- Story by Maggie Jackson Photography by Don Denton

Clive Brown, owner of Pizzability on the West Shore, loves buying, restoring, fixing and riding vintage motorcycles. His garage and basement are filled with vintage bikes. The wall of his garage is lined with Iron Butt Association certificates, a few earned while riding his classic bikes. 害羞草研究所淵ou must complete a 1,000 mile (1,600 km) in 24 hours ride, fully documented with receipts etc. with a witness to sign the paperwork at the start and end of the ride, before you do any of the extreme rides害羞草研究所� Clive explained. 害羞草研究所淚 think I have about 40 certificates, including numerous extreme and theme rides.害羞草研究所�

Clive has always loved vintage motorcycles. 害羞草研究所淲hen I was six, I found my grandfather害羞草研究所檚 Rudge in the garage. I was in awe of all the controls. It was so big and huge and screamed adventure. I wondered what my grandfather did on that motorcycle; where he went and what he saw.害羞草研究所�

When he was eleven, Clive害羞草研究所檚 dream of owning a motorcycle came true. 害羞草研究所淢y older cousin gave me a Triumph Tiger Cub that didn害羞草研究所檛 run. He told me I could have it if I could fix it. We brought it home and pushed it up and down the streets for a month trying to get it started. It finally started when it was my turn to 害羞草研究所渞ide害羞草研究所� it. It must have been a fuel issue, as carburetors get gummed up. Once we got it started, my mother told me it had to go!害羞草研究所�

At 14, Clive and his family emigrated from England to Alberta. To Clive害羞草研究所檚 delight he discovered being 14 meant he could get a motorcycle licence. He bought a Honda CB 100, then a 1976 Suzuki GS750.

Clive害羞草研究所檚 love of classic bikes is entrenched into his life. 害羞草研究所淲hile I love super high-tech bikes, the appeal of the classics is that they aren害羞草研究所檛 high-tech. They have carburetors and points and if something happens to them I can fix them at the side of the road.害羞草研究所�

While he has plenty of classic motorcycles to enjoy, there害羞草研究所檚 still one that he害羞草研究所檇 like to get. 害羞草研究所淢y most desired motorcycle is a 1937 Rudge. It was prewar so it had a girder front end with a huge headlight. They害羞草研究所檙e so classic and unique in the way they were constructed and engineered. It had linked brakes which was unheard of until they were subsequently introduced in the Goldwing.害羞草研究所�

Three classics Clive is particularly fond of are his: Jawa Perak, Chang Jiang and FZR250 Yamaha.

害羞草研究所淭he Jawa Perak has the best history,害羞草研究所� Clive said. 害羞草研究所淭he prototype was manufactured and 20,0000 km put on it during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia during WWII. They weren害羞草研究所檛 allowed to work on anything that wasn害羞草研究所檛 related to the Nazi war effort. The Czechs, right under the noses of the Nazis, engineered this 250 cc dual exhaust port two stroke motorcycle. They got away with it by putting a fake SS licence plate on the back. When stopped, they told the guards it was a secret SS project. They named the bike Perak, which has two meanings: mythical super hero or a cell of freedom fighters. The motor is a work of art, very art deco to look at. Gearheads see it as a thing of beauty. The bike was introduced in 1948 at the World害羞草研究所檚 Fair and took the gold medal.害羞草研究所�

The Chang Jiang came to Clive partially restored. 害羞草研究所淭hese motorcycles are assembled in China from a huge inventory of parts. The Chinese government had set up factories to just have people make things. In many cases they were way overproduced. Once they stopped producing parts, some independents started purchasing them and putting motorcycles together.害羞草研究所�

The actual manufactured year of Chang Jiangs are a grey area. 害羞草研究所淢ine is registered as a 1968 motorcycle, but it could have been put together a few years ago from 1968 parts,害羞草研究所� Clive explained. 害羞草研究所淭he vast majority you will see are a compilation of parts put together by independent companies in China. The Chinese government has now put a stop to their export.害羞草研究所�

The name Chang Jiang means long river and is named after the Yangtze River. 害羞草研究所淢ost of them came with sidecars although some can be purchased without,害羞草研究所� Clive said. 害羞草研究所淭hey have a reputation for being incredibly unreliable. However, I toured northern WA with my wife, fully loaded, and it never broke down. The key is preventative maintenance. You have to play with them. I spend two days checking everything and during the trip I check it again at least once a day.害羞草研究所�

Then there害羞草研究所檚 Clive害羞草研究所檚 newest classic, the 1988 FZR250 Yamaha. 害羞草研究所淭his was a Japanese market motorcycle with an EXUP (electronically controlled) exhaust. This one still has that in pristine condition. It redlines at 18,000 RPM. It害羞草研究所檚 a race bike for the street.害羞草研究所�

JAWA PERAK

Year: 1953

Make: Jawa

Model: Perak 250

Mileage: 3,400 km since restoration

Motor: single cylinder with dual port

250 CC two stroke.

Restoration: Absolutely everything was restored, every nut and bolt.

Manufactured: 1948 to 1954 in Czechoslovakia

CHANG JIANG

Year: 1968

Make: Chang Jiang CJ750

Model: M1S

Mileage: 11,000 km 害羞草研究所� original mileage

Motor: Boxer 750 CC 害羞草研究所� 12 volt with overhead valves with reverse.

Looks like a BMW motor

Restoration:

Mostly cosmetic restoration including, seat, handle bar and controls, wheels carburetor, minor cosmetics/nuts/bolts restored. Side car somewhat restored on the interior and the windshield. All lighting upgraded to LED.

Manufactured: early 1960s in China, ceased assembling around 2018

YAMAHA

Year: 1988

Make: Yamaha

Model: FZR250

Mileage: 18,000 original km

Motor: 250 CC, 4 cylinder, 4 stroke

Restoration: Bike is basically all original

Manufactured: This exact model made only in 1988 in Japan

From West Shore Life + Style magazine