Milwaukee is refusing to trade with Russia ... for the foreseeable future There's not an awful lot to say here, but we're going to say it anyway because it's newsworthy. Harley-Davidson has today (1st March 2022) released a statement announcing the stoppage of motorcycle deliveries to Russia, coupled with a general business ceasefire. Naturally, this move is with regard to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces which has pretty much seen the entire planet turn against the beleaguered KGB-man-turned-president—not that anyone liked him much before this shooting started. And as far as we know, Harley-Davidson is the first of the world's motorcycle manufacturers to publicly nail its anti-Putin colours to the mast. Currently, Vlad-the-increasingly-desperate-and-isolated is doing what he can to stoke everyone's boilers by lightly resting his hand on the nuclear button and threatening to push it if anyone in the Western world so much as sneezes without a hankie. Naturally, it will be interesting to see if any of the other motorcycle manufacturers follow suit, and we figure that one or two of them will do exactly that—either publicly or on the QT, and if only because the Russian currency is now in trouble as a result of the sanctions hammering and sickle-ing the country's economy. Or does Harley-Davidson (and other manufacturers) trade with the Ruskies mostly in dollars (as opposed to trading in roubles)? And does that make any difference? Truth is, we haven't got a bloody clue. Either way, buying an American motorcycle at this point in history might well be seen by many Russians as treasonable, so we doubt that H-D would have been doing much business anyway. Consequently, Milwaukee might as well get on the right side of history—not that we're doubting the corporate motivations of MoCo. It's just that we're in the habit of looking at as many angles as possible. It helps. Meanwhie, General Motors, Daimler, Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, Renault and others have to a greater or lesser extent ceased production at their Russian automotive plants, or have stopped trading entirely with Russia. But in many instances this corporate shift/closure/downsizing has  more to do with auto parts shortages (notably semi-conductors—which for some time has been a worldwide problem). Finally, follow this link to see what Manuele Malenotti of Matchless Ltd recently had to say about Vladimir Putin (and no doubt now wishes that he'd kept his mouth shut).
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Kickback Show reminder; Sunday 2nd - 3rd April 2022. Henry Cole judging
Bonhams Amelia Island "British Invasion" Auction, USA, 3rd March 2022
Ian McDonald, co-founder of King Crimson & Foreigner, has died age 75
Gary Brooker (centre), lead singer of Procol Harum, has died aged 76
6th April 2022 H&H Classic Auctions at the NMM, consigning now
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Ford powered with a 5-speed Mazda gearbox The basic price is £41,995 Morgan has a problem. Actually, the firm no doubt has many problems. But the one we're focussed on here is their heritage versus modernity conundrum. Specifically, this is a company whose entire ethos is based around its historic roots and its connection to the past. Hence phrases such as seat-of-the-pants-experience, and wind-in-your-hair-motoring, and a-real-driver's-machine, and characterful-open-air-touring. Etc. Yet at the same time, the past isn't really where it's at. The past is where it's been, and you can market only so much of that olde worlde myth because at some point you have to modernise to attract contemporary buyers who want to enjoy Morgans on slightly less Spartan terms. You really can't have it both ways; not without a lot of blarney. Consequently, the firm's marketing people have to walk a very narrow line between old and new, basic and sophisticated, and now and then. To that end, the Morgan Super 3 has just been launched, and naturally it's the same but different and is looking to keep the company flame burning in what's become a very draughty world of environmental issues that are at odds with ICE vehicles. 
▲ We used to think of Morgan three-wheelers as honorary motorcycles. But now that bike engines are defunct, the self-deception is harder to maintain. But luggage panniers are optional, and you're still advised to wear a lid—and waterproofs too if you're going further than the pub on the corner. Motorcycle engines, as far as Morgan is concerned, are finally passé. Instead, the new Super 3 is powered by a Ford 1.5 litre inline three-cylinder liquid-cooled motor driving through a five-speed Mazda transmission. Maximum power is quoted at 118bhp with 110lb-ft of torque. That should translate into a heady 130mph top end—if you actually feel like doing that on three wheels (although most bikers are happy to achieve those velocities on just two—or even one). There's no chassis anymore, shock, horror. Instead, the company has developed its first monocoque structure which, to hard core traditionalists, is probably more of a monocoque-up—hence the aforementioned problem of appearing to go backward when you have to keep going forward. 
To maintain the classic/heritage appeal, Morgan has opted for 20-inch Avon Speedmaster rubber that, we're advised, was specifically developed for the Super 3. Those wheels, incidentally, are attached to a pull-rod type suspension set-up, the details of which haven't been forthcoming. So we'll just have to take the company's word for it when they tell us that the design is intended to maximise aerodynamics and keep the weight down, which is only what you'd expect from a vehicle that some might cruelly describe as a sidecar without a motorcycle attached. But we wouldn't say that. The bodywork, such as it is, is superformed aluminium; a process that heats the metal to around 500 degrees C and then blows it into a mould thereby allowing complex compound shapes to be achieved—not that we can see any of those on this vehicle. The seats are fixed, and we believe the pedals are adjustable (but don't quote us on that; we make many mistakes). A heater is supplied to help keep the worst of the atmosphere at bay (or provide and illusion of comfort). The instruments are pretty much up-to-the-minute (or at least up-to-the-hour). And, as expected, much attention has been paid to waterproofing the vital bits that are likely to get wet, which is pretty much everything (seats, switches, instrument pods, and so on). And speaking of wetness, the dry weight is 635kg. 
You can choose between two types of windscreen. A push-button START is included for anyone who finds turning a key a little unfashionable if not exactly gauche. Accessory brackets and rails are included. And to satisfy your vegan commitments (or pretensions), you can opt for artificial leather—which, of course, is a contradiction in terms. Beyond that, the company will perform any number of engineering contortions to accommodate both yourself and your peculiar predilections. The asking prices is £49,995. We've been busy here making light of the Super 3, and you might be forgiven for thinking we've got a grievance against it. But we haven't—but, if only for the looks and sound, we'd prefer a more traditional air-cooled V-twin motorcycle engine. However, that would miss the point of the Super 3, which is trying to close the gap between two worlds whilst keeping the legislators at bay. Beyond that, the real problem with this kind of motoring is the hard fact that most of us haven't got suitable roads to let loose on anymore. Certainly not in the UK. The 1930s it ain't. 
 If you're interested in buying one of these, send a telegram to the factory (or just email) and take a trip to Morgan Motor Company, Pickersleigh Road, Malvern, Worcestershire. And ask about an electric version. The company did have one in the pipeline, but cancelled it. And when it comes to historic motoring, we'd like to remind you that electric vehicles were fairly common 100 years ago—not that there was ever anything common about a Morgan 3-wheeler.
www.morgan-motor.com See also: Morgan EV3 electric
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Either do something Or do nothing It's not often that we use Sump as a protest platform. But when we do it, it's because we feel that we simply have to. And yes, we know that some of our Sumpsters want us to cut the political crap and just talk about motorcycles old and new. But the fact is, some things are simply too important NOT to talk about. And this is one of them. Motorcycles can wait. As we write, Russia is invading the sovereign state of Ukraine. Supposedly, that invasion is intended to limit any further growth of NATO which Russia, rightly or wrongly, sees as a security threat—never mind the fact that if Russia gets control of the Ukraine, it will still have NATO on its doorstep via Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. We've been here before; as a society, that is. Mussolini did it in 1935 when his troops invaded Abyssinia. The Nazis did it in 1938 when they annexed the Sudetenland, and again in 1939 when they went into Poland. That same year, the Russians followed suit when they also carved off a chunk of the Polish sovereign state. In each case, the bogus pretext was much the same. You know the story (and you can include Hungary and Czechoslovakia in that miserable tale of Soviet imperial expansion). It's not clear what the West now intends to do about the situation. Certainly, it doesn't look as if anywhere near enough had been done to see off this attack before the shooting started, and we're not impressed with what's being done now that the battle is raging. But it's easy to be an armchair politician or general or pundit. These things are always more complicated and interwoven than is immediately obvious. Regardless, we're deeply unhappy about this invasion, and that leaves us with two choices; do something, or do nothing—and doing nothing isn't an option. Russia simply has to get the hell out of Ukraine. It's as simple as that (and we can argue later about The Crimea). And the only practical weapons that most of us have are our wallets and our emails. Pathetic, huh? But that's how it is. Consequently, we've cobbled together a few email addresses for you to fire off a little ordnance of your own. Most of you reading this, for various reasons, won't bother. But some of you just might; and like we said, it's better to do something than nothing. If you do target anyone, keep it brief. One sentence is probably enough. Meanwhile, we encourage everyone to boycott all Russian products, especially those that have a direct connection to Russia. Conceivably, a large scale boycott, along with the ongoing international anti-Russian trade sanctions, will hurt a lot of innocent traders and business people. But we're not losing any sleep over that. If you dance with the devil, you should expect to get burned from time to time. Just remember that if you do boycott anyone or anything regarding the invasion, just be sure to tell them why. Right now. Putin will be under conflicting and enormous pressures. Yes, he's talking tough. He has to. But he has his internal enemies too; enemies who will ultimately take him down if enough pressure can be brought to bear. So okay, any contribution we can make as individuals isn't going to amount to what Bogart called "a hill of beans". But we have to try. So check the addresses below. Also contact your MP. Express your thoughts to anyone who might in whatever small way make a difference. If history has shown us anything, it's that bullies have to be challenged and stopped. Of course, we don't want a war. An even larger war, that is. But we can't let this stand either. Please do whatever you can, no matter how little it seems. Use your YouTube channel, or Facebook page, or whatever. Remember this: it isn't simply the Russian government who we have to persuade. We also have to combat the wider disinformation being fed to the Russian public, and then encourage that public to take to the streets. Innocent Ukrainian civilians and soldiers are dying while you ponder all this. Russian Embassy in London bilateralrelations@rusemb.org.uk Defense Attache Office, Russian Consulate in Washington defattru@msn.com Press and culture queries, Russian Embassy in London press@rusemb.org.uk Prime Minister Boris Johnson boris.johnson.mp@parliament.uk
US Embassy London No general email address available RT (Russian Television) London press@rttv.ru Aeroflot presscentr@aeroflot.ru Note: India and China are refusing to publicly condemn Russia for the Ukraine invasion. Contact email addresses below High Commission of India https://www.hcilondon.gov.in/ Chinese Embassy London (Political Affairs Office) political_uk@mfa.gov.cn
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270 are to be built (assuming that Triumph gets that many orders) Triumph Motorcycles is offering a special edition Speed Twin for anyone prepared to stump up a £1,000 deposit followed by another £15,000 on delivery. Meanwhile, Swiss watch manufacturer Breitling is offering a £4,650 Speed Twin wristwatch to prove that time, for some folk, really is money. The production run at Triumph will be limited to 270 units, with 36 bikes earmarked for Blighty. The price of a standard 2022 Speed Twin currently starts at £11k. The Breitling watch, however, doesn't appear to be offered in limited numbers. Chances are the company will flog as many as they can. But if you buy the bike and the timepiece, you can have the wristwatch numbered to match your wheels. Now how indescribably cool is that? Answer: □ Very cool □ Not very cool □ Not at all cool □ Get over it, dudes! Of course, you can always sneer at how the other bloke or bloke-ess spends his/her money, and it won't get you far. But a £16,000 Speed Twin sounds a little steep to us—unless you're a foreigner, in which case Britain will be happy to help you empty your wallet of biking dollars. So keep 'em comin'. 
Beyond that, for that kind of dosh, is that really the best livery that Triumph's designers could have dreamed up?  Seem so, wethinks.
And before we go, we just took a closer look at the Breitling watch. The warranty is a mere two years, which is the same as that offered by Triumph. www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk www.breitling.com
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Inaugural Vintage Scooter Auction 6th April 2022 is the date We're clearly not a scooter magazine, classic or otherwise. But we've got a place around here for pretty much everything and anything on two wheels (and we've got a grudging respect for hairdryers, not only for their "timeless" style and the positive impact they've had on personal mobility, but also because the owners of these small-wheelers actually use them, often covering the kind of mileages that put big-wheeled bikers to shame. Well H&H Classic Auctions has also found a special place for scooters and is launching a new sales category aimed specifically at these bikes. The first sale is scheduled to happen on Wednesday 6th April 2022. The venue will be the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull, West Midlands. The firm say this event "will offer the most comprehensive range of classic scooters sold at auction in the UK." Here's what H&H Classics MD, Colette McKay, added: "We are delighted to announce The Vintage Scooter Auction, the first of its kind ever held. This is an opportunity to be part of what promises to be a very exciting sale, and the first of many such." We've yet to see a consignment list, so contact H&H if you're either buying or selling. But don't expect everything, or even anything, to be cheap and cheerful. There's a high demand for rare, interesting and quality scooters, so prices are likely to be quite bullish. Regarding the scooter at the top of this news story, that's a 1958 Lambretta LD150; a rare model built over just a couple of months (July and August). Only three complete bikes are known to have survived, and the estimate is £7,000 - £8,000.
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www.britishdealernews.co.uk Prison looms for former Norton supremo [Stuart Garner] All time record sales for BMW [194,261 units sold in 2021]
www.motorcyclenews.com 
Stuart Garner pleads guilty to illegal pension investments
www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial Cost of living: How a switch to riding a motorcycle can slash costs
www.visordown.com Motorcycle sales are already riding high in Q1 2022 Is Tesla the missing link | Tesla Superchargers and motorcycles 
CFMoto 700CL-X Sport lands in UK dealerships | UK price announced
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Production is yet to start But Triumph understandably wants to get us amped up in anticipation... Hinckley isn't giving much away here regarding its TE-1 project. In fact, almost nothing. But the firm has at least condescended to release another image or two of its first foray into the world of electric motorcycles. As you might expect, the bike carries some familiar styling cues redolent of the current Speed Triple. But the heart of the beast—the electric motor—is tucked away behind a couple of stylised plastic covers and hasn't much to say for itself. Does that really matter? Meaning, does anyone care about the technical specifications of an electric motor? Well actually, we think some folks probably do. And it can only be a matter of time before volthead bikers are standing around at motorcycle dealers and social gatherings discussing the benefits of ferrite ceramic magnets when compared to, say, neodymium. Or the thrill of listening to a high torque synchronous motor on full chat, especially when running rare earth brushes. It's gotta happen, peeps. The Triumph TE-1 project, supported by Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain and the University of Warwick's WMG department is, we understand, moving to a new phase which will focus on production. There are no details of when we'll see the new Battery Bonnie, or whatever it finally gets called. And there's certainly no pricing available. However, we think it will be ready when it's right. So try not to die soon. But do we want an electric Triumph motorcycle? As much as it pains us to admit it, we certainly do around here at Sump. We love petrol and other filthy hydrocarbons. But the future is ultimately where it's at. That's where we all going to spend the rest of our lives. 
Meanwhile, check out our LOOK BACK, MOVE AHEAD Triumph T-shirt. It's an appropriate message (and we'll now have to start working on a new one to embrace the electric speedster revolution that will be coming to a shop near us sooner or later). Stay charged. Also see: Sump March 2021: Triumph TE-1 electric roadster nears
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January 2022
Golden anniversary Heritage '71 CCM. 600cc. 63bhp. Titanium frame. £29k
7 bikes stolen. Bretts Transport. Wisbech. Sat 8th Jan 2022. Mostly trailies
Manchester motorcycle superstore Drop The Hammer is bust. Creditors?
Ducati London opens. Albert Embankment. Inmoto Enterprises chain
2022 Indian Scout Rogue. 1,133cc. 94bhp. Mini fairing. Apes. £13k+
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60 Interceptors and 60 Continental GTs are (still) coming to Europe But pricing details aren't forthcoming First announced in late 2021, these two anniversary Royal Enfields are, we hear, being hotly awaited by RE aficionados, but there are still no clear signs of when the bikes will actually arrive. We spoke to a number of Enfield dealers and was, in pretty much each instance, told 'soon'. The bikes are, respectively, a special edition 650cc Interceptor (image immediately above), and a special edition 650cc Continental GT (image immediately below). But what makes the bikes so special? A black-chrome tank, a black finished engine, a black-finished exhaust system, a die-cast brass badge, and a few transfers. So basically, it's the colour black (with a tiny bit of brass). 
Built to mark 120 years of Royal Enfield, the company clearly hopes that these bikes will help put some more black ink in the company's ledgers; a company that's done a fantastic rebuilding and re-branding job over the past few years since its manufacturing and publicity machine went into overdrive. And naturally, there's a huge range of Royal Enfield accessories and clothing to ensure that Enfield Man (and Enfield Woman) are properly/appropriately attired. We're told that just 480 bikes will be made for worldwide sale, of which just 60 Interceptors, and 60 Continental GTs will be going into European dealerships. But even if all 60 machines came to the UK, your chances are seeing one, let alone buying one, are probably pretty slim. And that makes you wonder why RE isn't trying to make a bigger splash with these bikes if those 120 years really mean anything. Exclusivity is one thing. But unobtainability is something else. That said, we're pretty suspicious of these numbers, anyway. So we might yet be seeing some adjustment by the bean-counters.
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▲ c1955 125cc Isomoto (Lot 623). This motorcycle hails from the same firm that brought the Iso Grifo and Iso Rivolta supercars of the 1960s. No paperwork. Partial restoration completed. Re-commissioning required. Spicer's is estimating this at £550 - £650. 26th March 2022 at 12 noon Further consignments now being sought We count fourteen lightweight motorcycles at Spicer's first Classic Car and Motorcycle Auction of the year, and the estimates at least look realistic. A 1950 149cc LE Velocette in police livery for £600 - £800 (Lot 622). A 1969 175cc BSA D14 Super Bantam (Lot 627). A 1958 Greeves Scotttish 197cc for £1200 - £1500 (Lot 620). Of course, estimates are not the same as sale price. But there's usually a pretty strong link, and it's nice to see things apparently returning to more "realistic" levels (whatever that means to you). 
We're not familiar with Spicers or the firm's background. But here's what it says on the company website (and well done if you can make sense of it, because we can't): Andy Spicer took over the Driffield Exchange Saleroom in 2019 having first opened its doors in 1964 as the chattels division of the old established firm Dee Atkinson & Harrison. Over fifty years on, a new name 'Spicer's Auctioneers' the rostrum has moved to Goole, still in East Yorkshire, just 30 miles away we look forward to welcoming vendors and buyers as we head for a new adventure with Andy Spicer at the helm, ably assisted by Ian Almond as we build a new team, in a new location with new opportunities on the river and canal side in these lovely, industrial surroundings, so close to many road and rail links. Pruuf that there's nowt rong with Inglish litrasee round ear.  Regardless, the company is holding its first 2022 Classic Car and Motorcycle Auction, and more consignments are wanted. If you're looking to unload some classics, or indeed looking to fill the shed with something new, you know what you have to do. Note that fees of 15% and 18.5% respectively apply depending on how you bid.
Tell 'em Sump sent ya. www.spicersauctioneers.com
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Royal Enfield Open It Up CALM Raffle. 650cc Interceptor prize. £25k target
Brough Superior Lawrence Nefud Scrambler. 997cc. 102bhp. £50,000
Silverstone Auctions new sale at Excel, London Docklands, 12th Feb 2022
Tony Jeffries, Triumph & BSA man, TT winner, top BMW dealer, dies, 73
Simon Hope, H&H chairman, hands over 100% of his shares to 30 staff
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Direct-to-metal, great quality, 400mm x 300mm £14.99 plus P&P (UK postage) These new metal signs from Sump came in about ten minutes ago, so we haven't yet added them to our main metal garage signs page (but we'll get around to that soon enough. Or maybe later...). However, we know there's a demand for them because we read our email. So we're announcing them here first on our Classic Bike News page. Like the other signs in the Sump collection, these are £14.99 each plus P&P (£5.95 for the UK, £7.95 for Europe, and £20 for the rest of the world—and we know that £20 is plenty. But that's what the Royal Mail charges, and we don't make a penny on it). 
As you can see, there are two signs here; Sunbeam S7 and Harley-Davidson Fat Boy. They're good quality and printed direct-to-metal, and they should last you a very long time. But like all prints, keep them out of hard and direct sunlight. Okay? The size is a generous 400mm x 300mm. If you want one, fire off an email telling us so and we'll be in touch with a payment button. But we've got only a handful in this trial batch (and two of them are already sold to Sumpsters who requested that we print some). So they'll sell fast, and then you'll have to await the next batch, assuming we reprint. Keep that in mind. UPDATE: These signs are now in stock Sunbeam S7 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy feedback@sumpmagazine.com
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Custom & Retro Show tickets on sale now Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire Kickback Show organiser Lorne Cheetham is the first person this year to contact us regarding an upcoming event, and as we're glad to see that the classic and custom scene is finally gearing up for another season, we're happier to give it a plug. The venue is the Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire WR13 6NW. Check the Avon Hall. The date is 2nd & 3rd April 2022. Adult tickets are £9.95 for either day. Your attendance will be very welcome. So make a note in your diary, or mark it on your calendar. 
Lorne has included some snaps of some of the latest bikes to reach the FINALS of the 2022 UK National Championships. This is a pretty cool event that tries extra hard to throw together a very worthy event. So better get it while it's going—which is a pretty good reminder for all the other good stuff in our lives. Are we right? kickbackshow.blogspot.com
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