Golden days at Donington
Added on Monday, January 5th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments
Golden days at Donington
The opening weekend of 2009 saw a healthy turnout of classic bike and car enthusiasts to the Exhibition Centre at Donington Circuit, for Andy Greenwood’s Classic Car and Bike Jumble.
As well as plenty of elusive spares, memorabilia and accessories on show, there were about 30 classic bikes on display, all vying for awards in the concours. Best Bike in Show Award went to Terry Isham from Derbyshire, for his immaculate restoration of a 1963 Ariel Golden Arrow.
The Ariel Arrow was one of the most advanced British machines of the 1950s, with a pressed-steel chassis, carrying the engine from its spine, rather than using a conventional 60s cradle frame. Sadly the Arrow’s Villiers engine was no match for the rapid Suzuki and Yamaha bikes which arrived on the scene in the mid 1960s, but the Ariel remains a handsome footnote in the history of lightweight British commuter bikes.
” I bought the bike off e-bay just 12 months ago.” said Terry, who then had the bike shipped over from Alicante in Spain, and spent many hours in the shed working on it. The result is a Golden Arrow that looks better than it might have done coming off the `63 production line.
” This bike was the very first machine that I owned back in the 60s, so I guess I have gone back to my biking roots. I have spent up to five years restoring a bike, but this one didn’t need too much doing. I am chuffed to bits to receive the Best In Show award!”
Other classic bikes at Donington which caught insidebikes’ eye included a cool Manx Norton 350 cafe racer, owned by Malc Potter, Colin Lowther’s rare Royal Enfield Olympic 250, a stunning Rickman Metisse off-roader and an export-spec Triumph T120R, but fitted with the single seat and flat `bars that a typical 60s Brit rider might have added.
Hats off to local Father and Son enthusiasts Norman and Dave Rogers, who arrived in sub-zero conditions on a Norton Dominator 99 and Dot trials bike, swapping their machines for the chilly ride home. Both Norman and Dave received Highly Commended awards.
” I take it steady on the little Dot,” said Dave, ” and because I only passed my motorcycle test three years ago I am always having to remember about right-foot gearchanges and watching for things going wrong on these older machines. But it is great fun and I reckon all classic bikes should be ridden and enjoyed.”
The next Greenwoods show is at Malvern in February, more details at; www.classicshows.org
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