Manky Monkey Motors

At the Bath & West Showground at Shepton Mallet.

http://www.classicbikeshows.com/showindex.asp?showcode=BCM11

I used to go to that every year, made a nice rideout from here - think if I do the next one I'll be in the car though!

Bobcat is booked to be on the Panther stand  :D if she survives the Dragon the week before  :-\ :-\ :-\

Sat dawned all too early, but was fortunate to have buddy dslam drive myself and chum Colin to the show from sunny Woking.
We could have timed it a bit better as sat in a queue to get into the grounds for around 20 mins (seems a popular event), still, we paid our dues, and did the rounds of the outside jumble (not too bad, some interstin bits of old n new scattered about) and then wandered into the first of many halls (the event was at the Bath & West Showground, so the halls are kinda like big barns, still, keeps ya dry should the Feb weather decide to do its stuff), first one filled with jumble-type stalls, second one ditto..........

We then found a further three halls filled with bikes from various clubs, loads to see, but loads of punters too, and to be honest, maybe a bit too busy (guess that's what you get if you go something popular - doh!).

Saw the Panther stand (don't know if Shaun made it), and bumped into some chums from the NSA (National Sprint Association) on their display.
The NHCA (National Hillclimb Association) had their stand with some intersting bikes (the XT500 in the pic being one, along with a mono-shocked T140 that looked pretty trick, but couldn't get a clear pic as folk around it all the time - ho hum).


In a way, I reckon there were maybe too many bikes to see (is that possible I hear you ask), well when its so busy that you have to jostle about most of the time, it kinda takes the edge of things.

I took some snaps of things I thought were intersting and I could get to, so have a look see.

This pic - Triumph engine anyone?

Difazio Hub Steering Trident - nice foreground shot of the chair eh!!  ::)

This is a NorBSA - for those not into the old two wheelers, it was quite common for owners to mix frame and engine (and gearbox) to get the bike they wanted, this has a Norton Featherbed frame (considered the best handling frame of its era), with a BSA 650 engine.

The colour in real life hasn't faithfully made it to the camera, this red was gorgeous.....

The Vintage Japanese Club had these three Kawasaki triples (each bike is a three cyclinder two-stroke) on its stand.

One of the many club displays, this has a Scott in the foreground with an Indian Scout just behind it.

This shot shoes a couple of Douglas (don't know the plural) used in sprinting on the NSA stand.

The far bike belongs to the elderly gentleman on the right by the name of Henry Body (talking to Dave Massam). Anyone who has seen this bike in action will tell you how amazingly fast it is........ slow it most certainly ain't!!

Henry has also just won an award from the VMCC Sprint Section.

NSA - http://www.sprinting.org.uk/

VMCC Sprint Section - http://vmccsprint.co.uk/vintage_classic_modern_motorcycle_sprint_racing/Welcome.html

I quite liked this XT500, single cylinder Yamaha thumper from around mid the '70s, (had a couple of SR500s over the years)

The bike has been nicely tricked to do the hillclimbs with the NHCA.
Lots of subtle detailing.

NHCA - http://www.nhca.co.uk/

I'd love to take the Norbsa home.
Nice pics as always Tony.

Back to the sprinting (nothing new there then!).

This is a blown BSA.... quite unusual in that most of the twin-cylinder bikes that were blown, or heavily tuned, were Triumphs along some Nortons.
There were some BSAs, but not many, so this is a bit of a rarity.

The front end is relatively modern (I think its a Honda disc).

There are a couple more shots which show how the top tubes of the frame were aligned so the offset of the final drive / wheel / sprockets could all be incorporated.

There's also a transfer shaft, so a short final-drive chain comes off the gearbox sprocket to a transfer sprocket on the transfer shaft, and an additional sprocket on the transfer shaft then takes the second 'primary' chain to the rear wheel. (easy huh!!  ::))

One of the issues in building these machines is that a fairly wide rear tyre is needed (esp compared to the standard road tyres from the 50s & 60s), but there isn't always enough clearance between the tyre and the chain.

The top frame tubes, note the offset.

... and here's that auxillary shaft / sprocket set up......

'Twas a bit on the busy side, so much so that I barely had time to have a quick wander round myself.
I did bump into Chevy Rick and JJ and had a natter.

I was helping out on the MAG stand, well helping may be the wrong word as every time I was on the stand people walked away D'oh!

Did look much busier than past years.

Saw the MAG stand, and no I didn't walk the other way!!   :D

It was busy tho.....   Remember being at the showground for the 1st South West Custom and Classic Show ('85 ish?)

Also remmember going to the MAG 10th anniversary bash at Cricket St Thomas many moons ago.................

The 'posh' hall (not looking as busy the other halls)

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What a great day it turned out to be, JJ and I left home at 7.30 in heavy rain, this kept up until we got to Shaftsbury from then on the weather improved, we got into the show ground a while before the general public were let in, so had a good look round the jumble sections with ease, once the gates opened it was a different story sun was out but not good for taking photo's to many bodies getting in the way still I tried. As we entered the main hall we met up with Doc ( Twisted Patience ) for those who have not met him, then later visited him and his pals on the Mag stall where they were promoting a new plastic non-slip manhole cover, hoping with a signed petition to bring attention to councils to replace the old cast iron covers with this new product, a long shot perhaps but at least Mag are trying to bring safety first. Lots of nice machines on show and looking at your photo's Tony, mine are allmost shot for shot we must have been unknowingly hot on your tail. Our day was great right untill the end, Alfie had walked round with us first thing till the crowds arrived, then he dug his heels in (i've had enough of bikes was his attitude) so we went back to the car and all had a drink and left him there, went back to him through the day and he had a walk without a lead no problems, last thing when we are ready for the off he is at the back of the car having a strech, I go to give him a chew telling him he is a good boy, gone in 60 seconds, I went the length of the  show ground all round the food outlets still no sign went back to the car as in the panic left it unlocked then a phone call, have you lost a white dog he is being held on the grasstrack stand, at the same time JJ was looking and had a call put over the tanoy with show ground staff looking for him, reunited with Alfie and lots of thanks to those people who held on to him all's well that ends well.

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I look as "Mad as a box of frogs", no wonder the stand was empty most of the time I was there hehe!

Maybe that accounts for the big empty space next to the MAG stand - no-one wants to catch whatever it is!

Glad you were reunited with Alfie Rick. Know how much he means to you guys. Bet he'll be staying on the lead for a while!

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I look as "Mad as a box of frogs", no wonder the stand was empty most of the time I was there hehe!

Ian you are...................I shall say no more  ;D ;D ;D ;D

Thanks little brother ;D

Rick - bet there was one big sigh of relief once you'd found Alfie.... phew!

The yellow bike with the unusual fairing is Yellow Peril, one of I think 3 "perils" that belonged to the late Bill Bragg.
I know the guy that owns them (he'd had them on display at the Beaulieu Museum), and was a bit surprised to see they going to be auctioned off.

'found' another shot..... this is Henry's Douglas in 'stationary' mode

I used to go to this show every year as it's not that far from here and always a good day out with lots of people you haven't seen for ages to bump into - but haven't made it for a few years now due to one thing and another - this time it was work.......

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Hi new to this site although I have visited many times, I read with interest your thread and thought this may be of interest.

Hello Dodger, welcome to the site.

Yep, that’s the Triumph that folk were hanging around on the NHCA stand.
From what I could see on Saturday, the monshock end looked pretty interesting.
Must admit your pic shows the front looks pretty ‘business like’ too!!  ;)

Do I like it? Yes indeeeedy............

That photo was taken a couple of years ago before it had a 2 into 1 exhaust system fitted, got lots of photos and information on her but then she is my bike. ;D

Beautiful.