Volume 35

Winter 2008

Dot Motorcycle Club Journal

2

Dot Motorcycle Club Committee

President: Michael Wade

Chairman: Pat Davy

Secretary: Ann Davy

Treasurer: Norman Rothe

Membership: Mark Gooding

Jim Evans

Mike Sumnall

Richard Cusworth

Editorial Address

Richard Cusworth

34 Skipton Road

Barnoldswick

Lancs

BB18 5EG

Tel 01282 850405

Email

rcusworth@aol.com

Mobile.07980427280

DEADLINE FOR NEXT JOURNAL Feb 29th

Items included and views expressed in the “Journal” do not necessarily represent

those of the Editor, The Committee or the Club in general. Whilst every care is

taken, no responsibility is accepted for errors or incorrect descriptions. All

possible care is taken of members articles and photographs, but no responsibility

for loss or damage can be accepted.

Dot Motorcycle Club Journal

Editor’s Page.

Happy New Year All.

I must apologise for the late arrival of

this edition due to various reasons, some

are beyond my control some are not.

Reflecting on the past year it would seem

that as a Club it has been successful again

with many awards collected both by

members on their own and as the Club.

Over the past few years we have seen this

Journal both increase in size, the use of

more colour and hopefully a more varied

content. In the first issue I produced I

wondered whether or not we could keep

up the good work of Mike Moore looking

back over the last six years since I took

over I would like to think we have

succeeded but your help is still required.

Material is always welcome but please by

the date specified . It makes life a lot

easier. Richard.

3

From the Chair. By

Pat Davy

The Committee wish all members and their families a very Happy

Christmas and a New Year that brings you all you wish.

What do I wish for next year? Well eight members to volunteer a

nice tidy Dot for exhibition on the Club stand at Stafford in April

would be nice.

Next year sees the centenary of Dot’s first and only TT win in the

Isle of Man. Mike Moore is working flat out to get his re-creation

of Harry Reed’s winning Dot completed in time for this

anniversary in June. If he gets it done in time I will make

application for a Dot stand at the October Stafford Show as well as

April. This will of course entail me badgering members for the

loan of further bikes.

Boxing Day is traditionally the day to clear the Christmas

hangover with a little motorcycle sport. I remember years ago

riding, often through thick snow, to Pirbright for the Whitley

Club’s Boxing Day scramble. Dots abounded in the smaller class,

often ridden to success , in fact this is my first recollection of the

marque.

It is appropriate therefore, when thumbing through Motor Cycling

for December 23rd 1954, to share with you this little piece by

Oxley the renowned cartoonist. May I suggest you save it for

Christmas afternoon whilst sitting in front of a roaring fire replete

with turkey and pud and toying with a balloon of Remy Martin.

Pat.

4

December 23, 1954

T R I A L a n d E R R O R Reminiscence of a Boxing Day Expedition

by ALEX OXLEY (who did the drawings too)

WITH .an, instinct, born of long practice, I straightened my tie and

clicked my heels as the voice of the Editor came peremptorily over the

phone just before last Christmas "Sharpen that pencil, Oxley. I want one

volunteer you to cover a Boxing Day trial. Words, .as well as drawings,-

mind! " \' • * ... •';

One doesn't argue on such occasions!

Fortunately my buddy with the sidecar outfit and the in growing

enthusiasm for motorcycling sport, be it trial, scramble, racing or what-

have you, hadn't any thing special to do on the Boxing Day and reckoned

that a few hours spent watching other people falling over was just his idea

of Christmas fun.

So off we went to find the organizing secretary at the

start and when we found the organizing secretary

Wow!

She was a fairy with a fairy chariot (on closer

inspection it turned out to be a "Bantam!"). My mental

processes worked overtime as I sketched her on my pad

and painted the cold black and white in appropriate

tones eyes violet, long, dark curling lashes, cherry lips,

dimples in those rosy cheeks a wisp of auburn hair

escaping beneath her close-fitting helmet. But I was

there to work and Joe he's the bloke providing the

transport hitched me off: to the first section, rejoicing

in the name of "Maloney's Madness." Mr. Maloney must have known his

stuff: They came, they saw and they sank! One lad bubbled miraculously

through the water and emerged right where I stood, ooze and weed

literally dripping from his mud-encrusted face and form. “Clean?” he

asked cheerfully,

5

Seeing me with pencil and pad.

“Positively Persil” I flashed back,

pretty bright I thought, right off the

cuff , like that. The next section was

more notable for its hunks of near-

solid terrain which the riders flung

about in all directions like missiles.

One must have been a guided missile

for it caught me fair on the chin and

disintegrated in my mouth!

The Contents of my vacuum flask

were sacrificed in the sacred cause of

denture swilling!

A real hill claimed our attention next,

and we stopped to see the sidecars

perform. Several shot up and away like rockets with no trouble at all.

And then came one who must have been a London taxi driver in private

life (no, it wasn't "Cabby" Cooper!). He seemed to be obsessed with the

short-cut idea. Indeed) he laid one on for my special benefit the resultant

chairobatics are perhaps beside the point but worth mentioning, if you

look at the accompanying bold freehand sketch you will see what I mean.

It was, the oak 'tree that suddenly jumped into his way that started it all

two forward loops, a roll and a backward flip and then there was nothing

on the meter!

But it made our day.

Thanks, Ed., for sending us!

6

The Colorado DOT

THE DOT CYCLE & MOTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY was

the first concern to come up with the idea that two-strokes could devastate

their big-bore counterparts by dint of superior handling, lightness and a bit

of power. In fact, British rider Bill Baraugh in the early fifties ran his Dot

so well against larger machines that the other riders had no choice but to

protest that he was riding out of class. More recently, competitors to this

small British company caught on and Dot was somewhat eclipsed by

machines with engines that put out more frightening amounts of power.

Things promise to be different, judging by the prototype of the new 250cc

scrambler to be sold on these shores. Called the Demon, like its

predecessors, Dot looks graphically different this year, although this is

only a result of its being fitted in fibreglass trappings instead of the

familiar alloy.

The real changes, however, are on the inside and the first external clues to

these are the tuned expansion chamber exhaust and the name, "Alpha,"

appearing for the first time on the crankcase.

Dot previously employed the Villiers 36A engine, but it had been drawn

out to the end of its string in the course of year-in, year-out improvements.

The new engine is based on the beefier Alpha bottom half including

crankcase, crankshaft and connecting rod assembly. Dot adds its own

aluminium alloy cylinder, into which is pressed a liner thick enough to

take several rebores.

The exhaust port has been reshaped, and widened. As a wide port has a

tendency to break piston rings, the port is bridged, and the makers claim

that all piston ring breakage troubles have been eliminated with this new

system.

An aluminium cylinder head, with centrally placed spark plug, gives the

Demon 12:1 compression. In accordance with good mud plugger practice,

the finning on both head and cylinder is widely spaced to prevent

clogging. The finning is slotted forward of the intake to reduce heat

transfer to the incoming fuel charge; if there was no interruption of metal

in the finning at this point, heat from the hottest area of the cylinder, near

the exhaust, would be conducted back along the fins to the intake.

7

When one tries to extract power from a two-stroke by means of an

expansion chamber, port timing becomes more critical. So the new Dot

piston is fitted with a higher ring belt to give more precise timing to

exhaust and transfer ports. The ends of the piston rings overlap their

locating pins to help prevent gas leakage.

The engine is carburetted by a 1 and 3/16-inch Amal Monobloc. A small

Swedish Stefa magneto smaller, lighter and more trustworthy than the

Villiers item it replaces takes care of ignition worries.

The expansion chamber tapers out from 1 and 3/4 inches at the exhaust

pipe to 3 1/2 inches at its widest section, but then does not taper back in.

Instead, the chamber is stoppered by a flat plate, from which issues a

rectangular pipe 1 1/4inches by 2 inches. This has been done to achieve

maximum top-end power.

Dot thus has assumed more fire breathing characteristics than in the past,

although it is no low-rpm stump puller. The engine must be brought up

"on the pipe” before it begins to pull, and then it starts, in smooth

progression, to get quite vigorous.

This year the makers have switched to the close-ratio Albion gearbox,

which bolts solidly onto the back of the Alpha crankcase, giving sort of a

unit-construction effect. The engine-gearbox is cradled in the frame.

The frame is Dot's usual, unusual design, employing square tubing at

points where great stress occurs. The 1 and 1/4” square tube

configuration runs back from the steering head, behind and under the

engine and up to the steering head again. The engine cum gearbox is

bolted to the frame in four places two forward and two aft.

Round tubing departs from the top and bottom of the main frame to go

back and up to the rear suspension units. Square tubing appears again in

the swinging arms, where it shows to best advantage, lending itself to a

better weld than round tube does, and therefore firmer and more rigid

attachment to the frame. Front suspension remains the same well-proven

Dot version of the leading link system. While it does not offer the most

travel we have ever seen on a competition machine, the damping is

excellent. The rear units seem to have about the right spring load for a 150

-pound rider on their low setting. Every time we approached a bad

8

section, we gritted our teeth, fearfully anticipating the worst sort of jarring

and bottom-whacking imaginable. But it never came. Dot levelled the

bumps in an easy rolling motion, which was made even easier by the

small-looking but surprisingly comfortable seat (an all too rare item on

European-style scramblers).

On smoother ground, the machine will lay over and slide nicely, although

the 21-inch front wheel and skinny tire provided some hairy moments.

Most dry-country riders will probably change to a 19-inch front wheel and

a fatter tire, which is better for rocks and sand, while the riders of the

Eastern loam may stick with the 21-incher.

Riders in the dusty parts of the United States will appreciate the high

capacity paper-element air cleaner. This item used to consist of two bells,

one on each side below the seat, feeding into a gigantic breather box.

Because of the expansion chamber exhaust, there is now only one bell, on

the left, but it appears slightly larger (500 square inches of filtering area)

and feeds into the same big box. It is recommended that the rider wear full

coverage boots to avoid rubbing his calf against the bell when he stands

up or lies way back on the seat.

The gear shift lever on the prototype was overly long, and thus so

susceptible to oscillation during normal progress over rough ground that it

would shake itself out of gear. The U.S. distributors of Dot, Van Wyck

Enterprises, say that the lever on the production models will be two inches

shorter. At any rate, it's easy enough to cut it down to fit one's own boot or

shifting style. All in all, the increased power output combined with good

handling results in a frisky little charger. Indeed, one feels more secure

going over a given section as fast as possible, for dawdling gives an

incorrect impression of things, as well as bogging one down. Gearing was

a bit high on the test bike and made it necessary to rev the engine in

extremis and slip the clutch to get rapid starts. Once we were underway,

however, the close spacing of the Albion transmission kept things buzzing

nicely through the gears.

In spite of raised performance, the Dot is an easy starting machine and

refuses to be fouled out in slow going.

9

Its forte will continue to be in rough scrambles events, but the new power

potential will come in handy for an occasional bash on fast, graded TT

tracks.

10

11

Information and pictures from the American

publication “Cycle World”

With Thanks

12

Malvern Classic Bike Show

Sunday 4th November 2007.

This was our third time exhibiting at Malvern and we were fortunate in

that the weather was quite decent for November, if a little chilly for the

outside exhibitors.

We had planned to show 7 bikes and had persuaded the organizers to let

us have a good sized stand with a 30 foot frontage. However it turned out

to be one of those occasions when the path of true love became anything

but smooth. The first setback was mine. When rebuilding the 2T twin

after work on the bores I discovered that the crankshaft was out of

alignment. As the engine would have to come down again to rectify that

there seemed little point in building it up, so I scratched the entry. Mike

Sumnall kindly agreed to bring an extra bike to the one he was already

bringing. So far so good, still on track for 7.

Then on the Friday before the show Pat Davy’s van expired. As he was to

bring 2 bikes, we were down to 5. After some hasty telephoning, Mike

Sumnall again stepped into the breach and agreed to bring one of Pat’s

bikes, and all the exhibition material, but then he could only bring one of

his own bikes, so we were still down to 5. As they couldn’t come until

Sunday morning the bulk of the stand would have to be set-up then, but at

least we would have the display material, which at one stage had looked

very doubtful.

Came Sunday morning and Ian Reid and I were down early to ready what

we could and to await the arrival of Mike and Pat with bikes etc. Mike

and Joan duly drove into the hall, and to my horror there was only one

bike on the trailer – down to 4 now! “Only one bike”, I wailed. “That’s

right, (said Mike) Pat’s bike wouldn’t fit the trailer.” Pat and Ann arrived

in the Punto into which they had managed to cram the Grease-gun special,

so at least we were back to 5 bikes, well, four and a half really. From then

13

on things got better. Although the stand frontage was long, the depth was

shallow, and by showing the bikes more or less broadside to the frontage

we were able to fill the space quite effectively. The new display panels

(which I hadn’t seen before as I couldn’t attend either Stafford or

Kempton earlier this year) are a great help as they give a substantial feel

to the stand as well as being colourful and informative.

So, in addition to the Grease-gun special, we had Mike’s replica 1968

Starmaker scrambler (built 2005 from factory supplied parts), with the

factory modified frame turned through 90 deg from normal, giving more

ground clearance and a lower slung look.

Mark Gooding and Clare brought a very smart 1956 Mancunian in green

which Mark has just completed, apart from one or two very minor items,

for some of which he got the needed bits from the auto-jumble here. It

looked superb on the elevated stands. Ian Reid showed his trusty 1962

Trials WR which he has also exhibited at various small local shows in and

around Ledbury and over the border into Wales, winning the best bike

award at a recent Cleobury Mortimer show.

Last, but by no means least, new member Dave Spruce from Stourbridge

showed his regularly and well used 1964 Demon square frame scrambler.

Dave is an enthusiastic bike collector, as well as an active rider, having

many bikes in his stable. He also exhibited today in the private entrants

sector a 100 year old bike, which won the best old machine award.

To round off the day the Club won the Best Club Stand award. To be

honest, the competition wasn’t very stiff but it was nice to get the “gong.”

We’ve had awards of one sort or another for 3 consecutive years at

Malvern, and if we aren’t careful they won’t want to let us in again.

My thanks go to all the above named for their help and support at this

event.

Norman Rothe (See Centre Fold For Pictures)

14

Dots on display at a show. Anybody any idea where and when?

Malvern Off Road Show

Sat Feb 16th

Mike Sumnall is asking for bikes for this event.

If you have an off road machine and would like

to come along contact Mike.

01270 820408

15

In Memoriam

In one of the past issues we told the story of Frank Darrieulat and his

connections with Dot. The following appeared in the Old Bike Mart of

December last year Some of you may have seen it some not.

Well known sidecar trials star of the 1950s Frank Darrieulat

died, aged 93, on 27th October 2007. For the Nationals he had

a Gold Star outfit but what set him apart was for Open to

Centre Trials he used a 197cc DOT outfit, one of the first to

ride such a low powered sidecar. Frank was nicknamed The

Birdcage King as his business was making parrot cages; his

factory was in North London.

He died of cancer in a Bedfordshire Hospice

Thanks to OBM

Also reported the death of Jim Wallis

Jim Wallis died at the age of 74 on December the 12th last year

following a short illness.

Jim was well known in the North of England as a trials rider first on

BSA Bantams then moving on to DOTs, winning many awards in the

North and also in the Scottish Six Day Trial. For many years he ran a

motorcycle shop in Guiseborough with Richard Scott. After 25 years he

went to the Isle of Man and ran a pub called the Liverpool Arms. On

retirement he returned to Guiseborough where he spent his time restoring

DOT trials bikes to concourse condition collecting many prizes along the

way.

16

17

18

Richard Cusworth (Editor, Dot Motorcycle Club Journal) 18 November 2007 Dear Richard In a letter published in the Summer 2007 Journal I commented that all had gone quiet regarding the proposed 1907~2007 Manchester Reliability Trial. Since the idea was mooted in the Winter 2006 Journal no details had been published and nothing had appeared on the website. I was therefore surprised to read in Arthur Ryder’s interesting article (Autumn 2007 Journal) that he did a re-enactment of the event and even hung around at the start for any stragglers or other interested members of the club to turn up. As this was in any case a day later than he had originally intended to do the run, may I ask whether he seriously expected company on the run and if so how such people were expected to know it was taking place? Being more interested in riding bikes than polishing them I would probably have made the journey north for the event had I known it was on. As I said in my earlier letter, I feel it would be a shame if the “show” side of things took over from the riding side. Surely there is room for all shades of opinion and activity within our club. Enough of that, may I congratulate Arthur on completing the run, even if his timings were a little suspect. Forty five minutes from Llangollen to Beddgelert (49 miles according to my map) does seem a trifle optimistic, especially on a machine that he says will not do more than 48mph downhill! It would seem that the writer of the caption on the Dot Delivery Tricycle in the Wanaka museum is not alone in not letting the facts get in the way of a good story!

Yours sincerely Mike Jackson ( Dot Club Member No 273 )

19

VERY RARE tank badges The picture below shows the rare tank badges used by Dots around 1955/1956 before the smaller round yellow plastic ones and after the large transfers used on the earlier models. If you haven’t got any then don’t even ask, they are not available any where, unless you know better.

WANTED Pair of cast aluminium exhaust manifolds for a RCA engine as fitted to the road going Sportsman (see right hand photo) they have a downwards outlet, could swap for a pair as fitted to the RCA Dot scrambles, which have NO kink, ie they vent to

the rear. (see left photo) Pat Davy 01283 820563

SCRAMBLER

SPORTSMAN

20

Marks Mancunian Twins (Meaning he has two of them)

I bought this Mancunian

about 3 years ago, from a

man in Norfolk. It then

transpired that his father in

law runs Superior Stainless,

a business based here in

Essex, making & selling a

huge range of classic bike

parts made from, you

guessed it, stainless steel.

Whilst I had taken some

pictures when I first went to

see it, about 2 months before he offered to me, I don’t have any full

frontal pictures when I eventually bought it. These two photos show it

when I first put it into the shed, less the mudguards, the second

photograph was taken as I made progression with its restoration.

This is actually Mancunian number two, the green one, with a painted

tank. I bought my first one from Nottingham about 3 months earlier, well

I say a Mancunian, there were a number of parts missing, chiefly the

mudguards, headlamp cowl, in fact most of the tin ware. Such is life after

nearly 50 years of use and

abuse.

I bought the second bike to

assist in rebuilding the first

bike. I had plenty of help

and advice from other

Mancunian owners in the

club.

I have now reached the stage

were by I give advice to

other members on things Dot

related, how quickly we

21

progress from novice to, I hate the word, expert .Expert just means that I

know a little more than the person asking the questions. I had 2 sets of

mudguards commissioned from Renovation Spares, and what a very

helpful man he is. Granted to have two sets of hand made mudguards

doesn’t come cheap, but the rest of the bike didn’t break the bank. The

seat pan meant that I had an original to use as a copy, in conjunction with

a very good template that Mike Moore lent to me. Using local contacts

and a very big guillotine I made two seat pans, one with a rounded rear

end and the other with a squared back end. Even in the small production

run that the Mancunian had, DOTs managed to make minor modifications

from the early models to the later ones. The chief change was that they

moved the front engine mounts to make access to the under slung speedo

drive more accessible. This also meant a change in the engine plate shape

as the early examples were using a similar frame to the 8E engined bikes.

The Mancunian was the first bike to be available to the public using the

new front cast links forks. The reason that Bernard Scott Wade used the

newly designed 9E engine, was that he liked the clean lines it had and it

complemented his first road machine since the RST.

What also kept me from completing the Mancunian before now, was that

I also had a 1962 square frame on the go, and allied to the second

Mancunian I had a number of 9E/34A engines to rebuild. So the winter

was spent doing engine and transmissions. Well if you have one to do

then 3 isn’t any harder and you get into a routine. I also have a third

square frame that has been away for 4 years awaiting modification for a

special, more in the future about this and that meant I had 8 wheels to

rebuild and refurbish, hence the 3 years delay. This didn’t stop me from

bringing the bare green Mancunian frame to the Popham bike show in

2006 as it was the bikes 50th birthday. It was also 50 years since the

round frame cast link Dot was designed and made.

Time passed and I promised that it would be ready for a very large steam

rally here in Essex for September 2007. I managed to produce a visually

complete machine, even though it doesn’t actually run. These minor

details are being addressed over this winter and given a fair wind it will

run next Spring.

Mark Gooding

22

VILLIERS 9E/30A SERIES

GEARBOXES

1

4

5

8

1st gear

Ratchet wheel(5) drives

the layshaft via the

dogs and gear number

(6)

2nd gear

Main no dogs(3)

drives the layshaft via

the layshaft with dogs

(6)

3

3rd gear

Main with dogs(2)

drives the layshaft via

the layshaft without

dogs(7)

2

23

top gear

Main with dogs(2)

drives the high gear

pinion(1) directly

This article has been compiled with the help of Simon Bateman, of Nametab Engineering,

Villiers Engine specialist.

It is intended to help show the gear arrangement inside the 9E/30A series gear boxes.

Mark Gooding

Gear number Standard Wide 31A & 35A

High pinnion D.11974 1 25 27 27

Main with dogs D.8496 2 22 24 22

Main no dogs E.9026 3 19 18 19

Main C.8491/1 4 14 14 14

Ratchet Wheel D.8499/1 5 28 28 28

Lay with dogs D.8497 6 23 24 23

Lay no dogs E.9026 7 19 18 19

Layshaft C.8492/1 8 17 15 15

standard wide 31 &35

gears ratio ratio ratio

1 2.94 3.60 3.60

2 1.78 2.40 2.18

3 1.27 1.35 1.55

4 1.00 1.00 1.00

24

Gears in the Villiers gearbox

There is a little known detail about the

ubiquitous Villiers 9E series gear

boxes. It is that in the 1960s

Villiers produced a set of near

identical gears, primarily for the

scrambles bikes. They look the same, they

have the same tooth numbers, they even fit the

same, but and it is a big but. If they are used

alongside the ordinary gears they will wear out

in double quick time. Strangely it is the harder

gear that wears before the softer one.

These up rated gears are harder and have a different tooth

profile. It is this latter bit that does the real damage, as they don’t mesh

exactly with the older types. The profile is slightly thinner on the top

They are easily identified as they were renumbered using a series of 2s as

in D12222 and they have a thin groove machined into them, either on the

face or the outer edge.

It is permissible to mix

them, so long as they are

used as matched pairs on

the lay shaft and main

shaft. The later type must

work in pairs. The

pictures show the

differences.

Mark Gooding, with help

from Mike Sumnall

Older type

( Later type ) ( Later type )

( Later type )

Older type

25

Letter received from Ted Hardy (regarding the Welsh Run)

What a hardy (forgive me: such a good word!) fellow is this Arthur

Ryder, whose intrepid trip to the wilds of Wales lifted the winter wearies

in the pages of our very excellent little journal (our very excellent little

journal thanks to all the hard, but even more excellent, work of Richard.

Happy Christmas, Richard. Our thanks go out to you).

This really was a worthy effort, and a true piece of daring do. Battling

clock, inclement weather and wonky kickstarts - not to mention strange

people who thought Dots were made by Francis Barnett - Arthur survived

the rigours of wet underwear, of torn trouserwear and, worse still, of

gravel filled knees, all in the extremely worthy cause of retracing our

founder's tyreprints a hundred years ago. You know, I don't think Harry

Reed's own original run to Beddgelert could have been more exciting, or

more ably reported. Who is this Arthur Ryder? I hear you say. We saw a

picture of his trusty Mancunian, but as usual Arthur's modesty prevailed.

'Not actually', you may say, 'cos he was obviously taking the photo, and it

was a solo trip, stupid' - ah, but knowing Arthur as I do (oops, sorry;

shouldn't have mentioned that!) I like to think this so. But I can tell you

one other thing (very quietly) - that if you attend our club meets, you

know him too: he's always there, always ready to help, a sheaf of pertinent

bumff to hand. And I can also tell you (very, very quietly now!) that he

was a founder member of our club; indeed, he was the founder member of

our club, as I happen to know from when he roped me in - er, I mean -

from when I had the enormous privilege of helping him breathe life into it

as the present Dot Motorcycle Club a few years ago now. Arthur was just

the same then, always at it, always on the go, -always chivvying-me too

just stop blathering-and get on with it-Really, a man of many parts and

many guises, and also a great chum and a very worthy 'Dotty'.

I hope I haven't given anything away here, but there is (just a last little

whisper) another clue in the article. Arthur really wants to be the first to

26

ride the replica of the 1908 Harry Reed TT bike now under construction

on this very same run; and all I can say that it really is he who should have

first shout if that ever comes off, which I sincerely hope it will - and,

really now, that's all I'm going to say. My lips are sealed. Not another

word!

So, thanks for a terrific article, and an even more terrific ride. Well done,

Arthur, and more strength to your knees...

- and this also gives me the opportunity to offer my very best wishes to all

our members worldwide for the New Year. Happy Dotting.

Ted Hardy

PS ... if you are beginning to gain a bit better focus on this 'ere Arthur, I

moustache you to keep it to yourself. He'd never forgive me if I were to

give the game away. Happy Christmas, Arthur.

Thanks Ted for the letter and your comments written in your own inimical

style.

This letter was headed by one of Ted's famous cartoon drawings which I

have reproduced on the back cover ( with apologises to Rupert)

Richard.

The advert on page 27 was taken from the FBHVC Handbook.

Having tried the well known “classic insurers “ and been quoted silly

money I tried these . Forty percent cheaper no hassle and prompt

service. Now my Dots and my Triumph are covered by them. I would

add that I have no connection with this company and that they may not

suit everybody, but it is worth asking.

Richard.

27

28

Dear Richard,

Thank you for printing my enquiry about a back number of the Journal. I

received a very pleasant response from a number of members and Al

Ussher provided the required copy. A big thank you to him and everyone

else.

Could I be a nuisance again please? I would like to find out a bit more of

the history of my SDH Dot and wondered whether I could jog some

memories? Any scraps of information eagerly appreciated.

Manufactured in May 1953 it was supplied to Rossleigh Motorcycles in

Edinburgh. Frame No.H530263, "Scrambler Tuned" engine, and Avon

Gripster Tyres. It had Metal Profile telescopic front forks and swing arm

frame.

There is then a 37 year gap until I acquired it in 1990 from a dealer in

Milnsbridge, Huddersfield. By now it was in trials trim, sported BSA

front forks, a maroon petrol tank with Woolworths "stick a sole" rubbers

attached, and a hefty home made exhaust system (not pretty but workman

like). I paid way too much for it as the engine was well and truly

knackered.

When I bought it the salesman told me that it had been trialed in

Lancashire - but I'm not sure I'd rely on that!

Anyway I recently enrolled on an evening class in Keighley to commence

a full stripdown and overhaul (well that is what I hope for - things look a

bit bleak at the moment with the Dot in numberless pieces- will it ever go

back together I ask myself). This awakened my interest in the bike's

history. I now find (after 17 years ownership!) that the rear frame and

swing arm have at some time been severely damaged and repaired in a

somewhat heavy-handed, though effective manner. The tank has also

taken a bashing.

The final clue is this. There is an old square number plate, painted black

and doing duty as a competition number plate on the top of the front forks.

On stripping this I discovered the Registration Number BCP 146C.

Now my Dot was not road registered when I got it and anyway I think that

this number dates back to 1965.

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Well, there it is. Does any of the above ring a bell?

I appreciate that this is a humble machine of no significance, but I just

love the stories that Bikes can tell. I bought an Indian Royal Enfield

earlier this year and took a flyer in writing to a previous owner. His

account of his ownership and travels was just so interesting and made me

value the bike more. And by the way I really enjoy the RE, particularly as

the Dot is out of action -1 even take it gentle greenlaning just to keep my

hand in.

Well, all good wishes for 2008, and thanks, as always, for your efforts and

those of all the other club officers and members who keep the Dot

Owners' Club rolling.

Stephen Leather

Annual General Meeting 2008

Please note that the AGM of the DOT Motorcycle Club will take place

at the Stafford Classic Bike Show on Sunday the 27th April 2008 at

approximately 1pm ( Please check exact details with Club Stand prior to

this time).

If you have any items for discussion please forward them to the

Secretary , Ann Davy , as soon as possible.

01283 820563 email: ann@radavy.freeserve.co.uk

As Ann is planning on standing down as secretary at this meeting please

give this matter some thought as it is most urgent that a replacement is

found.

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Dot Motorcycles have a large number of DOT parts available from stock. In addition we have full time engineering staff who are able to manufac-ture, in our fully equipped workshop, parts and special components for DOT machines. Among the items currently available:

Front Forks Square frame type

Front Fork Links Spring Steel

Silentbloc Bushes Fork and Rear Swing Arm

Swing Arm Studs and Nuts

Swing Arm Spacer Tubes

Taper Bearing Head Races

Older Type Ball Races

Dot Self-adhesive Badges

8” Front Grimeca Dot Hubs

Grimeca Rear Brake Plates

Grimeca Front & Rear Brake Shoe Exchange Service

British Hub Alloy Front and Rear Brake Shoe Exchange Service

Rear Sprockets to fit British Hub and Grimeca Dot Hubs

200/250cc Exhaust Pipes

200/250cc Trials Silencers with heat shield

Demon Alloy Exhaust Heat Shield

6E/8E Chrome Plated Expansion Boxes

Alloy Sleeve Bolts for Square Cylinders

Pistons – 250cc Standard size with rings

Telephone/Fax 0161- 834 5472

PROP: ENGLISH SWEDISH WORLD TRADERS LTD.

ST. GEORGE’S HOUSE, 36 ELLESMERE STREET, HULME, MANCHESTER, M15 4JW

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Trials Alloy Chain guards

Chain Adjusters all types

Prop Stand and Body TH/TDH Series (19” stock/21” to order)

Centre Stand TH/TDH Series models

Footrests All post war models

Rear Suspension Springs Chromed 65lb & 90lb

Engine Plates All models

Engine Mounting Bolts and Special BSCy Studs

Doherty Ball Ended Control Levers Anti-rock pattern

Air Filter Covers and Elements – Double & Single Sided

Front Brake Cables for Grimeca Hub

Throttle Cables for Villiers Carbs.

Slim line front damper shrouds (not chromed

British Hub Brake Drum Skimming Service

Improved Design Back plate and Points for 9E/32A etc Villiers

Front Mudguard Loops All Models

Rear Mudguard Loops All S/Arm Models

British Hub Brake Drum Skimming Service

Improved Design Backplate and Points for 9E/32A etc Villiers

Front Mudguard Loops All Models

Rear Mudguard Loops All S/Arm Models

We will quote for any spare for your DOT bike

(updated August 2005)

www.dot-motorcycle-club.co.uk dotclub@freenetname.co.uk

Ted Hardy