Motohistory Quiz #80:

We have a winner!

(6/30/2010)

Well, that was quick. It was only minutes before we received a correct answer from Nick Jeffery of Buckinghamshire, Great Britain. Nick identified the motorcycle as a Norton Wulf. We're not going to tell you any more about it at this time because soon Mick Duckworth will provide a feature story on the bike. Congratulations, Nick, your Motohistory Know-It-All Diploma is on its way.

Motohistory Quiz #80

(6/30/2010)

What is it?  Be the first to tell us the brand of this motorcycle and you will become our newest Motohistory Know-It-All, verified by your own personalized diploma.

We'll give you one hint.  It is not Japanese. 

So rush to your keyboard and send your answer to

Ed@Motohistory.net.

 

Visitors get a taste of the new

National Motorcycle Museum

(6/30/2010)

 

We’ve written on several occasions about the National Motorcycle Museum during our trips through Iowa (see Motohistory News & Views 8/29/2005 and 4/26/2007).  The facility, previously located in a store front in downtown Anamosa, houses one of the finest collections of motorcycles in America.  It is run by a non-profit corporation for which John Parham is President, and many of the bikes, artifacts, toys, photos, banners, uniforms, posters, and memorabilia on display are shared through his private collection.  The only problem with the NMM has been that very limited space required that fine motorcycles were often packed in like sardines in a can.  But no more!

 

Several years ago, Parham acquired a former Walmart building, which until last year he used as storage for J&P Cycles, his motorcycle accessory retail and mail-order business.  Set at the intersection of highways 151 and 64 on the outskirts of Anamosa, the location was too good to be used as warehouse space.  John knew this, and for sometime has nurtured the dream of moving the National Motorcycle Museum into the larger facility.   That process began some months ago, with Mark Mederski, former director of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, taking on the task of designing the floor plan and exhibit fixtures.  At present, only two exhibits are complete, and many more are works in progress, but because June 25, 26, and 27 were the dates for J&P Cycles’ annual open house, Parham and his team opened the doors to give visitors a taste of what is to come.  With more than 15,000 J&P customers and a few hundred industry professionals attending the open house, the new but unfinished museum got good exposure indeed.  

 

On Friday evening, Parham threw a dinner for 150 people in the new museum’s 3,000 square foot banquet facility to celebrate the opening of “Awesome-Ness,” one of the exhibits that is complete, featuring a dozen example of Arlen Ness’ finest work (pictured left and above).  Ness was on hand to reminisce about the days when the custom motorcycle industry was spawned by the work of only one or two pioneer builders.  The other exhibit that is finished is of celebrity bikes, including bikes owned by Evel Knievel, Von Dutch, Indian Larry, Peter Fonda, Steve McQueen, and others (pictured right are Von Dutch in the foreground, Indian Larry in the background).  When complete, the facility will house over 250 motorcycles and thousands of artifacts.  But now there is ample room so visitors can walk around bikes, there are high ceilings for professional lighting, a working restoration shop, and rooms for meetings and seminars, in addition to the large banquet area.  Within the 36,000 square foot building, there will be 25,000 feet dedicated to exhibits, which is more than double what was available at the old museum on Main Street.

 

An official grand opening date has not been set, but the weekend’s activities were so popular and well-attended, Parham is likely to host other preview showings before that date arrives.  For information on when the new National Motorcycle Museum will be fully open, keep an eye on the NMM web site.  Click here.   

 

Realizing the dream

Sitting in a wheel chair in the middle of the new National Motorcycle Museum, breathing from an oxygen generator, John Parham said, “It’s a dream come true.”  John was not in a wheel chair a few months ago, and he was not on oxygen, and he almost did not make it to see the fulfillment of his dream.

 

In 2007, Parham was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a progressive and incurable lung disease.  But the disease was progressing slowly, it appeared thatJohn was going to easily surpass his best prognosis, so he still had time to get a lot more done.  But our lives can change quickly.  Earlier this year, John had surgery for a problem totally unrelated to his lung disease.  But he contracted pneumonia while he was in hospital, and it nearly killed him. 

 

He was in hospital 52 days, in ICU 33 days, and when he was finally strong enough to come home, the pneumonia had scarred his damaged lungs so badly that it took years off his life.  Today he has 25 percent of normal breathing capacity, and does not expect to live much longer unless he has a lung transplant.  Parham has already passed all the testing for the procedure, and he is high on a list at the Cleveland Clinic.  They could send their jet to Cedar Rapids any hour now to save his life, or maybe not.  It all depends on whether a suitable donor lung turns up.

 

Recently, on the J&P Blog, John wrote from his heart to reach out to the countless people that he and his wife Jill and their business have touched over the years.  Writing eloquently about his recent life-threatening experience and the peril he is still in, John said:

 

Let’s face it, we love to ride motorcycles and with that comes a higher chance of getting hurt or killed in a traffic accident. If you are not already, please consider signing up to be an organ donor. There are thousands of people on waiting lists to receive an organ transplant. Some even die before one becomes available. It’s like giving the gift of life to someone else.

 

Records at J&P’s IT department reveal that 43,000 people opened the e-newsletter containing his message, and it immediately became clear that John had touched a nerve.  Within days, more than 1,700 readers had responded, many with their own tales of how a donor organ had been important to them or someone they knew. 

 

It is something we all should think about, and do something about.  Motorcyclists are an incredibly generous lot.  We are forever going to events to raise money for this charity or that foundation, and this is wonderful; but at the same time we carry in our bodies the gifts that can be more valuable to someone than all of the charitable giving in the world.  And it’s so easy and it costs us nothing.  Just sign up as an organ donor.  Stop putting it off.

 

To read John Parham’s complete message, click here.  To learn more about becoming an organ donor, click here. 

 

AHRMA Today:

A commentary

By Ed Youngblood

(6/25/2010)

 

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

There's no gain without pain.

 

You've probably heard a dozen other such platitudes that are, under most circumstances in our lives, more akin to pep talks than statements of fact.  But it sure is neat to see the rare case when these platitudes appear to come true.  Such is the case with the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association. 

 

The racing of vintage motorcycles as a distinct sport and hobby began to emerge in America in the late-1970s.  By the mid-80s, there were many clubs throughout the nation that had written their own rules and were running largely autonomous programs.  To witness the rapid growth of this segment of motorcycling was great, but for quality and consistency there was a lot lacking.  Clubs bickered over rules and a plethora of championship programs made championship titles largely meaningless.  I was president of the AMA at the time, and sometimes mediating petty squabbles between various vintage racing groups was time-consuming, tiring, and rarely brought lasting results.

 

For this reason, I was excited when in 1986 Gary Winn--a former AMA employee who had returned to school to pursue a higher degree--came to me with the proposal to create an alliance between the AMA and AHRMA, a newly-created organization with a vision to build a unified nationwide program for vintage motorcycle racers.  At that time, AHRMA was a privately-held for-profit organization, but within three years it was sold to its membership and reorganized as a non-profit.  With the AMA acknowledging AHRMA as its official affiliate for the promotion and governance of vintage racing throughout the nation, both organizations benefited.  The AMA no longer had to involve itself in intramural disputes, and, over time, AHRMA grew to become 5,600 members strong with recognized national titles in every category of competition. 

 

But it was not an easy road.  Along the way, a dispute with AHRMA's original funding member turned into costly litigation that went on for years.  To make matters worse, the insurance company that provided the club's directors and officers’ liability went broke, leaving AHRMA to carry the costs alone.  This litigation gobbled up a half-million dollars for AHRMA, the equivalent of a couple of years’ dues income for each and every member!  How does any organization weather that kind of drain?  If AHRMA were not a member-run organization driven by dedication and passion, it likely would not be here today.  At one point the club declared bankruptcy, but reorganized and survived.  Litigation was eventually settled, but in the mean time recession set in and AHRMA found itself faced with the task of rebuilding in a declining economy.  What's more, last year on the eve of Vintage Motorcycle Days--a world-class event that had become successful through AMA/AHRMA collaboration--the AMA terminated its 20-year relationship with AHRMA for reasons that I still believe have not been credibly explained.

 

Some suspected that this was the end of a long and rocky road for AHRMA, but just a year later, the club appears to be in better shape than it has been for a long time.  AHRMA quickly found a venue that has the potential to rival the success and status of Vintage Motorcycle Days, and the AMA's new one-day, winner-take-all vintage racing program introduced last year turned its premier vintage event into a pale shadow of its former self.  What had been a packed and buzzing paddock at Mid-Ohio became an expanse of lonely asphalt.  Let's hope for the sake of the effort that Mid-Ohio has put into this great event that the AMA can produce better results in 2010.  If not, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days may have embarked on a downward slide, not unlike the current trend in AMA membership as a whole.

 

Recently, AHRMA has released a three-year financial report that to my thinking is simply amazing in the current economic climate.  The report reveals many of the problems we all are dealing with in a down market.  For example, road racing revenue is down 40 percent from 2007 to 2009.  Likewise, most areas of activity are off, with hare scrambles and observed trials being the exceptions.  Overall, AHRMA's operating revenue is off 14 percent since 2007.  But AHRMA has met that challenge by reducing its operating cost by 24 percent, turning the club's 2008 operating deficit of $91,000 into a 2009 operating profit of $95,000.  The club is still slightly in the red on a retained earnings basis, but that deficit has been reduced from $245,000 to just $43,000 in just one year.  Turning any organization around like this is incredible, even in good times, which these are not! 

 

Gary Winn, AHRMA's inaugural executive director, attributes the club's survival in hard times to a combination of dedicated volunteers and the leadership of experienced, tough-minded professionals.  He says, “Traditionally, the club has built its program on reliance on a vibrant pool of dedicated AHRMA race workers who will give two days hard labor in exchange for lunches and a t-shirt.”  And while the rank and file will always be the source of AHRMA's energy, to explain recent success, Winn looks to the top, stating, “But most important are the excellent decisions by the AHRMA board to elect a cost-driven Chairman in the form of Dave Janiec, but more important, hiring David Lamberth, an MBA, as its executive director.  Lamberth is someone who is a vintage enthusiast himself, but as a CPA, he deeply understands risk management, loss control, and cost reduction.”  Winn adds, “And better yet, these guys are trying to be as transparent as they can be by racing themselves, attending other events, and visiting the message boards once in a while, posting candid and honest comments that ultimately win back the trust of everyday members.”

 

It would appear that the AMA kicking out AHRMA and launching a competitive vintage racing program has not hurt the club one bit.  AHRMA membership revenue is up six percent over the last year, despite the fact that event revenue is down.  Clearly, AHRMA retains the faith of its members, and this support was likely only strengthened by the battering the club has received from both its enemies and former friends.  We would probably be giving the AMA's influence too much credit to say that getting kicked out was the best thing that could happen to AHRMA, but the numbers might lead one to draw that conclusion.  Though there are many factors in AHRMA’s current resurgence, rejection by the AMA has certainly left no lasting damage.  In fact, given comparisons of leadership styles, governance effectiveness, resource management, and membership trends between the two organizations at present, the AMA might do well to learn from AHRMA.

 

To access the AHRMA web site, click here.

 

Celebrating 45 years

of the Münch Mammoth

By Ralf Kruger

(6/23/2010) 

 

A Münch display was held over the weekend of May 15 and 16 in Nieder-Florstadt, organized by the Münch 4 Club (celebrating its 25th anniversary) with additional support from Münch Club America.  While you may read our feature about the life of Friedel Münch at Motohistory News & Views 10/11/2007, our focus at this time will be on the remarkable motorcycle itself, the Münch Mammoth.

 

The evening before the exhibition, I pondered the great achievements of Friedel Münch, both for his dedicated customers and for himself.  My earliest memories of Friedel Münch's most famous bike remain vivid in my mind.  As a young pupil, my walk to school led through half the village I grew up in, and each day I passed Wacker Tool-kit Retail, in whose window stood a Münch Mammoth TTS-E. It was the property of Willi Wacker, then in his middle-20s.  Willi's riding buddies—two lads of the same age--came from just across the street. One used to ride a Honda CB750 Four and the other rode a Laverda SF750.  These bikes, which could be heard from quite some distance, were regarded the state of the art.  The deep growl of the Laverda's parallel twin mixed beautifully with the Honda's spitting exhaust note. This was pleasant music to my ears, but their concert was bested by the overpowering bellow of the Münch.  Man, was it impressive!  This experience taught me early on that noise is appreciated by so many motorcyclists because it is equated with power.

 

These fond memories returned the next morning when I entered the exhibition hall where, lined up before me, were 40 Mammoths, plus other models built by Münch.  The bikes on display were as individualistic as their owners, which underscored the fact that each Mammoth is not just a series production machine, but an artistic creation.  Though it was early yet, I was among about 300 people from which one could hear discussion in many languages.  This was truly an international gathering, clearly demonstrating that while Münch machines are few, their popularity and impact has been global. 

 

The bikes on display were not organized by model year.  This might make sense for the presentation of other brands, but not for the Münch.  Because these motorcycles were trimmed to the individual wishes of their owners, many bikes were updated as new components became available.  Thus, making fundamental technical distinctions is not easy, apart from broad categories like with or without a turbocharger.  One can immerse himself in the technical details of each Mammoth, but perhaps it is more interesting to observe the specific attractiveness of each rare machine.  Why is it so charming?  Certainly, it is mostly the outsized engine that leaves us impressed.  It is a motor that originated from the NSU TT car. While the idea of using a car engine was definitively not new (think of the Brough Superior with an Austin engine, for instance) the NSU TT engine fit with the perception of the motorcyclist's mind; namely it was air-cooled and of very modern design.

 

The first machine, presented at IFMA in Cologne in 1966, had a capacity of 1085cc and 55hp @ 5800rpm. Its cost was 7,500DM ($1,875), which was 1,500DM ($375) more than a new NSU TT car!  But there were reasons for this, because so much had to be changed in the NSU power train.  For example, there was a completely new primary drive for the gearbox which offered different spacing for the four-speed gears because the ratios for an automobile were totally unsuitable for a motorcycle.  Other changes included a redesigned clutch and the fitting of two Weber twin carburetors.  The complete chassis and huge 250mm brakes—nearly 10 inches in diameter—were of Münch design, as were the seat and choice of 28 or 34 liter tank.  The resulting package appeared enormous, and while its 264kg weight does not seem so great today, in its day the Mammoth had no counterpart. 

 

Just to underline how outrageously "nuts-and-bolts" thought went into his work, notice the Münch-designed totally encapsulated chain.  When riding fast, the Honda Four’s unprotected chain required replacement every 6000 miles, despite good maintenance.  The Mammoth's chain endured three times that distance with ease, thereby requiring less expense and hassle for its owner. And the owner could adjust the chain externally and finish the job with clean hands.  Just as farsighted was Münch's decision to replace the traditional rear wheel, prone to loosening spokes, with an aluminum cast wheel.  A product of the designer’s racing experience was his big 250mm drum brake and the stout fork stanchions.  These are only a few of the many design features that made a machine of the Mammoth’s high caliber safe and usable on public roads in the long run. 

 

All of these design features allowed for a permanent power increase, which followed the original prototype.  While the first Mammoth engine had the same capacity as the NSU car (bore x stroke 72mm x 66.6mm; 1085cc), Münch installed an aluminum cylinder block on his next model, increasing the bore to 75mm and the capacity to 1177cc.  This, with "spicy" cams and two 40mm Weber dual carburetors, increased the 1970 Model TTS engine to 88hp.  The price also went up, to 10,785DM ($3,100) in 1971.  At this time, American George Bell entered the scene as an investor, displacing Floyd Clymer, who had enthusiastically promoted the Mammoth in the US market.  For a while the future looked bright, but things turned worse unexpectedly when Bell pulled out, leaving a lot of unpaid bills.  But sales continued as the popularity of the Mammoth grew, giving Friedel Münch some hope for a secure financial future.

 

In 1973, the new TSS-E offered hammering performance with its Kugelfischer Einspritzung—fuel injection.  With 96hp, it was capable of more than 200kph and had better throttle response than the carbureted model.  The TTS-E received rave review from the press, though, like its speed, its price was high at a whopping 12,000DM

($4,510).  Businessman Heinz W. Henke took over the business, including the Münch-registered name, and tried hard to fight the ever increasing costs of production.  But despite his efforts, the customer had to pay 14,407DM ($5,850) for the TTS and 16,095DM ($6,535) for the TTS-E in 1975.

 

1976 brought an even larger engine, increased to 1,287cc with 104hp @ 7500rpm.  The motorcycle could top 220kph, and a better handling frame, cast aluminum wheels by Ronal, Brembo disk brakes, and a new fork by Marzocchi were incorporated to handle the greater power.  If the price in 1975 had seemed high, in 1976 it became astronomical, shooting up to 25,530DM ($10,130)!  This was not good at a time when ever better and technically advance machines were coming from Japan at an affordable price.  High-performance motorcycle customers began to spend their hard-earned money elsewhere, and in 1980 Henke closed the doors. 

 

Friedel Münch had separated from Henke as early as 1974, and founded Horex Motorrad GmbH in 1977.  Münch built the 1,400cc Horex 1400TI, with 142 turbo-charged horsepower.  For his friend Paul Watts, the American Münch 4 club president, Friedel Münch built a so-called Titan 1800 with even more power. His last iteration was the Titan 2000 (pictured above), a bike which could be seen at the anniversary exhibit.  The biggest Mammoth built was the Münch Mammoth 2000 (picturedleft), propelled by a two-liter turbo-charged Opel engine.  But this projectile is not the work of Friedel Münch. He just licensed his name.

 

If you consider that more than 40 Münch motorcycles were on display at Nieder-Florstadt, and that there were several more in the parking lot, you must conclude that this was both an outstanding and historic representative presentation; about ten percent of all-time production attended the show.  But there was still more to see.  There were photos of Friedel Münch's life, from elementary school to the time of his Mammoth prototype, pictures of specials such as his "Daytona bomb" (pictured above) and the Kawa-killer three-cylinder, two-stroke prototype.  While a sectioned engine invited study of the internal parts, another surprise was a slim twin built from a cut-down NSU Four engine. Even a dragster with NSU four-cylinder engine was on display.

 

The show was enhanced with technical and historical explanations over the public address system, and when this was interrupted for a rest, images of Münch motorcycles were projected on a big screen.  Coffee and pastries were provided by the organizing Club, which proved popular, but perhaps one of the most popular features was a stand for Münch devotional objects, books, and memorabilia, which was encircled by a crowd of people at all times.  It was a well-planned event worthy of the larger-than-life reputation that Friedel Münch and his motorcycles have earned over the past quarter-century.

To read The Vintagent's road test of a Mammoth, click here.

Photos by Ralf Kruger   

 

Motorcycles return to Hershey

(6/20/2010)

 

For two years--from 2008 through early 2010--there were motorcycle exhibits at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, organized by the Antique Motorcycle Foundation and featuring bikes from the collections of members of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America.  The motorcycle displays brought a whole new dimension to the Museum, increasing traffic and driving more visitors to its web site.  However, that AMCA/AACA Museum relationship ended earlier this year--due to financial reasons--to the disappointment of all concerned.  With recession setting in, fund raising had not gone as the AMCA and the Antique Motorcycle Foundation had hoped, resulting in the Foundation terminating its lease with the Museum. 

 

Losing the support of the AMCA has not deterred the Museum.  A motorcycle exhibit was good for business and its all-inclusive transportation image, so the organization set out to build its own exhibition, now open under the title of “Two-Wheeled Treasures.”  The 28 motorcycles in the display come from the collection of Dennis Carpenter, representing models from 1930 to the early 1970s.  The diverse collection includes examples of two-wheeled transportation from scooters to big road machines.  The exhibit is open now and will run through May 2011.  Pictured above are photographs of some of the bikes in the exhibit.  For more information, click here.

Photos provided by the AACA Museum.

 

(6/19/2010)

 

After more than a half-century, the Catalina Grand Prix is returning to Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California, this coming December 3, 4, and 5.  To read about the planned return of one of the great motorcycling classics, click

here and here.   To access the event web site, click here.

Yes, you've always wanted a Cyclone.  Now you can settle for a Psyclone and save a lot of money?  Click here.

Now, for just $35,000, you can be Tron!  Click here. Go for it. It's a drop in the bucket from the money you saved by not buying a Cyclone.

Michael Lichter, who is celebrating his 30th year at Sturgis, will be hosting his 10th Annual Motorcycles as Art Exhibition this year, August 7 through 13.  For more information, click here.

There was a nice story recently in the Reading Eagle about a Pennsylvania man and his lifelong love of Vincents.  Click here.

The West Virginia Mountain Fest is coming up in July.  For more info, click here. 

Last month we carried a story about the Kestrel Falcon (see Motohistory News & Views 5/12/2010). To see a video, click here.  

 

Over the Memorial Day weekend, the Wheels Through Time Museum held a special opening to honor America's veterans.  More than 500 American flags were given to attendees.  To read the story, click here.  Also, don’t forget that WTTM will celebrate its 8th Anniversary in Maggie Valley on July 4.  500 more free flags for lucky guests!  For more information, click here.    

 

As with previous years, the 20th Annual Annual World War II Weekend, held at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum near Reading, Pennsylvania on the weekend of June 4, include fine examples of restored military motorcycles from the U.S., Great Britain, and Germany.  For more information, click here.   Our thanks to Carl Hess for providing photos.

 

Just back from the Motogiro d’Italia Golden Edition (10th anniversary), Vicki Smith sends us a link to photos.  Click here.  Vicki was also one of the 60,000 to attend World Ducati Week.  For photos of that extravaganza, click here.

 

We note that there are also World Ducati Weekend photos on SuperbikePlanet.  Click here.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is coming up in July, click here.   

 

For all you Steib sidecar fanatics, they are now being manufactured by a company in Berlin.  Click here. 

 

Jerry Hooker now has more than 800 classic motorcycle posters in his Motorcycle Memories inventory.  To check them out, click here.  Also, you can now find Jerry on Facebook.  Click here.

 

Todd Huffman, creator of the acclaimed “The Motocross Files” video series, premiered his new full-length movie, “Carlsbad USGP: 1980 – One day of Magic,” in both San Diego and Houston on June 17.  For more information about the film, click here.    

 

The Second Annual Indian Motorcycle Rally, celebrating the life of George Hendee, will take place at Hendee’s pastoral Hilltop Farm in Suffield, Connecticut on July 17.  All makes and models of bikes are welcome.  Special guests will be Oscar Hedstrom’s great-great niece Lisa Martin and George Hendee’s niece June Cook.  Cook will debut her new book, “A Tribute to George Mallory Hendee.”  For more information, click here.  There will also be an Indian Day at the Springfield Museums on July 18.  For more information, click here.

 

The Thunder Road Museum in Dawsonville, George will put a special emphasis on its history of motorcycle racing at the Third Annual Lakewood Speedway Reunion, scheduled for August 7.  A star-studded group of riders is already committed, and Keith Campbell will display some of his great vintage flattrack motorcycles.  For more information, click here. 

 

For those of you who can’t get enough of it, there’s a new web site that plays full-length racing videos 24 hours a day.  To access Race Fans TV, click here.

 

For auction results from the AMCA Rhinebeck Meet, click here.

 

To see YouTube tributes to Danny Chandler, click here, here, and here.

 

The Harley-Davidson Museum will host a Wild One Weekend on July 9 and 10.  On the evening of July 9, members of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club will describe what really went on in Hollister in 1947.  On July 10 there will be a 1940s-style rally with field games, music, and a bike show.  For more info, click here.

 

John McCoy of Britalia Imports is having a big literature sale.  Click here. 

 

The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum has opened a new motorcycle exhibit featuring the collection of Dennis Carpenter.  For more info, click here. 

 

Paul Brodie has added more about his famous Excelsior project to his Flashback Fabrications web site.  Click here.

 

Keith Kizer has produced another drag racing Legends story, this time about Mo Parsons.  Click here. 

 

This month the Wheels Through Time Museum opened a new exhibit entitled “Motoring the Blue Ridge.”  For more information, click here.

 

British bikes at Obernau

By Ralf Kruger

(6/17/2010)

 

Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series about the popularity of vintage British bikes in Germany.

 

I hadn't visited British bike shows for years, and I decided I was long overdue to correct this omission.  I had spare time left on Saturday, the 17th of April, and rode to the small village of Obernau, near Aschaffenburg.  The Motorcycle Club Obernau had hosted a meeting for British bikers, including a display in the local coliseum.  I knew I had arrived at the right place when I walked into the hall to find a hoisted Union Jack and, in front of it, a 1968 Triumph T100C. 

The Triumph, owned by Norbert Prokschi,  was just one of several bikes at the Obernau show.  Prokschi bought it in the United States, because the T100C was never officially advertized and sold in Germany.  This is a fact that may surprise many motorcyclists, but it is indicative of the general circumstances of British motorcycle import in Germany.

 

As a matter of course, the general quality and power of British bikes of the 1920s and '30s, proven by nearly total superiority in road racing, had been acknowledged by German customers.  Additionally, many German brands used British engines from Sturmey Archer, JAP, or Rudge for their bikes of 350cc and  500cc, even after BMW and Zündapp became viable sales competitors in the '30s in the big capacity class. Despite this, British bikes continued to be dream-bikes for their unrivaled sportiness and quality, and they sold accordingly well.  However, during the the second half of the 1930s, they became steadily less available as the result of Hitler's policy of self-sufficiency.  That was the first blow to English sales in Germany.  Then, after the disastrous Second World War had come to an end and the ash clouds lifted from the European Continent and British Isles, the motorcycle market changed for many years to come.  For England, the motto was "export or die," and motorcycles became one of Great Britain's leading sources of revenue, along with automobiles and whiskey.  British motorcycles were aggressively merchandized predominantly in the United States because it was the only Western market left where prople were capable of paying for them.  And sales in America improved even more after the Pound Sterling was devalued 25 percent in 1949, making America the destination of much of what the British manufacturers were able to produce. 

 

The post war motorcycle market in Germany had turned to small motorcycles, which had become the only affordable way that many Germans could commute from home to job.  What small demand remained for the British 'big bikes' by the late 1940s was covered by leftover military machines sold by dealers like Detlev Louis from Hamburg, for example.  He bought the old machines from British troops and refurbished them.  He had good knowledge of the British designs because he had raced a Norton before the war, and subsequently he became the importer for AJS, Matchless, and BSA in the early 1950s.  Another source for British bikes was, and always had been, the Netherlands, but the demand for British machines eroded even more when nationwide motorcycle sales in Germany dropped to an all-time low of 4,500 units in 1961.  By then, only dyed-in-the-wool motorcyclists bought bikes at all.

 

With the dawn of a recovering market in the late 1960s, followed by a sales boom in the 1970s, the English brands failed to grasp the new opportunity.  A new youthful customer was not convinced by the old British technology, but turned instead to the exciting new Japanese motorcycles.  The British bike remained the choice for the highly experienced 'old school' riders, but these customers were becoming few and far between.  Even the brave commitments of the Wüst brothers for Triumph and Gerd Körner for Norton, who had been importers since the mid-1970s, could not change the fading demand for such machines.

 

With this historical knowledge on my mind, I was uncertain what to expect from the Obernau display.  While the 'British ladies' are definitly not as common as in the U.S., I was looking forward to seeing a constrictive lot number of bikes from the late 1960s and '70s, because these still can be seen occasionally on the road.  I will admit, I underrated the MC Obernau effort by a big margin, because immediately the first two vehicles I could gaze at were antique bikes made by Wall and Radco, both from 1913.  I had not expected these really old bikes.  The show was organized according to brands and the age of the motorcycles, so, following this logic, I will tell you about some of the bikes on display.

 

The Wall Auto Wheel (pictured left) consists of a conventional bicycle with an attached third wheel with integrated engine.  What seems courious today  must have made perfect sense in the teens.  Bicycles were well astablished and common in many households, so a propelling engine to accelerate one's progress must have been most welcome. Our bike on display uses a 118cc four-stroke engine, so hassel with objectionable fumes was avoided.

 

The 1913 Radco, even with only a 211cc two-stroke, is a far cry from a cheap, pathetic bike.  This early Birmingham-made motorcycle captivates with high build-quality, a strong frame, and even a girder fork.  The magneto is mounted behind the cylinder, giving it a tidy, integrated appearance.   It looks like a 'real' motorcycle should.  It is interesting to note that E.A.Radnell & Co. later built a women's model also.  It has a step-through design and was introduced in 1921.

 

The next pair of motorcycles I want to discuss are the 1921 side-valve 500cc Sunbeam and the 1924 side-valve 350cc Raleigh singles.  They represent all-day bikes with a sporty note, with typically high manufacturing quality throughout.  Both examples on display are fundamentally in original condition, and this gives me cause to wonder how today's bikes will look in 90 years! 

 

Then there were three true milestones of British Avantgarde.  They included the sporty 1923 350cc Douglas flat-twin (pictured right), introduced in 1907, and the 1920 400cc ABC boxer (pictured below).  Both are wonderful pieces of engineering.  Third in this row was the 1934 Scott Flying Squirrel.  The type on display dated back to 1926, but its predecessors dated to 1901.  It was interesting to see these early British boxer twins because Germany built a tradition with such designs, namely the BMW, from 1923, and the Victoria KR1 built by BMW, which arrived in 1920, the same year that the Maybach boxer was introduced with the Mars A 20.

 

As for comparisons to the Scott, Germany was also known for fast and reliable two-strokes of the Bekamo brand, DKW, MZ, Zündapp, to name a few.  Certainly, the designers of all these marques knew about the Scott motorcycle and it's achievements; especially its success in competition.  So Scott had inspired German engineers to make their two-strokes even better. 

 

With these examples, we learn that British creative power came first. Keep in mind BMW contributed the drive shaft to the rear wheel in 1923 at least, terminating the search for an improved touring-concept ABC invented.

 

Another highlight is the big 1910 Matchless (pictured right); a motorcycle that deserved its name in quality and detail.  This bike, the oldest machine on display, is propelled by a huge 1000cc JAP side-valve V-twin delivering 10 hp.  It was state of the art, even in its fast-developing time, and it is easy to understand why people were proud to own one, just as they are still today. 

 

Motorcycles of the same caliber as the Matchless were the 1916 James H6 (pictured left) and the 1919 Zenith motorcycle (pictured below).  The James' motor is a 750cc side-valve V-twin with a power output of 16 hp.  The James marque is more commonly associated with small two-stroke communters, but they also built very good large motorcycles in their  heyday.  This big machines are very rare, and I was especially impressed to see one in Germany.  It is only the second of the type I have ever seen. Zenith is a brand I prefer as much as others favor the Brough. This affection mostly comes from its relentlessly brutish JAP engine, like the example on display which had a 1,000cc side-valve JAP producing 24hp--not bad for 1919!

 

A 1936 Brough Superior, type 11.50, (pictured left) graced one nook of the display.   Even with a side-valve configuration, this 1,122cc engine delivers 40 hp, which must have been stunning in 1936.  It was a bike for the most extreme type of enthusiast.  And if these cohorts of performance excess were not enough, nearby stood a 1948 Vincent Rapide C, capable of 55 hp.  It is the answer to the question posed by Nottingham-based Brough prior to the war: "Who is the fastest in the land?"  It's smaller brother, the 500 Comet single, added to an overwhelming marque.

 

Only four or five steps away, a 1938 Rudge Ulster 500 and a 1939 OK Supreme 500 were displayed.  The Rudge Ulster represents the end point in a series of Rudge motorcycles noted for their development of four-valve technology.  With full-radial valve racers, half-radials, or parallel four-valve heads, I would be carrying coals to Newcastle to spend much more time praising the accomplishments of these legendary cylinder head designs.  Even if others pursued these concepts earlier, it was Rudge that made the breakthrough with these designs in Great Britain.  It's engines were so good and popular, even Zündapp in Germany used them for awhile. The Ulster, even though heavier than its predecessors, was a fast bike with its 30 hp.

 

Despite its provocative name, today the OK Supreme is a rare motorcycle.  The most famous bike in OK's line surely was the Lighthouse type, which gained some success in competition.  The bike on display at Obernau was a more sedate 500cc road model with 22 hp.  I love these OK motorcycles not only for its funny name, but because they must have been very good everyday motorcycles; trusty bikes you could live with on the road. OK Supreme and Rudge shared a common end: they fell victim to the Second WW because both factories were ordered in 1940 to manufacture war-crucial equipment, and they were unable to regain their footing as motorcycle firms after the war ended.

 

Examples of post-war British production on display were a mint example of a BSA B31 350cc (pictured above) and an AJS Model18 500cc (pictured left), both from 1948, plus a 1949 Norton Model 30.  I expect few motorcycles of this first-class type could be purchased by many people in the still-grueling times immediately following the war.

 

Ariel was represented by a 1932 FH model with a sloping 350cc single, a first for Ariel, and a debut-year Square Four of 498cc capacity from 1931 (pictured right).  This very compact four cylinder layout was conceived by Edward Turner years before he designed the "Speed Twin" for Triumph for which he and the brand became famous.  Impressive stuff!

 

There were also two Velocettes on display, a 1961 Venom and the 1933 KSS 350cc.  While the Venom indicates its "youth" clearly with its comparatively modern components, the 1933 KSS is a beauty in overall design in which the engine the cherry on the cake.  With its shaft and bevel driven overhead camshaft, it equals a contemporary Arthur Caroll-designed Norton in comprehensive engine architecture. And because both can be legally ridden on the road, these are "must have" collectible motorcycles in my not at all moderate opinion.

 

These road-worthy racing Velocettes provide a nice transiton to the true racing machines that were on display.  Of course, there was a late-model 1959 30M Norton present as well as a 1925 OHV 500 racer of the type that won the Senior TT in 1926 at the hands of Stanley Woods.  Fourth man home behind Woods was Joe Craig, who whould become race director and designer at Norton in 1929.   

 

A big segment of the Obernau display was an integrated special exhibition of the pearls of the Norbert Prokschi collection, discussed in treater detail below.  There were also a 1971 Rocket III (pictured above) of the type ridden by the BSA Team of Don Emde, Dick Mann, David Aldana, and Jim Rice in the 1971 Daytona 200 Formula 750 race, a supercharged Triumph dragster, and a special Trackmaster-framed Triumph 500 outfitted for the road, owned by Heinz Lange.  And of course we cannot overlook the presence of a 1972 Harley-Davidson XR-TT 750 thought to be the only one of this type in Germany (pictured right).  Yes, I realize it is not British, but it is a beautiful motorcycle nonetheless.

 

What can I say additionally about this Obernau display?  It was wonderful, and there were many more great motorcycles on display than we have the space to write about.  It was more than a random display of British bikes, but could be seen as a depiction of British motorcycle history.  Thanks, MC Obernau, for this outstanding show. 

 

To read more about the Zenith on the Vintagent blog, click here.

Photos by Ralf Kruger.

 

Preview party at Newburgh

(6/15/2010)

 

Motohistory has already reported on the relationship between the Gerald A. Doering Foundation and the Antique Motorcycle Foundation that will result in the opening of a major new motorcycle museum in Newburgh, New York later this year, or early in 2011 (see Motohistory News & Views 3/25/2010 and 4/21/2010). With the main floor of the facility 98 percent complete, the Doering family hosted a reception and private viewing on June 12 for local community leaders and members of the AMCA attending the Rhinebeck National Meet that same weekend. A public opening has not yet been possible due to requirements of the New York Department of Education that are still in the process of being fulfilled. When opened to the public, the new museum will be called Motorcyclepedia.

 

Ted Doering, who has overseen the development of the 78,000 square foot project, felt that the event was beneficial in revealing the potential for tourism and positive publicity to local officials. He states, “The reaction was very positive. Guests were simply overcome with what they saw,” and he adds, “and they only saw half of it!” Doering's remark is based on the fact that visitors were limited to the main floor, but a lower level will eventually open that will more than double the available display space. What visitors were able to see at the preview included two large exhibits. One was “Fast From the Past,” organized by the Antique Motorcycle Foundation, featuring nearly 60 racing machines from 1905 to the early 1970s. This exhibit appeared earlier at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but has been greatly expanded by a dozen classic racers from the Doering collection. The second exhibit is “Art of the Chopper” featuring early examples of 1960s chopper art and design. There are two-dozen bikes and trikes in the exhibit, featuring early work of iconic builders such as Ron Finch, Wyatt Gatling, and Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. In addition, the exhibit includes an incredible  collection of period poster art reflecting the 1960s and the emergence of the chopper as a symbol of American counter-culture.

 

Once finished, the lower level of the facility will feature Jerry Doering's lifetime collection, consisting of some 200 Indians with models representing every year from 1902 through 1953, plus dedicated police and military displays. One of the highlights will be a fully assembled Wall of Death thrill show, complete with its 18-wheel hauler, once owned by daredevil “Thunder” Klunder. The truck, motorcycles, and all fixtures are original and unrestored.

 

A web site for the project is not yet up. Until then, watch Motohistory for updates.

 

The 1913 TT Scott

By Mick Duckworth

(6/14/2010)

 

Sixty years before two-cycle engines gained dominance in the 500cc grand prix class, Scott’s unorthodox water-cooled twin was the machine to beat in Isle of Man TT racing.  The TT moved onto the legendary Mountain Course in 1911, its fifth year.  While Indians dominated that year’s 500cc Senior race, the fastest lap at 50.11mph was set by Frank Applebee’s Scott, before the chain drive to an experimental rotary valve failed.   

 

Switching to a gear-driven valve for 1912, Applebee gained a win and the Yorkshire factory took Senior honors again the following year.  This time, the rider was H.O. Wood, always called Tim, a shortening of his school nickname, Timber.  The 22-year-old factory mechanic was riding in his first competitive event.  In 1913 only, TTs were run over two days.  Riders completed three laps of the 37.5 circuit (slightly longer than the present-day route) on the first day. Machines were then impounded and released two days later for another three laps. Wood topped both 500cc sessions, hoisting the lap record to 52.10mph.

 

His machine has been preserved at Birmingham’s National Motorcycle Museum where it testifies to the original genius of marque founder Alfred A Scott. nHis first two-stroke ran in 1902, and soon Scott 180-degree two-speed twins with ‘step-thru’ frames were causing a stir with their invincibility in road hill-climbs. For several years, race organizers handicapped two-strokes by multiplying their engine capacity by 1.32. 

 

Scott’s 486cc (70 x 63mm) 1913 TT engine has the gear-driven cylindrical rotary valve, for precise control of induction and transfer timing.  Each cylinder has two plugs, originally for back-up, but also tried with a twin-spark magneto.  Early to adopt all-chain drive, Scott used a countershaft and twin primary drives, giving low and high ratios.  They were selected by a rocking pedal operating clutches in the driven sprockets.

 

The Scott roadholding was exceptional, with the engine slung low in the duplex frame and the gas tank under the saddle.  Its big 2-inch filler helped cut refueling time in TTs.  The early form of telescopic front fork has a single spring ahead of the steering stem.  Scott’s success was probably as much due to maintaining speed in the TT circuit’s 220-plus bends as to engine power.

 

Wood led the 1914 Senior at record speed, but did not finish.  When TT racing resumed in 1920, four-stroke engine development forged ahead, while A.A. Scott had departed to work on a peculiar three-wheeler.  Scott Has retained a cult following among road riders, but after Harry Langman took third place in the 1922 Senior and broke the lap record in the following year’s Sidecar race before crashing, the factory’s TT glory days were over.

 

To access the web site of the National Motorcycle Museum UK, click here.

Photography provided by the National Motorcycle Museum UK. 

 

Riding Into History 2010

sets records

By Alan Singer

(6/12/2010)

 

Held each May at St. Augustine, Florida’s World Golf Village, Riding Into History has become a fixture on the East Coast classic motorcycle scene.  This year’s Concours d’Elegance featured the Great Bikes of Great Britain, totaled well over 300 antique and vintage motorcycles on display, and attracted nearly 4,000 paid spectators.  Beyond the record numbers, it was the quality of the motorcycles that made it so outstanding.  How about three Brough Superiors, nine Vincents, and about a dozen Gold Stars and Manx?  But the great bikes were not limited only to the British variety; we had everything from a Harley Davidson Gray Fellow to an MV Agusta triple.  There was even an outstanding selection of period bobbers and café racers.

 

Over ninety awards were presented in thirty-two classes, and even with this high percentage, our judging teams had many difficult decisions to make. The major award winners were Jack Wells, Best in Show for his 1938 Brough Superior with sidecar; Chairman's Choice to Jim Rauch's 1928 Harley-Davidson Peashooter; Best Brit Bike to Somer Hooker for his 1952 Vincent Black Shadow; and the Preservation Award to Eric Kahn for his 1927 AJS 350TT.   In addition, Craig Vetter (pictured below), a great friend and past Grand Marshall, presented a very special Vetter Award to Tim Smith of Tennessee for his beautiful Vetter fairing equipped 1976 GL1000 Gold Wing.  Craig and his wife Carol also presented two very well attended seminars during the show.

 

RIH is purely a volunteer effort. Over a hundred volunteers from a variety of local clubs, including BMWNEF, Historic Motorcycle Society, BMW Outriders, Chrome Divas, and others work throughout the year preparing for and presenting the best event they can pull together.  One of the special volunteers is Don Bradley, internationally recognized artist and vintage motorcycle enthusiast.  For the past seven years, Don has created the original art that graces RIH posters.  This year’s art features a Norton at the Isle of Man, and tells a tale of Manx faeries.  You see his work and think, this is great, he can’t top this one, and then you see next year’s.  I’ve seen the draft of the 2011 piece and it’s happening again.

 

This year's RIH Grand Marshal was renowned adventurer, moto-journalist, and author Clement Salvadori (pictured left).  Clement and wife Sue simply charmed everyone they met, and added much to the event.  Riding Into History may not attract the national print media like some higher profile events, but as Clement commented, "It is the finest motorcycle concours I've ever attended.” This is indeed high praise, since he came to St. Augustine almost directly from the highly regarded Quail Gathering.  

 

In addition to putting on one of America's finest motorcycle shows, the mission of RIH is to raise funds for worthy causes.  This year's beneficiary was the Wounded Warrior Project, a national organization based in northeast Florida.  Despite a down economy, with the assistance of supporting sponsors the event raised $25,000. 

 

To see a slide show of  this year's Riding into History Concours compiled by official event photographer David Palm, click here.

 

For more about artist Don Bradley, go to Motohistory News & Views 4/30/2009.  To access the Riding into History web site, click here. 

 

Photos by David Palm and Alan Singer.   

 

 

Horex is back

By Ralf Kruger

(6/8/2010)

 

It was announced on June 15 that the German Horex brand, founded in 1923, is making a return.  A big 1,200cc V6 model will be officially introduced at IFMA 2010 on October 6, with plans to deliver bikes to Swiss, German, and Austrian dealers late in 2011.  Developed by Clemens Neese, the V6 design features a very narrow 15 degree angle, making the engine narrow and compact.  Three cams will operate three valves per cylinder, and a radial compressor will enable the engine to exceed 175hp at 8,500 rpm.  With a naked bike the first to be introduced, sport and touring models are expected to follow.  Once homologated for European Community regulations, the company hopes to expand into other European countries in 2012, then to the U.S. market in 2013.

 

(6/6/2010)

 

“The Upper Half of the Motorcycle: on the unity of rider and machine,” isn't history, but it is useful and fascinating none the less.  And, at worst, it can impart valuable understanding of the rider/bike relationship that may give you a longer personal history to look back on in your old age.  Written originally in German by Bernt Spiegel, this English-language edition covers the same theories and techniques that have gone into three editions and nine printings for the original work in Europe.  Bernt, a behavioral psychologist, brings a unique perspective to the subject of motorcycling, drawing on related topics in the fields of anthropology, biology, physics, and other scientific disciplines. Sounds a bit egg-heady?  To the contrary, the discussion is lively and often entertaining.  The book is Flexibound, with 192 pages and many color photos and illustrations.  It is available from Whitehorse Press for $29.95, or through your local bookstore.  For more information, click here.

 

Were you of the generation that drooled over the Honda Scrambler?  I was.  If so, you'll love the cover and the restoration story in the June issue of the VJMC magazine.  And this isn't just any ol' run-of-the-mill Scrambler.  It has the super-rare and now super-expensive alloy tank that was manufactured in only 200 copies.  Other features include stories about vintage Japanese bike meets in Columbus, Ohio; Westons, Wisconsin; and near York, Pennsylvania, and an endearing Honda 400F that has been passed down like a family heirloom.  VJMC is not available on Newsstands.  You have to be a member of the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club to receive it.  For more information, click here. 

 

In the August issue of IronWorks, Margie Siegal's regular classic bike feature, “Seasoned Citizens,” takes on the 1937 Indian Four, the famous (or infamous) “upside-down” Indian.  Built for only two years--1936 and '37--the bike earned its nickname from the fact that, unlike Indian Fours before or after, it used an exhaust-over-inlet configuration based on the theory that heat would dissipate more quickly from the high manifold and fuel would be vaporized better when heated by the carburetors located beneath the exhaust.  Whether or not the theory was valid, the real problem with the design came in the creature comfort department from moving the exhaust manifold right up against the rider's right leg. The '37 was a quick runner, but when the design was abandoned in 1938, the Four began to morph into a luxury cruiser, rather than a sporting machine. Siegal covers nicely the origin of the Indian Four, bought into the product line when Indian acquired Ace in 1927.  Words are enhanced by outstanding photography by Sedrick Mitchel.  While IronWorks is a custom and V-twin magazine, vintage-related features are not uncommon, and Siegal's reviews of great classics appear in almost every issue. To subscribe, click

here.  

 

Issue #42 of VMX contains much ado about Husqvarna automatics, a very successful model line built from 1976 through 1988.  Other classic off-road machines featured in this issue include the Honda TL125,the Armstrong 500 MX, a 1981 Yamaha 125 OL replica, the 1974 Kawasaki KX450, and the 1984 Honda CR500RE.  In the personality department, there are stories about the famous Baileys--Gary and David--and Yrjö Vesterinen and his 1976 Bultaco.  And, oh yes, there are the always enjoyable columns by Brad Lackey and Super Hunky.  As always, the layout of this down-under wonder is lavish and photography is exquisite.  To subscribe, click here. 

 

The March/April issue of Ride With Us, the official magazine of the International Motorcycle Federation, contains a “History of the Individual Motocross World Championship,” a series that is now over a half-century old.  Excellent period photography--mostly in black and white--supports the words by FIM motohistorian Marc Petrier.  There is also a story about the FIM's first e-powered international championship. Though not yet historical, it is certainly historic.  For more information, click here.

“Road Racing History of the Triumph Unit Twins,” by Claudio Sintich—with Foreword by Percy Tate and Introduction by Les Williams--tells the story of the fast but fragile Triumph 500s from their Daytona success in the mid-1960s through the end of the decade, including the American enduro achievements of Bill Baird.  Much of the tale is told in the words of the racers themselves, and through hundreds of period photos.  The author points out that those who achieved such success with the 500 unit twin, with so little help from Triumph upper management, would later become the nucleus of the team that built legendary racing triples, such as “Slippery Sam.”  With 196 pages in soft cover, and over 300 photos, it is available from Panther Publishing for £22.95 in the UK.  For more information and pricing in other countries, click here.

The July/August issue of Motorcycle Classics has hit the stands.  As usual, there is an eclectic selection of topics and feature bikes, ranging from Triumphs to Suzukis to Ducatis to Nortons.  The Suzuki GS750 is discussed as the bike that likely saved the company, overcoming the joke that had been the RE5 rotary and proving that Suzuki could be as good as anyone at four-stroke design.  Two custom Triumphs are covered: a 1971 Bonneville cafe custom, and the second part in a series about a modern Bonneville build being undertaken by Motorcycle Classics with sponsorship from Dairyland Cycle Insurance.  Margie Siegal and Alan Cathcart deliver an excellent pair of articles about motorcycles from the twilight days of Norton.  Cathcart writes about the futuristic John Player monocoque Norton that raced in 1973, and Siegel describes the streetable John Play Norton that emulated its racing mentor in 1974.  Did you know there is a world-class motorcycle museum in Sweden?  It’s covered in this issue.  As always, photography and print quality are top drawer.  To subscribe, click here.  

 

Road Racer X rarely publishes historical material (too much exciting stuff happening on pavement right now), but its July/August issue is an exception with a novel comparison of the six motorcycles that have won the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, back to Eddie Lawson’s 165hp Yamaha YZR500 OW98 in 1988.  The early era of the Laguna GP (1988 through 1994) was dominated by Yamaha (and Wayne Rainey with three consecutive wins), except for 1993 when John Kocinski put the Cagiva GP500 C593 into victory lane 1993.  Of course, rumors swirled that the Cagiva was competitive thanks to clandestine support from Yamaha (some parts were interchangeable with those of the YZR500).  In Laguna’s second era (beginning in 2005), Honda has held the lead with three victories (2005, 2006 and 2009) to one each for Yamaha (2008) and Ducati (2008).  To learn more about Road Racer X, click here.         

 

(6/4/2010)

 

Our Motohistory Quiz #79, won by Vern Street, featured an NSU Lux, and it triggered some memories for George Quinn of Ft. Pierce, Florida.  Quinn writes:

 

A friend of mine had a mid-50s NSU Superlux, and stripped it down into a scrambler.  His name was Vinnie Latoure, and he won quite a few races with it.  We both raced in the 200cc class.  I rode it once at a short track in Walden, New York in about 1960, and I hated it.  My own scrambler was a 1955 165cc Harley with full Puckett motor and Neil Gosman swing arm with Girling shocks.  I was District Champ in 1961 and '62. 

 

Three decades later I am at Phil Peterson Harley-Davidson, and I look up at the ceiling and there hangs my 165, which I sold to a kid about 1966 when I switched to a Harley Sprint CRS.  I asked Phil where he got my bike, and he said he bough ti from some kid about 30 years ago.  And he says, “How do you know it's yours?”  I replied, “See that exhaust collector high pipe?  That was for enduros, and it has a VL took box, and the motor number is 55ST5303.  Plus, it's a full Puckett and has an enlarged gas tank that holds a half-gallon extra that I used for enduros.”  Phil said, “That's your bike alright!”  Then he told me he didn't have enough money to buy it back.  Damn!

 

Unfortunately, Quinn did not have a picture of his old Harley scrambler, so he sent us a picture of his board tracker instead.  Cool!  How much do you love that board tracker, George?  Suppose Peterson might trade the 165 for it?  As for Vinnie Latoure, if you are out there, we would love to hear from you and run a photo of your NSU Lux scrambler.

 

Thanks for the great story, George.

 

Motohistory Quiz #79:

We have a winner!

(6/1/2010)

It was pretty clear our Quiz #79 was an NSU, and we got quite a few guesses that it was a Superfox, Maxi, Max, or even a Konsul.  Close, but no cigar. 

Eventually, we got several correct responses, but the first was Vern Street of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, who informed us it was an NSU Lux. 

The NSU Lux was built from 1951 through 1956, and unlike all of the four-stroke models mentioned above, the Lux was a two-stroke.  To the untrained eye, it is deceptive because in later production (1954 through 1956) its rolling chassis and engine lower end were exactly like the NSU Supermax, which was the brand's top of the line four-stroke.  Note the exhaust pipe low on the cylinder and the spark plug in the top of the head.  These reveal that it is a Lux.

 

The standard Lux generated 8.6 horsepower, which was upped to 11 hp with the Superlux in 1954.  Nearly 79,000 Luxes were built, but the model was discontinued in 1957 with the introduction of the 12.5 hp Maxi, a lighter and more powerful four-stroke.  To see a nice image of the Lux engine, click here.

 

Congratulations, Vern, for becoming our newest Motohistory Know-It-All.  You personalized diploma is on its way.

Lux photos provided by Ralf Kruger.