A few years ago when I was a little physically fitter than I seem to be today and probably had hairs on my chest, I bought a 1949 Mk8 KTT Velocette off Ivan Rhodes not cheap, but a very attractive machine possible the most handsome of the racing Velocettes and I had longed to own an example for many years. It had pedigree too having been ridden by the great Stanley Woods in his last TT Parade lap. Mick Grant, Grahame Rhodes and a few others I have now forgotten also rode the bike. I had some money in the bank earning a pittance, so I thought I will use that, and I will sell a few of my model engines to raise the rest. My first outing was at BHR Practise day at Mallory Park and Ivan had told me keep the revs down to 5000 until it has done a few hundred miles and it should settle down OK, as the engine had been rebuilt. Mallory is a fairly easy circuit to ride when the chicane is not in use and I was complimenting myself coming out of Devils Elbow onto the finishing straight keeping to 5000 revs when I heard this buzzing noise getting closer and a stripped down Lambretta went screaming past which must have been doing well over 90!! Words cannot describe the indignity I felt, even though I later passed him going around Gerrards.

The next outing was to Dijon in France for the Coupe Moto Legend travelling down with Rob Drury of the Velocette Owners Club in his van and James Robinson Editor of Classic Motorcycle. We loaded three of Rob’s Velocettes and mine with all the gear and set for Hull and ferry to Zeebrugge. We drove down into France staying one night halfway down, before driving on to Dijon. A fairly arduous trip meeting James Hewing of the VMCC HQ and his party at a services and other Brits travelling the same route on the way down. We joined several other VOC members mostly from Lincolnshire and a good few well known VMCC and BHR riders in the Velocette camp. Rob Drury kindly offered to show me the way round on his 350cc KTT Mk8 in our first track session after scrutineering and a long walk round. So off we set on our first session with Rob glancing behind to see if I was still there and gradually picking up the speed as arranged. After about four laps and I was still there, Rob looked round once more and promptly ran out of road. I kept going and did not see him again until the end. A great well surfaced track tricky in places especially down hill into the hairpin with quite a few elevation changes and well worth the long trip. I think on the second session with me pushing a bit more a problem began to show in the gearbox under hard acceleration with it jumping out of second gear coming out of the hairpin uphill, where it was badly needed on this circuit. I had to ride round it for the remaining sessions which did spoil my ride somewhat.

The jumble area is massive, but very continental with few British spares, or machines visible. Riding gear and tools are universal so that was worth a look and the food stalls were very good, the smell of BBQ’s etc being uniquely French. I remember a similar aroma at Le Man’s when I went there for the 24 hours race some years before.  Many of the famous ex GP riders like Agostini and Redman had stalls too and I saw Phil Read announcing his new book on a placard.  So I walked up to check the price and just as I approached he looked up and said “Hello I am Phil Read Eight Times World Champion” I thought you  fff…..pretentious prat and walked off. Writing my piece, the other day about the great Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood made me think of this and the complete contrast in character?? He was a very good rider, but still not as good as Mike and character wise, absolutely no contest!!

I had to sell the Mk8 not long after this as my wife did not like all the money tied up in it, even though I argued it was an investment! It had increased in value when I sold it after about three years only. A happy interlude and it satisfied my dream to ride a good racing machine, not that I was very brilliant to say the least?  My son had the money to buy a house, but still hasn’t. Sa la Vie.