25th Anniversary
A lever-arch style booklet was compiled by Dennis Bates and Fred Green with help from others - see Fred's introductory letter in point 1 below and also Dennis Bates comments here - as a written and photographic record of the first 25 years of The Club. It was not "electronic" - but reprinted photos (remember that photos were all wet film then, no such things as "Digital Zoom" and SD cards!) and it must have been a MAMMOTH task - for those of you not lucky enough to have one of the original books, the pages have been scanned in "batches" in this section. Scanning it all in one file would have been too massive, so it is done in sections as noted below. Please note these pdf pages will open in a new page.
1. The booklet was handed out at the run of 16-18 September 1988, at Fowler Down, Okehampton, Devon. The then Chairman, Fred Green, penned a short introduction which can be read here.
2. Next in line was a short note by Bert Perrigo. Read it here.
3. The 1st five years of the history of The Club - 1963-1967. There are no known photos of the first ever run but it becomes obvious how quickly The Club expanded in terms of numbers of attendees. Corkers, Goggles, Tall Windshields and Storm Coats seem to be the order of the day(s). Even the occasional flat cap is in sight. Motorcycle boots are the exception rather than the rule. Note the Honda Black Bomber that shows the Japanese are on their way - the April 1966 run. Some of you will be interested to know the motorcycle that Bert Greeves is on, in the photo of 25/27 October (901 JOO), is still on the road! Well, still registered as a 246cc Greeves anyway. Also, Peter Goodman's bike, 110 JOP is still registered - as a 192cc Velocette. (Vogues were classed as 200cc). The Velocette of Bertie Goodman's photographed on 18 April 1964, reg 8 KOB, is still registered as a Velocette. October 1965 and Bertie Goodmans 498cc Velocette 163 KOJ is still registered - as is the 648cc Triumph DAC 465C next to Bertie - the one with the sidecar. The April 1966 photo (with Doug Hele) has a number plate just showing in the photo - FOE 588D and this is still registered; as a BSA 250 registered on 2 February 1966. (This info correct as of October 2012). To get this hit of nostalgia click here.
4. The next 5 years, 1968-1972 - and still not a full-face helmet in sight. British manufactured motorcycles are still the majority. The Photo of April 1969 shows a number plate WYE 356 which is still registered; shown as a 1000cc Ariel registered on 8 July 1959. The October 69 run shows a pair of BSA's which are still on the road - ROJ 897G (650cc) and SOK 370H (250cc). There's a Triumph 750 (Trident by the look of it) in the photo of the April 71 run, ANX 456J which is also still registered. Read it here.
5. The 3rd section covers years 1973-1977. A full-face helmet - April 1976 - appears and Japanese 4-cylinders are becoming predominant but with strange-looking - to our eyes today - after-market fairings. The words by the photo for April 1976 run says "mostly British display" but of the 12 bikes in the photo, 7 are definitely Japanese. Click here to read this section.
6. 1978-1982. The first colour photos appear. Open faced helmets are still the norm, but motorcycle clothing is now moving, universally, to more modern styling. Not a storm coat in sight! Peter Sheen proves to The Club he owns his own village (April 1980) and Japanese makes are now in the majority - but still the occasional Triumph and the "odd oddity" such as Morini (Remember how they used the same cylinder head front and rear?). Dennis Bates shows how he needs crutches. There is a Suzuki 400 (WGN 595R) shown in the April 1980 (SHEEN) photo, & is still registered today. The Kawasaki 650-4, reg NLD117V, shown in the photo waiting for the Ferry in Portsmouth, October 1980, is also still registered. The Honda 900 in the same photo - PWX711W - is not only still registered but must have been brand new on the run, as it was registered on the 1st October 1980 - the Club Run Friday was the 3rd October..Click here to see the pictures.
7. 1983 and 1984. 1984 shows Big Brother is around with 22 photos for the 21st Anniversary run , 27-29th April 1984 at the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel. Note such bikes as the Norton Rotary, Flat Twin Douglas (With Jeff Clew on it, Reg NHT669 and still registered today), Nick Jeffery on a 350 Velocette (FTR 758 - still registered today), Honda's amazing 1000cc Six - the CBX - and a BMW K75. Notice a young Norman Hyde sans beard (8 October 1983), John Surtees, Keith Blair with a dark beard and some friends no longer with us - Doug Mitchenall, Peter Agg and Hugh Palin to name a few. Bill Smith without his trousers on is a sight for sore eyes; but he's also there again with his pipe on the go. Click here for those memories. (Lower resolution than normal because of the size of the file)
8. 1985-1987 - all photos are in colour now. A mixture of new and old bikes. A brace of Norton Rotaries on one run. A young-looking Bob Mac and a slim David Martin. A BMW with sidecar. The October 1987 run says that Derek Norton's car is an Aston Martin but it is actually a Lotus Excel. Those in the know will be aware that Lotus is an acronym for "Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious" but in the case of this particular club run not so serious. Talking of acronyms - did you know Triumph has two possibilities? "This Really Is Unreliable Man, Please Help" and/or "Tried Repairing It Until My Parts Hurt". Jeff Clews 1947 BSA is still registered. Click here for this section of the booklet.
9. Last but not least a small section entitled "Members Miscellany". It is reprinted here.