Another Museum visited

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

History on Wheels.

Not every week is plain sailing. After a good day at the museum meeting a very interesting guy from Bermuda I had to trailer the Valiant home. It was the first time I had taken it to the Museum this year and on arriving I had trouble getting any gears so after much pushing and pulling of the gear lever none were able to be found. It was going nowhere. I stripped it down on Tuesday, ordered the part and got it on Friday and reassembled it. 

All tested out and working but I did discover that all the screws on the ignition switch were lose so made starting a bit difficult. Never mind, the fun of running old bikes. The next was to sort out the Buell as the newish battery had failed and was still under warranty so a replacement had finally arrived on Wednesday and I collected it and fitted it with the proviso, that next day, I would have the charging checked out to make sure nothing else had caused the battery failure. This meant I would have to miss my ROG's run. I did order a couple of Military Motorcycle books from Amazon while I waited for the rain to stop. It has been a bit wet and dry this past week. I get to Sunday and a choice of Wey Valley Bike Club open day in the rain or a Citroen Car Club visit to the History of Wheels Motor Museum in the car. 

                       Main Hall                                                American Paratroopers bike

                                           

This was a new museum to me and at Eton Wick, not too far away. I found the collection of cars, Military bikes, Military cars, tanks and memorabilia well worth the effort and a reward for not staying too long in in bed when the hour went on. As usual my interest is in the bikes that included a Norton single, BSA M20, Royal Enfield “Flying Flea”, the James “Clockwork Mouse”, a 1939 German 100cc DKW, a Gnome Rhone flat twin matched with American paratroopers bikes to complete the line up. 

             100 cc DKW                                                       Gnome Rhone

The Gnome Rhone looks very much like the flat twin Zundapp of that era. Of more interest to me was the harness and container that the Brockhouse WW1was transported in. There is a WW1 there too to complete the picture. It was nice to see all the bits together that I had read about but not seen before in real life. 

A point of note is that there are a couple of bicycles from the late 1890's one has front and rear telescopic suspension and the other has shaft drive. If you are interested, bicycles have been far ahead of motorcycles in the quest for a smooth ride and much can be found on the internet and the history of bicycles.

A Rare Beast

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

More on the Douglas DV 60

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Chris Bunce of British Classic Superbikes based in Fleet and we arranged to meet up for me to have a good look over the remaining DV 60 that he has in his workshop. A chance to see a piece of history and take some pictures of a rare beast believed to be the only original one in existence. The motorcycle is owned by the Brown family and Graeme Brown worked at the Douglas Factory and was also a member of the Douglas Owners Club had a wealth of information about this machine.

The DV 60 was a project cancelled in World War 2 but reinstated after the war when the military were looking to replace their existing models with something purpose built. During the war this particular motorcycle was damaged by fire from an incendiary and was rebuilt. The tank is different from what was originally fitted. Now painted black some of the original military green is visible around the headlamp.

There was extensive use of alloys on the machine and it weighed in at 315 lbs. Girder forks were replaced by the newer radiadraulic units. Other features included a sprung pillar seat and oil bath chain case. The machine could do 70mph and return 90m to 100mpg. It had a very low first gear and low compression ratio so it could run at tickover in first gear clutch fully home. It was over square with 74 mm bore and 70 stroke and with crankcase, barrels and heads made from alloy it was a very light engine. Crankshaft was one piece, balanced with white metal lined big ends unusual for Douglas at that time. More details can be read in “The Best Twin” by JR Clew.

Military at the Museum

www.london-motorcycle-museum.org

Military Motorcycles

Nearly a year after posting More on Douglas I have received a note about the Douglas DV60 the post war flat twin that was put forward in direct competition with the Triumph TRW as the military bike of choice.

Fortunately for Triumph the DV60 did not win however where did they all go? Not sure how many were made but one has turned up in Guildford. I look forward to seeing it. Closer to home I've had the LE Club meeting discussing my escapades in India and the plans for the club at the Southern Classic bike show in May. The first of the month was the Wey Valley Observed Sunday and after dishing out some fliers there I went on to Newlands Corner to hand out more and information about the forthcoming WVAMC open day on the last Sunday of March. There are always some interesting bikes that turn up at Newlands Corner on a Sunday and this was no exception.

Not so pretty but very different was the DMW Deemster with a Villiers engine. Some of the later models used the Velocette Viceroy engine. Much to my liking was this “dustbin” faired Bonneville. Smartly done.

Back to the military, the bikes we have on display include the 122cc James affectionately known as the “Clockwork Mouse”, the 125cc Royal Enfield “Flying Flea” called so as it was used during D day landings in 1944 by paratroopers. It was thrown out of planes in a cage that had a parachute attached we have a photo of one but there is one at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. Look out for it in the Lancaster hall. 

 Clockwork Mouse.                                                       Flying Flea.

Nearly everyone remembers the BSA M20 and their presence post war sold through Pride and Clarke. More modern machines are the Matchless 350cc single a Bullet in military guise and a Harley Davidson that has a Rotax engine and an Armstrong chassis. Around in the Home of Triumph are a number of TRWs but sitting beside it is the 350 side valve 3SW. There is in the ranks a 350cc ohv twin the 3TA WD built for the Dutch military.

Still on a military vein I am reading Elsie and Mairi go to war. Before the First World War Mairi who rode a Douglas teamed up with Elsie a member of the Gypsy Motorcycle Club. Elsie was also known as Gypsy because of her wanderings around the UK riding in endurance events and trials sometimes on her Chater Lea or Scott Outfits. Elsie had her riding gear made by Dunhill and her special dark green leather outfits later became available through Dunhill for other lady riders. Both these ladies were nursing soldiers on the Western Front in Belgium and worked to save many casualties with bullets and shrapnel flying around their ears. There is much about them at the Imperial War Museum in London.