Funny story number 1
Davie Palmer from the Edinburgh branch was in the Iom on holiday
with his wife for the 79 TT when an announcement came over Manx Radio that a Scottish
sidecar team had an accident at Cronk Y Voddy , fellow Edinburgh residents and friends Ian Dickie
& Mose Hutchison were involved and had been airlifted away from the scene.
Dave thought he would do Samaritan and visit them in their sick bed, with his
wife he goes to see them, on arriving at the imposing building he goes to speak
to the man on the gate and says “I’m here to see two friends of mine, Ian
Dickie & Mose Hutchinson, The chap on the gate says “let me check my register, sorry they’re
not here”, “they must be here I heard it on the Radio that they had an accident
in yesterdays sidecar race and were taken to hospital” “wrong place pal this is
the Manx prison, you’re looking for Nobles. A true story which I’m sure Davie is still embarrassed about, remind
him if you bump into him at the Manx!!
Funny story number 2
The saga of Peter's Dommie.
[George Peddie]
I was asked to take Peter's dommie
for an MOT, here follows the sequence of
events that followed.
Tuesday set of for MOT station, after approx 7miles realise the bike is not running
as well as I thought it should, it was lacking power
especially on any rises, not even
hills.
On arrival at MOT station I noticed that the choke
was in the on position, no wonder it wouldn’t pull!
Out comes the MOT tester, where’s the frame number?
Ring Peter, nothing on headstock but seemingly frame number is under a plate on
the frame. As the bike had just been painted I didn’t want to attack it to
remove plate so I set off home having abandoned the test. The bike was running
well with choke off!
The next day I set off again to test
station with the bike going very well. At the test station the tester jumps on
the bike and pulls on the front brake, the brake cable then snaps! Anyway he
decides to do the rest of test and I can make up cable for brake. Starts up the
bike, switches on lights and engine dies! Tries again but when the lights go on
the engine goes off.
Once again I abandon test and start
to ride bike home even with no front brake, I got about 1/2 mile along the road
and it decided to revert to a single. Send for the cavalry which is a big white
van from Sandy Bloys bike shop.
Brake now
fixed with new cable but still some problem with electrics!!!!! Only good thing
is all abandoned tests and recovery no cost!!!! So thank you to Burnbrae garage
(MOT station) and Sandy Bloy (Recovery).
Vezio 2007
Some of us were in Vezio in 1999 for
the International rally, it was an excellent event and still ranks as one of
the best, every year in June the Swiss Classic bike club run a British bike
rally there, as I had to attend a wedding in the North of Holland on the
Wednesday before the rally I decided it would be a good idea to go. The
Commando was all polished up and looking and running well as we left the Ferry
at Ijmuiden and headed up past the site of the
last Nederland International rally and up to Groningen, we managed to avoid the rain that
was threatening which was good. First part of the journey and with 300 miles
gone the Norton was behaving well. Thursday Lunchtime which was the day after
the wedding we said our farewells and headed over the Border into Germany for
the 750 mile run down to Vezio. As we neared Cologne the sky turned black and
we were treated to a free light show courtesy of the man upstairs, the
accompanying very heavy rain meant a stop on a very busy motorway to don the
waterproofs, just south of Frankfurt we decided to call it a day and because of
the rain decided to get a cheap hotel rather than put up the tent. The Commando
by this time was complaining about the hot & wet conditions the way it does
best, by pissing oil out of places I never even knew the oil went. Oil
consumption though wasn’t too bad, it doesn’t take much to make a mess. The
following day we set of in heavy rain and as we passed the Swiss border at
Basel it just got heavier and heavier, probably the most & heaviest
prolonged rain I’ve ridden in ever. It was spectacular to see the water
cascading off the mountains as we rode along, Switzerland as anybody who has
been there will know is full of tunnels and this was a godsend, a very welcome
relief from the rain, as I neared the end of the tunnels I was bracing myself
against the onslaught of the rain when I broke back into the outside world.
Around 30 miles from Lugano we were joined on the road by a guy on a 60’s Triumph
Scrambler obviously going the same way, he motioned for us to follow him which
we did, he then led us off the main road and I though he must know an easier
route, after a few miles on flooded local roads he stopped, it transpired he
needed petrol and this was a detour, only thing was I knew we were only 20Km
from the next services and this was a needless detour, oh well, were on holiday
I thought!
We arrived at Vezio around 5pm on the Friday, it was still pouring
with rain as we put the tent up but true to form the rain stopped around 20
minutes after we finished setting up camp. After that it was glorious weather
with the temperature on the Saturday in the 30’s, at lease it gave everybody a
chance to dry everything out. I met Wolf & Arno from Austria there and it was good to catch up
with them as it had been a while since I had seen them. Arno was on his newly acquired Manx
Norton complete with lights and speedo and ridden several hundred kilometres
from Austria.
Norton’s
were pretty much the most popular bikes there with quite a few Commando’s
present, Franz from Holland was there as was another two members of the
Nederland NOC. I met a few people who remembered us from the 99 rally and overall a
good time was had by all, the only downside for the weekend being the poor
toilet facilities. Sunday and it was time to head North again, another hot day
and the Norton pissing oil out over the back tyre made for a restrained ride
over the St Gottard pass, still good fun though. Tuesday night was spent with
Geert and the rest of the guy’s who run the BBA café racer meeting in June, I’ve
got to know them well as they are regular visitors to the Begonia Rally.
Wednesday and up to Zeebrugge for the Superfast ferry home, my left exhaust
decided to part company with the bike around 8km from the ferry, this was the
only mechanical mishap in 2000 miles so not too bad really.
Excess
Crankcase Pressure
When I got
back and started pondering why MVD normally behaves ok in this country but on
long trips it does tend to blow some oil about I thought I’d look into it. I
found there had been extensive research done into excess crankcase pressure and
that the fitting of a PCV (Pressure control valve) in the engine breather pipe
from the crankcase to the oil tank helps solve the problem and actually
liberates some extra power also. Les Emery from Fair Spares fits them on all
new Commando’s leaving his shop. They retail at £22 + Vat each from Les but if
you speak nicely to Fraser Currie he can source them for around half that
price. Of course I only found this out after I got mine at the higher price!
Anyway much recommended as I’m sure the engine runs sweeter after fitting it.
As for a long run, I’ll let you know soon.
The reason
we are having the meeting a week early is that some of us are off to the Isle of Wight for the National Rally next
weekend, still not too late to go, be there or be square!!
The Small Print
The views and opinions contained within this
publication are not necessarily those of the NOC or of the branch but are
probably mine as I wrote it.
No one accepts any responsibility for
anything, if you have a good time don't say I didn't warn you.
Gino Rondelli
