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A monthly publication of The Vintage Motorcycle Club Johannesburg, South Africa.

Volume 28. No 11. December 2014.

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE:

How time flies, and especially when one gets older. I cannot believe that it will be Xmas in a month’s time. From Gwyneth and me, we wish you a happy Xmas and a healthy and prosperous 2015. The regs for the 2015 DJ has been available on the various Club Websites, please do not wait until the last moment to enter. The Fairest Cape Tour was won by Gavin Walton, the first day was not pleasant with rain and some wind, and day two was very pleasant. Please mark your calendars, on the 23rd of February we will be displaying our DJ motorcycles at the VVC, we need at least 30 motorcycles. Do not forget the Chairman’s cocktails on 8 December Safe Riding Pierre.

A NOTE OF THANKS FOR SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDINGYOU FROM MARTIN DAVIS I foolishly, for many years, thought that the V.M.C. was all about like-minded people enjoying our hobby of all things related to old motorcycles. How wrong I was. With the rather sudden death of Edna, my wife of 43 years, I found myself on an emotional roller coaster to nowhere. The other half of me was gone. Family has done their best to comfort me and ease me through this very difficult period. However, the support and encouragement to move on received from numerous club members makes going forward that much easier, takes away some of the loneliness and gives me a sense of direction. To all of you especially those that encouraged me to tag along to the Velocette annual meet in Fouriesburg and the Fairest Cape Rally, I thank you for being there for me and helping in so many ways for me to get on with my life. The V.M.C. is more than just motorcycles. Your support and understanding is sincerely appreciated. Martin Davis

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Events of Interest Calendar The VMC Committee wants to make the newsletter an essential part of your motorcycling life. The newest idea is the VMC Calendar, to provide information on events, primarily relate to our interest in older bikes, throughout the year. Please send or event info comments to the Chairman, the Editor or any committee member. Contact details are available on the last page of Kickstart.

Calendar for 2014/2015 November 2014 December 2014

02-Nov CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston 07-Dec Ride in Memory VMC 9-11 Nov Fairest Cape Tour CVMC 07-Dec CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston

24-Nov VMC Club Meeting VVC Club 08-Dec VMC Year End function VVC Club

January 2015 February 2015 04-Jan CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston 01-Feb CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston

11-Jan VMC Club Ride TBA VMC 08-Feb CMC Autumn & Pre DJ Rally CMC Germiston

26-Jan VMC Club Meeting VVC Club 14-15 Feb George Old Car Show SCOCC ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 23-Feb VMC Club Meeting VVC Club

March 2015 April 2015 01-Mar CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston 05-Apr CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston

5-7 Mar 2015 DJ Commemorative Run VVC 12-Apr VMC Club Ride TBA VMC

15-Mar Piston Ring Swop Meet Piston Ring 27-Apr VMC Club Meeting VVC Club 23-Mar VMC Club Meeting VVC Club ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

May 2015 June 2015 03-May CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston 07-Jun CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston

10-May VMC Club Ride - Natal Classic Shake Down VMC 14-Jun VMC Club Ride VMC

22 - 24 May Natal Classic CMCN 22-Jun VMC Club Meeting VVC Club 25-May VMC Club Meeting VVC Club ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

July 2015 August 2015 4-5 Jul CMC 1000 Bike Show CMC Germiston 02-Aug CMC Club Meeting CMC Germiston 27-Jul VMC Club Meeting VVC Club 02-Aug Cars in the Park POMC

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 24-Aug VMC AGM VVC Club Past events: The 29th Fairest Cape Tour According to all reports this year’s Tour was fantastic. The Cape weather played along to the best of its ability; the first day was the usual terrible conditions but the second day was fabulous. The VMC contingent acquitted themselves well. Overall it was a well organised event. Winners & Trophies were allocated as follows 1st Overall: Gavin Walton: Mike Milner-Smythe Trophy 2nd Overall: Stuart Fergusson: Banzai Trophy 3rd Overall: Kevin Robertson: Paul Malcolm Memorial Trophy Class Trophies Veteran & Vintage Machines – up to 1930 Adrian Denness SAVVA Trophy Post Vintage – 1931 to 1945 Pierre Cronje Baby Scott Trophy Post War – 1946 to 1960 Jon Lewis VMC Trophy Classic – 1961 to 1989 Peter Vlietstra Andre du Toit Shield

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General Trophies Best Performance: 1st Time Entrant Chantal Madgwick Alf Dolt Trophy CVMC Entrant Nic McFall Nedbank Shield CMCN Entrant Denis Pullon SALAUB Youngest Rider Tim Shaw Oldest Entrant to complete the course Clive Francis Bill Smith Lowest Score / Lady Tarryn Rice Best Nominated Team KPG Team Alan Birch Memorial Trophy Kevin Robertson Pierre Cronje Gavin Walton Best Performance Rider / Passenger Driver / Navigator Kim Hammond / Hylton Allison Hoffman Trophy Clerk of the Course Chris Cutler BARCELONA – A PLACE OF WONDERMENT AND SADNESS By Roger Houghton Barcelona, the beautiful, historic Spanish city nestling in the Catalan mountains, turned out to be a place of wonderment and sadness for me when I went there on a business trip recently. The wonderment came from witnessing a marvellously effective, integrated traffic system in which powered two-wheelers (PTW) played an important role in cutting down on traffic congestion. The sadness came from a visit to the Museu Moto, a tiny motorcycle museum tucked away down an alley leading off from a large square in the Barcelona CBD. The reason was that it showcased how the Catalan-based segment of the Spanish motorcycle and scooter manufacturing industry has virtually disappeared, which is a tragedy considering the region supplied most of the region’s needs between 1905 and 2010 with 190 different brands being made there over the years. Barcelona is proving a model of traffic control with its multi-modal approach. It uses a combination of bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, taxis, private cars, underground trains (Metro), buses, air transport (two airports), commuter and rapid rail trains. There are also three funiculars and a couple of cable car routes in the city. All these systems and vehicles are integrated to minimise traffic congestion. I saw it for myself recently and it works.

Motorcycles and scooters park for free in special

areas in the Barcelona CBD. Most of the machines are Japanese models

Montesa factory in Catalonia as it looked between 1948—1956.In front, a 1952 Montesa Ardilla 125cc

Barcelona is a big city too; being the capital of the Catalan region and the second largest city in Spain, as well as the sixth most populous city in Europe; after Paris, London, The Ruhr, Madrid and Milan. The city’s

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population exceeds 1.6-million, with almost a million registered vehicles and the number of daily trips undertaken in the city and surrounding area exceeds 6.5-million. What is important is the big role played by two-wheelers – pedal cycles and powered motorcycles and scooters. In fact, there were already more than 300 000 motorcycles and scooters in Barcelona in 2010, which makes it the European city with the highest proportion of powered two wheelers related to the population; probably the reason Spaniards are so successful in two-wheel motor sport. In addition, almost 200 000 residents of Barcelona make use of the “Bicing” communal cycle loan system (inaugurated on March 22, 2007 and similar to systems in Lyon and Paris) which has more than 6 000 bicycles at 420 locations in the city. Being a motorcycle enthusiast, I was most impressed with the extensive use of powered two-wheelers in this beautiful city, where they park for free.

A designer developed a 32cc DIESEL engine that

fitted a bicycle. Only one example was made

1924 Simo: early example of Spanish motorcycle

What was most impressive was the responsible manner in which the powered-two-wheelers were ridden. I saw no reckless riding but rather very responsible riders who obeyed traffic signs and did not weave through the traffic. I saw no accidents in a visit that lasted several days. According to the Federation of European Motorcyclists Association (FEMA) two-wheelers are the way to beat both traffic jams and pollution. A powered two-wheeler (PTW) takes approximately 16 to 46% less time to cover the same urban trip as a car, due to congestion, while research shows that 17 out of 20 car trips in cities are made with only one occupant in the vehicle. Now back to the very neat and organised motorcycle museum, where I was the only visitor in the early evening when I went there. Generally the machines on display were in very good condition and most looked like runners. However, what they reflected was an industrial and economic tragedy for the region. The large, sepia photographic backdrop to the Montesa display provides a poignant reminder of how things used to be in this part of Spain in those heady post war years. The photograph shows lots of machines, many people working industriously and piles of castings which symbolised economic activity and employment in Barcelona. Hit by economic crises in Europe and a subsequent slowdown in demand Montesa, one of the most famous Spanish motorcycle makers, started selling shares to Honda, which eventually owned the company and stopped motorcycle production in Spain in 2009, while continuing to make a few specialist Montesa models at its factory in Italy. Just think of the situation over the years, as the scores of Catalan motorcycle factories were forced out of business. Besides extensive manufacturing facilities and direct employees, each of the companies had a host of suppliers and dealers. All parties lost out, causing an enormous impact on the overall Spanish manufacturing industry. How tragic!

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Famous competition machines from Montesa, Bultaco and OSSA; successful until arrival of Japanese motorcycles in Spain in the 1980’s

392cc 4cyl Derbi prototype: revealed at the 1954

24hrs of Montjuic endurance race. It proved unreliable, however.

Many of the motorcycle brand names were little known outside Catalonia, but others such as Bultaco, Montesa, OSSA, Sanglas and Derbi were sold internationally. Sanglas sold out to Yamaha in 1985 and Derbi was sold to the Italian Piaggio Group in 2001. The Bultaco factory closed for good in 1982 along with the OSSA factory. In 2010, however, a group of Spanish businessmen purchased the rights to the OSSA trademark and began producing a limited number of trials and enduro models. GasGas, founded in 1986, is another specialist maker of trials and enduro machines which continues to operate on a small scale in Spain.

1977 Arisco 250 prototype racer had its twin cylinders mounted one above the other

1968 monocoque chassis OSSA: one the fastest

250 single racer in the era, it won the Spanish championships in 1968 and 1970.

But Rieju, which produced its first motorcycle – a motorised bicycle – in 1945, is today the only 100% Spanish-owned motorcycle manufacturer producing a full line of models – including the Mius electric scooter – and continuing to make reasonable numbers of powered two-wheelers today. It is still owned by the family of its founder. Although the Catalan motorcycle industry dates back to 1904 when Miguel Villalbi started fitting engines – single cylinder power units of 430cc capacity - to bicycles it was only after the second world war that the industry truly flourished, with start up brands such as Ardilla, Taber, Aleu, Gimson Rex, Mymsa and Ruter. Most were two strokes aimed at the commuter market, but several had reasonable performance and sporty looks. Several companies such as Mondial and MotoGuzzi, from Italy, set up assembly plants in Barcelona and contributed to making this a thriving regional industry. The Spanish companies very soon saw the benefit of taking part in motor sport to promote their brands internationally. This they did this with great success, both on tarred circuits and in motocross, trials and

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enduros. Spanish riders also excelled and continue to do so today with many top riders still coming from this country which produces an inordinate number of top competitors in all manner of sports, not only motor sport. The big downturn for the Spanish motorcycle industry began in the 1960’s with the arrival of the Seat 600 – the Spanish-built version of the Fiat 600. This car, which sold for the equivalent of an average year’s salary, created a social revolution in the country. Not only was it more practical, being able to carry four adults, but was also a step up the ladder in terms of social status. Only the strongest motorcycle manufacturers were able to survive; for a time. Looking at the back wall of the Museu Moto, one sees long lists of Catalan motorcycle makers. Also evident are the companies that made competition machines (56 of them) and one-offs or prototypes (45 of them). It is hard not to feel sadness and nostalgia for all the dreams that were shattered, as well as jobs and money lost by entrepreneurs as the industry collapsed. How tragic. Museu Moto, located in the heart of Barcelona, was opened in 2011 as a permanent motorcycle museum (www.museumoto.com). The man behind it is a devoted enthusiast and talented restorer, Mario Soler, who also set up the Bassella Motorcycle Museum, about 100km north-west of Barcelona. (www.museumoto,com\en\bassella). Part 2: The Budget Bootleg Bike by Craig Patterson By mid-2011 I was busy between two project in the Northern Cape living in a caravan by myself so on weekends. I would sit out under a tree and work on sanding tin bits and cleaning or repairing bits for the bike. I had at one stage contemplated stripping certain parts from my SB1938.Thankfully I decided against this. My bootleg fund was growing slowly, but had taken a few setbacks as it also served as a backup for sick kids and other emergencies. I had been checking eBay daily and had some minor success but did learn a lot too. The exchange rate was between R8 and R10 to 1Euro still pretty stiff at that stage compared to the current rate, and not all sellers where to happy accepting Paypal or to ship to SA . It is also advisable to confirm postage costs prior to bidding or "buy now. I am pretty sure that some of these guys nail you on postage to make up on losses on lower priced items, which is what I would target. This also meant that a lot more work was generally required in their restoration. I was still not happy with the frame and motor and this bike was really going to a bitsa. I was sort of ok with this fact sure that not to many original DJ bikes were stock standard as are many of the bikes regularly seen on the DJ. It's a real eye opener what ingenuity, effort, time and expenses go into keeping these obsolete beasts alive to be punished every year over two days between Durban and Joburg or vice versa. Then another setback. A new project in there same area meant that some fellow colleges were to join me and I was to give up my caravan yeah but alas , we were to move into a farm house with no hot water or electricity ,though a generator and gas would be supplied . The main problem with this was that I now had to travel 200km to site and back a day .I now left in the dark and arrived in the dark. I was no longer able to work on bike parts in the evenings and to top it all no network coverage. So I was outbid on just about any item I would place a bid on . The plus side was that we now travelled home every weekend. A round trip of 1400km. I would thus have Saturdays and Sunday mornings at home, but the moratorium on bikes was still in force. I would however sneak into my workshop late at night for an hour or so. I still gleaned all the info, details and photos off the internet at any chance that I could. I was also buying what I could afford from the net which would take more than a month to reach good old SA .Then of course fun and games were the order of the day when it got to SAPO . I had one or two items returned to Europe and a fair amount of international notifications sorted to other Post Box owners. I always assumed it was a prerequisite that the SAPO sorters were able to read or at least count. Any and all complaints were duly met with blank stares. All telephone numbers given or displayed to lodge a complaint too would only ring indefinitely.

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Slowly I was making headway .Then in November 2011 one Sunday morning at home while I had the room to myself I sneaked onto the "Net" and found a DKW SB 200 frame and motor in an eBay shop in Germany. I had previously bought some smalls from the same shop . The seller I knew accepted PayPal and was prepared to ship to SA at a reasonable price . I made some quick mental calculations and flicked a couple of times between the motor, frame and a factory list of production numbers. I was sue this bike was a 36. The price was a steal and the shipping expensive, but affordable. Pre-Christmas bootlegging was picking up and I was flush. I bought the frame and clicked on the motor to buy it, but it was no longer listed in the shop . I quickly browsed through the sellers items again and then it dawned on me. While I was flicking between screens someone had bought the motor from out under my nose. This was a major blow as it was the complete motor and gearbox. The next couple of weeks the "Net" saw an increase of listings for motors and gearboxes and small hard to find bits and DKW parts in general as sellers were trying to make some extra moola over the festive season, but many would either not ship to SA or accept PayPal or both . Due to poor signal, I was constantly outbid on all of motors and boxes and any other part I needed. Then early December there were three new listings within the same week? One for a motor block, another for a 36 gearbox and yet another offering one and a half 1935 gearboxes plus three clutches. Over the next week I watch each listing eagerly as time counted down. There appeared to be little interest. Finally with only hours to the end of the auction and me traveling back to the house in Black Rock knowing that I would not have a signal at the conclusion of the auctions .I decided to take a huge gamble and hedged my bets and bet the house on all three and left it at that . To my surprise the following day I received emails that I had won all three. The most expensive was the 1936 gearbox at just under 600 bucks and the motor block for just over a 100 bucks, however, the seller shipped it DHL so it arrived within a week but shipping cost were six times that of the purchase price, but it was worth it as it was not only in mint condition it was date stamped 5/36 . I later discovered the motor and frame had been manufactured a month apart. In time, the gearboxes would arrive and they too were in fair shape. By mid-February 2012 I had spayed almost all the tin bits and frame, rebuilt the 36 gearbox and clutch and assembled the motor as it was by now complete but the crank and main bearings remained a concern as the crank in itself was not in good shape and main bearings non-existent and there are just no aftermarket replacement . I would be forced to make modifications with modern day bearings which were to come back and bite me in the a&$ later. Due to spate of employee resignations and grumblings management saw the remainder of the guys moved to better accommodation before a major revolt ensued. This immediately was a turn for the better for a number of reasons, one being a round trip to my sites of now only 60 km and the house had a double garage, 5 bedrooms and one huge lounge were I would dry assembled and strip the Deek a number of times over the next few months. It also become evident there were indeed subtle differences between the models. Small things, such as the fitment of the motor and gearbox into the frame. The mounting lugs, bolt holes and cradle were either worn out or had been modified through the years had to be remedied. I had also begun the paperwork for both dating and registration, but more of this later The bootlegging was still ticking over slowly and I was still picking up bits and bobs on the "Net". By that stage I had sourced parts from Latvia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Greece, Germany, Austria, Poland and even had spokes made in Taiwan. Furthermore I had managed to find one or two bits for the SB 500 and a local chap who had a jig to rebuild the crank for the twin. I had been warned that I was to be very very patient as he worked to Africa time. By early March 2012 the work load had increased as I had been handed yet another project. The other two were supposed to be reaching final completion, but delays by the main contractor had pushed them into penalties which now meant I was forced to put in overtime to prevent our company incurring any of these penalties .The down side was that there had not been budgeted for overtime so the alternative was to be given time off for time worked. Which meant that I would

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be able to spend a little more time at home once the projects had made final completion .Allowing me access to civilization and my local engineering shop to repair and modify the crank and some smalls as well as access to a mates lathe On which I could turn my own parts. It also meant that I would have the leave to participate in the JD 2013 . Well that was the idea in theory. The resulting overtime also meant less free time so the bike build slowed down again. By this stage I had been working on the DJ Deek for a year and half now and things were really looking good. The total cost at this stage was a fraction less than R7k all payed for from the "bootleg slush fund", but I still needed headers and silencers, ignition and the electrics, tires and a number of smalls. Then in June 2012, I was forewarned that another project had be awarded to the company and murmurings were that it would be handed to me. This meant that I would see a third year in the Northern Cape with winter temperatures dipping regularly to around minus 6 and summer temperatures often reaching into the 40's. I saw whole situation starting to sour and with little more than eight months to the JD I still needed to run the bike but I had no electrics to speak of and a dodgy crank. Furthermore the frustration of almost living two different lives was beginning to take its toll. In less than a year there had been five resignations and a divorce amongst my fellow colleagues and house mates on the Northern Cape projects. My personal life too was taking strain. As a result of my wife having to ,run her business ,our home and at the same time trying to raise to very young children on her own and me at best only a weekend parent /spouse . Things at home were naturally pretty tense. It was during this time too that I was in a jokingly manner informed/warned that according to my vehicle tracking I was the undisputed record holder for the monthly moving average of 126km/h and that my sub four hour trips from the Northern Cape home a distance of 560kms was beginning to raise concern at head office. Especially as the road was in poor condition from the high volumes of iron and manganese ore being trucked 24/7 and not to mention a healthy population of kudu, local livestock and feral donkeys and the absence of fencing on large portions of the route also had red lights flashing. I was being told by all and sundry that I really needed to take stock of my life and set my priorities in order. Did this mean the bike build was now going to go south? Was my dream to ride the JD in less than eight months to be that? A dream. We look forward to Craig’s next instalment. Does the dream turn into a nightmare? (Editor). Rare one off bikes by Craig Patterson The Killinger and Freund prototype was the creation of five German engineers from Munich in 1935 and was exhibited at the 1938 Motor-show were it drew huge crowds and interest. According to documentation that surfaced recently an order for the first twelve engines had been place with Sachs who had built the original prototype motor/gearbox for Killinger and Freund, but the order was shelved as war clouds where looming. This German Motorcycle, recovered in the 3rd US Army area, is a complete deviation from all accepted designs. It is novel in engine arrangement and suspension design. The three cylinder, air cooled, rotary engine is mounted on the inside of the front wheel. The frame is of high tensile, tubular steel construction and lends itself to complete streamlining.

Note the carburetor housing mounted on front fork

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The motorcycle featured a three cylinder two-stroke engine built right into the front wheel, transmission and clutch, with more comfortable front and rear suspension. Streamlining was important as aerodynamics was the first priority of the team who wanted all the moving parts covered, dirt and mud protection, and an elegant style. Other priorities were that the motorcycle be multi-cylinder and possess front- wheel-drive. Their design met with success.

Left: Engine mounted inside front wheel The right handle bar grip controls the throttle adjustment, while the left handle bar grip acts as a high speed adjustment for the carburetor.

The Americans discovered and purloined the K&F in May 1945, shipping it to Maryland USA for evaluation. It was displayed for a time and then scrapped. It was said to have been salvaged by a collector who has it in a safe location awaiting restoration. This is one story. Another has it being shipped back to Germany. Yet another is it found its way into the basement of a girls dormitory in Philadelphia with a heap of documentation and sold to the current owner by the daughter of the then owner after his death. This I am inclined to believe as it makes the most sense, considering the photos and documentation. The bike is largely complete. The rear hub had found its way into

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the front wheel of a BMW R 68 in the 1950's but was reunited with the K&F a couple of years back. An article in a German magazine dating back to 1938 list the bike as a 600cc three cylinder ,two speed ,non-radial 2stroke. Fuel delivery is by means of reed valve from a single carb on the left hand fork .the clutch is on the right. The body consists of a steel clad space frame with front and rear oil hydraulic shocks. The whole bike weighs in at 135kg with the front wheel/ engine assembly weighing only 50 kg. The wheel/engine assembly can be removed by disconnecting the flexible fuel lines a few cables and the two nuts and wheel shaft .The 6v battery is in the frame under the adjustable seat. The distributor is located in the front wheel and ignition in the headlight Another first was the cylinder design having the bore of steel fused to the barrel and fins of selenium to reduce weight and heat. It had no flywheel but each of the 3 cranks ran on a common gear directly into the gearbox. The photos and documentation give further insight into the bike. There are recent photos of the bike, dated 2010, on the internet, but its whereabouts are unknown; apparently to spare the current owner from harassment from interested buyers. ARIAL COMES UP TRUMPS WITH THIS EXHILARATING ROADSTER A long-lost British marque has re-emerged with a new offering, but will we see past the Square Four? With its minimalist bodywork almost hidden by a huge, bridge-like aluminium frame, and a big V4 engine at its centre, the Ariel Ace looks like a radical custom bike or perhaps a concept machine, designed to turn heads but with no chance of being produced. In fact, the Ace is well on the way to production. That V4 engine comes from Honda’s VFR1200F. It powers the first motorcycle from the small Somerset-based Ariel firm that has already established a strong reputation in the four-wheeled world with its lightweight Atom sports car. Car enthusiasts will see an echo of the Atom in the Ace’s eye-catching skeleton. Classic bike riders, on the other hand, know Ariel as one of the grand names of British motorcycling. The Birmingham firm was famous for single-cylinder “thumpers” and the glamorous Square Four, which was built in various capacities up to 997cc for almost 30 years before Ariel ceased production in the mid-Sixties.

Motorcycle production was part of Simon Saunders’ plan when he acquired the Ariel name two decades ago. The 61-year-old former GM and Porsche designer is a bike enthusiast whose CV includes stints at Norton and short- lived Dutch superbike firm Van Veen

The Ace uses a Honda engine, like the Atom sports car

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Saunders’ subsequent success with the Honda-powered Atom was useful when negotiating with the Japanese giant for supply of its 1,237cc V4 engine, which is mechanically unchanged and produces 173bhp. It’s a bespoke machine, offering customers a choice of components, including for the front suspension. That dramatic girder arrangement, which complements the frame design, can be replaced by telescopic forks. Handlebars, fuel capacity and the size and height of the seat can be varied, and Honda’s dual clutch transmission is available. One constant is that the Ace will be exhilarating to ride. That big V4 is ideal for the task, combining Honda sophistication and the convenience of shaft final drive with storming performance. It also has an appealing, long-legged character that is enhanced by Ariel’s exhaust system, which burbles menacingly.

The Ariel Ace is a fine bike for attacking rural roads

The Ace’s riding position is deliberately relaxed and roomy; Saunders knows that most of his customers won’t be particularly young. The stretch to slightly raised handlebars feels natural. The low seat aids manoeuvrability of a bike that is quite heavy, at about 240kg, although usefully lighter than the VFR donor. That reduced weight, combined with crisp fuelling, helps give the Ace thrilling and controllable acceleration. It’s a fine bike for gentle cruising or attacking B-roads, at least until the exposed riding position becomes uncomfortable. Saunders’ team is working on a small fairing that will be retro-fittable. Handling is sure-footed and stable, while the girder front suspension system is well controlled by a single Öhlins shock; there's another at the rear. With abundant grip from broad Dunlops and fierce braking via six-piston Nissin front callipers, the only chassis drawback is that the low footrests limit cornering clearance. But the Ace isn’t intended to match its Atom sibling’s pace on a track, while higher-set footrests are among the many options. Other drawbacks are few. The usually hidden Honda engine’s exposed wires and rubber hoses seem incongruous on a bike that will cost £20,000 in basic form with telescopic forks, and potentially considerably more depending on specification. But the well used prototype’s finish is not representative of the new Aces that will be assembled from next spring, at a rate of up to 150 per year.

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The Atom has already earned Ariel’s 19-strong operation a mighty reputation and many enthusiastic customers. The Ace is good enough to match that achievement, bringing one of Britain’s long-lost bike marques back to life in considerable style. OLD MOTORCYCLES AND GASOLINE Most of the different grades/types of fuel available today had not been heard of when our trusty steeds were being designed or produced. One example of this is the inclusion of lead (tetraethyl lead, or TEL) as an additive. Lead was added to gasoline in the early 20s to counter engine knock in high compression engines of the time (primarily by GM). The first major deviation in gasoline formulations where lead was not added came about in the1970s, but in 1996 the US banned the inclusion of lead in gasoline completely. South Africa followed suit along with the world majority. Therefore, any classic designed and built between 1930 and 1996 was likely to have been designed around fuels that are no longer available. Although this lack of TEL in gasoline can cause problems with high compression engines (damaged valve seats and pre-ignition), most of the motorcycles manufactured between the above dates show no sign of unreliability or reduced performance. Ethanol and Its Drawbacks These days, fuel is produce with 10% ethanol added--known as E10. While this additive allows engines to have a higher compression (to achieve the same power outputs) without knock, these new fuel blends have associated problems the designers of yesteryear could not have foreseen; namely, damage to the rubbers in fuel lines and fuel tank caps, etc. Another problem with oxygenated gasoline oxidizers, such as Ethanol, is the tendency to form gum-like deposits more rapidly than “pure” gasoline. With many motorcycles having extremely small jets (primary or idle jets in particular) this gumming problem can occur often. Both can be inconvenient and costly. Ethanol is also hygroscopic; meaning it absorbs water. This tendency to absorb water is problematic in fuels for obvious reason, in particular when an engine is left standing for some time. I have seen warnings that Ethanol should never be used in a vintage or classic motorcycle! So what should we look out for? First and foremost, it is imperative that classic and vintage motorcycle fuel systems be maintained. This maintenance should include adding fuel additives frequently. This is especially important toward the end of the riding season. When rebuilding carburettors, you should use seals manufactured from modern materials, not those manufactured before 1975. These are typically not compatible with Ethanol fuels. Starting and bringing a motorcycle up to its operating temperature periodically will help to keep the fuel lines and carburettor passages clear and clean; however, it is recommended that a fuel stabiliser is used if storing motorcycles for any appreciable time. If storing for 3 to 6 months, the fuel must be treated and ideally the tank should be filled. Petrol acts as a lubricant inside the fuel tank which is especially important on steel tanks. However, this fuel should be drained before the bike is started after the long layoff. Long Term Storage Occasionally, a motorcycle is stored for a prolonged time (years). In this situation the fuel system should be completely drained. The carburettors should be lubricated with WD40 (or similar) as should the inside of the fuel tank. This lubricating process should be repeated periodically to

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ensure the various surfaces are protected. In addition, if possible the carburettors should be removed from the bike, drained, cleaned and lubricated before being placed in a sealed, zip-lock type plastic bag. If the carburettors have been removed from the bike it is imperative that the inlet manifold/s is sealed. Shaw type plugs are ideal for this. THE ETHANOL THREAT TO CLASSIC BIKES The sun is shining and the air is balmy, it’s a perfect day to get your old motorcycle out of hibernation. Anticipating a carefree, flies-on-the-teeth experience, you throw open the garage door to be greeted by the sight of your darling’s shapely fuel tank, which has disgorged its entire contents onto the floor. The trend of governments to impose petrol with up to 5% ethyl alcohol (aka ethanol), is apparently making this scenario increasingly common. Things may possibly get worse, as permitted levels increased towards the 10% mark. All European Union countries were supposed to have introduced E10 before the end of 2010. There’s nothing new about running internal combustion engines on alcohol. The Model T Ford was powered by ethanol until superior gasoline became more freely available. The main, or perhaps only, benefit of ethanol (or methanol, its close cousin) was its resistance to “knock”, which means that an engine can have a higher compression ratio and produce more power. Things changed in the wake of the 1970s fuel crisis, when the economic risk of relying on imported fossil fuel became clear. There was a sudden interest in “renewable resources”, which involved swathes of land being used to grow crops that would ultimately be eaten by engines, rather than people. Gasohol, a blend of petrol and “bio-ethanol” produced by fermentation, was touted as the fuel of the future. Once relative stability returned to crude oil prices, however, the notion became less attractive. Apart from the shortcomings ethanol has as a fuel, the problem is that its production uses lots of energy (and water). Corn-based fuel, as in the US, is energy-negative by the time it comes out of a pump. Given the right climate, other crops, particularly sugar cane, are much better, which explains why Brazil leads the world in ethanol use. Since the 1970s, vehicles have been available that will run on 20 per cent alcohol and above. The issue is; ethanol is also a powerful solvent that, without a suitable additive, attacks many fuel system components including zinc and galvanised materials, brass, copper, aluminium, seals and hoses, cork, polyurethane and epoxy resins. In other words, almost everything used in a vehicle made more than about 20 years ago. It’s also hydrophilic, and water causes all sorts of additional problems. Which brings us back to the sagging fuel tank incident. Old GRP mouldings, like the curvaceous receptacle fitted to a 1967 BSA, are particularly under threat. The internal sealants applied to steel tanks are also affected, as are the plastics used in modern bikes. In the US, where E10 gasohol is universal, lawsuits are flying. Ducatis have been affected, as have boats and agricultural machinery. Expect more of the same, because E15 (15 per cent ethyl alcohol) received UK government blessing last year and there’s evidence that even relatively recent engines might find it hard to digest. In the UK, oil companies are coy about saying which petrol contains ethanol, so owners of classic vehicles have to find out the hard way. Many old and not so old vehicles will be unusable without modification. One source puts the figure at 8.6 million if E10 is introduced. No doubt this will be welcomed by those who believe that throwing things away every few years will somehow save the planet, but it’s a worrying development for the rest of us and another nail in the coffin for the vintage and classic movements.

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Odds and Sods: IRREFUTABLE LAWS OF NATURE By Roger Houghton I’m sure we’ve all had experiences to back up these statements. Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin

to itch and you'll have to pee. Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible

corner. Law of Probability- The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of

your act. Variation Law -If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move

faster than the one you are in now. Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you know increases

dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with. Law of the Result - When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will. Law of Biomechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to your reach. Law of Logical Argument-Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about. Brown's Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they're ugly. Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy -As soon as you find a product that you really

like, they will stop making it. Classifieds NB! only remain in for 3 months then must be renewed WANTED: DJ Bike for a young enthusiast who doesn’t have a large bank balance to buy it! Any condition hopefully fairly complete. I rode a borrowed bike this year but must get my own! Martin Kaiser 071 865-4220 Paul Whitehead is looking for the following: 1. Sidecar to stabilize his DJ Bike 2. Quad Bike to get him mobile again

Contact: Paul 083 450 2078 Caroline 083 653 6290 or email: sdfcxz@gmail.com

1969 Triumph Bonneville project: Eddie Kirkwood is looking for the following parts for a:-

Fork sliders and dust excluders Top fork shrouds/headlamp brackets Front and rear mudguards Rear chain guard Rear brake pedal and operating rod Headlamp shell Rear brake drum/hub assembly Rev-counter drive Handlebars Handlebar “P” clamp mountings Seat Cylinder barrel (9 stud type)

Contact Eddie on 021 7122934 or email: eddie.kirkwood30@gmail.com FOR SALE:

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Triumph Tiger Cub – Running, restored – R18,000.00 ONCO BSA C11 Project – R3, 000.00 Pierre 072 513 9432 Paul Whitehead has the following for sale: 1. 2010 Yamaha T Max R75,000.00 2. 1936 Velocette KSS & spares R85,000.00 Contact: Paul 083 450 2078 Caroline 083 653 6290 or email: sdfcxz@gmail.com DJ Bike. 1931/35 350cc Levis. Completed the last 4 consecutive DJ’s and ready for next year. Sold with panniers, rally box and rebuilt spare engine sub assembly. Also other spares. Bike in excellent condition. Licensed and SAVVA dated. R70,000.00. Contact Dave (082) 396-2795 KSS Mk ll Velocette Exhaust Header Pipe for. Brand New supplied by Groves UK Contact George Shield (011) 975-4296 1951 BSA Bantam. My friend’s dad asked me to find a buyer for the motorbike because he doesn’t use it anymore and it just stands and collects dust. It is in the fully original state and still runs very good. The owner wants R28 000 for it but its negotiable. I’ve attached a photo so you can see the bike and maybe tell me where I can sell it. He doesn’t want to sell it to anyone, he is looking for an owner that would appreciate it. Contact De Klerk deklerk@konsortium-merino.com Matchless G12 1960/63 650cc twin been in continuous use since engine rebuild in 1982 R25,000. Licensed Triumph Daytona 500cc twin restored 4 years ago but never ridden, matching frame & engine numbers R25,000 scrapping papers available. WANTED: Screw on Fuel cap – for 1928 OK Supreme. Please contact James “Hamish” Morrison (083) 456-2768 or hamishm@mweb.co.za Ariel Sq 4 Carburettor – needed to complete project. Roly (082) 377-4303. Motoguzzi SP1000. Seat or seat base for John Hassall 082 886 7133 Triumph Tiger TR110 1954 model. I'm looking for the above bike as a restoration project. Please contact me on 0832355519 if you know of one for sale. Graham Watters graham.watters@actom.co.za

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JAP 4B (Speedway) top end bits e.g. pushrods, pushrod tubes, rocker box & cover wanted Triumph 3T (’46-51) primary chain covers, oil tank wanted Triumph Model P (’26) exhaust pipe/silencer, carrier, rear stand, petrol tank, chain guard wanted BSA M20 (’37-54) rear stand, front & rear rims & brake assembly, girder wanted BSA Model B (250 sv. ’27) engine casings and carburettor wanted Triumph Model N (deluxe ’28) any bits wanted. BSA HM (’37) / JM (’38) / KM (’39) 22 or 23 any bits wanted. Any other bits for the bikes above will be considered. Kindly call Francois Swanepoel @ 082 469 0627 or 012 344 3214 (AH) or francoiss@tshwane.gov.za. BMW R50/60 1950’s 1960’s any condition for a restoration project. Holger 083 629 2840 Any British 500cc Bike between 1930 and 1950. Bike must be in running condition. Contact Trevor Jones 082 416 4650 Ariel Square 4 Carburettor – needed to complete project. Contact Roly Tilman (011) 803-1462 or (082) 377-4303 For 1955 AJS/Matchless Two Jampot rear shocks (circlip type) contact Kevin (082) 891-2869. 1957 MGA Coupe. Front Valence. Please contact Dane Fraser on (082 890 5077 Honda 400 Supersport. Right hand side cover Please contact Pierre 083 653 7310 Honda CB250 in rally running condition. Contact Dick Maizey by SMS 073 864 4022 or Rick Maizey 082 653 9946 or Eric Mc Q on 083 700 0171 eric@anatomical.co.za VETERANS CORNER Sunbeam 3 speed gearbox and possibly wheels. Spares Wanted! Desperately seeking a. We have a ’27 frame and a ’30 engine! Or why? Steve 082 427 6990 VMC Quick Calendar and Upcoming events 30th November 2014 The 32nd Annual Gauteng Toy Run

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PARASKY

“The Skylight Professionals” Established 1981

TEL: 011-626-2970 FAX: 011-626-1420

parasky@absamail.co.za www.parasky.co.za

SKYLIGHTS: COMMERCIAL & DOMESTIC + Staircases + Patio & Balcony Enclosures

+ Balustrades + Walk-ons + Gazebos & Architectural Features For us – the sky is the limit!

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RESTORATION and other SERVICES Full restorations. Pierre Cronje does these as well as wheel lacing and building. Call him on 072 513 9432. Ornate period brass spark plug nuts and connectors. Lloyd Du Bois makes these for HT leads. He also hand makes stainless steel/aluminium license disc holders and corks for the “Enots” push-pull type fuel taps, and light alloy tyre valve caps. Call Lloyd on 033 396 6471. Ultrasonic cleaning call Henry Watermeyer on 084 800 8862. Raw honey for sale. Remember Caroline is the honey queen – you can buy her various types of honey at the club meeting for the bargain price of R50 per jar or carolinesrawhoney@gmail.com Petrol taps Enots flat-slide type, made in brass to your order. In sizes 1/8”, 1/4” and 3/8” BSP as well as Rally boxes made to your order with handlebar mounting brackets plus mountings for the rally plate and three watches. Trevor Fraser on 013 656 3063 or 076 591 5560. BMW Speedometers Ben Vandenberg has a large stock of old and parts. He is willing to pass them on to anyone running a speedo repair service or is planning to start one. His contact number is 021 712 2661. Restoration and other services. Gravel Man Services offers full service of all BMW boxer twins (old and new). Accident damage repairs and restorations. Please contact Markus Watson on 083 602 3503.

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Membership and Subs – annual increase 2014. Fees Payable. The Committee decided to increase the new subs from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 from R220 to R 240 per annum for full membership and from R160.00 to R175 for country membership. Entry Fee remains the same at R50 Family members: R10.00 (i.e. Spouse & minor children) Fees must be paid to: Bank: Nedbank Sandton Branch code: 197005 Account No.: 1970259841 Please post DEPOSIT SLIP to the postal address above or e-mail info@vintagemotorcycleclub.co.za Now that you have all the detail – please ensure that you are up to date!! Several members are still outstanding from last year. The committee will be chasing errant members shortly!

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THE VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE CLUB

P O Box 782835 SANDTON 2146 South Africa

Website: www.vintagemotorcycleclub.co.za COMMITTEE

Incumbent Portfolio e-mail Home Work Cell Pierre Cronje Chairman pierrecronje@mweb.co.za 011 849 3008 072 513 9432 Pieter Vlietstra Vice Chairman

Gawie Nienaber Treasurer gawie@nienaber.co.za 011 646 8983 083 326 4911 Ian Storer Secretary/Magazine distribution hilian@isat.co.za 072 727 7382 Rob Pattison-Emms Committee Member/Century Run

organiser avonrod@mweb/co.za 011 460 1901 011 460 1901 082 891 8399

Les Sim Committee Member/Calendar les@turnkeyhydraulics.co.za 011 673 1865 011 827 8954 082 552 4072 Roly Tilman Committee Member/Librarian tilman@lasergroup.co.za 011 803 1462 082 377 4303 Steve Trehair Committee Member/Register stevet@matrixmarketing.co.za 011 469 5900 011 886 0494 083 461 2751 Ian Holmes Chairman ianhol@iafrica.com 011 793 7304 011 791 6424 083 646 3089

Kevin Walton Club Dating Officer kevin.walton@norcossa.com 082 891 2869

Ken Wiggins Magazine editor editor@vintagemotorcycleclub.co.za 011 793 7138 083 256 1949

Fees payable Entry Fee: R50.00 Annual Subscriptions: R240.00 (R120.00 if joining after 1st Jan) Country member: R175.00 (+80km from club HQ) (R85.00 if joining after 1st Jan) Family members: R10.00 (i.e. Spouse & minor children) Club Bank Acc No. 1970259841 at Nedbank. Sandton Branch 197-005. Club Meetings are held every fourth Monday of the month (except December) at The Vintage and Veteran Club (VVC), 3 Athol Oaklands Road, Oaklands Johannesburg, at 20h00. The opinions expressed in KICKSTART are not necessarily those of the Committee or the Editor.