A little slice of motorcycling history in the south of France
A little slice of motorcycling history in the south of France
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"For my first time on classic British iron, that was an eye-opener and a real hoot! "
G. Avern, Australia
1960 Velocette Venom My pride and joy for almost 30 years and the jewel in the Classic Bike Provence crown, this Venom started life as a 350cc Viper. A no-expense-spared professional restoration has made this machine a mint example of Halls Green's finest hour - the 1960 Velocette Venom. This particular machine has been converted to 12v coil ignition for easier starting and the addition of a 150w alternator that looks just like the original dynamo. This excellent example of classic British history is great to look at and a joy to ride. One of the finest examples of British motorcyle engineering of its time. The Venom was the first 500cc motorcycle anywhere in the world to complete 24hrs of continuous riding averaging a speed of more than 100mph! The record was set at Montlehery in France in 1961 with British rider Bruce Main-Smith crossing the line at 108mph to set a new world record for the Velocette factory. No Japanese bike has ever repeated the feat. Of all the Birmingham manufacturers, Velocette was outsold only by BSA (of Small Heath) and Norton (of Bracebridge Street). Although often recognised by the UK man-in-the-street for the LE Velocette which was familiar to him as the Police "Noddy" bike, the world knew Velocettes for their classic traditional single-cylinder roadsters and racers. The firm started as "Veloce" in 1905, with a factory in Gisholt Passage, Spring Hill, Birmingham and after producing a successful little machine called "the Velocette" the name stuck for the whole firm. A classic British two-wheeled icon available to customers of Classic Bike Provence. Triumph made their mark on British motorcycling with many classic engineering icons. This model - '73 Tiger 650cc basking in the sun on the Côte Bleue. 1973 Triumph Tiger TR6. A well looked after original example with modified electronics make this an easy bike to start and ride. As expected from a Triumph she handles beautifully! The '73 Tiger TR6 was a landmark model for Triumph. The beefy 650cc twin powerhouse appealed to riders everywhere with its energetic power delivery making it particularly suitable for two-up motorcycling. A name that dates back to 1902, when the first Triumph motorcycle emerged from a small factory in Meriden, near Coventry, England, a short distance away from its present location in Hinckley. The TR6 is the single carburettor version of the legendary Bonneville, so named after the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah where many land speed records were set. On the 25th of September 1955 a speed of 194mph was recorded by a streamlined but normally-aspirated Bonneville! This was the highest speed ever recorded by a motorcycle at the time. Many great Triumph models have been built since its 1902 inception. Bikes such as the Bonneville, Thunderbird, and the Tiger featured above, which dominated the motorcycle world during the British industry’s golden age in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70's. Evoking the spirit of the era, these machines starred opposite the likes of Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando and Clint Eastwood. Today Classic Bike Provence is delighted to be able to offer to its customers an original 1973 Tiger TR6 650cc. Let's pause for a little history lesson. When the motorcycle was first invented and sold in any number, it was the British producers who had total control of the world market. The big British manufacturers such as B.S.A., Triumph and Norton were as much household names in the 1950's as Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha are today. There were a multitude of other manufacturers from Ariel to Douglas, Excelsior to Imperial to...STOP..and they all did! Why? Was it because the market changed? Did the competition have a better cheaper product? Did the British not know what the market wanted? Was bad management to blame? A lack of reinvestment perhaps? A dearth of technical innovations or quality control? I believe the answer to all of those questions is an unfortunate YES. Honda started in the small bike market with the now famous Honda 50cc "step thru" - a semi automatic gearchange, with leg shields and screen…hardly a motorbike to trouble the big marques? Wrong…they have now sold 35 million models across the world! Look at the Honda CB750 launched in 1969. A powerfully smooth four- cylinder oil-tight reliable engine with an electric start and disc brake for good measure! This particular bike is now credited for virtually single-handedly destroying the British motorcycle industry...and this it achieved, incredibly, in less than ten years! Norton tried to add a "bolt on goody" with their electric start Mk3 Commando and Triumph were also doing the same but trying to move away from their vertical twins, a design which incidentally dated back to 1937, and on to the more powerful triple-cylinder Trident. But it was all too little, too late. I love old British bikes. I love the sound they make, the relatively cheap running costs, appreciation in value, and great fuel economy. I love getting my hands dirty. I am completely crazy and there are lots of others like me!! - Neil Thomas. The 1976 Norton Commando 850cc. A bit of an animal? Looks perfectly calm having made it to the top! 1976 Norton Commando 850cc. One owner since new, and that's me! A low mileage example of one of the last Commandos built. Improvements include a decent front brake and "pea shooter" exhausts. A good looking machine! A big-time favourite wih British motorcyclists in the 70's - voted five times 'Machine of the year' by MCN readers. The big twin engine is mounted in the frame using a revolutionary 'isolastic' (rubber mounted) system that while giving the impression of being a little vibey at low revs soon smooths right out once above 2500rpm. You know you're on a real motorbike when you try to kick her over, don't worry if you can't though - this is one example where the electric start still works! Only four gears to worry about, but what TORQUE! It just pulls like a train. Gear shift on the left is a familiar sight to customers used to Japanese hardware, easing the transition from modern bikes to a classic such as this. All in all a true king of motorcycles. The '67 BSA Lightning on holiday in Corsica. 1967 BSA A65 Lightning. Period Cafe Racer style the Lightning is a twin-carb 654 cc vertical twin cylinder unit construction engine. The gearbox is an integral part of the engine assembly, with an aluminium head, cast iron barrel and a 9:1 compression ratio. "Red Rocket" as she is affectionately called was treated to a new paint job for the petrol tank and side panels. Would you believe I found a place in Marseille which had the original BSA red! The classic vertical twin look of the sixties. Usual improvements includes TLS front brake, separate oil filter and Boyer electronics makes this a very rideable bike...and what a great sound she makes! Classic Bike Provence is proud to have this model in our stable for the enjoyment of all our touring customers. The '62 BSA A65 650cc making light work of the Route de Crêtes. 1962 BSA A65. A 646cc vertical twin cylinder unit construction engine. Preferred by some to the sportier Lightning due to ease of tuning offered by a single carburettor. This particular machine has had two owners from new and her first trip following professional restoration was a 1000 mile ride from the UK to Provence...sans problem! The first BSA motorbike was built in 1909, a 3 horsepower belt drive machine which sold for 50 pounds. During WWII the BSA group bought other motorcycle manufacturers including New Hudson, Sunbeam and Ariel. In 1951 they bought Triumph motorcycles and enjoyed a market leadership role during the boom years of motorcycling in the 1950's. At this point in time one in every four motorcycles sold worldwide was a BSA! How quickly things change though, from the best year of trading in 1961 to the arrival of the Japanese, particularly the Honda CB750 in 1969. BSA became part of Norton Villiers Triumph plc in 1973, which was a partial joint venture with the government, and the last BSA motorcycle was produced that summer. Classic Bike Provence is proud to have this elegant model in our garage, primed and ready for serious touring mileage in the sun! Consistently one of the most popular requests with Classic Bike Provence and a surefire favourite for 2004. Turn the clock back 40 years for a few days! The 2001 Royal Enfield 500cc Bullet - June in Provence ! 2001 Royal Enfield Bullet. A single cylinder engine originally designed in 1949 as a 350 cc and still being built today in India makes this bike the longest running production machine in the world. Modifications today include the fitment of an electric start, five-speed gearbox and left foot gearchange available since 2002. Royal Enfield was based in Redditch, Worcestershire a town previously more famous for its production of pins and needles. Another motorcycle company with its engineering origins in firearms. Production of motorcycles started in 1901 right the way through to 1970 with the last British built model being the highly regarded Interceptor, a 736cc OHV Twin. Unfortunately labelled the "Royal Oilfield" as they had a tendency to leave oil on the floor if left stationary for any length of time! The Bullet offers an enjoyable and satisfying ride however and a unique glimpse into an age gone by while cosseting the rider in a 21st century mechanical bubble. A '71 Thunderbolt at the Camargue 1971 BSA A65 Thunderbolt. A great restoration featured by Tim Britton in a four-page article in the March 2003 edition of Classic Motorcycle. OK, ok, so we've bought another A65!! Nicknamed 'Olive' - in keeping with our Provencal theme, and because this is the only A65 featuring an oil-in-frame construction. The only criticism in its day was that the seat height favoured the taller rider. This rides and handles totally different to our other A65's and shares the same frame as the Triumph Tiger featured above. With a Spitfire cam for a bit more grunt and courtesy of Boyer electronic sparks, this 'Beezer' fires up first prod everytime! A beautiful performer that has already become a huge hit with Classic Bike Provence customers.
The 1951 Sunbeam S7 deluxe enjoying the run up the mountain on the Stella Alpina Rally 1951 Sunbeam S7 Deluxe Question: 'Where the LRU'? Answer: Enjoying the sunshine of Provence now! This beauty is probably one of the best travelled Sunbeams having completed a 3000 mile European tour with it's previous owner in 2003. Now affecionately renamed 'Larue' she has been the subject of many an article in the official Sunbeam fellowship magazine 'On the Beam' and further will doubtlessly continue to appear as the previous owner has pledged to report on it's continuing motorcycling evolution. A multi-show winner, best S7 at the Cotton Summer Rally in 1998, 2000, and 2001. Never regarded as an exhibition or a candidate for a museum this is one bike that will never want to be stored away in a garage, it is accustomed to being used on the open road and at 56 years of age is still going strong! Britain's answer to BMW? Who knows, but we do know her stately progress is definitely addictive! A real gem just waiting to be taken out.
A great favourite for those apprehensive to try the right side gear shift - the '73 Honda 750-4 K2 along the Route de Vins 1973 Honda 750-4 K2 The bike that virtually single-handedly finished off the British motorcycle industry. It might surprise a few people that we would add a Japanese machine to our collection but one has to agree that this machine changed the face of motorcycling, forever. The Classic Bike Provence experience is all about taking a trip through time from the 50's to the 70's and this bike has to be ridden to understand how that seismic shift in motorcycling happened. This low-mileage example of the legendary Japanese four-cylinder 750 is a strong performer with a hint of brutish elegance that begs the touring customer to fire her up and listen to that scalded-cat whine. The K2 proved to be this years firm favourite with Rod Chapman (MSL) on his annual therapeutic visit to Provence - this is definitely one machine the Japanese didn't copy from the British! Familiar left foot gear changes make riding this classic bike a doddle! Come see for yourself this season. The Kawasaki Z650 F4 -taking time out in the Gorges de Verdon. 1984 Kawasaki Z650 F4. "The baby Z1" and designed by the very same engineer as the Z1, Ben Inamura, with the DOHC engine that set new standards in this exciting period of Japanese engine technology. I always wanted the big 900cc in my collection but, after taking advice from CBP clients, I was told "go for the Z650". Their reasoning? "The Z1's power would be wasted in Provence, and you have better handling and a lighter machine for all those 'twisties'." This one is a fine example of the very last model, with the double disc front brake, before the introduction of the big GPZ the following year, a bike incidentally that changed the fortunes of Kawasaki almost overnight. Standard modifications on this baby Zed include a four-into-one exhaust and rear mudguard removal. Makes her look prettier, don't you think? Any which way I know this "Zed" is going to be a big hit on the highways and byways of Provence this season. Come and put this baby of the CBP family through it's paces in 2006 - guaranteed you won't be disappointed! 1962 Triumph Tiger T 100 - another newcomer in 2005. 1962 Triumph Tiger T 100 500cc Another Triumph, to have joined our collection in 2005. This is the enduro model which was so popular in the U.S. market. Few have found their way back to this side of the pond. A single carburettor engine, producing 38bhp at 7000rpm, with high-level exhausts, both swept around onto the left side of the machine. Another great looking bike for CBP clients to ride. The Firebird Scrambler - definitely worth a try! 1970 BSA Firebird Scrambler Yes, another A65, but as with the others this is a totally different machine to ride. A head turning, great looker, that was specifically developped with the US market in mind. Ours is a US import which brought us a few initial problems prior to using the machine for CBP tours, one of which being oil leakage from the gear box. This was due to an huge excess of oil being poured in as a grossly short dipstick had been fitted! We also had a problem with electrical charging as the rectifier had not been connected to the battery. Moral: beware of pretty looking machines if they haven't been rebuilt by a professional!! However, we now feel confident in saying 'another great addition to the CBP fleet'. Come and see for yourself. 1957 Matchless G11 600cc- great for touring the Cevennes. 1957 Matchless G11 600cc Pre G12 CSR 646cc version (Competition Sprung Roadster) which instantly was tagged the 'Coffee Shop Racer', this was the short-lived smaller capacity version. This beauty is now a sweet running machine after initial problems with a major crankcase oil leak. This was rectified after discovering that the engine had been rebuilt without a critical gasket being fitted between the crankcase by the oil filter.A further rectification required was the reassembly of the rear wheel spindle, which had been put together incorrectly by a previous owner - a common mistake with the oil seal and cup. This machine is an easy starter and a joy to ride. We are sure it will prove very popular with our 2006 clients, and anyway, we couldn't possibly not have a Matchless in the collection! The R65 BMW - no collection is complete without a BM!
1980 BMW R65 The medium -sized ' boxer' engine; light and nimble but with enough power to make travel easy on the small Provençale roads. How could we not have this iconic BMW engine design in our fleet, whose production has survived unbroken from 1923 to the present day? The nickname 'boxer' is thought to derive from the fact that the pistons travel horizontally towards and away from each other, like the fists of boxers! It may be 'gloves off' for Herman the German when surrounded by all the Brit Iron in our garage! Triumph Bonneville America. *The Imposter*
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