Dear Classic Motorcycle Friend,

It is gone, our NORTON COMMANDO INTERSTATE of 1976! Cas Swart, our five time Dutch Road race Champion drew, as an exciting ending to our six month lasting TMC Lottery , the winning ticket on Saturday March 31st . That this drawing had a surprising ending, you will read in this Newsletter.

The moment you are reading this, we will already have celebrated the Dutch Holiday "Queensday". Did the Orange sun shine on that day? Fact is now, that we are ready for Summer and in nicer temperatures than so far, can look forward to driving some nice and exciting kilometers on our classics.

Those kilometers you could be driving on our Rickman ABSAF Metisse, as only we could build for you. More about this in our Newsletter.

1. Contents
2. DRAWING OF THE PRIZES FROM THE BIG AND UNIQUE THE MOTORCYCLE COMPANY LOTTERY
3. Did you invest in a classic yet?
4. Sales mediation
5. We search for you
6. Rickman-ABSAF Metisse and Rickman history in a nutshell
7. New Co- worker
8. What we offer for sale at the moment?
9. Internet and Web site
10. Ourng hours

We were all getting nervous to see if Cas would make it on time since he was stuck in a traffic jam near the "Schiphol Tunnel", caused by a traffic accident. Thank goodness traffic started moving again after an hour so Cas could join us in time for the Celebration.

At 4 PM the celebration started. Harm Heuvelman welcomed the guests, among which the lottery ticket owners and showed his appreciation for the Notary and Cas Swart participation in the drawing. Harm also mentioned that is was not impossible for the same person to win multiple prizes. After this, he handed over the stage to Cas Swart.

Cas, who started his motor carrier as a courier for Queen Wilhelmina ("I liked Juliana a lot better") on a Harley-Davidson Liberator, told us in an animated way, some very interesting stories and funny anecdotes from his long running carrier. He told us that he feels at home on any motorcycle and that his first real racer was of English make, a 350cc Velocette KTT, followed by brands such as Matchles G45, Norton, Jawa, Ducati, Suzuki, and even factory machines from Benelli and Honda. On the 250cc four cylinder Honda at the TT of 1962, not even having trained enough, he received fourth place behind famous riders such as, Redman, Mc Intyre and Provini! On the question, how the Honda handled, Cas had a strong answer: "like a mop!"

When the laughter about this remark had settled down, it was time for the big moment, THE DRAWING! Cas would pull three tickets out off the milk jug, of course, to get the tension going, the third prize first, followed by second and then the first prize. Cas pulled, under the watchful eye of the Notary, the winning ticket for the third prize out off that milk jug. The winner, Jan de Vries from Haren, Groningen, got the gift certificate worth fl.500,00. We were sorry to say that Mr. De Vries had to be notified by telephone about his success for he was unable to attend. The excitement rose as Cas pulled the second ticket, good for a gift certificate worth fl.1000,00. The winner of that prize was Richard van Dongen from Brunschoten. Richard was the lucky owner of a sizable amount of tickets and had already informed us he would not be able to attend, for he had to be in Belgium. Then the moment we had all been waiting for, the finale, Cas digging in the milk jug for the "Norton winning ticket" The lucky winner, who could call the nicely decorated Norton Commando Interstate of 1976 his, was ......... to the surprise of all our guests, again Richard van Dongen from Bunschoten! Even though the winner of the first and second prize did own a large amount of tickets, it was a truly remarkable result. Just as the lottery itself, truly Unique!

While enjoying some snacks and a few drinks, people reminisced about the surprising results of the lottery for awhile. The lucky winner was notified by telephone about the results of the lottery and told us, he had never won anything in his life. He got wind of the Motorcycle Company through an advertisement in a Triumph club magazine

To give the lottery a more official ending, we will be handing the prizes over to Richard on Saturday May 5th, at 1 PM. In the mean time, the Notary has made an official Public record of the drawing.

Let it be known, that we build this Rickman as a DEMONSTRATION MODEL, so that our interested customers may experience test driving a Rickman ABSAF Metisse, getting to know its exciting and different driving style.

Of course, by the Motor press and in trade shows, the Rickman will receive the necessary attention. It will even be shown in Italy.

Even more interesting is, of course, that we can build you a similar Rickman Metisse and then, according to your specific wishes and desires. You undoubtedly want to know with which parts this demonstration model was built. . The Rickman was rebuilt using a completely nickel plated Rickman frame with those famous steering qualities. Quality remains, thanks to the use of a new Norton Road holder front fork and Hagon rear shocks, both with chromed springs. As a driving force is a 500cc ABSAF (BSA GOLD STAR DBD 34) Standard engine block , complete with a AMAL Mk3 carburetor. Reliable Newby clutch and belt, covered by an aluminum shield, take care of the power distribution of the engine to the standard Norton four speed transmission. To not go over the legal decibel limit, we chose- wanting to keep the original sound- a Norton Manx look-alike Super Trap exhaust.

The ignition is taken care of by the newly developed ABSAF electronic ignition. This ignition is self supporting, meaning, it needs no battery. A Boyer Power Pack takes care of the lights. The wheels are built with 18 inch Borani rims. The rear wheel has a Triumph conic break hub and the front wheel a Seeley hub. The wheels bear AVON tires. Finally, the Rickman was finished with a polished aluminum gasoline and oil tank and a, in English Racing Green colored, Rickman tub with a one person seat. All around, it is a fabulous all- British style super sports motorcycle!

Soon you will be able to look at this motorcycle on our web site. http://www.TheMotorcycleCompany.net Of course, there is nothing like admiring (and touching) the real motorcycle in our showroom!

RICKMAN SUCCES STORY. The Rickman success story is the story of two self made brothers, Don and Derek Rickman. In 1959 both brothers showed up on their Metisse terrain motorcycles on the English cross circuits. And demanded a lot of respect, often defeating the competition. They did that with home built engines with Triumph twins in BSA frames, with which they defeated all theories about twins on the terrain and not just on the hard circuits. A good example creates good following and that's what happened with tens of these "copy cat followers", because the brothers were and stayed very successful on the terrain. Don and Derek did not sit still and always stayed one step ahead of the competition. In 1960 their Mark II model came out, still with a BSA – frame, but now with a plastic/ polyester rear end. The requests to also make such a "thing" for others came in by the hundreds, but for now they didn't have time because the Mark III was ready to come out, now with its own new frame and a 500cc one cylinder Matchless CS 80 engine and more plastic/polyester parts (tanks, seats, mud flaps etc.) The model program was expanded with a Petite, or small model, Metisse with a Bultaco engine block and even later also with Villiers Starmaker, Capriolo, Zündapp a/o. motorcycles. In the mean time there were 8 people working in the small factory in New Milton on the South English coast.

In 1966 the Rickman activities were expanded to road race sports. Within 6 weeks they designed a road race frame and built it. At AMC they ordered 80 500cc Matchless G50 and 20 350cc AJS 7R blocks. The very first start of the Rickman Metisse road racer, equipped with a 500cc Matchless G50 block, was on the Circuit of Mallory Park and the motorcycle became an immediate success because the famous Bill Ivy won the 500cc class with it! In 1967 also was made, in co-operation with the Swiss Drixl, a special for the Italian Grand Prix 250cc and 350cc Aermacchi motorcycles. An only 8 kg weighing, road race frame was developed of which they made a small series. The Rickman brothers, in the mean time, had developed their own front telescoping fork and built on the basis of the road race frame, a frame for road sports which was put into production and also became popular in the low lands. Namely to built English engine blocks in to those.

By now, the brothers, who wanted to start to take it easy, have handed their company over to HRD, Who are handling business in the same reliable manner as the Rickman did.

The Rickman frame has, among enthusiasts of super sporty English classics, because of its superb finishing and its handling, a very strong reputation. That fact has been proven over and over again, because it is still being made and used as a solid base for the production of exclusive handling motorcycles.

We are very excited to have made such a superb Rickman Metisse motorcycle, using only the best parts, for our customers. We usually only built the phenomenal ABSAF (BSA Gold Star DBD34) block in. If you, however, would prefer a different engine block, because your heart goes out to a twin, then that of course is also possible. As a matter of fact, we can, on the base of a Rickman frame, build you any desired model. Depending of the style and your wishes, you could own a Rickman from DFL 35.000.- (Euro 15.500.-)

A great sale for those who prefer a good old English touring motorcycle. We have an original 500cc Triumph Speed Twin 5TA in the color red of the rare Bathtub model of 1961. Rare, because earlier on, people used to remove the bathtub to give the motorcycle a sportier look.

Good English are also some BSA Scramblers or terrain and semi-terrain motorcycles in several 250cc and 500cc styles, real motor cross cycles and off road models..

Moto Guzzi's, Laverda's and Moto Morini's in several models and styles, we have them. And if you are trying to save some money, but still want to keep practicing on fixing motorcycles…we have some interesting fixer uppers for you. As you see, something for every one. It will be better if you come and see for your self, so we may show you what we have in store for you, while enjoying a cup of coffee.

For information go to: http://www.the-motorcycle-company.com Or http://www.themotorcyclecompany.net

NOTE: ON SUNDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY WE WILL BE CLOSED!

You know, the coffee will always be ready for you, for free!

P.S. Do you know names and addresses of people who are interested in our newsletter, let us know. We will send them the newsletter of course with out charge. If you are no longer interested in our newsletter, please tell us also!

H.H.