2014/08 - August - The Classic Motorcycle Club of Johannesburg

The Classic Motorcycle Club
P.O. Box 7709, Albermarle, 1410
The Master Link
Vol.49 - No. 8 – August 2014
www.classicmotorcycleclub.co.za
Contents
Page: 02
Page: 04
Page: 05
Page: 06
Page: 07
Page: 14
Page: 15
Page: 20
Page: 23
Page: 28
Page: 29
Page: 33
Page: 37
Page: 38
Page: 40
Calendar of Events/ New Members/ Notice Board
From the Chair
Editorial
BOTM
Upcoming Events
Letters
Past Event – The 1000 Bike Show
Past Event – Global ASP Two Stroke Challenge
Feature – Over The Wall: The Sachsenring’s Storied Past
Guess The Bike
Marketplace
Humour
Faces
CMC Committee
Riding Shotgun
[1]
Calendar of Events
August 2014
02
03
10
17
20
31
Work Party at CMC – Starts at 09h00
Club Sunday – Containers open at 09h30
Bike of the Month: Triumph
Club Ride
Piston Ring Club Meeting
Club Night – Talk to be confirmed
VMX – Walkerville Flat Track
September 2014
Work Party at CMC – Starts at 09h00
Club Sunday – Containers open at 09h30
Bike of the Month: BSA
13
VMX – Terra Topia
14
Club Ride
17
Club Night – Talk to be confirmed
21
Piston Ring – Swap Meeting
26-28 CMC Convention
06
07
October 2014
04
05
12
15
19
Work Party at CMC – Starts at 09h00
Club Sunday – Containers to open at 09h30
Bike of the Month: All Japanese except Honda
CMC Winter Rally – Contact Pierre for more info (072) 513 9432
Club Night – Talk to be confirmed
Piston Ring Club Meeting
November 2014
01
02
09
16
19
Work Party at CMC – Starts at 09h00
Club Sunday – Containers to open at 09h30
Bike of the Month: American Day; Indian, Harley Davidson etc.
Club Ride
Piston Ring Club Meeting
AGM
[2]
December 2014
06
07
07
14
19
21
Work Party at CMC – Starts at 09h00
Club Sunday – Containers open at 09h30
Bike of the Month: Scooter Day
Children’s Christmas Party
Club Ride in aid of Charity
Chairman’s Braai
Piston Ring Club Meeting
Please note that all CMC rides meet at the Clubhouse at 08:00 and depart
at 08:30 unless otherwise stated.
Welcome New Members
Richard Hussey - BMW
Garth Fletcher - Triumph
Pete Wood - Honda
Brandon Stovold - Yamaha and BSA
Wynand du Plooy - Honda
Mike May - Ducati and Kawasaki
Greg Parton - Royal Enfield, Triumph, Ariel and Harley Davidson
Notice Board
NB: Bank Transfers and/or Direct Deposits - Please note that when paying
any amount into the Club’s account, use your name as a reference. Without this
information we cannot reconcile who paid what for which. It would help
tremendously if your transfer/deposit confirmation could be faxed to the
Treasurer on 086 672 8941 with full details!
[3]
From The Chair
Well folks the biggest and best classic motorcycle show in Africa has been and
gone. Over the weekend we had 10000 people attending our show and the
quality of machines on display just gets better and better. Someone said they
reckon they saw a guy from UK called “Sammy Miller” who rode ARIEL
thumpers in the hills and glens of Scotland. He was looking for bargains.
Apparently he has a bike shop in England similar to our CMC clubhouse (ho,
ho, ho).
Big thanks to the CMC team who managed the event, we did have some
problems but kept them to ourselves. Most of the feedback I have had so far
was very complementary. The problems will be sorted out before 2015. I
recall a statement by an English prime minister who smoked cigars, saying
“Never have so few done so much for so many” or something like that. We
have never had as many commercial stands on site doing brisk business. The
band gave great renditions of many old favourites and the refreshment tent was
kept busy as always. One major concern was that some thieving $@#%!!!!
stole crates of spirits from our tent on Sunday night. Any info on the theft
would be appreciated.
The media coverage was fantastic; I was interviewed by various radio channels
and live on TV (IGN TV). Press coverage in most of the national and local
tabloids was greatly appreciated. Thanks to all the press gang that supported
us. Plenty great pictures on our website and more reports to follow.
Big thanks to all who helped to organise the show and to those who supported
us, not only by exhibiting their bikes but just for being there.
Our next major event will be our convention in Sabie on September 26th - 28th,
not to be missed, great roads great rides, great company. The next VMX event
is at Sierra Ranch in KZN on August 9th & 10th.
Get those classics fired up
Hamish
[4]
Editorial
There’s no business like show business...
Well, that was epic! The 1000 Bike Show was, once again, better than ever. We got off to a
bit of a late start on Friday and had quite a few trips to do to get bikes to the show. Yours
truly had 12 bikes to cart through; fortunately my dad very generously lent me his newly
acquired bakkie so I had a fair bit more room to load bikes than in previous years. Each time
I arrived at the school the tent got more and more packed, which was a really great sight. All
through the afternoon the tent was a hive of activity as people brought in bike after bike.
Outside, the boerie stand appeared to be doing a fair trade, feeding all the hungry and thirsty
workers. Thanks to Grant Rae for treating us lowly Honda slaves for chow, it was really
lekker. By the time we left on Friday night the tent was full of incredible machinery.
Saturday morning started out nicely, with the weather playing along. Slowly the crowds
began to grow and by 10:00 the place was pumping. There was a really lekker vibe going on
and the punters seemed to be really enjoying themselves. The judging was very well
handled; a special word of thanks must go to Rusty Thorns and ‘Lord’ John Wakeling for
doing such a sterling job. The machinery on offer was of an incredibly high standard, which
made choosing a winner all that more difficult. Dust was again kept to a minimum thanks to
the brilliant fans supplied by Tony Dardis. This made the inside of the tent a much nicer
place to be. The trade stalls did a roaring trade; and there was a great selection of graze on
offer. There was an ever increasing presence of custom machinery on display, with a great
number of builders showing off their wares to the public. Who says there isn’t a market for
customs in SA?
Sunday was just as lekker, with the crowds turning up even earlier than the day before. The
Scouts were kept on their toes handling the full fairings in the parking lot; and the crew on
the gate did a fantastic job of getting the punters in. Once again, a special word of thanks to
all those who gave of their time to man the gate. Prize giving soon dawned on us and a
crowd quickly gathered to hear the results. Congratulations to Kevin Robertson, who was
awarded the trophy for the best bike on show. Congratulations also go to all the people who
won awards; your efforts certainly paid off. On a personal note, thank you to everyone who
brought bikes and helped out on the Honda stand; as always, your help is greatly appreciated.
In this month’s mag you can read Roger Houghton’s report on the show, as well as some
great feedback from Gareth Ireland on the VMX scene and their participation in the show.
Bob Harpin has submitted a great story titled ‘Over the Wall’, which gives some insight into
motorcycle racing behind the Iron Curtain
and how Walter Kaaden got screwed.
There’s also tons of upcoming events to look
out for, including the CMC’s annual
Convention.
See you at the club.
Till then,
Keep it upright!
T!M
[5]
Bike of the Month
There’s no disputing the Bike of the Month for July. It could only be one
machine: the stunning 1957 Velocette Valiant belonging to Kevin Robertson,
who took home the award for the Best Bike on Show at the 1000 Bike Show.
This pretty little machine took Kevin 10 years to build from bits and pieces and
is believed to be one of three known examples left in South Africa. It certainly
was a very deserving winner.
Congratulations Kevin, thank you for sharing this rare beauty with us.
[6]
Upcoming Events
28th CMC CONVENTION 2014
26 TO 28 SEPTEMBER 2014
Due to popular demand, this year’s Convention takes us back to Jock Sabie.
As it is not a long weekend, the venue has only been booked for the above
dates. As usual the Hotel will be informed about accommodation for the
stayers earlier and/or later.
For those who arrive on Friday, a braai will be arranged, with you supplying
your own meat and the Hotel will supply pap, rolls and salads for the cost of the
CMC.
Saturday will be enjoyed in the form of a run up north with either a “Poker
Run” or “Mystery Run”. Your input on the choice will be highly appreciated,
in that which is the easier for the guys on motorcycles. We are currently
waiting for feedback from our local members on this issue.
Saturday night will be our Gala Evening, which will be the draw of a “Lucky
Number” for a prize and the awarding of the Hippo Trophy to the best bike of
the event by the Hotel Management’s choice. The rest of the evening is for you
to enjoy in the presence of your co-members.
Sunday we will say farewell and a good ride home to the members who have to
be back at work on Monday. For those staying over for extra days, another
braai evening will be arranged on Sunday night or a free choice of restaurants in
the near vicinity. Again your choice.
[7]
Bookings will close at the end of July 2014 to give ample time for the
administration side of things to be concluded.
Final monetary figures are:
Accommodation:
R300.00 per person per night
Hotel Rooms (Accommodates 2 persons) will be R600.00 per night irrespective
of number of persons occupied.
Gala Evening Dinner:
Golf Shirt:
Cap:
Badge:
R200.00 per person
R195.00 each
R50.00 each
R45.00 each
ALL PAYMENTS TO BE DONE BY MID AUGUST 2014 FOR ONWARD
TRANSMISSION
To avoid disappointment of no accommodation, please contact Rita on 083 774
6798, 011 764 3798 or e-mail: mwgrovem@mweb.co.za to obtain a Booking
Form for completion.
Brian Neethling (082 546 7155)
35th Magnum Rally – 14 August to 16 August 2014
ENQUIRIES: Leo Middelberg : Tel: 083 677 2334 or Tom Linley : Cell: 083
391 6226
E-mail: leo@middelberg.co.za and Linley.Sandra@Yahoo.com
DATE OF EVENT: Thursday, 14th August to Saturday, 16th August 2014.
Pre-Event scrutiny will be performed before the event on 27th July 2014 and
3rd August 2014 to facilitate late departure to the event on Wednesday 13th
August 2014.
Final pre-event scrutiny will be done at Greenway Woods, White River, the
centre of the “spider” event on Wednesday 13th and early morning Thursday
14th August 2014.
[8]
[9]
Gauteng VMX Series
Date
31-Aug
13-Sep
Venue
Walkerville Flat track
Terra Topia
Other dates to note:
Date
9-Aug
4-Oct
25-Oct
1-Nov
Venue
Sierra Ranch 2 Day Vinduro
Wakkerstroom vinduro
Cape Town - 2014 VMX Round 3
Syndicate Day Walkerville Flatrack. VMX GP Year end
Every month
First Tuesday
gathering @
Ridgeway
Racebar,
Stoneridge
Gareth Ireland
082-928-3363
[10]
[11]
[12]
Media Release
AMiD Motorcycle Lifestyle Show
8 - 10 August 2014
Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec
Telephone: +27 11 494
4287 / 5004
EMail: info@amidexpo.co.za
www.amidexpo.co.za
AMiD Motorcycle Expo Press Release
13th June 2014
The AMID Motorcycle Expo at NASREC is the annual showcase for the South African motorcycle
industry and will take place on the 8th – 10th August. Bigger and better than ever, all major
motorcycle and accessory importers will have a presence at the show, displaying current and new
models and the latest in accessories, making it a must-see event for every motorcycle enthusiast.
Keeping things entertaining in the hall will be Mat Durrans and Harry Fisher from Ignition
Channel's The Bike Show, who will be manning the stage area with interviews, presentations,
giveaways and the announcement of the winner of the 2014 South African Pirelli Bike of the Year.
But the action isn't confined to the exhibition hall; there will be plenty to see in the NASREC
grounds. The WOMZA motorcycle racing organisation will be holding circuit races on the
Saturday and Sunday on a track laid out in the NASREC car parks, while the NASREC 4X4 track
will be converted to an enduro track. On Saturday there will be a concourse and Show and Shine
competition open to all owners of classic, stock and custom motorcycles. Contact Meg Houghton
on 083 401 5320 for details of how to enter. Once again, Harley Davidson will be offering free
demo rides from outside the motorcycle hall.
This annual Motorcycle showcase is co located with the Johannesburg Boat Show as well as the
Outdoor Lifestyle show which offers visitors a variety of outdoor lifestyle options including diving
and fishing.
This annual amid motorcycle event is a show that can't be missed if you love anything to do with
two wheels.
AMID Motorcycle & Quad Lifestyle Show
WHEN:
Friday 8 - Sunday 10 August 2014
SHOW
HOURS:
09:00 – 18:00, ticket sales and gates close at 17:00. Tickets are
available at the gate.
WHERE:
Johannesburg Expo Centre, Rand Show Road, Nasrec.
(GPS – S26° 14.810' E27° 58.695')
CONTACT:
011 494 5003 or media@sashows.com
[13]
Letters
Hi Tim
More musings of an old petrol head. My first “bike” was a Mars Monza. Do
any of our members have one? This was a true ‘Help-my-trap’ 49cc bought for
seventeen Rand ‘as is’; two new rings, a dekoke, new stoplight switch and I was
roadworthy and registered.
As an appy motor mechanic, twenty miles per day to work and back was too
much to ask of the Monza and new rings were soon needed. A visit to Helmut
at Helmut Motors in V-Town and I was the proud owner of a new Itom
Supersport. Twenty five Rand trade in for the Monza, one hundred and three
Rand for the Itom, paid off weekly. Four working days for the PD and license.
This time was necessary for steel number plates to be cut, painted black and for
the sign writer to do the lettering. No fast drying paint back then. Enamel
paint was en vogue back then; Duco was for body and panels.
The Itom was a moped and not regarded as a motorbike back then; your driver’s
license stated 49cc if I recall. The Itom was a pretty machine; silver frame, red
mudguards, red and white tank, drop handlebars, small fairing around the
headlight; and gears that could be changed without the clutch, thanks to
constant mesh gears and a sliding pin on the mainshaft. This gave the Itom a
distinct sound. I can still remember the sound (yes, I am losing it).
First order of business was to cut the tailpipe and piece of the silencer tip for
more ‘krag’ and ‘beat’. Rode the Itom for eleven thousand miles. Repairs
needed were rings and dekoke once, tyres and the front drive sprocket. This
arrived from Jack’s Motors with an extra tooth and reduced the revs somewhat
and this was an improvement. The best sparkplug was a Magneti Marelli;
which never got that little fragment of carbon between the electrodes. A pin
came in from the thread side and exposed the centre electrode to the combustion
heat. Since then any two stroke in my life gets the earth electrode cut. From
mower or outboard, all get cut, even my Vaaljapie tractor (yes, yes, I know).
Pity I don’t have a photo of my Itom.
Regards
Greg Erasmus
P.S. The Master Link is great, keep up the great work.
[14]
Past Event
STRONG SUPPORT FOR 1000 BIKE SHOW IN GERMISTON
By Roger Houghton
Photos by Ian Groat
Kevin Robertson’s 1957 Velocette Valiant was judged Best on Show among the classic motorcycles.
The Classic Motorcycle Club’s annual 1000 Bike Show at Germiston High
School on the weekend of July 5-6 once again attracted large crowds of
motorcyclists and other visitors, while there were more than 400 classic and
modern motorcycles on display.
The chief organiser of the show and chairman of the CMC, Hamish Ireland,
says total attendance was in the region of 10 000 people, which was aided by
the favourable weather on the two show days.
The sports field outside the display marquee was packed with motorcycles and
trikes ridden to the venue by the visitors and this was an amazing motorcycle
show in its own right, particularly as regards the many customised machines
and so-called cafe racers, which is a fast growing development locally and
internationally.
Many of the machines on display were evaluated in concours d’elegance
competitions on the Saturday (customised and street bikes) and Sunday
(classics) and once again the standards were exceptionally high.
[15]
A number of former SA champions made the trip to this year’s 1000 Bike Show in Germiston. Revelling in the past
glories of road racing on the Team Incomplete stand are (from left) Keith Zeeman, Peter Labuschagne and Les van
Breda.
Overall winner - Best Bike on Show - among the classics was Kevin
Robertson’s immaculate 1957 Velocette Valiant, which has taken 10 years to
build from parts obtained from three sources in South Africa, many of them in
very poor condition.
Robertson, an internationally renowned Velocette enthusiast, says he believes
his Valiant is one of only three left in SA. He also won Best Bike on Show with
his 1935 Excelsior Manxman at the 2012 1000 Bike Show.
Best on Show in the Customised and Street categories was the immaculate
BMW Cafe Racer of Eric Repsold.
The Itom Competizione was many a schoolboy’s dream in the 1960’s. Julian Shaw brought his immaculate yellow 1964
bike to the show from Kimberley.
[16]
The 1000 Bike Show has a long history, dating back to the first concours
d’elegance organised by the CMC in Springs in 1970, only two years after the
founding of this popular club, which is based in Germiston.
The annual event has grown in both the number of motorcycles on display and
in stature over the years, having been housed in places such as the East Rand
Mall, Avril Elizabeth Children’s Home and the Carlton Centre before ending up
at its current venue at the Germiston High School.
It is an important fund-raising event and among the charities and organisations
that benefitted from the 1000 Bike Show this year were the SPCA, Germiston
High School, Think Bike, Toy Run, Rotary and the Scouts.
All those who attended this year’s show and paid the R60 admission fee were
able to enter a giveaway competition where the prize was a Puzey scooter
valued at more than R10 000. The winner was Mr M. Evans, of Mondeor.
Team Incomplete owner Ian Groat won the Best Racer award for his 1959 AJS production racer.
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE AWARDS:
Best on show: Kevin Robertson (Velocette Valiant); Best Vintage: Fritz
Kramer (1920 Excelsior); Best Classic: Kevin Robertson (Velocette Valiant);
Best Post Classic: Neville Nicolam (BMW R69S); Best New Era: J. Norris
(Yamaha RZ 50); Best Racing: Ian Groat (7R AJS); Best combination: Bart
Eva (BMW R50/2); Best Durban-Johannesburg (DJ) motorcycle: Fritz
Kramer (1920 Excelsior); Ladies’ Choice: Peter Vlietstra (BSA Sloper);
Historic Motorcycle Group (HMG): Robbie Ralph (Suzuki GT550);
[17]
Best Italian: J.Kraehmer (Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000); VMX Offroad: Gray
Dick (Yamaha YZ100); VMX Racing: Paulo do Couto (Suzuki RM400);
Speedway: Brad Devine; Best Stand: Honda.
BEST STREET AND CUSTOM AWARDS:
Best Cruiser: Anthony Singleton (Suzuki Boulevard); Best Bobber: Bobber
Bros. (Triumph Spitfire); Best Custom: Dyno by Quint (Kawasaki 1300); Best
Harley Davidson: Stefan Myburg (1948 Harley Davidson; Best Street
Fighter: Deon du Toit (Suzuki GT750); Best Street Modified: Dyno by Quint
(Hayabusa Supercharged); Café Racer: Eric Repsold (BMW); Best Rat Bike:
Kallie Ludick; Best Trike: Allan Casy (Honda Goldwing); Best Standard
Motorcycle: Sean McGlead (Kawasaki Z1300); Best Engineered: Eric
Repsold (BMW Café Racer); Best on Show: Eric Repsold (BMW Café Racer).
Some custom bike owners break all the rules to make one-off machines like these.
Eric Repsold’s BMW Cafe Racer was judged Best on Show among the customised and street machines on show.
[18]
Rob Godwin is the first local specialist fabricator to remake the famous Norton Featherbed frame and custom handmade aluminium fuel tanks for a growing market interested in making cafe racers and other special machines.
Motocross vintage style showed an assortment of popular off-roaders of yesteryear.
Retro rockers flocked to the 1000 Bike Show to take in the two-day festival and relive a few memories.
[19]
Past Event
Global ASP Two Stroke Challenge & 1000 Bike Show
On the weekend of the 14th and 15th July the much anticipated Global ASP 2
Stroke Challenge took place at Terra Topia just outside Fourways, Gauteng. A
magnificently prepared track greeted 73
riders on the morning of the 14th for this,
the inaugural 2 Day Global ASP 2 Stroke
Challenge. Not only would the typical
VMX weapons be taking part to contest
round 2 of the VMXSA National Challenge
but also post ‘90 2 stroke bikes would be
offered a platform to join in the fun and
strut their stuff. With Roger McCleery on
the mic and the VMX and Terra Topia team
running a complex schedule to absolute
perfection, over 20 heats of bar to bar
racing was enjoyed each day.
Racing was closer than ever with many a
tussle happening throughout the field of
each race. The new Twin Shock class
proved to be extremely competitive with
[20]
tight racing upfront and a different top 5 coming home in each of the 3 heats.
Similarly the modern 2 stroke, Vets and Masters Classes saw entertaining racing
with season racers Riddell, Casanova, Hunt and Flanagan heading the pack.
Sunday saw some tired bodies return to Terra Topia but the enthusiasm was
soon back with the first smell of 2 stroke fumes in the air and elbow to elbow
racing soon resumed. A great time was had by all and once the results were in
a jovial prize giving finished off an incredible weekend. A huge thank you to
Global ASP, Terra Topia and all involved for a great event.
Next was the annual Classic Motorcycle Club 1000 Bike Show that took place
this past weekend at the Germiston High school. As has become the norm the
show was a huge success and the VMX stand stood out and delivered an
awesome stand pack with no less than 45 pristinely built dirt racers from the
70's, 80's and 90. The standard and quality of VMX builds has become simply
outstanding with minute details separating the contenders for Best Classic Offroad and Best VMX Race bike. In the end our “celebrity” judge, Russell
Campbell, decided that Gray Dick’s magnificent 1984 Yamaha YZ 100
deserved the best show bike award and Paulo du Couto’s 1978 Suzuki RM 400
the best VMX Race bike award. A big thank you to Russell for his time and indepth knowledge and well done to all that put bikes on the stand. The quality
and versatility of the bikes in the VMXSA family is something we can all be
extremely proud off.
[21]
That’s it for now but don’t forget we have Gauteng regional VMX coming up
on the 26th July at Syringa and then the big one happening in August is the
Sierra Ranch 2 Day Vintage Enduro. If you haven’t been to this one before
you are missing out on the most enjoyable vintage dirt bike event on the
calendar. To enter for the event, complete the entry form at the following
address: https://creator.zoho.com/2013womza/vintage-motocross-and-enduroclub-gauteng# To view the Regs for the event, please enter this address in your
browser, page down and you will see the link under the poster to download the
Rules & Regs: http://www.womzasa.co.za/womza_004.htm
Regards
Gareth Ireland (VMXSA)
[22]
Feature
Over The Wall: The Sachsenring's Storied Past
Genius! Racing success! Betrayal!
Written by Dean Adams
Submitted by Bob Harpin
Sachsenring—today that name signifies the
German round of the MotoGP championship and
the true mid-point of the MotoGP season. But
there was a time when the Sachsenring meant a
rare peek behind the iron curtain, passionate fans
and in passing a too-real betrayal that unhinged a
world championship, upset the scales of racing
and ended in suicide. Or murder.
Walter Kaaden (far right)
and the MZ team. A true
East German engineering
genius, Kaaden died in
obscurity.
The MotoGP race scheduled for this weekend at
the Sachsenring was once one of the most highly
attended spectator events in the world, dwarfing
the modern Super Bowl and even the Indy 500.
And before the fall of communism in Germany, the race was a rare peek for
racers and enthusiasts into life in the Commie-ruled east. There was a time
when the communist-run East German GP and their race team were nearly a
force in GP racing.
Copious press reports from the 1960s peg the race attendance between 300,000
and 500,000—with one notable printed report stating crowds were "down" to
360,000 in 1966. There seemed to be plenty of room. Sachsenring was a
street-based circuit nearly five a half miles long and due to minimal
developments in the hinterland of East Germany there were numerous places to
park your reeking hulk of a Red-built car or bike and enjoy the event. Add in
the no fun allowed East German government—no television then of course thus
vodka was the main form of entertainment—it's clear that a big motorcycle race
with riders from the world over was a huge draw for the captive (in many ways)
crowd.
The site of the old Sachsenring featured bike racing before the start of WWII
and the 'ring—a street-based circuit—attracted huge numbers of fervent German
fans; their elaborate scaffolding was amazing, many of them little more than a
folding chair attached to a twenty or thirty foot tall poll. The enthusiasm of the
locals did not stop there. Between practice sessions the crowds were allowed
to cross the track but only at specific points, these points were covered in carpet
so the spectators would not dirty the track surface. And if you walked down to
[23]
the local post office you could send a letter out adorned with an East German
stamp featuring Mike Hailwood (winner of three classes at the Sachsenring in
1963) or Jim Redman.
By the early 1960s the world was swept up in cold war politics and the
Sachsenring was a track on the wrong side of the cold war for some—it lay
within 150 miles of Berlin and within miles of Dresden, an important industrial
centre in the Socialist-run East Germany.
For westerners, just getting to the track was problematic. Period accounts from
the riders of the era who crossed the border between east and west Germany are
both colourful and at the same time disturbing. On the lighter side, riders were
treated like deities by the East German crowd, who at the same time could not
help themselves from attempting to steal, literally, anything from the west,
including laundry drying on the line and food from the table. On the darker
side, border crossings were nasty, with many riders and crew being taken away
at machine gun point when they applied in person to cross into the East.
Paul Carruthers toured Europe with his father, 1969 250 world champion, Kel
Carruthers, and endured many border crossings into Communist-controlled East
Germany in the sixties. "The biggest memory I have is getting out of the van
and having to wash the west off your feet before they let you in," he recalls.
1960s greats Mike Hailwood and Jim Redman wrote of racing in the East, being
awarded prize money and being instructed that none of the prize money could
leave the country and their visa expired at midnight—forcing them to buy
anything and everything in order to avoid the money becoming worthless.
They spent their prize money in-country and would then (hopefully) later sell
the lumbering East German drill press or case of itchy bloomers once they hit
free ground.
Early 1970s riders report that as they left the Sachsenring event they'd throw
printed race results or press kits out the window of the car as souvenirs for the
fans, inadvertently causing fist-fights as the locals clamoured for anything, no
matter how trivial, as a memento from the race.
The East German GP was part of a larger racing effort by the Socialist German
government. There wasn't just an East German GP—there was indeed a
Communist GP team during that period with East German manufacturer MZ
racing several classes in the 1960s, and in doing so spearheading a massive
engineering change in racing motorcycles. Believe it or not, Communist East
Germany heralded a new age in racing as we know it.
[24]
Loyal Communist Walter Kaaden worked under Nazi V-series rocket engineer
Werner von Braun during WWII, but elected to stay with Germany after the
Allies beat the living tar out of the Fatherland. Whereas von Braun was headhunted by the Allies and (probably) given the choice of joining America's own
burgeoning rocket program or maybe doing the gallows jig for his use of slave
labour in Hitler's rocket program. He joined the Yanks and later became the
head of NASA, and is today known as a point person among those who
engineered America's successful 1960s space program.
Kaaden, one of von Braun's many lieutenants, designed and built one of the
world's first cruise missiles in the dying days of WWII, but decided to stay in
Germany after the war. Whereas von Braun would go on to head NASA in the
1960s and spearhead America's entry into the space race, post-war Kaaden
actually worked as a carpenter in what would become East Germany. His love
of motorcycles drew him to racing and through a complicated process, he
became the head of DKW's race team, and later, MZ.
The MZ race team, backed by the German government, was stretched just as
thin as those standing in bread lines in Berlin; the team's resources would
seemingly be made moot by a simple modern privateer supersport effort. Case
in point: pre-war DKW rider Wil Herz bought a helmet in the late 1930s and
raced with it for years. It was then handed down to Kaaden, who in turn used it
when he test rode his own machines. Incredibly, he then handed it down to
rider Ernst Degner when Deg' joined MZ—nearly 15 years after the helmet was
first constructed. Degner was still using this helmet in the late 1950s.
Moreover, riders for the MZ team were rarely paid and Kaaden was forced to
become very resourceful when buying fuel and tires at the races.
Kaaden is mis-credited as the "father of the two-stroke engine" however he's
clearly not that, although his role in motorcycle race history may actually be of
more importance than the person who first designed the two-stroke. Kaaden
was in fact the man who tamed the pressure waves from the two-stroke, used
them to make power and at the same time made the two-stroke semi-reliable
and fast.
The two-stroke was—in the late 1950s—being written off as a clap-trap race
power plant, but Kaaden and his crew applied actual science to the engine
whereas previously two-stroke tuning was black art at best. It wasn't by choice
that MZ used the two-stroke: like most of the struggling GP manufacturers of
the era they used the two stroke engine because it was cheap to manufacture and
very simple. As time passed and Kaaden's ground-breaking work in two stroke
tuning paid off the MZ made a gradual ascent up the finishing order in the
smaller GP classes of the day. After years of toil by Kaaden, on a shoestring
[25]
budget, MZ were on the cusp of an actual championship when the
unimaginable—or from a Western standpoint—inevitable, happened.
Kaaden groomed East German rider Ernst Degner into a champion and together
they sat one race finish away from the 1961 125cc world championship. A
Socialist win in any world championship during this period would have created
headlines and had the Communist overlords mapping out a parade route and
heaping awards and respect on the man most responsible—Kaaden.
All Degner had to do in the race was finish in the points and MZ were world
champions. Yet, in what history may judge as the ultimate act of racing
betrayal, as the series came to a close—and East Germany had the Berlin Wall
erected to keep their citizens from easily moving to the West—MZ rider Degner
defected in spectacular fashion at the Swedish round after intentionally
destroying the engine in his MZ125 racer, an event which left Kaaden reeling.
Afterwards Degner secretly left the track and took many of Kaaden's secrets—
and even some hard parts—to Suzuki, and reportedly, later Yamaha.
With Degner's help, Suzuki's two-stoke GP bikes were born again and so with it
the two-stroke revolution in GP. Whereas previously four-strokes dominated
GP racing in all classes, within little more than a decade four-strokes would be
vanquished to the edge of the GP paddock. One year after his defection and
betrayal, Degner and Suzuki won the first ever world championship with a twostroke machine in 1962—the 50cc title.
On one hand it's hard to find fault in Degner's defection. A world
championship rider since the 1950s, he had seen much in his travels outside the
constraints of life in a communist-controlled country. After getting a taste of
freedom and the west it's only natural that a man would want more than the grey
and grainy East Germany for himself and his family. Leaving is one thing, but
stabbing your mentor in the back is another. The betrayal of Kaaden can only
be judged harshly.
Degner was later fined by the FIM for breaking his MZ contract and quite
justifiably feared for his life for years after he defected. He didn't race in the
East German GP at Sachsenring the next season for obvious reasons.
Degner's defection and betrayal were of a huge cost to Kaaden, who saw his
race team and stature eviscerated by his communist overlords. MZ were on the
brink of winning a world championship but post-Degner they are mere obscure
footnotes in racing history, mis-credited in the rare instances Kaaden is
mentioned. And any thoughts that Degner didn't give all of his secrets to
Suzuki later perished when Kaaden used a set of Suzuki special tools and found
them to be replicas of the ones he made to work on his MZs.
[26]
Rider Alan Shepard was teamed with Degner when he defected and pulled no
punches when he later described what Degner's defection had cost Kaaden.
"Degner was very much in love with himself and did not hesitate to hurt other
people. I feel what he did was very, very cruel."
Kaaden and MZ continued to race in the same hardscrabble fashion until the
1970s when they drifted further from the podium and then from view.
There were race triumphs after Degner's defection and betrayal, including, of
course, Alan Shepard's amazing come from nowhere win on the MZ125 at the
1964 USGP at Daytona. Degner, in fact, won at Daytona in 1965.
While they weren't really peers, Werner von Braun and Walter Kaaden certainly
were colleagues and the way their post-WWII lives ended is interesting to note.
Von Braun—an actual former officer in the Nazi SS—made a jump to the US
and used his passion and force of personality to push America into the space
race and an American walking on the moon. Today he is the subject of many
books, is listed in every encyclopaedia worth owning and was even the subject
of a lecture by Arthur C. Clarke.
For Kaaden, one can only wonder if the racing genius ever found fulfilment in
his loyalty to Germany. After fading from the world's race paddocks, Walter
Kaaden died of cancer in March of 1996 in near complete obscurity, shortly
after telling Jan Leeks, author of MZ: Birth of the Modern Two-Stroke
Racer that he was amazed anyone remembered him or his deeds at all. He
lived to see the Berlin Wall and the whole of communism collapse in Germany.
Degner actually repatriated himself back into East Germany after retiring from
racing (there's a corner at Suzuka named after him). He killed himself,
allegedly by slitting his own throat, in Berlin in the 1990s.
It's been a matter of speculation for years that his death wasn't suicide at all.
[27]
Guess the Bike
In 1910 this French company brought out a light V- twin motorcycle that was to
become an enormous success. It was equipped with a 333 cc 45 degree V-twin
engine with automatic inlet valves, direct belt transmission, Bosch magneto,
single lever Claudel carburettor and Truffault front forks. The little machine
proved easy to start, easy to handle and was very reliable. Moreover, it
weighed only 40kg and was able to sustain a practical running speed of 60km/h.
For model year 1913 the bore was enlarged from 70 to 80 mm which resulted in
a capacity of 380 cc and a speed of 70 km/h. This machine was catalogued as
“MD2”.
In 4 years some 10,000 machines were sold and this motorcycle was the most
popular French motorcycle of pre-WW1 days. The machine has 2 brakes on
the rear wheel which are applied by levers on the handlebars. The Claudel
carburettor is operated by a single lever on the right side of the handlebars; on
that side we also find the valve lifter. Close to the left hand side grip we find
the magneto cutout.
Can you guess what it is? The answer is on the last page.
[28]
Library
The CMC library now holds a copy of most of the CMC magazines from the
inception of the club but a couple of editions are missing.
Can anybody assist in completing the full set? The magazines missing are:

Number 1 to number 7 which was from May 1970 to November 1970.

January 1981, January 1990 (although these might have been
incorporated in the December editions but were not stated as such) and August
2007.
I do not have the following, recent copies (in hard copy): 2010 May, July,
August, September and December plus January to July 2011.
If anybody has any motorcycle related books or magazines that they would be
prepared to donate to the CMC library please contact the librarian or one of the
committee members.
Humour
The Blonde Phys Ed Teacher
A blonde gets a job as a physical education teacher of 16 year olds.
She notices a boy at the end of the field standing alone, while all the other kids
are running around having fun kicking a football. She takes pity on him and
decides to speak to him.
“You ok?” she says. “Yes.” he says.
“You can go and play with the other kids you know” she says.
“It's best I stay here.” he says.
“Why's that sweetie?” says the blonde.
The boy looks at her incredulously and says: “Because I'm the goal keeper!!!”
From Tony Woods
[29]
Die Spietkop
Spietkop stop 'n ou oom wat te vinnig gery het.
Hy se: "Ek sal oom 'n kans gee.
Ek sal nie 'n kaartjie uitskryf nie as oom vir my kan se wat kom daar ver in die
pad afgery".
Die oom se: "Dis 'n kar."
Die spietkop se: "Nee, oom LUISTER nie. Is dit 'n Merc of 'n BM of 'n
Volksie?
Kom ons probeer weer. Wat kom NOU daar aan?".
Die oom se: "Dis 'n motorfiets." Spietkop se: "Nee, oom LUISTER nie vir my
nie. Is dit 'n Kawasaki of 'n Honda of n Yamaha?
Spietkop skryf die ticket uit en gee dit vir die ou oompie.
Voordat die Spietkop terug stap na sy voertuig, skree die oompie:
"Wag meneer kom luister gou-gou hier.".
"Ja oom?"
"Se vir my, as jy daar in Brakpan voor die hotel staan en doer op die anner hoek
van die straat staan daar 'n ding met 'n mini-rokkie en boots aan, met so 'n klein
toppie en 'n sigaret in die hand.
Wat is dit?"
Spietkop: "Oom, dis 'n prostituut."
Oompie: "Nee seun, jy LUISTER nie mooi nie.
Is dit jou SUSSIE, jou OUMA, of jou MA??
From Rita Grove
[30]
Faces
You’d swear these guys are famous or something…
This photograph was taken in July of 1945, when a certain British engineer
turned MD realised a personal dream of visiting the United States of America.
While on this visit he took in many sights and visited many interesting people,
including notable industrialists and Hollywood stars. This photo shows him
flanked by one such Hollywood star, as well as the gentleman in charge of the
US distributorship of Triumph motorcycles at the time.
Do you know who they are?
Answer on the last page.
[31]
CMC Committee 2014
Chairman
Hamish Ireland
H: 011 827 1670
Fax: 011 827 1670
ireland1@telkomsa.net
082-772-0141
Vice Chairman
Brian Roulstone
brian@eiconsa.co.za
082 950 3766
Secretary
Tony Dardis
dardisa@iafrica.com
082 963 8113
Treasurer
Rita Grové
H: 011 764 3798
Fax: 086 672 8941
treasurer@classicmotorcycleclub.co.za
mwgrovem@mweb.co.za
083-774-6798
Banking Details:
Charity Organizers:
Spares:
Event Organisers
Account Name: Classic Motorcycle Club
Standard Bank – Benoni
Bank Code No: 013042
Account No: 420 188 738
Marlene Hooper
083-256-6262
H: 011 452 6070
mbob@telkomsa.net
Bob Hooper
083-381-0695
W: 011 452 4737
Fax: 011 452 4738
H: 011 452 6070
mbob@telkomsa.net
Brian Roulstone
W: 011 828 0716
brian@eiconsa.co.za
Brian Neethling
Fax: 011 768 6829
Bob Linell
beastonindustries@gmail.com
082-950-3766
Timothy Romans
082-629-2961
Colin Blackburn
anneandcolin@telkomsa.net
Graham Kendall
kendall@discoverymail.co.za
073-145-5863
[32]
082-546-7155
082-756-7776
083-468-1753
Racing Section
Gary Hunter
H: 011 475 2179
W: 011 882 8030
garyh@rgrtech.co.za
082-773-0018
Trials Organiser
Bruce Watts
H: 011 450 3089
W: 011 409 1300
B.Watts@senet.co.za
082 443 8800
Off-Road Rides
Trials
Dave Haines
W: 011 803 1159
H: 011 465 1306
Fax: 011 803 0970
farmer@global.co.za
082-895-5259
SAVVA Reps
Freddie Viljoen
082-336-5590
Liaison Officers
Terry Hack – Members
alarmlockking@gmail.com
082-697-6058
Webmaster
JAWS
john@austinwilliams.co.za
083 459-7802
Museum Custodian Brian Neethling
Fax: 011 768 6829
Barry Allan
082 546 7155
Trophy Officer
Rusty Thorns
RustyRoland.Thorns@ram.co.za
082 411 1687
Hall & Bookings
Alan Bayley
lifestylemcle@gmail.com
078 137 5609
Editor
Timothy Romans
editor@classicmotorcycleclub.co.za
082-629-2961
076-801-2365
[33]
Riding Shotgun
AFTER THE MOVIE, GHOST RIDER TRIED HIS
HAND AT CLASSIC RACING...
Answer for Guess the Bike: 1913 Peugeot Légère 2½ PK Type “MD2” 380cc 2 cyl
Answer for Faces: L-R: Rita Hayworth, Edward Turner & W.E. Johnson, Jr.
[34]