The Kick Start Singles Tour
MAX’S MZ LEADS THE WAY, LEAVING THE REST OF US TO INHALE THE TWO-STROKE FUMES AFTER EVERY TWIST OF HIS THROTTLE
The meeting place in Wales is Pembrokeshire Classics, an innocuous-looking barn that you could drive past every day and never realize that it hides a treasure trove. On any given day, it’s packed wheel-to-wheel with bikes, ranging from ones made in 1920 right up to modern classic machinery. It’s like a museum, but everything is for sale.
Alistair is already here, as it’s actually his place of work — he’s a mechanic with a depth of knowledge of classic British machinery unusual for someone in their twenties. Unsurprisingly, Al’s machine for the trip is something distinctly British: a 1962 Matchless G80. The thumping British single kicks out an impressive 28 hp from its 497 cc OHV unit. Matchless built a reputation on robust, reliable machines, and the G80 looks ready for action, with quality British steel still shining and only a trace amount of oil tarnishing the floor below it.
Next to arrive is Max. He inherited both an R80ST and a MZ ETZ 251 from his late father. The R80ST is a real gem, a smooth-running, comfortable bike capable of munching big miles and a testament to Max’s dad’s ability to look after and maintain such a machine. However, the rules of the tour had already been agreed upon — singles only and no starter motors — and the BMW fails on both accounts. So instead, Max arrives on the MZ, which suffered a less dignified life: thrashed daily to work in all types of weather, then left abandoned in a garden for years under a tarpaulin. When it was finally recovered, it was covered in a layer of green moss, becoming one with the plants around it.
DURING OUR LUNCH WE DISCUSSED THE FIRST OF THE TESTS: THE RELIABILITY CHALLENGE. LOSE A POINT EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR TOOL KIT OUT!
Amazingly, after some fresh fuel and a couple of stiff kicks, it burst back to life in a cloud of two stroke smoke. Since then, it’s been treated to a negligible amount of cleaning, minor electrical work and some fresh fuel, as well
