THE FIRST PIONEER RUN, organised by the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club, took place in 1930. It was open to riders of pre-1915 motorcycles. In the very early days, the authenticity of machines was not something anyone had too many sleepless nights over. You simply "run what you brung", to use the modern vernacular. But all that changed in 1938 when the Pioneer Register was started, its object being to determine the eligibility of machines entered for the event. Today, the scrutineering is as rigorous as a communist witch hunt, so you can forget all about bolting your lawnmower engine to that old Hercules pushbike in the shed and laying on the nickel plate. It's a pity that the scrutineering doesn't include the riders outfits - some of whom slip off happily from the start line wearing full-faced lids and dayglo jackets. But our modern day health & safety fascists, coupled with the ever-tightening noose of the insurance industry, make it difficult for the Sunbeam Club to weed the men from the boys. Still, the underlying spirit of the event is strong - even though sartorial elegance often leaves much to be desired. Regardless, the Pioneer Run is still the world's greatest veteran bike event. It starts at Tattenham Corner, Epsom (close to where Suffragette Emily Davison was trampled to death by King George V's horse during the 1913 Epsom Derby - supposedly whilst trying to attach a Suffragette flag to the nag). The route then heads south along the A217 to Reigate and Crawley, Pease Pottage and Handcross, then doglegs west to the A281 south to Pyecombe where it picks up the A23 to Brighton. The run (and not a race, take note) finishes at Madeira Drive. And because the event is held in March each year, it's usually bloody cold. Moreover, it kicks off at 8.00am (whatever the hell that is). But don't let that put you off. Today's modern Pioneers, usually supported by back-up vehicles and satellite communication technology, may not be the tough and resourceful Pioneers of old; those guys and girls who, with their teeth, could extract horseshoe nails from tyre rubber and forge crankshafts in a ditch at the side of the road, etc. Times change, and the modern world takes no prisoners. But make no mistake that these guys are the embodiment of that great spirit of yesteryear. Just try to stay out of their way if you're riding modern hardware that makes the Epsom-Brighton jaunt feel like a walk around the garage. The Pioneer Run should be experienced at least once in your life. Most traditions are not worth preserving. But this tradition is an exception. Long may it continue. - Danny DeFazio
Advice on downloading the eBook Firstly, the Pioneer Run eBook is formatted for PCs only. It won't run on a Mac. Bad luck if you're one of the minority. But compelling technical and aesthetic reasons prevent us from formatting it in any other way. Most people. we hope, can get to a PC. We're currently looking at ways to present it to Mac users in the way we want to present it. Next, the eBook is around 14 megabytes of full-page pictures and will take a few minutes to arrive by broadband. But if you're an internet Pioneer and are still riding a chugging dial-up, expect it to take significantly longer. The eBook will download as an .exe file. This means that it's effectively a programme, and that means your computer may flag a warning. Some .exe files are dodgy, but this one is safe. Either trust us, or don't trust us. It's your call. If you accept it, press whatever button your computer wants you to press and click on the eBook when it appears. The pages will turn on screen like a normal book. And if you right-click on your mouse, you'll get various options that you'll figure out as you go. We suggest you click on the BACKGROUND option which will give the book a red desktop. We also recommend setting the book to a slow page turning speed (it makes it feel more like a real book). Use your mouse (right click) to exit the programme at any time. Confused? Don't be. It's not as complicated as it sounds, and it will be worth it. You can send the book off (by email) to whoever you want, free of charge - provided your email has the capacity for a 14 megabyte file. But it is copyright. So any commercial use must be authorised in the usual way. There's nothing embedded in the file. No viruses. No malicious codes. No pop ups. It's just a freebie publication celebrating the wonderful Pioneer Run whilst also advertising Sump's web site. More details on the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club can be found at www.sunbeam-mcc.co.uk If you're happy with all of this, and accept full responsibility for your computer blowing up in your face, press the link below. Download the Pioneer eBook Problem downloading the eBook? See if any of this helps. 1. If you've got the know-how, check your computer/internet settings to ensure that you're not inadvertently blocking the download. 2. If you've got too many files open on your computer, the book may not run properly. So close some files and try again. 3. Running .exe files (self running programmes) doesn't work well across all platforms and browsers. If you really can't get along with it, email us for a .dnl format replacement file. This is effectively a .pdf file. Full instructions will be sent. It just sounds more complicated when you don't understand the jargon. 4. For any other difficulties, email us with as much information as possible. We'll do what we can to sort it out. | 
