AJS & Matchless Owners Club

VMCC do organise a number of well established events open to non members. West Kent run, Founders Day Rally, Banbury Run, Festival of 1,000 bikes etc. We did actually sponsor a local section with £5k ( I believe ) some time ago. To clear the site and re introduce the Red Marley Hill climb. Not heard much about that lately. Perhaps it no longer happens.

GOLDSTAR wrote:pop the orange monster on 'ere so we can all have a larf ! er sorry I mean look. kind regards

Here's Roy's Clockwork Orange. I can confirm that it rides (albeit only a short ride) very well!

Clockwork Orange, was the most reliable bike on the run to Poland, no I can't believe it either considering who built it, but it was! He's getting much better at the spannering art. It completed the 2000+ mile run without a hitch.

ajscomboman wrote:Clockwork Orange, was the most reliable bike on the run to Poland, no I can't believe it either considering who built it, but it was! He's getting much better at the spannering art. It completed the 2000+ mile run without a hitch.

2000 miles on that seat!!

Egad, a veritable Iron Butt for sure....

With the aid of an Air Hawk, by the way that's the padded version of the seat the previous incarnation was little more than a plank.

Any one wanting a test ride at the Jampot rally form queue here.

I would like to but my bums not that shape and i think my thighs and bits might need protection

to answer Raffles comment, there are a lot of avenues the VMCC have access to which of course one make/manufacturers clubs don't, however many of the VMCC members who I know belong, in addition to the VMCC, one make clubs, indeed I belong to 5, I think it is now, I don't however attend a lot of one make rally's but do enjoy the comradeship of all motorcyclists irrespective of marque, my philosophy is that if there is a wheel at each end and it goes round corners then in the main 'tis O.K. by me kind regards
p.s 'tis also O.K by me to take the mickey out of the previous presidents 'chocolate orange' to liven up a thread or maybe two.

The VMCC represents more than 130 marques of all nationalities of bikes and owners and their qualifying date for 'historic' is now 1978 (or is it 1975 ). Membership today is over 17,000, each paying around £37 a year.
The entries for the 37th International West Kent Run (organised by the Kent section) were limited to 300 places (up from 250 in previous years) and it was oversubscribed within a week or two of details being published, although I believe a few places became available near the day due to cancellations. Part of the attraction for me is to see the diverse makes of bikes rather than just AMC. As an aside, I couldn't help noticing at the President's Supper that almost one in three of those topping up their plates at the buffet tables were either limping, hobbling, using sticks, or hunchbacked, making the lively Dutch contingent look like teenagers when the dancing started.............
A couple of years ago the VMCC invested very heavily in extending their H.O. site and setting up an online/mail order shop which put their finances under severe (near bankrupt) strain and from which they are still trying to recover, also necessitating a couple of senior management changes and staff cuts.

Even though our club is run by an (admittedly diminishing) nucleus of volunteers I believe the 300 entries is about the same number as for our Jampot rallies so I reckon that's pretty good going.
In conversation with one retired club member about our committee vacancies and shortage of volunteers to help with rallies, bike shows etc. he said that he would help but he was always busy (grandchildren, allotment, elderly parents, golfing etc., etc., etc.) and could never sure from week to week what he would be doing so he just turns up when he can. I resisted replying that if some folk didn't make the commitment there wouldn't be any events to which he could just 'turn up'.

"It completed the 2000+ mile run without a hitch."

I had a hitch (pulling trailer) but still didn't make it. Barrel came back again yesterday and thanks to Barry at T&L with a full set of fins following previous delivery company damage; great stuff.

Now thoroughly off topic.

Johnny B