Classic Bike Guide – October 2018

AS YOU MAY well do, I scout the
classifieds, checking those small ads for
the chance of finding that perfect bike
before anyone else gets the chance; it
tickles my ageing fancy. I also check the
dealer ads, I check the auctions and even
the scary world of eBay. For what? Well, to
be frank, I’m not quite sure. Something
shiny, something different: something else.
Currently I have a hankering for a
Triumph pre-unit twin, after giving my
Trident or Rocket 3 fantasy a rest to the
behest of my bank account. I did enquire
about the value of my organs, but a
misspent youth put paid to that…
My original plan last year was simple.
Buy a bike that could sum up British
classic motorcycling in one. So start with
a single, spend some time with it and
then cast it aside for a unit twin. I then
intended to upgrade to a pre-unit twin,
eventually ending with a triple. Then back
to wherever I felt happiest and stick with it.
Made sense to me.
A B31 came up with good history.
Pretty little thing, if somewhat mundane
and slightly rough around the edges,
so it suited me fine. Old enough to be
pre-unit, magneto-equipped and manual
timing; but reliable enough for me to be
reasonably confident I would not only get
to where I was going, but return also. It
was also clearly not standard with its alloy
mudguards so just like mud they should
deflect the rivet counters. They don’t
seem to bother with mere everyday bikes,
anyway. A deal was struck.
My insurance renewal turned up last
month, signifying one year’s ownership.
3241 miles, three breakdowns (all fixed
at the side of the road), two oil changes,
two tyres, one carb gasket, four pillions –
two of which have since bought classics,
countless off-road forays, dozens of bike
meets, two hill climbs, one dirt track race
and one Motogymkhana round. Who needs
a Goldstar or a Vincent?