Tag Archives: hill climb

Goodwood Festival of Speed Re-Cap

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
18 Sep

 

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual Hill Climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles held in the grounds of Goodwood House West Sussex, England in late June or early July; the event is scheduled to avoid clashing with the Formula 1 season, enabling fans to see F1 machines as well as cars and motorbikes from motor racing history climb the hill.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed was founded in 1993 by Lord March in order to bring motor racing back to the Goodwood estate — a location steeped in British motor racing history. Shortly after taking over the estate in the early 1990s, Lord March (who later became Duke of Richmond) wanted to bring back motor racing to Goodwood Circuit, but did not have the necessary permit to host a race there. Therefore, he instead hosted it on his own grounds. With a small selection of entrants made up of invited historic vehicles, the first event that took place on Sunday 13 June proved to be a success, taking in a crowd of 25,000 despite a date clash with the 24 hour of Le Mans that year. After the first event’s date clash, Lord March would ensure that the event would never be allowed to clash with either Le Mans or Formula 1 races. In 1994, Saturday was added, making it a weekend event. In 1996, Friday was added, making it a three-day event. In 2010, the moving motor show was added on the Thursday. But for me its the Motorcycles and Classic cars that are worth the time to watch from all parts of the track, great for spectators as you are so close to the action in this West Sussex mecca for racing.

I haven’t been for many years but hope to take Jennifer at some point as that is another tick in the box of places we hope to visit, great to see pics on the internet of friends there and all having a blast, below is some highlights you may like to see?

These people know how rare their cars and bikes are. but when you have a true passion for racing, then no matter how much your machine is worth, they are going flat out.

Vintage Hill Climbing Photos

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
09 Nov

Hey Gang

I am a little bit tight on time today for a Blog, but what I thought that I would do is add some cool pics of Vintage Motorcycles having a go at Hill Climbing, this has been popular since the 1920’s and they still run the Widow Maker today.

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There is something about Motorcycles and Hills I have always been intrigued by, as a Kid I would have crappy cheap bikes but I would try and go up any hill many wouldn’t and sometimes, just sometimes i would succeed and that would make me personally feel like the King of the mountain.

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I love seeing old Photos of Vintage bikes having a go at the Big Widow Maker, Man and Machine against Gravity, and its such a super spectator sport too and we need more of it.

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Below silent 16mm footage.

Things have changed as in the newer machines but they still have a go and many do not make it, so, to see Motorcycles from the 20’s 30’s and 40’s having a go is great.

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I mean today, it must be like riding a Cadillac in comfort compared to back in the day, took more guts than today too and many, this was their only means of transport too.

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We lived in a flat part of the UK , so finding hills was bloody hard, sometimes you made your own but if I had a hat on right now, I would take it off and tip it in the direction of those crazy Bikers back in the day, full bore and grit ya teeth.

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I mean No Guts No Glory was the order of the day back then, can you imagine how their bodies felt the next day from trying to Conquer this bloody great steep incline.

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Amazing stuff, no protection, just a Flat cap and a lot of Bravado, seriously cool people back in the day and No Ego’s. at all.

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I still love watching it, no idea why they do not televise it much as I am certain people would watch as even today it is just man and machine against the big Hill.

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Most of the time there is No prize money, just a few bragging rights if you were one of the lucky ones to get over the top, few did I am sure but All were 100% Committed for sure.

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Hopefully there is an event on in your neck of the woods, make sure you support it as these days it is a very hard event to find and we really should have more of this, but land is hard to find compared to back in the day.

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This guy doing his best Elvis impersonation is a Classic.

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This is one of the best shots ever, the guy is way up on the front of his running boards, love the Paratrooper Boots, Big Cuff jeans and Leather Jacket, so Black Rebel Motorcycle.

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How crazy is that, Sister says to his big brother, “Oh Come on Arny, take me for a ride on your motorcycle, you always promise you will”

14

Man, look at how high this is, and the geezer makes it too, thats a great achievement I bet, well done mate, love the Harley Club Sweater too.

15

Football helmet on as he digs in at the rear look at the spectators resting on the fence, all leaning uphill. LOL!

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Now you all know this will not end well but 10 out of 10 for having a go, huge rear sprocket too.

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Talk about Holding on until the very end, this cannot end well at all, would of loved to have seen the next few frames of this crazy Hill Climber, hope he was
after that run.

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Dedication, Determination and Did he make it, all that with a Football helmet on and no front brake too.

 

 

Custom 1936 Harley Davidson

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
24 Apr

Published by Cyril Huze April 24th, 2017 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.

Motorcycle advertising campaigns with a great consistent theme have produced great sales to consumers. Having a deep education and professional background in marketing and advertising to which was mixed my love for motorcycles, with a few others in the current custom industry  I am over appreciative of what Harley-Davidson has accomplished in terms of popularity, culture and respect all over the world.

And when Customs Builders volunteer their know how to enrich and extend this H-D branding without betraying it, it makes me happy…To be simple, where marketing is to sell a motorcycle, pushusing it to consumers, branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.

What a better example than the desirable characteristics bred or rebred into the Harley WL. Like others, I am convinced that this H-D model owns an indestructible/forever immortal bloodline.

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I don’t mind that some will not find this WL period-correct, or too Bobber or too Bling or whatever of your choice. Branding is the expression of the essential truth of an organization like Harley-Davidson .

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The WL characteristics, values, and attributes continue to activates new buyers of new models, advocates, even evangelists, out of all those who buy and customize…

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Flash back to 1931. All of Harley-Davidson’s remaining American competition is now gone except Indian (Hendee Manufacturing) and Harley-Davidson, the only two American motorcycle manufacturers until 1953. At that time, the scene was mainly a game of choosing between Miles or Speed. Joe Petrali begins a five-year consecutive streak of winning the AMA Grand National Championship. Petrali also wins the National Hill-Climb Championships for 1932 to 1935. Joe Petrali and his Harley-Davidson peashooter win all thirteen of the American Motorcycle Association National Championship dirt track races. In 1936, Harley-Davidson introduces the EL, an overhead valve, 61 cubic inch powered bike. With increased horsepower and bold styling changes, the motorcycle quickly earns the nickname of “Knucklehead,” due to the shape of its rocker boxes.

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This custom 1936 WL intends to perpetuate the Harley bloodline and was born from the meeting of Michael Lorum in its Poland barn with Miro from EastSide Customs in Germany. At Miro‘s workshop, Michael recognized a wreck sitting in a corner but it looked like there was nothing left to restore, although a few pieces could be recognized and dated from a 1936 WL paperwork. Worth doing something? Yes, they decided although they are still looking at how the WL fragments landed there…

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Of course, dedication and persistence are the names of the game and just as an illustration. this custom WL is in big bart a very patient process of straightening, of smoothing out, of “true” gold plating and hardwiring with all the risks involved in working with such a soft, malleable, and ductile metal… Add to this very preciously curved wood parts, an another material very little used on motorcycles and requiring to be a great artist. Admire handgrips, floorboards, kicker pedal, shifting, etc. Under the right light at night, it looks like a very light elegant Duesenberg, You know the type of vehicles creating a non-breakable brand bloodline for generations to come .(photos @ Gerd Scheidel at Studio 1, text with help Horst Röesler written by Cyril Huze, model Jaqueline).

 

Name. Harley-Davidson Flathead WL Owner. Michael Lorum Location. Switzerland Assembly. Miro, East Side Custom,, Germany Year. 1936-2015/16 1 year work Value. Not for sale Frame. Stock HD single downtube, smoothened out and re-painted Motor. 1936/2016 Harley-Davidson Flathead Displacement. 745 cm3 (45 Cubic-Inch) Carburator. Dell‘Orto

Air cleaner. Eastside Custom Cycles
Completely restored motor, gold-plated, details, nuts & bolts. Completely restored motor, gold-plated details, nuts & bolts.
Transmission year 1936, Stock HD, Kickstart only, 3-speed
Primary. Eastside Custom Cycles Belt Drive. Secondary. Chain-drive

Women’s History Month !!!

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
07 Jul

July is National Women’s Motorcycle Month and I want to kick it off with a few cool shots of these lovely ladies and what they have achieved to get any sort of recognition to be as equal on the road as guys. My girl rides and we have some great Girl riders in our 59 club that I am stoked to have, I hope we get to see many more women on the road as we are all equal.

One in 10 motorcyclists is female, but the range of motorcycles out there doesn’t tend to cater for the average female rider that well. We’re talking seat height. Most men don’t worry about how tall a motorcycle’s seat is, but our female readers say it’s often the first thing they want to find out when they see a motorcycle they like.

Our top 10 encompasses new and used models but we haven’t just gone on seat height alone; we’ve tried to add variety by catering for different types of motorcycles, budgets, engine capacities and manufacturers. All the time, we’ve kept an eye on the bike’s weight too. Less weight is obviously more manageable, no matter what your size and stature.

So what is a typical seat height?

Let’s take three common motorcycles to give us an idea of seat height. Honda’s CBF125 has a seat height of 792mm, Suzuki’s SV650S stands at 800mm and Kawasaki’s ZX-6R has a seat height of 830mm. Generally speaking, cruisers have lower seat heights but their seats are often wide and these types of motorcycles can be heavy. Adventure-style motorcycles often have taller suspension to soak up bad surfaces but you don’t have to rule them all out.

How is seat height measured?

A motorcycle’s seat height is measured with the bike standing upright (not on its side stand) from the lowest point of the saddle to the ground. Manufacturers quote their seat heights in the specification panel of each model. We could only find one manufacturer (Buell, now bust) who quote their seat height based on the height of the seat with an ‘average weight’ rider onboard. So watch out for that.

Width matters

The outright height of a motorcycle’s seat is important, but the seat’s width matters too. Some motorcycles with a low seat height have a wide seat which spreads out your legs, making it harder to get your feet flat on the ground.

Is one-foot down enough?

When it comes to finding a motorcycle, you may try a few where you can’t get both feet firmly on the ground but you can get one foot flat. Is that enough? Well that depends on your strength and confidence. Most riders would be fine if they were told they could only put one foot down but confidence is the key. It’s okay to ride a motorcycle where you can only get one foot on the ground and doing so will open up a few more options for you to choose from, but it’s important to feel comfortable with the motorcycle you’re buying. So ask yourself: Is one foot enough?

Motorcycle lowering tips

You don’t always have to fit a lowering kit, which has the adverse effect of altering the bike’s handling characteristics and potentially making your bike worth less on the used market. You can fit a lower seat, which a lot of manufacturers sell as a factory option but companies like Corbin, Wunderlich and Touratech also sell lower aftermarket seats. You could alter the seat yourself, cutting the foam to reduce the seat’s height and width. You could also look at footwear that gives you extra height. Boots like Daytona’s Lady-Star are a good option as they feature a chunky sole. You could also talk to your local cobbler about adding a thicker sole to your existing boots. A lowering kit, while effective, should be seen as a last-ditch option.

AS a man, have you ever wondered why you don’t see many women racers (or, if you’re a woman, wondered why there are so many male racers)? Is it because women don’t come equipped with the same number of arms and legs as a bloke? Is it because, in general, female brain chemistry predisposes the fairer sex towards skills not immediately associated with those required to win races? Either way, there are exceptions. And, as MotoGP commentators discover with depressing regularity, it’s utterly impossible to talk about female racers without coming across as patronising. But we’ll try. Here are ten of the most outstanding female competitors.

10. Beryl Swain, TT

The 1962 50cc TT is usually remembered for being Suzuki’s first TT victory, on a bike ridden by ex-MZ rider and defector Ernst Degner. But it also marked the debut of the first female TT rider, Mrs Beryl Swain, riding a 50cc Itom. She completed the two-lap race half an hour behind Degner, coming home 22nd of 25 finishers with an average of 48mph against Degner’s 75mph. Such was the concern for the safety of women riders, they were subsequently banned from riding the TT circuit until 1978, when Hilary Musson entered the TT Formula 3, coming 15th. Musson continued to race at the TT until 1985.

9. Patsy Quick, enduro and Dakar

The first Britain woman to compete in the Dakar in 2003 during which she suffered a serious crash, was left temporarily blinded before being rescued by a media helicopter and airlifted to a Cairo hospital for life-saving surgery. Undaunted, Patsy returned in 2004 only to be beaten by appalling weather, and then by mechanical breakdown in 2005. But in 2006 she finished the rally, the first British woman to do so. She currently runs a KTM-backed enduro riding school in Sussex.

8. Michelle Duff, 250 and 500 Grand Prix

Born in 1939 in Toronto, Canada, Mike Duff was a successful Grand Prix racer in the 60s, riding for MZ, Norton and Yamaha, winning three 250cc Grand Prix and finishing the 1965 season second in the 250cc championship behind Phil Read. At the end of 1965 Mike suffered a bad accident in Japan and spent six months in hospital. Returning to Grand Prix for two more years, Mike moved back to Canada at the end of 1967, continued national racing, and also began working as a motorcycle journalist. Married twice with three children, Mike wrote a book about his years in Grand Prix in 1982, called Make Haste, Slowly. Then, in 1984, Mike Duff became Michelle Duff. Invited out of retirement to ride in classic bike races in 2000 aged 60, Michelle crashed heavily at Spa in 2008 and gave up track riding. Now aged 74, Michelle still writes and lives in Ontario.

7) Katja Poensgen, 250 Grand Prix

German-born Katja first rode a bike aged 5, entered her first race at 16, got her first podium a year later, and won the European Supermono Championship at 19. That success helped propel her into Grand Prix where, in 2001, she achieved a career-best 14th place in the 250cc Italian GP at Mugello riding an Aprilia RS250. She retired from competition in 2004 and gave birth to a daughter in 2005 (interestingly, the only woman in the list to have had children, excluding Michelle Duff), but the racing bug has bitten again and Poensgen has been dabbling in racing e-bikes and even mopeds, as well as working with motorcycle clothing brands.

6. Laia Sanz, Trials, World Enduro, Dakar

Laia Sanz, born in Spain, is the current Women’s World Enduro Champion. She’s also won the Women’s Trial World Championship 13 times and the Women’s Trial European Championship ten times. In 2011, at the age of 25, she competed in and completed the Dakar rally, finishing 39th overall, but it’s hardly a surprise she knows how to handle an off-road bike; she started riding at three and was racing by the age of seven. Although her position as best female off-road rider in the world is, in 2014, coming under threat from our own Jane Daniels, Sanz continues to be the benchmark rider by which all women are judged.

5. Maria Costello MBE, TT and Irish road races

One of the most recognisable names and faces in racing, Maria has done more than anyone to promote women’s participation in the sport since her 1997 debut in the Honda CB500 Cup. Since then she’s raced in numerous short circuit series including World Endurance, European Superstock and many others – but she’s always focussed primarily on road racing competing extensively in Ireland and especially the TT, where she held the female lap record for many years, and the Manx Grand Prix. Costello has also written and published an autobiography and is currently promoting her women-only track days.

4. María Herrera Muñoz, Spanish CEV Moto3

A name for the future, 17 year-old María from Toledo in Spain is currently leading the Spanish CEV Moto3 Championship – the wildly competitive feeder class into MotoGP Moto3 – with a win and second place. A wildcard ride in Moto3 at last year’s Aragon MotoGP failed to show her potential when she crossed the line in last place. But the early season results with the well-run Junior Team Estrella Galicia riding a Honda Moto3 NSF250 shows she has plenty of pace, leading home a field of 19 other riders, all male, all teenagers, and all riding out of their skins. She got talent. A female Marc Marquez?

3. Jenny Tinmouth, BSB

As the 2014 season opener at Brands BSB showed a few weeks ago, the first and only woman racing in British Superbikes isn’t just a token female filling out the grid. Qualifying in horrible, slippery, wet conditions, Tinmouth took her TWR Fireblade to 17th place on the grid and left a trail of seasoned BSB regulars in her wake. Dry race-day results of 27th and 23rd places say more about the bike and set-up than her ability. Jenny has worked up through the classes since her debut in 2000 on a 125GP bike, and on the way has become the fastest-ever woman at the TT setting an outright lap of 119.9mph in 2010. Which is most definitely not hanging about.

2. Jane Daniels, World Enduro

If you think the dirt is no place for a lady, think again. 20-year-old Husqvarna-supported rider Jane Daniels is the UK’s number one female enduro rider, taking second place overall in the Women’s Enduro World Cup in 2013 and winning the final race in France, beating the champ and Dakar competitor Laia Sanz. Daniels kicked off 2014 with a second in the opening Spanish round of the WEWC, and finished 12th overall in the Expert class at the recent Tough One hard enduro at Hawkstone Park. Highly-rated by fellow male riders, she’s tipped as a talent to watch for in the future regardless of her gender.

1. Ana Carrasco Gabarrón, MotoGP Moto3

Ana Carrasco, 17, is the only current female competitor in MotoGP, riding a Kalex KTM in Moto3. Born in Spain, she started riding bikes aged three, competed in the Spanish MiniGP series and rode in the Spanish 125 Championship. She made her debut on the Team Calvo KTM at the start of 2013 aged 16 and took her first World Championship points in the Malaysian GP later that year. At the last race in Valencia she finished 8th while teammate Maverick Vinales won the title. So far this season, riding for a new Dutch team, she’s yet to score. Unsurprisingly, her motto is “A woman in a man’s world”.