Motorcycles Changes at the Rally 2010
This year you may notice an addition to the classes of motorcycle entries. Up till now there have been two classes; motorcycles produced before 1940, Class F and postwar till 1972, Class L. My predecessor and I also accepted bikes produced after 1972 if we thought they might be sufficiently interesting to you to make their display worthwhile. We called this an unofficial Class Q.
In the outside world, the DVLA (the Swansea road tax people) decreed a few years ago that vehicles produced before 1973 were “historic” and would pay no road tax. However the VMCC (the Vintage Motorcycle Club) decided to introduce a rolling 25 year date; any bike over 25 years old can be accepted for their events.
The Rally already has a Class P for later (than 1972 cars – specials, etc. so as from this year we are introducing an official Class Q for post 1972 bikes. Our philosophy now is that as time goes on the public walking along the motorcycle lines is more likely to recognise bikes from their youth, Hondas and Yamahas, than Matchlesses and Rudges. Rest assured I do not intend to accept entries of every modern bike; I shall bear in mind the VMCC cut-off date unless a very interesting machine is offered. There were a couple of brand new Nortons on display at the N.E.C. in November and I would welcome one for display!
And now to something completely different…..
1948 Stanley Disabled Carriage
It’s got three wheels and is therefore a motorcycle!
Gabriele Scicluna displayed this erm….. interesting vehicle last year. He described it then as,
“a very unique vehicle. It has a 190ccs Villiers engine”
So far so good, reasonably straightforward; but….
“which fires up by moving two levers either side of the driver in a forward and backward motion. The right hand lever also acts as the steering. The left hand lever also acts as the hand brake. How on earth could a disabled person start this monstrosity?”
Let alone drive it. A group of us examined it to fathom out how it worked. For the driver’s overworked left hand there are a further eight separate controls and more for the right. It seemed to all that this is an  accident waiting to happen; ideal for an invalid!
I hope Gabriele can bring it along this year.
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