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Kevin Hall's Pit Bay........


Joep's pit bay Joep raced in Holland in the early 60's & 70's - his collection
Graeme's pit bay lots of old bikes here
Team GBA Racing A racing group that loves older vintage racing
Click each image for a larger one ......    
Photos from Kevin Hall in Canada...... [ original owner of pictures and Information was Jonathan Glover ]
Jon, Exeter 1959 Jon, Exeter 1959 < Left ..... Jonathan Glover is the chap who collected all this stuff features here in the Exeter Trial of March, 1959, with his Dayton sidecar rig. The piece was in the March edition of Scooter and Three Wheeler

Jon newspaper article 1959 IOM

Jon newspaper article 1959 IOM

At Right ...... >

These clippings outline Jon's win of the Watsonian Cup at the 1959 IOM Scooter Rally on the Dayton. Also a clipping showing him winning various club races and trials on all manner of machinery up to a 1,000cc 'special'.

Jon also did a run in a Bond 3-wheeler with Andre Baldet from Belgium and France to England in 24 hours. There's press coverage in the pile about that.
A shot of a 1962 Honda 250/4 50cc Honda Racer Derek Minter on a 247 at Oulton Park

right >

Nice shot of Bob McIntyre at Bradden Bridge in the Island, aboard a Honda 247.

Bob McIntyre Bradden Br
1960 Honda RC161, with the wrong type of rear tyre ...... 50cc Honda Racer Derek Minter at Oulton Park Honda Wing Decals - ready for peeling and application At left - some Honda wing decal transfers
Honda 250 four lands Honda 250 four after being dropped ?   CR93? CR93?
Above ..... The Honda RC162 which Derek Minter rode to victory in the 1962 IoM 250 cc class. The occasion is the arrival of the bike at London Airport, after initially having been "lost" in Bombay. The guy is an unknown employee of Honda UK.

CR93? right side

 

CR93? left side

IOM poster from 1958

IOM poster from 1958

500 Matchless G50

500 Matchless G50
500 Matchless G50

< At left ..... A 500 Matchless G50, and unknown rider - note the Honda decals on his lid .... Not a highly placed rider given his racing number is 67 in both the 500 and 125's - Nice shots ......

125 privateer - Tom Jackson and his modified CB92 article

Newspaper article July 4th 1962 on a 125 privateer - Tom Jackson and his modified CB92

Honda factory assembly line 1959    
Inside the Honda plant Assembly line Assembly line Assembly line Engine carousel Assembly line lumps

Assembly line

 

Cycle Assembly

 

Engine carousel

 

Lumps

 

Assembly line - machining Assembly line - Paint line Row upon row of bikes The factory - aerial view The plant in 1962
machining Paint line - Dream front fenders and tanks Row upon row ...... The works The plant in 1962
CS71 'Dream Sports' of 1958. Engine was basically 
            C71, but had 20 bhp at 8400 rpm, 2 bhp more than the C71 CS71 Dream Sports of 1958. Engine was basically C71, but had 20 bhp at 8400 rpm, 2 bhp more than the C71 CS71 'Dream Sports' of 1958. Engine was basically 
            C71, but had 20 bhp at 8400 rpm, 2 bhp more than the C71

C92S 31st October 1960

C92S 31st October 1960

IOM Trophies - unknown year

IOM Trophies with ACU certificates - unknown year

 

American Model

 
Bill Ivy at work

Left .....This is Bill Ivy, I believe, getting down to it on the little Honda 50 at Goodwood in November 1962

According to the reports in the papers of the day, at one point Bill was sleeping in a camp cot at the track in between his shifts, and when they woke him he told 'em he wanted breakfast in bed and went back to sleep. The other chaps picked him up, cot and all, ran down the road to a restaurant and put him beside an outdoor table there, still in bed.

Honda company mag cover from 1961

< ......Left Honda company mag cover from 1961

right .........>
I think this shot is probably outside the Houses of Parliament. These are cb92 on the left and cb77 on the right in 1961

cb92 on the left and cb77 on the right in 1961

 

Geoff 
            Duke (L) and Jonathan Glover at the Honda booth, at the Earls Court show, London in 1962.  The first time Honda had displayed their complete model range at E.C.

Filtrate price list 1957 - trade list 50cc in the pits for fueling during 7 day and 7 night endurance run, Goodwood, November 1962

Geoff Duke with a Honda 4 in the background at the Earls Court show

Geoff Duke with a CR110 50 cc production racer in the background, [recognisable by the shape of the tank, the paint pattern and the small front brake]

Filtrate price list 1957
trade list

 

 

 

 

50cc in the pits for fueling during 7 day and 7 night endurance run, Goodwood, November 1962

This is a c102 - electric start 50cc step-through, 1961

 

above ....Geoff Duke (far left) and Jonathan Glover at the Honda booth, the Earls Court show, London in 1962. This is the first time Honda had displayed their complete model range at Earls Court

1958 manx TT poster

1958 manx TT poster - the only known one in existance, dated by a covering letter to Jonathan from the Manx Tourist Board, which is dated '58 with the same June dates on it in regard to this poster and the event.

1961 Isle of man poster

1961 Isle of man TT poster

early to mid 60s I think.  The Norton is the 1959 Model 50 I rode while I was there in 1970, but by the time I got hold of it it wasn't in this sort of condition. I believe the other is an Enfield.
 
You can imagine the pain of the riding position on the Norton with dropped bars but no rearsets.
< Left .... This shot is from the early to mid 60s I think. The two girls were to become the wives of my 2 cousins near Manchester. The Norton is the ' 59 Model 50 I rode while I was there in ' 70, but by the time I got hold of it it wasn't in this sort of condition. I believe the other is an Enfield. You can imagine the pain of the riding position on the Norton with dropped bars but no rearsets.
1966 Aermacchi 250. Mine in 1979, now alas 
            in someone elses' stable. Lovely little thing. The photo is the only one I have of it < Left .... 1966 Aermacchi 250. Kevin's in 1979, now alas in someone elses' stable. Lovely little thing. The photo is the only one I have of it
Old brochure

Old brochure

Mag cover sheet

Old Brochure
Old Brochure Old Brochure

Mag cover sheet

Old Brochure


inside a Honda mag inside a Honda Mag.
1961 Manx decals The Honda Race team hat The Honda Race team pennant The Honda Race team pennant
 

1961 Manx decals

 

 

 

 

The Honda race team hats, worn by the race team crew and seen in loads of the pics of the IOM etc. from the early 60s.

 

CB77 and C77 Brochure

CB77 and C77 brochure - [on the reverse of the Steve Lawrence image shown below]

Steve Lawrence on top of Mt. Snowdon on the Trail 55 (CE105H). Jonathan helped organize this stunt and photographed it for the press below .... This is Steve Lawrence on top of Mt. Snowdon on the Trail 55 (CE105H). Jonathan helped organize this stunt and photographed it for the press. Steve was a scrambler of the day, and a bit of a wild man. Well known among the bike fraternity for once having met a car coming the wrong way up a one way street while he was messing about on his scrambler. Steve apparently lofted the front wheel and rode over the car. Better than becoming a hood ornament!
When the little bike was shipped to the UK, it was accompanied by a note from the Japanese factory saying " Try this on a mountain", so John got hold of Steve and set out for the highest peak in the UK and climbed the 1360 feet high peak in 36 minutes!
Steve Lawrence riding up Mt. Snowdon on the Trail 55 (CE105H)

Steve Lawrence riding up Mt. Snowdon on the Trail 55 (CE105H)

Steve Lawrence riding up Mt. Snowdon on the Trail 55 (CE105H)

Steve Lawrence riding up Mt. Snowdon on the Trail 55 (CE105H)- nice view !! nice view !!
Shots of Steve taking on Mt Lawrence
At right ..... This was a letter announcing the show lineup for Blackpool, May 14th 1962. In it they mention the climb on Snowdon by the 55 trail, and also the 3,000 mile around Britain reliability test, in which Charles Edwin, John Norman and Bill Luscomb rode around the country on 3 Honda 50s (C 102), visiting dealers as they went. They averaged over 300 miles a day, finishing at Blackpool in time to make the show opening. I have one of the plates from one of the bikes, painted with the '3,000 Mile Reliability Test' info. The letter goes on to mention that Albert Bennett, accompanied by Mrs. Beryl Swain (the only woman to ever compete in a TT race; 1962, Itom 50cc; 22nd place) would ride a C 100 from London to Blackpool for less than 10 shillings. Not bad for 2-up on a tiddler! A letter announcing the show lineup for Blackpool, May 14th 1962
Some Honda startup history for the UK follows below ......    
Further History Back Ground info - copies of correspondence to come ......
Note: Comments below are all conjecture, and open for your own interpretation, but the letters to and fro in the old files sure seem to indicate the conclusion offered ............
I've been digging through bales of correspondence tonight, trying to sort out what was going on back then. It seems the original UK importer and distributor was Maico UK, which was reorganized into 'Hondis' in 1962. They got the bikes from European Honda Motor Trading G.m.b.H. in Hamburg.
Seems there was a good bit of rivalry between them, with the European outfit playing tricks with spares supplies and making their own back-room deals with British retailers, plus leaking details of upcoming models to one of the English motoring papers in advance of Hondis getting the info.
Any customer complaints that were sent to Honda Europe went directly to head office in Japan, even though the majority of them that I can see in the files were the result of the German bunch messing up spares supplies or leaking info to the press. Looks very much like they were trying to discredit 'Hondis' so they could take the territory for themselves. This is all conjecture on my part, of course, but the letters to and fro in the old files sure seem to indicate friction.
The attempts by Hondis to secure contracts with Gary Hocking, Minter etc, are interesting reading as well. It seems Hocking had been let go by Castrol, and about to sign with Shell when approached by Hondis. Honda however were contracted to use only Castrol Oil in their race bikes, so it meant Hocking couldn't ride for them if he signed with Shell.

The rivalry I'm talking about was not between the Japanese and Europeans. It was between Honda Europe, based in Hamburg, and Hondis (the UK distributors). The guys in the German office seemed to be deliberately trying to screw things up for the English distributors by withholding spares that were badly needed, denying access to race bikes that they had on hand until it was very nearly too late for the race, and generally trying to raise trouble for the British outfit with the Japanese head office.
Seemed odd to me, as the head lad at Hondis was a George von Lowenstein or some such Germanic handle. The bikes all seemed to have to go through Honda Europe, then get shipped on from there to Britain.

While Hondis were supposed to have exclusive distribution rights in the UK, there are letters of complaint on file from the managing directors of Kings of Oxford. They were of course the largest motorcycle dealers in Britain at the time; Mike Hailwoods' fathers' outfit. Old Stanley Hailwood had just stepped down as managing director then. Apparently Kings' were a chain operation with huge sales, and they had no information about the new Honda 50 models at all until one of their much smaller competitors in Cheshire started selling the things.
The Cheshire outfit had been supplied directly from Hamburg, while Hondis, the UK distributors were unable to supply the same machines to their main network of retail outlets. Needless to say the folks at Kings were less than pleased, and making unpleasant noises about abandonning the line.

At the same time, someone at the European Honda outfit in Hamburg leaked details of the next model years' racing bikes to one of the weekly bike papers. That infuriated all the other papers, of course, which jeopardized Hondis' relationship with the motoring press, and also detered a number of customers who had placed orders for the current model years' bikes. Several opted to cancel those standing orders and wait until the new models were released, leaving Hondis holding the bag for the current years' models on hand and embarassing all concerned.

While all this was going on, large back-orders of spare parts for Hondis in the UK were ignored and left unfilled for weeks by European Honda in Hamburg. When the retail customers wrote letters of complaint directly to European Honda because they thought the delay was the fault of Hondis in England, the Euro. mob were only too happy to forward the letters of complaint directly to head office in Japan, creating a bad situation for the folks at Hondis.

Reading through the correspondence back and forth between Hondis, European Honda and Japan it looks very much like the folks in Hamburg were deliberately trying to discredit Hondis in order to gain the British market for themselves. Seems a normal business technique ........

Interestingly enough, we've just come across a Christmas card sent to Jon in 1957 by Mr. Neuchi, the chap who later ran European Honda Motor Trading. This pre-dates the initial contact between Honda in Japan and Maico G.B. in 1959, so Jonathan must have been in correspondence with the firm long before the establishment of the UK dealer network.
September 1959 Honda Motor Add for a UK distributor

< Left .... Here's the ad Honda put in Motor Cycling on Sept. 17, 1959, looking for a local distributor.

Right .........>

Here's the initial contact between Maico Great Britain (G.von Loewenstein the Director of Maico, G.B. Ltd.) dated 12th October 1959 in response to the ad approx. 3 weeks earlier.

After getting the distribution rights Maico became 'Hondis' .........

 

Here's the initial contact between Maico 
            Great Britain (G.von Loewenstein the Director of Maico, G.B. Ltd.) 
            dated 12th October 1959 in response to the ad approx. 3 weeks earlier.

The 25th November hand written Honda response by K. Ishikawa, to G.von Loewenstein contact letter

 

 

 

And here is the extraordinary handwritten response to Maico G.B. from Hondas' representative, K. Ishikawa, dated 25th November 1959. As a result of this series of events, Maico G.B. became concessionaires for Honda in Britain and introduced the line through their existing network of Maico dealers.

I'm starting to see the origin of some of the apparent friction that came later. Other documents indicate that once Maico G.B. got the ball rolling and the manqué had achieved some level of acceptance in the U.K. Honda Japan then announced that they were setting up their own European division based in Hamburg, under the direction of this same Mister K. Ishikawa. That would be about '61 I believe.

Of course G. von L. and the boys at Maico would be less than pleased at having to deal with the new European division after they'd done the initial introductory work and set Honda up through their own already existing dealer network. The chaps at Honda Europe, Ishikawa etc, would likewise be tempted to think they no longer needed Maico, and should have access to the British market themselves. This had to lead to friction between the two groups. To add spice to the mix, by about 1962 alarm bells were ringing in the headquarters of the British bike manufacturers and they were doing their level best to prevent the importation of Japanese products into the UK by lobbying their M.P.s and trying to scuttle the Anglo-Japanese trade agreement.

The Accepted Maico to Hondis name switch October 25th 1961 by Honda European < left ..... The Accepted Maico to 'Hondis' name switch October 25th 1961 by Honda European - as mentioned before based in Germany

At left .....>

The formal contract letter to Maico October 16th 1959

The formal contract letter to Maico October 16th 1995
The acknowledged end of Hondis as an agent dated October 31st 1962 by G. Von Loewenstein The acknowledged end of Hondis as an agent dated October 31st 1962 by G. Von Loewenstein

........At right >

G.von Loewensteins' letter dated 17th November 1961 to Honda - Querying if further race development was being done on the CB92 full race kits - as the bikes were too slow when fully reefed out ....

G.von Loewenstein letter to Honda on CB92 Race kits
above .... The acknowledged end of Hondis as an agent dated October 31st 1962 by G. Von Loewenstein. Honda UK appeared to start up at about this time .......

Here we can see something has happened rather quickly, and Hondis notifies their dealers they (Hondis) will no longer handle distribution as of the day following the letter.

In future, Honda UK, operating out of Kingston on Thames ( a London suburb ) will handle all sales etc. On the second page we see that due to road tax regulations or some such red tape, some paperwork will bear the name 'Hondis' into early 1963, which accounts for some references to the company that I have seen in that year. In reality, it appears they just folded up their tent and faded into the night.

It is interesting to note that the original agreement covered only the importation of the 250 and 305 bikes in 1960, then the agreement was for everything under 100cc's with the exception of the Benlys, then they did want the Benlys.

Distribution for Northern Ireland was an exception, and was handled by Artie Bell, the old TT rider over there. In the beginning Maico did their best to wangle a commission on all units shipped to and sold by Bell, but the Japanese weren't daft enough to go for that.

I hope this helps to put together a useful chronology. This letter clears the waters a bit for me. Jonathan started working for Honda in 1962, and always worked out of the Kingston on Thames address. We have no idea how he had the files from the earlier two outfits, unless perhaps Honda bought the whole shooting-match.

There is lengthy correspondence from the early period in which Geo. von Loewenstein explains at length to the Japanese how the motorcycle business is run in the UK, what the regulated profit margins are at each level, etc. etc. There is a lot of stuff here, and I'll get it all scanned and sorted in the end, but it is going to be a helluva job. As for the Japanese chaps who were involved, it seems Mr. Neuchi was first over to scout the Euro markets etc., meet with Maico, and report back to Japan. Mr. Ishikawa appears to be the head lad at Honda Europe, and Mrs. Glover refers to Mr. Ishikawa as "Jonathans' boss". He appears as ' directing manager' ( Managing Director?) of European Honda in Hamburg as early as Oct. 1961. All quite fasinating .....

A letter to Jon from Richard Wyler an American Racer and writer for Motor cycling dated 8th February 1963

< left ..... A letter to Jon from Richard Wyler an American Racer and writer for Motorcycling dated 8th February 1963

 

At right ..... >

300 Mile technical service sheet for the C92, CB92, C72 & CB72

300 mile service for the C92, BC92, C72 and CB72 
            displayed at JAL offices during TT week
1963 C102 parts list 1963 C102 parts list 1960 125 / 150 Manual CB72 - 77 Brochure CB72 - 77 Brochure
1963 C102 parts list
1963 C102 parts list
1960 125 / 150 Manual
CB72 - 77 Brochure
CB72 - 77 Brochure
The man with his hand up, waving to the crowd, is Bob McIntyre, after winning the 1957 Jubilee Isle of Man TT 500 cc class, for the first time in history lapping at over 100 mph on the Gilera four. Earlier in the week he had won the 350. Standing next to him is his mother, and next to her Gilera's race mechanic Giovanni Fumagelli, who was Duke's race mechanic, and later Bob Mac's.The man in the black leathers bending down next to the MV with nr. 64 is John Surtees, who came in second These tickets were for a showing of Honda films

IOM Trophy Presentation

IOM Trophy Presentation

Motor Cyclist Illustrated sticker

Motor Cycle Illustrated vinyl sticker

In reading about the '57 TT to figure out who's who I discovered an interesting tidbit. Since that was the Jubilee year for the TT they ran it at 8 laps, longest ever, Bob Mac broke the first 100 mph lap on his Gilera. A bit further on in the book something else caught my eye.

The one and only woman to ever compete in a TT was Mrs. Beryl Swain, 1962 on a 50cc Itom. She came 22nd. This is the same lady who rode in the Honda 50cc endurance run at Goodwood with Ivy and Dave Degens and that lot. There are pictures of her in that event in this mess to.

Honda Christmas card

 
TT Photo - Surtees

This is a little photo album of the TT, no year. Its about 4" long, closed. There are 11 pics of guys like Duke, Anderson, Bob Mac., Hailwood, Jack Brett, Surtees etc. on everything from NSUs, Mondails, Notruns, to the MVs. Nifty. Put out by Motor Cycling, called "Stars in Action".

 

 

 
Honda Xmas card
Honda CT110 Brochure   50 Brochure

 

Honda CT110 Brochure

 

Honda CT110 Brochure

 

 

Honda CT110 Brochure

CT110 Brochures CT110 Brochures

 

C110 brochure

50 Brochure
Brochure 1962 or '63 50,55 and 90 Brochure 1962 or '63 50,55 and 90 Brochure 1962 or '63 50,55 and 90 An add for 50's  
1962 / 1963 50, 55 and 90 Brochure

An add for 50's

 
Feb. 1961 .... Lloyd Chapman with his Honda special 125cc engine mounted in a BSA Bantam frame - this set a new Australian class time for the quarter mile at Kalgoorie, WA.

< Left ..... Feb. 1961 .... Lloyd Chapman with his Honda special 125cc engine mounted in a BSA Bantam frame - this set a new Australian class time for the quarter mile at Kalgoorie, WA.

Bike suppliers for the travelling marshals accompanying the cyclists in the Milk Race, starting in Blackpool.

These were the travelling marshals accompanying the cyclists in the Milk Race, starting in Blackpool

These were the travelling marshals accompanying the cyclists in the Milk Race, starting in Blackpool

Honda lube diagram

Honda Lube diagram

These were the travelling marshals accompanying the cyclists in the Milk Race, starting in Blackpool

Right .............. > From Honda Mag. May 1964 .... Interesting to see how Honda had virtually taken over the market by 1963. These are production figures for various manufacturers for Jan. 1963. Also a surprise to see how few Lilacs were being made. I've heard of them on and off over the years, but never actually seen one

Honda production figures for 1963

 

Photos of Honda Marshalling bikes for the Blackpool Milk run Cycle race 1938 Vincent
This is the sign which was on the 250 four 
            displayed at JAL offices during TT week These tickets were for a showing of Honda films
Honda cloth crest
Honda cloth crest
This is the sign which was on the 250 four displayed at JAL offices during TT week These tickets were for a showing of Honda films "E" in emblem, for European Honda - cloth crest
1935 Velocette     1937 Coventry Eagle Pullman
1938 Vincent
1935 Velocette 1935 Velocette 1935 Velocette Specs 1937 Coventry Eagle Pullman 1938 Vincent

OK Supreme 1937 cover

1937 OK Supreme cover

Francis Barnet cover

Francis Barnet cover

Mobil Handbook on motorcycles < At left ..... Mobil Advertising Handbook on motorcycles - it worked like a pretend riders' reference. How to lube your chain (using Mobil), pack your bearings, (Mobil), maintain your engine (all they need is lashings of Mobil, lubricate your saddle and grips, etc .... Neat though. The opposition 1964 TD-1
   
 
     
1964 TD-1