My Bubble car adventure

[ianboydsnr]

A Bubble car adventure
This past weekend was my adventure to the Bubble car museum near Boston in Lincolnshire, this came about through watching an episode of “for the love of cars”, I frequent the Mobylette forum and someone suggested a meet there and have a bit of a rally, my original plan was to use our van and bring my Mobylette Av89 but also bring my recently finished racing Puch,

A few weeks ago the van seized and so was out of commission, as back up I could take the car and trailer, but I decided to leave the moped’s at home and take the Convert, it was with a little trepidation, as I have never been far on the convert and it is 35 years old, the plus side of the convert is that it has a comfort level that surpasses any other motorcycle I have ever ridden, and more importantly I can ride it all day without aggravating my shoulder, which no other bike I have can last more than a couple of hours without the aching setting in, the bonus is that I could use the convert like a large scooter and go out on the moped run,

so I packed up my camping stuff and set of on the Friday morning,



First stop was Devils bridge in Kirkby Lonsdale,



then I set off down the A65 heading towards Skipton and Keighley where I refueled, I was careful to avoid the diesel spilled in the fuel station though,



Then onto Bradford, Wakefield, Doncaster and Lincoln, I had a bit of a problem in Lincoln, my old sat nav seemed to have missed the one way system, and the planners for some reason won't let you do a U turn, finally I escaped and headed down B roads through small towns and villages, though I occasionally stopped to brew up,





I stopped in a small town to fill up, expensive, but it's been a long time since I had someone other than me fill the tank,

 

[ianboydsnr]

I finally got to the bubble car museum, and erected my tent, there were plenty of other attendees already set up,



some nice and not so nice looking mopeds





I liked this one, a shopping bike with an engine,



the attention to detail was amazing on some,there was as many puch's their as mobylettes,



some of them filled the air with sweet smelling two stroke, though there were complaints from other campers, that hells angels were running amok in the field at high speeds,



this one is very much like my own Av89, though it is earlier and with a round headlight,



there were some sports models, a Casal and a Gilera, that proudly boasted of 7bhp on its side panels,





quite a few turned up,

 

[ianboydsnr]

on the Saturday, a run around was planned, I had originally planned on doing the run on my Convert, but someone offered me the use of a moped,




it looked rough, but ran fine, it had no suspension, no power, and definitely no brakes, the front brake being a bicycle type, but it was full of fuel, so whats not to like,

after racing for about six miles, we came across this small airodrome, I wasn't last, but there were much faster mopeds than the one I was using, I have no idea of the speed, as no speedo was fitted,









then we went to East Kirkby aerodrome and managed to blag a picture with the Lancaster,





of course there was an all out race back to the campsite, I followed the Raleigh wisp not wanting to damage the loan bike, once back, I had a look around the museum, had a coffee and cake in the cafe there, which seemed very cheap,





This bubble car engine looks familiar,









they seemed to have some scooters and bikes upstairs as well,

 

[ianboydsnr]

 

[ianboydsnr]

Sunday morning once the tent had dried, I packed up and set off home, this time heading on the A17, then the A1, shortly up the A1 they closed the road, that meant 7 miles of filtering down country roads, before getting back on the A1, I came off at Weatherby and headed for Ilkley, Skipton then the A65 to Kirkby Lonsdale, stopping again at Devils bridge, which was packed with bikes,



despite that I brewed up and made something to eat,



I headed back through the lake district, the Convert ran faultlessly, though the great thing about the Convert is you never feel like going faster than around 60 mph, the journey is never hurried, it's all about the ride and not about arriving, the character shines through in a way that's both refreshing and timeless,

a great weekend!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I liked this one, a shopping bike with an engine,

Great stuff, enjoyed that and the Guzzi looks mighty fine

This was my first bike, a 49cc Raleigh Wisp - paid a fiver for it, from the local classifieds - set me on the road to motorcycling

 

[justin754]

Excellent.
I'm ashamed to say I drive past the bubble car museum every day, and I've never been in.
Think I'll make an effort to have a nose around.
Justin

 

[Posh Pete]

despite that I brewed up and made something to eat,

Always good to have the wind at your back!

Nice Convert Ian. Ta for posting.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

You should have called. I live in a small village on B Roads, between Lincoln & Boston - I'd have made you a brew.

 

[jonnie comet]

Great little read.....

Note, you make piss weak tea..........

 

[patzx12]

First class Ian, love the FB. Any BSA Beagle?

 

[ianboydsnr]

Great little read.....

Note, you make piss weak tea..........

It was coffee

 

[ian640]

Great report, and brings back some memories. I nearly ended up with one of those Gileras a long time ago.

 

[Majesty]

Proper do

 

[enabb]

Some familiar peds there...thanks

You need to put some coffee in that cup of milk

 

[ebbo]

What a great trip out! I keep promising myself a run to the Bubble Car Museum, I've no excuse now

 

[(RIP) andrewgsadv]

Looks like a good venue to visit and so close to me as well .Really like your Convert. Thanks for posting.

 

[Ash]

Proper do

And a Guzzi........
Most excellent.