1959 R69 The trip Waringford BT252EY to Lake Garda Italy August 2015
Forget shipping a classic Vincent – this European escapade began with a 1959 BMW R69 and a Watsonian sidecar, purchased in the UK and prepped near Belfast. My cousin’s son-in-law, Ken, and a biker neighbor, John, had a blast (and a struggle!) getting the beast running before my wife, Violy, and I arrived. “A bugger to start” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
My first few days were spent taming the sidecar. Confidence boosted (perhaps prematurely), I invited Violy for a spin. Bluetooth helmets on, we set off… only to discover my battery was flat. Just 300 meters into our maiden voyage, disaster struck. Distracted by a backhoe, I clipped a roadside marker. Violy’s face said it all: “Four days of practice, huh?”
Undeterred (mostly), we continued, only to be halted again by a loose fuel tank bag strap tangled in the rear wheel. Not exactly a smooth start. Over the next few days, we ventured further afield, even running out of gas. Our 80km round trip to Annalong ended with a call to Ken for a tow – a terrifying experience in a sidecar, especially in “Dromara Destroyer” road racer territory!
Luckily, we encountered racing legends Ian McGregor and Ray McCullough, who diagnosed a dead coil. A frantic search ensued, involving John Kidd (of Vincent fame) and BMW expert Bob Porecha in London. The coil arrived just in time for our ferry to France, but not before a farewell BBQ with neighbors and another Dromara Destroyer, Brian Reid.
The coil was fitted, along with a side mirror (finally!), but the timing was off. Gear was jettisoned to South Korea (too much stuff!), and the helmet intercom was out of commission (damaged charger). Back to sign language it was!
Day 1: We set off for Powerscourt, Ireland, to meet Violy’s family. A fuel stop turned into a nightmare when I accidentally filled the tank with diesel. Violy’s “Are you sure?” now haunts me. An hour later, after draining and refilling, we were back on track, arriving at Powerscourt for a great feed. Violy, however, reported a ghostly leg-tugger during the night. I, fueled by Guinness, slept soundly.
Day 2: The overnight ferry to Roscoff, France, was rough. Violy was seasick (no more sea trips!), and I discovered I’d accidentally booked two cabins. Oops.
Day 3: The BMW refused to start, delaying our disembarkation. 100 kicks later, we were off, only to find our friend Fred Durand wasn’t there. A mix-up in times. We eventually met up and headed to Lesconil, Brittany.
Days 4 & 5: We enjoyed Lesconil, met local Vincent member Dominique Le Bris (who gifted me a patch and t-shirts!), the “Klaps” biker group, and BMW enthusiast Captain Fred. We fiddled with the timing, but since the bike was running, we shrugged it off.
Day 6: Fred mapped out our route to Lake Garda. We cruised along at 80-90 kph, keeping up with the trucks, until… cough… empty fuel tank! Reserve, of course. A kind truck driver with a jerrycan saved the day. We made it to Fontenay for the night.
Day 7: More misadventures! We missed a turn and ended up on the freeway, where the bike started misfiring – one cylinder down! A stripped carburetor screw and a broken exhaust bracket added to the fun. Duct tape became our best friend. We called Dominique, who connected us with Thierry Berthelot, a farmer and BSA collector. Thierry, with his friend (a 50cc racing bike collector), diagnosed the problem: the flywheel was misaligned! They fixed it, along with a shorting high tension lead. No charge! But our headlights were now flickering. Thierry found us a B&B, and we enjoyed a meal and wine with him.
Day 8: Back on track, we enjoyed a scenic ride until we got lost near Limoges. With failing lights, we limped to Montsalvy for the night.
Day 9: A big push to Italy! We crossed the Millau viaduct and bypassed major cities. The heat, the trucks, and the tunnels were no fun. We opted for the coastal route and the “Napoleon way” to Barcelonnette, staying overnight in Sisteron.
Day 10: Another scenic ride to Barcelonnette. We found Bilkerscamp, a campsite mentioned on the VOC forum, but opted for a hotel in town. The town center was lively, but we soon learned why everyone was eating indoors – it was freezing!
Day 11: The most scenic trip yet, over the Alps into Italy! We aimed for Sirmione, but Violy noticed oil everywhere. The dipstick had come loose! We topped up the oil (a lot), creating a smoky trail. Sirmione was out of reach. With no lights, we desperately needed accommodation. A kind hotel owner sent us to her friend in Lunato, leading to a crazy chase through the Italian night. We finally found a room and grabbed some late-night pizza.
Day 12: We explored Lunato before heading to Sirmione. Oil stains on the garage floor added to our worries. We found the Garda Village, but the bike was running terribly again. The air filter was saturated with oil! Removing it solved the problem, but the lack of lights and a shot generator meant no more tunnels. We decided to ship the bike back to Fred in Brittany for a full restoration. We enjoyed the VOC rally, met many members, and then traveled by train to Lugano and Salzburg before flying back to South Korea.
Footnote: Despite reports, we’re based in South Korea, not the North. The BMW is in Brittany, undergoing a full overhaul, including a 12-volt upgrade, ready for Spain and Portugal in 2016. It turns out the engine was in rough shape – no wonder it struggled! Next up: the Australian National Vincent Rally in 2016, with our 1950 “Black Jack” Shadow!
