NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, ENGLAND


It's a pilgrimage to a messy shrine, the quintessential English shed grown wild with money, but the shed-mind remains, and the hallowed relics within overwhelm visitors in a nearly-stacked jumble.  The National Motorcycle Museum, phoenix risen from its own-damn-fault ashes, warehouse of glistening talismans, entombing shrine of Speed and a glorious, vanished industry.
Can you spot the...?  Neither can I.
Anyone who loves British motorcycles simply must make the trip to Birmingham, and spend a few hours soaking in the oily ambience...not that the pyramidal halls are anything but clean, and their 'NMM'-logo carpet well vac'd.  The bikes are fantastic, some of the most historic British prototypes, racers, and roadsters anywhere, a cornucopia really of the stuff you want to see, because the collection is just amazing.
Double Trouble Twins; Brough SS100 with JAP and MX engines
As with every time I've stopped in, the halls were nearly pedestrian-free when I visited this week, which is shameful for such a fantastic collection of machinery.  But, some basic rules of museum management are roundly ignored at the NMM... imagine if MOMA or the Tate stuffed every artwork in their collection to their walls in a vertical paintstorm, some pressed into corners, far away from their roped-off viewers. Things may have been done that way in the 1800s, but in the century since, Museum Studies has emerged as a discipline, and people get advanced college degrees in curation and display, studying ways for museums to attract viewers, and properly display their wares.
The Triumph zone was better accessible than other areas...
The NMM ignores most of this accumulated wisdom and pursues a used-moto-lot aesthetic, bikes jostling handlebars in long lines, with terrible sightlines and an utter impossibility to gain any detailed visual information from most of the displays.  A few sit on plinths, arranged so timing and primary sides can be examined close-up, but these are the exception, and if you're interested in figuring out how a 1908 Humber sorts out its magneto position, you'll have x-ray through several similar-era Triumphs and Rexes...in other words, impossible.
Collection as a numbers game; a lineup of the Norton rotary racers
Because the motorcycles themselves matter, it would be a revelation if we were actually able to see them in the round, well lit and fully visible.  I reckon that if the NMM held back part of its collection to give breathing space, and rotated themed 'blockbuster' exhibits like any other museum, visitors would find reasons to return, and the halls wouldn't be empty.  Better still, we'd be able to actually see these fantastic machines.
'Nero' and 'Super Nero' Vincent sprinters (one supercharged, one not)...would that I could have taken decent photos of the whole machines...
The incredible AJS ohc 1000cc v-twin one-off record breaker, which never really set records, but was stuck at around 130mph.  Note long induction tube from the blower, with blowoff valve at the top, and super large magnesium cam chain (and magneto chain) covers...
 Second primary chain drives the blower, atop the gearbox.  Bronze heads, hairpin valve springs, that crazy teardrop tank; simply stunning.
The placard claimed this BSA Rocket 3 with Gold Star bodywork was a suggestion from a US dealer for a potential big seller...I want one too!
Vincents don't look so bad now...this is the TRUE plumber's nightmare!
Bronze head on a semi-radial valve Rudge TT Replica racer
A short row of Brough Superiors of all varieties; an early MAG-engined Mk1 in front
Now those are Brooklands cans...on the back of a McEvoy 1000cc racer
Cutaway Triumph cylinder head
Italian sauce, English-style.  Lovely home-built 125cc dohc racer, the 'LCH', built by Leonard Clifford Harfield of Hampshire. Gear-driven double overhead camshafts, he based the engine on Rudge 250cc crankcases, and cast up the rest.  The engine would reliably rev to 11,000rpm, making 18hp, good enough for 95mph, and first privateer home in the 1957 Ultra-Lightweight TT.
The front brake of a 1950 Douglas 90+ racer
A much earlier Douglas, this is Freddie Dixon's 1928 Isle of Man TT racer, with wet sump under the engine, and an oil pressure gauge just behind the oil filler. He made 18th in the Junior TT that year, and fell off in the Senior (same bike apparently, with different cylinders and heads), injuring his hands and ending his bike racing career. Dixon, a gifted development engineer, switched to racing cars, and won the 1935 and '36 TT Auto races...the only man to have won TTs on two (1927 Junior TT), three (1923 Sidecar TT), and four wheels! 
The Brough Superior 'Dream', with 4-cylinder flat-4 engine, shaft drive, and groovy gold paint job.  Basically two Triumph twins on a common crankcase, it never ran properly as GB didn't have the cash for development work, and realized the market for such a machine was too small to justify the expense...
The 'Dream' cylinder head and exhaust manifold...grace in alloy.  The cylinder barrels were cast into the crankcases - one less joint to leak.  As far as I know, only Wooler and Brough attempted an ohv "H-four" motorcycle of this configuration.
New Imperial v-twin 500cc racer
Martynside v-twin, with their own-make engine
The McEvoy with big JAP KTOR racing engine, fed by a Binks 'Mousetrap' carb
Were they ever really like that?  Montgomery 4-pipe big Anzani twin with lots and lots of nickel...
Morgan 'Beetleback' Sports with big Matchless MX engine
Another failed Norton revival...the Nemesis, with special V8 engine
More successful were the Norton John Player-sponsored racers of the 1970s
Lovely old Norton 16H racer from the early 20s. Note the AMAC sports carb.
CTS (Chris Tattersal St.Annes) sits protected from English weather...
Lots of prototypes at NMM; this Royal Enfield triple is 3 cylinders from their 220cc two-strokes on a common crankcase
Another gem; the one-off Rudge 250cc v-twin prototype racer

LONDON ROAD TEST: 1936 BROUGH SUPERIOR SS80

Too much clak, clak clak on the mac, not enough wrist-turning brrum brrum, makes Jack a dull lad.  So, at the end of the northern hemisphere's riding season, on a cool but clear morning in London's Chelsea district, the offer of a road test on a nice old Brough Superior was like a cup of warm tea in cold hands; a very good idea.
The machine in question wouldn't win a Concours d'Elegance, as it has clearly been - whisper it - ridden quite a lot, and shows the inevitable road chips, cable rubs, and modest oxidation which grows unbidden even in the mildest of climates.  Not to say it isn't a beautiful machine in lovely condition; this 1936 Brough Superior SS80 was restored 3000 miles ago by BS-guru Tony Cripps, and kept by a careful owner, to whom proper function was paramount.  The result is a motorcycle which starts easily, doesn't drag its clutch in traffic, and is smooth as pudding.
The big finned covers hide the valve stems, and are quickly removed to adjust the valves
The 'Rolls Royce of Motorcycles', as Broughs are famously called (mostly by George Brough - "vide The Motor Cycle"- on every piece of their advertising from 1926), is a slightly inaccurate comparison, as Rolls never had the sporting pretensions (in terms of racing) that Bentley was famous for, although the esteemed quality of finish and envy-able flashiness of a vintage Rolls is very Brough-like.  Their prestige, and ever-high price, has ensured few Broughs ever met the scrap-man, evidenced by a remarkable 72percent survival rate for late SS80s...
Twin tank fillers, long levers, wide 'bars, Monarch forks, Lucas Magdyno (which worked), 8" Enfield front brake (which didn't), big 8" Lucas headlamp
As George Brough hitched his star to the RR name, that star dragged Broughs right out of their sporting pretensions by the early 1930s, and into the realm of the luxurious Grand Tourer.  By the time our test machine was built, 1936, Brough had ceased using JA Prestwich's racing v-twins, as they had never successfully evolved from their hairy racing heyday of the 1920s, and were simply too crude to install in a luxury machine.  Matchless/AJS had developed a pair of powerful, smooth, mechanically quiet, reliable, and relatively oil-tight engines - a sidevalver and overhead-valve, the 'MX' models, both of 990cc - and while they weren't racing engines (with a difficult-to-tune 3-lobe camshaft), they fitted the bill for a touring machine perfectly.
The evolution of Brough Superiors reflected the life and personality of the man who made them; George Brough in the 1920s was a demon rider and serious moto-dandy, building the motorcycles he most wanted, which couldn't be found elsewhere in 1919, when he embarked on Superiority.  Until other makers began copying the B-S pattern (bulbous-nose saddle tanks, long chassis, big v-twin engine), the Brough was alone at the top of the heap, and in terms of its quality of finish, remained there until the end of production (nominally 1940, although a very few Broughs were assembled during the war, and after, from broken machines or old stock).  But, after a few nasty spills in his sprinting days (51 wins out of 52 starts, plus FTD in his last race while sliding on his backside, requiring skin grafts and 8 months in hospital), George fully supported other's efforts at taking major speed records with very special Broughs, but the motorcycles he sold lost their athletic edge... and began to gain weight.
The cast-alloy primary case dripped a little oil, but not on my shoes.  Note the Harold 'Oily' Karslake-designed prop stand
This 1936 SS80 has, as mentioned, a 990cc 'square' (85.5x85.5mm) engine sourced from Matchless, which also saw service in their own 'Model X' (fantastic name; cape and mask included?), although GB specified knife-and-fork connecting rods, where the 'X' used them side-by-side.  George ditched the SS80's original JAP sv sports engine in 1935, and in five years, 460 MX-engined SS80s were sold (another 626 used the JAP engine, 1923-'34).  All SS80's were famously guaranteed capable of 80mph (these late ones more like 85mph), although a timing certificate from Brooklands might cost you an extra £10 over the £90 purchase price...which was already enough to buy a small house outside of London.
Big Burgess silencer, twin leather-front toolboxes, long pivoting footrests and sprung saddle for a friend. The postwar Lucas taillamp replaces the original 'MT110' type, but is visible in traffic, and includes a stop light.
Starting the big and surprisingly wide machine was simplicity itself; turn on the tap, a dab at the 'tickler' on the carb, and put your weight on the long kick lever.  Boom, first time.  And every time.  No valve lifter required, no knocking back the magneto timing - it never spat or kicked back or sneezed, just rumbled into life with a very pleasant rolling basso voice, and very little clickety-clack from the timing chest, more a rustle actually.
Pull in the very light clutch lever, snick the Sturmey-Archer/Norton gearbox into 1st, without a clunk or other drama (try that on your new BMW...), and the engine rumbles and give off hints at hidden power, while staying pleasantly smooth, and building up speed quickly.  Broughs use close-ratio gears (same as a Norton Inter, actually), which means a low 1st, a big gap to second, and the other two not far off.  On a big twin with plenty of torque, this doesn't make sense, as there's no need to play 'tunes' on a Brough gearbox, just stick it in a high gear and let the engine do the talking.  But, it was the best gearbox available (just ask any Vincent 'A' twin owner their opinion of the Burman 'box and clutch), and had a very 'sporty' spec.
Having ignored the mag and valve levers to start the beast, it was possible to ignore a third, while running - the front brake, which was, like all Broughs with 'Castle' or 'Monarch' leading-link forks, almost useless.  As the brake anchor must move with the front wheel, braking power is transmitted through two 'link' pivots, which takes out all the bite.  Brough owners have gone to great lengths at times to improve the situation, but dramatic braking brings other problems, ie, very bent forks, as their tubing, while lovely, is hollow and thin-walled.  Luckily the rear brake is excellent, but its best to plan your riding lines carefully to avoid the need for panic stops. 
Yes, its possible to ride a Brough in modern London traffic
The Brough sits low, with a very modest saddle height (27"), and a very long chassis (and 58"wheelbase).  That grand 4.5gal fuel tank with twin filler caps is imposing and implies gravity, but the bicycle is surprisingly light for a big 'un, at around 430lbs.  It certainly feels light when pushing it around, although with a very limited steering lock (a necessity with that bulbous chrome tank) tight turnarounds mean a lot of to-and-fro.  Once the engine is warm, the lubricant return is checked in the oil tank (via a handy return line just below the filler cap on the 6 pint tank), and the clutch is let go, the Brough feels tiny compared to a new touring machine, because it is.  And, while a sidevalve engine is cherished by some for a soft, woolly power delivery, the old girl still picks up her skirts and hustles down the road.  The gap between first and second gear is so great, you might think you'd skipped a couple and landed in top, as an upshift has the engine barely ticking over at 30mph.  As the chassis is so long, bumps don't throw the bike airborne, and the ride is surprisingly comfortable in that extra-wide sprung Lycett saddle.
The Brampton-built 'Monarch' forks do their job well, and that looong frame makes a very stable ride, without compromising smooth cornering.  Not that you'll be scratching around corners...well actually you Will be before you know it, especially on left-handers, as the patented prop-stand bolted under the left footrest will dig into tarmac at fairly tame angles of lean.  Banking right is a little better, but the low ground clearance (5" from ground to frame tubes), combined with a hefty lug  for the raised footrest hangers, mean you're grinding away valuable metal before you expect, if you're used to a true sporting bike, even from the era.  The cornering limitations enforce a gentlemanly riding style, fast yes but no corner heroics, just a well-planned line (those brakes) around the bends, all very graceful and relaxed.  With a little practice, you'll be Broughing it in style in no time.
Its easy to scoff at the whole Brough 'thing'; decades of embellishing tales (mostly from GB himself) turned some off even in the day, and the current high prices/ego purchases can be eye-rolling, but sweep the rubbish away, and what you have is a beautiful old motorcycle, built to be the best it could be by a demanding rider/designer/manufacturer, which was indeed better than its peers.  Superior even.

This motorcycle was kindly loaned by the Gauntlett Gallery, and is currently for sale; check here for details.

STAFFORD SHOW, OCT 2011

 Attracting 50,000 or so punters daily, twice a year, Stafford is the big gun of motorcycle autojumble/show/auctions in England.  Run over 3 days, it takes two to cover all the stalls, club stands, vendors, and demonstrations, and then there's the Bonhams auction, which sets the benchmark for motorcycle prices around the world, with always a few super-rare gems to attract press attention.
Malcolm Barber auctions 'Moby Dick' at the Bonhams Stafford sale
This year's star was 'Moby Dick', the 1929 Brough Superior SS100 which was developed into the world's fastest road-going motorcycle in it heyday.  With a solid gold provenance, and absolute documentation of every stage of the machine's life, it was clearly going to sell well, and it did, at £210,000 inclusive, landing it at #6 on my 'Top 20' auction sales.  Two years ago, of course, it may have set a world record, but things have changed.
A Brough Superior '680' basket case with Bentley and Draper frame brought £40k
As obvious examples; at Stafford, good Vincent Rapides sold at around £30k, good Shadows about half that again...which is about half what they were selling for two years ago.  Around 11,000 post-war Vincents came out of Stevenage, which disqualifies them as rare, but makes them the perfect 'bubble' indicator, being an obvious target for beginning collectors, and long-time wannabes with full pockets, gripped with desire as the market hype for Shadows is rising, and despair as prices inevitably crash with bad economic news.  The Vincent market was in exactly this place in 2001... and 1990.
Plenty of bidders at the Stafford sale
While Moby Dick isn't a good 'comparable' for Brough SS100s, being unique, the sale of a good '31 BS SS100 at Stafford last May for £130k indicates the frenzy for investor-bikes seems to have cooled, and the 'car guys' haven't skewed the bike market, as some feared.  Still, an exquisite, original condition JAP-engined SS80, perhaps the most original in the world, sold for £100k last weekend, which may mean la créme de la créme is holding value...and the rumored post-auction sale of the AJS 'Porcupine' for an undisclosed sum (somewhere between $650-$700k I would guess) seems to support this.  Bottom line; World-class motorcycles may be worth a bit less than last year, but will still fetch good money.  And its a great time to buy a 'normal' bike, as prices have dropped significantly since 2008.
Decent weather meant large crowds
Fantastic AJS 'Big Port' with Binks 'Mousetrap' carb...
The Benelli O/C stand
Reliving youth (1)...a BSA B33
Invacar...
BSA 'Daytona' Gold Star project in the autojumble
Another BSA...this one a triple, with A10 timing case, and double-overhead-cam conversion.  See the factory version in my post on the London Motorcycle Museum.
'Norton' George Cohen brought a lot of flat-tanks, plus a new Manx
Douglas 90+ racer...
The 50cc racing club stand
Need an engine?
The Yamaha FS1E 'Fizzy' club stand
New Amal carbs...and an extra-large demonstrator model
Yummy Gitane-Testi café lightweight
An interesting Honda special, using a modern CBR250RR watercooled motor
A trio of Isle of Man TT 'Replica' trophies (for riders within 10% of the winning race time) went for £563
Drool-worthy Bianchi DOHC twin (designed by Guissepe Pattoni, who later developed this design as the Paton) and MV Agusta triple racers
'Norton' George's personal flat-tanker...complete with pipe!
Oozing oil and character in equal amounts
Considering a Norton 650SS in the autojumble...
...and a pair of unusual hybrids too.
Possibly the best ever towing outfit for a Scott; color-coordinated Citroen 2CV
If 'so obviously superior', why the distress call?
The SOS intake and exhaust
Have you come to haggle?
Ivan Rhodes brought a lovely Velocette Mk8 KTT with 'Huntley and Palmer' ex-Works cylinder head
Reliving youth (2); HD Sportster...
Triumph engine, Weslake 8-valve cylinder head, racing oufit
The Fox family Wall of Death
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