John Lovat takes top honors with immaculate BSA Spitfire

"It's probably a little better than when it left the showroom," says John Lovat of his 1966 BSA Spitfire Mk. II. 

An understatement, to be sure. In fact, the judges at the inaugural Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Concours d'Elegance thought it was a bit better than any of the close to 100 bikes in the show, and awarded Lovat's machine top honors in the prestigious event, which took place Saturday, October 19, during the Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the museum in Pickerington, Ohio.

The immaculate BSA took the retired boilermaker and a group of friends two years to complete, a process made even more difficult by the bikes comparative rareness — the top-of-the-line Spitfire Mk. II was offered only in 1966.

Billed by BSA that year as the "most exciting super-equipped road and road-racing model offered in America," the 650cc vertical-twin Spitfire Mk. II lived up to that claim with a host of parts straight from the factory's racing program. Alloy rims, a larger 190mm front drum brake, twin Amal GP carbs with velocity stacks, and 10.5:1 high-compression pistons are just a few of the parts that separated it from the more lowly models in the company's range that year.

Tackling a thoroughbred like this was surely a daunting task for someone who had never restored a bike, but Lovat and his friends were committed to doing it right.

"This is a one-year model. The carburetors are one year, the grips are one year, the spark plug wire color is one year. We made it as correct as we possibly could. Everything on the bike is NOS [new old stock] from 1966, including the insides of the motor, which took quite a bit of time to track down."

For his efforts, Lovat will take home the traveling trophy featuring a bust of legendary racer Jim Davis, before returning it for next year's event.

Would he do it again? Maybe.

"I’ve said It’ll be my last restoration, but it was a great thing to do."

© 2002, The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum

Scenes from the inaugural Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d'Elegance

The British are coming! — No! They've already arrived!	Hillclimbers in the Competition class.
From Goldwings to CLs, Hondas were well-represented in the Japanese class.	Two of the three Craig Vetter-designed Triumph X-75 Hurricanes entered in the show.
Judging the extensive British Class.	And the judging continues...
Ed Fisher's rare 1917 Reading Standard, complete with working Prestolite gas lights.	An XR-750 signed by 1969 AMA Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill.
A (slightly wet) Laverda American Eagle 750.	Mystery Ship no. 6 — a turbo!
	Another (slightly wet) show bike.
	(left) A 1972 Suzuki GT750 being wiped-down after being out in the rain. The bike took 3rd in the Japanese class.