John Walker's Bikes

Posted on behalf of John Walker ..may not be in correct order as Photo Bucket tends to 'reorganize' your order of choice .. anyway enjoy the bikes, Len (ciphers)


Friends..
Photos here of a motor-Bike I purchased while stationed at Hobart Barracks (20 Armd Brigade -HQ) Detmold in The BAOR.-Germany-1960. This was a Zundapp 600cc.As you see it was was originally a light green colour.I had it stripped down and repainted black .
Rode it all around the Germany .Even Joined a local German BMW Riders club.There were not many M/cycles around in those days believe or not.

I did eventually bring it home to the UK and sold it to a local man here in Oxford.(see here the customs import form) It became 710-BRX Made a fair few £££'s ..Please note I converted it with Ace bars. 

My next machine I purchased is as some of you experts will note is a BSA Rocket Gold Star which I purchased from my 1st place of work before I left there to join Boys Sqd RAC in 1956.I was there as a trainee mechanic .I worked alongside the famous Mike Hailwood (his father owned the company ).Mike and I were good friends.I kept in touch with him for many years. May he Rest in Peace.

My BSA was the 1st Road bike in the Oxford area to be fitted with a
F/Glass racing tank. Had it for a good few years.However saw the light as I was getting older that right or wrong a m/bike accident is painful and I had a few. So 4 wheels came to mind.👍
The first photos you see of the machine in green were taken in Hobart Barracks, Detmold.
The later ones are taken when I returned to The Regt in  Athlone Barracks in Sennelager BAOR,Germany. The other M/bike you see next to mine belonged to a Soldier called Eric Floyd .He was from the Channel Isle (note his GBG plate ).This was a Triumph Tiger 110.All happy times.

Regards to you all 

John



https://s717.photobucket.com/user/payne928/slideshow/Johns%20Bikes

Gents.

First I must thank as always Len for helping me out by placing not only my letter but the photos.
Hoping of some interest to someone out there.

Must tell you all and I feel Len will not mind me saying so I had the great pleasure of meeting Len and his Dear Lady Wife not to long ago while he was over here in The UK visiting his Family.What a lovely couple they are to.I did also meet other members of his Family and felt very Honoured to have done so.
Len and Mavis  both looked so well and I felt very much at ease in their company.
Len & Mavis I thank you again ..God Bless you both and your Family.Stay Safe

Regards to you and all others looking in.
John & Crew.
Oxford.

As I understand it, tax on larger capacity motorcycles in Germany throughout the fities and sixties was pretty prohibitive for the average local, hence the youth of the time crouched low over the handlebars of a Zundapp 50cc pedal and pop in a vain attempt to top 50kph.

Nice photos by the way.

blackhat......

Ref your comment (sorry for the delay ) on M/cycle riders in the50/60's..I think it was more a case of the young men could not afford them..They were then expensive and hard to find anyway.I joined a a German M/cycle Club...A fair few bigger bikes but they all had fairly rich Daddies.
Anyway all happy days.

Regards to you and all others looking in.
John.Oxford.UK.