vrijdag 30 april 2010

Bonhams Motorcycle Auction Stafford 2010

BONHAMS MOTORCYCLE AUCTION
25th April 2010
at
the International Classic Motorcycle Show,
Stafford
Lot No: 110

1948 Triumph Speed Twin "Pretty Boy I"
Frame no. TF9369
Engine no. 485T96524
It was not an auspicious beginning for a motorcycle that would go on to make history. The brand-new 1948 Triumph 5T Speed Twin sat forlornly in the corner of a dealership, looking quite crispy following an electrical fire. The unlucky buyer got a replacement machine under warranty and the dealer, Bob SirKegian Sr., got a project bike. With ace shop foreman Fred Ford spinning the wrenches, the burned-out 5T was transformed into a hot little bob-job, a fitting conveyance for SirKegian, who once wheeled fearsome factory board-trackers for Indian, Harley, and Excelsior, and was in the process of building up the largest Triumph dealership west of the Mississippi.

Son Bobby Jr. was a natural on two wheels, riding in the dirt from age 6. In the early 1950s after father and son had spectated at one of the many dragstrips then popping up all over Southern California, 12-year-old Bobby decided he wanted to give this newfangled quarter-mile sprinting a try. What better bike than his old man's hotted-up 5T? The elder SirKegian took some convincing as his bob-job was so well turned out it was nicknamed "Pretty Boy," but soon he was fully into the endeavor, even balancing the bike from behind at the start line because he son was still too small to plant his feet flat on the ground!

Success was almost immediate for Bobby, capitalizing on his good reflexes and superior power-to-weight ratio. The bike did its part, too, thanks to ported-and-polished cylinder heads, a twin-carb/remote-float set-up, special crankshaft, high-compression 12:1 pistons (stock was 8.5:1!), and open-ended 4-inch megaphone exhausts. In 1953, running at the first-ever NHRA-sanctioned drag race in Pomona, SirKegian took the win. The kid was a national champion at age 13! He repeated the feat in '54. Running on gas, the 500cc Triumph posted a best trap speed of 110.40mph. It would be joined by two Triumph 650s, Pretty Boys II and III -- one running on gas, the other on fuel. Young Bobby and his bikes were featured in mainstream publications and even made it onto the nationally syndicated television show "You Asked For It."

Bobby's interests took him away from drag racing and to the rough-and-tumble of flat-track competition. He was good enough to rank in the AMA's national top 10, gunning BSA Gold Stars everywhere from the Ascot half-mile to the Daytona Beach course, but he always kept the Triumph drag bikes. In 2002, after years in storage, Pretty Boy I was treated to a full mechanical and cosmetic restoration by SirKegian. Since then, it has spent most of its time on display at the NHRA Museum in Pomona, not far from the spot where it first roared in the history books 57 years ago.

Here's a chance to own a milestone machine, restored by the man who made it famous. Offered with a Certificate of Title.
Estimate: $30,000 - 35,000
I HAVE "PRETTY BOY II" !


Lot No: 157



Catalogue on line
The ex-Rody Rodenberg, factory modified
1940 Triumph 500cc T100 Tiger Competition
Frame no. TF40 30
Engine no. T100-31131
It was a certainly a milestone for motorcycling in 1938 when Triumph's Ed Turner unveiled his newly designed 500cc Speed Twin, an event further enhanced by announcement of the sportier version Tiger 100 one year later. Until Turner went to Triumph in 1936 it was perceived as quite a staid company, its machines less well regarded than those from Ariel, BSA, or the AJS, Matchless, and Sunbeam brands from AMC. Ariel had bought the ailing Triumph motorcycle brand in 1936 from the automobile company of the same name but, with the arrival of Turner's superbly styled vertical twins, the status quo was rapidly changing and Triumph had difficulty meeting demand. Physically identical to the Speed Twin touring model the Tiger100 was finished in silver sheen paintwork, similar to its Tiger 70/80/90 siblings, which were all sporty singles. The Tiger 100, though, incorporated a number of exclusive fitments, most noticeably the easily detachable megaphone type mufflers, and a finned front brake drum. Likewise, the iron cylinder was attached by means of an 8-stud fixing, and could be ordered with a bronze cylinder head. Given its performance advantage [even in stock spec] over contemporary singles, Turner's new design was the Corvette or Mustang of its day!

Offered in original condition the rare 1940 Tiger 100 is unusual on several counts, primarily because it was specially built by the factory, coupled with the fact it is a 1940 model, by when Britain had been at war for several months. The bike is accompanied by a clutch of 1940 correspondence between the Coventry factory and its first owner, the renowned Indiana racer Rody Rodenberg. In a letter dated March 30th the Export Department advised receipt of the order and on May 18th they confirm "the special Tiger 100 model" had been dispatched by boat. Later, and aware that the bike had safely arrived, the Export Dept – with typical British understatement – regretted that Rody's request for a spare pair of hand-made pistons "...could not be promised very promptly, owing to reduced facilities for manufacturing special parts at the present time!" The letters are remarkable for at least three reasons: i) the fact Triumph was still able to build a non-military machine, ii) that letters to and from USA were received, and iii) the machine safely survived its Atlantic crossing! (In fact, shortly after the last of these letters, Triumph's Coventry plant was destroyed in a bombing raid, eventually replaced by the famous green-field site at nearby Meriden.)

Having been specially made at the factory, the Tiger is in virtually the same spec in which it left Coventry. Quoting from the file we know it was fitted with a bronze 'head, special 8:1 pistons, a TT carburetor, a BTH racing magneto, large diameter megaphones, its foot-pegs were in the rear racing position, and the engine was specially tuned. Destined originally to contest either Class A or Class C Speed Records at Daytona, as well as the 1941 beach race, both projects were postponed. (On file is an earlier photo of the machine showing the girder forks, "taped" aerodynamically, per Rollie Free's 150 mph LSR Vincent at Bonneville!) Lowell Rettinger, however, rode the Triumph at Daytona in 1947, and went on to win the first national TT at Peoria the same year. The vendor also confirms that Rodenberg raced it at Daytona in 1948, and that Rettinger used the same machine to win a 5-mile national at Iowa City in 1951.

Today, authentically preserved, and running on gasoline, the Triumph has a purposeful image. The original, part-chromed fuel tank [in which the instruments are mounted] is missing some paint, but the black fenders and silver-lined rims are relatively unscathed. The un-silenced megaphones and the engine internals were of course all fitted to special factory order at Triumph in 1940. Given Turner's well-known aversion to most forms of competition – inasmuch he insisted such machines should be prepared away from the factory – this is an extraordinary story. According to its documentation the Triumph was assigned by Rodenberg in the mid-1980s, and has had just two owners since...a unique example of Triumph racing history!
Sold on a Certificate of Title.
Estimate: $30,000 - 40,000
Bron:
Voor verdere INFO:
&
SO
STEEDS VERASSEND, ALTIJD DICHTBIJ


Motoring George Spauwen


maandag 26 april 2010

The Run Watcha Bring Run 2010 II

Ja je kunt wel thuis blijven zitten pitten...maar hoe dan ook,
"brommers" al dan niet in revisie,
gereden worden zal er toch.
Kobus & MGS hadden deze dag weer getekend voor
een mooie dag, kortom een mooie rit...
met weer de nodige kilometers !
Wij vertrokken dit keer vanaf de "Sterrenwijk" te Utrecht.
De rit ging binnendoor, gesneden koek natuurlijk,
ri. Wijk bij Duurstede


Matchless Model X ST "Black Train" versus *Triumph Rocket III
*Denk je een "dikke brommerd " te rijden ! :)

 


Echter omdat het nu bij "Wijk on the Wall" nogal druk was
gingen wij door ri. Amerongen naar het ons welbekende terras van
*wanneer komen wij er nou niet !?

(Archief 2000)

En wat dacht je wat daar aangekomen kwamen wij in contact met twee andere veteraan motorrijders, helaas hebben wij daar geen foto's van, edoch zij bleken lid te zijn van ene Dutch Vintage Motorcycle Association, en zij kwamen beiden uit Groenekan.
Ik vind het dan ook erg, zeg maar... best wel leuk,
dat je dit soort mensen zomaar ook "in het wild" tegenkomt.
Jammer dat ze er meteen vandoor moesten...zij hadden er immers al een hele
"terrasbeurt" opzitten en moesten snel verder... En zo geschiedde...
Kobus & MGS genoten van het nog zonnige terras
onder het genot van een versnapering.
In de namiddag/avond was wat regen voorspeld.


Daarna ging het ri. Leersum naar de welbekende "Uilentoren".
Altijd een leuke stek voor wat "helicopterviewfoto's.


Toch twee V-Twins...




- X ST -

Van daaruit ging het naar Doorn binnendoor naar Maarsbergen, Scherpenzeel voor een tankstop. Daarna via Woudenberg langs Austerlitz, ri. Zeist, Bilthoven voor een koffiestop, en weer door voor een verlaat bezoek aan HansHans die de dag ervoor uitgebreid zijn verjaardag gevierd had.
Dat werd nog even dunnetjes overgedaan en
was het gezellig toeven daar in het Groenekanse...




Vette Castrol R40 " Vleesjus in de pan".


HansHans was druk doende zijn
beginnen in te rijden na een grondige revisie.
Inmiddels was de zon vertrokken en vertrokken ook wij allen weer op huis aan
na een genoeglijke dag van genietend motorrijden.
Toch weer zo'n 86 mls = ca. 138 kms gereden...
SO


"The Vetter... The Better !"

Motoring George Spauwen
Sponsored by
Victrace Sitebuilding

woensdag 21 april 2010

The Spring Motorcycle Gathering 2010



On Sunday 18 April 2010

Brooklands Museum will host The Spring Motorcycle Gathering.
Come and celebrate the anniversary of the first motorcycle race held at the historic motor racing circuit in April 1908.

A specially invited entry of machines with genuine Brooklands history and some historic record-breakers will be on display in the paddock and demonstrated on the famous test hill and Members' Banking. One make Club area Trade stands Push-bike challenge.



[foto+181.jpg]
The Norton-Hughes oufit now known as "LPD 1"
was raced at Brooklands by Pat Driscoll.


Bert Denley on the motorcycle and sidecar

Pat Driscoll acquired in 1929 the machine when Nigel Spring and Bert Denly moved to AJS. Pat used it until he was forced to give up racing by the Austin works team who considered it to be too dangerous. Although Driscoll achieved over 200 firsts in nine years of competition his main interest was in Record attempts and long distance racing. He became one of the outstanding tuner-riders of Norton in the 1920s and 30s and was a contracted Norton works rider. In 1930 he was awarded the British Motor Cycle Racing Club ‘Gold Star’ for lapping the Track at over 100 miles per hour.

Although Pat Driscoll preferred to use the Webb Heavyweight forks at Brooklands the machine is fitted with Druid ES forks. He won at least one sidecar race in 1931 using these forks as his sponsor, Bill Lacey, was contracted to use Druids. Most of the pictures show the original sprint tank but for long distance races the tank developed for the 1926 TT was used.





opnamen van een eerder jaar...



2007

John & Rob waren er afgelopen weekend bij.
John doet op zijn Rapidhare weblog verslag !


Ivan Wicksteed raised the 500 cc Outer Circuit record to 118.02 mph
with M.Winslow's 498 cc Supercharged Triumph Speed Twin
on 8th october 1938* (Motor Cycle)
Brooklands 2010
SO
STEEDS VERASSEND, ALTIJD DICHTBIJ

Motoring George Spauwen



maandag 19 april 2010

The Run Watcha Bring Run 2010


Op de mooie zondag van 18 april hebben Kobus & MGS
maar eens besloten de zinnen effe te verzetten.
Er is immers weer wat teveel gebeurd vandaar...
Dus dan maar een ritje te rijden ri. Amersfoort.
Echter daar aangekomen troffen wij geen D.V.M.A-Lid thuis.
Dus ging het dan maar binnendoor naar Voorthuizen
Chaletpark "De Hunnenberg" voor een koffiestop.
Eigenlijk was ik ook op zoek naar de boerencamping
De Kleine Stroet, waar ik het plan had nog wel eens
te gaan kamperen, en vervolgens vandaaruit
de hele Veluwe te gaan verkennen...maar ja.

Echter Voorthuizen is veeeeel meer dan een straat...
Dus dat plan heb ik maar effe laten varen...


Vervolgens stelde ik voor over de Veluwe
om nog effe via Putten,
Ermelo naar Harderwijk te rijden,


om een lekker visje te eten...



Harderwijk is een Hanzestad en ligt aan de rand van de Veluwe en aan het Wolderwijd, ongeveer op de helft tussen Zwolle en Amersfoort. Het is het regionale verzorgingscentrum voor de Noordwest-Veluwe.
Het was prachtig weer en de "brommers" reden goed.
En de magen begonnen immers te knorren....
Nou wij waren natuurlijk niet de enigen met dat idee.
Het was een drukte van jewelste
en veel (te) moderne motorfietsen te zien.



Hier een gecustomized Harley Davidson met


daarachter a real *"apehanger".
*Hoe kun je daar nu toch op blijven rijden?
Enfin wij lieten het ons allemaal goed smaken,


om vervolgens nog effe rond te kijken
en daarna weer op huis aan te gaan
ditmaal via de autoweg en het laatste stuk
vanaf Amersfoort maar weer binnendoor
naar Utrecht.


Kortom wij hebben weer effe genoten
Toch nog weer zo'n 160 km gereden
Ik heb nu eindelijk eens het verbruik gemeten:
1 ltr op 22,7 km.
(Meten = Weten, als weet wat je meet)
SO
STEEDS VERASSEND, ALTIJD DICHTBIJ


Motoring George Spauwen