Quality news is currently in very short supply. Everyone's struggling to fill their pages. Here's a brief round-up of the non-stories and trivial reports currently circulating the motorcycling press. No snoozing, please...
TT fans stop traffic to help ducklings cross Quarry Bend - Visordown
5 steps to getting your lid #ride5000miles ready - MCN
Volvo delivers demo car to your door - British Dealer News
Top 10 most common MOT-exempt bikes - Visordown
Suzuki reveals 2018 Merch (Suzuki Toaster) - Bennetts Bike Social
Guy puts dirt bike engine in Barbie Mustang, Becomes legend - RideApart
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Well done Sumpheads. I too have been watching how news is slowly degenerating and dumbing down, and not just the motorcycle rags which I don't buy anymore. Today's TV news, the newspapers and the radio news all sounds like it was written by idiots for idiots. Coupla days ago I listened to BBC newsreader Ben Brown wittering on for ten minutes about The Two Ronnies "Fork Handles" comedy sketch simply because the script was up for sale (for the second time). My missus reads The Daily Mail which every day announces a new cure for arthritis, cancer and pretty much everything else. I despair. We are a society in crisis. —JackTheLad, in my garage
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Practice races held up by wandering Yorkshireman Stranger in town faces marshals and a posse You have to appreciate the irony of the Isle of Man court which has just jailed James William Ford, a 67 year old TT visitor from Bingley, West Yorkshire. Ford, we hear, was spotted walking along the tarmac at the village of Crosby just minutes before the start of an IOM race practice session. As ever, the roads were closed to the general public, and race marshals leapt into the corral and told Ford to bugger off. When that didn't work, the marshals arranged for the Yorkshireman to speak on the radio to the clerk of the course, Gary Thompson, who also suggested that Ford might take his problems elsewhere or the sheriffs would be called. "Well they'd better be big lads," Ford is alleged to have said. "Because I ain't moving." That's not a direct quote, but you get the gist. So the cops came mob handed and nicked Ford. Under local laws, this low down cowboy was charged with obstructing the race and failing to comply with a race marshal's instruction, and he was convicted and given a month's spell in the pokey plus an exclusion order banning him from the island for 5 years. Extreme? You tell us. 
Police Sergeant Andrew Reed (pictured immediately above) was later quoted as saying that Ford's actions were "dangerous and irresponsible"—presumably as opposed to being perfectly safe and totally responsible when hurling yourself around public roads at anything up to 200mph. Hence the irony. Don't misunderstand us. If people want to top themselves competing in the TT, good luck to 'em. But nicking this Yorkshire puddinghead and giving him 26 days porridge for being a menace sounds a little unfair when two spectators were killed in 2007; 11 spectators were injured in 2013; a group of spectators were narrowly missed by a sidecar outfit in 2017; and when around 250 riders have been killed overall since the fun began. These are just the casualties that we can remember. There are probably others that can be attributed indirectly, if not directly, to the TT.  Total annual expenditure at the TT is somewhere around £30 million (IOM government figures), which underlines the morbid truth that there are dangers that you can afford, and dangers that you can't. Or won't.
Let's keep things in perspective here, huh?
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Hi Sump, another bloke on the IOM has just been nicked for driving the wrong way over the mountain in a one way system. They called him "dangerous and irresponsible" too, but it looks like his mistake is more "honest" and he doesn't have the attitude of the other bloke. So he'll probably only get a fine. The moral: When all else fails, apologise. Works for me. —Sunshine Boy, Penrith
Serves him right, obviously a complete bonehead who cannot comprehend common sense, putting himself and other people in danger. Once he would have been flogged and sent to Australia, but they have enough criminals at the moment, mostly in government. —J.Connolly, NZ
It's one thing for the riders to risk their own necks, but it's another thing if a brain dead spectator wants to further endanger lives. I agree with the court. —Dave Kelly
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Factory chopped Commando expecting £7,500 - £8,000 UK registered from new, and in running order So okay, there's rare and wonderful. And there's rare and not so wonderful. And naturally this 1971 Norton Hi-Rider (Lot 206) is both, and neither, depending on your outlook. But if you were around when these motorcycles were new from the crate, and if you're not a hard line Norton purist, you might well now be casting a reasonably favourable eye behind your rose tinted spectacles. The idea of a factory Norton chopper was pure kitsch, of course. And taken out of context it's hard to see this bike in any other way. But 1971 was an exciting and eventful year for many of us in the UK. It wasn't just the wonderfully overblown trappings of the glam rock era, or the industrial turmoil that saw the lights going on and off at the most inconvenient times, or the IRA murderers routinely hitting the headlines, or the first airing of the (then essential) Old Grey Whistle Test, or the "confusion" of newly opened spaghetti junction in Birmingham (which wasn't very confusing at all). The underlying excitement was also due in part to the on-going chopper craze which began a few years before the movie Easy Rider (1969) hit the screens, but drew fresh impetus after Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper set those famous Harley-Davidson Panhead wheels rolling. 
▲ Those 14-inch ape hangers did nothing for the handling. Nevertheless, they certainly kept the rider on the right cultural highway. The (largely unsatisfactory) front drum brake gave way to disc in 1973. And those peashooter silencers, then as now, made exactly the right sound. 
Norton's Hi-Rider was a direct, shameless and very cheesy attempt at cashing in on that craze, and it came about following Dennis Poore's latest trip to the USA, or so the legend goes. Dennis Poore, as you might recall, was the much maligned head honcho at Manganese Bronze Holdings (MBH) which bought Norton in 1966. The British bike industry was in crisis, and everyone still standing was drinking at the last chance saloon. Poore, we hear, had personally seen the chopper cult take a grip on the young American riders of the day, and US sales of Nortons were crucial for the revamped company's survival. No one at Norton Villiers was very impressed with this motorised Raleigh chopper bicycle concept. Everyone who was anyone knew exactly what Norton's heritage was all about, and that was building racing—or at least sporting—motorcycles. Everyone also knew what the oft-derided beach-beatnik/bar hopper Harley-Davidson Sportster was all about, and the Sportster market was partly what Poore had in his sights. 
▲ Ex-racing driver Dennis Poore had the unenviable task of salvaging an unsalvageable British motorcycle industry, and he was going to be nobody's friend. But when Norton was shedding pounds, the Hi-Rider brought in a few extra pennies. This 1975 shot shows poor Poore in typical defensive form. The first Hi-Riders were 750cc. They were hastily conceived and designed, and the Norton marketing people who allegedly dreamed up the moniker did what they could to give it legs. Or wheels. The headlight was smaller than standard at 5.5-inches. Ape hanger handlebars were de rigueur. The saddle was based upon the aforementioned Raleigh Chopper. And that included a notional cissy bar for that sleeping bag or bedroll if ever you fancied a night in the back garden. From the start, the British press was unimpressed. They were shocked even, and Poore got it in the neck in a dozen ways. But surprisingly, the Yanks took a different view. They were a little—or a lot more—laid back and weren't hamstrung by that legendary British reserve and inflexibility. Instead, they saw the Limey Hi-Rider largely as a fun motorcycle; a local boulevard cruiser with a decent turn of speed as and when required. Consequently, Poore flogged a fair number of examples (albeit with significant market variance). Unsurprisingly, the bike did better the further west you travelled. 
▲ Amal 30mm carbs were standard issue, but it looks like Mikunis have (wisely?) been retro-fitted. There's no word on the mileage, but we're guessing it won't be very high. In 1973 the 750cc engine was upgraded to 850cc. Mercifully, the Hi-Rider was never cursed with Norton's ill-fated (and ill-fêted) Combat engine—which didn't mean that the bike was without its problems. In developing the Commando, Norton had made numerous fundamental mistakes, largely due to the firm's slash-and-burn cost-cutting orthodoxy. But the bikes were generally never ridden that hard anyway, and some weren't ridden at all—perhaps partly due to delayed embarrassment, and perhaps partly because a few likely lads anticipated a future investment nest egg and squirreled their Hi-Riders in warm sheds and dry garages and cosy living rooms.  We've ridden a couple of these high boys and they crank along pretty good. They are, after all, essentially Norton Commandos, so the engines shake around a little at traffic lights, and then smooth out between 2,500 and 3,500rpm. The power output is quoted as anything up to 60bhp for the 850cc model, and if you believe in visiting aliens, you can chuck that figure in the same box. Realistically, we reckon it's more like 45bhp for the 750, and maybe a few more for the 850. Performance-wise, you could still probably hit the magic ton. But with those 'bars, it's more a question of the ton hitting you.
 The saddle design naturally makes no practical difference to the rider-masochist (and a pillion is pretty much out of the question). But those 'bars (as mentioned, and as is the way with ape hangers) take some getting used to. The peanut fuel tank won't carry you far, but two imperial gallons was (by some folk) considered sufficient given the 50 - 55mpg economy.
Beyond that there's really nothing else to say about the Hi-Rider experience. But if you want to enjoy the full Dennis Poore factory chopper escapade in the way it was envisioned, it's time to rake out those platform shoes, Paisley flared trousers and Ban-the-Bomb medallion. Seventies chops, after all, were as much about the hippy culture as the biker culture, which simply enhanced the wonderful absurdity of the least practical  motorcycle form ever conceived and constructed. This Hi-Rider is to be sold by H&H Auctions on 26th July 2018 at the National Motorcycle Museum Sale. The estimate is £7,500 - £8,000, and the starting bid is £3,750. Peace and love, man. www.handh.co.uk UPDATE: The Norton Hi-Rider (Lot 206) sold for £7,425
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▲ Clint Walker enjoyed motorcycles on and off the set. This publicity shot dates to 1959 and the film Yellowstone Kelly. That's US actress Andra Martin (b.1935) up front, and that ought to be John Wayne behind. But Wayne was otherwise committed, so Walker got the girl. Star of Cheyenne TV series has died aged 90 The Hollywood movie star appeared in 41 films His full name was Norman Eugene Walker, but his first billing was as Jett Norman in the US movie Jungle Gents (1954), one of many films in the Bowery Boys comedy series. However, Walker didn't even get a credit for that brief end-of-movie appearance. The name "Clint" came along the following year when Norman Eugene Walker appeared as Cheyenne Bodie in the US TV series Cheyenne which ran until 1963. That's how most people will remember actor Clint Walker who has died aged 90. Born in Hartford, Illinois, Walker worked on a riverboat and in a factory before joining the United States Merchant Marine. That was in the closing stages of WW2. Following that, he enjoyed a series of indiscriminate jobs from sheet metal worker to night club bouncer—this last position no doubt being suited to his huge six foot six inch frame and Charles Atlas physique. After drifting to Los Angeles, California he came to the attention to the legendary Cecil B DeMille and took a role in The Ten Commandments (1956) also starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner. 
▲ Left to right, Trini Lopez, Frank Sinatra, Clint Walker and Brad Dexter. This first ever Japanese-American co-production enjoyed mixed critical response for its anti-war overtones and phoney acting (notably by Sinatra). But it's a reasonably enjoyable piece of hokum if you're the lots-of-ketchup-on-my-burger type. NOBODY EVER WINS is the final line. Fade and cut. Walker later appeared in None But The Brave (1965), a war movie underlining the futility of armed conflict starring (and directed by) Frank Sinatra. Walker played the role of Marine Aircraft Wing Captain Dennis Bourke who takes command of a squad of island-stranded marines and becomes embroiled in an on-off battle of wits and bullets with an equally stranded squad of Japanese soldiers. Cue existential debates, political negotiations, strategic military dilemmas and ingrained tribal loyalties. Two years later Walker returned as Samson Posey in The Dirty Dozen (1967), Robert Aldrich's fanciful and OTT WW2 yarn starring Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, Jim Brown, Robert Webber, Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine and numerous other now well-established names (including singer/actor Trini Lopez). 
But by far, Clint Walker was a western actor, and that was exactly where he preferred to be. Notable/memorable films and moments include Night of the Grizzly (1966), Sam Whiskey (1969), The Great Bank Robbery (1969), More Dead Than Alive (1969), Yuma (1971), Pancho Villa (1972), The White Buffalo (1977) and Maverick (1994) in which Walker took a cameo role. His acting style was generally cool and unemotional. His screen presence was ... well, substantial. His lines were usually delivered in a clear and authoritative (but never particularly memorable) manner. And it always seemed that movie and TV directors and producers were never able to find exactly the right role that gave Walker the kind of commanding and iconic parts enjoyed by, say, John Wayne. After his early success with Cheyenne, it seemed that Walker was more famous simply for being Clint Walker than for the other parts he played. But he continued accepting roles here and there, his career (such as it was) gently spiralling down to a low ebb. His final role, for instance, was not as the Clint Walker that we remember, but simply as the voice of Nick Nitro in the live-action/special effects comedy Small Soldiers (1998). 
▲ The brightly coloured poster belies the fact that Fort Dobbs (1958) was a modest B&W western that failed to hit the big time at the box office. The morality was a little dubious. The plot was convoluted. Walker was still honing his acting skills. But the storyline hit most of the right spots and gave us Indian attacks, gun-running, chases galore, more bullets than Royal Enfield and Virginia Mayo providing a satisfactory love interest. A staunch Republican, Clint Walker married three times and fathered one daughter. In 1971 following a skiing accident he was pronounced dead, but made a quick and full recovery, and he eventually settled in California where he spent the final years of his life. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and earned one or two minor awards. But for all his height, weight, bulk—and despite his powerful voice (which was capable of some pretty tuneful warbling)—he never achieved the more rarefied altitude of his Hollywood contemporaries. And today, there's at least one generation, and possibly two, that would be unable to put a face to his name, or vice versa. 
▲ Clint Walker "The Big Guy" and wife Susan in 2008.  But we like Clint Walker's workaday and generally reserved style and remember him as a good-enough actor, which is usually good enough for us. We looked to see how widely his death had been reported, but we couldn't find mention of it on any news channel. No doubt, however, in the US his status is rated a little higher and will have earned him a few thoughtful and respectful words on the network news.
We hope so. www.clintwalker.com
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▲ Hailwood's 1960 350cc Ducati Desmo racer. Three racebred Desmo dukes on display Temporary exhibition will last until September 2018 The Ducati Museum in Borg Panigale, Bologna, Italy is hosting its first temporary exhibition. This one is entitled: THE DESMO TWINS OF YOUNG HAILWOOD, aka Mike the Bike (1940-1981). Three racing Ducatis built between 1958 and 1960 are at the core of the display, specifically Hailwood's 125cc, 250cc and 350cc Desmos created by the late Fabio Taglioni (1920-2001) and kept in fine fettle by ace Ducati mechanic and engineer Oscar Folesani. The bikes were all crafted at the request of Mike's father, Stan Hailwood. 
▲ Left to right, Stan Hailwood, "Mike the Bike" Hailwood, and Ducati mechanic Oscar Folesani 
▲ Hailwood campaigning his 250cc Desmo at Silverstone, 1960 The show is open right now and will stay open until 15th September 2018. If you're planning a trip to Italy any time over  the next few months, and if you're a Ducati/Hailwood fan, you might want to swing by this museum. At Sump, we've never been initiated into the Ducati fold, and so we haven't yet made the Bologna pilgrimage. But from what we're hearing, it's a pretty cool way to spend half a day of your life. www.ducati.com
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Police pursuit drivers/riders get Home Office reassurance On street bike thieves can expect a tougher response. Maybe The UK Home Office has moved to quash the "myth" that police drivers and riders are unable to pursue the new wave of British "moped criminals" whilst said ne'er-do-wells are on the move minus their crash helmets. The response comes in the wake of vociferous and angry protests from the "motorcycle community" following the recent violent bike theft phenomenon which has seen numerous victims clubbed, slashed, stabbed and doused with acid. London is the epicentre of these attacks. But the problem, which is an unwelcome feature in many cities, goes beyond bike theft and includes mobile phone snatching, laptop robberies, camera theft and simple muggings. British police forces, we understand, operate according to broad Home Office guidelines, but they enjoy a great degree of latitude regarding exactly how to implement such advice. Put simply, chief constables can pretty much tell their officers to do whatever needs to be done providing that such action can be legally justified. And officers, for their part, are clearly anxious to forcefully tackle this problem, but not without implicit and explicit guarantees aimed at protecting their interests, both professionally and personally, should push come to an overly hard shove. We haven't actually seen any clear and definite new proposals from the government. It looks more like the Home Office is simply paying lip service to police officers and chief constables—whilst throwing bones to the media—but without sticking Whitehall's neck out any further than it already is. In other words, nothing has actually changed, except perhaps the general agreement that it's time to get a lot tougher. It's a tricky balance between enforcing the law and stopping these thieves in their tracks, but without overly risking the safety and security of the bystanding public. At Sump still believe the ultimate solution lies more in preventing bike theft simply by making it unattractive, impractical, unprofitable if not  impossible. But that requires a lot more input from the motorcycle trade which still looks a long way from providing a technical solution. When you're next looking to buy a new bike, make sure to ask about heavyweight and imaginative security features. Bikers can mostly fix this problem with their wallets. It just requires a concerted effort on the showroom floor. See also: Amber Rudd to restrict acid sales, Sump October 2017
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"Revolutionary" Scottoiler xSystem. Motion activated. £199. 5 flow rates
1947 BSA C11/1953 Francis-Barnett Falcon. Dover Transport Museum raffle
Terminator 2 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy to auction. June 5/6/7/8 2018
Continental Tyres 2019 Harley tour competition. 9 nights, 1,500km, + bike
Bosch unveils one-time-use, anti-slide, side-thrust assist technology
Curtiss Motorcycles unveils electric Zeus at Quail Lodge [Check here too]
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122 years of history in the trashcan Entrants to be split into two groups Yes, it's bloody sacrilege. But it's gonna happen, and we suspect it will claim a few casualties (heart attacks, strokes, suicides, etc). The story is that the established London-Brighton Run route from Hyde Park Corner to Wellington Arch, Constitution Hill, past Buckingham Palace, down The Mall, round Parliament Square and over Westminster Bridge and due south to Madeira Drive, Brighton is under assault. Seems that someone has pulled the pin on this grenade and has decided that traffic congestion is a problem (as if it ever wasn't), and so the usual suspects are going to be split into two groups with the secondary cars (Group B if you prefer) headed instead past Westminster Abbey and over Lambeth Bridge where they'll converge with the A-Team (or whatever they'll be called) somewhere near Croydon. If you're not indoctrinated into the London-Brighton lore, it probably won't make much difference to you. But if you've got any passion for British motoring tradition, you'll probably be crying round about now. The Westminster Bridge route is, of course, the one depicted in the movie Genevieve, notably in the final scene where the starring 1904 Darracq (supposedly with a mind of its own), limps over the bridge to the notional finishing line as agreed by rival entrants Alan McKim (played by John Gregson) and Ambrose Claverhouse (played by Kenneth Moore). 
This is the first time in its 122 year history that the run (not a race, remember) has switched its route. And it begs the question of how the organisers will decide who gets to be in the classic Westminster Bridge photoshoot, and who gets the Lambeth rat run. Additionally, it's reckoned that the new route will open the event up to more spectators and generally enhance the tradition—which sound exactly like the old Dunkirk spirit of spinning a bitter defeat into a glorious victory. Regardless, this year's event will be held on Sunday 4th November. And once again, Bonhams will be organising an auction on the preceding Friday. As ever, only cars built before 1905 are eligible to enter—and we wouldn't be at all surprised if one or two of the participants decide to boycott the 2018 event in protest (especially if they've been relegated to what might be referred to as a bridge too far). Yes, times change as they must. But here in Blighty, some things are changed at your peril. www.veterancarrun.com See: Sump Classic Bike News August 2017
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Open Day at Market Harborough, Northamptonshire The UK's "largest single marque club" invites you to a party It's sixty years since the BSA Owner's Club (BSAOC) formalised its existence as a one-stop-shop for all things related to BSA motorcycles. Since then, the club has grown hugely and currently claims to be the largest single marque motorcycle club in the UK. The BSAOC is also custodian of the official factory records dating back to 1907. This includes despatch records, factory parts books, handbooks, catalogues and service sheets. 
If you want to share in the celebrations (such as they are), the club will be commemorating its diamond jubilee at Market Harborough Rugby Club on Sunday 27th May 2018. The postcode is: LE16 9HF. And you don't have to own or ride a BSA to get in through the gate. Just turn up. Celebrate. Ride home safely.
We don't have any details regarding the entertainment, etc. but we're assuming that the club has got something significant in mind—or will it all simply reduce to a bunch of blokes and birds standing around on the grass kicking tyres, arguing over rivets and wondering where the party is?
To find out, contact: Phil Bull natsec@bsaownersclub.co.uk. But we have to say that a big club like this ought to be able to promote itself and its six decades on the frontline with something a little better than the dismal details we found on the website. Tut tut. www.bsaownersclub.co.uk
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Established Italian auctioneers move into motorcycles and cars Thirteen biking lots are on offer Italian auction house Aste Bolaffi—noted for its professional interest in everything from fine art to furniture to jewellery to exotic wines & spirits—is about to holds its first classic car and motorcycle sale. If all goes to plan, the event will happen on 23rd May 2018 at La Pista Di Arese in Milan, Italy. This newly restored 1,428 metre track was once the home of Alfa Romeo. More recently, the site has found new significance as a test centre for all kinds of driving disciplines and skills. 
Aste Bolaffi will be holding the auction inside the now iconic main building designed by architect Michele De Lucchi. And to make this inaugural event extra special, attendees are invited to watch one or two of the automotive lots take to the track for a little innocent parading and showboating (no details here). There are 13 motorcycle lots and 60 car lots currently listed in the catalogue. Most of the bikes are racing machines, the most optimistic of which is an undated Norton Manx (main image this story) carrying an estimate of €36.000 - €40.000. 
Overall, it's a fairly modest collection of two-wheeled hardware and isn't likely to ring alarm bells anywhere else in the auction world. But bigger things have grown from less, and no doubt the larger and more established players (Bonhams, Mecum, H&H, etc) are likely to watch this one with passing interest and ensure that their respective positions are secure. We'll be watching this one too, but we don't anticipate any great shock or surprises.
Aste Bolaffi was established in the early 1990s, but the firm claims roots dating back 130 years. Note that 15% commission will be added to the hammer price. www.astebolaffi.it
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Delivery man's death prompts significant corporate changes Plus a few words on the gig economy The next time you have motorcycle parts (or anything else) delivered to your home, office, workshop or wherever, you might want to spare a thought for Don Lane. Lane, 53, was a self-employed DPD driver from the Bournemouth, Dorset area who recently made national news regarding a cancelled hospital appointment—and who subsequently collapsed in December 2017, and died in early January 2018. Actually, he'd missed a few appointments. Silly boy, you might think. Should have put his health first, etc. Only, Lane's (typical) contract with DPD (Dynamic Parcel Delivery) meant that any driver who failed to show up for work, or who couldn't provide a replacement driver, was liable to be fined £150 per day. Lane had already been hit with such a penalty and didn't much fancy another, so he took a chance; a chance that cost him his life. DPD is one of numerous UK firms operating in the gig economy. Rival companies include Deliveroo, Hermes and Yodel—and the list is growing with plenty of hopefuls (including taxi firm, Uber) looking to break into this lucrative sector. Typically, self-employed drivers working for the big name UK delivery outfits are officially operating on minimum wage, but in practice earn considerably less. Currently, the UK minimum wage for adults aged over 25 is around £7.83. These drivers buy/lease and operate their own vehicles, pay their own vehicle and public liability insurance, pay their own fuel costs, handle their own maintenance expenses, and deal with their own taxation burdens. They are also generally expected to make a minimum of one hundred-plus drops per day in their target areas, and are frequently worked to near total exhaustion. If these drivers fail to make a drop—perhaps because of poor addressing or because the recipient isn't available to take delivery—the driver usually has to return at his or her expense. And occasionally that involves multiple returns. As such, the average earnings per drop can reach as little as 50 pence. Once in a while, the driver is actually subsidising the delivery. Since Lane's death, DPD has said that it will guarantee a minimum wage of £8.75 per hour for its drivers, and will scrap the £150 per day no-show penalty. It will also, we understand, now offer drivers the options of working as a self-employed franchisee, or operate as a self-employed driver, or work directly on the company payroll—no doubt at a lower rate. The difference in contracts, take note, has very different legal implications. However, whichever way you look at it, the business models of the big delivery firms rely upon pushing drivers to the absolute limit whilst creaming off their corporate cut. 
▲ For many of us, the only way to get parts for our bikes is via delivery services. But are we simply fuelling the employment problem and helping the uber-rich get uber-richer? And is there an alternative—such as via a new kind of regular motorcycle market place, or by local bike shops doubling up as parts delivery points? Or maybe you've got a better idea? Dwain McDonald, CEO of DPD, has been quoted as saying: "[We are working on a] complete reappraisal of every aspect of our driver package. That will also give drivers the opportunity to have worker status, which means they will get a steady wage, sick pay, 28 days’ holiday and a pension. Our aim is simple – to make DPD the carrier of choice for delivery drivers and for our drivers to be the best rewarded in the industry." DPD also claims that the "average annual salary" (under these terms and conditions) will be £28,800. Furthermore, worker-status drivers will not have to pay their own vehicle costs, etc. Note the weasel-worded "average annual salary" which suggests that some, or many, drivers will still be earning way below that amount. Currently, the UK government reckons that over one million people are now working regularly in the gig economy. A spate of recent legal challenges hasn't entirely clarified the legal position or provided the kind of employment assurances needed to make this sector a healthy place to earn a crust. However, many UK workers feel that they've little viable option but to hit the highway the DPD way. Meanwhile, here at Sump we're unable to yet make any meaningful contribution to the widening gig debate. It's just another depressing and demoralising facet of the ongoing globalisation paradigm fuelled largely by the rampant www and exploited by the more uber-ambitious among us. Ultimately, Don Lane has to take the full responsibility for his life's decision. But it's easy to see how everyday financial pressures lead to these kind of tragedies. You can see his mistake. But you can't really call him a fool. Beyond that, aside from making sure you're at home when the delivery men and women call (which isn't always realistic), and aside from tipping the drivers an extra quid or so (thereby helping the corporations maintain their dodgy policies, practices and profits), what can we do? We'd be interested to hear some views on this. DPD is owned by the French La Poste group. It currently counts 38,000 employees, and in 2017 posted a revenue of €6.8 billion.
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NZ Speedway champion Ivan Mauger (1939 - 2018) has died aged 78
Supervised L drivers will soon be allowed on UK motorways (4/6/2018)
The Norton Commando 961 is to be offered for sale in India (£24,000)
AMA Bonneville Speed Trials, Utah returns 25th - 30th August 2018
The Met Police (London) launches a "Be Safe" anti-bike theft campaign
The Banbury Run will mark its 70th anniversary, Sunday 17th June 2018
Mahindra launches 397cc Jawa Special. Euro 4 compliant. UK? Maybe
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Motorcycle travel kit firm invites trekkers to a Welsh party Free to all, but first come first served We're told that 2000 worldwide visitors found their way to the Touratech Travel Event 2017. And if they can find their way all the way to Wales from who knows where, who can tell where they might end up? That's the thinking of the organisers, anyway; to meet riders with an interest in serious travelling, to exchange stories and anecdotes, to explore details of the relevant kit required, to ride a few demo bikes, to attend a few workshops and generally psyche themselves up for that global tour they've always promised themselves. BMW, Ducati, Honda, KTM, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha will, we hear, be in attendance, and they'll be hauling their show trucks and marketing equipment, so expect a little soft and hard sell. If all that sound like something worth starting your motor for, you can tackle the first leg of your great personal journey by riding down to Rheola Grounds in Neath, South Wales and joining the activities. It's a free event, note. It will start on Friday 11th May 2018 and will finish on Sunday 13th May 2018. Here's the full address: Glynneath Road, Resolven, Neath, South Wales, SA11 4DT. Check the Touratech website for times. Keep in mind that there are limited places, so register your interest sooner rather than later. The word is: NO WRISTBAND, NO RIDE OUT. Sounds like an adventure in its own right. www.touratech.co.uk  WARNING: INCOMING SUMP WHINGE!!
We were going to grab a few screen images from the Touratech site to help illustrate this story and make it more appealing and attractive to visitors. But we couldn't find any shots worth grabbing (bikers crossing raging rivers or traversing rope bridges or being shot at by bandits, etc). Then we noticed that the event exhibitor list still hasn't been completed with just a week to go), and most of the rest of the site doesn't look too clever. No big deal. Not in cosmic universal terms. But we figure Touratech, which manufactures some great kit, ought to be able to do a little better than this. Next year guys, huh?
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Story snapshot: The founder of CCM has died aged 79 Ex-scrambler turned businessman leaves a lasting legacy Alan Clews, scrambles rider, businessman and founder of CCM (Clews Competition Motorcycles), has died aged 79. A self-made man, his riding career began in the 1960s in which he was both a very credible performer in the dirt and a familiar face on the international scene. During that era, Clews was working in a chain of newsagents owned by his wife's family. But motorcycle competition was where his real passions lay. However, laying his hands on the right racing equipment was tricky. In the 1960s, the BSA Competitions Department was fielding some pretty convincing B50 works specials. These factory hot-rods were hard to obtain and expensive to boot. Refusal to sell one to the hoi polloi was the company rule rather than the exception. But in 1971, when the Competitions Department closed, Clews shrewdly purchased a huge inventory of B50 engines and sundry BSA components. Soon he was building bikes in his garage to his very exacting specifications, and in doing so created a new tool with which to crack a very hard nut. His first bike was a highly successful B50-based creation with a good power-to-weight ratio, point-and-squirt handling, top-line tuning—and something of a handful in the wrong hands. Nevertheless, as word spread, and as the plaudits rolled in, other riders wanted some of the same. And so CCM was founded. 
In the 1970s, the age of the four-stroke motocrosser was all but at an end—at least as far as the established British bikes were concerned. Japanese, Spanish and Swedish motorcycles ruled. But for a few more seasons, CCM four strokes pitched into the breach time and time again and, with the right man in the saddle, on the right circuit, and with a favourable lucky wind, the Beezas often came out either on top, or very near it. However, if Clews wanted to stay in the game—as a businessman if not merely as a rider—it was clearly time to up the ante, power unit-wise. The answer came courtesy of Austrian manufacturer Rotax which agreed to supply him engines thereby helping keep CCM in the top league, which in turn did nothing to hurt the Rotax brand. In 1984, Armstrong bought the company, but Alan Clews remained at the centre of operations. Military MT500 bikes, also powered by Rotax engines, were soon being built by Armstrong-CCM. Harley-Davidson subsequently acquired the rights to this model in 1987. The full story of these bikes is, of course, a little more complicated. Regardless, the shifting fortunes and acquisitions helped keep the CCM flag flying in a reasonably profitable, but never certain, breeze. 
In 1998 the Robson family bought the CCM name and chattels. During this period, the company manufactured a Suzuki DR-Z400 powered off-roader. It was a good machine. Nevertheless, by 2004 the business was no longer viable and the firm went bust. It was then that Alan Clews re-purchased the company and assets and gradually breathed new life into CCM with a wide range of bikes and options based upon a BMW GP450 engine. There soon followed the R35 Supermoto and the FT35 flat tracker. Since then, CCM has widened its appeal with a range of factory customs and specials based on its 600cc Spitfire concept, and the company has gone from strength to strength. That said, many feel that CCM has shifted too far from its origins and has devalued its heritage, not least by incorporating numerous Far Eastern engines and sundry foreign components into its product. And that's unfair because it's quite simply a global world with global realities, and there are few, if any, manufacturers who create a complete motorcycle in-house. Moreover, CCM has always been a pick'n'mix motorcycle company, and there's a long tradition of that kind of commercial expediency going back to the beginnings of biking. 
What we're focusing here is simply Alan Clews' energy, innovation, imagination, dedication and staying power that's kept CCM vibrant and competitive for nearly five decades. And that's something we can all doff our lids at, n'est-ce pas? Over the years, CCM riders include Jimmy Aird, Vic Allan, Vic Eastwood, and John Banks. The company has in recent times been managed by Clews' son, Austin (pictured above with Alan). Funeral details have not been released, so if you're a CCM fan or a friend of Alan Clews, you might want to keep an eye on the company website. The man deserves a good send off.
Also see: CCM Bobber - Sump February 2018 www.ccm-motorcycles.com
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326 dealers will lose their franchise Some of them will be invited back into the fold Vauxhall Motors has given walking papers to every dealer in its 326-strong (or, apparently, 326-weak) UK car sales network. As of now, they've all got two years notice, which doesn't sound like fair warning when you consider the investment that goes into establishing a Vauxhall car showroom. But no doubt the contracts have been signed in blood with the terms and conditions as tight as a duck's ... well, mouth. So there's probably not much that the current dealer principles can do about it—except perhaps look towards the burgeoning Chinese and Korean brands which are always hungry for a larger slice of the cake. We're not talking simply about the investment cost of the bricks and mortar, or the shop fittings and stock. There are other heavy expenditures involved including delivery vehicles, tools and equipment, staff training, insurance, local planning costs, advertising programmes and dozens of other expenses that are usually seen and understood only by the bosses and the company accountants. 
At the end of the two year notice period, some of those dealers will be invited back into the fold—subject, no doubt, to new terms and conditions. Actually, Vauxhall's current owners reckon that most existing dealers will still be on books 24 months down the line. Moreover, the forecast is that few if any of the current 12,000 or so jobs will be lost—and if you believe that, you could be overdue for your next reality check up. The suggestion is that many of the employees will simply shift to other car franchises (not necessarily Vauxhall). Except that the general employment trend in the motor industry is headed down. 
Vauxhall Motors was founded in 1857 by Alexander Wilson. The company, located at 90–92 Wandsworth Road, Vauxhall, London manufactured pumps and engines. Andrew Betts Brown came along in 1863 and bought the firm. He renamed it Vauxhall Iron Works. The first complete car was built in 1903. Two years on, the company relocated to Luton, Bedfordshire—which is still the spiritual home of Vauxhall. US firm General Motors (GM) bought the company in 1925. In 1929, GM partly acquired a stake in German firm Opel, and two years later GM fully owned that company. For decades, Vauxhall and Opel have since been pretty much synonymous, albeit tweaked for their respective markets. In 2017, the French conglomerate Groupe PSA bought both brands. And PSA, note, also owns Peugeot, Citroen and the lesser known DS brand. 
So why have all the dealers been effectively sacked? Well, as you might expect there are various reasons. These include poor performance across the range (with some dealers well below par), a radically changing marketplace, over exposure in certain areas, inadequate exposure in other areas, pressure from new brands, over production, etc, etc. In 2017, Vauxhall sold 195,000 cars in the UK. That's 22 percent down on the previous year and compares to an average 5.7 percent drop in overall UK car sales. A similar re-franchising exercise will be happening across the channel in mainland Europe with regard to the Opel brand. 
▲ Are we going to climb on our soapbox and whinge about this kind of irresponsible advertising that condones, if not encourages, excessive driving behaviour at the wheel? Not this time. We're simply going to tell you that the Astra is one of the firm's greatest successes. Over four million have been built and sold since it was introduced in 1979. Currently, Vauxhall (PSA) has just confirmed plans to built its next generation vans at the Luton, Bedfordshire plant. But the future of the Vauxhall plant at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire which produces the Astra model, is looking a lot less positive. In recent times, 650 jobs have already gone in the wake of two job cut programmes. More losses are anticipated. This kind of re-franchising isn't a new phenomenon, incidentally. It happens from time to time, and every time it happens it's painful for most of the dealers involved.
In terms of the size of its dealership network, Vauxhall is in number two position trailing behind Ford. But after the dealer purge (which is the right word for it), Vauxhall is expected to be in third position. It's not clear which dealership network will take its place. www.vauxhall.co.uk
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Story snapshot: Curtiss is staying put and still going electric But the old Confederacy is, it seems, back on the march If you're a regular Sumpster, you might remember the (immediately) above graphic from Sump, August 2017. But we make absolutely no apologies for re-using it today. That's because (a) we like the look of the Confederate Flag, (b) it's appropriate to the following story, and (c) it saves us having to work-up another image. What's happened is that last year we reported that the Confederate name and brand was, in the light of rising political hysteria, considered by the company as too toxic to continue, so owner Matt Chambers cast his net around for something less divisive. Hence the re-brand to Curtiss in honour of Glen Curtiss, aviator, aviation pioneer and pioneer biker. You can read all about that story via the link you've just passed. Meanwhile, some of you will perhaps be pleased to hear that the Confederate name, rights and intellectual property has recently been bought by Ernest Lee LLC, a firm of lawyers and venture capitalists that was founded in London and Pennsylvania, but now operates across 20 or more countries. We checked and couldn't find too much about these largely invisible guys and gals, and we spotted no obvious motorcycle connections. But the contact details took us to Florida, USA, and it appears that most of the company activities are US focussed (largely on contemporary tax issues which, some might suggest, is another hot potato and becoming as toxic as the politics of race and gender). Meanwhile, you can decide for yourself if it's a co-incidence that Confederate General Robert E Lee and the company name (Ernest Lee) has any political, personal or other associations. Either way, the current promise that Confederate Motorcycles will sooner or later be back in the market place sounds suspiciously like the old "The South will rise again" battle cry. But if you'll give Ernest Lee the benefit of the doubt, we'll join hands with you. 
The new company will be called Confederate Motorcycles LLC. In a recent interview, an Ernest Lee spokesperson was quoted as saying, "[We] believe the Confederate name is no more synonymous with racism than is ‘Rebel’ or the Confederate Flag itself. We acknowledge that there are some that disagree with our viewpoint, but [we] felt that allowing individuals to discuss their differences of opinion is paramount to the democracy in which we all live." It's not the first time politics has impacted on automotive engineering and marketing. Swallow Sidecars, which became Jaguar, allegedly felt the need to dispense with the SS100 moniker for fear of being associated with the Schutzstaffel aka SS, the militarized wing of the German Nazi party. And poor old Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche spent years trying to live down the fact that he'd once been an honorary officer in the aforementioned SS claiming that the dubious accolade was at the personal insistence of SS Chief Heinrich Himmler, "There was no way I could refuse," Porsche had said more than once during his life (1875 - 1951). Either way, that must have been a seriously big albatross flapping around his private horizons. We don't yet know what kind of bikes the new Confederacy will produce. Curtiss (aka the old Confederacy) is still going electric (we hear). But we're figuring that it's probably not yet over for the petrolheads wedded to bikes such as the Hellcat, the Wraith and the Fighter—that's assuming that actually building motorcycles is part of the wider game plan. Ernest Lee is, after all, a coterie of tax lawyers with all that that implies. Finally, if Ernest Lee really wants to rub some salt in the open Confederacy wound, the company might try suggesting new bike model names such as the Confederate Lynchburg, the Confederate Bull Run, and the Confederate Ball's Bluff, all of these being greater or lesser military successes by the Southern "rebels". On the other hand, we're all friends now, ain't we just? Stay tuned, Sumpsters. See: Sump Classic Bike News August 2017
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