Fond memories of our combo!
28/02/2011
Just stumbled across your site while aimlessly surfing and did it bring back some memories.
My Dad, Leonard Passfield, had a couple of 'combos' during the late fifties and sixties and many are the tales I could tell.
His first was a 600 Panther with a child adult sidecar, and come Sunday, if Mum and Dad had 10 shillings to spare, we would load up and go to the coast for the day. My brother Terry and I in the sidecar.
One year it was decided to go away on holiday. They duly booked us into a caravan for a week at Bognor Regis. We left early in the morning and full of fun and spirit, got as far as Sevenoaks and had to stop. Clutch cable snapped.
Lucky for us there was a motorcycle dealers just round the corner and we were soon merrily on our way.
It was a beautiful day and a pit stop was made around half journey. Mum and Dad were pleased with the time we were making and we were all excited over the prospect of the following week.
Again we piled in and off we went. Then it happened, the clutch gave up the ghost, middle of nowhere. Dad tried to fix it to no avail. Our only alternative was to go for help.
Now Dad, being a canny man, was a member of the AA (No! not alcoholics anonymous- Automobile Association) he decided to go and try to find one of their patrols. I, in my 10 year old wisdom, said That I'd accompany him.
So! Leaving Mum and my little brother with the outfit off we went.
We walked about four miles before we saw a lovely site. There, coming toward us was the familiar site of the yellow handlebar fairing and box sidecar of an AA patrolman.
As there was only room for one sitting on the box I offered to walk back. It must be pointed out that in those far-off days a lone boy could walk in complete safety on his own, virtually anywhere.
Traffic was minimal, if you saw more than half a dozen cars in a short period of time it was rush-hour.....Lol
I must add that we had a wonderful holiday and the bike behaved perfectly after that....Wonderful memories.
R.F.Passfield
by email