Author Topic: our motorcycle riding stories  (Read 5169 times)

Offline malito650

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our motorcycle riding stories
« on: December 22, 2007, 09:35:59 AM »
 I often come to our site to just read all the entries and always come away with the thought that the more I read the more I do'nt know.  The knowledge here is fantastic.

Tonight I went back several pages and dicovered entries by MIKE BROWN BARONE and he was urging us to write in our stories about riding our bikes either in our youth or stories of adventures newly experienced on these wonderful machines that we so love.

Much of our winter months are taken up with workshop duties but just,now during the Holiday times,maybe we can sit back by a warm fire and enjoy a brandy and recall those times and share them with the lads.  For starters, how about some of the guys I see quite often.....L.A.B. TBS and VintageBike

best wishes,  steve

Offline Goldy

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Re: our motorcycle riding stories
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2007, 07:56:37 PM »
During the sixties I was an engineering apprentice at a Company in the Midlands. Winter evenings were spent at the local coffe bar or at the Companies sports and social club. Here we would play snooker and talk bikes. One night the conversation was about the speed at which a roundabout on the main road could be taken. One of the lads, who had a Velocette Venom said he could go straight through at 70mph. This was laughed at and the conversation continued until the speed estimate came down to 50mgh. Now bets were placed on the outcome, so the next thing was for the rider to confirm this speed. The plan was for one of the lads to ride pillion so that he could see the speeo over the riders shoulder. I was to follow on my underpowered BSA C15 !!! to also verify the speed. Off we went in the cold darkness down the main road towards the roudabout with me in pursuit. The Venom turned in the roundabout and all I could see were sparks flying form the exhaust as it slid along the road, he was certainly travelling. We returned to the club house to check the result and I was asked what speed was he doing, dont know I said. It was all down to the pillion, dont know he said. I was so scared I had my eyes shut.

Offline BEAMA

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Re: our motorcycle riding stories
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2008, 01:40:23 AM »
DO ANY OF YOU REMEMBER OUR SUNDAY BRIDGNORTH RUN FROM THE MERMAID PUB AT WHITWICK WOLVERHAMPTON AFTER A PINT OR TWO AND A GAME OF DARTS TO THE GROTO CAFE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF RAILWAY BRIDGNORTH, SHROPSHIRE IN THE EARLY 1960'S ?
SOME OF THE NAMES AND BIKES I REMEMBER WERE JOE ON HIS GOLDIE, FAMOUS FOR TINKLING THE IVORIES OF THE JUKE BOX IN TIME TO THE MUSIC, HIS MATE ON THE CONNIE WHO TOOK OFF  IN HIGH WIND ON THE BIRMINGHAM NEW ROAD AND GOUGED A LARGE LONG GROOVE IN THE GRASS VERGE WITH HIS BACKSIDE. EDDIE ON HIS IMMACULATE TRITON WHO JUST LOOKED COOL.
MICK AND HIS TIGER CUB, MOSTLY COMING DOWN THE ROAD PARTED FROM EACH OTHER ( THE FOOTRESTS WERE VERY LOW ! ) HE WAS A TESTER AT NORTON VILLIERS LATER.  THERE WERE SEVERAL ARROWS PILOTED BY NUMEROUS DAVES, JOHNS AND A CLIVE. THEY ALWAYS CARRIED SPARE CONDENSERS WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS PACKED UP.  THERE WAS ME ON A SEIZING BUT MAGIC 2T GREEVES SPORTS, MELVIN ( OR WAS IT MERVIN ) ON A NORMAN B3 THAT TOOK OF A HUMP BACK BRIDGE AT SPEED AND CLEARED A HEDGE BEFORE LANDING SEVERAL YARDS INTO A FIELD. LES, WHO USED TO SCARE ALL PASSENGERS XXXXLESS ON HIS COMBO. ( ONLY ONCE MIND YOU ! ) WHICH REMINDS ME OF MY FATHER ON HIS 600 SUNBEAM COMBO IN THE 30'S HAVING THE CHAIR PART COMPANY WITH THE BIKE. THE CHAIR WITH MY MOTHER IN GOING THRO' A HEDGE AND ENDING UP WITH A COW LOOKING DOWN AT HER. ( MY MOTHERS STORY )
BACK TO THE BRIDGNORTH RUN, DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE SPEED TWIN MOUNTED PATROL COPPER THAT USED TO STOP AND HELP IF WE BROKE DOWN ? GREAT BLOKE, WONDER IF HE IS STILL AROUND ?
TO FINISH, MY WIFE NEVER LETS ME FORGET THE TIME  44 YEARS AGO  I LET HERE RIDE MY BIKE  DOWN A COUNTRY  LANE. WHEN I SHOUTED HER TO STOP SHE DID. BUT DIDN'T PUT HERE FEET DOWN ( WELL YOU DONT WHEN YOU ARE USED TO BEING ON THE BACK DO YOU ) I PICKED THE BIKE UP AND SAID I HOPED SHE HADN'T DAMAGED IT. SHE STORMED OFF SAYING I THOUGHT MORE OF THE BIKE THAN HER !
MAYBE SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THOSE RUNS !

  

  
« Last Edit: January 02, 2008, 12:43:49 AM by BEAMA »

Offline Bruce

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Re: our motorcycle riding stories
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2008, 02:24:42 AM »
I used to live in Stourbridge but I didn,t start motorcycling until 1969 I was just 16, then we used to go up the Bridgnorth Road and meet at the 60 bend near Enville then back to the cafe at Stewpony

Offline BEAMA

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Re: our motorcycle riding stories
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2008, 01:42:23 AM »
THE WILLOW TREE CAFE BY THE STEWPONY PUB USED TO BE A MEETING PLACE IN THE 1920's FOR SUNBEAM AND AJS TESTERS TO DISCUSS BIKES AFTER SPEED TESTING OVER ENVILLE AND HIGHGATE COMMON.
WE WENT TO THE RE-OPENING IN THE 1990's ON OUR VINTAGE SUNBEAM AND AJS BIKES AND AN ARTICLE AND PHOTO WAS IN THE WOLVERHAMPTON ADD NEWS.
(I STILL HAVE A COPY OF THE PHOTO)
ANYONE KNOW IF IT STILL OPEN ? I DONT LIVE ROUND AREA NOW.  
« Last Edit: January 02, 2008, 01:44:10 AM by BEAMA »

Offline Bruce

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Re: our motorcycle riding stories
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2008, 02:12:05 AM »
Yes it is open I drove past it a few days ago I will be going past it this coming weekend so I will double check.