F
Frantic
Guest
The other day, decided to take a diversion on my way back from Albany to home (West Australia) I went to a local scenic outlook and was enjoying the view and the solitude when I heard a thump, thump, thump coming up the road. Around the bend came an obviously old motor bike and as it came closer I saw to my amazement that it was a 1932 Ariel! the one with the gear lever on the petrol tank. I had a good chinwag with the owner as I used to have (among others) an Ariel 'Red Hunter' and a 'Square Four'. The bike that he was riding was the same model as my father's first bike and I was overcome with nostalgia. The smell, the sound, the cameraderie on a lonely beach half a world away from Brum.
We talked for an hour about the old British bikes, rubished the new ones (even if they are three times faster) then he got on his beautiful bike and road off into the sunset and I got into my American car and drove home
My transport list
BSA 150cc 'bantam'
AJS 250cc
Royal Enfield 350cc 'Bullet'
Ariel 500cc 'Red Hunter'
Ariel 1000cc 'Square Four'
Triumph 650cc 'Tiger 110'
Triumph 650cc 'Bonneville' (during the Mods & Rockers wars)
Reliant 3 wheeler convertable (side valve)
Austin 'Somerset'
Sunbeam 'Talbot'
Austin A35 van (Honeymoonmobile)
Ford Consul convertible.
I won't list the post U.K. vehicles. Too many and not the same character.
We talked for an hour about the old British bikes, rubished the new ones (even if they are three times faster) then he got on his beautiful bike and road off into the sunset and I got into my American car and drove home
My transport list
BSA 150cc 'bantam'
AJS 250cc
Royal Enfield 350cc 'Bullet'
Ariel 500cc 'Red Hunter'
Ariel 1000cc 'Square Four'
Triumph 650cc 'Tiger 110'
Triumph 650cc 'Bonneville' (during the Mods & Rockers wars)
Reliant 3 wheeler convertable (side valve)
Austin 'Somerset'
Sunbeam 'Talbot'
Austin A35 van (Honeymoonmobile)
Ford Consul convertible.
I won't list the post U.K. vehicles. Too many and not the same character.
