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Giffy's Bikes

Dave Gifford ex Newcastle now back in his native New Zealand has sent these pictures of a meticulously restored machine.  Dave has other projects in mind and I will badger him for updates on his restoration works.  So watch out Giffy I am on your case mate, get that camera charged up.

I will ask Giffy for information  re these pictures but isn't it clear that he has real skills at restoration work?

Don Godden 4 valver, 4 valve engines have now become the norm

Excelsior made great frames and Jap great engines in the days when British was best

Frank Varey aboard his 1929 Scott.  This bike was a 2-stroke and at that time Dirt Bikes had no silencing so the Scott must have been deafening at full throttle.

The G.M. Italian engined bike from the 1980's.

Ivan Mauger's gold plated bike. 1970 Jawa The bike was gold plated as a result of him winning the triple world crown! Ivan was world champion in 1968, 1969 and 1970, before his triumph in 1970 he was told that if he won a third world title on the trot his bike should be given the "golden" touch.  He won it so the bike got the treatment.

Ice Speedway

I am on the lookout for details of these bikes and pictures etc so get in touch if you have any

This Jawa Ice Racer has never been anywhere near Tyneside despite the North East weather!  But New Zealander Bruce Cribb did race around Brough Park on a bike like it, His 4 lap time was incredible but then again the spikes gave him a bit of an advantage.  It was more like slot car or scalextrix but great to watch. Do you have his heat times then email me John
Update Stu Towner says: The first ice racers were just speedway bikes with spikes in the tyres, but they have seen much more development than their speedway counterparts. These forks can be adjusted for pressure by pumping up or down. They now have rear suspension albeit set quite hard as the track gets very cut-up by the end of a meeting. They also tried laydown engines but a lot have gone back to upright ones.

Jim Miller USA used the above picture to promote an Ice Racing event he took part in. Jim has been back in touch and has kindly supplied the following 4 photographs.

It certainly looks interesting, pity the UK has no Ice racing.  Jim says: - 
The racing was excellent! We had perfect weather conditions - cold, sunny with great ice. The turnout was especially good

Thanks mate if you want to tell us more about the bikes feel free

American made bike from mid 1930's. The Crocker

This Crocker has been shoe-horned into a Rudge frame.  It has been restored but the bike must date from the 1930's.  It is another V twin so maybe it was never actually used on the speedways

If Ivan can have a Gold Bike then so can I! Ole Olsen's bike another Jawa 1971.  Having seen both I would say Ole's is the nicer to look at

The most beautiful bike ever, Chrome not your vulgar gold!  Vic Ridgeons Rotrax Jap from the 50's when they new how to chrome a bike!

Photo by Steve Magro, Australia. http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~stvmagro/

1948 Vintage. The Vincent Vampire

Another Vincent Vampire from the late 1940's

Us old bikers will tell modern bike owners that Vincent was the Rolls Royce of the motorcycle world back in the 50's and 60's.  Great pity that this machine couldn't compete on the speedway scene because it was a great British company.

This is a Speedway Velocette only 400cc so the company got it wrong it couldn't keep up with the 500's

Late 1920's Douglas

Jap Engined Chater-Lea. Was it ever used on dirt tracks?

Another view of the Chater-Lea Jap which was also know as the Copperknob!  Very doubtful that these bikes were raced on speedway tracks but they do look the business.

Early riders had so many bikes to choose from and most of them were from local UK factories, so blowing an engine or wrecking a frame was probably not as expensive in the early days as it is now.

Weslake was another great British machine.  They led the way for a while from the late 1970's until mid 1980's when the Italian GM and the Jawa took over.

This Weslake is in beautiful condition, it belongs to Philip Small. He recently emigrated to Canada and is continuing his passion for the sport over there.  Your bike is spot on mate!

If you want to know more on the technical side visit Phil's website Phil's site and I am sure he would be pleased to get a few emails from old blighty.

Here is another of Phil's Weslake machines

It looks awesome. The shape of things to come? maybe not! Surely in a spill the silencer will take a hammering? I will ask Phil a few questions about this bike.

Phil's response is below: -

Another JAP

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