▲ Henry Cole astride "Steve McQueen's Triumph TR6 as ridden in The Great Escape". This recently rediscovered bike (on loan by Triumph aficionado Dick Shepherd) is currently on display at the Triumph Motorcycles Visitor Centre in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Isn't it amazing how this machine (said to be valued at £1.5 million) has suddenly turned up out of the blue? We're breathless. The Motorbike Show is back in December 2018 Three one-hour special programmes to be aired He doesn't look a bit like Steve McQueen—or Bud Ekins, come to that. But that's pretty obvious. However, he does look exactly like TV show presenter and serial motorcycle traveller Henry Cole, and that's because that is Henry. On the British side of the pond he's a household name—at least he is in those households where a biker lives. But the rest of the world might not be quite so familiar with him. And the reason he's headlining this news story is that he's about to present three new one-hour TV specials as part of The Motorbike Show series. Henry will, in his inimitable way, be waxing lyrically about Triumph, Norton and Ducati, respectively. The shows will run for three consecutive nights beginning on Tuesday 11th December. Each show will be screened at 9pm. And the relevant TV channel will be ITV4 (which may or may not be accessible overseas—or perhaps the show will be screened via other networks. We've got no info on that). Meanwhile, to clarify the UK viewing dates: Triumph Special. ITV4. 9pm. Tuesday 11th December 2018
Norton Special. ITV4. 9pm. Wednesday 12th December 2018
Ducati Special. ITV4. 9pm. Thursday 13th December 2018 We could give you broad details of what Henry will be talking about in each episode. But the odds are that it's going to be the same old same old stuff dragged from the same box and re-polished. Yes, that sounds mean, and we don't mean to be mean. But we can't remember the last time we saw something on TV about motorcycle lifestyle and history that was really compelling viewing, or even interesting viewing.  Ultimately, these things invariably become little more than a soapbox for the presenters to strut around showing us their better profiles whilst dumbing-down the content for the non biking world. So the best we can hope for is a re-telling of the tale with Henry reaffirming and re-validating our passion for two-wheeled transportation and mythology.
But maybe he'll surprise us. Hasn't happened yet, however. See also: Steve McQueen/Great Escape poem
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Shouldn’t that bike be painted in Wermacht ‘Feldgrau’ (Field Grey’)?. I seem to recall the bike as featured in the film was. I also recall there have been various Triumphs that were claimed to be ‘the one’ from the film.
—The Village Squire
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▲ Oxford Bradwell Jacket in Onyx Black. And no, it doesn't glow in the dark. For clarity's sake, we threw a digital spotlight on it. That's all. The black is actually very deep and rich. Well made, tough, comfortable and secure riding jacket Doesn't smell fishy Look, if there's anything good on TV right now, or if you've got some chores that need sorting, we suggest you go and attend to them. Life is short, and time is precious. Suffice to say that this Oxford Bradwell jacket in Onyx Black is a great piece of riding kit and well worth the £199 price tag. So you can leave it right there and move along. ...however, if you're the kind of bloke who wants a little more detail before parting with his cash, we'll be happy to supply it. A few weeks back, Oxford Products sent us this jacket for review. Our expectations were neither high nor low. Actually, we'd almost forgotten about it until a courier arrived and chucked a box at us. Hurry up, mate. Sign here. Goodbye. Vrooooommmm. You know how it works. 
Since then we've been wearing this jacket daily and laying down a lot of miles. And we're impressed. The fabric is premium British Millerain wax cotton. British Millerain Co Ltd has been around for well over a century and is one of the pioneers of wax cotton technology—and "technology" isn't too fancy a word for it. There's a lot of science and history behind this waxy fabric, most of it hailing from the needs of maritime world. British Millerain were among the first—if not the very first—to export this material to the rest of the world. To cut a long story short, wax cotton sail technology greatly improved the efficiency of the schooners, clippers and sundry vessels of the 18th, 19th and even 20th century. It was far more durable and lighter than ordinary, untreated cotton sails that habitually became saturated with brine and thereby slowed progress. So over the decades, various people experimented with fish oils and paraffin wax and stuff, and that experimentation is on-going with new ideas coming along at intervals. Old time sailors also made personal good use of wax cotton with homespun jackets and hats and stuff, and eventually the fabric was taken up by country squires and horsemen and aviators and, of course, motorcyclists. The Bradwell Jacket, you'll be pleased to know, doesn't smell of fish or paraffin. In fact, it doesn't have any kind of smell, neither wet nor dry. It doesn't feel waxy either. It just feels very durable, holds its shape well and is extremely tough. The cut is, okay, fairly basic, so forget high-end tailoring. Oxford could perhaps have trimmed an inch or two from the waistline. That's because we're all very slim and trim around here. However, most folk will be glad of a little breathing room for that excess flab. And to keep it all in, there's a belt that will help you control those convex curves. But don't misunderstand us. It's not a loose or baggy cut. It's just a little ... generous. On the bike, that's no problem at all. You need the manoeuvring room. We notice the extra inches only when off the bike and walking around with the jacket undone and admiring ourselves in passing shop windows. It's a fairly heavy jacket, mind. We were sent a LARGE size, and it weighs a little over six pounds (2.7 kilos). That weight might not suit everyone, but it gives us a welcome feeling of security which is backed up by elbow and shoulder protectors (and a back-protector is optional). 
The seams are triple stitched in the high impact areas, and that stitching is very neatly done all over. The pockets are pleated (to lay flat) and are reasonably accommodating. The back of the jacket has a generous box pleat—which is a prerequisite if you've got handlebars of any width or reach. The brass poppers feel like good quality. The zip is heavyweight and is protected by a storm flap (with poppers). Somewhere in the package is a HUMAX membrane designed to keep the wind and water away whilst still being able to breathe (seems to work). And the cuffs and high collar have so far also done a stand-up job of keeping the autumn elements at bay (and currently in our neighbourhood we're suffering from a surplus of autumn). We could nitpick about the buckles (one at the collar, one on the belt). Nothing major to whinge about, but we found them just a little fiddly. No problem when you're at home dressing up to ride. But when you're on the move and need to loosen something (or fasten something), you need to factor in a few extra seconds to do whatever you have to do (alternately, you can be smart and just pull over and sort out your gear). Mercifully, there's no Velcro on this jacket. We like the corduroy collar padding. We also like the tartan lining and have to resist the urge to show it off. That lining is removable and needs to be. Come the summer, you'll die in this jacket unless you strip it bare. Beyond that, we really can't think of anything to bitch about. The Oxford Bradwell jacket looks well thought out, is simple in design, is well cut (like us), is sturdy, tough, warm, protective, and good value (also like us). There is a ladies version around, but it seems that they're in short supply. So if you want one, girls, you'd better start hunting. And note that we haven't compared this Bradwell to any high-end wax cotton jackets because most riding folk, in our experience, want more cost-effective apparel (as opposed to big name fashion gear that offers no more protection or comfort).  As for sizing, the Bradwell starts at SMALL and ends at 5XL—which is pretty much a tent for us. The £199 price tag, incidentally, is the recommended retail price (RRP). So the jackets are bound to be on offer somewhere or other. Consequently, if you're looking for a cheaper (but not "cheap") wax cotton biking jacket, give this one a try.
It certainly suits us. www.oxfordproducts.com
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Egli-Vincent master builder Patrick Godet has died. Private funeral planned
Curtiss Motorcycles launches electric "Zeus" crowd funding appeal
Norton Motorcycles reveals TT-oriented 650cc "Superlight Twin". £19,950
New survey cites Hereford as worst UK drink-drive capital. "London is best"
James Dyson choose Singapore for new electric car manufacturing venture
Diane Abbott MP "slams" Met Police re: "tactical pursuit" contact policy
Carole Nash offers £10 to bikers if the firm can't match car insurance quote
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R.I.P Patrick Godet. Without doubt he produced the most achingly beautiful incarnation of the Stevenage twin. Such skills are there to be admired, whatever they are applied to.—The Village Squire
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The National Motorcycle Museum is offering an 850cc Commando Tickets are five for a tenner (see text for details) The start date for this raffle was 28th October 2018. But there's still time to make your play if you feel that luck is on your side, or if you simply have a spare copper or two to unload—but not if you're living outside the UK, note. British gambling laws demand that you have to be resident here in Blighty, etc. So save your money (although it's not clear what happens if you do live oversees and do buy a ticket). And by the way, this also excludes Northern Ireland residents (so much for national unity, huh?) Anyway, the 1st prize is the above 1977 850cc Norton Commando Interstate. Apparently, it's brand new and never registered with just three "push" miles on the clock. Sounds a bit daft pushing a bike for three miles when you can ride it. But maybe he/she ran out of petrol. 
▲ Sealey MC680A motorcycle lift. This isn't exactly the lift that's being offered as a second prize. But it's similar. The actual product, which is electro hydraulic, is so new it hasn't yet been photographed (not that we could find, anyway). You can check the Sealey website at your convenience. They're bound to post an image sooner or later. More seriously, the 2nd prize is a Sealey MC680E electro hydraulic motorcycle lift. This is valued (by someone, somewhere, somehow) at £1,500. Yes, fifteen hundred. We're advised that it's newly launched, and is a "top of the range electric lift with 680kg load capacity". But still, a grand and a half for a bike lift sounds a little steep—but we haven't directly inspected the merchandise, so we could be way off base here.
The 3rd Prize is the usual "Luxury Hotel Break & Dinner for 2" at the new Marco Pierre White Steakhouse in the Manor Hotel, Meriden. But it's just the one night, we hear. Dinner, bed and possibly breakfast. Great. Aside from grub, you get a VIP tour of the National Motorcycle Museum just down the road. Yes, it sounds a bit of a let down if your ticket fails to bag either the Commando or the bike lift. So maybe next year the National Motorcycle Museum could entice us with the promise of an obscenely dirty two-night weekend at the aforementioned "Luxury Hotel", ideally with your choice of whatever bit of skirt/piece of trouser that takes your fancy. It's a thought. Tickets are "£2 each"—except that once again we have to advise you that they're not. You need to buy in multiples of five, so that makes it five tickets for a tenner. £10. Or ten quid if you prefer. Yes, it kinda, more or less, roughly-speaking, sort of amounts to the same thing. But the marketing is still a little sharp for us. Instead, the NMM might consider making a small adjustment here, such as by saying something like "Five tickets for a tenner." Or maybe: "Hey, buy five tickets ya cheap bastard. Ten knicker for the lot." That ought to do it. 
▲ It's actually a Best Western Hotel, if that makes a difference. Listed as 4-Star, rooms are between £60 - £200 per night. Customer reviews are mostly good, but mixed—which is usual for the hotel/restaurant trade which will never please everyone all the time, etc. Meanwhile, if you win the Commando or the bike lift (or even a non-dirty and possibly tedious) overnight stay at a hotel in the Midlands followed by a VIP trip around a bike park), you'll have to wait until April 2019 to get notified. That's when the draw will take place: Sunday 28th at the International Classic Motorcycle Show, Stafford. All monies raised will be re-invested in the museum.  Finally, if you do win that Commando, you might try riding it every once in a while. Just down to the shops or petrol station or something. Or are you also going to squirrel it away as an investment and push it around until some other mug takes it off your hands?
It happens.
www.thenmm.co.uk www.manorhotelmeriden.co.uk Update: The 850cc Norton Commando was won by Dave Street of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
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I had correspondence some years ago with the VMCC about this fact as it would’ve been a waste of mine, and other IoM residents, time and money entering their raffles as we couldn’t legally have entered them and therefore not been awarded any of the prizes had we won any. To that extent I informed the VMCC that they should not have been sending books of raffle tickets with their VMCC monthly journal to the IoM. They weren’t best pleased that I’d told them it seemed. The above also applies to Mortons Media enclosing NMM and VMCC raffle ticket books with their motorcycle magazines and Old Bike Mart newspaper sent to or sold here on the IoM.
—Swein Faarkbeard.
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Henry Cole's "bluechip" marque introduces a bespoke 650cc Triumph £40k is the asking price (and good luck if he can get it) Henry Cole's Gladstone Motorcycles has just announced the launch of a new SE model to complement the existing Gladstone No1 series (see Sump July 2013). Launched in 2013, nine bikes were planned, all powered by rebuilt 750cc Triumph T140 engines. We don't have any definite info on how many bikes were actually built and sold, but we're assuming that the majority of them either found buyers—or will find buyers. And given that these are "bespoke" bikes, it's not likely that Cole's mechanic/engineer (Guy Willison) will be knocking them out as and when the mood takes him and sticking them on a shelf somewhere. 
The new SE bikes, we hear, are slightly different from the originals inasmuch as they're more "earthier". That translates largely as having a 650cc Triumph T120 engine with a right-side gear lever (as opposed to a left side gear shift on the 750cc No1). The gears have also lost a cog; down from five-speed to four. Of course, the trouble that many folk have with a right-side gearshift is that the brake's on the left (or wrong side). No big deal on an easy cruise. You get used to it. But we've got bikes with shifts/brakes on opposite sides, and it catches us out every once in a while as we swap from one machine to the other and zoom off up the road in the morning for a pint of milk when we're still half asleep. Will anyone else care much? Well some will. In which case, it's not likely to increase the appeal of the SE Gladstone. Or will it? Maybe reversing these fundamental controls is just the "earthiness" required by some riders (and maybe hot tube ignition or at least a magneto could further increase that appeal). But we suspect part of the problem at Gladstone is simply finding sufficient decent engine cases with the appropriate cross-over shaft. Other features include:
Norman Hyde M-bars replacing the flat bars
Shorter (720mm) Ceriani front forks
Norton TLS front brake replacing the Ceriani replica Grimeca 4-LS
Flush-fitting petrol cap replacing the Monza design
Doherty levers
Natural rubber Tommaselli handlebar grips
Brass bezel on headlamp and tail light
Alcantara seat with red stitching colour-matched to paintwork The colour is now Aston Martin Rosso red in contrast to the Gladstone No1s which were all black. But parts that are common to both bikes are: Metisse nickel plated rigid frame Alloy petrol tank and fake oil tank 5-inch Smiths analogue speedo 
And now we come to the price which is an outrageous £40,000. That compares to—gulp!—£30k for the No1 model. We looked all over this motorcycle, and we can't see forty grand tucked away anywhere. We can't even see thirty (and we're struggling at twenty). Not that it isn't an attractive bike, and it look very nicely built too. But it will take more than Henry Cole's familial relationship with Uncle Dick "Red Beard" Gladstone to make us reach for the chequebook. 
▲ "Handmade British Motorcycles for Discerning Hooligans." That's the Gladstone claim. We're not crazy about the name "Gladstone" (see text). It sounds a little ... well, 19th century—and it would probably look great on the inside of a top hat or something. But it's not in the Hesketh league (not that we're crazy about the Kentucky Fried Chicken, or whatever the hell it's supposed to be ...) Meanwhile, we didn't much like the branding when we first saw it, and we like it even less now. Gladstone? We figure that the idea here is to summon up the same kind of vibe that Hesketh had when it was launched in 1982 by Alexander, 3rd Lord Hesketh. But whilst Henry is a popular TV star with one or two reasonably entertaining programmes to his credit, he's not exactly English aristocracy (although he does claim a connection to William Ewart Gladstone, one-time British PM). We think he might have been better calling the marque COLEMOBILE or THE HENRY. Are we kidding? Kinda. That said, the world is a strange place, and some folk might see some real investment opportunity here. Meanwhile, we hope that Henry and chums can shift a lot of these. Keeping the money moving is how the world works, and anyone who can afford £40k for a Triumph chop (not Bobber, wethinks) can probably afford to take a hit in the wallet. 
And in case you're wondering, we really haven't got anything against Henry (that's him on the right, with Guy on the left). But we have to call it as we see it, and this bike just doesn't do it for us. Not at that price. It doesn't have a USP (unique selling point), aside from the Cole connection, that is. It's just another fairly run-of-the-mill (but nicely made) single-carb T120 Triumph custom in a nickel frame. Maybe you see it differently, in which case Henry would like to hear from you and your wallet at your earliest opportunity. www.gladstonemotorcycles.com UPDATE: We've since been told that all the original nine Gladstones have indeed sold at £30,000 each.
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£30.000 for what is essentially a BITSA! Bits of this and bits of that. Not for me. —Tom Quin [Actually, £40,000 for the SE model—Ed]
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Practical Sportsbikes and Performance Bikes to "merge" "A logical progression for both magazines" It comes to us all eventually. Death, that is. And magazines are every bit as mortal as we humans. Given the huge hit that print publications have taken in recent years, it's no huge surprise to learn that Performance Bikes magazine is finished. Of course, that's not the official position as spun by German publisher Bauer. Officially we're told that Performance Bikes and Practical Sportsbikes are merging. But the reality is that the former is being subsumed by the latter. And that means eaten up. Absorbed. Or swallowed whole. The new magazine will be called Practical Sportsbikes (incorporating Performance Bikes), which isn't quite as catchy. But the idea, of course, is to lay some bait for PB readers who, after March 2019, will be looking for their next fix. You know how it works. So what happened, saleswise? Well, the last time we checked (which was about ten seconds ago) Performance Bike's last ABC figures (Audit Bureau of Circulation) revealed that the mag sold an average of just 15,274 copies per month in 2017. Practical Sportsbikes fared only slightly better at 18,035. So it looks as if PS got top billing over PB, perhaps due to the aforementioned sales figures. But it might not be that simple.  Magazines also rely on advertising revenue, and PB might have been losing more ground here. Also, there's the question of fashion. Performance Bikes was aimed more at modern machines (which aren't flavour on the month at the moment), whereas Practical Sportsbikes focused on the sportsbikes of yesteryear; i.e. 70s, 80s and 90s machines. The nouveau plastic classics, if you prefer.
Anyway, Performance Bikes—currently edited by Chris Newbigging—published its first issue in 1985. Monthly magazines sales (if memory serves us right) eventually hit around 90,000 or so. We can't recall that any of us around here ever bought a copy—but we occasionally had a peek inside at the latest custom crotch rocket (and at the latest bimbo spreading her legs across the saddle or the fuel tank). The image immediately above shows issue number one, which (take note of the masthead) picked up where Motorcycle Mechanics left off. So PB effectively ate MM, and PS has now eaten PB. Sounds like a nice healthy food chain. Editor Newbigging has recently been quoted as saying; "[It's a] logical progression for both magazines". Which is probably just another way of saying "We didn't really have much option except fold both mags." And now PB is effectively on life support having been read the last rites—and in the spring of next year it will have its plug pulled. It's not good news for the readers of Performance Bikes. Bauer can't be happy. Conceivably one or two jobs might have gone (and that definitely ain't good). And it all underlines the fact that the UK economy is still ailing. So it's bad all round. Whether or not the "merging" of these magazines ultimately keeps either afloat in the long (or even short) run remains to be seen. We can probably expect a rise in circulation for the first few months or so. But after that, sales will no doubt rationalise somehow. This story might not yet be done.
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Most classic bikers who regularly attend Kempton Park Autojumble at Sunbury-on-Thames will be familiar with Sudbury, Suffolk man Steve Goddard who has died aged 66. In fact, he was fairly well known throughout the classic and custom motorcycle world. Steve, we understand, was preparing to attend the last "Kempton Park" of the year when he was suddenly taken ill. Trading for many years as "Steve's Classics", he was a former rep for the National Chopper Club and was also involved in pre-65 scrambling. His funeral was held on Friday 16th November 2018. It was led by his wife Barbara and was well attended by numerous other family members and friends. Beside the chapel at Braintree Crematorium his treasured BSA  Rocket III was displayed. His coffin was suitably emblazoned with a BSA logo to mark his affection for the marque. Following the ceremony, his friends and family came together at Sudbury Delphi Club to reflect on his life and share memories. Steve will be greatly missed.
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Sold at H&H's November National Motorcycle Museum Sale Just 11 miles on the clock This 1979 Triumph T140E Bonneville, or one just like it, could have been yours for around £1,200 fresh from the crate. Almost 40 years later, this "as new" example has just sold for almost nine times that amount. The hammer came down at £10,575 at H&H's sale at the National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull on Friday 9th November 2018. We reported on  the upcoming sale last month, and you can read that report and learn a few more details of this bike and how it came to be neglected for so long—and we think "neglected" is exactly the right word for a motorcycle that's barely seen a stretch of tarmac. It had just 11 miles on the clock. Check this link: "Brand new" 1979 T140E for sale
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Zero Motorcycles and ICG share electric technology No immediate production plans It's a bit of switcheroo, isn't it? Over the past however many decades, Russian motorcycle firm Ural has invested pretty much everything in the technology of yesteryear with its BMW-derived flat twin 750cc boxer engine. But now the company has started mucking around with an electrically powered outfit and is looking a lot further ahead that it perhaps ever has in the past. Did we say "mucking around"? Maybe we should rephrase that and use the terms "experimenting" and "prototyping" because this rig is evidently pretty far advanced thanks largely to the input (both practical and technical) from California firms ICG (experts in industrial and automotive development and design) and Zero Motorcycles (which needs no explanation). Most of this rolling chassis is based around existing Ural underpinnings (specifically, an off-the-shelf CT frame and chair), whilst the motor, controller and batteries are, we think, taken from a Zero S. We think? Well Ural isn't yet directly giving too much away, least of all comprehensive specifications. But a Z-Force 75-7 brushless DC motor has been cited by one or two otherwise reliable sources, and we're happy to go with that. For now. And if so, we're probably looking at something between 46hp and 60hp with oodles of torque; enough no doubt (and take careful note) to send this outfit into a very rapid spin under inexperienced hands. And that handling aspect might sooner or later require some form of torque limiter. [More...]
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"And if so, we're probably looking at something between 46hp and 60hp with oodles of torque; enough no doubt (and take careful note) to send this outfit into a very rapid spin under inexperienced hands." Where on earth do you get that from? People have been dropping BMW 247 series engines in Urals and Dneprs for decades, without putting them in a spin. My R80 powered rig has never tried any rapid spinning, no matter how badly I ride it. Guess the writer hasn't rode many sidecars. —Phill Spowart [Phill, we were talking about electric motors which provide maximum torque at zero revs. In other words, different characteristic to ICE outfits. And for the record, people DO occasionally put outfits into a spin, and we did explain that we were referring to inexperienced hands. Finally, the writer doesn't have much experience with outfits, but he's got some experience of watching other people lose control of them. —Ed]
Electric URAL…..yes please! Think it will ride well, but always stick the batts in the chair to keep the beggar down! I agree with your comments re getting into a spin. Riding an outfit is an art that has to be learned, but once mastered, you could drift this on greasy roundabouts just lovely (I’ve been chucking them about for 45-odd years so am ready for when the cathedral spire spotters want to sell me one).
Cheers. —Ray Thirkettle
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Arch KRGT-1 officially hits the UK. £89,500. To launch in Summer 2019
Metisse Motorcycles is building a 20,000 sq-ft factory/museum at Oxon
Winchester Husqvarna dealership. 5 bikes stolen. 13/11/18. 01962 706672
Ducati Scrambler 1100. 12-item accessories from Evotech Performance
UK police trialling new "driving habits" cameras. One kilometre range
Guy Martin fake licence possession charge. Ex-TT racer & TV star to trial
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1,237cc Honda-powered British built muscle bike Only 10 will be built at £20k each You can think of it as a British V-Max if you want. Liquid-cooled V4 engine. Shaft drive. Brutal looks. Street drag bike pretensions. Fat price tag. Etc. But this of course is the latest incarnation of the Ariel Ace introduced back in June 2014. It's just been unveiled and, because it's a limited edition, will find just ten owners before the production run is stopped. Just as we had mixed feelings about the original Ace, we've got mixed feeling about this one. But we've cobbled a few sentences together and you can make up your own mind. So follow the link and flip over to our Motorcycle News Ariel Ace of Diamonds page and see what gives. —but come back soon. There's bound to be some more news around here sooner rather than later.
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A classic design back on sale £3,995 inc VAT, plus fitting kit As we've said before (and will probably say again sometime), we're not the world's biggest sidecar fans. Not that we've got anything against them. We just haven't had much to do with them. But we can see the appeal. Kinda. But this particular rig looks a lot more appealing than some, which may or may not have something to do with our fetish for tubular steel. There's something satisfying sparse about these kind of designs. Simple. Functional. And rugged. And no doubt that's what Watsonian (founded by T F Watson in Birmingham in 1912) was thinking when the firm launched the original International back in 1938. However, WW2 quickly got in the way of that venture, and Joe or Jo Public didn't get a look-in until 1950. 
It was around about that time that a Watsonian management team of Ron Watson and Cliff Bennett began trialling an International outfit. That, apparently, was to help promote sidecars as more sporting vehicles (as opposed to touring and utilitarian, no doubt). Anyway, this latest homage is manufactured from steel, aluminium and fibre glass. And as you can see, it's not an exact replica of the 1950's version pictured immediately above—hence our use of the word "homage". But it a relaunch in spirit, and that satisfies us. There's a "generous" locker beneath the seat. And there's a powder-coated 16-inch wheel laced with stainless steel spokes and damped by hydraulic rising rate suspension. That's wrapped in a Bridgestone Trail Wing dual sport tyre. 
There's little point in telling you about the quality of manufacture and the epoxy powder coating and stuff. If Watsonian can't get it right, no one can. As you can also probably see, this International is hitched to a 2018 Royal Enfield Himalayan, and that looks like a great marriage (which we alluded to in the intro). As ever, note, you can't just bolt a Watsonian chair to anything that comes along. Watsonian needs to create the right underpinning with a suitable sub-frame chassis thingy. And that's what's happened here. The price for the International is £3,995 (including VAT). The Himalayan fitting kit costs £450. If you want one, and we reckon that quite a few of you will, it will be available in the Spring of 2019. Meanwhile, if you're of a similar bent to us, you can go and stroke and caress all the lovely, sensual, silky smooth Bible-black tubular steel on the prototype which will be on display on the Watsonian stand (2D10) at Motorcycle Live, from 17th - 25th November 2018. Just remember that it's a public place, mind. So if you've got anything heavy in mind, better save it for the privacy of your garage, huh? Talk to Watsonian on: 01386 700907 www.watsonian-squire.com.
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Two new 650cc bikes: Ranger and Nomad "Delivery by May 2019" You could argue that Norton is taking an unnecessary risk by saddling its new 650cc, liquid-cooled twins with the Atlas name; notably the scrambler style Atlas Ranger (image immediately above) and the roadster style Atlas Nomad (image immediately below). 
After all, there are still plenty of old school Norton diehards who, with much justification, will immediately associate the Atlas name with the 750 (745cc) air-cooled pile driver built between 1962 and 1968—a machine famously accused of being capable of loosening teeth (and brand loyalty). And there's no denying that. The original Atlas really was something of a beast if you wound it tight and left it on full tilt for extended periods. But buyers (especially in the important US market) liked the idea of a seven-fifty British muscle bike, and Triumph's 750 (744cc) T140 was still a few years away when the Atlas morphed into the 750 (745cc) Commando. So the choice at that time really came down to the Norton Atlas or Royal Enfield's 750 (736cc) Interceptor (both air-cooled parallel twins). [More...]
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Tired of my Harley! Time for a new ride. Looks like either bike would be a good fit. Hopefully they will be available in the U.S. —Kevin van Trieste
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The electric dreams are gone For now... It was back in March 2016 that we reported on the unveiling of the Morgan EV3. This interesting (and arguably overdue) 21st century battery-powered concept was an update of the classic petrol-engined V-twin three wheelers hailing from the Morgan Motor Company based in Malvern, Worcestershire. The EV3 was launched at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, and it understandably turned a lot of heads in its direction. Well, after a big bottle of champagne, a lot of back slapping and an unspecified number of orders and "expressions of interest", Morgan has pulled the plug on the venture; for the time being at least. Why? Because the company that was (finally) contracted to help develop the vehicles was Frazer-Nash Research, and Frazer-Nash Research has got itself into a financial mess with large unpaid debts and has since been slapped with a winding-up order. 
If you want to trace the roots of Frazer-Nash, you need to go back to the early part of the 20th century when H R Godfrey and Archibald Frazer-Nash built their first chain-driven GN cycle car ("GN" for "Godfrey Nash"). That was in or around 1910. By the mid 1920s, the market had changed considerably and the business was sold. Soon after, the partners went separate ways with Archibald Frazer-Nash founding a car company that bore his name. That firm began with cycle cars (which were losing popularity), and eventually a series of innovative and stylish sports cars were produced which have long since enjoyed a near cult following. 
During WW2, a spin-off company was founded which branched into new areas of engineering and produced military equipment. In the 1980s the business found itself in receivership and was split into three divisions. In 1991 Frazer-Nash Research was formed, and that's the outfit that found itself more recently partnering with Morgan (founded in 1910 by Frederick Stanley Morgan). That partnership is now defunct with, we understand, a lot of bad blood flowing, largely as a result of other commercial intrigues that Frazer-Nash was party to. But we don't want to go there. These things are always complicated and messy and a minefield of litigation and dispute. Suffice to say that the EV3 electric three wheeler is currently off the commercial radar. It's a shame of course when these things happen. Hopes. Dreams. Plans. Etc. All shattered. But happen they will, and the collapse of this project doesn't in any way impact on Morgan itself which, as far as we know, is in good commercial health. 
Frazer-Nash Research, by the way, is/was one of those firms that's pretty much invisible to the general public. But the company has been engaged in numerous big and not-so-big high-tech electric transport projects, the most obvious of which is the 2014 Metrocab from Ecotive, a subsidiary of KamKorp (which is the parent of Frazer-Nash). Metrocab is itself in hot dispute with the London EV Company as a result of patent/design challenges [Let's not go there either-Ed]. There's really not a lot more we can say about this sorry tale, except that we were looking forward to seeing the EV3 on the roads, which might still happen; but probably not any time soon. See also: Morgan goes electric with the EV3 Morgan EV3 larger image
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▲ 2019 Herald Brute 500. The engine is supplied by an unspecified Asian partner. But the rest of the machine, we're told, is designed and built in the UK. Herald has strong engineering roots and is also an importer of bikes. Clearly the company also knows a little about modern styling and presentation. Brat 125, Café 400 and Brute 500 set to launch "British built" roadster coming The firm used to be called HMC, but it now operates under the Herald brand—and remember that name if you will because this outfit has made great strides in a very short time, and it sounds like they're going places.  Based in Cambridgeshire, Herald's parent company is an engineering firm called Encocam. Encocam employs over 200 people, 16 of whom have dedicated themselves to the sale and manufacture of "cult" and "retro" motorcycles. The driving force and vision behind the venture is a guy named Mike Ashmead, and he and Herald are about to launch three new models at this year's Motorcycle Live event at the NEC, Birmingham on 17th - 25th November 2018.
The three bikes are the Brat, the Café 400, and the Brute 500 (the latter of which, we're advised, is British designed and will be built right here in the UK). 
▲ The Brat, we understand, will be available in both 125cc (actually 124cc) and 250cc capacities (223cc). Features include a trellis frame, inverted front suspension, a monoshock rear end, a six speed gearbox, a digital dash, a 7-inch LED headlight, an LED rear light, LED indicators, and a stainless steel exhaust system. Colours will be military green, iron grey or copper. The weight will be 135kg (297lb). The licence category will be A1. It's not clear from where this engine is derived, except to say that it's supplied by Herald's "Asian partner". 
▲ The Café 400 (actually 397cc) is also a single cylinder four-stroke, but with a 5-speed transmission. Details include a steel tubular cradle frame, an inverted front fork (adjustable), twin rear shocks/dampers (also adjustable), twin front discs, a "stylish" 12 litre (2.6 gallon) petrol tank, and clip-on handlebars. Colours will be Gloss Red or Cream. The weight is quoted as 165kg (363lb). Power is quoted as 27bhp. The licence category is A2. The engine is derived from a Taiwanese-built Honda unit. 
▲ Finally, the Brute 500 is styled as a "street tracker", whatever that means to you. Herald tells us that this bike has been "built in-house from the ground up at their factory in Cambridgeshire." Features of this single-cylinder 449cc, 43bhp, four-stroke, 6-speeder include adjustable Racetek front and rear suspension (the latter with Herald's "unique" floating-shock linkage system), Racetek 4-piston front brake calipers, a steel and aluminium frame, a digital dash, and LED lights. The engine, once again, is supplied by an "Asian partner". Other Herald bikes already in the market include the Classic 125 and Classic 400; the Café 125; the Scrambler 125; the Maverick 125; and the Mirage 125. These machines sell for between £2,299 and £4,299. There are no prices yet for the Brat 125 or the Brute 500. But the Café 400 will be offered at £4,499 on the road. Delivery dates haven't yet been announced. Herald is clearly very ambitious, is well equipped, and has already made a significant impact in the UK market. As personal budgets shrink for many people who need cheap, cost-effective and efficient motorised transport, firms such as Herald are going to be slugging it out with a new generation of similar motorcycles. And there are some pretty tough contenders out there. So okay, most of these new wave Chinese/Taiwanese rooted bikes still haven't quite made the A-list in terms of quality and status. But there's really not much in it anymore, and the new found British influence on design and manufacture is likely to make these motorcycles competitive with the best that the Japanese have to offer. www.heraldmotorcompany.com
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New limited edition SS100 to mark "100 years" £87,175 It's one hundred years of Brough Superior. At least, it will be in a couple of months when we motor around the curve of Christmas and pootle down the straight into the New Year. Of course, some might say that it's not 100 years at all. After all, for decades, following the factory closure in 1940, Brough Superior motorcycle production was dormant (or stone cold dead if you prefer) and the brand existed only as a name and a memory. Therefore that "100 year" claim muddies the underlying truth. Regardless, come 2019 it will be 100 years since the firm was founded by George Brough, and for the past 5 years brand new 997cc Brough Superior badged motorcycles have been rolling off the French factory line. But yes (and we've said this before), it would be nice if the bikes were still rolling off the production line at Haydn Road, Nottingham, England. However, Mark Upham—long time BS owner, aficionado, and classic bike collector—is the man behind the rebirth of the brand and he's as British as a bacon butty. And anyway, we're in a global world now (as opposed to living a complacent life in a cosy niche of the old empire). You have to be realistic. All that aside, the company is building a limited edition bike for 2019. Essentially, the newcomer is the same svelte and sophisticated motorcycle as the existing 100bhp, DOHC, 4-valve-per-cylinder SS100 88° V-twin. But the stylists have been hard at work (and play), and newly machined body panels and modish flourishes adorn the already heavily sculpted upmarket and expensive velocipede. 
New features include four slashcut silencers, "art deco" inspired wheels (machined from aluminium billet), and new mudguards. Each bike will be numbered, and you can get yours by forking out £87,175 (plus whatever extras/refinements you order). That's around £30k more than the basic model. The company tells us that it sold 65 motorcycles in 2017, and 85 (to date) in 2018. In 2019, the plan is to hike that figure to 150 new bikes sales (which, we assume, will include these Anniversary models). It's hard to imagine what founder George Brough (who died in 1970) would think of the revitalised company that bears his name and carries his dream a lot further down the road. But it's hard to believe he'd be upset. Of course, these modern Brough Superiors don't (yet) have quite the same cachet that they once had; "The Rolls Royce of Motorcycles", etc. But the fanbase and mystique is growing, and Mark Upham's Brough Superior has certainly opened a fresh chapter in the motorcycle history books.
Meanwhile, if you've already got a Bugatti Veyron, a Bentley Whatever and a couple of Ferraris or Lamborghinis in the shed, ya just gotta have a Brough for those special days. Are we right? www.broughsuperiormotorcycles.com
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This Bruff reminds me of a 30s hot rod styled in the 80s, Boyd Codington wheels and bits of billet aluminum everywhere, maybe some neon lights and ZZ top "eliminator" decals on the tank might be in order? —Roger T
I think this bike still has the same identity crisis that was on display in the first version. It seems the designers were unable to decide whether it was going to be ‘retro’ or ‘modern’ and it has ended up having an awkward mix of both. It’s interesting that the original Broughs were also basically bitzas, but probably displayed a more balanced look because they perhaps had a clearer idea of what they were trying to achieve. Personally, apart from anything else, the four silencers look particularly naff in my opinion and just add undesirable weight for no reason. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder though, and some people might love it. —The Village Squire
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New Arc Vector electric bike. British. HUD display. Haptic suit. £90k
Malaguti returns. Aprilia powered 125s and 300s coming. Due April 2019
New Triumph TFT connectivity control. GoPros. Google nav. Phone. Etc
Indian Motorcycles reveals new 40-piece accessory range for the FTR1200
New BMW C400GT scooter. 350cc single. £7k. Made in China by Loncin
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Hi Sump, I love the look of the new Bonnies and Scramblers, but the more gewgaws and gadgets that Triumph bolt onto their bikes, the less I'm inclined to buy one. Just wanted to spread that message to anyone at Hinckley who might be listening. —BikeMan, Oxon
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Triumph Motorcycles releases "teaser" video 4th December 2018 launch date We ought not to play the "teaser" game. It's tedious. But we're mentally weak, and we know that general interest will be fairly strong, so we've found a small space on our news page to show you what's on the way from Hinckley Triumph in a few weeks. Not that the "teaser" images reveal very much, mind. But they do confirm that Triumph has finally decided to reintroduce the hallowed Speed Twin name—which for us is far more evocative than "Bonneville" or "Thunderbird" or "Tiger". Edward Turner's seminal Speed Twin was, after all, where modern Triumph motorcycles began. Introduced in 1938, the 500cc 5T Speed Twin was an instant sensation and became the blueprint for hundreds of thousands of bikes built at the Priory Street factory in Coventry, and subsequently at the new Meriden works in nearby Allesley. 
A sporting version of the Speed Twin was badged as the Tiger 100. The 650cc Thunderbird (an enlarged Speed Twin) arrived in 1949. And ten years later the fabled 650cc '59 Bonneville appeared. But the game changer was the aforementioned 1938 bike which, very arguably, owed something to Val Page's 6/1 650cc parallel twin of 1933 (in design concept if not execution). Hinckley Triumph, privately owned by millionaire house builder John Bloor, took a (relatively) long time to reintroduce the Bonneville name. The first Hinckley bikes arrived in 1991, but it was another nine years before the Bonnie badge appeared on a new motorcycle, this being a 790cc twin. This machine was reasonably "convincing" and a credible successor to the 1959 bike, and year by year Triumph has steadily improved the design and execution. 
Well now the Speed Twin gets an official (and belated?) rebirth too, and the "delivery" date is scheduled for 4th December 2019. You can scrutinise the teaser image at the top of this story for yourself, and then compare it to the image immediately above. And elsewhere on the web you can find some other "leaked" images if you're so minded. But the motorcycle is clearly Bonneville based and isn't a significant leap forward from what's already on offer. We don't know officially what the capacity will be, but it looks likely to be 1200cc). So most of the pizzazz, such as it is, is in the trim, the features, the nuances, and the model badge etc. And because there's a fair bit at stake with this model in terms of heritage and hype, Hinckley has probably got it right in all the other details. However, as far as we know, Amaranth Red—the colour of the original '38 Speed Twin—isn't on the Hinckley colour pallet. Or will that soon be available for the more purist minded? We don't know. But we're hoping...
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Inspired by the 1938 RE sidevalve V-twin No plans for production There's really not much detail on this, but you're welcome to what we've got. At the ongoing Milan EICMA Show, Royal Enfield has just unveiled its 838cc Concept KX bobber, said to have been developed by the in-house design team in just six months. The style harks back to RE's 1938 1,140cc KX V-twin, a heavyweight sidevalve aimed largely at the sidecar market and exported worldwide. With its engine dimensions of 88.5mm by 99.25mm, this well-constructed/well thought out pre-war bike featured dry sump lubrication, a hand-change four-speed Albion gearbox, a dry clutch, a dry sump, six volt electrics with a Lucas magdyno, and a single Amal carburettor feeding both cylinders. Stopping was via (inadequate) 8-inch brakes. Wheels were 19-inch front and rear, quickly detachable and interchangeable. The frame was a "very massive duplex cradle". The handlebars were rubber mounted. The bike was priced at £77 plus change (or easy payment terms with a £19 deposit), and it was the largest in a range of around 20 machines that RE was fielding. 
The new RE KX Concept's more obvious/notable features include an 838cc, air and oil-cooled engine, fuel injection, a girder front fork, a single sided monoshock rear suspension rig, aluminium alloy wheels, twin front discs and an LED headlight unit. Generally speaking, we think Royal Enfield has pulled a very interesting and creditable rabbit from a bag that few saw coming (although there have for some time been rumours). The quality of construction remains to be seen, but at face value (if the price is right) it looks like a hit. Except that we've heard of no plans to put the machine into production. For the time being at least, RE is simply gauging reaction and no doubt using the machine to bolster the firm's growing design and manufacturing credentials. 
Stylewise, there's not much about it that we don't like, except the livery which is drab, and the stacked silencers which lack the elegance needed on a motorcycle of this type and calibre. But if the idea was simply to make us sit up and pay attention, it's worked. Moreover, the bike will probably hearten Royal Enfield's existing dealers and show them that this is a firm that going places and has plenty of ambition.
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Since you mention Royal Enfield, a mate's dad had a well-used KX attached to a double adult sidecar. During one particular trip, the bike was struggling and power was well down: he suspected sticky valve gear, so pulled over to investigate; removing one of the cylinder heads revealed a burnt exhaust valve which he was able to re-face sufficiently by using a nearby kerbstone. The fix got the family back home and him to work for the following week, pending a more thorough strip down in the workshop.
Though it's all now a world away, I can only imagine that the bloke would have been enthralled by the idea of the Concept KX. You can't have too many 'bikes.—Roj, Sheffield
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Michelin's Dundee car tyre plant is to close by 2020. 850 jobs to go
Kawasaki's W800 is back in production for 2019 (Street & Cafe, Euro4)
5 millionth uninsured UK vehicle warning sent since 2011. Possible £1k fine
UK car registrations year-to-date down 7.2% compared to 2017
Triumph T120 ltd Bonnie "Ace" models launched. Storm Grey or Diamond
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Hi Sumpster folks, Erm ...good looking ‘bike, but what went wrong with the seat and rear mudguard (there isn’t one) design and execution (you can read execution either way)? Did the designers start at the front then lose interest, fall asleep, get a child to draw the rear end or what? Maybe some folk like the “ironing board” seat look and enjoy road muck and water thrown up your legs and backs with this styling, but I certainly don’t. It just looks awful and spoils the rest of the ‘bike in my opinion. Why haven’t they fitted a nice dual seat with a semi-raised "hump" at the back end, as with Velo’ Thruxton’s, BSA Spitfire and Clubman Lightning, some Norton Dominators, the original Royal Enfield 250 Continental GT, etc?. I’m sure you know the sort of thing I’m referring to, yes ? Ho hum !—Selwyn, Isle of Man
Looking at the Triumph ‘Ace’ and the Kawasaki W800 it appears both companies share the same paint shop. No originality there then.
—The Village Squire
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