received inspiration for his recumbent Alli- gator Motorcycle from Neracar. Vincent is represented by a 1955 D-Series which included a really big fairing; Brits, at the time, disliked fairing, and so the D-Series was not a commercially runaway, and was discontinued early on. The ‘Most – Ahem - Unusual’ award goes
to a 1950 IMMI R100 Reidel The ellipsoid- shaped engine is 99cc and
4.5hp.The cylin- der and the head are one piece. The transmission had no neutral:
the clutch
lever could be held in the disengaged posi- tion with a clip. Sporting only one front fork-leg, and the rear fixed ‘swingarm’ is also the exhaust pipe, and the machine sports a 3-speed handlebar gearchange mechanism. The exhaust pipe is actually the main frame of the motorcycle; the engine and virtually every sub-assembly is welded or fastened to this stout piece of pipe. A few days after our visit, Jack wrote to
tell me he remembered that he also owned a 1930s NSU Max, A 1928 New Imperial made by a Brit firm that created innovative motorcycles that employed unit-construc- tion long before they became common- place, and were moderately successful in competition. A ‘Guzzi-style vee-twin 1956 Victoria Bergmeister, a 30’s-era Douglas and some tiny Hondas seem to round out the collection. Probably. Judie and Jack are away from the home-
stead much of the time, as they attend events such as BMW MOA, Vintage Club and RA rallies big and small, the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, and most all of the top-tier Concours d’Elegance events – Amelia Island, Pebble Beach, Boca Raton, Dania, Meadowbrook, the Rocky Mountain Concours, Hilton Head and others. Judie and Jack’s R2 took top honors at Amelia Island in the past, and one of his Broughs bested all comers at Hilton Head. Airplanes. After all, they receive their
mail at an Airpark. In the past, Jack has had a couple of Navions, and now has a Van’s Aircraft RV-8, a pretty, low-wing two-place homebuilt, and a work-in-progress high- wing, the ‘Two Week’ airplane, a kit-build Preceptor STOL three-quarter sized copy of the Fieseler Storch. Jack hired a qualified aircraft mechanic to finish the craft several years ago, but it didn’t work out, and the neighbors continue to ask Judie and Jack about the plane, when will it be done?
The choice of Lawrence of Arabia.
A 1950 IMMI R100 Reidel. The stout exhaust pipe is actually the backbone and frame for the motorcycle. “Well, about two weeks.” Jack admits he’s
been saying that for several years now. While Jack considers himself a compe-
tent mechanic, he limits himself to routine maintenance; and wishes readers to recog- nize many of those who have been a part of many of the Wells’ projects; these include Bancroft Motor Works, Richard Scheckler, Ed Hill, Craig ‘Vech’ Vechorik, Perry Bush- ong and many others. Judie and Jack say they enjoy the company of other vintage enthusiasts, and riders of all stripes, telling and hearing of triumphs and Triumphs and failures and funny stories. Like many ‘MOA
members, Judie and Jack think of the motorcycling community as their extended family. “If you could have only one motorcycle
for the rest of your life, what would it be? (Judie) “A K75, without question.” (Jack) “My R100GSPD.” “We do this because we love being with
motorcycle people so much; the young peo- ple like the military stuff, and we wouldn’t enjoy our collection if it were all locked away. It’s for all to enjoy, and we’re only the current caretakers of these motorcycles, anyway.” It was difficult to separate between
September 2015 BMW OWNERS NEWS 95
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