Letters

This is an image familiar to the mountaineering fraternity, but I guess it is less well known to the classic motorcyclist. The pic shows Chris Bonington (now Sir Chris) on the pillion of Don Whillans’ Triumph Trophy at Hampstead in July 1962. They were off to climb the Eiger in Switzerland and rode all the way up the…

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OBM dropped through the letterbox this morning, and I quickly became absorbed in the Great War tribute article – finding the photos fascinating. The two centre right photos on page 37 are of unidentified bikes – the top one being a Royal Enfield 2 3/4hp twin with Motosacoche engine – unmistakable by the cylinder finning…

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Having read Steve Brown’s recent letter in last month’s OBM, I wondered if that would be retired Sgt. Brown, who would caution us on our old Brit bikes back in the ’70s then later own a nice small collection of Triumphs himself? I used to visit Burt Camier’s lovely old shop in Wish Ward, Rye,…

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Brands Hatch in 1946. You will see that Bernie Ecclestone did a bit of racing in his early days!  He would have been aged 16 here, and is lining up with Bill O’Rourke and James W Oliver (Jim). Sammy Miller MBE Read more Letters, Opinion, News and Views in the December 2018 issue of OBM…

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In the September issue of OBM Arthur Pentney had a letter published titled ‘Intimidated by modern traffic’ in which he gave some inaccurate details about the Banbury Run. As clerk of the course, and therefore the person responsible for the Banbury Run routes, I would like to put the record straight. Arthur stated that a…

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Somebody gave me this insurance document, which was being thrown out. It is for an EMC 350cc 1948, as owned by an AW Picknell of Eastleigh. I have never heard of one, but have found out that it was a twin cylinder two-stroke with one combustion chamber. Found a picture of one but cannot find…

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Do you really need to go to the trouble of obtaining and fitting a gizmo for such a simple thing as remembering to turn on the oil flow to your engine? If so, then go ahead and spend £45 plus postage and packing plus other bits you might need, depending on your magneto. Or use…

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I first started motorcycling on the road in 1959 aged 17 with a 20 quid BSA Bantam, of 125cc capacity, in green and with a plunger frame. Before then I had two years around the local fields and footpaths etc. riding some old crocks. Since those days there have been Barnetts, Beezers, Bonnies, and all sorts…

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Your October 2018 edition shows a picture of Birmingham Club members at Rose Hill. Rose Hill is an iconic location in motoring and motorcycling history, and is part of the Lickey Hills area situated just south of Birmingham. Your former editor, who has moved on to railway circles, would recognise Lickey as in the nearby…

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Looking at the photos in OBM of riders taken before the advent of the “rocker generation” (mine) the one common denominator is TIES! All the riders of the generation before us are almost always wearing a collar and tie. Readers may be interested in the attached photo of a hill climb on the outskirts of…

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