It was the last Kempton of 2016 today, so there we did go. Today was a tad chilly, the sun tried but the cloud won. And although it stayed dry, the wind had a real edge to it, but there was plenty to see, lots of people milling about, and some nice stuff to buy if you looked hard enough.
Triumph 500cc supercharged chop
Triumph Bobber
Ariel race bike project
And if you want to see more, follow the link here….
http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p869183513/slideshow
It all started on Wednesday, when I bought an older Moto Guzzi pseudo police bike from north of Oxford, I had to collect it the same night, as I was heading off towards the John Bull Rally on Friday morning, so I had to be in Kent Thursday to be sure of making the ferry Friday morning.
Well, the evening started out sunny, but not long after I hit the A34 south towards home, the heavens opened with heavy rain and snow, all the way home. I could not have been colder or wetter, if I had fallen in the sea! but the bike ran pretty well considering the weather, although I do have a few things to sort out before regular use.
1973 Moto Guzzi Eldorado
Guzzi Police dash
850 Eldo
Friday saw a cold wet ride to the John Bull over in Belgium, a great Rally well organised by the Belgian BSAOC. Good camping, good food, this is always a fun rally to attend if you like old bikes, that are ridden to a rally. Already making plans for next years event.
My R60 played up with a starting issue, that I think was the starter relay, I have fitted a new one today, I shall see how things work out over the next few weeks.
Follow link below to pictures…
http://www.kevindean.zenfolio.com/p1025423631/slideshow
Thank you and well done all concerned.
My BMW R60/6 at the John Bull
Mr Ed, and his trusty 650 Thunderbolt
On the Monday it was the Fleet Lions Charity Rally, at would you believe, Fleet. And a fine sunny day it was too, pictures in link below..
http://www.kevindean.zenfolio.com/p490263707/slideshow
Triton at the Lions Rally.
This past weekend I attended the annual John Bull Rally, over in Belgium, hosted by the Belgian BSA OC, it was a cold damp, but great weekend. Well organised, great beer and food, good bands, and great people.
http://www.kevindean.zenfolio.com/p1025423631/slideshow
Thanks guys, you did good.
BSA and wall art.
Daisy
I have followed this old Triumph for many miles as we went to one camp or another, infact some of my best motorcycling memories have been following Daisy, and her owner Graham. So I was somewhat surprised to hear through the classic bike grapevine that Graham had sold the old girl! I seem to remember they had covered over 175,000 miles together around Europe. Attending many rallies, in lots of countries.
Daisy the Triumph Heading for Two Dales.
Daisy In the lanes
Kempton Jumble…
Once again a New Year brings a new Kempton Jumble, and Eric and the crew of EGP made us feel welcome, and even gave us a dry day.
Lots to see, lots to buy, and old friends to catch up with along the way. So all good then.
BSA A10
Nice little French Something?
Very Nice BSA Sloper
And then out in the carpark was this little bobber project in the back of a Chevy Stepside, lots of unusual little tricks and tweaks on this little project.
Bobber
I have more pictures on my photo site, you can see them all here…
As winter closes in, and the end of the year appears on the horizon, I still have a couple of events to attend, and I also have lots to do with my bikes. I have had the paint set back for my Commando, and wow what a job the guys at Revolution did for me, stunning.
Metalflake Orange
Since my return from the USA, I have been to another Kempton Jumble, these really are a great day out, so if you get the chance, you really should try to make one (The next EGP Jumble is on December 6th – here is a link to the 2015 dates too… http://www.egp-enterprises.co.uk/calendar.html )
Kempton..
Norvin
more pictures from Kempton can be seen in the slideshow here…
http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p789902386/slideshow
Next up is another bike to my small collection, finally after looking for nearly two years, I have managed to find a nice mid 70’s AMF Harley shovelhead, although I do need to spend some time getting rid of all the chrome bling that has been added???
1975 AMF Harley Shovelhead
Below is a link to a slideshow of my visit to Barber this year…
Cannonball Harley
http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p2625010/slideshow
It is Sunday morning here, so I shall post the second catch-up while I have my coffee…
A couple of weeks back (where does time go?) I attended the annual Banbury Run over at Gaydon heritage motor museum, in Warwickshire, now this is a must see, if you are ever in the UK at this time of year, a great chance to get up close and personal with all kinds of early vintage motorcycles, that are actualy used out on the road, not just static museum pieces.
As usual I take far too many pictures, so I shall post a couple more here and then put a link to a slideshow of the rest at the bottom of the post.
BSA
Patina
Matchless
Brough
And here is the slideshow link as mentioned above…
Velocette Day…
My local branch of the Velo club always put on a good open day, and this year was no exception. It was a perfect English summer day, following on from what was the fiercest thunder storm I can remember overnight. It was like a war zone here in Berkshire, I have truely never heard thunder so loud and for so long, and that was followed by monsoon style rain, amazing stuff.
But today was fine, the air was clear, the humidity had gone, and England was the green and pleasant land we all know and love. So I called up a couple of friends from the Triumph club, and we hit the lanes, crossed the Thames, hit some more lanes, and headed for the Cherry Tree, a lovely little country pub, and today it was playing host to the Thames Valley Velocette Owners club…
I like the Velocette owners club, they are happy to see you turn up, no matter what you ride, they just appreciate the fact that you bother to come and support them. Other clubs could learn from this openess,and hospitality, in these days of diminishing membership numbers.
A great day out. well done all concerned.
Now don’t forget when looking at the pictures that every bike you see, was ridden to the pub, to trailer queens here, no way, no sir. Ride the things, that is what they were built for.
Norton with Brooklands Can
Velocette
Classic Class
Velocette’s in the Garden
If you would like to see some more from the day out, then follow this link to a slideshow of the rest of the pictures I took…
So there it was ringing in my head, the Monday morning alarm, telling me it was time to get up for work, but oh no!, this time it was wrong, you see it is a bank holiday over here. One of those odd bank holidays they throw in every now and then, normally on an overcast, dank and miserable day, and this one was no different. Well when I say no different, I mean weather wise of course, but the day itself was special, for it was the Fleet Lions Charity ride day, held, would you believe in well, Fleet.
So up and cleaned, the coffee was calling, but then so was my bike, not one of those old leaky, rusty, brit bikes, but a good solid leak free Japanese bike, my 1974 Kawasaki Z1b to be exact. So off to my lock up, open the door, keys in, fuel on, choke, and we are away for a coffee at the Gorge Cafe, one of Reading’s oldest cafe’s, and where I had arranged to meet a few friends for the ride over to fleet, but only after we had demolished a full english first.
Monday Morning Z1b
The ride over to Fleet was in itself an uneventful ride, but the weather was doing its best to annoy everybody, rain blowing in the wind, and a heavy grey sky, but hell we were having fun, and the bikes were all running great, and what an odd assortment we were, Two Harley’s, a Pan and a Shovel, an Ariel rigid twinport, a Thunderbolt, an AJS 500 single, and my Z1b.
Boston Police Panhead
And so we come to the end of another Lions club Rally, a great day spent with like-minded people, and always good to catch up with a few old friends. And so I leave you with my bestest bike of the day, what a great looking little bike, I would have loved to take it home..
Honda
Way back in the 93, MTC Motorcycles, based here in Reading, decided to have a Kawasaki day at the shop, so they stuck a small advert in one of the bike mags of the time, and waited to see if anybody would turn up….
MTC
Out on the weekend
Heading to MTC
The Mighty Z1
MTC is still in the same place, but I guess we are all older with less hair and bigger waistlines now, but the Kawasaki’s are timeless.
More here… http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p824590645/slideshow
Backstreet Thunder 