Eastbourne's Classic Bike run.

[Sir Limpsalot]

Every June Eastbourne hosts a classic bike event. It's a fund raiser and a good day. All the entrants gather on the seafront before setting out on a ride through the Sussex countryside.

The day started a bit overcast which robbed the light and made photography tricky.

Some of my favourites were..

A Honda CB400F.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics007.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics008.jpg

A gorgeous Laverda 750SF, belonging to my friend Keith.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics009.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics010.jpg

A well presented T150. With "ray gun" silencers.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics006.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics012.jpg

A very original Thunderbird, with period cases.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics021.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics023.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics022.jpg

An early International. With megaphone silencer!

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics016.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics017.jpg

The inevitable "Goldie".

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics013.jpg

A Vincent or two always show up at these type of events. Hooray.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics020.jpg

My old Dad never saw a Velocete he didn't like. He'd have liked this MAC.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics032.jpg

A nice little Morini. Looks to have Japanese brakes though!

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics034.jpg

Low, long and light single from Moto-Guzzi.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics035.jpg

A pre-war British riders dream bike.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics029.jpg

A pre-war American riders dream bike.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics030.jpg

A "Star twin" from BSA. There were loads of BSA's here today. They make a great classic ride. The Triumphs and Nortons always grabbed the headlines with their race-track victories, but the BSA's took us to work and back year round with no fuss.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics031.jpg

Talking of Nortons.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics018.jpg

The last gasp of the old guard trying to capture the "youth market", the Ariel Golden Arrow.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics019.jpg

A good turn out for a good day for a good cause..

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics033.jpg

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics014.jpg

I enjoyed myself, hope you have too..

Si.

[Elsie Smith]

Wow, it's so nice to see such interesting old bikes. Motorcycles are truly
an interesting art form!

[DarthRider]

Wow, it's so nice to see such interesting old bikes. Motorcycles are truly an interesting art form!

Sometimes old motorcyclists too !

Well done, Sir Simon, as always.

Couple of questions...
Did you get a close up of the Triton ? I love those.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics013.jpg

What's that on top of the blue Thunderbird's carburetor ? Wait...is that an SU carb ? All the T-Birds I have seen have had Amals. Is that carb correct ?
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics022.jpg

At our classic & vintage bike club's annual rally & show, we present a "People's Choice" award, equal in size & stature to the "Concours" award.
It is selected by popular vote and the suggested guideline for making one's selection is "the one bike I would most like to take home with me".
So, here is my personal "People's Choice" award from the show:
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics009.jpg
I love Laverdas and Keith's is very appealing ! I like the helmet too...

[Optimus Prime]

At our classic & vintage bike club's annual rally & show, we present a "People's Choice" award, equal in size & stature to the "Concours" award.
It is selected by popular vote and the suggested guideline for making one's selection is "the one bike I would most like to take home with me".
So, here is my personal "People's Choice" award from the show:
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics009.jpg
I love Laverdas and Keith's is very appealing ! I like the helmet too...
That was my choice as well.

Excellent post Sir Simon :eusa_clap:

[DarthRider]

That settles it then !
Tell Keith the Lovely Laverda must be boxed up and sent to the Colonies, post haste.
I will volunteer to keep her here in Texas, but Jason can come for a look & a ride anytime.
Beautiful...
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics010.jpg

Believe it or not, here is my 2nd choice:
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee298/thruxton120/Ebourneclassics019.jpg
I mean everyone has a Vincent & a Goldie theses days, right ?

[1MPH]

Thanks Simon, I enjoyed it very much. I can see the love that must go into those old motors.
What no food venders at the show? ( Sorry I just miss the food shots)

[Gord]

Si - I must thank you for helping me to overcome my philistine pig-ignornance when it comes to vintage two-wheeled conveyance. I'm a late comer to this sport, so appreciate your efforts (and those of others on the site like Dave and Will) to educate me.

I have to admit that I found the 4 pipes of the Honda CBF400F to be most enticing the way they sweep gracefully in front of the motor the the riders right and unite into the most subtle of exhaust pipes. For whatever reason, I found the gracefulness of the curvature to be reminiscent of a beauty I know bending deeply at the waist accentuating the curves of her hips and buttocks...but that is another story....

I have honestly never heard of a Laverda, but found the Ducati red with green highlighting stripe to be highly attractive. The Italian name and that colour just evokes a "would love to ride one" impulse.

But the bike that really grabbed my attention was the Thunderbird. Very cool system cases and the instrument pod was sever exy, but perhaps somewhat impractical. And the colourization (or colorization to my American brethern) was subtely gripping.

You, Sir Simon, are a true gentleman for sharing with us!

[DarthRider]

I'm proud of you Gord, and as always surprised at what you do & say !
I'm happy you stop to *see* the old bikes, they are quite beautiful, even the ugly ones are at the least are interesting characters. I encourage you to seek out a classic bike show in your area and check them out in person. Talk to the guys that love them and find out why. Especially the British & Italian. That Laverda is an Italian Stallion.
Check out some of Si's other threads related to bike shows and the old iron. Check out my thread "Two Wheeled Eye Candy" in General Topics, there are classics there too.
But now I find I get wood every time I think of the CBF400F exhaust system...:icon_redface:

[Sir Limpsalot]

That Laverda always gets the comment "If you ever want to sell it.."

I remember Keith buying it, 20 years ago. Or was it 25? Anyway, he has a small but perfectly formed collection of Italian exotica, at least one of which left the factory wearing slick tyres, and yet he once told me "If I had to sell up, the SF750 would be the last one to go".

I once asked him to leave it to me in his will, I don't think he has. Probably afraid I'd poison his pint!

Maybe he'll let me take some pic's of the rest of his bikes for you. Trouble is he's always just back from somewhere before heading off somewhere else.

Cheers,
Si.

[BobFV1]

Si - Love that old iron. Takes me back to the streets of Southern California 30 years ago - bikes were everywhere. Makes you wonder where they all went. Glad to see a few have been preserved, well-cared for, and/or restored.

[Tassie Devil]

Thanks Si,
Must have been a beautiful day and what a setting...

Cheers,

JQ.