RealClassic – August 2019

JACQUELINE BICKERSTAFF

outoftimeforanythingbuttheshortestof
testrides.
PUB,withaconsiderablylaterstart,rode
theHRDaroundthesameroute,whichiswhat
theBolléeentryproducedasaroutecard.This
enabledhertokeepaneyeopenlestMary
stopped,butshedidnot(exceptfortime
checks).NotneedingtokeepdowntoMary’s
18 mphtheHRDjustnicelycaughtherup
beforethefinish.Apartfromaweepingpetrol
tap,whichwillneedfixing,Maryandbikehad
agoodride,ifuncomfortablyslow(because
evena 250 ccvintageRex-Acmeisstraining
attheleashatthatspeed).Itwasnotjusta
successfulrideandfinish,becausehaving
enteredthetimedcompetition,shestuckto
hertasksoproficientlythatshewonaGold
award(nomorethan 3 minutesearly,or 5
minuteslateatchecksoverthe 2 hourcourse).
SoAJSMaryhadagoodday.
SadlytheabsenceoftheBolléereduced
theslimentryofjust 6 machinespriorto 1910
downevenfurther.Interestingly,sixwasalso
thenumberofBroughSuperiorsentered(and
rememberthatmanyBSsaretoonewforthe
1930 cut-offBanburydate).HowardBiddle,
ridinganewlyrestored‘WyattMinerva’of
1903 forhisfirsttime,reckonedthattheA
route(avoidingsteephillssuchasSunrising)
wasafineride.Hisbike,incidentally,was
listedaspreviouslyownedbyBertFruin(that
wouldbeofFruin‘Dartela’racerfame,unless
itwasamisprintfortheeminentrestorer
BillFruin),andwasawardedthe‘Harold
Scott’trophyforbestcondition.Oldestbike
atGaydon,however,wasSteveNicholson’s
Northampton-built 1901 Dart.Thisreceived
the‘MiniatureCup’,originallypresentedby

SteveGibbons’ 1924 MonetGoyonalsohasatankmounteddripfeed.However,thisis
nottheVilliers‘automatic’oilingsystem,justahandoperated‘semi-automatic’pump
asusedonmanyfour-strokes.Theriderpushesthepumpknobdown,tochargeitwith
oil(andalittlecatchcanbeusedtokeepittherewhenparked).Aspringinsidethen
slowlydeliversoilthroughtheadjusterandsightfeed.Itpaystoremembertopushthe
knobatregularintervals

AlexHubbard’sPanthermodel 25 featuresthesame 250 ccVilliersengine,and

‘automatic’oilingsystem,astheRex-Acme.Itdoes,however,haveaseparate

pressurisedoiltank,withthesightfeedinitstop(whereitislikelytobeinvisible

undertherider’sleg!).ThismodelofPantherfeaturesacastframemember,

completedwithpressingsandstrips,touseupstocksleftbythecommercialfailureof

their‘Panthette’V-twin

thelateStanGreenawaywhowasagreat

cyclemotorenthusiastwithespecialinterestin

earlyveterantypes.Formanyriders,however,

theascentofSunrisingHillisanimportant

partoftheirBanburyRun,whichgenerally

meansridingaslightlylatermachine(expect

AJSMarytoselectaBroutenexttime),unless

oneisbraveenoughtovoluntarilychoosethe

harderroutewithanearlyveteran(whicha

youngerPUBusedtodo).

JurisRambaisaregularvisitortothese

shoresfromLatvia,andthisyearwas

accompaniedbyhissonRobertRamba

AnotherVilliersenginedlightweight,this 1923147 cc

ExcelsiorJuniorfeaturesadroppedframetoappealto

ladyriders

SteveNicholson’s 198 ccDartwasbuiltin 1901 for‘flattrackracing’andwonmanycompetitions,advisedthe

programme.Itmaynothavebeen‘flattrack’asrecognisedbyourUSreaders.Itreceivedthe‘MiniatureCup’forbest

under 200 cc/ 1 ¾hpmachine

b ribe ve: eal- a .co. //s UG 2 9 I