Manky Monkey Motors

Sunday 21st August, and Wroughton airfield was alive to the sounds and smells of twin-lane motorcycle sprinting at an event run by The Sprint Section of the Vintage Motorcycle Club.

Drag racing is modern by comparison, but very similar, and although the event was organised by the Vintage folk (there's joke in there somewhere!), modern bikes are also invited, so amongst the whitworth and Castrol R, where synthetically-oiled 4-pot rocket ships, and the diversity didn't stop there, juniors were competing too, so at a guess, and age range of around 70 years.

I've put a few pics on the site to give an idea of what goes on, some of the older Mankies may well hit a nostalgia trip...... and I'll attempt to give a little explanation of the bikes for younger peeps.

Interestingly enough, the bikes aren't all ridden by the cloth-cap brigade either, on of the 1930's Douglas' is campaigned by a lad of 18, and there was a father & son pairing with their own Triumphs.


One thing that stood out at this particular meeting was the first-time attendance of a chap that that was, how shall we say, 'unique' ?? He gained so much admiration from the established riders....... why? because Talon is a paraplegic, and has obtained an ACU competition licence for  Sprint/Drag/Hillclimb.
With the help of some good friends, and an adapted bike and willpower, he blasts of down the ¼ mile....
The bike's warmed up on a rear paddock stand, his buds assist him on, fix his feet to the pegs and Velcro his legs to the tank. He then operates the throttle and front brake as normal, gear change is push button (air-shift I think), rear brake is handlebar mounted, and there are two stabilisers that are handlebar operated should he need to stop without the catch crew......
The crew take the bike off the paddock stand and 'stage' it, with one guy holding the tail piece, lights go green, he blasts off.... turns around at the end and comes back and is captured by the guys who hold the fairing whilst the bike get back on the paddock stand (for stability), and then assist Talon back into his wheel chair.
Cool huh!!!!

Check his website out, as Talon runs a charity to help other paraplegic riders ride a solo machine again................. now if that's not inspirational......... Remember the name - Talan Skeels-Piggins

http://web.me.com/tskeelspiggins/Disabled_Motorcycling/Charity_Info.html


Photo -1000cc supercharged Vincent outfit called Methamon

Tech inspection. Stretched Suzuki 'Busa and 1930's Douglas

General paddock shot, pair of Triumphs

When one engine isn't enough...... oh, and lets add a blower as well, and run it on exotic fuel  ;D

The engines are Triumph. Back in the day before Japanese fours, the way to get more cubes was to add another engine. This is the type of machine seen at the UK drags in the late 60's and early to mid 70's.

Three wheelers came along too. A couple of Morgans and a mini-based machine.

Stretched stroker (two stroke). Lotsa nosie and needs to be kept in the power band. Note the wheelie bars

Triumph T160 usually 750cc, this one's a 1000, and a V-twin Suzuki 1000 with giggle-gas (Nox) and airshift gear change.

Keith's GSXR which he also hillclimbs

Now this is what I call fuel!!!!

Non of yer octane booster here  ;D

This how burnouts used to happen, find something that doesn't move (the brake/tyre combo simply wouldn't hold it), and get that tyre warm.

You don't need big bucks to have days racing, this is an MZ, and the bike in the background is a Honda RS250

This is fellow Manky Dslam with his 500 beautifully prepared Triumph, against one of the luverlee Morgans.

It had just had a top end rebuild, and he 'ran it in' in the garage at home and paddock before giving it full beans

This is Talon getting set up for a run.

Note the stabilisers currently in the down poistion, these are raised before the run.

Talon again, ready for the green light.

and the blast down the 1/4 !!

Reverse head, 8-valve (normally 4 valve, as its a twin cyclinder), supercharged Triumph, beautifully preppared and ridden hard

The blue Hagon framed Triumph again just setting off. Don't know if the photo shows it, but there's a 'mist' just in front of the engine, this is excess fuel vapour coming out of the supercharger's blow-off valve.

The V-twin soozi warming the rear tyre

Chris's Booth Matchless with outfit (running naughty fuel!!) spinning the rear tyre

Burn-outs are GOOOOOOD!!!!!

The highlight of the meeting as far as I was concerned (yeah I know, I'm kinda sad....)

Nitro burning blown Triumphs, both on song giving it large and only about 10 feet away........... and I was downwind too............ them fumes is nice.....  ;D   ;D   ;D   ;D

JAP-powered special (same engine as some morgans) smokin' a bit more than it should, but rekon it was just keen to get down the track.

Wonderful photos as always Tony. Looks like a fun meet!
Mr Talon's an inspiration to those of us who whinge & say I'd have a go at that if only ... What a fantastic example of the human spirit.
Oh & that blown Vinnie in the first pic's simply beautiful.