|
THE PIONEER RUN - 2020
By Chas Moody.
The 81st Pioneer Run for veteran motorcycles, due to take place on Sunday
22nd March was cancelled seven days before the event by its organisers, the
Sunbeam Motorcycle Club, as part of the world wide suspension of events and
meetings of all kinds in the attempt to control the spread of the highly
contagious Coronavirus. Our SVVS meetings were put on hold at the same time. The
cancellation was very disappointing for entrants and spectators alike, but a
responsible decision and quite understandable in the circumstances.
Please
Click on the photos to see full size
high
definition picture
The Triumph was fully prepared for the Run, even having the entry number
attached and just needed fuel in the tank to bring it to life. It's a 500cc 1914
TT Roadster, the road going version of the TT Racer with no pedals or gears,
just a single speed direct belt drive. It doesn't have the luxury of a kick
start and originally wouldn't have had a clutch, but for modern traffic use has
been fitted with a replica 'Mabon' engine-shaft clutch which was an after-market
accessory of the period.
The day of the Run, now cancelled, dawned bright and sunny with a clear blue sky
streaked with high wispy cloud. Daffodils were in full bloom and the chilly
breeze was a reminder that it was the first Sunday of Spring, a day not to be
wasted. I decided to have a mini Pioneer Run - with an entry of just one
machine!
The bike push-started unexpectedly quickly and had me reaching for the clutch
and front brake to prevent it taking off on its own, so eager was it to get
going! Keeping away from the proposed Pioneer Run route (Although I did wonder
if any entrants would go to Epsom and ride to the new finishing point at
Shoreham Airport anyway), I went where the road took me - or was it the bike? I
was surprised to see some lanes still flooded due to the heavy winter rains.
Round the local lanes to the south of Oxted between Edenbridge and Lingfield
including Staffhust Wood, Itchingwood Common and Crowhurst, passing some of the
local pubs, now eerily silent and empty after government restrictions imposed
the previous Friday and stopping at places of interest to take pictures. ... And
what better time is there to take photos than in early Springtime!
Two days later came the instruction to stay indoors and cut out all
non-essential journeys, making me value that last run out (for goodness knows
how long), even more and look forward to the time when we can safely see our
friends and pursue the activities we so much enjoy. Chas
Moody, March 2020
As we have space, - and time , - we are taking the
opportunity to advise in little more detail about the Pioneer Run which, like
the other 'Brighton Runs' (The Veteran Car Run and The Commercial Vehicle Run)
is a world renowned event, this one for pre-1915 veteran motorcycles.
The "Pioneer Run" is organised by the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club. The
Club was founded in 1924 and caters for veteran, vintage and post vintage (pre
1940) motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world. Although it started as a
one-make club, it soon welcomed all makes and is now one of the oldest
motorcycling clubs in Great Britain. Sunbeam Motorcycle Club organised
the first Pioneer Run to
Brighton in 1930. It has subsequently become one of the main events in the
Veteran Motorcycle Movement and draws one of the largest gathering of pre 1915
solos, sidecars and tricycles in the World. The Pioneer Run has been repeated every year
since 1930, except during the war, the fuel crisis in 1974, foot & mouth 2001 and bad
weather of 2013. Initially the starting point was Croydon Airport but recently
the traditional route has been from Tattenham Corner near the Epsom Downs
'Derby' horse racecourse to Madeira Drive on the Brighton seafront. This
year was to herald a fundamental shift of the route via a tea-stop at
Leonardslee Gardens to the eventual finish, not at Madeira Drive, but in
Shoreham at the new Brighton City Airport. Of course,
as with many other things, the Coronavirus put paid to the event, which
has had to be cancelled.
As with veteran cars on the Veteran Car Run, all motorcycles on the Pioneer Run
must be genuine veterans. There is a register of eligible pre 1915 motorcycles,
started in 1930, and there is a Dating Committee which vets any new applicants
and issues a Pioneer Certificate. There are three main classes of machines on
the Run; Class A for motorcycles built before 1905, Class B for
motorcycles between 1905 and 1909, and Class C for motorcycles between 1910 and
1914. Apart from the Pioneer run the Club organises a number of other important
events relating to post vintage (pre 1940) motorcycle enthusiasts from around
the world as well as competition trials riders from both classic and modern
classes.
We at the Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society have a number of keen motorcycle enthusiasts
covering all ages of machinery and have a number of members who attend the
Pioneer Run. We have pages relating to the some of the previous Runs on this
website. There are also a number of pages in our Galleries dealing with museums exhibiting
motorcycles.
2018
Pioneer Run
2017
Pioneer Run
2013
Pioneer Run
Go to Recent Venues
Page
PICTURE GALLERY INDEX
|
