1991: Stafford Classic Bike Show

A set pulled from the halide archive of colour negatives, and scanned to digital.

I think it was 1991 anyway. I was at my Mum's in Stafford for the Easter holidays. She was a tutor at the local horticultural college, and she had a 'spare' French exchange student for the week, who turned out to be a bit of a bike nut, when I turned up on the AR125.

COULDN'T understand a RUDDY word she said.... but... the Classic was on, a few miles out of town... so I took her to see it.

In the car?!?!?!? I seem to recall mother muttering something about the college liability insurance! But what the heck; at least I didn't have to pay the petrol!

View of the concourse

The Southerby's Assessor... assessing?!

Lots for the bidders in the Sotheby's arena

Ariel 'Golden Arrow'... The Selly Oak Stink-Wheel. Inspired by the German Adler, this was a two-stroke 250cc parallel twin, almost a decade ahead of the Japanese sporting strokers. It ought to have been badged a BSA. If it had, then BSA might have been a little more keen on exploiting its sporting potential.

Plunger Squariel. Edward Turners brain-child 'four'

I think this Plunger Trials Chop is an Ariel

Harley Davidson Stand

Err... OK... I really don't know what bikes are in this shot!

Benelli 750 Sei... the 'first' Accross the frame SIX. Benelli, ripping off Honda and Suzuki designs mercilessly in the era, with their versions of the Suzuki GT250 and the Honda CB500 'Four', decided to beat Honda at their own game when it was rumoured that they might build a 'six', and hurriedly developed the Sei, essentially chopping up a couple of Benelli 504's to make a 504 and a half engine, and managed to launch to market ahead of the legendary Honda CBX... wasn't a wonderful bike, however, by all accounts, and was later bored to 900 to level the playing field a bit against the Honda's full litre.

Now that's an expensive bar stool!

MV Agusta... LOOK they DID make bikes with LESS than four cylinders!

Another MV

A Guzzi.

BSA A65

BSA Bantam

Rigid-Frame Trials Chop

Meriden Triumph

 
Watsonian Racing Side-Car

Early Honda OHC Twin; I seem to recall, that there was a notice on this, proclaiming the bike's providence as one of the first batch of something like twelve bikes, imported to Britain for public sale; from a bike dealers in London? Had one owner from new, and restored by member of the family, I think. Had lots of old paperwork with it, anyhow. Interesting, at the time, as one of the few Japanese bikes in show. You may have noticed, everything else is pretty much British or Italian! But remember, this was in the early '90's. We got very few Japanese bikes in Britain until the '70's; most went to the USA. It wasn't until after the 1972 collapse of the BSA group, that the Japanese started selling bikes in any numbers in Britain, and when this show was put on, there weren't many that were actually old enough to be considered 'Classic'!

Kawasaki Two-Stroke Tripple, a brave entry. Both Japanese AND a two-stroke! Interest in the more 'exotic' Japanese machines was only starting to gain acceptance, and the Kawasaki tripples had always had something of a reputation, as a bit 'wild'!

Yamaha YD1 Race. Japanese machines were less frowned upon in the 'Racing Classics' class... probably because without them, there would have been few entries!

Mighty Itom tiddler tracker. Look at them skinny tyres, yet that thing could probably crack the ton!

The immortal Manx Norton

Dymag-Norton endurance Racer

Dymag-Norton endurance Race

Dymag-Norton endurance Racer

'Prize' BSA DBD34 'Gold-Star'. The Clubman's favourite.

I 'think' from the primary drive cover hiding behind the fairing that this is probably a Matchless / AJS OHC racing single; but I'm not sure.

The Notice Under the bike Reads: "National Motorcycle Museum; 750cc Triumph Trident; Winner 1971 Bol d'Or 24 Hour Race". And I find my scanner doesn't have a high enough resolution to read the rest!

1970's Endurance-Racers, a Triumph & A Ducati

A Couple of Ducatis

Ducati Single

The Moto-Morini Stand. Then 'New' Piaggio Group 'Dart' is now a Classic in its own right!

Vincent HRD

Danish Nimbus! In-Line, shaft-Drive 'Four' for the discerning Dane! I'd love one of these. The Nordic Norton!

Morgan 3-Wheeler with Matchless V-Twin Engine

Morgan 3-Wheeler with Matchless V-Twin Engine... Yeah.. I had a 'symmetry' thing idea, I think for this photo!

 

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