The Vintage Motorcycle Club’s Banbury Run is renowned as a top event in the old bike calendar. It dates back to 1949 when it was known as the Birmingham-Banbury Reliability Run. At this point in time, the 80-or-so riders would start their motors at the Wagon & Horses in Sheldon, Birmingham, and put their machines through the paces on a 42-mile route that met the chequered flag in Banbury. The fabric of the run has transformed over the years, but the foundations remain the same, and the event now attracts old veteran and vintage motorcycles in their hundreds, that ride out from the British Motor Museum at Gaydon and make their way to and from Banbury through the Warwickshire and Oxfordshire countryside. This is a low down on the 2024 event.
As the sun lifted over the British Motor Museum, the day rolled into action and pieces of treasure began to tip out of vans and into the auto-jumble, which featured some remarkable motorcycles, parts and automobilia including an untouched 1928 Raleigh Model 21 deluxe which was last on the road in 1939 and settled for a little over £5k – a bargain bike for someone.
The club stands were set up to showcase prides of the marque. The Brough Superior Club were present in full force with some outstanding SS80 and SS100s, and the Sunbeam and Norton clubs (to name but a few) displayed a selection of their machines from the golden years. Bonhams showcased some lovely motorcycles due up in the next auction, including an ultra-rare and uncommon 1913 Wilkinson – a laid back cruiser with quite possibly the most comfortable looking motorcycle seat ever!
There was a breath taking mix of motorcycles running the event this year, and in total there were over 300 bikes and riders taking part. There are too many to showcase in this article, but here are a few beauties that were snapped at the event.
The Norton Model 18 has a reputation for being a dangerously quick vintage bike. It was a motorcycle that could be used as an off-the-shelf racer by amateur racers at the local grass tracks scene, but was also a quick competitor on the track, and in 1924 the overhead-valve Norton really showed its muscle when Alec Bennett won the Senior TT on a Model 18 race bike with an average speed of 61.64 mph. There were a few Model 18s at Banbury, and here are a couple that we managed to shoot. The first is a 1925 model, and the second a 1928 with a tidy looking tank, owned by Mike Jones.
The motorcycle pictured below really attracted an interested crowd, mainly due to the fact that it is completely unique. It is called a Shaw, and is original one-off prototype built from an Austin 7 motor, gearbox and crankshaft, and all mounted in a 1925 double loop ABC spring frame. The machine is owned by Barrie Fairfield who had to bat of a lot of questions from the inquisitive onlookers.
The Triumph Ricardo a.k.a the ‘Riccy’ took its name from the engine designer Sir Harry Ricardo and featured an advanced and innovative overhead four valve design, fitted over a 499cc single cylinder. It is worth noting that many motorcycle manufacturers at the time that the Ricardo was released were still getting their heads around the OHV concept, so Triumph were pushing ahead of the game and the Ricardo was a step forward and a positive move from the the ‘old-fashioned’ side-valvers. This 1927 Triumph Ricardo was bursting with character, having been rescued from a wood shed and put back on the road while retaining its scars from over the years. It was ridden at the event by David Kendall.
Sammy Miller was present with some of his bikes from the museum, including this 1925 Grindlay Peerless 1000cc V-Twin. The engine is one built by Barr and Stroud, and is what is termed a sleeve-valve motor – a type of four-stroke engine which was popular in the 1920s and frequently used to power early aircraft.
This is a 1913 Lincoln Elk Model C 499cc 3.5hp (or 4.5hp depending on which period brochure you read), ridden by Phil Meggett. It was repatriated into Lincoln, England from New Zealand some time ago, where some of it was found under a garden shed, and subsequently restored over a three year period. This is Phil under interview in the assembly area, explaining the intricacies and oddities of the machine.
The tyres on this beautiful old 1919 Sunbeam combo really set it apart. It had all the mod-cons, including leg shields, acetylene lighting and Klaxon horn – what more could you want on a gentleman’s mount!
This Raleigh Model 26 SS was recently rescued from a sorry state, having been found by gardeners when they were strimming back the undergrowth at the bottom of a garden. It had been on its side for many years and was completely buried in the dense undergrowth, so needed a bit of work to say the least! It was saved from the scrap heap, and impeccably restored by Mike Tizzard. Watch out for a further feature on this motorcycle on The Girder Club.
Whenever any talks about AJS, it is normally about their iconic overhead-valve Big Port… however their 350 side-valve models were great little bikes, and quite possibly the most important motorcycle created by the Stevens brothers. In 1914, the prototype 350 side-valve was wheeled out of the AJS workshop. It was an advanced machine for the time, with a four-speed gearbox and chain final drive. The test of all tests would be the Isle of Man TT, and that year, the AJS won first, second, fourth and sixth places in the Junior race. The 350 side-valve set the ball rolling for AJS, and it continued to be a staple of the line up for many years. This is a later 1927 H4 model that was seen at the event.
The Scott’s were out in full force at this year’s event, and this was the first time for this 1927 596cc 3 speed Super Squirrel.
The 350cc overhead camshaft (OHC) Velocette KTT was born out of the vibrant and competitive racing scene of the 1920s, as mechanical innovation really started to develop and test the boundaries of the sport. This rather special KTT was raced in the 1930 Manx Junior GP by Earnest Foreman who finished in a very respectable 7th position.
There were a number of Rudge Multi motorcycles at the Banbury Run this year, from early models to the later ones, such as this 1921 ridden by Peter Welch. At this point in its development, the Multi was an extremely popular bike, and manufacturing was readjusted to cater for the civilian demand. In 1921, the factory was churning out 30 machines on average a day, and notable British racers such as Bob Dicker and Bill Lacy kept the Rudge name in the headlines with successes at the Brooklands Circuit and other race meets.
It is amazing how much pleasure old bikes can bring, and the owner of this scooter was beaming from ear to ear as he stood on the footboards, held on for dear life, and accelerated into the abyss. The quirky machine is a 1921 Kenilworth stand-up scooter (the later versions were fitted with a seat), ridden by Martin Taylor. It was purchased for the princely sum of £2 by his grandad, which included the cost of delivery!
This 1920 998cc Indian Powerplus stood out from the crowd. The American giant stood tall and oozed charm. It featured the perfect balance – originality, but functionality, starting first kick.
There was an outstanding display of motorcycles in the assembly area (unfortunately far too many to list here), and then the action started as riders wheeled their mounts around to the start line and formed an orderly queue. There was a mix of excitement and anxiety amongst the riders, with some bikes firing up like clockwork, and others firing back and requiring a bit more persuasion.
The motors roared, and smoke filled the air, as bikes of all shapes and sizes were kicked into life and punched out of the museum with the wave of a flag – expertly waved by VMCC president Neil Lewis. There were a variety of timed and untimed routes to cater for the age and ability of each machine.
Vintage motorcycling however, is without its set backs and challenges. It is never a simple game, and there were breakdowns, punctures and some wobbly moments, but that’s what makes this sport all the more exciting. Chris Boakes was riding his spectacular AJS V-Twin at the event, with Maria Coombes (south East area rep for the BSA Bantam Owners Club at only 28 years old) on the pillion, and provides an excellent insight into the trials and tribulations of the game:
“After fuelling and oiling, cleaning the plugs and wiping over with Duck Oil, the AJS started first kick upon emerging from the van. But on the start line…. bearing in mind we were number 319 out of 320 entrants and last to leave, it became clear after some frantic kicking and no sign of life the throttle cable had broken at the handlebar! This was of course all relayed over the tannoy, the announcer having nothing else to commentate on by now, so my progress back to the van to fetch Duct tape and Mole grips was eagerly watched by the remaining spectators. A makeshift throttle was hastily bodged and eventually got us on our uncertain and wobbly way, to the applause of the crowd, with erratic throttle control and a very fast tick over. After several ‘u’ turns in the road through the tulip map being unclear, we had to stop a couple of times to adjust the tension of the tape to give us a usable tick over and just enough throttle pull for 35 mph… not easy to estimate as the speedo needle had now fallen off inside the glass! Progress was further hindered as the gearbox now wouldn’t reliably stay in top without jumping out so with the only hand I had to hold the bars I was now holding the gear lever. But despite everything we made steady progress and completed the long 65 mile course and were about 200th home. A memory we certainly won’t forget!!!”
The bikes sauntered back into the paddocks throughout the day, having endured the trials and tribulations of the fearsome Sunrising Hill. With its 16% gradient, this is a challenge for many of the older bikes, some of which are single-speed with belt drive, needing pedal assistance (or a push) on hills this steep (the Blood Bikers were on hand to assist with any motorcycles requiring a nudge).
There were of course parts to fix, bits to tweak, and some tired faces, but all in all, the majority returned with a grin, which is what riding old bikes will do to you (most of the time!).
An event like this would not run without the volunteers, marshals and the VMCC tribe – a huge thanks for the invite to the day and for putting on a great event. Next year marks the 75th anniversary of the Banbury Run – this will be one to look forward to!
an article by The Girder Club
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