Melange goes forth

Time to open a fourth box of old images of motor cycles and motor cyclists, The original melange includes extensive collections concentrating on American marques and the Great War; Melange 2 is in at least an extremely sloppy chronological order. This page, like Melange the third, is a random agglomeration—like the preceding melange pages it comes courtesy of mon ami Francois who has kindly shared his astonishing archive. So there’s no pattern to the pics you’ll find here, just memories of machines and the people who rode them. Enjoy.

“Paris-Reims-Paris—Péan signs the finish sheet.

Pugeot ace Péan, “fastest lap time on a motorbike in the Laval race”.

Vaclav Panek and his dad aboard a V-twin Walter (a Czech marque established in 1900).

Tilly Shilling on her cammy Norton—she won a race at Brooklands, won a Brooklands Gold Star and helped win the Battle of Britain. You can look her up in 1935.

and now, nine random TT pics. Some have captions that might allow the diligent reader to identify the year but I’m working through a huge backlog of pics and can’t spare the time.

Messrs Taveri, Phillis and Hailwood, all on Hondas.

Jim Redman, Parliament Square, 125 Honda.

“Heiner Fleischmann (NSU) set records and won the Schleizer Dreieckrennen 500cc and 350cc races. The photo shows the 350cc lead, Hamelehle (Norton) ahead, Fleischmann following.” Date unknown.

This Velo’s getting bogged down Down Under.

Ajay’s blown V4 was a potential world beater until the FIM banned blowers…

…the unblown roadster was a brave attempt to keep the V4 dream alive (although in theory buyers could spec a blower in place of the dynamo).

“Motor Cycle stunt team, Thrills and Spills, Bundaberg. Jack Clemence (white overalls)- driver V. Vaschina – on Velocette, Bonnie Archer ;Ted Norgrove; Jim Fowkes; Herman Langbecker (white overalls). Truck is a Bedford from UK, of 2-3 load capacity, circa 1937.”

“Motorcycle rally, New Brighton beach, Christchurch, ca 1920.”

Here’s a cache of Jawa/CZ pics for which, alas, I lack background information...

Firast generation DKW—Das Kleine Wunder.

Gordon Skilton and Ray Larson lead Shorty De Malmanche and Garry Binyon.

Beemers

Bianchis

Benelli

Beezas

Maicos

MZs

Nortons

NSUs

Opel

Hoffmann

ILO

Husqvarna

Nimbus

Triumph

Vincent

Brian Ducker (and unnamed hero hanging off the sidecar).

Colombatto (coureur cycliste italien conduisant la moto d’entraînement) et Bréau.

On the road near Erbendorf, “a historic town located on the southern edge of the Steinwald Nature Park in the Upper Palatinate region of Bavaria.”

Three more snaps from Germany…

Ago, go with his mechanic Vittorio Carra.

Ann-Margret (who lives in my memory for messing about with baked beans in *Tommy*).

“Miss Norman, Red Cross motorcycle ambulance diver, 1914-1919.”

Bialbero corsa 500…followed by seven more bikes best suimmed up as “Phwwoooaaaarrr”.

Dearden Vincent at the factory during preparation for a record attempt.

DKW riders Walfried Winkler and Ewald Kluge.

Giuppone at Dourdan, en route to a 128kmh record.

Giuppone’s equally formidable contemporary, Henri Cissac.

Bill Ivy, flanked my messrs Read and Hailwood.

John Griffiths on his Vincent Grey Flash, built from a box of bits.

Ralph Cawthorn at the TT—he rode in the 1922 and 1923 Senior but DNF.

Lind rode in nine TTs, including three Seniors (1930, 1931, 1932). His best result was 5th place in the 1930 Lightweight on an Ajay.

Bob Dylan (Woodstock, NY, 1964). On the pillion is John Sebastion, who founded the *Lovin’ Spoonful*.

Dennis Hopper and Susan Harrison on the set of *Key Witness* in 1960.

Gordon Skilton/Ray Larson and Shorty De Malmanche/Garry Binyon.

Father Graham Hullet, one-time leader of the 59 Club.

Murray, editor of the awesome electronic Tragatsch (https://ozebook.com/comune/a-to-z-of-motorcycle-marques/) points out that this pic looks better when tilted so the bike’s running on the flat…

“Le Kronprinz à Wieringen”. Wieringen, wikki reveals, is oop north in The Netherlands; I have no idea which Crown Prince is pictured with that Wanderer.

Rudge-powered Monet-Goyon tackles the swervery during a UMF grand prix.

Another Guzzi, in this case an Albatros 250, at the 1949 Sanremo-Ospedaletti; the rider’s name is Raccagni.

Ads

The Narcisse is obscure, but not too obscure for the astonishing ‘electronic Tragatsch’ that you’ll find at https://ozebook.com/comune/a-to-z-of-motorcycle-marques/ but beware, the site is addictive.

My hero. Vic Willoughby aboard the Dreamliner.

A nipper and his Triumph against a rather sweet studio backdrop.

Motor cycle assembly in Russia; the next 15 snaps are also Russian.

WD K-125 Kovrovet—one of oh so many 125s based on the DKW RT125.

Russian squaddie with the good sense to ride a Beemer rather than a Russian copy.

One of the first ‘motobikes’ to be acquirred for New York’s finest. Go gettem boys!

“M “Kuntz, en route vers la victoire dans le Circuit du Moto Club de Marseille.”

Minto Cottage in West Lothian is now a listed building; the Duggie carries Dundee plates.

The Australian Post Office was also known as the Postmaster-General’s Department, hence the PMG on the tanks of the posties’ bikes.

And now, a selection of pics on a Velocette theme…

This example was snapped at the 2012 Aussie national Velo rally in Bundanoon, New South Wales.

Velo guru Ivan Rhodes with one of the great might-have-beens—the Roarer (see 1939 for more details).

Austrian Folge II, 198cc, 6.5hp @ 4,500rpm.

Bert Le Vack and a heroic passenger share a New Hudson 600 at Arpajon.

Müller. Murray’s mindbogglingly wonderful A-Z reveals that Austrian Brunoi Müller made motorbikes in Bologna and Turin from 1950-79 using a range of engines including NSU 125 two-strokes which, I suspect, is what you’re looking at now. Well, not right now because you’re reading this caption, but if you’d care to look at the pic (it’s ok, I’ll wait)…does that look like a 125 two-stroke to you? You’ll find the A-Z at https://ozebook.com/comune/a-to-z-of-motorcycle-marques/ —beware, it’s addictive.

The daddy of them all—yes of course it’s a Werner.

You have to love a Wilkinson. You’ll find a fab roadtest of the Wilkinson TAC in the 1909 features section.

Here’s a fascinating batch (of 16, I just counted) pics from an Austrian race meeting; they look 1950s and they’re well worth close examination. I have no idea where mon ami Francois finds these gems but I’m damned pleased that his did. Viel Spaß!