Final Club Ride Of The Year

[Rocky]

Today (15 October), was the last scheduled club ride for our vintage bike club for 2016. After this it's hit and miss, but any member can put together a ride on their own to extend the season.
We gathered outside of town at the usual meeting place and 25 riders braved the early morning temps of 10C (50F).
Many of the bikes in these pictures look very modern, but most are over 25 years-old which all they need to qualify as vintage.

We headed down the coast and then turned inland towards the Valley town of Windsor and the Spitfire pub for lunch. The air off the Atlantic Ocean was a little bitter and our fingers soon felt the sting, but the temp continued to climb to an astonishing 13C(55F) by early afternoon.
This is a rest stop along the way.

The ride was through glorious forests of fall foliage. This was a large group ride so there was no stopping to take pictures. When we did stop for a butt rest and gas, I was able to get this shot.
The fellow kneeling is changing a spark plug on his BSA.

When we arrived in Windsor the temps had come up and it was quite pleasant, but everyone was glad they had added another layer under their riding gear.
After lunch, and a session of tire kicking and telling lies, we rode home by another route which was also lined with spectacular fall foliage.
Considering how cool it was we were pleased to see so many riders come out for the last kick at the can.
For me it was a loop of 221 km's (138 miles) on my Triumph Bonneville.
I don't expect to be doing much riding after this unless we get some unusually mild days. By the end of October it will probably be all over for me for another year as it usually is.

 

[SarahP]

Rocky, that looks like a wonderful day! Those vintage bikes - wow! I'd like to hear the story on each one of hem. I'd never get anywhere, I'd just want to hear about each bike.

What's the oldest bike in your club, would you say?

 

[Baldeagle]

Rocky,again great pics and a great report,could feel the cold from here!!
I am up early to watch the Moto GP and here in France is single figures centigrade overnight but still going to be maybe 24 c later today.
Hoping to take Andrea for a ride on the America later.

 

[Rocky]

Rocky, that looks like a wonderful day! Those vintage bikes - wow! I'd like to hear the story on each one of hem. I'd never get anywhere, I'd just want to hear about each bike.

What's the oldest bike in your club, would you say?

I think it may be this 1948 British Norton.

These are my own vintage machines; a 1967 British BSA Victor Roadster (red) and a 1970 Triumph Tiger.
Both were restored from the ground up at considerable expense and time, but the satisfaction in being able to reliably ride them soon makes you forget all that effort.
In many ways the bikes are better than new with modern bearings, electronic ignition systems, tires, shocks and other components that don't take away from the vintage look.
With so much invested in these machines we don't beat the life out of them and stick to back roads where 55 mph is about the limit for man and machine.
Compared to modern bikes, they do vibrate and the ride is a bit rough.

These are a few others that are lovingly ridden and maintained.
The beige one is a 1951 British BSA Golden Flash. When I was a teenager I owned a 1952 model just like it.
The silver BSA behind it is a late 60's model. The Triumph is a Hinckley Bonneville.
Mine was black and in 1957 I rode it to Boston and back which in those days was more than 800 miles one way. Quite an epic journey for a youngster of 19.
I could go on and on about these great old machines, but I'll quit now

 

[Rocky]

Update:
I forgot about this 1939 BSA military model that was restored to original specs. It runs great, but we don't see it a lot which is why I forgot about it.
To tell the truth, many of us own multiple bikes so it's hard to keep track of them

 

[Baldeagle]

Rocky,your bikes are stunning and the restoration is a credit to you.

 

[Rocky]

Rocky,your bikes are stunning and the restoration is a credit to you.

Thanks, I appreciate that.
The satisfaction with the finished restorations brings a smile every time we look at them - and we get to ride them!

 

[Qship]

Glad you and your club got that last good ride in. Supposed to be warmer today and though the week, so maybe you can get out a few more times yet.
Great pics BTW(as usual).

 

[SarahP]

Rocky, those bikes are just absolutely gorgeous. I want one of each, please....there's just something about seeing a vintage bike. Bonus points if it's in pristine shape, as yours are. I love your bikes -- you must feel like a proud papa when you see them in the garage or parked outside!

I could see myself falling into that abyss of wanting to have a couple (or more!) of vintage bikes.

Just curious about the guy changing the spark plug on his BSA - you posted a photo of it in the original post. Does he have to do that frequently? Is that a common thing, changing the spark plug mid-ride? I am not up to speed on that at all -- hoping the new bikes don't need that?

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing!

 

[DaveM]

Rocky you had a nice turnout for your last ride of the season, your riding season always seems so short but I suppose it is more the fact that we don't have to stop riding during winter that I notice it your side. I see you had the Honda 360 out with you and I have not seen one of those in a long time.

 

[Rocky]

Rocky, those bikes are just absolutely gorgeous. I want one of each, please....there's just something about seeing a vintage bike. Bonus points if it's in pristine shape, as yours are. I love your bikes -- you must feel like a proud papa when you see them in the garage or parked outside!

I could see myself falling into that abyss of wanting to have a couple (or more!) of vintage bikes.

Just curious about the guy changing the spark plug on his BSA - you posted a photo of it in the original post. Does he have to do that frequently? Is that a common thing, changing the spark plug mid-ride? I am not up to speed on that at all -- hoping the new bikes don't need that?

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing!

I found out at Sunday breakfast this morning that he wasn't actually changing the spark plug, just checking it as he had developed an intermittent skip.
It turned out to be a loose plug wire. The bike is a single cylinder. Once the wire was seated properly all was well.
This is the bike. It's just like mine.
As you can see, the riders are also "vintage"

The old bikes run very well and rarely give us any trouble. Changing a spark plug out on the road is quite rare. Same for modern bikes.
In 25 years of riding thousands of miles, I've never been let down.

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

Brilliant pictures, and report. Love the colours of the trees. What a great way to end your riding for this year with fantastic scenery, mates and good food. It doesn't get much better than that. Pity there's not a car ferry between England and Canada, I'd be there as fast as the ship would take me for some of the rides that you've gone on this year.

 

[Rocky]

Thanks MOT
We are very lucky here to be living so close to the ocean with winding coastal roads and inland lakes, hills and valleys.
Our riding season is relatively short, but we get a lot of satisfaction while it lasts.