- The Classic Motorcycle
- 5 Feb 2020
- Words: TIM BRITTON Photographs: Mortons Archive
The Sunbeam Owners’ Fellowship has been working together for Sunbeams since 1963 and is happily heading to the future.
With a fellowship there’s no hierarchy to aspire to, no office to be appointed to and no one is more important than the reason for the fellowship’s existence… which is the promotion, use, conservation and improving of Sunbeam’s S7 and S8 models, plus derivatives and specials too.
In a piece such as this there has to be someone to ask the questions of and for the fellowship’s case it is Colin Temple-Smith, with his wife Mandy, who is the organiser of the annual national rally. Before getting to the fellowship’s stuff though I wanted to know what attracted Colin to these alternative machines?
“It was quite by accident. I was experiencing chain troubles with my then-machine in the 1970s and my dad said: ‘ You need a Sunbeam’ but I’d never even heard of them at that time.
When I was in the local bike shop getting a chain, I mentioned this parental advice, and a chap next tome said it was good advice, and if I wanted one, he had one for sale…”
The Sunbeam Owners’ Fellowship grew out of the London Motorcycle Club which had a number of members interested in these post Second WorldWar machines, as opposed to the earlier Sunbeams. They all enjoyed the benefits of an ohc, inline, shaft drive twin and found kindred souls in Bob and Chines Stewart of Stewart Engineering.
An attempt by BSA tomake a cleaner, quieter motorcycle, which would cope with the road conditions of the time, became the SunbeamS7 with its large tyres to soak up the highway imperfections – don’t forget, rear suspension was still a novelty rather than the norm when the S7 was designed.
Doing away with the chain and its requirements for lubrication at once cleaned up the rear of the machine, but replaced it with something not fully understood or trusted bymotorcyclists – shaft drive. There are all sorts of tales associatedwith the system, such as it wears out quickly – it doesn’t if the correct oil is used – or it wasn’t reliable in the day – it was and many machines covered thousands of trouble freemiles.
“The reliability thing seems to stem from Harold Tozer’s ISDT outfit in 1949,” says Colin, “BSA decidedmid-event, and quite against the rules apparently, to lower the gearing on it and this seems to have been misinterpreted as the drive wearing out.”
The ‘S’ range enjoyed an 11-year production runwith 2000 S7s, 5500 S7 De-Luxes and 8500 S8s, totalling 16,488 made. Bowing to pressure fromapublic which demands innovation then buys what’s familiar, BSA reverted tomoremotorcycle sized wheels for the S8 models, a shame because the earlier S7s are a delight and smooth to ride, evenwithout the De-Luxe plunger suspension, which would have been a great comfort in those pre-motorway days.
Q. First off, an easy one. What is the club’s full name and title?
We’re not a ‘club’ as such but a ‘fellowship’ and the full name is the Sunbeam Owners’ Fellowship.
Q. How old is the fellowship?
It began in 1963, so that makes it almost 57 years old.
Q. What machines does the fellowship cater for?
We’re open to Sunbeam S7, S7 De-Luxe and S8 models, plus specials with car engines in, too.
Q. How did the fellowship come into existence?
The fellowship sprang from the London Motorcycle Club, when it was realised there was an interest among members in the post Second World War Sunbeams.
Q. Founder members – any still around?
Yes, Bob and Chines Stewart are still around.
Q. Is the fellowship a regional, national, international one?
There are members all around the world so we’re international, with the Australian interest separate though connected, if you see what we mean.
Q. Does the fellowship have committees/sections all over the country/world?
No, we’re not organised in that way, the fellowship has no officers, there’s no president, treasurer or committee and no one holds any monies connected to the fellowship.
Q. How is it organised?
All in the fellowship are equal, the joining fee is for the magazine to be produced, it’s nonprofitmaking and lots of decisions are made in the bar at the annual rally.
Q. Speaking of the annual rally, I’ve been to it but what other events do the fellowship organise?
Themain one is Ashbourne, but there are others in Wales, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, plus smaller, more local gatherings. All are family orientated and we’re seeing up to third generation owners now.
Q. Does the group have a library, or a technical help service?
Not exactly, but Stewart Engineering has a lot of information and the fellowship offer advice based on members’ own experiences of keeping Sunbeams in good order.
Q. Any famous Sunbeamers in the fellowship? There have been some, actors Robbie Coltrane and Ewan McGregor have had Sunbeams.
Q. I know ‘Monty of El Alamein’ (Lord Montgomery) had a Sunbeam as I’ve seen a photo of him being presented with it at BSA. Does this bike still exist?
It was thought the ‘Monty’ bike was around but it turned out not to be genuine, so currently it is unknown if the one presented to himstill exists.
Q. What’s the future for the SunbeamOwners’ Fellowship, is it healthy?
Yes, it is very healthy indeed.
Q. Okay Colin, an off-the-wall question I always chuck in to any interview… and as you’re speaking for the club I’ll allow two answers, what’s your favourite bike of all time?
Well, for the club it would have to be the S7 – as for me, Indian’s four-cylinder model from the 1930s.
