Moto Destinations in the UK?

[greevous]

This Friday I will escorting my sister from California over to York where she'll be attending school for the next year - just helping her get set-up and settled.

We'll be renting a car and in between orientation events, we'll have about 3 or 4 days to explore the countryside.

I've had the chance to visit the UK once before, but it was only for a couple of days, and only in London. Over the course of 10 days we're planning on heading up to Edinburgh from York, and then ultimately back down to London, but I'm not afraid to put a few miles on the car and would love to find some great, potentially out-of-the-way moto destinations if anyone has any suggestions.

Any Greeves (or Triumph or BSA) museums? Great vintage shops worth checking out?

I looked up the Sammy Miller museum - bummed that it's South of London, but still potentially on the list.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[johnrunnacles]

If you're still around on Sunday, 9 October, there is the final round of the Greeves Classic Scrambles Championship taking place at Maylandsea in the Essex countryside.

Plenty of Greeves scramble bikes, Hawkstones, Challengers and Griffons of all years, in action!

Presentation of the season's trophies takes place on the day to the class leaders and overalll Greeves Champion for 2011 and runners-up.

A great experience for a Greeves enthusiast! You'll be made most welcome, I'm sure!

John R

[greevous]

We'll actually be driving from York back down to London on the 9th... so that's definitely something to consider!

I guess I should have also asked if there were any rallies or shows going on too.

[johnrunnacles]

I probably should have added that the Copdock Bike Show takes place on the 2nd. October, just outside of Ipswich, also in East Anglia.

Usually a good turn-out, with plenty to see, do and buy!

Perhaps other GRA members will come up with more ideas for you?

Best regards,

John R

[John-Boy]

The National Motorcycle Museum at Coventry, just outside Birmingham is well worth a visit. It has examples from almost all the British Motorcycle manufacturers of the past.

It is just over half-way between York and London.

http://www.nationalmotorcyclemuseum.co.uk/museum/

There is a smaller London Motorcycle Museum at Greenford, not far from Heathrow Airport.

http://www.motorcycle-uk.com/lmm/beginning.html

Sammy Miller's Museum has a great collection of racing and competition bikes but he is some way out of London, at New Milton but you could combine it with a visit to the New Forest, for the wildlife.

http://www.sammymiller.co.uk/default.asp

If you are driving it will take a lot longer to get anywhere than it does in California!

[pgc40]

Hi Connel,

I am from York and my parents still live there.

There is an excellent classic motorcycle museum about 3 miles outside York at Stockton-on-Forest that you might find interesting. If I remember correctly, the last time I was there Dick Craven had a Greeves Scottish on display as well as many other original and rare British bikes see http://www.cravencollection.co.uk/

The other place to look up is the Yorkshire Classic Motorcycle Club website as they put on a classic trial most weekends. When ever I am home I try to go along to watch and have met some very friendly people. You will sometimes find one or two Greeves riders competing see http://www.yorksclassictrials.co.uk/

You have missed this years Nostagia Scramble at Sedbergh but its also worth a look see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbLwypGECSo

Have a pint of Theakstons old peculier for me see http://www.theakstons.co.uk/ales/cla...dpeculier.html.

Cheers Paul

[Brian Catt]

With the Greenford museum only 6 miles from home, I suppose it's time I went there too! I'm planning to get to the Maylandsea scramble as well, so I hope to see you there. I'll be hiding behind my Pentax (Can't afford EOS prices!) If you need any help, send me a PM.

[greevous]

Thanks so much for the responses!

Great news about the museum right outside York. My sister will have 2 days of orientation where I'll be off amusing myself. She's not really a big moto fan, so I can plan to explore the museum at my leisure.

[Colin Sparrow]

Thanks so much for the responses!

Great news about the museum right outside York. My sister will have 2 days of orientation where I'll be off amusing myself. She's not really a big moto fan, so I can plan to explore the museum at my leisure.

If you're in York, the National Railway Museum is a must! No motorcycles, but lots of steam engines...

[greevous]

It turns out that the Craven museum, just outside York, is only open on the first Sunday of the month... luckily we happened to be there that day and managed to get there about 30 minutes before it closed. Would have been nice to stay longer, there's certainly a lot to see, but even just to get a glimpse was nice.

And yep, there is a Greeves on display:


Thanks for the tip Paul!

[pgc40]

you are welcome

[Brian Catt]

Is the Maylandsea event on your calendar? I very much hope to attend to get more pics for the riders. I'll be wearing my Dunlop cap as a recognition point, but by the sound of the weather forecast, I might need my umbrella as well. As you head for the village of Maylandsea, you will see an orange arrow pointing into a farm entrance. Follow the track through the farm until you reach the parking area.

[greevous]

I would love to make it, but unfortunately that sunday is the day we'll be driving back down to London to return the rental car. We have to be back down there (from York) by about 2pm, so it doesn't leave much time for side trips.

I'm bummed as I went to Greeves Days in the states this year and it would have been great to make it to an event here in England as well - but I'm sure this won't be the last time I'm over here.

I will add - this is a little off topic for motorcycles, but this has to overlap in interest with at least a few people here: besides motorcycles I have an interest in weights an measures. Those who enjoy machine shop work, and making their own parts may have a similar appreciation for the history and the development of the techniques through history..

I blindly googled "weights and measures museums" or something like that, to see if anything popped up and it turned out that there's a historical museum at the Avery foundry in Smethwick which was high on the list. I took a trip down there this afternoon and it was absolutely amazing. The curator was a great guy who had clearly managed to land a dream job if you're interested in such things. It's a private museum so it's much more intimate than going to the British museum for example, but their collection is stunning. He shocked me by showing me a case full of Egyptian weights dating from somewhere around 2000 BC (identical to things you'd find in the British Museum), and then opening the case up and handing me some to check out myself!

There were amazing samples of weight and length standards from the 18 and 1900s and (especially of interest to me) breathtaking examples of craftsmanship from the time way way before mechanical lathes or laser guided machines.

Again, a little off topic, but here's a 30 second video I shot:

http://youtu.be/V1nZjRNdR9k

What you'd looking at is an apprentice's final project and dates from around the 1880s. The brass cube is a perfect cubic inch. The smaller one is... an 1/8 of an inch? The apprentice would have made both cubes, the brass boxes that they slide into, along with the wooden box itself. I didn't have a micrometer with me, but based on how the cube slides perfectly into place (even rotated 90 degrees) I'd have to assume that it's accurate down to thousandths of an inch, possibly ten thousandths.

Not motorcycle related, but considering that these were done entirely with hand tools (files, etc...), if you've done any high precision work on your own bikes, it's pretty easy to appreciate the amazing degree of skill.

Here's a link to the museum info:

http://www.averyweigh-tronix.com/museum/

Sadly I think my moto-related adventures on this trip are at an end (unless there's anything in London you'd highly suggest).

I'm not going to make it to the national moto museum in Coventry, but my wife is also a huge motorcycle fan and I'm sure I'll be back with her at some point, so I'll save it for then.

Anyway, thanks again for the suggestions and, for anyone who's going, have a great time on Sunday!

[Brian Catt]

A shame you can't afford the time to come to the event, but are you returning immediately? If not the Greenford Museum is easily reached by public transport. Check the ticket prices, but buy an OYSTER card, as it gives substantial discounts over normal prices. Not too far away, a visit to the Ace Cafe should be on the list. This is a resurrected haunt of the 60s for all bike and car enthusiasts. Both these venues are within easy reach of me, so PM me if you have the time available.
Your video shows the skill needed for that type of work back then. Such a great shame that these skills are dying in favour of "button pushing".