Promotion

Courtesy & Property Of Trevor Amos

Thankyou to Trevor and Ed, another gap in my education sorted, hope I can digest all that before Aintree tomorrow, its always nice to have a response to the sceptics when racing outside of class.

interesting snippet about Freds IOM bike being a four speed, was this still classed as a Bantam, or a BSA 125?

Regards,

Mike

can anybody say if the lap times for these past races were faster or slower ?

The photo of Dave Croxford shows him astride my Bantam, prominent is the steel tank , which was obligatory , that I made myself, actually I made four of them for various racers at the time. Also is a good view of the very efficient Todd head, this one was 13:1, perfect finning design for efficient cooling! !
The MCN clipping shows Pat on brother David`s machine , ex Barry Belton , in typical Dave style, saw it for sale at a meeting , flipped open his wallet and took it home ! On a serious note , it is such a tragedy that Pat passed away in such sad circumstances, a lovely man and much missed !
The promotion of Bantam racing is no recent or original exercise, and Dave and I were involved in a lot of advertising exploits perhaps culminating in being asked by Castrol to do a feature in their Motorcycle racing Manual of 1973, we even had a small fee paid to us

So what you see in these images is Bantam racing in it`s purest form, it seems to me upon reflection , that the level of fundamental equality between machine specification and riders provided for a measure of honesty and perhaps innocence. Inexpensive racing became within the grasp of dozens of aspiring riders. Ambitions were realised , and a typical Snetterton grid could have 40 starters with reserves eager to get a start , such was the clamour to go Bantam racing! Sadly this is not the case today, ultra sophistication has served to drain the grid, 125 racing is no longer within the reach of the many but has become the play ground of the affluent, evidenced by diminished grids and elevated price of machines .

Nigel, the machines of that era would not stand much chance against todays pseudo Bantams, so no, the lap times of then would be embarrassingly slow by comparison .
I hope you all enjoy this window into the past of Bantam racing, I know I did, and masses of others did as well, and it is a positive reflection on the endeavours of the past that has enabled Bantam racing to survive into 2013 !

Trevor

Ah now this is what I like to see! Ed/Trevor/Mike if you need some articles I have some old Motorcycle Mechanics ones of George Todd/Terry Bracey-Wright and alike, would you like me to scan them in or? Only a few pages but also have the 1950's/1960's "Boost Your Bantam" I think it's called somewhere. Those points covers are gorgeous - I think I better stop there ha.

Tim

Trevor Amos wrote:

The MCN clipping shows Pat on brother David`s machine , On a serious note , it is such a tragedy that Pat passed away in such sad circumstances, a lovely man and much missed !
Trevor

Trevor I wasn't aware Pat had passed away. It was only last week at the Lydden meeting I was telling someone I had seen Pat there practising on a 500 and it sounded like he was only using two gears. I also told them that I blamed the introduction of clutch starts for Pat's accident that put him in a wheelchair. With clutch starts there is more chance of every one getting to the fist corner at the same time, push starts have the effect of splitting the pack before the first bend.
If it isn't to touchy could you explain the sad circumstances of Pats passing.

Ned,
After being so badly injured in 1975, pat died suddenly in 2006, apparently by his own hand !

Trevor

Good Afternoon Trevor,

What did the tank logo mean? I take it the bike ran a tt carb also?

Kind Regards


Eddie

Hello Ed,
The logo comprised the initials of Amos/Jarvis/Amos, the Jarvis being my good friend Chris , he and I started racing at about the same time, and when we discovered that we lived a few miles apart it seemed natural to pool resources for our mutual benefit. Then David bought the Belton bike and we formed a triumvirate of Bantam boys , the logo established our credentials , as it were. For the life of me I cannot recall the significance of the cross on Dave`s tank !

Interestingly, I think it was Chris who first fitted Mag wheels and rear disc brake to a bantam, and I am pleased to say he has the machine to this day . I have photos if any one should be interested?
Yes, all of our three engines were fitted with Amal TT carbs of 1-1/16th inch choke size , pity they had to have a remote float chamber as these were a continual source of annoyance , flooding one way and lean another, but all part of the learning curve .
It was also for us three that I got Alpha to make the three, 4 inch cranks that we used , less than £100 quid for three bespoke crank assemblies , now that really was an example of cheap racing ! With nothing else changed in the engine , apart from the homemade ali stuffer rings knocked up on Chris`s old Myford , the performance increase was remarkable , there is no doubt that a dodgy standard BSA crank costs power !

Regards, Trevor

All very interesting stuff Trevor, I've got a copy of the bantam part of the Castrol book.

I remember Chris Jarvis' bantam at a Dinner and Dance one year think it was 1980?81? with the
cast wheels!! Love to see any pic's

Anymore stuff in the archive Trevor?

Regards Mike

Good Evening Trevor,

Thank you for that, I think think the photos would be good, all adds to the bantam racing nostalgia.

Wonder how many people still have bantam racers or wished they had kept them.


Kind Regards


Eddie

mjpowell wrote:

I remember Chris Jarvis' bantam at a Dinner and Dance one year think it was 1980?81? with the
cast wheels!!

Was that the one that had the engine parts coated in black crinkle finish ? I remember thinking it looked to nice to be a workhorse.
I don't recall seeing it at any meetings. did it get raced ?

"The policy of the club is "cheap racing", and therefore fairings are barred" oh how that changed ha!

Tim

OH,
Ain`t that the truth Tim , as a youngster, you are perceptive beyond your years !

Trevor

Hello  Mike P.
I'm sure if you look through the big brown envelope I sent you way back you will find interesting info regarding early Bantam results and maybe interesting info, re A.E.Rose  air cooled engine which Bob Smart (who won the enduro) and Fred Smart who had some wins using additional transfers discharging each side of the exhaust port. These varied from 1953/4. Just go's to show this guy was doing what we try to achieve to day. Dig out the brown envelope and look see.

Les 2012.

I have emailed Ed some more pics and stuff , one is of the Chris Jarvis machine , featured at the D&D, and also one at a race meeting , but who is the guy in the van next to Chris`s bike, he looks familiar ? One small article is from 1951 that is as far back as I can go!

As this seems to be a popular addition to the current Bantam agenda, is it worth collecting and having it`s own place on the home page ?

Cheers Trevor

Courtesy & Property Of Trevor Amos.

Hi , all ,
A somewhat eclectic array of images this time, I have no idea who the flying Bantam is or the circuit but it is a damn fine pic, the right place at the right time !
The following two are of Chris`s mag wheel machine , with , you know who, or, a look alike adjacent ? Another period article follows with the continuing theme of cheap racing, this time with Fred of the Todd BSA Bantam fame , to give it the official works title ! The machine profile is Allan Blundells bike, I love this machine, it illustrates so many nice features that held true to the Bantam philosophy, all neatly crafted, even to the curved front number plate, artistry and engineering in one compact package . It is also the Bantam on display at the Haynes Motor museum, here in Somerset . The group of three are the AJA team, at Snetterton ,Chris is left, Dave in centre and then myself. Finally, a connection with Australia , apologies for the poor reproduction but that is how I received the article but considering the 60 odd years that have elapsed and the dodgy news print of then, it`s not too bad.

Hope you all enjoy this small window on the recent past, there is more , but ?

Many thanks to Ed, once more, who has made himself such a significant part of the Bantam fraternity, long may it be so and we all are in his
considerable debt !
Cheers Trevor

trevor, execellent.. love the pictures and right ups...(.what would you have to pay for a morris minor pick up and what looks like a bedford or commer van in the back ground these days..).. love it.. a friend of mine looked at building a bantam for trials use... he was devestated at the money required to buy even afull engine which needed a total rebuild  ... but £15 quid entery fees to compete kind of softend the blow! 

Ed, will you be at Mallory? I so I'll pass over the large
Brown envolope that Les refered too, and you can read
digest and scan/post away...

Regards Mike

Hi Mike,

Yes we should be there on one of the days to spectate so im sure we can sort something out and get some more bits on the forum.

Kind Regards


Eddie

Courtesy Of Tim Cornish.

Thank you Tim , it`s great to see younger people taking such a interest in all things Bantam racing, those articles are in far better nick than mine , well done !

Regards, Trevor