marin, and his ever growing beard usually served as his only upper-torso modesty. Sometime in the late 1950s, his behavior became erratic, and he confided in an apprentice (Disteel was a master carpenter) the story of his 'son', who was tragically killed riding a Vincent at 20 years old. George was never married, although he did have a few liasons earlier in his life, but no-one seems able to corroborate whether he had a son, or a paternal relationship with a young man. In a sense, it doesn't matter, as this story became his justification for bizarre actions, such as stuffing every nook and cranny of his home and jobsites with paper and old cloth, and searching northern California for fast motorcycles, especially Vincents, to buy and hide away, preventing the death of another unsuspecting youth.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YfIadwYuu_HI_G9bLrXv_vDxB9Gbs2klywFl13mwVtCgsfoVuWq3zJa3uTix7iCPKgIifE3pBVnn-U-NUokLLnDGQZIIrOqJL0cenJ1jgjWhhe127BNPHSEmt0kwfHLgESeKJK74bHc/s1600/commando.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YfIadwYuu_HI_G9bLrXv_vDxB9Gbs2klywFl13mwVtCgsfoVuWq3zJa3uTix7iCPKgIifE3pBVnn-U-NUokLLnDGQZIIrOqJL0cenJ1jgjWhhe127BNPHSEmt0kwfHLgESeKJK74bHc/s400/commando.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Royal Enfield Interceptor700cc</td></tr></tbody></table> George eventually amassed something like 18 Vincents, two KSS Velocettes, a Norton International, two Moto Guzzi Falcones, an R51 BMW, Sunbeams, DKWs, Royal Enfields, plus a lot of rifles, clocks, oddments, antiques, etc, all of which he paid for by canny investments in real estate, making him quite rich. He didn't appear rich at all though, with his near-nakedness, lack of bathing, and odd behavior. Although he owned 23 properties in Marin county, he lived for a while in a '52 Hudson car filled with trash. Eviction from the car meant moving to a Tenderloin residence hotel in San Francisco, after taking a sledgehammer to the car and having it towed. Towards the end of his days, with cataracts making reading difficult and driving impossible, he wore a pirate's eyepatch made of gaffer's tape, switching from side to side in order to see better. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbSenMzY7V26yrSetkYha2Sh-OmUtjGWRCoadwgWMznfR1Zvbb7pmpNcEDWPyyTL-hRz4pKXSYqOM7ktMEeVLA0Ovs8JtO1P4jaTrs475Bf5nW2k02UkQV88tE-UI6YpByFcrMsdULhs/s1600/tvnews.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbSenMzY7V26yrSetkYha2Sh-OmUtjGWRCoadwgWMznfR1Zvbb7pmpNcEDWPyyTL-hRz4pKXSYqOM7ktMEeVLA0Ovs8JtO1P4jaTrs475Bf5nW2k02UkQV88tE-UI6YpByFcrMsdULhs/s320/tvnews.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>He collapsed on the street in SF in 1978, aged 74, and a keen-eyed coroner realized he was no indigent, which began a chain of discovery of the man's multiple homes, lands, sheds, hidden caches of motorcycles, storage units, etc. As no heirs could be found, the motorcycles were sold at Butterfields auction house in San Francisco, where the Vincents fetched from $800 - $1500... Some of these motorcycles were brand new or nearly so, and many merely needed a good clean after their years packed in rags within sealed toolsheds. A few of my friends own these bikes, so I'm fairly sure the story is true...at least, the Vincent-in-a-chicken-coop part.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG20I0bumMHdfLgBLI1B661aeXjddgQyP5eU9QHbFz_TgL9Z5pp33oh3e1yEHbCYuBlpdpcZguFXmBZOTETvQbYaR-XYp7s_KbLKlAqXj7WbXNM-40kX19U1b0mwNq5cf3fo88t9aMCFc/s1600/Guzzi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG20I0bumMHdfLgBLI1B661aeXjddgQyP5eU9QHbFz_TgL9Z5pp33oh3e1yEHbCYuBlpdpcZguFXmBZOTETvQbYaR-XYp7s_KbLKlAqXj7WbXNM-40kX19U1b0mwNq5cf3fo88t9aMCFc/s400/Guzzi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Moto Guzzi Falcone </td></tr></tbody></table>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-19840395099277778442010-11-30T10:55:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.978-08:00'CHINESE RED' ORIGINAL VINCENT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwB0eIrmVQJzMA9-kqY2jR-oSjFPOiLAtF_BS3yDaIvFQko-o-Q7lPPWSgRh5ZnSTx3vlMqrLM3N0b8l0cxvW56P8HyDe1mmL39ESIerASkiEB51J0iT2-ElqvSg2ScCUos_s0eJgRTRg/s400/52VincentRapideBonhams_right.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />Besides the super-rare <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/10/hildebrand-wolfmuller-miss-last-one.html">Hildebrand and Wolfmüller</a> coming up for sale at <a href="http://www.bonhams.com/usa/carsusalasvegas/">Bonhams' big Las Vegas auction </a>on January 6, 2011, scouts have unearthed an original-paint, very rare 1952 'Touring' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Rapide">Vincent Rapide</a>. Discovered in a garage in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresno,_California">Fresno, CA</a>, the Vincent has only 8500 miles on the clock, and is virtually untouched. The 'Chinese Red' paint scheme is very popular with collectors, as the Touring version of the Rapide model has 19" wheels and painted, fully valanced mudguards...more room for paint as opposed to the normal Vincent chrome steel blades. Apparently this machine sat for nearly 50 years, untouched, and will need 'light recommissioning' to make roadworthy...ie, to find out what stopped it back then!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvAb3pZbC4ULa_rWj1_Te2s2WtOYg3eAJGGkUfbugtoR52E_QEC_Mtn1l3vX0N4cwt_71V1H91RgcmFV-Fe55yrHkfjYbsrma7mA3wq-uOarh5xmMTpV30xfu9dxhfZZsjjG-f2Xu4rc/s1600/52VincentRapideBonhams_rightfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvAb3pZbC4ULa_rWj1_Te2s2WtOYg3eAJGGkUfbugtoR52E_QEC_Mtn1l3vX0N4cwt_71V1H91RgcmFV-Fe55yrHkfjYbsrma7mA3wq-uOarh5xmMTpV30xfu9dxhfZZsjjG-f2Xu4rc/s400/52VincentRapideBonhams_rightfront.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The bike is estimated to sell for $85-100,000, which means the reserve is probably $85k. Not cheap, but then, not many Vincents are left in original paint, with less than 10k miles!jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-61708768081810613962010-11-26T10:10:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.980-08:00HOW YOU FIND THEM #18: AJS 'K7' RACER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNTijznuOGuwuCLOGO0-p775elseoxnLvAog1-ruiqjfH0WfyTSFcpP8eXCxBsRmtOwB3zhU2pUpPYn57S-Vqmg5kIndFTwjYLLJMLLV14Sa5ZqQIBACyiiHByeVlmblOi0vKCdfkrpw/s1600/ajs+1+vin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNTijznuOGuwuCLOGO0-p775elseoxnLvAog1-ruiqjfH0WfyTSFcpP8eXCxBsRmtOwB3zhU2pUpPYn57S-Vqmg5kIndFTwjYLLJMLLV14Sa5ZqQIBACyiiHByeVlmblOi0vKCdfkrpw/s320/ajs+1+vin.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />There is little more exciting than finding an old racing motorcycle literally in a barn, slathered inside and out with heavy oil, a solid gold tale of racing history attached. More problematic is the task of documenting such provenance, for while any 80 year old bike is interesting, a claim that it placed in the Junior <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1927_Isle_of_Man_TT">Isle of Man TT of 1927</a>, <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/jimmie-simpsontt-record-breaker-a81862">Jimmy Simpson </a>aboard, is very much more interesting indeed. <i></i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aUb2WQozy0a1u-YMMydn2d4SUaexIsCWoAYijYgLU2MY5z-9IgCP4-3ENdkfln5o9SH1_JFmHPGb40VXj6zDhVklJB5mvu1AaNz9dwv8SOgrxSxspI7wm7E4UGqnnICk_hlNuWfERhw/s1600/27TT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aUb2WQozy0a1u-YMMydn2d4SUaexIsCWoAYijYgLU2MY5z-9IgCP4-3ENdkfln5o9SH1_JFmHPGb40VXj6zDhVklJB5mvu1AaNz9dwv8SOgrxSxspI7wm7E4UGqnnICk_hlNuWfERhw/s400/27TT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This lovely AJS K7 350cc overhead camshaft machine is certainly a rare beast whether roadster or racer, and one of very few from the category 'flat tank cammies', a super exclusive club. Overhead-cam drive was typically adopted post-1927 by the motorcycle industry; the 'saddle tank' was the fashionable thing by that date, thus only early adopters such as <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/model-k-prototype.jpg&imgrefurl=http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/classic_bikes/velocette-classic-motorcycles.php&usg=__kF79oErey3UWnhx126x7neKVYGk=&h=273&w=550&sz=41&hl=en&start=0&sig2=BnpPLfqW9GnuJqT7_TDpUA&zoom=1&tbnid=sUL4zJRIQYCdRM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=164&ei=aPfvTK_OBcGX4AallbjIAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvelocette%2Bk%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1069%26bih%3D671%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C149&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=91&vpy=357&dur=2283&hovh=158&hovw=319&tx=168&ty=71&oei=aPfvTK_OBcGX4AallbjIAQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0&biw=1069&bih=671">Velocette (1925 - 'K' model</a>) and AJS in 1927 with their model 'K', K7 (349cc) and K10 (498cc), but in this case, the letter referred to the year of production. At first glance, the pannier tanks look to be the real deal, a factory racing item never sold to the public, and it bears a small plaque with '27 TT', plus the number '35'. The early André steering and fork dampers look correct, as does the rare Binks twistgrip throttle assembly, and the Lucas horseshoe racing magneto. Curioser and curioser. <i>(Above, Simpson making minor adjustments to his mount at the TT.)</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxImLFVAC7JuNTG-xOMLCQRn7R4lx8nrb9Lw7HhHm_z3Rh5ViqQPjZNUa9jDRFTprKnnEDnwZi02HbnqJ71pOHSGN9Y4jxlcvGvtM5Usmyr9rPqZWNvdkmkNKEDuetGHi9QGMHsdTQUII/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-26+at+8.15.25+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxImLFVAC7JuNTG-xOMLCQRn7R4lx8nrb9Lw7HhHm_z3Rh5ViqQPjZNUa9jDRFTprKnnEDnwZi02HbnqJ71pOHSGN9Y4jxlcvGvtM5Usmyr9rPqZWNvdkmkNKEDuetGHi9QGMHsdTQUII/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-26+at+8.15.25+AM.png" width="293" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />The AJS was almost unique in using the simplest method of driving cams before the advent of rubber belts; a chain drive. There had been plenty of chain-driven OHC motorcycles, cars and airplanes previous to this, but the recently-patented 'Weller' spring-steel blade chain tensioner <i>(see above)</i>, used under license, meant the long travel from crankshaft sprocket to cylinder head was not accompanied by chain whip, nor the need to predict thermal expansion of the engine when setting up chain tension. In short, it made such a drive elegant, and very easy to set up, as opposed to the Velocette/Norton/Ducati shaft-and-bevel drive, which took skills to get everthing shimmed up just right, and was therefore expensive to produce.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGQJlOv5JNgRTDNkHhIIdQ0uAKcjMN5mfI6NjVNfWsLW33nQH_gA8ImT63mz2rSRdbxNo5xNjJDjUYGnUrqnDD8R2hTWnfS0MVM2y9v6ATOySZXFzVdmtlOLsz9zmJ5Eo96mYVon151Y/s1600/ajs+5+vin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGQJlOv5JNgRTDNkHhIIdQ0uAKcjMN5mfI6NjVNfWsLW33nQH_gA8ImT63mz2rSRdbxNo5xNjJDjUYGnUrqnDD8R2hTWnfS0MVM2y9v6ATOySZXFzVdmtlOLsz9zmJ5Eo96mYVon151Y/s320/ajs+5+vin.JPG" width="312" /></a></div><br />Specification of the 'K' engine was fairly advanced for the day, with a proper recirculating oil pump and aluminum rocker arms, although AJS had yet to discover that a camshaft acting directly on the rocker arms had different requirements from the whippy 'knitting needles' driving standard OHV engines. The frame was a bit 'light' for a TT race, and the Druid sidespring forks primitive in their lack of movement...and in the case of this machine, the André friction fork damper would have simply slowed down the meager 1" of motion. The brakes are nothing to celebrate either, for while the rear will lock the wheel, the front is good for one strong squeeze, then expect nothing further! I speak from experience, having owned a 'Big Port' ohv from the same year... That said, while the chassis was strictly traditional, these 'flat tank' AJS' steer to a hair, even if they weave a bit at speed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4y1PQGGo_juV7_kuNNStwdnhkUxiUU4W-L_FdRd_gZNM-uyUp_WKOfH5wWfzwn4d44u4e0AHFdHPx0-IQ1keYY37Ryi1V-0objoZ1bR_LexxDcM8-c0sCLVZI-nNkecWGpFv45kaItw/s1600/ajs6vin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4y1PQGGo_juV7_kuNNStwdnhkUxiUU4W-L_FdRd_gZNM-uyUp_WKOfH5wWfzwn4d44u4e0AHFdHPx0-IQ1keYY37Ryi1V-0objoZ1bR_LexxDcM8-c0sCLVZI-nNkecWGpFv45kaItw/s320/ajs6vin.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqNpaUJl5vT_dnGSpCMJ9e5sufq395zRodWSnKxvBD4XJ7TT1lG8RYNjivLsX88FxLZUSjQ5TRI7HYzI4p9BQ9aJDMqSoO_xmvNK3D8Tcl1sMYJXlDows3sfS3bMB9LbQPXlUMiAXn6A/s1600/ajs+2+vin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqNpaUJl5vT_dnGSpCMJ9e5sufq395zRodWSnKxvBD4XJ7TT1lG8RYNjivLsX88FxLZUSjQ5TRI7HYzI4p9BQ9aJDMqSoO_xmvNK3D8Tcl1sMYJXlDows3sfS3bMB9LbQPXlUMiAXn6A/s400/ajs+2+vin.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The oil coating under which this racer was found means somebody cared to protect it, even if the machine sat for decades. The current owner first encountered the AJS 5 years ago, sitting in a cattle shed in Scotland, although the owner did not wish to sell. Five weeks ago he was passing the same farm (370 miles from home), and stopped in to ask after the bike, on the off chance.<i> "The farmer had recently gone into an old persons home, to which his son directed me, and that was that! He told me the bike had stood in the barn for the last 60 years; it was full of oil - the engine, tanks, every part that could hold oil did and then some...a sort of very heavy oil all over. He said it was <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/jimmie-simpsontt-record-breaker-a81862">Jimmy Simpson's </a>1927 TT bike, but could not find the paper work. Still hope of this turning up."</i> Yes, hope will be necessary; if the story pans out, this is quite a discovery.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zO4z0OqMG0sqSOy9acyG6XbictX7eKSygSfvrUxdN36rCFv8SOT2vvAgjKMg-abPGy2CgLarTtEpkJBOhp4zErG5bFU0liParVGJjWtBIrHZw-XF_PMM4pD4K3e16cuTl5zNN8ZCtlA/s1600/ajs+vin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zO4z0OqMG0sqSOy9acyG6XbictX7eKSygSfvrUxdN36rCFv8SOT2vvAgjKMg-abPGy2CgLarTtEpkJBOhp4zErG5bFU0liParVGJjWtBIrHZw-XF_PMM4pD4K3e16cuTl5zNN8ZCtlA/s320/ajs+vin.JPG" width="274" /></a></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-36784176658140224862010-11-24T05:22:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.983-08:00THE ART, AND AUCTION, OF THE MOTORCYCLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmYxftby-anra2EgPcAR6xz9l8cLpzQ_PwnMlz3mmxWzcX8yDEnOKOIgzguBqdqkJeeKrYNtr3mVIsLqzBIz9tSPlyHZpFVIKnoKyj6G9XoowUO3n2r9I_t5oAcKeIgUubW7UfaTYRdk/s1600/dixon.brough.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmYxftby-anra2EgPcAR6xz9l8cLpzQ_PwnMlz3mmxWzcX8yDEnOKOIgzguBqdqkJeeKrYNtr3mVIsLqzBIz9tSPlyHZpFVIKnoKyj6G9XoowUO3n2r9I_t5oAcKeIgUubW7UfaTYRdk/s400/dixon.brough.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Twelve years have elapsed since motorcycles filled the spiral of the <a href="http://www.guggenheim.org/">Guggenheim museum</a> in New York (1998), and two-wheelers have yet to see full acceptance within the Fine Arts/Fine Design establishment. While the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_the_Motorcycle">'Art of the Motorcycle'</a> show remains that museum's second-highest-attended exhibit, it was considered something of a populist sell-out at the time, especially as it pioneered an 'interested sponsor' relationship with <a href="http://www.bmw-motorrad.com/com/index.html">BMW</a> (although little discussion was published about 'named' sponsorship in general). Few critics defended the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/arts/design/28muse.html">Guggenheim's Thomas Krens for</a> hosting a major motorcycle exhibit on hallowed Art turf, unless of course they happened to be motorcyclists themselves. Even then, the level of discourse around Motorcycles and Culture generally bordered on flippant, unless the mood was outrage. The 'Art of the Motorcycle', imperfect as it may have been, was a vital first effort at establishing motorcycles as important within a broader dialogue on Design and Culture.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMW2ii6D4jx_B5qyHxVRMDJwu_meXfys37SUzSWJTCEPSCUdm99aJFlj_Uasf-mEimv6qRwmOg3dNQ0ki6V2BnncYbVBdx10qcPwwXI7Q3CgrBXfntqMH1Sx6ZBAWlAUk8GjRMVBdwxU/s1600/brough.dixon.meier.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMW2ii6D4jx_B5qyHxVRMDJwu_meXfys37SUzSWJTCEPSCUdm99aJFlj_Uasf-mEimv6qRwmOg3dNQ0ki6V2BnncYbVBdx10qcPwwXI7Q3CgrBXfntqMH1Sx6ZBAWlAUk8GjRMVBdwxU/s320/brough.dixon.meier.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The upcoming sale of the prototype 1925 Brough Superior SS100 'Alpine Grand Sports' at <a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/auctions/online-catalog.aspx?sn=NY050310&rpp=&search=&order=&p=1">Phillips de Pury</a>, is the first instance post-AotM of a motorcycle's inclusion in a major Art or Design auction. As such, it represents a shift in attitude within the Fine Arts auction establishment, which has been brewing for 12 years. The closest we've come thus far was in June of 2009, when an ex-Steve McQueen 1929 Scott Flying Squirrel, painted by 'Von Dutch', was auctioned at <a href="http://www.antiquorum.com/">Antiquorum</a> in New York, within a sale of <a href="http://www.antiquorum.com/in-the-news/2009/06/11/steve-mcqueens-vintage-rolex-sells-for-234000-at-antiquorum-auction/">celebrity-owned watches and memorabilia</a>. The Scott fetched $276,000, double its estimate and SIX times what it had sold for less than two years prior, in 2007 at the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1770917351">Bonhams Petersen Museum</a><a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2007/11/von-dutch-auction-los-angeles.html"> sale</a> that October ($44,460). Interestingly, the Petersen sale included considerable McQueen and Von Dutch memorabilia as well, but failed to attract the results of the <a href="http://www.antiquorum.com/">Antiquorum</a> sale. Begging the question...was the Antiquorum clientele so significantly different than <a href="http://www.bonhams.com/">Bonhams'</a>, or had the market for magical Steve McQueen talismans suddenly gone mad? Considering that June 2009 was a troubling time in the global economy, and a moment generally of weakening collectible sales, I have to conclude that Antiquorum has an audience with far deeper pockets. A specialist in fine watches, they hold the record for a wristwatch sale at auction; a unique white gold <a href="http://www.patek.com/">Patek Philippe</a> which sold for just over $5M (They are also notorious for <a href="http://www.luxist.com/2009/03/05/gandhis-pocket-watch-goes-for-over-2-million-dollars-in-controv/">selling Gandhi's pocket watch, sandals, glasses, and bowl</a> for over $2M). If a <i>wristwatch</i> can sell for so much, can such an esteemed motorcycle be far behind? <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Th8WM0_jDehw49EdCpe42pP_oqMbQOMp2OnBot6M8eocz_sYI2bjn7Jq4UNkR2lKVvnL9w0_KxhbrOZ8TxA4msxoLTabkj6k_6xdTzq5LDdBHgtosxomul49QzILomxzQd6TdusfcO0/s1600/india.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Th8WM0_jDehw49EdCpe42pP_oqMbQOMp2OnBot6M8eocz_sYI2bjn7Jq4UNkR2lKVvnL9w0_KxhbrOZ8TxA4msxoLTabkj6k_6xdTzq5LDdBHgtosxomul49QzILomxzQd6TdusfcO0/s320/india.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />When asked why he chose to include his SS100 in the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1770917321">Phillips</a><a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/"> de Pury</a> auction, the current owner stated, 'I've been wanting to do this for years; Broughs have far transcended their original purpose as a motorcycle, and should be included in a major Design sale. I've known <a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/exhibitions.aspx?sn=NY021207">Marcus Tremonto</a> for years, he is the absolute expert on 20th Century Decorative Art and Design... I wish I knew as much as he's forgotten! Phillips has an fabulous new facility on 57th and 5th in Manhattan, and their last big Art sale totalled $137M, so this auction should be quite something. If nothing else, it will give everyone something to think about. Friends say 'if it fails to sell, the bike will be tarnished', but that's rubbish...if the Brough falls on its face, it will stay at my house. Eventually it will ring the bell.'<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XhTXzA7aPljf-pcguuAyIqOszB7TGL1qO0dBmSWFraakRLBK79ffeheCLdrJsWZ3nkBxzyByjhyphenhyphenrU_aAnOHQQqf5p6jIFNP8_H06TlsxwfU7GPpYTzieW1iMbBu80N-ulGTzriVik5w/s1600/bars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8XhTXzA7aPljf-pcguuAyIqOszB7TGL1qO0dBmSWFraakRLBK79ffeheCLdrJsWZ3nkBxzyByjhyphenhyphenrU_aAnOHQQqf5p6jIFNP8_H06TlsxwfU7GPpYTzieW1iMbBu80N-ulGTzriVik5w/s400/bars.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/auctions/lot-detail.aspx?sn=NY050310&search=&p=2&order=&lotnum=20">Phillips de Pury </a>is bolstering inclusion of the Brough in their <a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/auctions.aspx?sn=NY050310">'Design Masters'</a> sale with fully 10 pages of lavish photographs, more than double the visibility granted other Design greats in the catalog: <a href="http://architect.architecture.sk/le-corbusier-architect/le-corbusier-architect.php">Le Corbusier</a>, <a href="http://www.jeanprouve.com/">Jean Prouvé</a>, <a href="http://www.studio-international.co.uk/architecture/mallet_stevens_25_7_05.asp">Robert Mallet-Stevens</a>, etc. The Alpine Grand Sports is the highlighted feature of the sale, and nearly double the nearest sale estimate, $350,000 for a <a href="http://www.marc-newson.com/default.aspx">Marc Newson</a> futuristic aluminum '<a href="http://www.design4now.com/index.php?Itemid=2&id=26&option=com_content&task=view">Orgone stretch lounge</a>' of 1993. Clearly, Phillips is banking heavily that the time is ripe to place <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Brough">George Brough</a> within the pantheon of all-time great Designers.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq8J_KC3qEKeAxfTnKmKTHtpEuXJ4FATBBGJhSQVMk98BiRSpHD7R_vldGoZ7vYhuLgeEx0jFVcYde_IvIghti704NY7nGOeN-NjTkCMPPxIyHOnGK3cEXZKHFWvkQ3skHkfSeybSvOw/s1600/atspeed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikq8J_KC3qEKeAxfTnKmKTHtpEuXJ4FATBBGJhSQVMk98BiRSpHD7R_vldGoZ7vYhuLgeEx0jFVcYde_IvIghti704NY7nGOeN-NjTkCMPPxIyHOnGK3cEXZKHFWvkQ3skHkfSeybSvOw/s400/atspeed.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />A serious re-appraisal of Motorcycles within our capitalist society will of course include a fight for ownership of the agreed 'finest' examples. These are the rarest of the rare, and the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-20-at-auction-updated.html">pattern has already been established</a> within the motorcycling community itself. Just as with paintings or other Design items, the notion of an object's 'value' is intimately connected with its sale price, and as the eyes of well-heeled Art collectors turn towards two wheels, there will be a serious rise in prices for significant racing machines and legendary road bikes. It is inevitable. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpKeUch5kkn-iPzPPA33Ro2aG3Y9-mhlPuNc4C-8CGh4hM2gl9MpDXegPZoqwEN_9tqfqeluDI2dCIJ4B0YdP89al8Sayg1us3oxYQEh-zESY6vTr7taH6W0gN26egPN54ifOz4DsJ9M/s1600/bike.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpKeUch5kkn-iPzPPA33Ro2aG3Y9-mhlPuNc4C-8CGh4hM2gl9MpDXegPZoqwEN_9tqfqeluDI2dCIJ4B0YdP89al8Sayg1us3oxYQEh-zESY6vTr7taH6W0gN26egPN54ifOz4DsJ9M/s400/bike.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Dedicated motorcyclists who covet rare machines will decry the continuing trend of top-tier machines floating away from the reach of their checkbooks. Yet, even with waves of speculation during the past two 'bubbles' of the 1980s and 2000s, the price of excellent but relatively high-production bikes has remained under $30,000; affordable, if not cheap... the price of a new all-options Harley Davidson. The cost of a restored 1969 Triumph Bonneville will continue to reflect more on the labor and quality of the restoration, than on wild excesses of a speculator's market...at least while the economy is depressed. As time passes, the relative glut of old motorcycles, versus the number of willing owners, will also conspire to keep prices of 'common' bikes moderate. Thus, we may dream of owning a Brough Superior, Crocker, or racing BMW, but will have to content ourselves with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matchless_Model_X">Matchless Model X</a>, <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/1946-indian-chief-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1946-indian-chief.htm&usg=__tjSD3kN7Gg32kHdIcIXXODSWi_Q=&h=264&w=400&sz=53&hl=en&start=0&sig2=wOposFlx_Jrp_OrfEfvnHg&zoom=1&tbnid=CZoaPvoVWHOwwM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=212&ei=LxHtTIaeG47tOdWxgMQB&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dindian%2Bchief%2Bmotorcycle%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1069%26bih%3D671%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C323&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=368&vpy=161&dur=468&hovh=178&hovw=270&tx=135&ty=85&oei=LxHtTIaeG47tOdWxgMQB&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0&biw=1069&bih=671">Indian Chief</a>, or <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.snafu.org/pics/r69s/p-20080317-1653-3665.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.snafu.org/pics/r69s/&usg=__uZkqyRAQkghjOZiCU6103o7knYE=&h=600&w=900&sz=170&hl=en&start=12&sig2=OUoXAjHxRs7WErgBAOWBkA&zoom=1&tbnid=35Ll7nS3RVgKkM:&tbnh=156&tbnw=208&ei=hxHtTKTpMoKr8AaA5qle&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbmw%2Br69s%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1069%26bih%3D671%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C274&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=136&vpy=408&dur=1201&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=173&ty=124&oei=WhHtTJHkK8aXOrL7scwB&esq=5&page=2&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:12&biw=1069&bih=671">BMW R69S</a>. Fair? Well, I'd dearly love a Rembrandt too...<br /><br />Photos:<br />Top; Francis Dixon and George Brough prepare for the Alpine Trial of 1925.<br />Second; Brough, Dixon, and Eddie Meier, Austrian Brough Superior importer, Alpine Trial, 1925.<br />Third; former owner of 'HP2122' AGS prototype, Prince Chagla of India.<br />Fourth; from the Philips de Pury catalog.<br />Fifth; George Brough at speed during the 1925 Alpine Trial.<br />Last; from the Philips de Pury catalog.jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-1977702691950624002010-11-23T10:33:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.988-08:00MARIE THERESE VON HAMMERSTEIN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiim-jLRF3L6TL0DCJ7a4v83zDUHhCj0utRvzrnx68ERyvf3_E11q8zWbo_ZyjCzrbhD8tCMojbLUtN2ls-2ueINgjrZcnQPWh9GiX1lceBIwjHzcU3lkWamXU2nmQAbBxMcByHNWSV1vI/s1600/maria-therese-hammerstein-1932_1933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiim-jLRF3L6TL0DCJ7a4v83zDUHhCj0utRvzrnx68ERyvf3_E11q8zWbo_ZyjCzrbhD8tCMojbLUtN2ls-2ueINgjrZcnQPWh9GiX1lceBIwjHzcU3lkWamXU2nmQAbBxMcByHNWSV1vI/s400/maria-therese-hammerstein-1932_1933.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Every picture may tell a story; some pictures need a novel. In this instance, that novel has been recently written, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/10/silences-hammerstein-hitler-nazis-enzensberger">'The Silences of Hammerstein' (Hans Magnus Enzesberger, 2009)</a>, part biography and part speculative fiction, an effort to grapple with a particularly puzzling, heroic, and frustrating chapter of German history. The charming young woman pictured in 1933 aboard her motorcycle is <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/13/world/maria-paasche-90-helped-jews-in-germany-flee-nazis.html">Marie Therese von Hammerstein</a>, whose father, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_von_Hammerstein-Equord">Kurt von Hammerstein</a>, happened to be head of the Wehrmacht (German army) at the end of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weimar_Republic">Weimar Republic,</a> just before Hitler's rise to power.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLy0AmCLbh1WGMg7srniDCJUeunD0cO9T6e4jLB-nCnrGh5VmXeThRq-aXsFjreF63EVDzQGZkgsakncfL2NjRgqtgwdoMW3hjMczKQ6jFEbvk2xCzdzId4ouMCpoXLUqwQcmL-f6BSY/s1600/250px-Kurt_von_Hammerstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLy0AmCLbh1WGMg7srniDCJUeunD0cO9T6e4jLB-nCnrGh5VmXeThRq-aXsFjreF63EVDzQGZkgsakncfL2NjRgqtgwdoMW3hjMczKQ6jFEbvk2xCzdzId4ouMCpoXLUqwQcmL-f6BSY/s320/250px-Kurt_von_Hammerstein.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />Whatever stereotypes or prejudices her parentage might conjure would be entirely misplaced; Kurt von Hammerstein was a fascinating character, a man of strong opinions and succinct words, a friend of progressive trade unions, an aristrocrat, and an outspoken opponent of Adolf Hitler. He also praised laziness in intelligent men, feeling that such fellows bring 'clarity of mind and strong nerves to make difficult decisions'. He parented a large brood of remarkable, strong-willed, and free-minded children, all of whom made, or attempted to make, their mark on German history.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYALov1NCiTc1IXm6f8uPy1FIgtPl2108xS2g5TiTfcDaRoJlhrfmEBSUvXJsttekOJvJ1Di3QTIpzOcr4honTVXWqmZ_xXU5kkJxOGgf2ERweMI7ZI7WLhhkBAUmZ8mXM7WbdUIZVjZA/s1600/hammerstein-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYALov1NCiTc1IXm6f8uPy1FIgtPl2108xS2g5TiTfcDaRoJlhrfmEBSUvXJsttekOJvJ1Di3QTIpzOcr4honTVXWqmZ_xXU5kkJxOGgf2ERweMI7ZI7WLhhkBAUmZ8mXM7WbdUIZVjZA/s400/hammerstein-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Marie Therese was clearly such. The mere fact of an aristocratic woman riding a motorcycle in 1933 is exemplary, but with such a father, her motorcycle became a tool for an entirely more serious purpose. That General von Hammerstein survived Hitler's rise to power is remarkable, especially as he made no secret of his hatred of Hitler, and attempted to lure the Fuhrer to his fortified compound in Cologne<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Line"></a>, to kill him. Hitler demurred every time. As Hammerstein learned of Nazi plans to arrest and kill Jews, he supplied Marie Therese with the names of the targeted, and she rode her motorcycle as far afield as Prague (still independent) to ferry Jewish intellectuals to safety. One plucky duck.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH670Ci-6BbzQ-veNZaJyBp6rEqrOIcdC21h5ej4F6Ho2nlu6msq-ClcHgqjbjYSWFBUZIrrB5N64amG5l5QpoJs0l9xLcLv6UA_34aCk1AoNynwX3gAAREzdjsTkk759GcqEH5EzgB94/s1600/girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH670Ci-6BbzQ-veNZaJyBp6rEqrOIcdC21h5ej4F6Ho2nlu6msq-ClcHgqjbjYSWFBUZIrrB5N64amG5l5QpoJs0l9xLcLv6UA_34aCk1AoNynwX3gAAREzdjsTkk759GcqEH5EzgB94/s320/girls.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Marie Therese and her two sisters married Jewish intellectuals and labor organizers, and of course all of them had to flee Germany by the mid-1930s. Their father died of cancer in 1943, after being relieved of his military service by 1934. Her two brothers were involved in an attempt to assassinate Hitler on July 20th, 1944, and escaped because they knew a secret passageway used by the military which connected to the U-Bahn (subway). They survived the war. Other siblings had a hard time of it, as after the failed plot, her two younger siblings and their mother were interred in a concentration camp until the end of the war.<br /><br />Marie Therese and her husband John Paasche fled to Japan, as Paasche had studied Asian languages in college. They lived out the war there, 'with the police camped out across the street, watching'. In 1948 they moved to San Francisco, where Marie Therese died in 2000, aged 90. <br />Would that I had seen this photo many years ago.jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-44608142743239123162010-11-22T14:30:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.991-08:00'THE MEXICAN SUITCASE'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZqEMETXvoPvlPWuFDnzYBDOGLH-ACIvGX7wN45ikvbKhlGh0sdml2LBnSr5gUQTNcRHqnX6r2_GwcuAppok7gM5Yk0n_n7RNbq0RpmWslLB4D8oZ2W5XCP-RsmJQjX1SJ64BHIf7r7s/s1600/biker.lookup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZqEMETXvoPvlPWuFDnzYBDOGLH-ACIvGX7wN45ikvbKhlGh0sdml2LBnSr5gUQTNcRHqnX6r2_GwcuAppok7gM5Yk0n_n7RNbq0RpmWslLB4D8oZ2W5XCP-RsmJQjX1SJ64BHIf7r7s/s320/biker.lookup.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Currently on exhibit at the <a href="http://www.icp.org/museum/">International Center for Photography (ICP)</a> in New York, <a href="http://museum.icp.org/mexican_suitcase/story.html">'The Mexican Suitcase'</a> refers to three cardboard boxes smuggled out of France at the beginning of WW2, likely by the Mexican ambassador, containing 126 rolls of film, lost for 70 years, from three of the most important photojournalists to cover the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Civil_War">Spanish Civil War</a>; <a href="http://www.photo-seminars.com/Fame/capa.htm">Robert Capa</a>, <a href="http://weimarart.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html">Gerda Taro</a>, and <a href="http://museum.icp.org/museum/collections/special/chim/bio/">David 'Chim' Seymour</a>. These three young and idealistic photographers entered Spain in 1936 to document the terrible struggle between the elected Leftist government, and a half-successful coup organized by <a href="http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/general_francisco_franco.htm">General Francisco Franco</a>, backed by a coalition of monarchists, capitalists, the Catholic church, and <a href="http://remember.org/hist.root.what.html">Fascists</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ikkb4nXxlOOuu6SzQRRO3aa0glETFic7QAi55emQacxX-raIJ3ObpcgCUiNtF-c6Ep_6a2TQ8x5iNyteJz7Bn6GTB5iUReVuosMjrMY0qlk-wX67aM5soro7GHAnNQU9KR-_C8rUCb4/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+11.07.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Ikkb4nXxlOOuu6SzQRRO3aa0glETFic7QAi55emQacxX-raIJ3ObpcgCUiNtF-c6Ep_6a2TQ8x5iNyteJz7Bn6GTB5iUReVuosMjrMY0qlk-wX67aM5soro7GHAnNQU9KR-_C8rUCb4/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+11.07.34+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Hoping to sway international opinion through the use of their photographs, Capa, Taro (Capa's lover, <i>see both above</i>), and Chim took dramatic photos which changed the course of photography, if not the war. With the mantra 'if the photo isn't interesting, you're not close enough to the battle', these three were intimately involved with the <a href="http://www.lacolumna.org.uk/">Republican</a> soldiers fighting against the <a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/krales04072008.html">US- </a>and <a href="http://www.janus.umd.edu/Feb2002/spanish%20civ%20war%20tom/01.html">Fascist-backed</a> rebellion. The three photographers weren't the only foreigners helping the Republicans via media accounts; luminaries such as <a href="http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1954/hemingway-bio.html">Ernest Hemingway</a> (<i>below</i>), <a href="http://myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=p_robeson">Paul Robeson</a>, <a href="http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1971/neruda-bio.html">Pablo Neruda</a>, and <a href="http://www.george-orwell.org/">George Orwell</a> (who actually took up arms, and wrote <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homage_to_Catalonia">'Homage to Catalonia'</a> about his experiences in the war) felt the urgency of fighting the European tide of <a href="http://remember.org/hist.root.what.html">Fascism</a> which arose in the 1930s in Italy and Germany.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZQZW6MGwLqmOeIz1jJXc89sJNs6lEFykNlPnaoNkcyT0A3JGEgJ0i0t9f-Tlhwd3TsjkAseJWpuXTkCCje8TdTWrqmW9PJmNgZgTmFRDCG2d-AHDWCXxMR_Jpz6MLwSUdDzd9fWTw90/s1600/mexicase_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZQZW6MGwLqmOeIz1jJXc89sJNs6lEFykNlPnaoNkcyT0A3JGEgJ0i0t9f-Tlhwd3TsjkAseJWpuXTkCCje8TdTWrqmW9PJmNgZgTmFRDCG2d-AHDWCXxMR_Jpz6MLwSUdDzd9fWTw90/s400/mexicase_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The Republican soldier riding the motorcycle was photographed by Gerda Taro (the <i>nom de plume</i> of Gerta Pohrylle of Germany), and is hiding in the forest during an aerial attack by German <a href="http://www.aviation-history.com/heinkel/he51.html">Heinkel He51s,</a> in the battle of Navacerrada Pass, between Madrid and Segovia, early June 1937. This very battle is the setting for Ernest Hemingway's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Whom_the_Bell_Tolls">'For Whom the Bell Tolls'</a>, in which a journalist/Hemingway stand-in, Robert Jordan, is an American who travels to Spain to fight fascism. About 2800 Americans (the <a href="http://www.alba-valb.org/">'Abraham Lincoln Brigade'</a>) did so, although I doubt any brought their motorcycles, as there was an official <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_involvement_in_the_Spanish_Civil_War">US embargo</a> on providing any material aid to the Spanish, and some of the Americans were prosecuted after returning to the US.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFNtUpopKfO8SFkKj8sJFfQPEk-ER1tW7aShwFm3TwIg8LssNplzqALndkJsOGWHvKq7z7e6r94wvwrZ_kqnP0EE6CigWcK7iW4KrHhhutoxe4HAGuvL9H7JooLkmlY0FYaXPITR3NFE/s1600/biker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFNtUpopKfO8SFkKj8sJFfQPEk-ER1tW7aShwFm3TwIg8LssNplzqALndkJsOGWHvKq7z7e6r94wvwrZ_kqnP0EE6CigWcK7iW4KrHhhutoxe4HAGuvL9H7JooLkmlY0FYaXPITR3NFE/s400/biker.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The <a href="http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/home.jsp">Harley Davidson</a> looks to be a <a href="http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1934-harley-davidson-vld.htm">'VLD' model of 1932-'36</a>, their 74cubic inch sidevalve roadster, hardly suited to the kind of off-road work used in a military campaign... but of course, private motorcycles were pressed into service during war in Spain, and shortly after, the rest of Europe. The Harley has a German Bosch headlamp, which may have been a convenient replacement for the original item, after damage. No other modifications appear to have been made to the bike; Spain had no time to make specialist war equipment or even paint military machines drab or camouflage. In his leather jacket and boots, plus beret and goggles, the rider could be any of us on his Harley, out for a spin in the woods. But the look of anxiety on his face, keeping his hands on the 'bars, means our rider is ready to hightail it at the first sign of an incoming plane...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw00yq1jiOLcyhXGuF5mAp-JOSL7heF_wlCZsHtNaQU0EVsR_hebkprArFgywo4M2xAa5qi9TTKDuyseu73OFH3eEBpxljRB8nOi2rD86k5okYZ9jQVOxQLNj1F3k7VZZjy7PDjzbeyY/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+10.43.08+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw00yq1jiOLcyhXGuF5mAp-JOSL7heF_wlCZsHtNaQU0EVsR_hebkprArFgywo4M2xAa5qi9TTKDuyseu73OFH3eEBpxljRB8nOi2rD86k5okYZ9jQVOxQLNj1F3k7VZZjy7PDjzbeyY/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+10.43.08+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><i>Thanks to JJ Ward for alerting me to these photos! </i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-74630800158468141432010-11-20T02:43:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.995-08:00FIRST 'ALPINE GRAND SPORTS' AT AUCTION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kxjhoXZ3-BS5XKQ-v-FhrFbQwCJRMh1iMp3DIHZr4EndIFsSS_ca4OeFSq9bB9DlM0F1drnu2u7-PPSeyxk1orwnsUBkgtgw5njuHpx60y8kxEyctYEhAVLDB_AD3KkgxscVlOwBCtU/s1600/ags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kxjhoXZ3-BS5XKQ-v-FhrFbQwCJRMh1iMp3DIHZr4EndIFsSS_ca4OeFSq9bB9DlM0F1drnu2u7-PPSeyxk1orwnsUBkgtgw5njuHpx60y8kxEyctYEhAVLDB_AD3KkgxscVlOwBCtU/s400/ags.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The very first Brough Superior SS100 modified for Alpine speed trials in Austria is coming under the hammer at <a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/auctions/online-catalog.aspx?sn=NY050310&search=brough&p=&order=1">Phillips auction house</a> in New York, at their '<a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/auctions.aspx?sn=NY050310">Design Masters' sale</a> on Dec. 15, 2010. This machine was modified by Brough Superior chief engineer Harold 'Oily' Karslake in 1925, for George Brough himself to compete in that year's Austrian Trial <i>(see below)</i>. The bike was not greatly modified from standard, essentially being fitted with a lower compression ratio and more comfortable riding position, and was in full touring spec with pannier boxes and Bonniksen speedo. That George Brough won the speed award in the event is the stuff of legend, and led to replicas of his machines being called the 'Alpine Grand Sports' model.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEL7teVFVlRFdFG4OSMCR0dq2bWGXXsKr9iEJoDyud2HGshoAGxN0CO0JdBpSb4ee8_K60_hRf0j6H-tF25wiKcMe0gkIRfHbGiMeXOiXh116oHuwVmIgFVAubQ6lARlHvrgNLQVRR5gU/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+2.38.37+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEL7teVFVlRFdFG4OSMCR0dq2bWGXXsKr9iEJoDyud2HGshoAGxN0CO0JdBpSb4ee8_K60_hRf0j6H-tF25wiKcMe0gkIRfHbGiMeXOiXh116oHuwVmIgFVAubQ6lARlHvrgNLQVRR5gU/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+2.38.37+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />This is a well-documented motorcycle with an incredible provenance, having also won a Gold Medal in 1925's London to Exeter Trial...besides being George Brough's personal machine for the year. The reserve for the sale looks to be at the $600,000 mark: if the machine meets reserve, it will be catapulted to the top of the heap for<a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-20-at-auction-updated.html"> motorcycle sales at auction</a>, and likely start a new wave of top-end motorcycle sales...at Art Auctions! The venue in this case is well chosen; by placing the Brough in context of a 'Design' sale at a major <i>non-motoring</i> auction house, the seller is clearly appealing to a different audience; one with no grease under its fingernails, but who appreciate aesthetic excellence.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTYv_VbI3L38uvRx6PlUzoeJCp2ydti7C0_xPEGZ0netIdRF_XTsvx1GLBvlM5BF7hLd2vG9vJ6knVnXQ3ubwsqGmP8ZbWkE1KAA_UbbWXcEGEjoeiMKCO-jZzZE-hQ2Qq9fvKkzaINM/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+2.38.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTYv_VbI3L38uvRx6PlUzoeJCp2ydti7C0_xPEGZ0netIdRF_XTsvx1GLBvlM5BF7hLd2vG9vJ6knVnXQ3ubwsqGmP8ZbWkE1KAA_UbbWXcEGEjoeiMKCO-jZzZE-hQ2Qq9fvKkzaINM/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-20+at+2.38.58+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>(above, FP Dixon, with George Brough)</i><br />Auction results for SS100s and other Broughs have bucked any trends towards softening prices, and have remained strong through the recent economic crisis. It has been said many times that art and collectibles are currently considered a safer investment than the stock market, although prices in the fine arts world have softened for all but the most coveted 'blue chip' artists...in concert with motorcycle sales. If this Phillips auction is successful, it will certainly bring more of the <i>creme de la creme</i> of motorcycling to 'art' auctions, in hopes to attract a better-heeled audience. The same logic is applied to the inclusion of motorcycles to high-end automotive auctions ('they have more money'), although results on that front have been mixed, and no higher than a standard 'motorcycle auction'.<br />In any case, this will be interesting...and I'll try to be there!<br /><br /><i>Many thanks to <a href="http://www.phillipsdepury.com/">Phillips de Pury and Co.</a>, and <a href="http://www.brough-superior.com/">Brough Superior Motorcycles</a> for the photos!</i>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-74543218255614360262010-11-19T04:11:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:44.998-08:00'CHAI RACERS' IN MUMBAI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE40A6wDV4gqVEiKenztWgUBPqADg7AS3V_D1PQUFctqh2do7gUGwrb94TxZk1UIP_5xJzwg9ZSWgfivL7-tQQChh70aPZyy6CqEGLn7xq4zX-SKSAAcjUATrVOEymEzaPnX1jB_NGKvM/s1600/chairacer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE40A6wDV4gqVEiKenztWgUBPqADg7AS3V_D1PQUFctqh2do7gUGwrb94TxZk1UIP_5xJzwg9ZSWgfivL7-tQQChh70aPZyy6CqEGLn7xq4zX-SKSAAcjUATrVOEymEzaPnX1jB_NGKvM/s400/chairacer2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Photographer <a href="http://www.wix.com/thierryvincent/thierryvincent">Thierry Vincent </a>(<i>below</i>) spent the past two years in India, documenting the changing motorcycle culture in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai">Mumbai</a>; his show 'Mumbaikers' is currently on view at <a href="http://www.tendance-roadster.com/contact.htm">Tendance Roadster</a> in Paris, a <a href="http://www.royalenfield.com/">Royal Enfield</a> dealer (what else!) in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levallois-Perret">Levallois</a> district. Vincent's photographs offer a glimpse of an emerging world, one which we take for granted in the 'developed' countries - motorcycling as a leisure/lifestyle activity, and not a basic and cheap mode of transportation.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqYGsRQYR8MaSWKrBFKsQ6EmrmZr2a35H3Kz2cR-GZpOXLVZBqrl09m3WGfGlZ5wMw5AEGO6XsnoEz7JsI0TEGFPdCdZiqx48S2OUzZtrP2k-4sUZyO0zCGqjrOVtBjAj-S5hi87-l40/s1600/thierry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqYGsRQYR8MaSWKrBFKsQ6EmrmZr2a35H3Kz2cR-GZpOXLVZBqrl09m3WGfGlZ5wMw5AEGO6XsnoEz7JsI0TEGFPdCdZiqx48S2OUzZtrP2k-4sUZyO0zCGqjrOVtBjAj-S5hi87-l40/s400/thierry.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />As India explodes into a capitalist powerhouse, a vast middle class has emerged, who have money to spare on our favorite pastime. Okay, maybe second favorite, but I mean motorcycles of course. Suddenly, Royal Enfields and other home-grown products (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajdoot_350">Rajdoot</a>, anyone? - <i>see below</i>. How about an industrial diesel?) are viewed with new eyes, as the raw material for customization and personalization. The patterns of modification are inspired by English Café Racers and American Customs, both of which are now global currency thanks to television shows, books, and countless photoblogs.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1GzuxIeLLY6tfrr0ll65ZTZCZ1tK0WhgjM5sSeoFCdK7XKj4APPE6JWAb1tlRtikOBjIjKGCA7Z-zVz3QkKbTNmMp21n3DHcbkbTIZm7ksKwx4lKp-FfgcQepFmFcINwPq0eFLRYgAA/s1600/acha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1GzuxIeLLY6tfrr0ll65ZTZCZ1tK0WhgjM5sSeoFCdK7XKj4APPE6JWAb1tlRtikOBjIjKGCA7Z-zVz3QkKbTNmMp21n3DHcbkbTIZm7ksKwx4lKp-FfgcQepFmFcINwPq0eFLRYgAA/s400/acha.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br />The first Custom builder in India (apparently), <a href="http://www.vardenchi.com/">Akshai Varde</a> <i>(above)</i>, uses mostly Indian powerplants in his specials, entirely hand-built in a small workshop, using the most basic hand tools. He begins with an idea -no sketches, no bucks, no CAD programs- and begins hammering steel sheets with to realize his desired shapes. The same working methodology is employed to build frames from scratch or modify existing chassis - a true garage artisan.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeOROhhMDGEqi_iFLdoktwLjR9nJHAl6KRKYkt3H1h48HmKWmFAkL4iSSRrOwjsfoid08OS1UtRfoiWwqek-4ZcPS43TXinO9b50046kPW2R2RImt-ePTOtrXvjTVCTJUzTNgzlVIazg/s1600/workshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeOROhhMDGEqi_iFLdoktwLjR9nJHAl6KRKYkt3H1h48HmKWmFAkL4iSSRrOwjsfoid08OS1UtRfoiWwqek-4ZcPS43TXinO9b50046kPW2R2RImt-ePTOtrXvjTVCTJUzTNgzlVIazg/s400/workshop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The small capacity of his engines and obvious nods toward American Customs give an odd impression to eyes raised on Harley- or Triumph-powered creations. In this, they are reminiscent to late 50s/early 60s Japanese motorcycles, which blended Teutonic angularity with Sci-fi film props...at least to Western observers; they made perfect sense at home. Now of course, a <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/suzuki-history/1956/1956_Colleda_250TT_800.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.suzukicycles.org/Colleda/TT.shtml&usg=__hgtSWUTJscOLmh5tYEEkyLjTGYY=&h=600&w=800&sz=65&hl=en&start=0&sig2=fES369hKUw3jZCQuuyKWug&zoom=1&tbnid=hQ_H3XwE6ErXnM:&tbnh=151&tbnw=201&ei=ymfmTO2wAtCEswaOw8mtCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsuzuki%2Bcolleda%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D902%26bih%3D607%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=158&vpy=86&dur=2965&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=152&ty=212&oei=ymfmTO2wAtCEswaOw8mtCw&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0">Suzuki Colleda</a> is simply the height of cool. Will this happen with nascent Indian creations? Time will tell.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAwwdcN6ATK5YjyhW1HDntBX8dgx9RfvPaCe2SrndpWQS4bubUpmEZ1S59SDXSIGrFgb86J0GJNrSvxAXNSK9eKmvcIQjhDcyZw9jcGfS_6O86yjWmhi1NIj9YQ_n-Vo2B0Qdu5sco6U/s1600/rider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAwwdcN6ATK5YjyhW1HDntBX8dgx9RfvPaCe2SrndpWQS4bubUpmEZ1S59SDXSIGrFgb86J0GJNrSvxAXNSK9eKmvcIQjhDcyZw9jcGfS_6O86yjWmhi1NIj9YQ_n-Vo2B0Qdu5sco6U/s400/rider.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Varde's customers are often <a href="http://www.bollywood.com/">Bollywood</a> actors, looking for a little flash, perhaps some badass cred... the popular response to his art has afforded the purchase a new workshop, double the size of his previous garage <i>(pictured above)</i>. The newly well-heeled are looking for a status symbol...and I say this with intention, as India has very strict laws against any kind of modifications to a motorcycle. Thus, all of the machines pictured here are completely illegal: café or chopper, they're literally outlaws.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lKfu-EsZJgG-KHBHb15jZBzZlYI_uwUhYEeC-KekMjgXswiBOsGi9sV4XjNgKOFfDdd3IaCtlL4jp9DEKTEzZzpk2kn6WxCiGqHnzqfe7LEvciBpO5WYwVWdoqpTRX8gLYSmefhcgQw/s1600/rider2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lKfu-EsZJgG-KHBHb15jZBzZlYI_uwUhYEeC-KekMjgXswiBOsGi9sV4XjNgKOFfDdd3IaCtlL4jp9DEKTEzZzpk2kn6WxCiGqHnzqfe7LEvciBpO5WYwVWdoqpTRX8gLYSmefhcgQw/s400/rider2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The prospect of riding an unregisterable machine is daunting to a degree, and all of the 'riding' photos are taken at the crack of dawn, when little attention will be drawn to the bikes; plus, there is less traffic than the usual sardine jam typical of urban Indian roadways, making a photograph possible. Ultimately, the solution to riding an illegal motorcycle is bribery, but I suspect the new owners are more interested in possessing a unique creation from a celebrated artisan, than feeling the diesel-choked breeze in their hair.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeLVbXcBg2E9ry5ADbPmaHAVAgw4pDDf73Qa4cxN2FGgbmQBkGoWh6-Vkcjl2F2cMJAl423Uq64rZ9vj5qq0don0hHiaozeUxX-pcDXlaXWGacd3W3v4RIYH4gqsZ86KbKVnGhxobagY/s1600/captainindia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeLVbXcBg2E9ry5ADbPmaHAVAgw4pDDf73Qa4cxN2FGgbmQBkGoWh6-Vkcjl2F2cMJAl423Uq64rZ9vj5qq0don0hHiaozeUxX-pcDXlaXWGacd3W3v4RIYH4gqsZ86KbKVnGhxobagY/s400/captainindia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Speaking of diesels...in the 1960s and 80s a spate of industrial single-cylinder diesel engines were produced in India, which have become fodder for custom builders. These machines are quite slow (80kph tops) but return amazing fuel economy (200+mpg) and stone reliability. Concerning speed; with the country's incredible population density, there are virtually no roads on which one can ride over 50mph, so a huge, powerful engine is an exercise in futility. In this context, a chuff-chuff diesel has a kind of slow-motion elegance, especially housed in a 'Captain India' chopper frame! 'Jatu' has ridden this machine with sleeping bag strapped to the rear fender, all across the subcontinent, thousands of kilometers at a stretch, in true 'Easy Rider' style. Only, slow.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuJt1pDiNtdHNb3tl1kYPcIo8x6gHWx2c4cktXazI_wH_DV4GjBwwAhOXoKVrq_dI8Z21ZYkrB1NpMt-jNhrp9ln9H5FqrVKwUw9QJrRS1dNa0LTeicET6EaJPsguxq1QL1R6xWybR94/s1600/sutra1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuJt1pDiNtdHNb3tl1kYPcIo8x6gHWx2c4cktXazI_wH_DV4GjBwwAhOXoKVrq_dI8Z21ZYkrB1NpMt-jNhrp9ln9H5FqrVKwUw9QJrRS1dNa0LTeicET6EaJPsguxq1QL1R6xWybR94/s400/sutra1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>While all of Vincent's photos are interesting, what fascinates me is the seed of <i>Indian-ness</i> emerging from the adopted format of these bikes. In these last photos, Ashkai Varde's mother, a celebrated painter, has been commissioned to paint a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%ABtra"><i>sutra</i></a> about <a href="http://hinduism.about.com/od/lordhanuman/a/hanuman.htm">Hanuman</a> (the monkey god) on a tank for a Bollywood actor. These shots are a whisper of the Possible - what could be a genuinely native design aesthetic. Incorporating the incredibly rich visual language of India as source material for innovative motorcycle design is a very exciting prospect indeed.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7QYkW93nKc7h8wY6-DtXPhpSu_duXU2Q7x8t9QrlgSJLBxIBw-Ly3hNbmriY-FBs_3nrHg-NOGdsBMAPrEsDXfOW3GbUeXZAdwg1wmZSaP0C0-mwuoWIGMDWv-LN5CnqSCKnUKxBpTA/s1600/sutramom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7QYkW93nKc7h8wY6-DtXPhpSu_duXU2Q7x8t9QrlgSJLBxIBw-Ly3hNbmriY-FBs_3nrHg-NOGdsBMAPrEsDXfOW3GbUeXZAdwg1wmZSaP0C0-mwuoWIGMDWv-LN5CnqSCKnUKxBpTA/s400/sutramom.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br />Many thanks to <a href="http://www.wix.com/thierryvincent/thierryvincent">Thierry Vincent </a>for allowing the use of these lo-res images, my photos of his photos, on <i>The Vintagent</i>. His actual photographs are beautiful, technically very well done, and for sale!jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-73819496361107598982010-11-17T13:57:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:45.002-08:00ALDO PIGORINI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3E0kXqIAgEwM7MCRVWHe5Jov1aLBCK9feAcd3WA_M-3iSf3U-eUSRf7z-MU_L8g29NeUUeHGAdovZT9dWXsJSUEf2jyeMIesk0iceD6mbSm_Ie4Au4kIN9bW1Ldmv9-MFJlLwchj7rk/s1600/monferrato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3E0kXqIAgEwM7MCRVWHe5Jov1aLBCK9feAcd3WA_M-3iSf3U-eUSRf7z-MU_L8g29NeUUeHGAdovZT9dWXsJSUEf2jyeMIesk0iceD6mbSm_Ie4Au4kIN9bW1Ldmv9-MFJlLwchj7rk/s400/monferrato.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />By chance, as usual, an article in the <a href="http://www.velocetteowners.com/">Velocette Owner's Club</a> newsletter, <a href="http://www.velocetteowners.com/fishtail/fishtail.html">'Fishtail'</a>, featured a few scans from a 1932 Italian motorcycle magazine, <a href="http://www.motociclismomagazine.it/">'Motociclismo'</a>. The concern of the scanner was the Velocette MkIII KTT shown as winner in the 350cc class of two races; my eyebrows raised when I noted the rider, 'Aldo' Pigorini, one of the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/11/scuderia-ferrari-motorcycle-racing.html">Scuderia Ferrari</a> riders in 1932 and '33.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Tfp5MCTtV7zyAPUINgCxvUvM45lX9R0-cfPvkA2rxm-HG1_le2pxTmjlTwdeXNa0watpz1o5tq4P1jOsim2HRJOtByigUjxZjQr_MHgpAXjuyirAK8bBVGz8Iuj8vzfK-AMMQtrB8i0/s1600/aldo.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Tfp5MCTtV7zyAPUINgCxvUvM45lX9R0-cfPvkA2rxm-HG1_le2pxTmjlTwdeXNa0watpz1o5tq4P1jOsim2HRJOtByigUjxZjQr_MHgpAXjuyirAK8bBVGz8Iuj8vzfK-AMMQtrB8i0/s400/aldo.2.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><br />Pigorini was very successful with the Scuderia, recording many wins on the team's Rudges (both 350cc and 500cc), and winning the Italian Championship in '34 (500cc). His talents shone while riding his Velocette, a year before joining Enzo's motorcycle team. The top photo shows Pigorini immediately after winning the <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagliolo_Monferrato&ei=IFXkTOWcGomFhQeZmN2zDg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDgQ7gEwAzgU&prev=/search%3Fq%3DCircuito%2Bdel%2BMonferrato%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3Dh7q%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26prmd%3Div">Circuito del Monferrato</a> race; his race average in the 350cc class beat the previous 500cc lap record! The Velocette was a good'un! And of course, the rider was very talented.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yT67fCDeGIjiFbrZ1FbLPxGj3j6vbXSKjlR9ga7VRw3-1kQVGtiqB_oRryM9WSoEOcVMqnK0qb2QER7691igipWIHaewm8ygKVL6xdPwxfqGLmqnb29xJgav3HVr_R0hvyF39tAKbwU/s1600/aldo.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yT67fCDeGIjiFbrZ1FbLPxGj3j6vbXSKjlR9ga7VRw3-1kQVGtiqB_oRryM9WSoEOcVMqnK0qb2QER7691igipWIHaewm8ygKVL6xdPwxfqGLmqnb29xJgav3HVr_R0hvyF39tAKbwU/s400/aldo.1.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br />The theme of the second article mentioning Pigorini laments that in 1932, motorcycles had ceased to dominate hillclimbs for absolute speed. Automobiles with 'high power to weight ratios' were suddenly able to out-speed two-wheelers up a mountain course... often with '<i>motorcyclists driving them</i>'! Well, that seems to confirm Enzo Ferrari's assumptions, at any rate, and must have figured into his thinking when forming Scuderia Ferrari 'Moto'; he had seen evidence that motorcyclists have great sensitivity to road surface and a visceral understanding of the limits of traction. Plus, it must be added, considerable bravery...while it may have been an illusion that racing cars were 'safer' than motorcycles at the time, every competition motorcyclist of the era had an intimate knowledge of how close one's skin hovers over tarmac. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUPNoRrQmifSywI-pke4pGNwMVia0RQDOROQ58G_FYfBpZr71PY0BWV4JdM5nc5buSRDbbQmDcpfslrjCQD7zMvDxRLrbcsoojMDH22UZe_mIDhl55X7RHO1l93Hi0j735fCunQuKlVo/s1600/biell+oropa.final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUPNoRrQmifSywI-pke4pGNwMVia0RQDOROQ58G_FYfBpZr71PY0BWV4JdM5nc5buSRDbbQmDcpfslrjCQD7zMvDxRLrbcsoojMDH22UZe_mIDhl55X7RHO1l93Hi0j735fCunQuKlVo/s400/biell+oropa.final.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>A little about the Velocette MkIII KTT on which he won the races; this is a 1932 year model, effectively the same machine as the first 'KTT' of 1929, but incorporating a few subtle changes to cam profile, oiling, brakes, etc; 350cc overhead camshaft engine, cam drive by shaft-and-bevel (later copied by Norton for the 'Carrol' motor...it should be called the 'Goodman' motor!), a beautifully balanced motorcycle with perfect handling and tireless power output.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPog39pH4bEXj3WTVkcAFSn_SR7rSzRkt6d9rMoOPOlZ5GWn4cTjU0PxBmjAFu5qzsEPtkIGBVuDdWbPMUZ3-15mBhVWEhjbUVcKJ6oyRnczMo8sz6-iGWrw3KWaMAT9mHJYu4yYY0FbA/s1600/mule.sepia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPog39pH4bEXj3WTVkcAFSn_SR7rSzRkt6d9rMoOPOlZ5GWn4cTjU0PxBmjAFu5qzsEPtkIGBVuDdWbPMUZ3-15mBhVWEhjbUVcKJ6oyRnczMo8sz6-iGWrw3KWaMAT9mHJYu4yYY0FbA/s400/mule.sepia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />How do I know? I have <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2006/10/riding-mule-33-velocette-ktt-on-dirt.html">a 1933 example</a>...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-52005474721006771122010-11-14T17:47:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:45.009-08:00SCUDERIA FERRARI MOTORCYCLES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFvxaf-810EBQ2bz8OgyoaSORT5ldqHK4j1EJQ8fIQfkuWtN_o5V3IVWUW7DTt6xtffdxx2moX5oetGNoyPZbIhb_jp38MqKdvE20DhIXB5U3zxs2XJx61kJYhB3NiOnRw5ZmQSMtlfM/s1600/scuderia.ferrari.rudge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFvxaf-810EBQ2bz8OgyoaSORT5ldqHK4j1EJQ8fIQfkuWtN_o5V3IVWUW7DTt6xtffdxx2moX5oetGNoyPZbIhb_jp38MqKdvE20DhIXB5U3zxs2XJx61kJYhB3NiOnRw5ZmQSMtlfM/s400/scuderia.ferrari.rudge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It comes as no surprise to learn that <a href="http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/ferrari_bio.htm">Enzo Ferrari</a> was a motorcycle enthusiast in his youth, and reputedly owned an <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/08/first-4-cylinder-racer-at-isle-of-man.html">FN 4-cylinder</a> and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henderson_Motorcycle#1912_Henderson_Four">Henderson 4-cylinder</a> motorcycle. The Ferrari family had a flourishing metalworks business when Enzo was young, but WW1 saw the conscription and death of both his father and brother. After being conscripted himself, as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrier">mule farrier</a>, the <a href="http://virus.stanford.edu/uda/">flu epidemic of 1918</a> nearly killed him; he returned home, and was forced to quit school, taking a job as a metalworker for a local fire department. He soon joined a small company, CMN, which converted war-surplus vehicles to civilian use. This is probably where he acquired his Henderson, as Italy was an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_I">ally of the US in WW1</a>, and US forces were notorious for abandoning equipment - <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqB-0EeeeIiK0MuNZKrRECcujfoeLRAKR0IbYnGg9Zq1YA6Vo-F37FrtMUiM0IQBgbph8ouuwJkqNnYnFpZzluV9fe1eI9mHNu_bhoeS_B84scAtT5wA_RRQ1R6P7rjRR4azgi0HZWhc/s1600/800px-Henderson-1918.jpg&imgrefurl=http://goawaygarage.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html&usg=__igx3aW_FW9z2CWfb_BxHeeG94cg=&h=476&w=800&sz=129&hl=en&start=0&sig2=j3YgN7q4BlfAfhxNXQv7LA&zoom=0&tbnid=5PDRTRhnOtAWCM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=143&ei=CfngTLGbFcGgOqLKmdUO&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmilitary%2Bhenderson%2Bmotorcycle%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D984%26bih%3D610%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=770&vpy=300&dur=108&hovh=85&hovw=143&tx=54&ty=18&oei=CfngTLGbFcGgOqLKmdUO&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0">even Hendersons</a>! <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E9e3MNGTrdRBYv3vPGNQyu-zIEGsPaatleuf0Bn7UU3KfqOJnFVzOu3r04lcUJ-SQD58_NCz6Cn1_PjOzMrSAvPW5ztS3uuIsjath6AuMrA748MCLQJ0_vtnExF5wdwhnMrXZEjXn2A/s1600/enzo.young.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3E9e3MNGTrdRBYv3vPGNQyu-zIEGsPaatleuf0Bn7UU3KfqOJnFVzOu3r04lcUJ-SQD58_NCz6Cn1_PjOzMrSAvPW5ztS3uuIsjath6AuMrA748MCLQJ0_vtnExF5wdwhnMrXZEjXn2A/s400/enzo.young.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><br />As test driver for CMN, he developed a taste for competition, and by 1919 was racing cars at events like the <a href="http://www.vpracing.com/The_Races/Targa_Florio/targa_florio.html">Targa Florio</a>, doing well enough to secure a job at <a href="http://www.alfaromeo.com/com/cmsen/homepage/pages/home.aspx?outputXml=true&CustomResponse=WebCrawler">Alfa Romeo</a>, where his courageous driving style won him a spot on the Works Alfa team. Alas, the passionate Italian had a crisis of confidence before his first real GP (the French of 1926), and bowed out of the race, and the team. He remained at Alfas though, competing in minor events and doing well, but becoming more interested in management of his Alfa Romeo dealership in Modena, and his new family. In 1929, he formed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Scuderia_Ferrari">Scuderia Ferrari</a> as a scheme to manage Alfa Romeo racing at a time when Alfa temporarily disbanded its Works team. Scuderia pilots were given full mechanical support by the factory, plus delivery of their cars to races, and sponsorship of Pirelli tires, Shell oil, and Bosch electrics. Ferrari immediately had 50 full- and part-time members, a veritable Alfa army, which did very well at races, especially when another motorcyclist, <a href="http://formula1history.com/nuvo_bio.htm">Tazio Nuvolari</a> <i>(below, on bike)</i>, joined the team.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eFsO3jIwv2mmbFFmNQQ8XljZmtExsMQAnWfc3i-oz8X5azsUADnWbZqJXJ5IXU9zLZvf9iwz9oqG6PxLpkWOlyB5oAWmYsiQsJek1Vo97xwCtps-fGbfkPvV6CGAw3IS27Uc6aN07zw/s1600/bianchi3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eFsO3jIwv2mmbFFmNQQ8XljZmtExsMQAnWfc3i-oz8X5azsUADnWbZqJXJ5IXU9zLZvf9iwz9oqG6PxLpkWOlyB5oAWmYsiQsJek1Vo97xwCtps-fGbfkPvV6CGAw3IS27Uc6aN07zw/s400/bianchi3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Nuvolari had been racing with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bianchi_%28motorcycles%29%27">Bianchi</a> for several years, and was exceptionally successful with their groundbreaking <a href="http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Classic%20Racers/bianchi_350_freccia_celeste_1927.htm">'Frecchia Celeste'</a> (Blue Arrow) model, one of the earliest double-overhead camshaft racing machines. Introduced in 1925, the 348cc machine was technically a decade ahead of the competition, using a shaft drive to power the cambox, and gears to spin the cams. A proper oil pump (at a time when most bikes used total-loss oiling) and unit-construction engine/gearbox with gear primary drive put the Bianchi on top of Italian racing through 1930, and 'Nivola' gained the 350cc European Championship on this machine in 1925 (there being no World Championship series until 1949). Nuvolari raced both cars and motorcycles from 1925, joining Scuderia Ferrari in 1929. By 1930, he had given up racing his beloved Bianchis to concentrate on the far more lucrative sport of automobile racing, for Alfa Romeo. He is considered among the Eternals of racing on two and four wheels, a champion at both (in rare company with <a href="http://formula1history.com/varzi_bio.htm">Achille Varzi</a>, <a href="http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/ascari_bio.htm">Alberto Ascari</a>, and <a href="http://www.johnsurtees.com/">John Surtees</a>).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpGnWGGPd-hmRJ0i_pLbUJ6a1ZU7KZoLUW1y5WWt8SoULtfQPBmmjVaQyGL67TjC-rwyvQDuS1Bk7wBs9pydC4s7d_V4VHZtMY0KMu3cy6QIKMWDS3-sVGJ7zZoKVqV3j6aGJvvvoMp4/s1600/varzi.sunbeam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpGnWGGPd-hmRJ0i_pLbUJ6a1ZU7KZoLUW1y5WWt8SoULtfQPBmmjVaQyGL67TjC-rwyvQDuS1Bk7wBs9pydC4s7d_V4VHZtMY0KMu3cy6QIKMWDS3-sVGJ7zZoKVqV3j6aGJvvvoMp4/s400/varzi.sunbeam.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br />In 1932, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Scuderia_Ferrari">Scuderia Ferrari</a>, now an extremely successful racing team, employed similar tactics - supplying and delivering bikes, offering full support and entry fees - to create a motorcycle racing division. Enzo Ferrari felt motorcycle racing was an excellent training ground for racing drivers, as the two most successful members of Scuderia, <a href="http://formula1history.com/varzi_bio.htm">Achille Varzi</a> (<i>who raced Sunbeams, above</i>) and Tazio Nuvolari, were champion motorcyclists before turning to four wheels. It may have been hubristic to think an endless supply of such drivers as Varzi and Nuvolari can be cultivated to win Grands Prix in cars by motorcycle training, but it had been a happy fishing pond thus far. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAdBgOc0MQH2i9nhXo0sM4ViMAXELEw2jzrV9gQ8cj0KdUs4-A6-npoG3dOVBKVlr7QcJDJgxlWOjKH7xbibQwlvmHxiW4UzNFNuhWfXjN6VVi1QfWl4hExH3MvR8ZOX5oykfVYkK2As/s1600/scuderia.ferrari.rudges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAdBgOc0MQH2i9nhXo0sM4ViMAXELEw2jzrV9gQ8cj0KdUs4-A6-npoG3dOVBKVlr7QcJDJgxlWOjKH7xbibQwlvmHxiW4UzNFNuhWfXjN6VVi1QfWl4hExH3MvR8ZOX5oykfVYkK2As/s400/scuderia.ferrari.rudges.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Not that the 'Scuderia Moto' was unsuccessful at motorcycle racing! They purchased two of the best <i>available</i> racing marques (and I use this term advisedly - there were amazing racing motorcycles at Moto Guzzi and Bianchi, but they were not for sale!) of 1932, <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2009/01/rickards-first-love-1930-norton-cs1.html">Norton 'Internationals' </a>and <a href="http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/museum/exhibits/Rudge-Whitworth/1933-500cc-Rudge-TT-Replica/50/">Rudge 'TT Replicas'</a>. Norton was at the beginning of a 30-year winning streak, and Rudge was at the peak of their racing success in 350cc and 500cc races all over Europe and England, a moment which passed very quickly, as the Depression curtailed any further expenditure in racing development beyond their pushrod four-valve engine.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbt1ra1L2DYZ1oFvX9ZQl0naU7YXcgWoE6A2MKaItZng2Fggzy8Qzxa0XTNEDWW12MqT2HpjHf5ZlYspx1wauuIwcZBQTVuPz4BuWKDlR_KHLEdM1QOOFGI0itYoRZF4QZkbTB-WP-sdY/s1600/sf.4rudges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbt1ra1L2DYZ1oFvX9ZQl0naU7YXcgWoE6A2MKaItZng2Fggzy8Qzxa0XTNEDWW12MqT2HpjHf5ZlYspx1wauuIwcZBQTVuPz4BuWKDlR_KHLEdM1QOOFGI0itYoRZF4QZkbTB-WP-sdY/s400/sf.4rudges.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The choice of the Rudge 'TT Replica' for Scuderia Ferrari may well involve the use of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudge-Whitworth">Rudge-Whitworth</a> wheels on Alfa Romeo racing cars (<i>see Tazio Nuvolari atop a pair of Rudge wheels below)</i>. <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/11/history-of-alloy-rims-beginning.html">As noted in a previous post</a>, Rudge-Whitworth invented a wheel mounting system using splines on a hollow axle, and quick-change central 'spinner' to hold the wheel - allowing very fast wheel changes during a race. In 1922, <a href="http://www.borrani.co.uk/">Carlo Borrani</a> took out a license to manufacture Rudge wheels in Milan, and soon many sporting and racing cars used Rudge wheels (Alfa Romeo, Mercedez Benz, Auto Union, Lancia, etc). Thus, with his employment at the Alfa Romeo factory, Enzo Ferrari had much contact with Rudge personnel...and the racing team jerseys certainly advertised 'Rudge Whitworth Coventry', as well as sponsor Pirelli tires, so it was clear a commercial tie-in with Rudge was involved...the team did NOT wear Scuderia Ferrari sweaters! [<i>There are accounts which claim Ferrari had an interest in a Rudge motorcycle dealership, but I've yet to confirm this.</i>]<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSIUAH0c4j2TCRjfvKlILVjMYtVFTnw-fBvFLjwIt1YX6Mq2l4byEp2kvtZhxpp1AG2J7yDXrKh3dyOb_FtWQ9xnpW_WLwgU_o8Gqdb-6cmrguFVIiCJuzR2klnDu3eclUPkqKWn9VqY/s1600/tazio.wheels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSIUAH0c4j2TCRjfvKlILVjMYtVFTnw-fBvFLjwIt1YX6Mq2l4byEp2kvtZhxpp1AG2J7yDXrKh3dyOb_FtWQ9xnpW_WLwgU_o8Gqdb-6cmrguFVIiCJuzR2klnDu3eclUPkqKWn9VqY/s320/tazio.wheels.jpg" width="139" /></a></div><br />The use of English racing motorcycles for an Italian team rankled the press and populace of Italy, as they were justifiably proud of their technically superior home products...and let's be clear here, it was not the English, Americans, Germans, French, or Belgians who produced dohc four-cylinder racers, sohc twin-cylinder racers, and sohc and dohc singles, supercharged and normally aspirated, by 1932! It was Moto Guzzi, Benelli, and Gilera who made by far the most advanced racing motorcycles during the 1930s. Thus, it was a bit of a shock for the Italian populace, ardent supporters of all things racing, that Ferrari chose English machines to race. But, Scuderia Ferrari was not (yet!) a manufacturer of racing machinery, and was limited to over-the-counter racers on two wheels.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDoOcXz3idiUfhIL8Fz0AKFXqOr9X-WI7hyDG4ABhGtMeHbYYMlecVW6UYRQ5VlzDz7Nej5o64iHbOX7q7FU92epnWmtQtwSFnoPdi0cktJqJApTufWwzMBBbmukA5uRgw_7fJGvlU38/s1600/mignon.dohc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDoOcXz3idiUfhIL8Fz0AKFXqOr9X-WI7hyDG4ABhGtMeHbYYMlecVW6UYRQ5VlzDz7Nej5o64iHbOX7q7FU92epnWmtQtwSFnoPdi0cktJqJApTufWwzMBBbmukA5uRgw_7fJGvlU38/s400/mignon.dohc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />But the use of English machines wasn't assured. Enzo Ferrari had become used to winning races, and his motorcycling team needed to win. He was also as patriotic as the next Italian, and did in fact seek Italian machinery to race for his team. Local to Ferrari's home in Modena was the Mignon factory, headed by the talented engineer <a href="http://www.johnstarkeycars.com/pages/articles/articles_01.html">Vittorio Guerzoni.</a> Mignon in 1931 was developing an advanced chain-driven overhead camshaft (and dohc too) single-cylinder racer <b><i>[above]</i></b>, with unit-construction engine and four-speed gearbox, which looked very promising. In tests though, the machine was clearly no match for the English hardware which were currently winning races. That year, Ferrari approached Guerzoni with the idea of collaborating to produce a new engine for the Scuderia. A racing Norton 'International' was purchased and disassembled, and Guerzoni, with his engineer <a href="http://books.google.fr/books?id=AcadRoNSWeEC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=bellentani+ferrari&source=bl&ots=VNUCYhigIH&sig=qITSZ0MTGPpHZO599tZVd1d4ghs&hl=en&ei=OXngTJbfKsaJhQeDosyhDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=bellentani%20ferrari&f=false">Vittorio Bellentani </a>(who later built the very <a href="http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ferrari/1940-ferrari-auto-avio-costruzioni-815-ar78772.html">first Ferrari racing car - the '815' </a>- in 1940) set about copying what he felt was the best of the design, and created a shaft-and-bevel single cylinder ohc engine more along the lines of the Norton. In tests it too proved no match for the Norton, and the project was abandoned. Enzo Ferrari found greater pride in victory than nationalism. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpc-68EzsojOWpR7g5wFFRoA0JI2Z6ync9GjR80YCSxD2Z6D9pLlHoXpvtBE6VQyX0V7zkY_GT4cEY2fELkSgY-JrX6ER_ZryuRNAxQaJxYHFOXNJHaYqIAr3NDFGxklfvlKW5AEfuyU/s1600/piero.taruffi.norton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpc-68EzsojOWpR7g5wFFRoA0JI2Z6ync9GjR80YCSxD2Z6D9pLlHoXpvtBE6VQyX0V7zkY_GT4cEY2fELkSgY-JrX6ER_ZryuRNAxQaJxYHFOXNJHaYqIAr3NDFGxklfvlKW5AEfuyU/s400/piero.taruffi.norton.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><br />The motorcycle division of Scuderia Ferrari shortly equaled the success of its four-wheeled stablemates, winning and placing with stunning frequency. Rider <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Aldrighetti">Giordano Aldrighetti</a> had particular success in 1932, winning almost every 250cc and 350cc event entered, including a Gold Medal in the <a href="http://rokonron.50megs.com/isdt/">'32 ISDT.</a> Ferrari moved him up to 500cc for 1933, and he won the Italian championship. Aldo Pigorini won the 350cc championship in 1934. <a href="http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/dg.htm">Mario Ghersi</a> and <a href="http://www.500race.org/Men/Tarfuffi.htm">Piero Taruffi </a><i>(above, on the Norton he raced for SF)</i> became very well-known riders in international competition. It is possible the Ferrari team didn't pay well, as the personnel changed dramatically in its 3 years. Aldrighetti was the only team member for all 3 years.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdJWI69XKhpKO4TQcaC43nkJfxql2ZCUd3bqi7DWTQ146Oj5ES6flq8Bd1CucCJXc-1pEL9iWgPpj-yUtRFNTCTmU8kEAZE2hK8fdXKWzkNz7Uz14rPGcT3Y9LXx8RJVE1Fdo3ka9vxQ/s1600/cars.bikes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdJWI69XKhpKO4TQcaC43nkJfxql2ZCUd3bqi7DWTQ146Oj5ES6flq8Bd1CucCJXc-1pEL9iWgPpj-yUtRFNTCTmU8kEAZE2hK8fdXKWzkNz7Uz14rPGcT3Y9LXx8RJVE1Fdo3ka9vxQ/s400/cars.bikes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>A combination of factors led to the closure of the motorcycling team in 1934; Scuderia Ferrari was likely the only large-scale 'private' motorcycle racing team in the world, until the 1950s. Fielding a racing team is an expensive proposition even for the manufacturers themselves, and it is equally likely that the automotive half of SF was subsidizing motorcycle racing, as sponsorship deals were simply not lucrative enough in the early 1930s, in the midst of a worldwide Depression. There is an implication Enzo Ferrari didn't aggressively pay his riders, as the best (Taruffi, Ghersi) were quickly lured away by other race teams. Finally, the Rudge 'TT Replica', on which the team was solely dependent by 1934, was no longer as competitive at international-level racing; 1930 was the last year a 'pushrod' engine won the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930_Isle_of_Man_TT">Isle of Man Senior TT -</a> a Rudge ridden by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wal_L._Handley">Wal Handley</a> - after this, the writing was on the wall for 'knitting needles' pushing valves.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9agzJ7ZUZuBVMrqg_ePvhuISV4q7X9uQwwH3T5ZrNsdukurhfTBwBJXdTAeZX-8dQleq11RuaD3E_YB5URoN7auA_3kkmZp7BHqxRvBZyJ0YgUb3uF6CzOWyf-cAV-zNwVmLmNiZpMU8/s1600/victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9agzJ7ZUZuBVMrqg_ePvhuISV4q7X9uQwwH3T5ZrNsdukurhfTBwBJXdTAeZX-8dQleq11RuaD3E_YB5URoN7auA_3kkmZp7BHqxRvBZyJ0YgUb3uF6CzOWyf-cAV-zNwVmLmNiZpMU8/s400/victory.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Enzo Ferrari rarely spoke or wrote about his motorcycle racing team after building his own cars, and rumors have swirled for years, given the rarity of published accounts of the team. It is probably his skill at team management and talent spotting which made the team so successful. His only peer in the motorcycling world was <a href="http://www.blogger.com/://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/02/leo-kusmicki-and-norton-squish.html">Joe Craig at Norton</a> - equally autocratic, aloof, difficult, and completely focused on victory.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsk9AbbvXrN3SKdQOupRcoOLtkn2cDPQVFTu-jbQZEMIl7fcg4-ZWZkGAiTXUkghlvS7uPkHXplamSbkbzwUJhqcTemj1N5_vaXH7u65Tu736s8kcMO1tahjwLxElx5HuIK5njegPaDG4/s1600/FerArt5_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsk9AbbvXrN3SKdQOupRcoOLtkn2cDPQVFTu-jbQZEMIl7fcg4-ZWZkGAiTXUkghlvS7uPkHXplamSbkbzwUJhqcTemj1N5_vaXH7u65Tu736s8kcMO1tahjwLxElx5HuIK5njegPaDG4/s320/FerArt5_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> (Note: it's just possible to see the 'prancing horse' logo on the front mudguards!) <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-38574783694497201592010-11-11T07:12:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:45.016-08:00CANADA CYCLE & MOTOR COMPANY<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Mitchell Barnes (edited by pd'o):</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYt7THGJGcKrvCFBhKqlJ7XUEaUuPLyHQta_IZ7xczRSATVO6IoyrTGJeXgalpX01cqsfJRVNcItnKcmAk6fJ2N5X5FwJmp_zSPNOed3RQTjsyYXctLqnV7Qp2-9b28j2DrE6K4pSSFJs/s1600/CCMC+left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYt7THGJGcKrvCFBhKqlJ7XUEaUuPLyHQta_IZ7xczRSATVO6IoyrTGJeXgalpX01cqsfJRVNcItnKcmAk6fJ2N5X5FwJmp_zSPNOed3RQTjsyYXctLqnV7Qp2-9b28j2DrE6K4pSSFJs/s400/CCMC+left.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">When Red Bull bicycles of Canada expanded into motorcycle construction in 1903, the company set about acquiring the best components available. Motosacoche had begun producing a new ‘Dufaux’ engine <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/10/motosacoche-and-brothers-dufaux.html">(see my previous post)</a>, a 288cc side-valve which had already established a reputation for reliability. The engine was fed by the first proper float-bowl type carburetor, and ignition fired by an automotive tremblor coil. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chater-Lea">Chater Lea</a> frame castings were connected with lightweight tubing, and Birmingham hubs made the wheels go round.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoh9rx9vPejtOrbGBe6MlpO2XXbcvkh4y1Qd4ZfUPnl4rEGlp6Vf9BXdBXFjubvfaSccsufNIKgpzt-xw9XSwA10oOtbcQZSo25ikvL6E3EOMeK93Fvo_AsK6e71maxGxl4wldDuttaU/s1600/CCMC+right.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoh9rx9vPejtOrbGBe6MlpO2XXbcvkh4y1Qd4ZfUPnl4rEGlp6Vf9BXdBXFjubvfaSccsufNIKgpzt-xw9XSwA10oOtbcQZSo25ikvL6E3EOMeK93Fvo_AsK6e71maxGxl4wldDuttaU/s400/CCMC+right.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Parts, equipment and components were dispatched to the newly-formed C.C.M.C. (Canada Cycle Motor Company), who built and road tested a motorcycle by November of 1903. This first complete machine was then crated and dispatched for Australia by a sailing ship out of Vancouver, arriving in Townsville, Queensland, at the beginning of 1904.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsADOZL_8PU16xdt57b6-i5u4fdUgmUXPBrF138l_GC0wQiPxgOXcvP_ZdFcnIUQ_OG-ipoLEv60j6TxDFo8YfOR41wRBrA__GPe1MUKOEJnQyUT3Kr40_6OexzZZVa19-USbgzyfQe3Y/s1600/CCMC+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsADOZL_8PU16xdt57b6-i5u4fdUgmUXPBrF138l_GC0wQiPxgOXcvP_ZdFcnIUQ_OG-ipoLEv60j6TxDFo8YfOR41wRBrA__GPe1MUKOEJnQyUT3Kr40_6OexzZZVa19-USbgzyfQe3Y/s400/CCMC+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A blacksmith from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballarat">Ballarat, Victoria</a>, was in <a href="http://www.auinfo.com/Cloncurry.html">Cloncurry</a> in far north Queensland on business, where he visited the local Red Bull Cycles dealer; Red Bull had agents right across Australia at that time. The blacksmith was told Red Bull was going into the manufacture of motorcycles, to be called “the Canada Cycle & Motor Co.” The blacksmith placed an order for one of the new single-cylinder machines.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkUAmhTtf0EAO1iFQk_03XYwZ0udm92iSyan-odGyvoc6tv4I6udtG3B6VlaHF_TOA6b96deh248NNGLpMkXqxTgaoKkAn5OFA8q1lin_kdQnRONAnFQk5fAujnNgngyo-TuUTCfE_x0/s1600/CCMC+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkUAmhTtf0EAO1iFQk_03XYwZ0udm92iSyan-odGyvoc6tv4I6udtG3B6VlaHF_TOA6b96deh248NNGLpMkXqxTgaoKkAn5OFA8q1lin_kdQnRONAnFQk5fAujnNgngyo-TuUTCfE_x0/s400/CCMC+12.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Months later, notified the ‘CCMC’ had arrived in Cloncurry, he set about riding on horseback to Townsville, some 500 miles east. On arrival, he sold his horse for £5.00 at a waterfront pub, uncrated the machine, bought half a dozen 6 volt accumulators which he carried in a backpack, plus 4 one-gallon tins of petrol, which he secured in a wooden box on the back stand/parcel carrier. He set off, forgetting the carrier was only held in place by a spring clip, so everything promptly dumped itself on the road. After reloading and lashing the stand firmly in place, he started for Cloncurry once more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhuOMmrIGhCAZWQzV26X8z9OEfQUSNztm4W0PtW-IdpE9FJbCkJ0WfnQNhFiIRF_TCTP5GEwn0zfi2P3yH2TM1k0MO230TNJAIrrYubJq0a3VKjqr6Hp8ARNiS-cydiM94WCADElKcOg/s1600/CCMC+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlhuOMmrIGhCAZWQzV26X8z9OEfQUSNztm4W0PtW-IdpE9FJbCkJ0WfnQNhFiIRF_TCTP5GEwn0zfi2P3yH2TM1k0MO230TNJAIrrYubJq0a3VKjqr6Hp8ARNiS-cydiM94WCADElKcOg/s400/CCMC+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After 10 miles he realized he had “made a monumental mistake”, should return to the pub, retrieve his horse, dump the motor cycle at the wharf and forget all about it. But he didn’t - he wasn’t prepared to let some mechanical device beat him - so he continued his hazardous journey home through some of the harshest countryside in 40+ heat (104 Fahrenheit). There was no road, just tracks, deep wheel ruts and a few fence lines to follow…what a journey that 500 odd miles must have been!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pZfvohHoeA1pXCYOH0BNbT1LGIziqp_Ex9vp96ATrY7ZwO_rhBAyOtWFnb4mV9tXU3abtnuLOtaCJuADbPnlA0OxE07-ywqnHE9hRoTcvdawhYoB7vo2kD7Yll3CSlBf86gKI2xsQLs/s1600/CCMC+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pZfvohHoeA1pXCYOH0BNbT1LGIziqp_Ex9vp96ATrY7ZwO_rhBAyOtWFnb4mV9tXU3abtnuLOtaCJuADbPnlA0OxE07-ywqnHE9hRoTcvdawhYoB7vo2kD7Yll3CSlBf86gKI2xsQLs/s400/CCMC+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>He lived in Cloncurry until the start of the Great War, when he returned to Ballarat to see his parents. He mounted up and set off for Townsville, caught a coastal steamer, disembed at Bomballa, New South Wales, and rode up and over the great dividing range to Ballarat - an even more arduous journey than his first. Totally exhausted after this epic ride, he winched the machine up into the belfry of his father’s forge, so he could watch it disintegrate and die!!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0UdIkYj2BE-jIUzhqPl9k3ewWAKJBiue9EQONpOHTNbCv_Kfw0jLtoYUH5dzmj0zFoiUGRcukRjktyPtdzYquGBCwvfjLdVUY0LiRIus95sfki3sGarIkG9mI_vYnUJCZ-R_L5zMcTA/s1600/CCMC+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0UdIkYj2BE-jIUzhqPl9k3ewWAKJBiue9EQONpOHTNbCv_Kfw0jLtoYUH5dzmj0zFoiUGRcukRjktyPtdzYquGBCwvfjLdVUY0LiRIus95sfki3sGarIkG9mI_vYnUJCZ-R_L5zMcTA/s400/CCMC+6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In 1936, Paddy Ryan and his good friend Ray Corlett decided they would journey around Australia to acquire pre-1905 Edwardian machines. They unearthed some very early machines on their journey, and when they arrived in Ballarat, they were directed to an old blacksmith...Their first encounter was not promising. The bike was not for sale for any price or reason, “go to hell, get out of the place, and don’t ever come back!!”<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifilVZ-fuxyrDzaqnnmLrsXt85Wsm8Q63-FSkoaq-UsTcCJW_4nP1WON-MEHyRfHcsl3X3GG6ymXN9J7ZT_-gkiNDuGQIhmmF9BVoVwi9VHmjFWzTK5onmLTZRrrPVN8DTMYA__revxWg/s1600/CCMC+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifilVZ-fuxyrDzaqnnmLrsXt85Wsm8Q63-FSkoaq-UsTcCJW_4nP1WON-MEHyRfHcsl3X3GG6ymXN9J7ZT_-gkiNDuGQIhmmF9BVoVwi9VHmjFWzTK5onmLTZRrrPVN8DTMYA__revxWg/s400/CCMC+10.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Having glimpsed the machine, Ray was fascinated; he couldn’t make out the crankcase letters but could see there were 4 of them. He knew of no engine with 4 initials on the crankcase - most had 3; JAP, BAT, lNG, MAG, AJS etc. Twenty years elapsed, but in 1954 Ray returned to Ballarat. This time he found the blacksmith in a more receptive mood, and after considerable discussion it he decided to sell the machine to Ray for £25.00 – the original purchase price. However there were some conditions:a signed a notarized document that he would rebuild the machine to its original condition within 2 years, and if not to the blacksmith’s liking, it would be returned with no refund!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLyR7GS60zNKn40H5JJlT7vfFjrVv9Q1codMC419DfvIsY3VUh-6aFuxX2ozyIj2sOs5cqGMthfiotCEddHM9XJe4d-8JalmCXuHsB7rekUylL4lPqY0tP2H3x0Lkvv6Dg_SeJWyh44c/s1600/CCMC+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLyR7GS60zNKn40H5JJlT7vfFjrVv9Q1codMC419DfvIsY3VUh-6aFuxX2ozyIj2sOs5cqGMthfiotCEddHM9XJe4d-8JalmCXuHsB7rekUylL4lPqY0tP2H3x0Lkvv6Dg_SeJWyh44c/s400/CCMC+8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The CCMC was 100% original, having completed only those 1500 (hard) miles. Only the tyres, rims and spokes needed replacement. Ray adhered to originality as far as possible; every nut and bolt was retained and only re-nickeled where required. Most of the original paint was retained. After completion, Ray took a bundle of photos to Ballarat to present the blacksmith with proof of his efforts.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBLa1Eq7OuQKaNbPwx8aZG3pG2psLWgK-S2FPrDEiFL6PHscP6gQ8gWoZpj59daQYUS9n47JM1CpA3w90xhB3Yvl_VXD-uKJtRlAq6SFvZs1AfVgWsh0-_AOwQeWUUE3Pw8DfwYlHlIs/s1600/CCMC+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBLa1Eq7OuQKaNbPwx8aZG3pG2psLWgK-S2FPrDEiFL6PHscP6gQ8gWoZpj59daQYUS9n47JM1CpA3w90xhB3Yvl_VXD-uKJtRlAq6SFvZs1AfVgWsh0-_AOwQeWUUE3Pw8DfwYlHlIs/s400/CCMC+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On his arrival, the gentleman was in hospital on his deathbed, surrounded by family; he hadn’t spoken to anyone for quite some time and was near the end of his road. However, when the blacksmith recognized Ray he perked up, smiled and congratulated Ray on his efforts - he was greatly satisfied. The following day the blacksmith died!<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Ray wrote to CCMC in Canada wanting more information on his machine. They replied that their oldest employee remembered the machine “in question”, as it was the first they built, was destined for export to Australia, and that he had actually road tested the bike in November of 1903.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_s0DUVSvyS3I1R7N_WlLx5R50b6DV5-Auko4HkY3nBhbAR4TOvbaeIpfw6rj1sGVMWX-g8ZY7YM-T0oQuv_6E-5XE0tCiyFRTatfLgqqZj7hfhzv2-94ChwAcvL-WFW7wEiu4WCZ9zw/s1600/CCMC+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_s0DUVSvyS3I1R7N_WlLx5R50b6DV5-Auko4HkY3nBhbAR4TOvbaeIpfw6rj1sGVMWX-g8ZY7YM-T0oQuv_6E-5XE0tCiyFRTatfLgqqZj7hfhzv2-94ChwAcvL-WFW7wEiu4WCZ9zw/s400/CCMC+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The CCMC changed hands (for a <a href="http://www.classic-auctions.com/Auctions/22-10-2010-HaynesMotorMuseum-1274/1947ScottSquirrel-32037.aspx">1947 Scott</a>!) to Rob Hart in 1970, and has been ridden around 40,000 miles at rallies and events over the past 40 years. It is currently the oldest road-registered motorcycle in Australia, and the only Class 1 (pre-1905) machine in the <a href="http://www.vmccnsw.org.au/">Vintage Motor Cycle Club of Australia</a>.<br /><br />It is currently for sale in Australia, and <a href="mailto:thevintagent@gmail.com">I will happily forward inquiries</a>.jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-52274581192600855942010-11-09T04:06:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:11:45.027-08:00OFF THE HOOK PARISIAN BMW DISPLAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa23TV0i3MM7gBjY0861o5TFSNKNcPb7QeoxBPfeUnZYDbBFWEZq0xCxGJX4Rbqtf6cU97RK0dyu-2PkZ1HbvsmIAdByS8i4Ns-nyo7rGlXnEMcpin0l6bjQKZWaPKNPsufUzv4flYYg/s1600/rs.below.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa23TV0i3MM7gBjY0861o5TFSNKNcPb7QeoxBPfeUnZYDbBFWEZq0xCxGJX4Rbqtf6cU97RK0dyu-2PkZ1HbvsmIAdByS8i4Ns-nyo7rGlXnEMcpin0l6bjQKZWaPKNPsufUzv4flYYg/s400/rs.below.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />Had a Parisian friend not tipped me off, I would have entirely missed a one-two punch of vintage BMWs at an unlikely venue, <a href="http://www.lesalondelaphoto.com/">Salon de la Photo</a>, a photographic equipment trade fair at the <a href="http://www.viparis.com/Viparis/exhibition-paris/site/Paris-Porte-Versailles/en/8">Porte de Versailles</a>, Paris. What <a href="http://www.bmw-motorrad.fr/fr/fr/index.html">BMW of France</a> had in mind bringing two of their most coveted and rare old machines to a camera show is outside my purview, but it provided moto-journalists with some exciting subject matter in a gigantic hall (one of 6), otherwise filled to the elbow-bump with photogeeks and bored models.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYm_XXsdbC9H6yrgGCHXN1mu5gO6Hc84mV-kVSWTX03i2RrxOz8NqUvrzxmUyD2q7mdQx_X5NBFXDZYGF8WhUDg3fiNmsUCMMdpkXpx9Noygy93pIzwa2U_2z4oVnCjNnScYvEXL7g40/s1600/scene.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYm_XXsdbC9H6yrgGCHXN1mu5gO6Hc84mV-kVSWTX03i2RrxOz8NqUvrzxmUyD2q7mdQx_X5NBFXDZYGF8WhUDg3fiNmsUCMMdpkXpx9Noygy93pIzwa2U_2z4oVnCjNnScYvEXL7g40/s400/scene.1.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><br />The BMW display included 8 machines of interest, 6 being new, 4 commissioned as 'art projects', one prototype (the 'Concept 6'), the 2010 French Superbike champ, plus the two whose vintage cred yanked me across Paris on a rainy day just before the show was shuttered up. The <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_482290361">BMW.Fr</a><a href="http://www.bmw-motorrad.fr/fr/fr/index.html"> </a>staff on hand was friendly but small, as their <a href="http://www.overoll.com/Content/Two-hour-hostage-drama-at-BMW-France-office-/2010/11/9/391778.news">offices had been taken hostage that morning</a> by a shotgun-wielding nutbag. In the States we call this 'going postal', but in this case it was an extreme case of 'service feedback'.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnEtQlKsr5u2hfQZWyWViptL3gYQicRgIPDHBdArauJDy_N7fdTBmB3og9MlGgxE-wqDSfBd0NYYWQRNrCrzlpbdpLxct1_9VFkWopbmwzvvVPW7YyKmWyiZmIKgPyU9CMJ4BmYoUOBQ/s1600/concept6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnEtQlKsr5u2hfQZWyWViptL3gYQicRgIPDHBdArauJDy_N7fdTBmB3og9MlGgxE-wqDSfBd0NYYWQRNrCrzlpbdpLxct1_9VFkWopbmwzvvVPW7YyKmWyiZmIKgPyU9CMJ4BmYoUOBQ/s400/concept6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />BMW France is to be congratulated for a motorcycle-show-worthy display of fascinating machines, and of course, of special interest to readers of the Vintagent are the ultra-rare RS255 Kompressor Rennsport of 1939, and unique 'R7' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Deco">Art Deco</a> prototype. The <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/10/bmw-concept-6-motorcycle/">'Concept 6' prototype (above) </a>provided glaring contrast to the pair of vintage machines, being huge and heavy, immensely powerful, and designed to the hilt. Still, an awesome brute, with a whiff of <a href="http://trendsupdates.com/be-careful-terminators-might-cook-you/">Terminator</a> perfume lingering over its post-<a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.beyondhollywood.com/stillsx/2007/06/megatron-transformers-mtv-movie-awards.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.beyondhollywood.com/transformers-update-earlier-release-date-new-footage/&usg=__g5ceXCmcMEfO2ZbsknXTKd_SgsY=&h=450&w=440&sz=59&hl=en&start=56&sig2=Cc-XWfaWbWScamx_EuJh6w&zoom=1&tbnid=q9i9ORkA5WnriM:&tbnh=136&tbnw=138&ei=mUPZTMbkHYGKhQfTuv3PAg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtransformers%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D984%26bih%3D610%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C2027&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=512&oei=c0PZTLLRBcqXOrKy_bcJ&esq=10&page=5&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:56&tx=74&ty=76&biw=984&bih=610">Transformers</a> bodywork.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJGBAeodivrzBxoUKia9_SMWh2ioVXigV1x2FTIR7fJfIhY-C-d_cbfNFMVLf3x-FIU8-RphSs5_3eDDS4yro9S5rSv_xWdNEgznljqYtj3ggzUnEaApTb3-yWaPpEW8542mk6uKPnCA/s1600/r7.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJGBAeodivrzBxoUKia9_SMWh2ioVXigV1x2FTIR7fJfIhY-C-d_cbfNFMVLf3x-FIU8-RphSs5_3eDDS4yro9S5rSv_xWdNEgznljqYtj3ggzUnEaApTb3-yWaPpEW8542mk6uKPnCA/s400/r7.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>In the late 1920s, BMW developed a new chassis for its motorcycles from molded sheet steel, and moved away from the Bauhaus simplicity of their <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/06/1928-bmw-r57.html">tube-frame 1920s designs</a>. With the petrol tank nestled between the twin halves of shapely pressed-steel frame, the new models gained a contemporary Art Deco flair, tempered on most production models by simple mudguards and their typical basic-black paint scheme. The pressed-steel frame begged an aesthetic question which proved too compelling to ignore, given industrial trends of the period for <a href="http://arttattler.com/designstreamlined.html">streamlining</a> and 'Airflow' shapes. I'm not certain if BMW <i>automotive</i> designers lent a pencil to the prototype 'R7' model on display here, but it breaks Teutonic motorcycle tradition with its exuberant embrace of the Deco aesthetic.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinze6Rtnvha6QC9HgyeWBaouSQaAUJHCXfF-wXGukDMs9G32Ik3Q2CqM0SOdjkbUHQBUvWlLQ5a9Sd_zQkN87qArzxzNig6menTfCSK8486sFbV_DZzNIHeLx2HJ0FaoVx2uNQACjPyDk/s1600/curves.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinze6Rtnvha6QC9HgyeWBaouSQaAUJHCXfF-wXGukDMs9G32Ik3Q2CqM0SOdjkbUHQBUvWlLQ5a9Sd_zQkN87qArzxzNig6menTfCSK8486sFbV_DZzNIHeLx2HJ0FaoVx2uNQACjPyDk/s400/curves.2.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The tension between form and function on motorcycles is the very essence of their visual allure, and lovers of the mechanical celebrate those models which find balance, proportion, and harmony of exposed machinery, with the structure required to hold the sum together. Philosophically and in the marketplace, motorcycles which read as design exercises in sheet metal were never considered successful - this was the realm of the <a href="http://www.carseek.com/articles/car-design-history.html">automobile</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streamliner">train</a>, the airplane, whereas motorcyclists of the Vintage and Classic period, being almost to an individual dedicated gearheads, want the fiery beating hearts of their mounts visible in all their complication; this is our enduring delight.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pFeHrdD_k-RKfkoOu79w14m2frI6o6sKazO9RLHQnEbBiF1OlbiolwzD-8wK72tOWnTZ9T_XZlbLJTC68fR_fWA2AjXAUaE4hggWcEmcT70FEPC-Z6BFn1dJZDnmjcsuxYxvSIGtseE/s1600/r7.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pFeHrdD_k-RKfkoOu79w14m2frI6o6sKazO9RLHQnEbBiF1OlbiolwzD-8wK72tOWnTZ9T_XZlbLJTC68fR_fWA2AjXAUaE4hggWcEmcT70FEPC-Z6BFn1dJZDnmjcsuxYxvSIGtseE/s400/r7.3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />That the 1934 R7 prototype is a design success is without question; it's a graceful and beautiful study of flowing lines, curves, and feminine masses. Almost to a person, <i>especially to non-motorcyclists</i>, it is considered one of the most beautiful motorcycles of the 1930s. Today it is the most blogged-about BMW of all, but photoblogs don't have much to <i>say</i> about the essential qualities of Motorcycling, or the reason why BMW chose not to proceed from this uniquely attractive design study. As good as it is, the R7 is a total philosophical departure from what is best about BMW during its first 60 years; restraint. The extravagance expressed by the R7 is <a href="http://www.petersen.org/default.cfm?docid=1028">shockingly French</a>, more <a href="http://www.delahayeusa.com/">Delahaye</a> than <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_328">328</a>. That the R7 was never serially produced breaks the hearts of many, but it makes complete sense.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUntRJ-wdvK0YjWKdDVKhQhCK3qmPO1qJHwVfAHwCGINE7LGXNoI2iwUR8j1JDkbqKxKUjDwQHWAnPsXAzbcG5uSM63mfKIGGy7qQR4nEeAsCrWMXup_-vQSCHYgHNFt_ANetIOFUJbzM/s1600/kompressor1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUntRJ-wdvK0YjWKdDVKhQhCK3qmPO1qJHwVfAHwCGINE7LGXNoI2iwUR8j1JDkbqKxKUjDwQHWAnPsXAzbcG5uSM63mfKIGGy7qQR4nEeAsCrWMXup_-vQSCHYgHNFt_ANetIOFUJbzM/s400/kompressor1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The Type 255 Rennsport on display is in effectively 1939 spec, rare indeed although I don't know if this is the ex-John Surtees machine, reputedly the only late Kompressor in pre-war trim, as post-war, while German riders and machines were banned from international competition, they continued to race in German national championships, and the blown racers were developed and modified until 1950, when BMW was invited back to international competition. Superchargers were banned from the GP scene in 1946, so BMW developed an entirely new line of racing machines without their famous Kompressors.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8dk74pGzUYZDDcRTpxU_Me5o_ixS2T0x9san5cUORKFH9IJv38wGKkasOIRgIypPG8NEFo6DZAhyphenhyphenL3a_WBoNGHW0Z1iRGlob_3jPMuzZn2sxCoXh1MeCtEAu0MDWvCkMDbvxIGZ4ShY/s1600/hopon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8dk74pGzUYZDDcRTpxU_Me5o_ixS2T0x9san5cUORKFH9IJv38wGKkasOIRgIypPG8NEFo6DZAhyphenhyphenL3a_WBoNGHW0Z1iRGlob_3jPMuzZn2sxCoXh1MeCtEAu0MDWvCkMDbvxIGZ4ShY/s400/hopon.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br />This RS255, while officially residing in the BMW Museum in Munich <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-bmw-museum-munich.html">(click here for my story)</a>, regularly stretches its legs on circuits around the world. at Vintage events...and I note the front mudguard has a '<a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2006/10/goodwood-revival-sep.html">Goodwood</a> 2010' scrutineering sticker, so it has been used recently indeed.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfCcCVeovtAyZG2EN3Tb5gZWNGqemkl3JP9p3tHr6YrD2c5Px_elO7lOM6keDnc9MK_xjpGEPgefoVh0II46YzaBea2P7rAdYpPco_pbx45NMW9VR9wtRUE033FjT7fWuDIeHe3zgUws/s1600/engine.tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfCcCVeovtAyZG2EN3Tb5gZWNGqemkl3JP9p3tHr6YrD2c5Px_elO7lOM6keDnc9MK_xjpGEPgefoVh0II46YzaBea2P7rAdYpPco_pbx45NMW9VR9wtRUE033FjT7fWuDIeHe3zgUws/s400/engine.tank.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The late Kompressor BMW is an astounding machine, developed into the best racing motorcycle in the world during the three years it competed on the global stage. Weighing only 304lbs (that's 30lbs less than a Works Norton, and perhaps 50lbs less than the rival supercharged Gilera 4-cylinder dohc machine), the single-overhed-camshaft engine produced around 60hp, ten more than the Norton, but ten less than the Gilera. Measured top speed was in the region of 136mph.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ipiz4v-IKqzxO_szL4LxTsjQLE1phU9UvfA6j1nZQXuldi7XNrQkVtsyZZ4yC5QPzQEhF8ZRT2jeQ6-DPei08o8PqPYcqOU1QSM94i_QO428DqhO63m_MCWJFJY0YkZoBAGm-aClSu0/s1600/komp.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ipiz4v-IKqzxO_szL4LxTsjQLE1phU9UvfA6j1nZQXuldi7XNrQkVtsyZZ4yC5QPzQEhF8ZRT2jeQ6-DPei08o8PqPYcqOU1QSM94i_QO428DqhO63m_MCWJFJY0YkZoBAGm-aClSu0/s400/komp.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />The extremely light weight of the BMW gave it an advantage in all respects during a race, making it easier to manage, with faster acceleration. The handling was good, albeit inevitably quirky with torque reaction from the shaft final drive. The plunger rear suspension with friction scissor-type damping was identical to the Nortons, and while helping to keep the rear wheel in contact with the ground, defects in the design meant the odd rocking-horse feel was an acquired taste for a rider; not all found harmony. Luckily for BMW, their star pilot was among the bravest fellows ever to grace a GP circuit, <a href="http://ultimatemotorcycling.com/georg-schorsch-meier-100th-birthday">Georg Meier</a>, and his tremendous skill combined with sheer toughness overcame whatever handling issues the BMW shared with its rivals, and he won most of the races he entered on the RS, including, most famously, <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2007/03/one-hundred-years-of-racing-isle-of-man.html">the 1939 Isle of Man TT.</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uCrip3N_ThUXpfNaq1iwrNviCabP7HT36zjDRQzS7Z_ozXyIoomozwdMaaI0Gd4axJvY53UQsfaTsZvit3EeudP3JgtzisRQMB4j68T9CZbgadJTZPoUL0x728qZtT9bc1PQgpxQqJk/s1600/engine.tank.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uCrip3N_ThUXpfNaq1iwrNviCabP7HT36zjDRQzS7Z_ozXyIoomozwdMaaI0Gd4axJvY53UQsfaTsZvit3EeudP3JgtzisRQMB4j68T9CZbgadJTZPoUL0x728qZtT9bc1PQgpxQqJk/s400/engine.tank.2.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br />To crawl all over these machines at the end of a Paris trade show was an unexpected treasure, so many thanks to Martin Jouët for alerting me, so I could share them with you!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgflAZurx3RZZC64kiMWGTMB9GXne6BLcGMedGUPmfXM95LGsXWNAtSn8RlfkZdVPe6gV0V_58Aku79YOEMWJy3mAU-W7K8Kzw8U2MdQMtHdOzrpO7imevgWcz_psIjxKWkN2QIfaksk/s1600/bmw.girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgflAZurx3RZZC64kiMWGTMB9GXne6BLcGMedGUPmfXM95LGsXWNAtSn8RlfkZdVPe6gV0V_58Aku79YOEMWJy3mAU-W7K8Kzw8U2MdQMtHdOzrpO7imevgWcz_psIjxKWkN2QIfaksk/s400/bmw.girls.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR7MppAaAP13O9Vpx3Mx36vOsS84RmIYEzmicdZWygptzBDccPBlsPTrUSSUnHgOTWbbiM3KRqpSqsGsJgEISF62kbpkR4oFR75h501WvA70FuYJunnYH0pd5h_-qxVy9_pL2Wmo5Qc4/s1600/rearsusp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR7MppAaAP13O9Vpx3Mx36vOsS84RmIYEzmicdZWygptzBDccPBlsPTrUSSUnHgOTWbbiM3KRqpSqsGsJgEISF62kbpkR4oFR75h501WvA70FuYJunnYH0pd5h_-qxVy9_pL2Wmo5Qc4/s400/rearsusp.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdmTFbPtL_gzdl0ZDTXZY0_7IF2GPnLvLk8IPqtTsS63OrqmitK2ID_FYKh_oLuIXvtbxkZrcuzeDT-5fCcQnz8o32-q8RS-FxJxIl91tZ1l1IHN3CWjOijmnR5166rxzDSeHXXnQrG4/s1600/roundel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDdmTFbPtL_gzdl0ZDTXZY0_7IF2GPnLvLk8IPqtTsS63OrqmitK2ID_FYKh_oLuIXvtbxkZrcuzeDT-5fCcQnz8o32-q8RS-FxJxIl91tZ1l1IHN3CWjOijmnR5166rxzDSeHXXnQrG4/s400/roundel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIDGTSQC2ql27meB3Xxx2VTIYCUO9BEH9r5_ljt-zycrmxeJxWq7jO4o2bwoFEmzSDVPUAZVSYQRe9moWAc3qCXtfPYM84oo1h1hG9acEr-LlDwHRCySFFV8sbMJHwftfKONYcJzI8aQ/s1600/tach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIDGTSQC2ql27meB3Xxx2VTIYCUO9BEH9r5_ljt-zycrmxeJxWq7jO4o2bwoFEmzSDVPUAZVSYQRe9moWAc3qCXtfPYM84oo1h1hG9acEr-LlDwHRCySFFV8sbMJHwftfKONYcJzI8aQ/s400/tach.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxC44eGMc_UKEIiRwY5Kbveop7N83_gOjKuBn37tf2UbZrkVpX6zN-XzC3LD0IRX2EcOUQ1tfKtQMVa9DTOZA_FSLHmTtByDFXkb2xqD7PnD6ZzeO5j9Oqo3Lv0y6bXdP_sNGXH6yhPg/s1600/r7.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxC44eGMc_UKEIiRwY5Kbveop7N83_gOjKuBn37tf2UbZrkVpX6zN-XzC3LD0IRX2EcOUQ1tfKtQMVa9DTOZA_FSLHmTtByDFXkb2xqD7PnD6ZzeO5j9Oqo3Lv0y6bXdP_sNGXH6yhPg/s400/r7.1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdhHsJKod23BrU26MJzg2OPX1Xcvg5dOzCHghM8vR6qFr2i7xpWSQSLCJHL6GoX2fQLUXhAa4FaXos_aDd5X4gqvvIoxXHz82bGBIYbaFPm8NoGCIgQqL8DH67YcamDGX9e6O6DxfMcQ/s1600/rearshape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdhHsJKod23BrU26MJzg2OPX1Xcvg5dOzCHghM8vR6qFr2i7xpWSQSLCJHL6GoX2fQLUXhAa4FaXos_aDd5X4gqvvIoxXHz82bGBIYbaFPm8NoGCIgQqL8DH67YcamDGX9e6O6DxfMcQ/s320/rearshape.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE2iOlAlQtn07pAUn-n6QjGXs0wQn2j9pBI_xtWlbc5HvS3SUfKf0s9CDtdGVnoUdSDkr0tMm5S_yvGLqkcdibSH_A3mv_me7n63C_ke1UyMKl3Owm3Et5R10sUYuCSAZlqxA-9p-u8s/s1600/r7.above.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE2iOlAlQtn07pAUn-n6QjGXs0wQn2j9pBI_xtWlbc5HvS3SUfKf0s9CDtdGVnoUdSDkr0tMm5S_yvGLqkcdibSH_A3mv_me7n63C_ke1UyMKl3Owm3Et5R10sUYuCSAZlqxA-9p-u8s/s400/r7.above.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6mXrW4KLItq-Im2vfWmQbxCNJ4O01zg8J2voNWwhxStB10bix00DQWyZsoYmiyjDIsgCQq2-div-4WTnFSdM6qd9ZOGOoD9L8TkWVSAv5QKnLDTPNGm5gd-dnW4L8M0iFcgQCv7UaxE/s1600/buildtage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6mXrW4KLItq-Im2vfWmQbxCNJ4O01zg8J2voNWwhxStB10bix00DQWyZsoYmiyjDIsgCQq2-div-4WTnFSdM6qd9ZOGOoD9L8TkWVSAv5QKnLDTPNGm5gd-dnW4L8M0iFcgQCv7UaxE/s400/buildtage.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-73364556036386095062010-11-06T01:03:00.000-07:002011-01-10T18:11:45.034-08:00'HOW YOU FIND THEM' MANX FOR SALE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGutL4mLd6WIalud0l5YjT7goR0iqP4Inuo89BDQbgzeW4oehU6-VG3odCNp62BuFYCTsSdg5yyeDUkNaDFub8SwcUc4vIDM7gqnDegaVfEHZYROq_edO9y2eL2n_v1uKQf_Q242MHYm0/s1600/Nortonmanx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGutL4mLd6WIalud0l5YjT7goR0iqP4Inuo89BDQbgzeW4oehU6-VG3odCNp62BuFYCTsSdg5yyeDUkNaDFub8SwcUc4vIDM7gqnDegaVfEHZYROq_edO9y2eL2n_v1uKQf_Q242MHYm0/s400/Nortonmanx.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />A 'barn find' 1956 Norton Manx 30M, <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-you-find-them-part-4.html">featured on The Vintagent two years ago</a>, will appear at the <a href="http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=USA&screen=lotdetailsNoFlash&iSaleItemNo=4792179&iSaleNo=18419&iSaleSectionNo=2">Bonhams Petersen Museum auction on November 13, 2010</a>. This machine was catnip to me when a friend forwarded the photos - a full-blown racer on the road! - but queries about a sale were rebuffed. Now it appears the owner has changed course, and the story revealed behind the machine and its modifications for the road make it all the more desirable.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />The text of the Bonhams catalog bears repeating, as its charmingly written:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9t6w2FpKByFpIMNmBiMKjiRe6J3uPrsjEix1KsNzK_Zco83pKqGtODXE5sjZxItzxPs-FFkYiysU-xCGWbyHQI_dHUsm346N_Bf9qQJR4p_1JRN-T-Md0EgbrzH957VAuSC1S9KXsUg4/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.52.10+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9t6w2FpKByFpIMNmBiMKjiRe6J3uPrsjEix1KsNzK_Zco83pKqGtODXE5sjZxItzxPs-FFkYiysU-xCGWbyHQI_dHUsm346N_Bf9qQJR4p_1JRN-T-Md0EgbrzH957VAuSC1S9KXsUg4/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.52.10+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>"<i>The argument over best-loved automotive writer of all time would last far into the night, but among the finalists has to be Henry Manney III. No finer wordsmith ever grasped a steering wheel or set of handlebars. For decades his pieces were required reading in Road & Track magazine, especially his "At Large" column, which often signed off with his trademark shorthand coda, Yr Faithfl Srvnt. It was Manney who famously characterized the sexy-swoopy Jaguar E-type as the "greatest crumpet-catcher known to man." He also wrote for R&T's sister magazine Cycle World, where his good humor, keen wit and wonderfully obtuse writing style were always welcome entertainment. <br /><br />Manney, a trained dancer in his youth, was comfortable rubbing shoulders with the Grand Prix greats in Monaco or touring deep in the American South driving some European import the locals had never heard of. His personal garage often included at least one exotic four-wheeler from Italy, but on the motorcycle side he favored the Queen's Iron, as illustrated by the four Britbikes on sale in this auction.</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNkJ44kmR2taHj8s4I-eHbOJKj57yic5LO-pkfnc4KA29sD_IQoCmH7RFrPcMCRZjjmTSfIbGm65nlfm1ht1VUbb7hyphenhyphenimjrInPG_x35VxKrCLFJvsXym4DA3bINNxRb0eoY7Uyj3F8UI/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.52.25+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNkJ44kmR2taHj8s4I-eHbOJKj57yic5LO-pkfnc4KA29sD_IQoCmH7RFrPcMCRZjjmTSfIbGm65nlfm1ht1VUbb7hyphenhyphenimjrInPG_x35VxKrCLFJvsXym4DA3bINNxRb0eoY7Uyj3F8UI/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.52.25+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><i> <br /><br />Flagship of the motley fleet has to be his Manx Norton. As befits Manney's slanted view on life in general and transportation devices in particular, this is no ordinary Manx. In silhouette, all the familiar components are there. The overhead cam motor with its right-side bevel-drive tower and exposed valve springs. The innovative all-welded frame so ahead of its time it was said to ride "like a featherbed," a name that stuck. The bread-loaf gas tank and bum-stop seat, known to legions of privateer roadracers learning their craft, not least of which was a young Mike Hailwood. The conically shaped brake hubs, the front with a jutting scoop to collect cooling air. All standard Manx fare. <br /><br />But look closer and you'll discern Manney's grand plan for his Norton. First clue is the Smiths speedometer alongside the usual tach. Gone are the low-mounted clip-ons, replaced my more comfortable tubular handlebars. A custom alloy bracket on one of the frame's front downtubes holds an alternator intended to be belt-driven from a pulley attached to the crankshaft. The engine breathes through a filtered Mikuni carburetor, easier to start and keep idling than the proper remote-float Amal GP (which is included in this sale). The rear fender is drilled and wired to accept a taillight. In deference to neighbors and the local constabulary, a sound-deadening flapper valve was fitted to the megaphone exhaust, cable-operated from the handlebars. Yes, Manney intended this Manx to be street-legal and road-ridden! </i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrmxC1C_CkvqQr-KBzmQohta9lFjOx4o2Y7FUe8YveuD1yJazjdI15nCXz6oO0nb9Haj-wvY8NHH-MWvRa0RoBXzXM9-GMZjxPuAH3A0usvZZzR3KfjKLYdPZ-wZA_xYk4HNCTv7li7o/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.52.39+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrmxC1C_CkvqQr-KBzmQohta9lFjOx4o2Y7FUe8YveuD1yJazjdI15nCXz6oO0nb9Haj-wvY8NHH-MWvRa0RoBXzXM9-GMZjxPuAH3A0usvZZzR3KfjKLYdPZ-wZA_xYk4HNCTv7li7o/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.52.39+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><i><br /><br />His untimely passing in 1988 put a stop to the project. Since then, all of Manney's bikes have been in the care of son Henry IV, stored in a shed for decades and only recently brought back into the light of day. Obviously, it would take very little to put the machine back in race trim, but what fun to continue where Manney left off, complete the transformation and end up with a cafe-racer ne plus ultra, a genuine road-going Manx Norton with literary provenance.</i>" <br /><br /><a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/10/stafford-show-2010.html">Mike Jackson</a>, former 'Sales Mangler' for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Villiers_Triumph">NVT (NortonVilliersTriumph)</a>, relates the following:<br /><br />"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Jenkinson">Denis Jenkinson</a><i> [another giant among motoring writers]</i> first knew Henry when he was based in Paris at some time in a late 1950s, at which time he was riding a Manx on the road. It was so high-geared that as a result he coined the phrase, 'One Bang per Lamp-post*'! Well, there's a chance that <i>this</i> Manx might be <i>that</i> very machine."<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxY3a9J6flJuRd5UJ7acsuFLkbOkxyT7ugy5JT5hLjXfN_yAzBLJE4a1MgtZeH0D8AL8A5n9buxKx32_KnfnrLwYvP-rfsGPKViO_bDiOT2iCQVb4cibeeeb7LHXKUhdpcrPbV3P5YhOs/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.53.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxY3a9J6flJuRd5UJ7acsuFLkbOkxyT7ugy5JT5hLjXfN_yAzBLJE4a1MgtZeH0D8AL8A5n9buxKx32_KnfnrLwYvP-rfsGPKViO_bDiOT2iCQVb4cibeeeb7LHXKUhdpcrPbV3P5YhOs/s400/Screen+shot+2010-11-06+at+12.53.09+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />What a terrific provenance, and I wish Henry Manney IV had sold it to me then!<br /><br /><i>[* Ribald phrase; in pre-internet days, Parisian hookers could be found leaning on lamp-posts as their 'turf']</i>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-69419272330170205182010-11-05T02:58:00.000-07:002011-01-10T18:11:45.045-08:00'TOP 20' AT AUCTION - UPDATEDThe recent sale of a Brough Superior SS100 for £286,000 had me scrambling to revise my 'Top 20', compiled in 2008, tracking the highest prices paid at public auction for motorcycles. Of course, rumors abound of much larger sums being paid for super-rare bikes, but these can't be confirmed. There are many reasons buyer and seller might keep such a sale invisible by cash transaction and private sale, as sales tax and (in some countries) property tax begin to bite hard at six-figure deals. So, we'll stick with legitimate auction sales, and as of today, this is what we find:<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 130%;">TOP 20 MOTORCYCLE PRICES AT AUCTION</span><span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /></span>(November, 2010)<br /><br />1. 1915 Cyclone Board Track Racer - $551,200<br />July 2008, Monterey, MidAmerica<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmhBiAxWVYGynh0NwqP7v2alVFwf-fh5OtdBsBbpVO91gypYdpUYY6tMEqtbOVWQX-W-junCzQc2wBTHp-G3Ovcd8EkwXFpYHG2Md9YytCndgh2XsIHaLjirkIqrhwUqOxLjygWOhdSlO/s1600-h/Cyclone2N.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244103628347808002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmhBiAxWVYGynh0NwqP7v2alVFwf-fh5OtdBsBbpVO91gypYdpUYY6tMEqtbOVWQX-W-junCzQc2wBTHp-G3Ovcd8EkwXFpYHG2Md9YytCndgh2XsIHaLjirkIqrhwUqOxLjygWOhdSlO/s200/Cyclone2N.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />2. 1929 Brough Superior SS100, £286,000 $465,350<br />Oct.22, 2010, Sparkford, HandH Auctions<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFJVx2BhsieUavB6Zvl_kzawwaklATIXwOCe4yjxTSvAO7vDHZIAbmGsATIFQe_yFsbaU8UP4582eu6Dwc9OXsE8qB0-R6BUZJ1p6ojmV1y5Gzk1iATET5_dUkC6BR5SgXsuyG-wkKts/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-04+at+2.59.52+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFJVx2BhsieUavB6Zvl_kzawwaklATIXwOCe4yjxTSvAO7vDHZIAbmGsATIFQe_yFsbaU8UP4582eu6Dwc9OXsE8qB0-R6BUZJ1p6ojmV1y5Gzk1iATET5_dUkC6BR5SgXsuyG-wkKts/s200/Screen+shot+2010-11-04+at+2.59.52+PM.png" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />3. 1949 Vincent Black Lightning Supercharged £221,500 $383,400<br />October 2008, Stafford, Bonhams<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJPgAxbG401p3Y7-9WzCdH04xW6sr5FTnM_6yUEboBdEwam5Ydymayj_b093OldrG-w8ghRG3Un5lgYtMjXi2GDUFSgTaXX8uEw2qUqfZ5qg1SPZXlrUDjBdnHqXNvq74okxvmhl2Qi86/s1600-h/vin.blown.drive.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258958297477820818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJPgAxbG401p3Y7-9WzCdH04xW6sr5FTnM_6yUEboBdEwam5Ydymayj_b093OldrG-w8ghRG3Un5lgYtMjXi2GDUFSgTaXX8uEw2qUqfZ5qg1SPZXlrUDjBdnHqXNvq74okxvmhl2Qi86/s200/vin.blown.drive.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />4. 1907 Harley Davidson 'Strap Tank' Single $352,000<br />Oct. 21, 2006, Gooding and Co.<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR7_k26bZDOLPugIydMGjQXHyvI0BkXqtA5XgSpAVLWX0uDGKkZFIwMeZAMHWQlYFM4AlVB5QSmFjficcSoqhJ4_h-qM6VruSd80fX9WcVIVLlVQIuklyNhiLUoCbat3tFSLHq5JgrP8/s1600/07HJC225318225A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR7_k26bZDOLPugIydMGjQXHyvI0BkXqtA5XgSpAVLWX0uDGKkZFIwMeZAMHWQlYFM4AlVB5QSmFjficcSoqhJ4_h-qM6VruSd80fX9WcVIVLlVQIuklyNhiLUoCbat3tFSLHq5JgrP8/s200/07HJC225318225A.jpeg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />5. 1939 Vincent-HRD 998cc Series-A Rapide £198,400 $347,200<br />September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiZ-uLPoifkQVOz8Jyyj3y2gxU9JenpXQtNRP7dKFXijAJJu7wKAnk7tkjmth1c5ADyFufR3mZwqwpAPC1707YFs9ttrI2HNL7M0a3JrW1EiWTRat3FXxgqykVsv-eyKbw8iKgnMpXZ_v/s1600-h/hrd.a.bonhams.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244106578964348626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiZ-uLPoifkQVOz8Jyyj3y2gxU9JenpXQtNRP7dKFXijAJJu7wKAnk7tkjmth1c5ADyFufR3mZwqwpAPC1707YFs9ttrI2HNL7M0a3JrW1EiWTRat3FXxgqykVsv-eyKbw8iKgnMpXZ_v/s200/hrd.a.bonhams.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />5. 1907 Harley Davidson 'Strap Tank' Single $352,000<br />Oct. 21, 2006, Gooding and Co.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR7_k26bZDOLPugIydMGjQXHyvI0BkXqtA5XgSpAVLWX0uDGKkZFIwMeZAMHWQlYFM4AlVB5QSmFjficcSoqhJ4_h-qM6VruSd80fX9WcVIVLlVQIuklyNhiLUoCbat3tFSLHq5JgrP8/s1600/07HJC225318225A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR7_k26bZDOLPugIydMGjQXHyvI0BkXqtA5XgSpAVLWX0uDGKkZFIwMeZAMHWQlYFM4AlVB5QSmFjficcSoqhJ4_h-qM6VruSd80fX9WcVIVLlVQIuklyNhiLUoCbat3tFSLHq5JgrP8/s200/07HJC225318225A.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />6. 1927 Zenith-JAP 8/45hp £177,500 $312,986<br />September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisUNCNwkQDCpzO3bAJXeAhElQRtEzwmDsVJHMtgflr5G5UM8ucJNdzvBTu7kQPeTz3c62IJ8RdlpqWkW8dUhNMvw9EvTiHrPLgmLvNVmDFucMY2mF-3fO3Km-PUamZgVJ3e8swYNxltNO/s1600-h/img062.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244103634841090882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisUNCNwkQDCpzO3bAJXeAhElQRtEzwmDsVJHMtgflr5G5UM8ucJNdzvBTu7kQPeTz3c62IJ8RdlpqWkW8dUhNMvw9EvTiHrPLgmLvNVmDFucMY2mF-3fO3Km-PUamZgVJ3e8swYNxltNO/s200/img062.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />7. 1934 Brough Superior 996cc SS100 £166,500 $293.589<br />April 2008, Stafford, Bonhams<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfNl72JdxhbS5xiCEhYld6iy-ynXAyH6bV75QTFlhCNl4HiBq9iyb5ADCYySchtHYD0GqEeqV_hZUYT0qtUC2ADrOc5CDzMdOlbjII9UETLhg5cAK_KRU18ZyAEYH4B4NYL1iu_VANE2R/s1600-h/34.ss100.bonhams.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244108579323756434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfNl72JdxhbS5xiCEhYld6iy-ynXAyH6bV75QTFlhCNl4HiBq9iyb5ADCYySchtHYD0GqEeqV_hZUYT0qtUC2ADrOc5CDzMdOlbjII9UETLhg5cAK_KRU18ZyAEYH4B4NYL1iu_VANE2R/s200/34.ss100.bonhams.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />8. 1954 AJS Porcupine £163,600 $288,475<br />April 2000, Stafford, Bonhams<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrwAiBgzrsi1FxNyCxhbcfcOE-Wq_yZE1WXX-Jm1Vs4sJpCr5AEmqJX2VWlNFf2h3FWPtlx_-NSqicFB9skD2L6W3dvLHxr41yuIAqajLHU1dlC3G5nuSAgX5DHAeJdIBKNCsM2sxgt2K/s1600-h/AJS_Porcupine.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244125131470984354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrwAiBgzrsi1FxNyCxhbcfcOE-Wq_yZE1WXX-Jm1Vs4sJpCr5AEmqJX2VWlNFf2h3FWPtlx_-NSqicFB9skD2L6W3dvLHxr41yuIAqajLHU1dlC3G5nuSAgX5DHAeJdIBKNCsM2sxgt2K/s200/AJS_Porcupine.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />9. 1937 Crocker 'Hemi-Head' - $276,000<br />November 2006, Los Angeles, Bonhams<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxC3tjxIAGMGszcdBNHngp4uex94c5dKGJbAqyelkB7sWjxDyIzWLo2r1zT1z9VoFgSZLNIB1rIy3tnS8ykBDeQFPlDHyb-xcsWqdbvBtajoQ0CZHnfjg56EyoixCgkDwYcwBwuYvY4_s/s1600/crockerhemi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxC3tjxIAGMGszcdBNHngp4uex94c5dKGJbAqyelkB7sWjxDyIzWLo2r1zT1z9VoFgSZLNIB1rIy3tnS8ykBDeQFPlDHyb-xcsWqdbvBtajoQ0CZHnfjg56EyoixCgkDwYcwBwuYvY4_s/s200/crockerhemi.png" width="172" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />10. 1929 Scott Flying Squirrel 600cc ex.Steve McQueen/Von Dutch $276,000<br />June 2009, New York, Antiquorum<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtwnutSsshnxjWOPifTCFd3eL-iHjdcT8C5E-YHXrX6BtKrILtD9HGK9FwUOFcgDLro5Nnn5UcBVbdhbC-IqBAnuY8lz878_6cKTfr-vWTQemRCKtvM2ysY29zicsqUaeNBnRQE0Okfs/s1600/antiquorum-mcqueen-1929-scott-w720-h720-300x132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtwnutSsshnxjWOPifTCFd3eL-iHjdcT8C5E-YHXrX6BtKrILtD9HGK9FwUOFcgDLro5Nnn5UcBVbdhbC-IqBAnuY8lz878_6cKTfr-vWTQemRCKtvM2ysY29zicsqUaeNBnRQE0Okfs/s200/antiquorum-mcqueen-1929-scott-w720-h720-300x132.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />11. 1938 Brough Superior 982cc SS100 £151,100 $264,400<br />September 2008, New Bond St, Bonhams <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPAkp4Np4677yUie65JbPZSafbwv6-03S6Gv9PZCvqqpf2R1ZYTR7q4mIz-7suJ0onpOprdXTuxpN4EM5ZHLacWMYyXSsoJrX91YJe3Tuw7ImB5rVq4tZe2hoAaiAkczOUCS_KutycyMF/s1600-h/bs.ss100.bonhams.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244105236070589538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPAkp4Np4677yUie65JbPZSafbwv6-03S6Gv9PZCvqqpf2R1ZYTR7q4mIz-7suJ0onpOprdXTuxpN4EM5ZHLacWMYyXSsoJrX91YJe3Tuw7ImB5rVq4tZe2hoAaiAkczOUCS_KutycyMF/s200/bs.ss100.bonhams.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />12. 1938 Brough Superior SS100 £157,700 $255,900<br />April 2010, Stafford, Bonhams<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YO2At3ZsYmEW10M1cmrBtoXX5nzHy_dN0eo7SgslcVOvST24Aeu4WzcjNRvwaJOf0Zqv5g6RAhKervIJ1KI2Hh4EYUfq5K8kV8ilnayAUvuFMpKRp75QQG0HC9A2Dwm0wOMQxJO44is/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-05+at+8.38.08+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YO2At3ZsYmEW10M1cmrBtoXX5nzHy_dN0eo7SgslcVOvST24Aeu4WzcjNRvwaJOf0Zqv5g6RAhKervIJ1KI2Hh4EYUfq5K8kV8ilnayAUvuFMpKRp75QQG0HC9A2Dwm0wOMQxJO44is/s200/Screen+shot+2010-11-05+at+8.38.08+AM.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />13. 1941 Crocker Big Tank - $243,800<br />January 2007, Las Vegas, MidAmerica<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEwQO1kieUba1pmu2mWw_0dhOnTyvjgd2xsc_9PWvWq6BiteUwztc-L6sxafmHtoASyL-hf757-aTrJe9tPpa4OpzOP4p-K6ZZo9QC7TJuWSGaIA6XU7gX8yr9sqJkL2i1JhqELrDM2Fk/s1600-h/xxMELVIN41CrockerLeft.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244115696748865250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEwQO1kieUba1pmu2mWw_0dhOnTyvjgd2xsc_9PWvWq6BiteUwztc-L6sxafmHtoASyL-hf757-aTrJe9tPpa4OpzOP4p-K6ZZo9QC7TJuWSGaIA6XU7gX8yr9sqJkL2i1JhqELrDM2Fk/s200/xxMELVIN41CrockerLeft.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />14. 1939 Crocker 'Small Tank' twin $236,500<br />Oct. 21, 2006, Gooding and Co.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH11xBpVD0KeYUz-N2BTENt93qAumwcjan_45ZcifCv6MHt9Z-Ox_zxCX2oWJlEyaLEaQIzl3CexTMBx95i2qXhwHmSZ0Kx2yhe-tGdEsM4EgPgLHcwmfWLhSnLz59HJQzxu2oseqEP_4/s1600/b0795ee95f5e4ce08b63794f4fa4ffd0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH11xBpVD0KeYUz-N2BTENt93qAumwcjan_45ZcifCv6MHt9Z-Ox_zxCX2oWJlEyaLEaQIzl3CexTMBx95i2qXhwHmSZ0Kx2yhe-tGdEsM4EgPgLHcwmfWLhSnLz59HJQzxu2oseqEP_4/s200/b0795ee95f5e4ce08b63794f4fa4ffd0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />15. 1939 Crocker V-Twin Big Twin - $233,200<br />January 2008, Las Vegas, MidAmerica<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-4HXX6PLP38H_HhZugAM-09IV1ypABlYuUZlbYAfSwbL0IQ60WtKqDTMj7CJ9R9RafmUYLTjIuuDX93ilUqrruXUilcJcoIcbOibLkSoJk0dSE731v9VUh4jpTM-3d5p0mi_8DHhPRCF/s1600-h/PICT9451s.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244115705027198050" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-4HXX6PLP38H_HhZugAM-09IV1ypABlYuUZlbYAfSwbL0IQ60WtKqDTMj7CJ9R9RafmUYLTjIuuDX93ilUqrruXUilcJcoIcbOibLkSoJk0dSE731v9VUh4jpTM-3d5p0mi_8DHhPRCF/s200/PICT9451s.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />16. 1954 BMW RS54 £143,000 $232,000<br />Oct. 22, 2010, Haynes, HandH<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc2PBUwA4JHfz0QXkl6J2vvVFvcoECKGuKy65YVPAxLXBgMDAvRxjunt-S5l-v6aSGGS3R_LHR5qUCU2K13q-NQqyYcsp_jx3H1M0PdbdExkRD9sEef4dz8w-kVCA-7ARjZWZ_ytqh0Q/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-11-05+at+7.54.04+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc2PBUwA4JHfz0QXkl6J2vvVFvcoECKGuKy65YVPAxLXBgMDAvRxjunt-S5l-v6aSGGS3R_LHR5qUCU2K13q-NQqyYcsp_jx3H1M0PdbdExkRD9sEef4dz8w-kVCA-7ARjZWZ_ytqh0Q/s200/Screen+shot+2010-11-05+at+7.54.04+AM.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />17. 1924 Montgomery-Anzani 8/38hp V-Twin £109,300 $192,702<br />April 2006, Stafford, Bonhams<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkBc3uJcg9aOxyVABVKO91C2256wtolRq9Tu5NxxbS_Tm0oIiN2sK506_XLcCI6EivU6emSPE0IVXuPO2UWxYYh3eK9NDqTbqRLntlvdFpWU4brcY2Y-hYUZFY1jFswZfeU_QFLQypB2u/s1600-h/montgomery.bonhams.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244113043414727362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkBc3uJcg9aOxyVABVKO91C2256wtolRq9Tu5NxxbS_Tm0oIiN2sK506_XLcCI6EivU6emSPE0IVXuPO2UWxYYh3eK9NDqTbqRLntlvdFpWU4brcY2Y-hYUZFY1jFswZfeU_QFLQypB2u/s200/montgomery.bonhams.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />18. 1911 Harley Davidson 7D Twin $187,000<br />October 21, 2006, Gooding and Co.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgTEXb7gpGuRwrHZSsvk5GX6d5DiGHnmb-gMyrceBsqgzrIjlXScCk1hhtYx8XIqzzm3pbhcUC_LvZmplLxPHZ4ox8Ik_qXCx7BG4ied9BdoGHZnsrM2aOa23JHdpXPwhVHp7BMvyIvc/s1600/harley7d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgTEXb7gpGuRwrHZSsvk5GX6d5DiGHnmb-gMyrceBsqgzrIjlXScCk1hhtYx8XIqzzm3pbhcUC_LvZmplLxPHZ4ox8Ik_qXCx7BG4ied9BdoGHZnsrM2aOa23JHdpXPwhVHp7BMvyIvc/s200/harley7d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />19. 1973 Harley-Davisdon 750cc XRTT, ex-Cal Rayborn $185,500<br />January 2009, Las Vegas, MidAmerica<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAZJGaiftMFm-bt82ePT6tPxRnhDwsIgNdu9jfSayik33WbpjSVRWSeoHAOZiuYhshIe9L_FUFMkj74TBuL-lQGlSiH3gDVlkOxE0HKIzqEseGioeNPsyLqeMPl12ofFvk109sHU_E3ik/s1600-h/XRTT21142278036.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244898872577880082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAZJGaiftMFm-bt82ePT6tPxRnhDwsIgNdu9jfSayik33WbpjSVRWSeoHAOZiuYhshIe9L_FUFMkj74TBuL-lQGlSiH3gDVlkOxE0HKIzqEseGioeNPsyLqeMPl12ofFvk109sHU_E3ik/s200/XRTT21142278036.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>20. 1934 Indian Sport Scout (ex-Steve McQueen) $177,500<br />November 2006, Los Angeles, Bonhams<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu70mYvto9JZ_Wgh5g6qMBD9qSM4Bw9PZT_XUONmien6MPPvUCqnm3dysOGMjgtVcbF8oluvXSvSIyj23_9Xoof9GWXIFE3_WVXOzfaeq4cP0PqmiLBwBQbTZ3YKiWv7eL7xyFdr7bmvw/s1600/mcqueensportscout.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu70mYvto9JZ_Wgh5g6qMBD9qSM4Bw9PZT_XUONmien6MPPvUCqnm3dysOGMjgtVcbF8oluvXSvSIyj23_9Xoof9GWXIFE3_WVXOzfaeq4cP0PqmiLBwBQbTZ3YKiWv7eL7xyFdr7bmvw/s200/mcqueensportscout.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The statistics: 10 of the top sellers are British, 9 are from the USA, 1 from Germany. Six of these bikes were racing machines. 16 are large-capacity v-twins. 12 would have been called 'powerful luxury motorcycles' when new. All of them were extremely low-production models, barring the ex-Steve McQueen Scott! By decade; 1 from the 'Noughts, 2 from the 'teens, 5 from the 1920's, 6 from the '30's, 2 from the 40's, 2 from the 50's, 1 from the 60's, and 1 from the 70s. Ten of the top 20 machines were sold by <a href="http://www.bonhams.com/">Bonhams</a>, 4 by <a href="http://www.midameriaauctions.com/">MidAmerica</a>, 3 by <a href="http://www.goodingco.com/">Gooding and Co</a>, 2 by <a href="http://www.classic-auctions.co.uk/home/departments.aspx">HandH</a>, 1 by <a href="http://www.antiquorum.com/">Antiquorum</a>. Seven of these machines were sold in 2008, 6 in 2006, 3 in 2010, 2 in 2009, 1 in 2007, 1 in 2000. <br /><br />What the statistics tell me: 2008 was a banner year for spending on valuable old bikes, but the late 'Noughts were very good in general. Racing motorcycles from Italy and Japan - surely among the most valuable two-wheelers in the world - must never come up for auction, although they do change hands! Provenance is extremely valuable, rarity more so. If you have a relatively ordinary motorcycle, make sure Steve McQueen owned it. If you're looking to invest and don't have a connection with a former race shop employee, I'd start looking for obscure v-twins and fours. <br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(All photos are from the auction house websites. Click on them to enlarge</span>)<br /><br />4 Brough Superiors<br />4 Crockers<br />3 Harley Davidsons<br />2 Vincent-HRDs<br />1 Zenith<br />1 Cyclone<br />1 Coventry Eagle<br />1 Indian<br />1 AJS<br />1 Montgomery<br />1 BMWjogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-47190336184732172202010-11-04T11:25:00.000-07:002011-01-10T18:11:45.049-08:00RARE EARLY DOCUMENTED GOLD STAR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GHbMpfgaaxffYF3fCN_ct25OuCgNucKnQ_PVcQiMSn__L7SOPYEKkGclpLuO9lZigUiZvMnm9xhUL3ZaDElAEMVXSrtPzvcrPjGHOXY37kOt2cyLMuParbifDPtEb2fqKuG-x_zTQCo/s1600/38GoldStar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GHbMpfgaaxffYF3fCN_ct25OuCgNucKnQ_PVcQiMSn__L7SOPYEKkGclpLuO9lZigUiZvMnm9xhUL3ZaDElAEMVXSrtPzvcrPjGHOXY37kOt2cyLMuParbifDPtEb2fqKuG-x_zTQCo/s400/38GoldStar.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />A recent press release from <a href="http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=EUR&screen=Catalogue&iSaleNo=19040">Bonhams</a> piqued my curiosity, as the sale is in Sydney, Australia: had the Aussies got something good on offer? A short search was rewarded with my favorite BSA 'Gold Star' model, the one which started the whole iconic line from 1938 to 1962 (the ones of note anyway, a few counterfeit 'Goldies' were made with unit-construction engines later in the 60s and 70s, but they're not the same animal at all...).<br /><br />This 1938 M24 Gold Star is fully documented from new and one of 15 imported to Australia that year. It appears to have its original magnesium-case gearbox, which is one of the most difficult items to source when building up a fake - nobody casts these up nowadays. The seller includes a dossier of the machine's history and restoration...sounds like a peach to me.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7yKhBYqnOiNxBf9vV1oFEWz4PHflB2_1PdzpgZ3B2Cxun7aQOaUpejpgDuonqVNTK6V5PsP8B_SKlhiePZVrr6IHg6X_jrvdBez-jIE-02rK-Xh-SVKqxi_OhhQycVFoBi2yCu8t4a8/s1600/Handley_Gold_Star_VMCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7yKhBYqnOiNxBf9vV1oFEWz4PHflB2_1PdzpgZ3B2Cxun7aQOaUpejpgDuonqVNTK6V5PsP8B_SKlhiePZVrr6IHg6X_jrvdBez-jIE-02rK-Xh-SVKqxi_OhhQycVFoBi2yCu8t4a8/s400/Handley_Gold_Star_VMCC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />As with many 'sporting' motorcycles, the Gold Star takes its name from a racing victory (think Thruxton, Bonneville, LeMans...), which in this case was movie-star handsome Wal Handley <i>(above)</i> riding a tuned BSA M23 'Empire Star' at the Brooklands track on June 30th, 1937, averaging just over 100mph for at least a lap during the race (102.27mph), earning him, and the BSA, a 'Gold Star' - the coveted brass medal from the <a href="http://www.bemsee.net/">BMCRC ('Bemsee')</a> which recorded for eternity your 100mph lap during a race at that storied course. The Empire Star in question was basically an ordinary roadster with a few mild hop-ups (13:1 alcohol piston, hot cams, TT carb), and BSA were justifiably proud to have...finally...added a super-sports roadster to their lineup of solid, dependable machinery. When the M24 appeared the following year, it had the radical, for the day, aluminum cylinder barrel and head, and magnesium gearbox; the frame was lighter too, made from Reynolds 531 tubing, with no sidecar lugs (and that is truly a radical omission for a BSA of the period). Quite a few bits are totally unique to this two-year-only model, and it remains a very rare bird indeed.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I'll be curious what it fetches at the auction; <a href="http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=AUS&screen=LotDetails&iSaleItemNo=4740177&iSaleNo=19040&iSaleSectionNo=2&sServer=http://images1.bonhams.com/&sPath=2010-10/13/8154586-1-1.jpg">if you'd like to have a look, click here</a>.<br />If you're curious to read more about pre-war BSA Gold Stars, <a href="http://www.bsa-m24.com/index.html">here is a website devoted to them</a>.jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393450419437751526.post-11740234339671319452010-11-03T08:09:00.000-07:002011-01-10T18:11:45.054-08:00BROUGH BACK AT BONNEVILLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3Pk6H8_GmnZn_Pwf6sOiFqrfom0GOj7V0c87xP-7VuVb-zGgeotTgkZQ_ktk7NnmqdlIC9ZaVl9eR7RjuN7bvrPVHg3egOeZKu4HIbHxzu7P_ebhamk3X6-tjvXYQlobFurW_o39vJ4/s1600/ss101.rrl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3Pk6H8_GmnZn_Pwf6sOiFqrfom0GOj7V0c87xP-7VuVb-zGgeotTgkZQ_ktk7NnmqdlIC9ZaVl9eR7RjuN7bvrPVHg3egOeZKu4HIbHxzu7P_ebhamk3X6-tjvXYQlobFurW_o39vJ4/s400/ss101.rrl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It appears the revived <a href="http://www.brough-superior.com/">Brough Superior</a> is feeling its oats and wanting to test its mettle at the Bonneville Salt Flats, after an absence of 60 years, when Noel Pope made an ill-fated attempt with a streamlined B-S to take the motorcycle Land Speed Record (which would make an excellent post...). Mark Upham has no such ambitions with this proposed foray onto the salt, but would like to 'see what she'll do' - she being an SS101 'Pendine' model (apparently, 'Bonneville' is taken...) with a specially-tuned JAP engine, which will be redubbed the 'Retro'.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEE35WcomWd7cJ349xZWwA-4862_xhLggw2S_f712Ul9Ft6xZEARKQFO9OAve35tQ4h_t3z83LhhfnJxRbZ-tVelBsAnMhrWlpwOzDz3U5alY_18PGFsdPPLuKuW7PXg2XRk8HKvhv_k/s1600/alistair1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEE35WcomWd7cJ349xZWwA-4862_xhLggw2S_f712Ul9Ft6xZEARKQFO9OAve35tQ4h_t3z83LhhfnJxRbZ-tVelBsAnMhrWlpwOzDz3U5alY_18PGFsdPPLuKuW7PXg2XRk8HKvhv_k/s400/alistair1.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/22/ex-f1-mechanic-alastair-gibson-brings-racing-materials-to-fish-s/">Alistair Gibson</a> <i>(above)</i>, who was present at the <a href="http://thevintagent.blogspot.com/2010/10/mens-file-party-at-ralph-lauren.html">Men's File party in Paris</a>, is heading up the team, and brings considerable experience with F1 race team management, and prior experience with speed attempts at Bonneville, having broken a record with his <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/21/honda-f1-sets-land-speed-records-at-bonneville/">Honda F1 car in 2006 <i>(below)</i></a><i>.</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2P_qicCZEpkx_h1Hsu_RMcJYWY-v-Icr2d4wOQniv-R8yt6YnwN9yrvuA9-lj2EhRfIDfzNK6ThsqGWkmVhfaU3SI3OrhfJPWxvhKfJNZ2u9vZPwA13_Pyz56KIooc_k_egRCTcNEbE/s1600/5886_19070621541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2P_qicCZEpkx_h1Hsu_RMcJYWY-v-Icr2d4wOQniv-R8yt6YnwN9yrvuA9-lj2EhRfIDfzNK6ThsqGWkmVhfaU3SI3OrhfJPWxvhKfJNZ2u9vZPwA13_Pyz56KIooc_k_egRCTcNEbE/s320/5886_19070621541.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Depending on the speed achieved by the 'Retro', replica machines with tuned engines may be dubbed 'SS120', or 'SS127.543'... In any case, The Vintagent will be present to document the experience, and hopefully grab saddle time on the salt.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here's the press release:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Pk_5PBu-5ds_ektP_8bDnKzfmK-6dJpKYxj9ZuEhqu-jsW85Idl9aKNOEDhuTMul7-WS9HU3dUf-kjoEvAuptjACnlQcHeTUFxCi996O3Z-a5r6kK6hzOuBXsY4LvLvAL0bVFUcRrBE/s1600/alistair.mark.ss101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Pk_5PBu-5ds_ektP_8bDnKzfmK-6dJpKYxj9ZuEhqu-jsW85Idl9aKNOEDhuTMul7-WS9HU3dUf-kjoEvAuptjACnlQcHeTUFxCi996O3Z-a5r6kK6hzOuBXsY4LvLvAL0bVFUcRrBE/s400/alistair.mark.ss101.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>"Mark Upham, CEO of Brough Superior Motorcycles Ltd <i>[above, with Gibson],</i> is delighted to announce the firm will be contesting Bonneville Speed Week next year with a new machine based on the existing 1927 SS100 Pendine model, which was first unveiled at Pebble Beach in August 2009. The machine will be known as the Brough Superior SS100 Retro; it will be running on pump fuel, un-streamlined. Design, style, and construction will be the direct responsibility of Alistair Gibson, formerly chief mechanic for Honda Formula One, and lifelong 2-wheel enthusiast. After a quarter century working for several Champions in F1 Alistair now works from his own design studio near Oxford. “When Mark approached me with the idea of a “Retro” machine for Bonneville I was immediately fired up; I know the extent of the challenge, having previously been deeply involved on the salt in 2006, with the Honda F1 car that broke the existing record for the category!” <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28tsDwgvvWCxXZjH64REVP2bMXJdMFz9eoAiYs-M0IYeBF2YuXzAW5hrktSvu8tNmbv7tD_CJs-QtvAdZvdRhl8tHwp2Mq05Peq_rFk88fyxzrOhHBhlx42HQ2Rhmxv7LgIOA3OIIef0/s1600/yy8p6941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28tsDwgvvWCxXZjH64REVP2bMXJdMFz9eoAiYs-M0IYeBF2YuXzAW5hrktSvu8tNmbv7tD_CJs-QtvAdZvdRhl8tHwp2Mq05Peq_rFk88fyxzrOhHBhlx42HQ2Rhmxv7LgIOA3OIIef0/s400/yy8p6941.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The motivation for this exciting project comes from Mark Upham himself, who confirms that the project is to be funded by Brough Superior Motorcycles Ltd. In anticipating the machine’s final completion and testing by July it is then intended the “Retro” will be despatched to Jay Leno’s Big Dog Garage in Los Angeles where, after re-assembly, it will be shown for the first time. The “Retro” will then be displayed on the Brough Superior stand at Pebble Beach in mid-August, prior to shipment to the Bonneville Salt Flats towards the end of that month. The “Retro” machine’s progress can be followed on the firm’s website:<a href="http://www.brough-superior.com/"> www.brough-superior.com</a><br /><br />Mark Upham says, “Alistair has been helping us for the past two years; I am therefore delighted to have him so closely involved with the “Retro” project, which effectively, is Brough Superior’s first return to Bonneville after an absence of 60 years!”<br /><br />[<i>Below, Noel Pope with his streamlined B-S, at the Salt Flats, 1949. He crashed the thing, vowing 'never to ride a streamlined motorcycle again.'</i>]<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0QlpRI7LAEkq17g2AYUAyaex5t5F6kyZE_OrCwJCRIBDJ9sdHTqdfwEnuWIQc8OT4UqJkLHtPcFsBkUF7o3LLsHmK0OQ5TQHuVkIslfdcBo1A0oiKrzZpEaMv87x_AXCOotxc8zG61Y/s1600/noelpope.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0QlpRI7LAEkq17g2AYUAyaex5t5F6kyZE_OrCwJCRIBDJ9sdHTqdfwEnuWIQc8OT4UqJkLHtPcFsBkUF7o3LLsHmK0OQ5TQHuVkIslfdcBo1A0oiKrzZpEaMv87x_AXCOotxc8zG61Y/s400/noelpope.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDljvuVI3kCiDUAjDKkvPPGDyLtKAYB6hTE6GL7OWS79cypnYCsifQwpPsCSoDsLRa-ZXnuJzrai_XAzF6dpPUhUsXtJ6aXmY42OVEcfoAL9I8yl4KJWcwVrTxKn5RZUWXhE0ewx5ktM/s1600/AG-F1.BENETTON.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>jogjasarkemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134997155511745503noreply@blogger.com0