You would have to say the main focus of the Hampton Downs Summer Classic weekend for VRNZ was the Eldee and the opportunity, with Bill Swallow being out here from the U.K., for him to ride the Eldee Velocette for the first time post the Junior Manx Classic race at the IOM TT in August 2014.

Some significant engine modifications have been done since then including the new cams (which Nick Thompson described in his journal of the event). They were given a careful going over and we were keen to relate back Bill’s new engine lap times this year to Chris Swallow’s lap timesheets last year with the old engine running on methanol which had been such a great success.

Hampton Downs is a fast circuit so Chris’ quick times last year were the basis for encouraging us to consider competing in last year’s 250cc ‘Phil Read’ Classic TT trophy. The new Nick Thompson Eldee-2 engine of course is running on petrol which is altogether a more challenging prospect to tune as a small engine.

Chris Swallow aboard the Eldee 2 Velocette Special at Hampton Downs Summer Classic event.

Chris Swallow rounds the sweeper at top speed.

That done Bill has never wavered in his compliments on the steering handling and stopping capability of the bike albeit that it is probably overweight from where it could be and should be. But engine-wise, nice, Bill was pleased about that.

Our timesheet comparison is that Chris and I think there might of been three or four seconds difference in the fastest or average lap times between the two. So indications are we are on the right track. But once again at this fast circuit we have seen that there is what Nick calls “an iron claw” that grips the bike in terms of the falling just short of the power that we want it to have to fulfil its competitive potential at the Isle of Man Classic. The feedback we’ve had from the dyno;

• The revs climb and good power comes in at about 5–5,500 rpm then
• the power climbs up to 27-28 hp at 7–7,500 and then plateaus.

Of course we are looking forward to the power climbing into the low to mid 30s ultimately. It looks as though our next engine development move is going to be addressing the “Squish band”, the shape of the Piston and the combustion chamber and thereby modify the squish angle and the turbulence caused by the squish effect to promote turbulence that generates the most thorough fuel/air mixing. This contributes to achieving the most efficient combustion, precisely what is required to yield the utmost performance from a small engine. So that is Nick’s next move on the engine development project.

Chris Swallow ridinga girder fork 1932 KTT Velocette, vying for position with classic racing machines 30 years its junior in a Hampton Downs Summer Classic 350 Clubman’s race.

A good weekend was had by the VRNZ crew at Hampton Downs. Of course second rung was the other Velocettes being the MOV and the MKVIII KTT (which had its first race outing since 2012) and all went very well there, with Phil Price riding the MOV and Chris Swallow and Phil sharing the KTT. Chris courageously mixing it up with all-comers in the 350 class—his balance and smoother riding style challenged most and saw him finish in the middle of the field on the only girder fork bike. Phil was able to clear a path out to the front of the field in the Vintage class aboard the illustrious 350 KTT Velo, the ever formidable competitor, reprising the successes of British racers 70-odd years ago, the KTT left the Pre-war 500s in its wake. So a really good weekend, a really good feeling in the camp. Bill and Chris of course had good rides on the impressive Glynn Robinson Ducatis as well, Pantars. An excellent weekend all round so, back to the workshop we go.

Phil Price riding a girder fork 1930s Velocette MOV approaches the hairpin in a Hampton Downs Summer Classic 250 Clubman’s race. The MOV were renowned in the day for their innovative “dustbin” fairing.Finally a big thank you to the all the Marshalls and NZCMRR admin volunteers at Hampton Downs over the weekend. Thanks to all Clubmen and women that staged and managed VRNZ’s first Classic Motorcycle Racing event of the 2015 calendar, and a special thank you to Neville Wooderson for his hospitality and support in the VRNZ / Sports Motorcycles Ducati pits.—VRNZ

Chris Swallow aboard the Velocette MOV in the Clubman’s class race at Hampton Downs Summer Classic.

This gallery features 9 machines from two classes ranging from Bill James’ 1954 AJS 7R 350, to Paul Register’s 1972 Triton Norton Triumph 750, and Chris Swallow’s second of 3 rides at the Burt, the 1959 BSA Goldstar 500. In the feature image Chris Swallow sweeps through the Castrol curves astride the BSA Goldstar 500.

• Velos at the Burt 2015: Megaphones on Bluff Hill
• Teretonga Races—The KTT trio & Big Velo
• Invercargill Street Races: Velocette 1, 2, 3
• Invercargill Street Races: Classic Pre ‘63
• Velos Teretonga Practice Day

• Rider 9 – Paul Riley – 1966 Honda RC181r 500
• Rider 18 – Kevin Ryan – 1966 Triumph Bonneville 800
• Rider 32 – Chris Swallow – 1959 BSA Goldstar 500
• Rider 45 – Peter Mills – 1962 Norton 650 SS
• Rider 85 – Graham Peters – 1958 BSA Goldstar
• Rider 128 – Stuart McElrea – 1963 Triumph 5TA 500
• Rider 141 – Bill James – 1954 AJS 7R 350
• Rider 168 – Butch Woods – 1970 Norton Commando 750
• Rider 231 – Cloud Craig-Smith – 1971 Weston Westlake Norton Special 500
• Rider 291 – Paul Register – 1972 Triton Norton Triumph 750

Chris Swallow sweeps through the Castrol curves astride the BSA Goldstar 500.

CREDITS:

Words: Shaun Waugh
Photography & Desktop publishing: Shaun Waugh MagentaDot Brands

E Hayes & Sons Teretonga Circuit Races, Saturday 28th November, 2015.. VRNZ classic racing at Teretonga Raceway, Otatara, included 4 riders aboard 5 machines in the Classic Pre ‘63 Girder fork and the Classic Pre ‘63 Class. In the feature image rider Cloud Craig-Smith sweeps his gleaming 1949 KTT MK VIII through the exit apex of the Loop at Teretonga.

• Velos at the Burt 2015: Megaphones on Bluff Hill
• Teretonga Pre ‘63 & Post Classic Pre ‘72
• Invercargill Street Races: Velocette 1, 2, 3
• Invercargill Street Races: Classic Pre ‘63
• Velos Teretonga practice day

The Big Velo and KTT trio round the Teretonga circuit’s fastest curve, the Loop

The Teretonga galleries features the four girder fork racing Velocettes;

• Rider 4 – Bill Biber – 1934 Velocette ‘Big Velo’ 500
• Rider 32 – Chris Swallow – 1946 Velocette KTT MKVIII 350
• Rider 197 – Phil Price – 1934 Velocette KTT MKIV 350
• Rider 231 – Cloud Craig-Smith – 1949 Velocette KTT MKVIII 350

and these machines also from the Pre ‘63 girder fork class;

• Rider 30 – Michael Wilson – 1930 Rudge Special 350
• Rider 36 – Rhys Wilson – 1937 Rudge Ulster 500
• Rider 63 – Francie Winteringham – 1930 Rudge TT Rep 500
• Rider 95 – Neville Mickleson – Velocette KTT MKIV 350
• Rider 114 – Keith McLeod – 1928 AJS K6 500
• Rider 238 – Bruce Aitken – 1936 Triumph T80 350

Cloud Craig-Smith sweeps his gleaming KTT MK VIII through the exit apex of the Loop at Teretonga.

Pre ‘63  girder forks through the Castrol curves and Start Finish line

Chris Swallow aboard Velocette KTT Mk VIII roars through the Castrol curves at Teretonga.

Chris Swallow aboard KTT Mk VIII roars through the Castrol curves at Teretonga.

CREDITS:

Words: Shaun Waugh
Photography & Desktop publishing: Shaun Waugh

Three Velocette Racing New Zealand galleries shot at the Teretonga Circuit on Practice Day, Friday 27th November 2015. In the feature image Bill Biber sweeps through the “S” bends at Teretonga aboard the Big Velo 500.

• Velos at the Burt 2015: Megaphones on Bluff Hill
• Teretonga Races—The KTT trio & Big Velo
• Teretonga Pre ‘63 & Post Classic Pre ‘72
• Invercargill Street Races: Velocette 1, 2, 3
• Invercargill Street Races: Classic Pre ‘63

Bill Biber sweeps through the “S” bends at Teretonga on practice day aboard the Big Velo.

Classic Pre ‘63 Girder Dummy Grid

Bill Biber, focused on riding the Big Velo first.

Bill Biber, focused on riding the Big Velo first.

Velo pit culture at the Teretonga circuit race paddock

VRNZ photographer Shaun Waugh consults with Bill Biber regarding favoured “highside” trackside viewpoints.

CREDITS:

Words: Shaun Waugh Photography & Desktop publishing: Shaun Waugh

Three galleries of the Class winning Velocettes competing at the Honda Invercargill Street Races, Sunday 29 November 2015. Racing at the exciting new Invercargill street circuit included the same four riders, the trio of KTTs and the Big Velo in the Classic Pre ‘63 Girder class and the addition of a second ride for Chris Swallow aboard the Eldee Velocette in the Classic Pre ‘63 Class.

The VRNZ pits shared space with team Rudge’s Francie Winteringham and Rhys Wilson of Invercargill in pit lane who feature along with team VRNZ in the pit culture gallery below. In the feature image Chris Swallow aboard KTT 1041, leads Cloud Craig-Smith (KTT 1079) to a historic Velocette 1, 2, 3, class win in the Honda Invercargill Street Races for the VRNZ racing team.

I’d like to thank all the riders who put it all on the line, their support crews, the event marshalls, organisers, admin and sponsors that made the 10th Burt such a festive, thrilling spectacle. Finally kudos to Wellington Velo man Nic Thomson for the outstanding achievement of developing, race prepping and fettling the four Classic Girder Velos that achieved five historic wins at the 2015 Burt and acknowledge the remarkable fact also that all bar-one of these 80 year olds both started and finished every event entered over the four thunderous days in November 2015.

• Velos at the Burt 2015: Megaphones on Bluff Hill
• Teretonga Races—The KTT trio & Big Velo
• Teretonga Pre ‘63 & Post Classic Pre ‘72
• Velos Teretonga Practice Day
• Invercargill Street Races Classic Pre ‘63

Chris Swallow and Cloud Craig-Smith aboard the KTT Velocettes. Invercargill Street Races.

• Rider 4 – Bill Biber – 1934 Velocette ‘Big Velo’ 500
• Rider 32 – Chris Swallow – 1946 Velocette KTT MKVIII 350
• Rider 35 – Lee Munro – 1941 Indian Scout 750
• Rider 114 – 1928 AJS K6 500
• Rider 197 – Phil Price – 1934 Velocette KTT MKIV 350
• Rider 231 – Cloud Craig-Smith – 1949 Velocette KTT MKVIII 350

Classic Pre ‘63 with girder forks

Chris Swallow and Cloud Craig-Smith aboard the KTT Velocettes. Invercargill Street Races.

Velocette Racing NZ and Team Rudge pit culture at the Invercargill Street races

Pictured with their victorious cammy trio are Squaddie Swallow, Squadron Leader Price, Captain Craig-Smith, Tank Commander Thomson of the Royal Engineers and returning to active service, Brigadier Biber.

Pictured with their victorious cammy trio are Squaddie Swallow, Squadron Leader Price, Captain Craig-Smith, Tank Commander Thomson of the Royal Engineers and returning to active service, Brigadier Biber.

Rider’s meeting and Pre ‘63 Velos on the dummy grid Invercargill Street Races

Technical inspections completed the mandatory riders’ meeting, chaired by Andy Underhay, President of the Southland Motorcycle Club, was held in Pit Lane just prior to the Honda Invercargill Street Races commencing.

CREDITS:

Words: Shaun Waugh
Photography & Desktop publishing: Shaun Waugh
Client: Velocette Racing New Zealand

This post and the following 5 contain galleries that cover the motorcycle racing for the Classic Pre ‘63 class which are largely ‘girder forks’ motorcycles, that merge with telescopic forks machines from the mid 50s through to ‘63. The girder forks racing machines from the 30s and 40s are rare birds, highly prized hard-out competitors at the 10th Anniversary Burt 2015.

Links to the galleries

• Teretonga Races—The KTT trio & Big Velo gallery
• Teretonga Pre ‘63 & Post Classic Pre ‘72 gallery
• Velos Teretonga Practice Day gallery
• Invercargill Street Races: Velocettes 1, 2, 3, gallery,
• Invercargill Street Races Classic Pre ‘63 gallery

The girder forks class features Phil Price’s superb collection of original 70–80 year old Velocette racing machines, race-prepped and in fine fettle due to the knowledge and care of Wellington Velo man, Nic Thomson, and deftly ridden by Bill, Cloud, Chris and Phil. The photos document  3 of the Burt’s 6 events at the tenth anniversary Burt Munro Challenge in November 2015 that these machines were entered in, kicking off proceedings on Thursday 26th Nov with the Bluff Hill NZ National Hill Climb championships.

The Teretonga Circuit Races & Practice Day spanned Friday–Saturday and the event culminated in the hugely successful new Honda Invercargill Street Races on Sunday 29th.

The trio of cammy 350cc KTTs and the Velocette “Big Velo” 500 competed in the Pre ‘63 (with girder forks) Class along with Neville Mickleson’s KTT, Francie Winteringham and Rhys Wilson’s Rudges, a Triumph an Indian and other famous marques pictured below. Riders from the VRNZ camp, Chris Swallow and Cloud Craig-Smith also raced machines in the Classic Pre ‘63 class, and the Post Classic Pre ‘72 class, at Teretonga and the Street Races.

VRNZ Team leader Phil Price with Graham Peters’ Bluff HIll Climb Champs Pre ‘63 Class sash at the Anchorage Pub, venue for the debrief after the event on Thursday evening.

All of the Classes of motorcycles that raced at the 2015 Burt at the Hillclimb, Teretonga and the street races will be added as time permits.

I’d like to thank all the riders who put it all on the line, their support crews, the event marshalls, organisers, admin and sponsors that made the 10th Burt such a festive, thrilling spectacle.

Finally kudos to Nic Thomson for the outstanding achievement of developing, race prepping and fettling the four Classic Girder Velos that achieved five historic wins at the 2015 Burt and acknowledge the remarkable fact also that all bar-one of these 80 year olds both started and finished every event entered over the four thunderous days in November 2015.

NZ Hill Climb Champs: Megaphones on Bluff Hill

Bill Biber aboard the 1934 “Big Velo” 500 rounds corner 5 on his first timed run.

Flagstaff Road is a steep 1.4 km public road that snakes its way up Bluff Hill. With a few short straights, tortuous curves flanked by rocky cliffs, steep drops and demanding surface conditions that includes a small stream running across the exit of corner four the Bluff Hill course was a formidable challenge with which to kick off the start of A Decade of the Burt. After the Marshall’s briefing, Machine Scrutineering and Riders’ Meeting the Hill Climb event started at 09:40 Thursday morning with a series of two practice runs up Flagstaff Road for each competitor before competition commenced. The competition consisted of a couple of official timed runs for competitors in each class entered.

The Bluff NZ Hill Climb Championships 1.4 km course map showing gallery photography locations.

Race Programme

• Classic Pre ‘63 (including Girder fork Classics)
• Classic Pre ’82
• Classic Pre ‘89
• Open Class (including a sidecar)
• Up to 600cc
• ATV Quad

For VRNZ in the Classic Pre ‘63, Girder fork class Rider 4 Bill Biber (1934 “Big Velo”) and Rider 197 Phil Price (1934 KTT) were competitors. Also in the camp was the Pre ‘63 Hill Climb class-winning Rider 85 Graham Peters (1958 BSA Goldstar) who won the Classic Pre ‘63 class in 55.41 secs, not too shabby considering the fastest time of the day was set at 46.64 secs by Tony Rees aboard his Open Class 2013 Honda CBR 1000.

The Classic Pre ‘63 girder fork Velos on the Start line and rounding Corner 1

Phil Price enters Corner 1 aboard the ‘cammy’ 350cc 1934 Velocette KTT MK VIII

In this gallery are three girder fork machines;

• Rider 197 – Phil Price – 1934 Velocette KTT MKIV
• Rider 95 – Neville Mickleson – 1932 Velocette KTT MKIV
• Rider 63 – Francie Winteringham – 1930 Rudge TT Rep 500

Phil Price enters Corner 1 aboard the ‘cammy’ 350cc 1934 Velocette KTT MK VIII

The Classic Pre ‘63 girder fork machines rounding Corner 5

Phil Price roars around Corner 5 aboard the 1934 KTT MKIV at the 2015 Burt Munro NZ Hill Climb Champs time trial.

This gallery features five girder fork machines;

• Rider 4 – Bill Biber – 1934 Velocette ‘Big Velo’ 500
• Rider 197 – Phil Price – 1934 Velocette KTT MKIV
• Rider 63 – Francie Winteringham – 1930 Rudge TT Rep 500
• Rider 36 – Rhys Wilson – 1937 Rudge Ulster 500
• Rider 95 – Neville Mickleson – 1932 Velocette KTT MKIV

Phil Price rounds Corner 5, in the 2015 Burt Munro NZ Hill Climb Champs.

The final turn: Classic Pre ‘63 girder class approach tortuous Corner 6

Bill Biber enters the final turn at the top of Flagstaff Hill aboard the Big Velo 500.

This gallery features four girder fork machines;

• Rider 4 – Bill Biber – 1934 Velocette ‘Big Velo’ 500
• Rider 95 – Neville Mickleson – 1932 Velocette KTT MKIV
• Rider 63 – Francie Winteringham – 1930 Rudge TT Rep 500
• Rider 36 – Rhys Wilson – 1937 Rudge Ulster 500

Classic Pre ‘63 Class winner BSA Goldstar 500 flies up Bluff Hill in in 55.41 secs.

The 1958 BSA Goldstar with Graham Peters, Pre ‘63 Class winner aboard, flies out of Corner 5 on his way to an impressive 55.41 second finish.

Graham Peters aboard his BSA Goldstar 500 from start to finish of the tortuous Bluff Hill Climb.

• Rider 85 – Graham Peters – 1958 BSA Goldstar>

Classic Pre ‘63 Class and Post Classic Pre ‘72 competitors’ gallery

Kevin Ryan exits Corner 5 aboard his 1966 Triumph Bonnie 800.

Kevin Ryan & Bruce Aitken’s runs up Bluff Hill from start to finish.

• Rider 18 – Kevin Ryan – 1966 Triumph Bonneville 800
• Rider 238 – Bruce Aitken – Triton Triton 650

Kevin Ryan exits Corner 5 aboard his 1966 Triumph Bonnie 800.

Velocette Motorcycle Pit culture at the NZ Hillclimb champs

The Big Velo in fine fettle, Pit Lane, Pearce Street, Bluff.

Pit Lane, Pearce Street, adjacent to the Start line.

The Big Velo in fine fettle, Pit Lane, Pearce Street, Bluff.

CREDITS:

Words: Shaun Waugh
Photography & Desktop publishing: Shaun Waugh