There is something that is uniquely stirring about the cough and chatter of a vintage motorcycle firing into life after a winter under the covers. For those who cherish the living history of early bikes, few events embody this spirit more authentically than the Ixion Run, a run hosted by the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club that pays tribute to the early days of British motorcycles, and to one man who played an important part their evolution.
Named after the famed early 20th-century motorcycling journalist “Ixion” (Rev. Basil H. Davies), the Ixion Run celebrates machines built before 1940, with many participants riding bikes that are well over a century old – the oldest in this case being a 1915 350cc belt-driven New Imperial.
Ixion was a rider at heart, however an involvement in journalism stemmed from a need to finance his hobby and sport; his eventual acceptance as a pundit was revealed in his contribution and weekly columns in The Motor Cycle – one of the foremost motorcycling periodicals dating back to 1903, in which he provided a window into the movement. Ixion did this very well, with a detailed knowledge of the industry gained through relationships with those at a grass-root level, and characters that had been involved in the sport from the outset. Ixion was a master of making light of the motorcycle industry in a time of waxed moustaches and starched collars; for the era he had a contemporary style – incisive, self-critical and witty, and these words still entertain 100 years on.
The Ixion Run starts well in advance of the actual event as the motorcycles are dusted down and fettled. My own steed for the day was a 1925 Sunbeam Model 6 – a 500cc side-valve single with a hand-change gearbox, total-loss oiling system, and brakes that are more optimistic than effective. The old girls need love and attention, and so every nut and bolt was checked and cranked up, tyres were pumped (a low pressure on the beaded edge tyres can result in them popping off the rim!), oil topped up, and the spark plug was treated to a scrub.
The Ixion Run starts from St Barnabas Church in Bexhill-on-Sea. This church was where Ixion tended his flock from 1926 until 1940. The Run is a relaxed event that includes a couple of alternative-length routes (30 or 50 miles) around the flatness of Pevensey Levels, a place where Ixion himself satisfied his love for two wheels (albeit by 1926 when he arrived, bikes were more than capable of scaling an incline!).
An impressive selection of old bikes rolled into the Church. The Sunbeams were out in force, and there were Scott’s, Rudge’s, Norton’s, and Ariel’s among others, all beaming with patina and purpose. There were a couple of lovely old three-wheeled contraptions that sauntered into the car-park of the Church, including an 1898 Léon Bollée Voiturette and a 1904 Rover Forecar – both attracting an intrigued crowd. There was the chance for riders to swap stories, share spanners and titivate their machines before event organiser Dan provided the do’s and don’ts for the day.
The line up at the start of the run is quite simply a museum on wheels, and as the riders picked up their helmets post briefing, the motorcycles were blessed by the Revd. Martin Harper. The process of starting one of these machines is a bit of a ritual that develops with time. Tickler pressed, valves primed, ignition retarded… one slow swing, then another, then finally the engine barked into life with a satisfying roar, settling into a slow, purposeful side-valve thud.
As we set off, the roads echoed with the mechanical music of tappets, chains, and exhausts. I am happy to admit that I am rubbish with route examination and normally tag onto the back of someone that looks like they know what they are doing. A word of caution: this does not always work and I have often found myself completely lost with the rider in front of me, oblivious to the fact that they are just as confused as me… still, it’s all part of the fun! I soon found Andy on his 1928 Sunbeam (the same version of mine but three years younger) and off we rode into the Sussex countryside.
The route punches out onto the coastal road headed West, before it winds north in a circular route through villages and farmland, past bemused walkers and waving children. It’s hard to ride a vintage motorcycle without attracting the smiles, waves, and faces of bewilderment. We happened to loose track but eventually re-routed back onto the planned route. What I have found when taking part in vintage motorcycle events, is that many riders seem to wander adrift of the planned route, and so it is comforting that it isn’t just me! By the time we return to the Church, tired and beaming, there’s a shared sense of achievement. Even though the mapped route may have been pencilled over somewhat, the fact that every motorcycle seemed to finish was quite remarkable.
The bike that really hooked and reeled in my attention was this extremely rare 1925 Rover 350 OHV. In 1925, the motorcycle days at Rover were numbered, however they were still in the mix and were in fact quite advanced with the introduction of a 345cc overhead-valve motor. It was a bored-out iteration of a 249cc model that appeared in 1923, but this one was quick. There were not many made by the factory as riders were still somewhat anxious by the alien overhead-valve configuration, and by 1927 Rover motorcycle ceased. This makes this bike a bit of a unicorn, and the chunkiness of the stressed-member engine is quite the statement on this bike.
The “best bike” cup was chosen by the Revd. Martin Harper and was this beauty. It is a sublimely restored Sunbeam Model 9 and a wonderful specimen of the motorcycle that many a boy racer would have wanted in the late 1920s.
The Ixion Run is a celebration of not just machines, but of a way of life that prioritises craftsmanship, mechanical empathy, and a deep connection with those who paved the way for motorcycles as they are today.
Ixion was pivotal in the way the compass swung for motorcycles, and there is no doubt that he will look down on this event each year with an envious grin. In an age of smart-phones, tablets and social media, events like the Ixion Run ground us. They remind us of the origins of motorcycling, when riders were mechanics, engineers, and adventurers all in one. The Sunbeam Motorcycle Club, founded in 1924, understands this, and in particular, Dan and Colin who made this awesome event happen. Cheers lads!
an article by The Girder Club
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