An Angus pair of a certain vintage are hitting the road for an Oban round trip that will be a true test for man and machine.
In a classic venture to raise funds for Maggie’s cancer centres, Perthshire motorcycle enthusiast Stan Williamson is stepping astride his rare 500cc AJS Model 18 for a 200-mile journey to and from the west coast town that will keep him in the saddle for around 10 hours.
The scenic route will be a challenge for the 1948 machine but, at 67 years old, it is two years younger than its rider.
Stan, from Meigle, is a well-known figure in the vintage vehicle field, both as a past chairman of the Scottish Vintage Motor Cycle Club and a leading member of the Strathmore Vintage Vehicle Club, organisers of the annual Scottish Transport Extravaganza at Glamis Castle.
His personal collection extends to seven old motorbikes and he has selected the AJS for the Oban jaunt.
“I bought it in 2000 and, with the help of friends, totally restored it,” said 69-year-old Stan.
“There are not many 500s and although I use it quite often, the most I’ve done in the past is probably 100 miles.
“It may not sound like much of a challenge but these bikes don’t have the comforts or road speeds of a modern vehicle and the road to Oban has everything,” said Stan, who can be supported through www.justgiving.com/theobanrun or the SVVC website.
He said the personal motivation of raising as much as possible for the work done at Maggie’s will fuel his determination to complete the run next Thursday, with SVVC pals Stephen Dear and Kevin Rae following in the club van as support crew.
“Three of my close friends in the Scottish VMCC are all facing cancer and a number of folk from the SVVC have also been touched by it in various ways; it is something that affects everyone.”
“I’m very grateful for the all the generous support I’ve been given so far.”