The Kick Start and Girder Forks is an annual ride the Manawatu Classic Motorcycle Club run every year. It is designed to encourage members to restore and use older, smaller and less powerful motorcycles; even if it is only once a year. To many of these motorcycles have been relegated to the back of the shed so it was pleasing to see and participate in a run especially for these bikes. After the conclusion of the February monthly meeting two runs were decided on to cater for the faster bikes that had turned up on the day. Winstone had organised a B road run that took us out through Colyton, down Valley Road and back to a favourite watering hole, the Ashhurst Inn. There certainly were some interesting bikes out for a spin with Dave on his 1938 Excelsior probably the most exotic. It still had its patina from a long time ago and Dave used his wonderful engineering skills to resurrect 125cc Villiers two stroke motor. Daves large frame on this small bike still managed to hit 80 kmh on one of the faster sections of the route taken. Graham brought out his lovely 1937 Ariel VB600 with Winstone on his 1939 BSA 500? and Steve on his 1945 350 Velocette with the wonderful fish tail exhaust. A stop at the car park at the bottom of Valley Road saw no casualties and we were soon on the way to Ashhurst and in no time at all the pint's were being pulled and the lunch orders were taken. The courtyard out the back of the Inn with its ripening grapes hanging above the dining table certainly provided an exotic setting for the lads to enjoy a few yarns. Let's hope next year might see a few more bikes on this run.
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