midlands Centre

Hi all
we had our first Midlands Bantam racers meeting for 30 Years today, what turned out to be a surprise day, with a number of new and current Bantam racers making the effort to make the trip, and with bikes.

Many thanks to Mike Powell, Ed, malcolm , Nigel, Rex, Colin, Dad, and a few others, and we woke a few of the locals up with two bikes running, then stripped them padock style, and took them injside to discuss the inners.

Thanks to all for bringing the goodies of technicall interest to talk about, we had both engines and barrels and lots of paper to read, many thanks to Mike Powell for his support to our first Midland center meeting he had by far the longest way to travell, it was a shame GeTe could not make it. But may be we will have some photos to load soon (Ed ! please).

nothing better than to talk Bikes with a cup of tea then have a few bears after.

best regards
Derek

Me and dad agree,

Thank you Mike for your support and knowledge, was a good day out. Really good to talk to experienced people and new builders.















































Pm me with regards to the original logo stickers discussion if there is enough interest.


Eddie

A most enjoyable couple of hours spent talking bantam ... Quite a bantam social...
Not many pubs I know would let you run race bikes in the car park then have the
internal engine parts spread all over the table! A lot of questions were asked and
answers given and idea's picked up. A bit surreal arriving in a pub car park to the
noise of a bantam and the smell of castor oil !! Excellent !!

thanks to the people who turned up today to share their thoughts and suggestions on the bantam engine..funny how time flys when theres somthing worth seeing and listening to... impressed that mike travelled so far to see us .. brilliant

The time did fly by, great to hear how people were coming along with bikes and ideas (gotta love nigel's starter and bike stand)

Also to be able to look at different engines and how thing have and were done, lots of information and books and pictures to go through and read plus colin had his laptop with some racing on it also.


Eddie

Hey guys,

Great photos, thanks for sharing, this is all inspirational stuff.

I am about to start work on my standard 125 barrel and am looking at the previously posted picture, which I copied below.
On my presently unmolested barrel, the old carb stud and the fin above it need to come off to make room for the new carb. Looking at the photo it seems it may have been done on this barrel with a hacksaw. I am wondering if this is the case, and this is something I can reasonably do myself with a vice and a decent hacksaw, or is it better left for the machine $hop?

For me DIY is more rewarding (not to mention cheaper).

Thanks and Happy New Year,

Andy


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Hi bantamclose todivorse ?

yes all ok go for it and yes hacksaw ok

Derek

Thanks for the reply, I'll give it a go!

Cheers,

Andy

Hi closetodivorse

dont forget to send us some photo's of your progress.

I'm sure somone is about to post a process of building a water cooled 125cc short stroke cylinder, hopfully there will be lots of hints and tips to help reduce the unavoidable distortion issues caused by brazing/bronze/cast welding on extra or improved ports.

Derek

It is great news that another centre has had a meeting after so long, I believe it is a good way forward for our class. The Eastern Centre has never stopped meeting since 1961. I have not always attended but we do have members that have been there most (if not all) of the time. I am hopping Sticky will come to some meetings when he is at Tom’s as I believe he was at the founding meeting (in East Ham Town hall if my information is correct). I wonder, how long it will be before other riders start to meet socially to exchange information and ideas? When will we have enough to revive the inter centre team race, maybe Sticky & I will race as team mates for the first since Debden in 1977. Well there is no point in dreaming if you only dream when you’re asleep.
Happy new bike mods.

Has it been decided when the next meeting is yet?


Eddie

Hi

Sorry ed did you not get my PM post and Nigel what about you I have been PM' people about this.

I think after this we should have 3 or 4 per year set the date and venue, 1 in the off season and 3 during ? set dats and times.

I think one shoukld be at a show! like the stafford classic show ? "the last sunday of the month Ihope this is ok the 29th March???

We should invite others, Mike came the last time I will PM other see who wishes to come along,

I assumed the same location would be good.?

Car park for 11.30 to 4.30 (in the bar after 10 minutes if no one brings a bike to look at), have the others recieved my PM on this, please let me know. ?

I asked if they prefered the same location or another, I was wondering why no one replied ?

please let me know. ASAP - Derek

Hi Derek,

No i didnt receive a pm with regards to this.


Eddie

i have pm you with the details, could you all let me know if the suggested dates and location is ok.

please reply via PM

regards Derek

Hi Derek,

Can anyone turn up?

Regards

Mark

Hi Mark,

As far as i know anyone can turn up, infact the more the merrier i would say!


Regards


Eddie

Hi Mark
Ed is spot on, and as you can see from the Photo's Mike Powell supported us at our first gathering, he bought his barrel and a number of really interesting engine items from his current bike.

The whole idea is for the midlands guys to meet within a hour travelling time, to talk Formula Bantam racing-tuning, bike building, I feel some of the people attending got quite a lot from the last meeting, I did i really enjoyed it, and Mike gave out lots of opinions when asked, all while sipping a few cups of tea & coffee and a drop of the harder stuff. Bring what your working on, or some photo's, hopfully we can get some one to look at them and point you in the right direction, or agree your already there.

Basically its about people meeting with a common aim and helping each other, through the build build or development stages.

I still feel the biggest single issue is to actually be brave enough to "enter the first meeting" once you have done this, you have indeed done what you need to do "the rest falls into place", while no one will do it for you, this is lots of encouragement and informative information
My dad said fgo for it - as "your a long time dead".
anyone is, I have asked for support from one individual obviously will not pubnlish this until they have confirmed, I will keep you posted via PM on this if you wish in the mean time if those of you guys comming could please confirm the dates and venue or even sugest an alternative venue.

Kind regards Derek Betts

calling / Rex -Debbra /Colin /Ed /Malcom / Nigel / Me /Terry / little Ed.
Two Special Guest's :-
1) The Bromsgrove topless womens net-ball team. "who I have arranged with be "filling our Muggs" and funishing us with mouth refreshments "tea and coffee".
2) To be confirmed.

Agenda:-
a)"are you/we ready "yet"
b) bring along a note pad and pencil you will need it I forgot most of what I learned at the last meeting by about the 4th pint Malcom the bar is of course off limites to you! my wife said your a bad influence on me, forcing me to drink all that tea and beer, iM NOT ALLOWED TO MIX MY DRINK ! lol.
c) "what help do you need" - in my case I need a wing and a prary dog with a wheel chair and 3000 hp motor attached, and good odds on any placings "at all !.

seriously
please PM me if you are going to make it along, it would be good to see you guys again, and the dates, please confirm the dates are OK.
one siad he could not come til late I think we have confirmed the second week in April now.

The guest "to be confirmed" is a very special person! with lots of great history and more importantly knowedge and a willing ness to share it, I just waiting for him to confirm.

"I'm sure be will be willing to attend as long as we have the same or better numbers turn out, he's comming a long way, he will pass comments on the sizes/shape and give advice on ports or anything for that matter, the netball team too, this is no wind up Honest! they will be there, and topless, I hope you can come and get somthing from this afternoon of talking Bantams and sharing his thoughts.

As its after the practice day, if you having issues a good opportunity to pick his thoughts and ideas on what this could be, he may even bring with him some goodies for us all to look at ! .

Venue:- Suger Brook Pub - on the main A38 Bromsgrove, worcestershire, approx 2.5 miles from the M42 junction 1 or 3.5 miles from Junction 6 of the M5 heading towards Bromsgrove.
Time table arrive 11.30 -12.0 on carpark "if its cold" head inside, bring a bike or part bike, an engine, a barrel or something your working on,
I will tell my son ED this does not mean "the local talent", or bring some pictures of your bike, and please take notes.

I know I was told so many things at the last meeting "I can not remeber half of it!!!! espesially at the end"!.

So for a few hours we talk Bantam Racing, engine, tuning , exhausts development and History or just come along and listen to me winging on about "what I can think of" to slow these fast boys down,! or rabbit on about how unfair the weight issue is, and how much weight we should be lobbying to add to Ian scutts Bike, "without him knowing of course" (sesored),!.

if you can confirm by PM

regards Derek

Well im glad i didnt get blamed for the bad influence!

I personally would bring along ear defenders along with a pad and pen incase Derek goes off on a tangent, also i hope they get his best side in the photo's this time!


Eddie

we potentially have some more support for our little gathering, but Im still waiting for the main person to confirm he will or will not be comming to help us.

thanks for all the P.M's those who have not confirmed yet please let me know so that I may book the details correctly with the venue.

many thanks

kind regards

Derek

Derek, The concept of the Midlands Meet is great i may come depends when it is?
Its a bit like a race meeting without the problem of breaking off conversation to
race motorbikes!!

Regards Mike

Colin / Macolm / ed/ Nigel /Rex / and any others wishing to attend our Midlands Bantam Racing Gathering.

A very good point has just been raised for my attention, on the timing of our meeting being to close to practice day.

someone may not be able to make it, as working to fix the bikes, so it may be better to do our meeting/gathering on the 1st sunday in April, a week later than planned,

its been said sorting any issues that may develop during the practice day, may prohibit some from attending.


so we have a dilema do we do it a week later,

I agree for this reason - we should change it and do it on the first sunday in april "sunday the 1st of April"

And more breaking news "Valentio Rossi" has confirmed via his agent, that he will be attending "he is deffernatly comming this is not wind up "Honest !

please let me know your thoughts on the date changes above as soon as so we can make the changes, boys.

so SUNDAY 1ST - SugerBrook Pub on the main A38 bromsgrove on a set of traffic lights, just out the way 3 miles from Junction 6 M5 NORTH BOUND OR "2 MILES FROM jUNCTION 1 M42 southbound only"

Regards Derek

derek, thats good for me ...

Hi All

Thats everyone of the local boys confirmed bar two- I will try to contact them this week.

If you have been asked, please confirm your cooming, via PM will be ok.

If anyone has not been asked but would like to attend ! you are very welcome, infact please come along, and please bring something Bantam Racing of interest for others to look at, thats the whole objective.

so if your planning to come please let us know too, I would like to know roughly the numbers.

We can look forwards to a great afternoon, talking Bantam racing, to all those who have pledged to come and support us, many thanks, but looks like we could be in for a treat if all those who been
invited "manage to make it".

regards Derek

Hi Derek,

Me and Dad will be attending.


Eddie