If motorcycling is a social activity, then motorcycle restoration is even more so. The older the bike involved, the wider the circle of contacts and friends tends to become. It can lead to all sorts of things…
Stephen Elston had retired from road racing and transferred his time and energy to a pursuit of older bikes. Anything from the 1920s had special appeal. That era was a time when the British industry was world-leading, a position achieved with constant development, creating many of the features that defined motorcycles for years to come.
Stephen already knew of Pete Gasson, but their relationship became much closer after Stephen bought Pete’s Cotton, the bike seen here. Pete had been drawn to the Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) many years before, when it was just getting off the ground. He took great satisfaction in restoring, riding and even racing older bikes. They were cheap to buy and run and did all he wanted, his racing was done in the VMCC grasstrack series.
His son Graham followed in his footsteps, quite literally. Pete was a time-served toolmaker, a position Graham also held, even working for the same employer. He also inherited his father’s enthusiasm for resurrecting old motorcycles. Pete Gasson died in 2013 but, with a similar skillset and a well-equipped workshop, Graham has continued
