Time well spent at the 18th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance

My brother Michael called me about a year ago and told me his friend Garen Maguerian had started to shoot motorcycles recently and sent me a few photos. I liked what I saw.  Mike's got an eye for spotting talent and has been writing for http://sportbikesincmag.com/ for a few years now. He's used Garen's photos with his articles and asked if he could shoot some motorcycles at Radnor Hunt Concours this year. Here's his take on the motorcycles at that show. I think you'll like them too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can check out Garen's work at  https://500px.com/garenmeguerian

 

The 18th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance

 

The 18th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance presents Vincent HRD, Brough Superior, Quarter Litre machines from 1932-1972 and other fine motorcycles.

  

 

 

 

Each year, the upscale Radnor Hunt Club makes room on the it's famous grass covered terraces for a world class collection of auto's and classic motorcycles.

 

 

 

RHC chose to celebrate the life work of Phil Vincent and Phil Irving with an astounding collection of machines that represent the brand in it's entirety. Early models, like the 1932 HRD Python Sport, powered by a Rudge engine provides a glimpse into what Phil Vincent started with before building his own engines with his patented unique rear suspension package. Restored Series A models, like the Comet and 998cc twin were on hand as well as post war machines. Seen in this context, the lineup shows the progress that was made very rapidly by the dynamic duo that brought the worlds fastest production motorcycles to life. Their work, and the work of the tuners and riders who raced them are the stuff of legends. Images of Rollie Free in his bathing trunks on the Vincent Black Lightning roaring across the Bonneville Salt Flats is perhaps the most iconic image in all of motorcycling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to the stock machines, there was a series of 'Specials,' motorcycles that were modified in period to marry the performance of the mighty Vincent engine with a more modern chassis. Three of these were featured at Radnor Hunt this year: the Egli-Vincent, the Parkin-Vincent and the stunning Norvin. The Norvin combines a Norton 'Featherbed' frame with a 998cc V-Twin Vincent engine. This particular model was exceptional in in its execution of details, built to a very high standard and used regularly by it's owner. The Egli, a creation of Swiss builder Fritz Elgi, was one of the few built by the master himself, in International Orange. The current owner bought the bike some 45 years ago and has been enjoying it ever since. The Parkin-Vincent features a Terry Prince built 600cc Comet engine with disc brakes, and a more modern swinging arm rear suspension. All three demonstrated the versatility of Vincent engines which are held in such high regard by speed demons the world over.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was rare and desirable when new means rare and desirable now, but sometimes machines that fail when introduced can be just as fascinating. Examples of that at RHC this year included the Vincent Black Knight and Black Prince, two machines that were ahead of their time. So to for the Indian 'upside down' Four and the Harley Model D with vertical generator.

 

 

 

 

 

The 250cc and under class took a look at motorcycles over a forty year span, from 1932 to 1972. The evolutionary process is quite evident with significant leaps forward at certain points. We saw rigid chassis's with girder forks and sidvalve engines to telescopics forks and swingarms mated with overhead valve engines in a relatively short period.  

 

 

 

 

  

 

The cars were no less impressive with F1 cars, Classic Chryslers and Ford powered vehicles being featured. Additionally, antique pedal cars and horsen-drive carriages are a big part of the show at Radnor Hunt Concours. If you haven't made the trip to Radnor Hunt Club yet to see this spectacle, mark your calendars for September 12-13 2015. We'll see you there.

 

 

 

Winners of the 2014 Radnor Hunt Concours Motorcycle Division

 

Best of Show: 1937 Vincent Series A Twin - Maurice Candy, Wilmington, DE

Peoples Choice: 1936 Indian Four - Kenny Minnich, Zannesville, Ohio

 Street 250cc and under:1965 BMW R27 - Todd Trumbore , Harleysville, NJ

Street 500cc and under: 1932 HRD PS /Python Sport - Gene Brown, Denver, CO

Street 501cc and over: 1952 Vincent Touring Rapide - Gene Brown, Denver, CO

Competition 250cc and under : 1971 Suzuki Sonic Weld Dirt Racer - Mark Mederski, Columbus, OH

Competition 500cc and over 1952 Vincent Black Shadow - Somer Hooker, Brentwood , TN

Competition 500cc and under: 1950 Vincent Grey Flash, David Dunfey, Middletown, NJ

Preservation Award: 1928 TWN Triumph & sidecar: John Illeyne, Passail, NJ

Spirit of Radnor Hunt: Eight Vincent HRD Collection of William Weissman , Egg Harbor, NJ

 

 

 

All photos by Dawn Deppi

@Eye of the Beholder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simeone Museum Classic Motorcycle Show featuring Kevin Cameron, Cook Neilson and Nobby Clark

                                      

Motorcycle tuner extraordinaire, Derek 'Nobby' Clark was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Simeone Museum in Philadelphia from Sportbikes Inc magazine, a digital Sport Bike oriented motorcycle magazine. Sport Bikes Inc magazine Publisher and editor, Allan Lane was on hand with staff writer Michael Lawless to present the award to Mr. Clark, better known simply as 'Nobby'.

Nobby has spent a life in the using his engineering skills to tune both Grand Prix motorcycles and classic Ferrari automobiles. The list of 17 Grand Prix Champions that have enjoyed his services is staggering:
Gary Hocking, Jim Redman, Mike Hailwood, Luigi Taveri, Ralph Bryans, Kel Carruthers, Rodney Gould, Kent Anderson, Barry Sheene, Jarno Saarinen, Giacomo Agostini, Kenny Roberts, Marco Luchinelli, Phil Read, and Bill Ivy.

He's recently been back to his homeland, South Africa (formerly Rhodesia) to be honored at a festival to honor the late racer Gary Hocking. Nobby took the train from New York to Philadelphia's Simeone Museum for a surprise award. He was sure he was just coming to support friends Cook Neilson and Kevin Cameron to celebrate the history of Two-Stroke Racing Motorcycles, American Four Cylinder Motorcycles and Vintage Motor Scooters for the launch party of the exhibit. Mr. Clark was duly thrust into the spotlight when it was announced he would honored on this evening, much to the delight of his fans who were on hand.

Cycle World magazine columnist Kevin Cameron was introduced by longtime friend Cook Neislon, the former editor at Cycle Magazine in its heyday. Mr. Neilson also achieved a great deal of notoriety first on his drag racing Harley-Davidson and later his 1977 Daytona AMA Superbike race win on 'Old Blue', the legendary California Hot Rod built by Cook and Phil Schilling.


                                              

                                  

Flanked by a recently restored Yamaha 1978 TZ750 E model and a 1980 Suzuki RG500 Mk VI, 'Professor' Kevin Cameron took the attentive audience on a journey through the history of racing two-stroke grand prix motorcycles and how they evolved and eventually became extinct. It was insightful and entertaining with a depth of knowledge that only a lifetime in the pits and speaking with riders, technicians and motorcycle designers could provide.Kevin has a knack for taking complex mechanical theories and practices and explaining them in a manner which most folks can comprehend easily. His monthly column in Cycle World magazine and books, Top Dead Center and The Grand Prix Motorcycle, a Technical History.

Immediately after the seminar on two-strokes, a Yamaha TZ750 and Suzuki RG500 (ex-Gina Bovaird) race bikes were wheeled outside, where light rain was beginning to fall. Without loosing a moment, the two bikes were bump started and were running around the large parking lot behind the museum, where demonstrations of the facilities stunning collection of the worlds best sports racing cars takes place. And so it was with the two motorcycles which dominated the racing world for a decade. They had very different sounds yet both were an auditory delight to the enthusiasts ears who gathered around. These machines burn both oil and fuel and have largely been legislated out of existence. Seeing and hearing them in action has become a rare sight even at race tracks. There are, however a fervent group of die-hards who keep the flame alive. Several members of 'Team USA' will be taking some of these very machines to Philip Island, Australia in January 2013 for a " Forgotten Era' vintage motorcycle race that will pit riders from all around the globe on these classic two-strokes.


                                


                                     

                                     

The exhibit runs until September 6, 2012. The bikes will be transported to nearby Radnor Hunt Club in Malvern, PA  for the for the 16th Annual Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance where Historic Ferrari motorcars will share the bill. Don Emde, winner of the 1972 Daytona 200 race will be the featured guest at that event. His win on a Yamaha TR3 marked the first win for a two-stroke Yamaha at the famed speedway. It would be another decade before someone developed a better weapon (via a rulebook change) to unseat them.Please make plans to visit Radnor Hunt this September.

For more information, check out www.simeonemuseum.org and www.radnorconcours.org

For sponsorship opportunities with ' Team USA', contact TZRusty@yahoo.com

All photos courtesy of Eye of the Beholder, Inc , photograher Dawn Deppi