John Powell has an air of calm about him, even imperturbability. The 76-year-old Isle of Wight man, tall and limber, also smiles readily and is always willing to lend a hand.
You would not think that just a couple of years ago, a freak accident forced him into total immobility for many months, and that after a year he was warned that during a forthcoming operation to glue his hip ball joint back on, the necessary movement of his braced neck carried the risk of total paralysis. Calm must have been useful at that point.
Had it been a motorcycle accident? “In a sense,” grinned John. “I had a bad knee from a day spent trying to kick-start a Royal Enfield Meteor twin!” So instead of walking downstairs, next morning John slid down the bannisters. Which collapsed, dropping him nearly 20 feet onto the floor below and breaking his neck.
Eventually, with remarkable resilience, John recovered, and was able to pursue his love of classic motorcycles. As well as this 250 Clipper which he favours for general duties, he owns a similarly original D1 Bantam. He was offered it by an elderly local man, whose grandfather and then father had ridden it, before it had been garaged in 1972. The old chap had no offspring himself to pass it on to. John boiled the carb, cleaned out the tank, and it ran. He rode it over to a Sammy Miller autojumble – the first time that the BSA had ever been off the Island.
Getting there
Bu hikaye The Classic MotorCycle dergisinin December 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Classic MotorCycle dergisinin December 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Runs should be fun
The club run is an integral part of the old motorcycle scene. During 2020, a variation on the usual theme emerged, enabling people to ride in the company of like-minded souls.
Hybrid chicken
BSA Bantams come in many forms, and the ability to interchange parts between different models permits an almost endless number of variants.
Green WITH ENVY
Life aboard a 1950s 350cc British single is perhaps as good and as uncomplicated as it can get.
Worth the wait
Captivated by sight of one as a small boy, finally our man has the chance to try an NSU Max.And a ‘Spezial’ one at that…
The Motorcycle: DESIGN, ART AND DESIRE
The concluding part of a two-part feature, in which the history of motorcycle evolution is examined and a new book’s author interviewed.
Cream rises
There were several ‘star performers’ at Bonhams’ winter sale, as the choice machines achieved huge sums.
The Giant of Provence
With so few events to report from, it’s time to look back over a spectacular French event and look forward to its hopeful resumption.
Store cupboard special
A big box of presents? Must be Christmas! More deliveries keep the project on track.
By 1929, CJP Dodson was a bona fide top level road racer, pretty much unbeatable on the sand, too.
The diminutive Charlie Dodson was the last man to win a TT, the 1928 Senior, on a ‘flat-tank’ machine, then the next year became the first (and only) winner of a TT on a saddle tank Sunbeam, as well as recording the last ever success in the Island for the Marston maker.
Cassandra the Canadian Commando
After landing a new job and with time on his hands, a young man in Vancouver decided to restore a British motorcycle considerably older than him.
