Issue 139 : February - March 2005
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The Heritage Trail
They say there's nothing new under the sun and if you look at old motorcycles you'll see what they mean. Back in the days when JAP stood for John Arthur Prescott, four valve heads, belt drive, twin overhead cams, all the high tech wizardry of our age was being put through its paces. You name it, it's all been tried before, much of it in the very early years of the motorcycle when manufacturers were as numerous as breweries and every other man and his dog with a lathe had a try at making one of these fangled motorised bicycles. A three cylinder two stroke - sound like a Kawasaki? Try Ariel in 1918! It seems extraordinary in our age of 100bhp engines that our forefathers got around with the aid of motors making less grunt than a Harley's starter motor, but they did; roll forward the one and a half horse power Quadrant, a fine beast of 1898 vintage.
As interesting in a different way were the prototypes crafted in the twilight years of the old British industry which never saw the light of day. Triumph's twin overhead cam 350 is a case in point which makes you wonder if the old company might have staved off the Japanese invasion if it had got its act together a little quicker; who knows? There's almost too much packed into these light airy timbered halls for people with a real interest. It's well worth the entrance fee and if you've got kids with you who don't want to look at bikes there are animals to be seen, very thoughtful touch that.
The only slightly disturbing feature of the day out was that machines on which I'd cut my motorcycling teeth, namely the BSA M 33 and A10 were here as museum exhibits; eerie. Words and pictures This from the Sammy Miller website: There are over 300 rare and classic motorcycles on display in four galleries. This is a living museum. Sammy has taken his motorcycles to demonstrations at race circuits throughout Europe and as far away as New Zealand and America. Our shop and workshop are right next door, so you can pick up some spares while you're here! Museum opening times - 10.00am to 4.30pm (7 days a week) Adults £4.50 Children £2.00 Sammy Miller Motorcycles, Bashley Cross Rd, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 5SZ Tel: 01425 616446, info@sammymiller.co.uk |
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Chelsea and Fulham HOG took a ride down to Sammy Miller's museum in Hampshire to look at what was, what is, and what might have been, it was quite an education.
Looking around the packed museum and it is seriously chocka with bikes and memorabilia, I came across many names that were completely foreign to me despite having long had an interest in vintage bikes. The Quadrant was one, the Royal Ruby was another and then there were the variations on familiar themes that I'd never heard about. Most people think of Panthers as those single lung sloggers with a long single sloping cylinder but who knew they made a transverse Vee twin?
Robert Warr of Warr's Harley-Davidson got into the spirit of things by riding down on an army spec 45 (750cc side valve) an option which makes any journey just that bit more of a challenge; give that man a great coat and flying helmet.