Vintage motorcycles Sharing the love
and projects you find either from talking to people or through online blogs. “It’s like a big treasure hunt,” says Leighton. Rallies, too, are a great way to find bikes and parts for sale or swap. Both men come from a long love
LEIGHTON BROWN, STANDING; PATRICK HAMPSON, ON BIKE.
By FRANCIE HEALY Every Sunday, rain or shine, you can
find a bunch of guys at the Local Heroes Restaurant on Clyde Ave. in Ottawa. They have one thing on their minds: vintage motorcycles. They come from all walks of life. Their
ages range from about 40 to 85, and boy, do they know how to have fun. The weekly gathering “is a good excuse
to go for a ride on your bike on Sundays,” says Leighton Brown, past president of the Ottawa chapter of Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group (CVMG). As if they need an excuse. These guys
live and breathe fine aged bikes the way some people appreciate great wine. CVMG is a large national group
with more than 2,200 members and 29 sections, including one in Ottawa. Although most members own at least one vintage motorcycle, not everyone does, and there’s no requirement to. You just have to love them. It’s a place for like- minded enthusiasts to talk and learn about the joys of owning, collecting, restoring, maintaining and even archiving these historic machines. The group also raises money for good
ride out to the camp to visit the kids and to show them the bikes. For Patrick Hampson, another Ottawa
member, the group allows him to hear about rallies and events, share routes and meet people with the same great interest. He especially likes the knowledge he gains about restoration and history. “There’s a tremendous pool of talent
in this group,” agrees Leighton Brown. “There are experts on every kind of bike who are more than willing to share what they know.” Of course, there’s the social aspect,
ELVIS PRESLEY WITH GORD ATKINSON,APRIL 3,1957 City of Ottawa Archives/MG393/AN-49378-135/Andrews- Newton
too. Members get together for barbecues, and they invite other clubs to their rallies. Members of the Northern Old Bastards vintage motorcycle club (NOBs), for instance live in regions of the Ottawa Valley. The Old Bastards are located in the Delta (historically, Bastard Township) area. Many know each other and end up at the same events. They promote each other’s rallies and events, even when they’re outside the province. It’s like a brotherhood – an accurate-
10 BOUNDER MAGAZINE
causes. In Ottawa, 100 per cent of any money from rallies or events goes to Camp Quality (for children with cancer) in Lanark. The Ottawa group supports at least one child every year. They sometimes
enough word because this vintage motorcycle group is, in fact, primarily a male domain. There are some female riders, but not many, according to Leighton and Patrick. Motorcycles – or the vintage ones in this area, at least – are still considered a guy thing. Part of the fun of belonging to a group like this are some of the great bike parts
www.bounder.ca www.bounder.ca
of motorcycles. Leighton once had to hide his
bike – from his father. His dad was a police officer, and in those days police had to buy their own motorcycles. There was always a beautiful machine around, but young Leighton was told there would be
NO motorcycles in his life. His father said they were just too dangerous. “Dad told me if I brought one
home, it would be time to find a new home.” He bought one anyway, of course.
It lived out of sight at a friend’s house for awhile. But eventually the truth came out and his dad learned to live with it. In fact, he became solidly enthusiastic about it, and the love of motorcycles was something they went on to share. Leighton was always serious
about motorcycles. He raced them for
years, but when he got married and had two sons, Ian and Patrick, he got rid of the bikes. He didn’t get another one until his sons left for university – when “another motorcycle found me”. He had maintained several of his contacts through racing. He had never lost the passion. And his life became full of bikes again. Now he has “about a dozen”. He enjoys working on them
as much as riding them. A retired administrator with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board,
continued on page 12
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