Easter Monday, Rench and I went to the
Red Marley Hill Climb to check out the Class 1 pre-1950 rigid bikes, swap the chocolate fueled kids' screams for some Ethanol fueled engine screams and scope the competition with a view to compete next year (it's possible, unless you have certified chronic vertigo, the majority of Class 1 riders are over 50 and mildly tubby). The oldest rider of the day was 75 and must have more balls than Wimbledon.
The slope gets to about 1 : 1.5 at the top just after the 'pimple' - a little dirt jump they dig into it.
1949 Jap 500 ridden by 68yr old Gerald Llewelyn
1949 Triumph Trophybird 650 ridden by 71yr old Roger Gagg
Malcolm Russell (42) came first in Class 1 (24.91s) for the second year running on this 1929 Ariel 500 Red Hunter, the oldest bike racing.
Not-quite-total-loss oil system
Ethanol conversion, one of the few modifications
1949 Norton Jap 500 ridden by 72yr old Dave Faulkner, not sure if it's technically a rigid but if I was 72 and someone questioned my legitimacy then I'd karate chop their jugular.
1948 Matchless 500 ridden by 66yr old Andy Smith
1939 BSA 410
Classes 2 & 3 were both pre-1971, under and over 350cc respectively.
Metisse bodyworks EVERYWHERE
Leigh Owen won Class 3 (20.02s) and got the fastest time of the day (19.78s) in the all-comers race on this blue 1969 Cyril Jones Jawa 500.
The car park was no Yokohama but there were a couple of vincents:
And a typically British trike:
