Motor cycle racing

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Don't know if any one has read about this, but a huge crash at Outlon Park has left 2 dead, another seriously injured, out of 11 that were involved in the accident.

A dangerous sport of course, but a shocker nonetheless. 

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

I saw that last night

Just 21 and 29 years old

Horrendous

[MickyD]

A friend and former colleague is a former motorbike racer and now has his own team. He’s very upset about this incident but, to be honest, he’s probably lost his fair share of friends and acquaintances who have died taking part in the sport they loved.

He lurks on here as well but never did tell me who his alter-ego was.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

21 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I saw that last night

Just 21 and 29 years old

Horrendous

The girl friend of one of them lost a previous boyfriend to a crash in a motorcycle race.

Poor sod.

[Lt. Aldo Raine]

I still find it incredible that the Isle of Man TT weekend averages at least one fatality every year (and not always a rider)

[Tonge moor green jacket]

13 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I still find it incredible that the Isle of Man TT weekend averages at least one fatality every year (and not always a rider)

Incredible there aren't more.

[bolty58]

On 08/05/2025 at 01:29, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I still find it incredible that the Isle of Man TT weekend averages at least one fatality every year (and not always a rider)

Mind boggling the TT. I worked for a while developing a production gearbox for CCM (Clews Competition Machines) behind the bottom Bull. Steve Tonkin won the 250cc TT for them in the early 80's before Armstrong took them over. I get the adrenaline rush and all that but those guys are fucking mental. Fearless and foolhardy. The number of times they are airborne around that course is mad.

The first 350 machine we developed with the companies own engine broke the track record at Oulton Park in a trial. I think Niall McKenzie rode it (went on to ride with the big boys in the Moto GP's) for one lap. Got off and said  words to the effect of "it's a fucking death trap". The 350 GP's were dropped almost immediately and a privateer bought it and won 13 races straight privateer races with it all over Europe.

The bloke grilled me about the gearbox design before he bought it and I remember thinking "Another mad bastard". They are all Evel Knievel clones! Screws and plates all over the place!

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Point of order Sir. 

Behind what was the coach and horses.

Still on the little industrial estate though.

Iirc, this was one of theirs.

[MancWanderer]

On 11/05/2025 at 02:35, bolty58 said:

They are all Evel Knievel clones! Screws and plates all over the place!

Chatting to my cousin at my brothers 60th last weekend. Had bikes and raced them from an early age. Smashed his pelvis, legs, whatever when young. Walks like a rusty robot these days. That said he’s been rallying his MK2 Escort for the last god knows how many years. Adrenaline is a cruel mistress for some!!

[bolty58]

On 11/05/2025 at 15:25, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Point of order Sir. 

Behind what was the coach and horses.

Still on the little industrial estate though.

Iirc, this was one of theirs.

Cheers pal - yes you are correct. That was the one between the two Bulls if I remember correctly.

Are they still operational? Did some impressive stuff using Rotax engines - particularly for the Canadian military.

Alan Clews was an interesting bloke to work for. He seemed to have a fixation with the weather! Wife called Gayle, daughter called Raine and son called Sunny!

[bolty58]

5 hours ago, MancWanderer said:

Chatting to my cousin at my brothers 60th last weekend. Had bikes and raced them from an early age. Smashed his pelvis, legs, whatever when young. Walks like a rusty robot these days. That said he’s been rallying his MK2 Escort for the last god knows how many years. Adrenaline is a cruel mistress for some!!

Most of them into bike racing have the same effect walking past TV showrooms as Mr. Bean does.

Must be a bastard passing through airports.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

17 hours ago, bolty58 said:

Cheers pal - yes you are correct. That was the one between the two Bulls if I remember correctly.

Are they still operational? Did some impressive stuff using Rotax engines - particularly for the Canadian military.

Alan Clews was an interesting bloke to work for. He seemed to have a fixation with the weather! Wife called Gayle, daughter called Raine and son called Sunny!

https://www.ccm-motorcycles.com/

I pop up to a decent sized mill pond pretty much adjacent to the place.

Reckon the bikes are better than the fishing!

 

[bolty58]

3 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

https://www.ccm-motorcycles.com/

I pop up to a decent sized mill pond pretty much adjacent to the place.

Reckon the bikes are better than the fishing!

 

Interesting stuff. Looks like they are independent of Armstrong now and not using their own engines which I had a part in developing (gearbox end only - Barry Hart was the boffin with the top end genius. Blew my mind chatting about gas flows and the cooling effect of fuel entering a cylinder etc. Very clever man). Assuming they still work with Rotax but can't find anything to confirm that on the link you provided.

Wondering now if the son is running things? I would have thought Alan (the father and founder of the company) has likely passed on by now?

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Your knowledge is much greater than mine on them.

Other than the dream machine, and being located a cock-stride away from me, I've no knowledge of them.

Not a bike enthusiast really. 

[bolty58]

9 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Not a bike enthusiast really. 

With you there too.

The only two wheeled vehicles worth adulation come from Lambrate and Pontedera IMO.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

On 14/06/2025 at 00:53, bolty58 said:

With you there too.

The only two wheeled vehicles worth adulation come from Lambrate and Pontedera IMO.

I had a Sym Shark for a while.

Used it on L plates to commute in to Manchester, with a view to taking my test.

Then some twat ran into the back of it, whilst I was waiting at the roundabout with the m60 at Whitefield.

I saw him coming at the last minute and stood off it. It wanged into the roundabout, I picked it up and rode home, then rang the finance company, and sent it back! 😁

[bolty58]

On 20/06/2025 at 20:19, Tonge moor green jacket said:

I had a Sym Shark for a while.

Used it on L plates to commute in to Manchester, with a view to taking my test.

Then some twat ran into the back of it, whilst I was waiting at the roundabout with the m60 at Whitefield.

I saw him coming at the last minute and stood off it. It wanged into the roundabout, I picked it up and rode home, then rang the finance company, and sent it back! 😁

Delayed reaction I know but 'ouch'. Had some nasty ones on two wheels. Car drivers often just don't see you.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

I was in front of him, waiting to go.

A car was coming round, and appeared to be about to leave it, onto the opposite side of the road we were on.

I started to ease out, but the car carried on round, so I stopped.

The guy behind clearly didn't check that I was still there, and set off as the one on the round about was coming past. 

Fortunately, I saw his bonnet out of the corner of my eye, a stood off just in time.

The bike couldn't have been too far off the car going round, but I was fine physically. 

We had words 😁

But by the time I got in, a bit of shock had set in, and I thought "fuck this".

Never went on it again.

[MickyD]

On 12/06/2025 at 04:46, bolty58 said:

Cheers pal - yes you are correct. That was the one between the two Bulls if I remember correctly.

Are they still operational? Did some impressive stuff using Rotax engines - particularly for the Canadian military.

Alan Clews was an interesting bloke to work for. He seemed to have a fixation with the weather! Wife called Gayle, daughter called Raine and son called Sunny!

Just gone out of business about a month ago. My boss (the guy whose scooter collection I’ve pictured and sent you) has his unit next door but one to the now empty CCM unit.

[MickyD]

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25215769.ccm-motorcycles-bolton-enters-administration/

[Tonge moor green jacket]

That's a shame.

[Dimron]

On 05/07/2025 at 18:17, MickyD said:

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25215769.ccm-motorcycles-bolton-enters-administration/

Alan is a friend of my Brother from the trials riding days at Bolton MCC.

Barry (in his 70s) still rides trials but I've packed it in... I lost my lock up and had a "death clearance"... sparky I now has my 1100 Suzuki on permanent loan, he goes on track days and the deal is he doesn't kill himself... it is a race tuned slingshot!

 

[bolty58]

On 06/07/2025 at 01:16, MickyD said:

Just gone out of business about a month ago. My boss (the guy whose scooter collection I’ve pictured and sent you) has his unit next door but one to the now empty CCM unit.

Cheers Micky.

[bolty58]

7 hours ago, Dimron said:

Alan is a friend of my Brother from the trials riding days at Bolton MCC.

He always reminded me of Boycey from OFAH.