FOSSIL HUNTING
You've read some articles, seen social media pictures of normal -looking people appearing to extract abnormal levels of fun from very old bikes and thought, perhaps, there might be space in your heart and shed for a vintage bike. Congratulations! You've made the first steps towards improving your motorcycling experience immeasurably . But before you rush out and spend your money, pause for a moment and consider these questions ...
What is a vintage motorcycle?
The term 'vintage' means different things to different people. To some, it simply means secondhand (think' vintage' clothing), although it would be quite a stretch to consider a 1999 Ducati as being either old or vintage. The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) accepts it as being a Japanese motorcycle being fifteen years old or more .. . but they're young and foolish, so we forgive them.
Americans, raised without the benefit of a history, would certainly consider a 1972 Honda to be vintage, but for the definitive description we need to follow the rules, set in stone by the Vintage Motor Cycle Club. Founded in 1946, with the aims of preserving and keeping historic motorcycles on the road, the VMCC is the largest old motorcycle club in the world with over 14,000 members.
The previously referred to 1970s Honda would actually belong in the VMCC's 'classic' category and a late 1990s Ducati remains inflexibly 'non -eligible'. Sorry about that . No, to be correctly classed as a true vintage motorcycle, your pride and joy needs to have been manufactured before 1931. After that date they would be classed as 'post-vintage' machines.
This is the first and one of the most important things to bear in mind when making your choice, as any motorcycle built after 31'' December 1930 is not a qualifying machine for official vintage events; at least, not VMCC sanctioned ones . Hey! Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger and don't make the rules.
How old to go?
Where there's a classification you'll find a sub-division and the world and subject to their own specialist events. Veteran machines exist at the very origins of the motorcycle and may be thought of as motorised bicycles in many cases. Expect push-only starting, single-speed machines driven by linked leather belts. Undoubtedly fascinating, but perhaps a challenge too far for the novice owner and quite difficult to use in mixed road traffic.
