Vintage vehicle clubs across the globe are gripped with fear that the current, aging generation of their membership represent the 'last wave' of people interested in actually
using old cars/motorcycles. We are generations past the utility or even remembrance of using the earliest motorcycles, and events like the
Pre-1916 and
Pioneer Runs are sometimes the only airing a really old bike will have during the year. And the average age of club members is going up, up, up.
How to involve a new generation of riders to the game? If you, on your 1957 BSA or '38 BMW, and do not express the visceral joys of riding an imperfect machine to a youngster, who has only experienced the perfection which is every motorcycle nowadays, how will they know what they are missing?
The
VMCC in England is experimenting with 'Training Days', in which, for the princely sum of £30, 50 riders have the opportunity to ride at least 15 different old bikes, twice each, around a simple course. The machines at the May 1st event at
Arborfield army base in Reading ranged from a 1910 belt-drive Triumph to a 1936 Royal Enfield 1100cc v-twin with sidecar.
Riders learned the skills of using a lever throttle, hand-shift, dummy-rim brakes, foot clutches, decompressors, ignition advance levers, etc, each instructed briefly by the owner of the machine, standing by to fill in the newbie on the drill.
Every rider looked to be having a really good time, and the bike's owners were patient and took minor problems in stride. A Douglas 'Aero' seized briefly from too-slow running, a Rudge-JAP lost a shift lever pin, some bikes oiled plugs, but these were all dealt with, and the machines kept circulating.
I can't think of a better way for every Vintage club to reach out for new members. Kudos especially to the owners of these machines, who loaned/risked their treasures for the day, knowing the greater good was served.
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