We truly hope you are enjoying the excellent summer weather the way we do. Just like us, you might have put the miles onto your classic, hoping you can make a few more before the end of the season.

As you might have read in the previous Newsletter, we ared at our regular hours this summer. (As a reminder, we put those hours at the bottom of this Newsletter.)

By now, you might have realized that TMC specializes in classic motorcycles covering the years from 1900 through 1985. More and more we are expanding our collection for sale, meaning that we slowly are diving into classics from pre-WWII.

At the moment we have, a bike we are very proud of, a very special addition in our showroom. It is nothing less then a 1923 Rudge Whitworth V-twin. A picture perfect old timer, more about this classic later on in the Newsletter.

We hope you still have some holidays time left, if it is back to work, we like to remind you, that driving your classic, means holidays and relaxation year round. If your holidays is yet to begin, we wish you a nice, safe and trouble free holidays.

1. Contents.

1. Contents.
2. Mario Sassi's Ducati Classic Spares.
3. What we offer for sale.
4. The spotlight on Rudge Whitworth!
5. Internet and Web site.
6. Our Store Hours.

2. Mario Sassi's Ducati Classic Spares.

A lot of Ducati enthusiasts have found their way to our store already to find the sought after Ducati parts by Mario Sassi, imported by TMC.

We supply the parts for the single cylinder and V-twins. For restoration and road racing. As a matter of fact, we are able to supply you with most Ducati bevel drive parts, from frames to engine parts, but also fiber glass parts, standard or NCR. Robert can tell you all about this, you can also ask for our catalogue.

3. What we offer for sale.

Besides our Rickman ABSAF, built to your own specifications, we have several interesting classics in our showroom at the moment.

A highlight or different than normal bike, is our "flat tank" 1923 Rudge Whitworth. It has a 1000cc intake over exhaust V-twin engine with a chain drive and comes with a four-speed transmission. The Rudge has carbide head and tail lights and a manual horn. It is very worth while to take a look at it. Furthermore we have a 1928 Rudge Whitworth with the famous in line four valve cylinder head of the model named "Special".

Next to the beautiful V-twin Ducati's there are also several MV Agusta's, Moto Guzzi's, Moto Morini's and a Benelli Sei (six cylinder) in our showroom.

These Italians are being flanked by the English classics, brands such as, AJS, BSA, Norton (e.g. a Domiracer), Triumph, Matchless and Vincent.

We still have a good selection of "fixer uppers". Maybe a great idea for those boring winter months to come? .

4. The spotlight on Rudge Whitworth!

One of the most famous names in the English motorcycle industry, was the brand Rudge- Whitworth, situated in Coventry. I say was (sadly), because this famous brand no longer exists. R-W started (originally and comparatively late) as a bicycle factory in 1910. After a few years of experimenting they started with the manufacturing and sale of motorcycles.

The brain behind the brand was the inventive constructor John Pugh. He truly was a rider/ manufacturer, testing the new machines himself. The first R-W model was a 500cc one cylinder with an intake over exhaust engine, a very progressive and special construction for that time. After WW I even a 750cc one-cylinder model was made. In 1915 a 1000cc V-twin was also introduced.

Rudge gained notoriety in 1912 with the, by Pugh designed, so called Multi -gear, a variable transmission system. The English rider Cyril Pullin won the English TT in 1914 on just such a Rudge Multi! A successful model, for it stayed in production for 10 years.

The first full chain driven Rudge motorcycles came out in the 1920's, first only equipped on the V-twin. In 1923 Rudge came out with some new models in which the V-twin now came out with a four speed as opposed to the three speed before.

(It is that model we can show you). A year later the factory launched a complete new line, the 348cc and 498cc models with four valve cylinder heads. (Honda was not the first one! Rudge also had Peugeot as a predecessor). Rudge also added a dual exhaust and a four speed transmission to that. Shortly after the introduction, Rudge broke a couple of long distance records with its new models.

Saddle tanks, instead of the so- called flat tanks were very in fashion and also the Rudge models were equipped with those in 1927.

By 1926 Rudge had dropped the 350cc model in favor of the 500cc model, which was the only model available for three years. The exhaust valves on the cylinder head were now placed radial.

Rudge returned to the arena with great markings on the English and continental race circuits.

In 1928 rider Graham Walker came to work for Rudge. After starting in the senior (500cc) of the English TT, he had to stop 9 miles before the finish line (being three minutes ahead), because of a worn bigend.

He had more luck in the well-known Dutch TT in Assen, which he won. That same year he also won the Ulster Grand Prix, doing that again the next year. R-W immediately cashed in on that success by coming out with the Ulster Sports model.

In the mean time the racing team for Rudge set many records and won many races, thanks to riders such as Graham Walker, Ernie Nott and H.G. Tyrell Smith.

A sensational victory (1,2 and 3) for Rudge was at the Junior TT in 1930. The still experimental 350cc engines were equipped with the radial placed four valve cylinder heads. After the race, all three of the engines seem to have suffered from cracked pistons. The race shouldn't have lasted another mile! In 1931 these exact models came out for the general public in 350cc and 250cc editions. Graham Walker, with Tyrell Smith as a runner up, won the Lightweight (250cc) of that year, Nott coming in fourth.

If not for Nott's misfortune, with his valve gear coming loose, gave up the four minutes he was ahead, missing his chance for a better place. Nott had to hold this part by hand until the finish line, for there were no tools to fix this problem.

Rudge, during the years, delivered a relative big number of so-called TT replica's to the public, which were raced with successfully by enthusiasts until far after WW II had ended.

The Dirt track won a lot of races from 1929 on in several countries.

Under the name of Python, from 1930 to 1935, R-W produced motorcycles in the 175cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc editions.

(Eysink built these in the 1930's and was unbeatable out in the terrain.)

There is a great show until December 5,2001 for these Eysink Pythons in the Museum Flehite, Breestraat 80 in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. If you are around, we would highly recommend it.

Several competitors like Norton, Velocette and AJS had changed their engines to OHC's, but Rudge stayed loyal to its OHV's.

The costs for racing did become too much from Rudge. Its factory racing team had taken part at Grand Prix races for seven years, but had to stop in 1933.

The famous Graham Walker Racing Syndicate was born, the triage Walker, Nott and Tyrell Smith were the riders.

Another memorable success was the victory of Jimmy Simpson in the lightweight (250cc) class of the English TT. Simpson, an excellent rider, was always haunted by trouble, but now won on a Rudge. Again a 1,2 and 3 victory, because behind him finished Nott and Walker as second and third. That after the factory had stopped racing (officially) 18 months before.

Ernie Nott won the 250cc class at the Ulster GP. After the 1934 season, the syndicate was dismantled.

Graham Walker hung his helmet in the trees at the end of 1934, while Tyrell Smith and Nott went on racing for the so-called Continental Circus.

In 1935 Tyrell Smith won, riding the 250cc Rudge, the GP's of Belgium and Germany and scored a third place in the Swiss GP. The next year he also raced these GP's, scoring second place in Switzerland and third in Belgium and Germany.

One of our associates owns one of those 1932 ex-Tyrell 250cc Grindlay-

Peerless/Rudge factory racers. The restoration project goes slowly, but eventually we hope to be able to show it to you.

With the death of John Pugh in 1936, also the reputation of the brand faltered. He had been the great animator of R-W. After this, R-W slid further down the hill, even though the development of the mass models went on. In 1936 they came out with a completely encased engine, reducing the previous problem of worn valve gear, Rudges'weak point.

The quality of the motorcycles was still very good, but the factory kept stumbling into financial problems. In 1939 they had to close the factory doors, as history has learned, forever. Another famous motorcycle brand had disappeared.

It is very note worthy that, today still, we are able to enjoy motorcycles like Rudge Whitworth. Left to us, restored to be even better, by enthusiasts who lovingly have seen the value through the years. Therefore kept for our children.

5. Internet and Web site

Next to the information you find in our Newsletter, you will also find our Web Site to be very informative. The web site is updated on a regular basis, containing interesting and valuable information about our company and the available products.

If you have any ideas, hints or tips, let us know. We truly appreciate your input and will answer all your questions.

For more information, please visit us at:

http://www.the-motorcycle-company.com

Or:

http://www.themotorcyclecompany.net

6. Our Store hours!

THE MOTORCYCLE COMPANY WILL BEON:

WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 10 AM-6PM

SATURDAY FROM 10 AM-5 PM

WARNING! TO PREVENT DISAPPOINTMENTS,

TMC WILL BE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS, MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS

You know that the coffee is always fresh and always free!

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We can be reached at:

THE MOTORCYCLE COMPANY

Ambachtstraat 3, 2861 EW Bergambacht

Tel.: , Fax:

http://www.the-motorcycle-company.com

http://www.themotorcyclecompany.net

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