Classic Off Road Show

[martinm]

Just a reminder that the "Classic Off Road Show" is 10am this Saturday (12th March) at the Three Counties Showground at Malvern.

If its anything like the show at Coventry last year there should be plenty of interesting twinshocks & pre 65's on display.

Anyone else going?

Martin

[woody]

Yep, I'll be there. Missed last few as they've been on Sundays so at last it is on a Saturday. Looking forward to it but I've given myself four rules.

Go in the car not the van

No chequebook

No cash

No plastic

That way I can't aquire and bring home any new projects....

Perhaps I should make another couple;

Don't borrow any money off mates

Don't ask mates who have stands there to bring stuff home for me in their vans

[martinm]

Thought it was a big improvement on last years show at Coventry.

The venue was much better, decent Autojumble and a good selection of inside stalls/displays with some interesting bikes.

Big change from last year was the number of visitors, seemed much busier than last year with a lot of people from Europe.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think this is only the second year Alan Wright has run the show, either way thought it was an excellent effort and I will be back next year.

Martin

PS. Surprised you didn't have a stand there yourself HondaRS.....had a man ask me if you were there, who wanted a TLR200 tank.....will email you his info!!!

[toofasttim]

Well, where's the report? With pics of desirable motorcycles.

[woody]

Yep, I went too. No pictures unfortunately as I'm probably the only person in the world who doesn't own a camera. In terms of same as last year what else can you do. It is intended to display old bikes for people to look at and bring like minded enthusiasts together for a bit of nostalgic chit chat, and hopefully to pick up that elusive part - or bike - from the autojumble that you've been searching for for ages. Wrighty also tries to present something different each year by getting unusual or interesting machinery on display as well but obviously is reliant here on people providing them.

I haven't been to a Classic off-road show since they were at Stoneleigh, which were superb with representation from many areas of the trade and loads of private stands. I never went to the previous Coventry shows as they were always on Sundays but I thought this one was pretty good and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Was there from opening until half hour before closing. Lots of stuff on the stands outside to trawl through and as with any show/autojumble there was the usual mix of tat, rubbish and useful items. Managed to pick up a Grimeca front wheel, complete, for a good price so didn't come away empty handed. Had to keep alternating between outside and inside as it was so cold outside, especially when the wind bit.

There was the inevitable Rothmans Honda ex-works bike 'verified by Steve Saunders as one of his that escaped the crusher' with supporting documentation. However, it was a twin downtube frame and all of the Rothmans works bikes were single tube. Some of the early red works bikes were twin tubes so I doubt this was a works bike but who knows. Looked nice though whatever.

Inside there was a new/unused 300 Fantic for

[martinm]

Only cos TooFastTim asked!!!!! .......here's a shot of the SWM's I took up to the show. Before anyone asks, the bike on the left was sold.

Martin

[steve]

Here's the kawaski mentioned

[steve]

And a nice CCM

[steve]

In terms of ex works RTL's there do seem to quite a number of these about now, they are currently such a valuable commodity!

Seems strange that none of these ex works machines, have either the single tube chassis, and are also not fitted with the works motors, which differ considerably from the std RTL item.

There again I supppose there is one born every minute................but very very naughty to have said this was veriified by Steve!!!

I am no expert on these, a mate of mine used to have a few before he moved to the States - John Hawkins. He bought a few parts of a works Honda mechanic. The oil cooler he bought was never fitted as he didn't have the single downtube - the wheel hubs looked similar externally but were in fact made of a different (lighter) material, possibly some sort of a magnesium alloy. There was lots of other trick bits but I can't remember now, we are talking a few years ago now.

[trialsrfun]

Did anyone get a picture of Arthur Brownings Jawa trials bike

[woody]

Honda UK did make some replicas of the works bikes for the UK supported riders but they weren't full HRC factory bikes by any means. Don't know specifically what their spec. was though. Maybe this bike is one of those as Saunders did sometimes ride the twin downtube bikes, but this is definitely not a HRC factory bike. There were only 6 HRC works bikes made, I believe.

The wheels were different on the HRC bikes and were magnesium.

Be nice if someone did get a picture of Arthur's Jawa as it is the embodiment of what shows like this are all about, a true special. He doesn't live more than a mile from me so I might just have to go and ask him for a go on it..... It is his fault I got involved in a sport that has cost me thousands over the years as my mates and I used to watch him practising trials on his Bultaco at our local quarry when we went out on our pushbikes. Wouldn't have it any other way though