Bikers take tester run

Sep 14 2007 By Neil Elkes, Birmingham Mail

MORE than 95 bikers took to the streets of Birmingham to celebrate the city's past as home of motorcycle manufacturing.

The riders took their classic bikes from Hall Green to the Elan Valley Visitor Centre in Mid Wales for the annual Tester Run.

They set off from the former Velocette factory site in York Road, Hall Green, where motor-bikes were made until 1971.

Enthusiast John Peters, who had worked at the Velocette factory, described some of his funnier moments with the company including the time the nearby brook overflowed into the factory and they just stood on wooden boxes and kept on working surrounded by water.

Surprise entrant was 83-year-old Jim Smith who rode his bike 200 miles from Dorset to take part.

Jim was the former chief draughtsman for the Excelsior Motorcycle Company in Kings Road, Tyseley, and worked on the design of the Talisman engine.

Organiser Jon Price said: "I introduced Jim to the gathered riders who gave him a big round of applause for his effort and it was then suggested that Jim should lead the party to the nearby former Excelsior works and show everyone the outside of the building.

"Jim didn't need a second invitation and he was off like a shot and had to be asked to stop and wait for all the younger riders to catch up!"

After Tyseley the group proceeded across the city on the Ring Road to join the Hagley Road.

At Bearwood, opposite the Kings Head (now boarded up) the group went past Copes former motorcycle showroom which in the 60s was Birmingham's largest motorcycle dealers.

They then went onto Wales ending up at the new Elan Dam and Reservoir Visitor Centre - from where Birmingham's drinking water comes.