> POSTED: 10/04/19 9:43

The Pioneer Run – The World’s Greatest Veteran Motor Cycle Run

Club President, Jerry Lane recently took part in the iconic ‘Pioneer Run’, which is organised by The Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club and was celebrating the 80th year of the run from London to Brighton. To take part in the Pioneer Run you have to have a motorcycle, tricycle, or bike and sidecar that 'left the factory' before 1st Jan 1915, and your claim to have one has to be verified by the Club experts, who will issue you with a registration certificate. More than 370 entrants take part in the event which runs in March each year.

This year Jerry entered on his 1913 Indian, V-Twin 1000cc machine, which he first clapped eyes on in Tasmania – here’s the story…

‘I’d heard that a fellow was looking for a part for a project he was working on, he got in touch with me and we spent a long time talking on the phone and I had exactly what he was looking for, we got on really well and I decided I would take the part to him, I found out he actually lived in Tasmania, so off I went with the frame over my shoulder' (who wouldn’t, right?!). When he got there they realised it wasn’t the right frame after all. Jerry was still glad he made the trip, he had a great time with the guy who obviously had the same passion for bikes as himself. They kept in touch and years later the man moved to Ireland and Jerry ended up buying the Indian, which he’d spotted on his trip, it was a half finished project at the time. Jerry told us that he has had 8 years of head scratching to get it going and looking like it does today.

This huge museum-for-a-day gives a fascinating insight into the very early history of the motorbike, as it evolved from the bicycle. It's very easy to see that transition, since some of these early specimens are little more than a bicycle with some sort of motor strapped on.

The bikes have a staggered start from Tattenham Corner, Epsom heading south through Surrey and into Sussex to finish at Madeira Drive in Brighton, Jerry said he only jumped two sets of lights en-route because he couldn’t stop the damn thing. Well done Jerry.

> POSTED: 24/03/19 19:11

Seymours bathed in sunshine for round 2 of the Club Championship

Round 2 of the Club Championship was held at Seymours this weekend which was really well supported across the classes, we had a fair few experts riding who stopped over on their way back from the British Trials Championship at Hookwoods on the Saturday.

A big thank you to all of the observers, although it was really pleasant standing out in the spring sunshine, we're still really grateful to you. Thanks to Sue for getting everyone signed on and the results out and up on Facebook sharpish as usual. We've got a rest now for a couple of months, the next Club Trial being the two-day summer one, which is held on the 22nd and 23rd June at Besselsleigh, so we hope to see you all there. The Practice evenings at Seymours are due to start in May, we'll put dates up on here and post on Facebook soon.

Thanks to Leah Robinson for the pictures, you will find more on her Facebook page. Gazza was also there so you will find his pictures on his Sliders Photography site, click the links below.