Donington Classic Mechanics Japanese Show

The VJMC showed off their usual superb collection of concours machines, including 'best custom' and ‘best racer' award winners. The former trophy was awarded to specialist Yamaha FS1E restorer Steve Aldworth who exhibited ‘something a little different’ as he described it. Not unfamiliar with winners’ awards, Andy Baldwin picked up the racer trophy with his superb Suzuki T20 racer, the original owner of which retired from racing the bike in 1972 then stored it up for 17 years. As ever all the machines on the VJMC stand were potential prize winners, such was the high standard.

The Kawasaki Triples Club exhibited a fine collection of strokers and were justly rewarded with the best club stand, with runner-up spot going to the Aircooled RD club. Richard Neeves collected the best ridden trophy for the club with a 1980 RD250F he has owned from new, which, apart from new footrest rubbers and a bit of paint on the centre stand and gear lever, is totally original.

Although he just missed out on a trophy, Gary Beevers had not one but two fine machines on show. A fine, unrestored Suzuki X7 with a mere 600 original miles on the odometer, bought seven years ago on the internet and still sporting the dealer transfer of E. Burnett and Son, Southsea. Apparently the first owner bought the bike, quickly threw it up the road, lost his nerve as a result and parked the bike in the garage for the next few years before finally selling it on. Gary’s other machine
has been fully restored, a truly stunning 1976 Suzuki AP50, which took nine years to accrue all the genuine Suzuki parts before commencing the rebuild.

Sitting alongside these two beauties was a regular Stafford entry, Phil Ryans' gleaming Suzuki RE5 rotary, a true 70s throwback if ever there was one. In fact Suzuki owners did well, with Colin Jenkins, the specialist RV125 sand bike restorer, picking up the best Suzuki accolade for his sixth show bike, a 1975 example. Colin informed me he has restored and sold on no less than 20 RV125s, with parts sourced from all over the world. The two restorations he has on the go at the moment are likely to be the last of the line as parts are now so scarce he doubts he could get another complete machine together.

A super excessive, over the top, polished, chromed, big bored, tuned and nitrous injected Hyabusa took the honours for best chrome and believe it or not the bike is ridden every week and has 30,000 miles on the clock! Owner Nigel Harris is a fanatical cleaner and polisher who reckons the £8,000 bike stands him a further £12,000 for all this show and go. Not content with this, whilst at the show, he trotted over to custom paint specialists Toxic Crow and booked himself in for a metalflake respray.

1964 Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster

The 1964 Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster motorcycle's impressive 883-cc V-twin engine outpowered most competitors of the era.

The Sportster's powerful engine earned it the nickname "King of the Drags."

After its 1957 introduction, Harley's XL Sportster gained a more sporting version called the XLCH in 1959 -- "CH" supposedly standing for "Competition Hot."

These were stripped-down models oriented toward on- and off-road work with magneto ignition, high exhaust pipes, solo seat, smaller "peanut" tank, and lighter overall weight.

It also featured the now-famous "eyebrow" headlight cover that remains a Sportster trademark. Harley-Davidson also offered the XLH, a dressed-up, touring-influenced version that was outsold by its sportier sibling.

Power rose steadily over the years, earning the fleet Sportster the nickname "King of the Drags" -- an unofficial title it would hold until the late 1960s.

Of course, this was at a time when most of its competitors were British 650-cc twins, which spotted considerable displacement to the 883-cc Sportster. And in drag racing, size matters.

Go to the next page to see more 1964 Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster motorcycle pictures.

1966 Harley-Davidson Sprint

The 1966 Harley-Davidson Sprint motorcycle was an Italian-American hybrid that filled a gap in Harley's line

Harley-Davidson and Aermacchi of Italy came together to produce the Sprint.

Introduced in 1961 as a result of a cooperative venture between Harley-Davidson and Aermacchi of Italy, the Sprint was powered by a 250-cc horizontal four-stroke single.

Despite being decidedly unlike Harley's traditional products of the time, the Sprint was quite popular with buyers.

Little had changed by 1966, though styling had become somewhat more modern. Both street and on/off-road Scrambler models were offered by that time, and modified versions enjoyed a fair degree of competition success.

Displacement increased to 350 cc for 1969 on the street-going Sprint -- now called the SS -- while the Scrambler version did not get the larger engine until 1972.

Both models disappeared after 1974 to be replaced by two-stroke machines, also built by Aermacchi.

Continue to the next page to see more 1966 Harley-Davidson Sprint motorcycle pictures.