Meet the Members

 Eastern Shield Section Members have a wide range of interest from Vintage racing,collecting a variety of motorcycles to building and flying Ultra lights.

 Our next installment is From Ian Taylor,Eastern Shield President

    Are we born with the Motorcycle bug in our blood?  My grandfather rode a very early Panther; my father rode a Royal Enfield, and then came a new 51 BSA 350 before Emigrating to Canada in 1954.

As for me, I guess it has always been there and will never leave me.

As a kid, we used to put Hockey cards in our Bicycle spokes to get that whirr sound or we just made the noises ourselves as we raced our bicycles down the street.

 

   My first trip to a bike shop was TY motors in the East end of Belleville. Chris Potts and I rode our bicycles out to have a look at the motorcycles in the showroom.

There was the evil, nasty 1972 Kawasaki H2, Blue and on sale for something like $1300.

That Price then was like $30,000 today.

Our next stop was to the Ducati Dealer in Downtown Belleville.

As we entered the showroom there sat a Silver Ducati 750, we had to wipe the Drool from our mouths and next to it was the smaller Ducatis all in the same Silver.

 

   In 1973, a new Kawasaki Dealer opened on Pinnacle Street; the owners were John Coultas and his Father. There sat in the showroom was the new 350 Triple (S2A), O so nice but yet way too much money for a teenager.

In the late spring of 74, I ventured down to the Kawasaki dealer to have another look and there was a very affordable 90 cc machine at $450.A Payment plan was worked out by John and boy was I pumped until my Dad said NO! Why, I asked. His reply was too small and not powerful enough.

Ok, I replied and off I went to my room to sulk.

 

     Later that week I ventured up to Mel Suttons shop in the West end of Belleville. Mel dealt with used bikes, and here was the first glimpse of the Honda CB 750, not any 750 but a 1969 model. I sat on the bike, my first impression was WOW this is massive!

Next to it was a 1971 Kawasaki A1 Samurai 250 Twin with the pearl white tank .I sat on the bike which seemed to suit me just fine. The price was $425. I race home to tell my dad about the new find but my enthusiasm soon faded when he said, we’ll go have a look this Saturday. SATURDAY I thought, this was a whole week away.

Saturday morning eventually arrived, I was ready to go! My dad while having his morning coffee said, we’ll go have a look at the motorcycle soon. It felt like years before he finished that cup of coffee. As I watched my Dad sip that last drop, he put the cup down and said. Ready son? I couldn’t get in the car fast enough.

Once at the shop my dad looked the bike over, then Mel fired the bike up and O what a sound, the smell of 2 stroke fumes had my blood flowing with excitement. My dad and Mel then disappeared to talk business.

Like all businessmen both appeared together to announce a deal had been agreed upon and I was the proud owner of the 250 Kawasaki.

 

    Brian Bennett ,who lived just up the road decided to go to McPherson’s in Trenton and bought a new 74 Honda CB 125 for $450.Together we rode all over. We had found FREEDOM!

 

    In the year of 1977, I was about to buy a bike that would introduce me to new friends and to set me on a Vintage Journey for the rest of my life.

 

     Tom Calbury, another riding buddy, noticed an ad in the Shoppers Market for a 1953 Ariel that was for sale.

Buy it, he said. My response was what the hell is an Ariel? Tom made the call and a few days later we travelled to Frankford to look at the bike.

The seller informed me this belonged to his brother who rode it until 62, the year he died and the bike has sat ever since in the dark run down barn.

The seller wanted $125 and I countered with $65, he agreed and the next night we brought the Ariel home.

Come morning I ventured out to look at my new vintage bike. My first impression was O MY GOD what have I bought! Man it was rough!

                                                                   2015

A few days later I received a call from a gentleman who was also was interested in the Ariel and could he come over for a look.

This gentleman became a long time friend and about 8 years ago I became his neighbour.

Soon after I met Jim Hunter, who also heard I had a VHA.

This small purchase opened the doors to the world of Vintage Motorcycles.

 

    Around 1980, I made another purchase. This time it was a 1954 Triumph SpeedTwin with a 49 motor. The Triumph attracted more attention than any of the bikes I have owned.

 

    That same year I joined the CVMG and in 83, I put an ad in the newsletter looking interested parties who would be interested in forming a Section in Belleville.

Frank (Fuzzy) Thorn, Wes Fraser, Don Empey, Dave Compton, Bill Goodwin, Vern Scouten ,Mike Duncan all came to the first meeting and the Quinte Section was born.

 

     1985 rolls around and another purchase made from Ken Rosevear, a 1932 Ariel OHC SQ4 basket case.

When you belong to a group, club or know someone who has those connections, you always hear those rumours of an old bike in a barn story .Wes Fraser just happened to hear one of those rumours of a vintage Ariel in Napanee .That rumour was quickly passed on to me via a phone call. I contacted my good friend Dave Lacombe, I relayed the story to Dave and soon we were on our way to the town of Napanee

We soon discovered the location and the owner took us around back to show us the Ariel.  As we entered the backyard, I didn’t expect to see a rusty machine that looked like it was in a fire .Looking a bit closer some parts were still there and usable . A price was agreed upon and the Rusty old Ariel came home with us. Almost 30 years later it is now running and on the road.   

                                     2015

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    In 1977, my first NEW bike was about to become a reality. Off to Trenton Cycle Center to look at a 77 Suzuki GT 500. Frank agreed I could make payments to the shop over the winter months. On a cold winter day in February of 78, my dad drove me out to the shop so I could make another instalment on the GT 500.

I entered, and then glanced at my GT 500. WAIT, what’s this? I walk over to look at the awesome Suzuki GT 750.I climbed aboard and fell in love .I pulled up the price tag to have a look. $2395 it read in big bold numbers. Guess what I rode home that April?

                                              1978

 

   In 1983, I decided it was time to trade in my 3 year old CB 750 Honda for a BMW. Roy’s Cycle World, in Bayside, between Belleville and Trenton was the BMW dealer to go to..

Roy gave me a great deal on an 83 BMW R80RT, and that April, I finally had my BMW I always wanted after seeing the 74 R90S when it first came out. Where is that BMW today? I still own the ol gal. With over 130.000 miles and never having the top end off this Ol Beemer still runs great!

 

    Jumping ahead to 2005, I take my son out to buy his first bike, a Honda CB 350.

As we were loading up, the owner offered up a 71 Kawasaki H1A.This was to be another game changer for me.

I now have a Garage housing Kawasaki’s 350,500 & 750 Triples along with a 1971 Kawasaki A1ss and its big brother the A7ss.

                                          

In 2013, I purchased another 3 cylinder, 2 stroke, a 77 GT 750 .Smooth, comfortable and a long distance Touring machine.

 

    A Change was about to take place once again, not just for me but for many CVMG members.

A few years ago George Best and Myself talked about what we wanted from a Section, what our goals were and most importantly, to put the FUN back into Vintage Motorcycles.

Thus, the Eastern Shield was born.

 

    It’s now spring of 2016 and what a better way to celebrate spring by adding 2 more motorcycles to the collection.

 

Do I have the “BUG”? I consider it a Lifestyle!

 

I’ll end this by saying I’m a firm believer in the Moto

“Ride em don’t hide em”